2019ELECTION: “SEVEN NORTHERNERS TO WATCH AHEAD OF 2019 ELECTION”

POLITICS – Here is current information reaching us as Doyin Okupe, a former aide to the immediate past President Goofluck Jonathan, has listed those he described as persons to watch from the North ahead of the 2019 election.

Meanwhile the former Presidential aide, in a Facebook post, listed the Senate President alongside 

former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, 

Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dakwambo, 

Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,

 former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, 

former Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido, and a former Governor of Kaduna state, Ahmed Makarfi.

Okupe wrote, “Seven (7) Northern Princes to watch in 2019. Saraki, Atiku, Dakwambo, Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, Lamido, Makarfi.”

Atiku recently announced his exit from the APC.

While there are rumours of Kwankwaso dumping the ruling party soon, the lawmaker has said there are no such plans.

Similarly, Saraki said he was not planning to dump the ruling party for PDP.

Apply For Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme 2018

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is now accepting applications for business ideas that can transform Africa. The Programme, in its 4th cycle, is Tony Elumelu Foundation’s 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs by 2024.

1,000 entrepreneurs will be selected based on the viability of their idea, including: market opportunity; financial understanding; scalability; and leadership and entrepreneurial skills demonstrated in the application.

Benefits
The Programme provides critical tools for business success, including:

Training:12 weeks of intensive online training which guides creating and managing a business
Mentoring: A world-class mentor to guide during the early transformation stages of the business
Funding:$5,000* in seed capital to prove the concept, plus access to further funding
Network: Access to the largest network of African start-ups and TEF’s own global contacts
Eligibility Requirements for Tony Elumelu Foundation Application 2018:
The business must be based in Africa
The business must be for profit
The business must be 0-3 years old
Applicants must be at least 18 and a legal resident or citizen of an African country

How to apply 
To apply, complete the online application at www.application.tonyelumelufoundation.org 
The deadline is midnight (WAT) on 1 March 2018.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1, 2018

For more information or to apply, visit: http://www.tonyelumelufoundation.org/about-tef/application-process/

Media inquiries: media@tonyelumelufoundation.org

NO AUTOMATIC TICKET FOR ATIKU – PDP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The chairman, Board of Trustees, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin, has said that there would be no automatic ticket for former Vice President and now presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, in the coming 2019 general election.

Senator Jibrin said that although the ex-VP has not informed anybody of any intention to defect back to PDP after dumping the party for APC ahead of the 2015 election but maintained that PDP, however, is ready to accept Atiku if he makes a come-back journey.

Senator Jibrin also urged that Atiku plans to come back to the party, then “he should come as an equal partner” to contend with other aspirants already in the party for the ticket and not expect to be given an automatic ticket. According to him,  “Has he told you he is returning to the PDP?

We are ready to accept him to our party but he should be ready to work for a waiver. “The North met in Abuja to say that any candidate from the North can contest. Let us get them. I think they are getting set now.

“For now, we have a former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau; former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido; a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, and so on, preparing to vie for the PDP presidential ticket. “If the PDP grants Atiku a waiver, he should then join the cream of presidential aspirants in the party to fight for the ticket in 2019.

“If the PDP considers Atiku for the automatic presidential ticket, what about those in the party who are showing interest? Should we throw them away? If he is coming, he should come as an equal partner.

“We are ready to accept him; but he must follow the rules of the game. First, he must undergo primaries like any other person, and he must fight for the presidential ticket.”

Hungary gives HUF 420 million for hospital and school reconstruction in Nigeria

The Hungarian government has decided to provide 420 million forints (EUR 1.3 million) to help the reconstruction of four schools and a hospital in Maiduguri in north-eastern Nigeria, the human resources minister said. The assistance will be given in response to the call made by Nigerian Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme to the Hungarian prime minister during his visit to Budapest in July, Zoltán Balog told MTI. The Boko Haram terrorist organisation had not only murdered Nigerians, many of them Christians, but had destroyed local infrastructure as well, Balog cited the bishop as saying.

How Nigeria’s largest Independent Power Plant is set up to funnel billions to tax haven

Nigeria’s largest independent power plant (IPP), Azura Edo Power Plant, is a huge suction pipe set up to siphon millions of tax-free dollars through a network of Mauritius-incorporated offshore shell companies to a number of trusts and private equity firms, an investigation by PREMIUM TIMES and the International Consortium of Investigative journalist (ICIJ) has revealed.

A study of the data obtained by German newspaper, Suddeutsche Zeitung, and ICIJ from two offshore secrecy providers (Appleby and Asiaciti Trust) and 19 secrecy jurisdictions showed that promoters of the power plant will earn as much as $28 million before the first light bulb comes alive from power generated by the facility.

The 1.4 terabyte leaked data, now named Paradise Papers, contains 13.4 million records and ranks among the biggest leaks in history.

For 12 months, more than 380 journalists from 96 media organisations in 67 countries pored over the gigantic data, which cover a period of nearly 70 years, from 1950 to 2016. PREMIUM TIMES is the only Nigerian media organisation involved in the investigation.

More than 120 politicians and country leaders, in nearly 50 countries as well as hundreds of business people across the world were identified in the record as users of offshore entities.

The beginning

In October 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan, a spade in hand, flanked by Adams Oshiomhole, then governor of Edo State, and other dignitaries broke the earth of the sprawling 100 hectares site for the Azura Edo Power Plant for the first time.

The power plant, located at the Ihovbor/Orior Odemwende communities outside Benin City was hailed as the first fully financed private power plant in Nigeria.

The first phase of the IPP, which is planned to take off in 2018, will produce 450 megawatts of electricity but ultimately, the plant is expected to produce 1,500 megawatts.

Mr. Jonathan said the project demonstrated the “strong foundation” on which his administration was “building a sound and sustainable electricity industry, with great expectations for robust growth in the sector.”

Azura Edo was an instant hit with foreign investors and multilateral financial institutions. The gas-fired plant had little problem generating the $1 billion ($700 million for the construction of the plant and $300 million to build associated infrastructure) required to set it up.

The World Bank provided a partial risk guarantee of up to $245 million. The board of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) approved loans and hedging instruments of up to US$135 million and guarantees of up to US$659 million.

The project received loan financial backing from First City Monument Bank, Rand Bank of South Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, United Kingdom and the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO).

Other financial institutions that provided debt financing were Standard Bank of South Africa, SWEDFUNDS International, AB, Sweden, and Overseas Private Investment Corporation, USA.

But after the funfair of the groundbreaking ceremony, work on the project stalled. The Mr. Jonathan’s administration, for undisclosed reasons, withheld its backing of the World Bank facility needed for the plant to take off.

In August 2015, however, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration breathed new life into the plant, signing a $237 million risk guarantees with the World Bank in support of the power plant. The guarantees included a debt mobilization guarantee of $117 million and a liquidity guarantee of $120 million.

Things to know about Bitcoin

Mark Karpeles, the former CEO of collapsed Bitcoin exchange MtGox,

 went on trial in Tokyo on charges stemming from the disappearance of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the virtual currency from its digital vaults.

Here are some key facts about the world’s most widely used crypto currency:

What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a virtual currency created from computer code. Unlike a real-world unit such as the US dollar or euro, it has no central bank and is not backed by any government.Instead, Bitcoin’s community of users control and regulate it. Advocates say this makes it an efficient alternative to traditional currencies because it is not subject to the whims of a state that may devalue its money to boost exports, for example.

Just like other currencies, Bitcoins can be exchanged for goods and services — or for other currencies — provided the other party is willing to accept them.

Where does it come from?
Bitcoin was launched in 2009 as a bit of encrypted software written by someone using the Japanese-sounding name Satoshi Nakamoto.

Last year secretive Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright said he was the creator of Bitcoin, but some have raised doubts over his claim.

Hundreds of other digital currencies followed but Bitcoin is by far the most popular, with an increasing number of merchants accepting digital currencies for payments.

Transactions happen when heavily encrypted codes are passed across a computer network. The network as a whole monitors and verifies the transaction in a process that is intended to ensure no single Bitcoin can be spent in more than one place simultaneously.

Users can “mine” Bitcoins — bring new ones into being — by having their computers run complicated and increasingly difficult processes.

However, the model is limited and only 21 million units will ever be created.

What’s it worth?
Like any other currency, it fluctuates. But unlike most real-world units, Bitcoin’s value has swung wildly in a short period.

When it first came into existence it was worth a few US cents. Several years later Bitcoin topped $1,000. It’s now worth more than $2,300, with commentators suggesting some are buying it as an alternative bet in times of global economic uncertainty.

The chaotic withdrawal of high-value notes in India, and Chinese controls on the purchase of foreign currency have also been cited for its meteoric rise.

There are presently more than 16 million units in circulation. Some economists say the limited number of Bitcoins mean its price will increase over the long run, making it less useful as a currency and more a vehicle to store value, like gold.

But detractors point to Bitcoin’s volatility, security issues and other weaknesses as flaws that will eventually undermine it.

What’s the future?
Some commentators say that like many technological developments, the first iteration of a product will encounter difficulties, possibly terminal ones. But the trail it blazes might smooth the way for the next crypto currency.

Problems include an apparent vulnerability to theft when Bitcoins are stored in digital wallets.

A major Hong Kong-based Bitcoin exchange suspended trading last year after $65 million in the virtual unit was reportedly stolen by hackers.

The virtual currency movement also faces legitimacy issues because of the way it allows for anonymous transactions — the very thing that libertarian adopters like about it.

Detractors say bitcoin’s use on the underground Silk Road website, where users could buy drugs and guns with it, is proof that it is a bad thing.

If Bitcoin does become more widely accepted, experts say, it could lead to more government regulations, which would negate the very attraction of the concept.

Nigeria won’t import rice next year

Having closely monitored the progress of local farmers, the International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD) is convinced that Nigeria will be self-sufficient in rice production in 2018. Opinionvoices reports from Minna



It might well be the best piece of news to come out of Nigeria. At the rate rice farming is going, the country will not have to import the grain next year. This piece of information was released by Dr. Odoemena Ben, Country Programme Officer in Nigeria, International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD).

Ben was speaking in Niger State as part of IFAD Value Chain Development Progra-mme (VCDP) fifth supervision mission team to the state. He said that with the attention being paid by governments at all levels and international agencies on rice production, the sector has received a boost.

This means a lot to Nigerians and the Muhammadu Buhari administration. The administration took off on a plan to stimulate local food production and stem the outflow of import cash. This spurred increased cultivation of rice, for instance, in some states, one of which is Niger. As late as last December, it was clear that the administration and the rice growers meant business. The farmers grew the grain, processed and neatly bagged it.
Ben corroborated that in Niger, adding that farming in general has received a lot of boost from both state and federal governments as farmers are being given farm inputs, fertilisers, seedlings, equipment and other implements that would improve the quality and quantity of farming in the country.Ben said that with the investment made in rice this year, the farmers across the country can produce more than three million metric tonnes of rice which would be more than enough until the next rice planting season.”Niger is heading for self-sufficiency of rice before the end of 2017. I am very sure that if the path of what we are doing continues, we will be self-sufficient in Rice production. By next year, Nigeria will be able to export rice.He however called on states governments to fulfil their parts by paying their counterpart funds to enable the farmers enjoy more and give them increased yield in their farm produce.However, the Niger government has assured the International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD) of its commitment to pay its N87.1 million counterpart fund.The state Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Kabiru Musa called for patience during the team’s visit to his office.He said, “We appreciate you for being patient with us over non payment of counterpart fund. I assure you that we are going to discourse with the governor to make sure that the money is paid. The state government has approved the money, what is happening is that we are waiting for cash backing to pay our counterpart fund.”Musa lauded the project in the state, saying that it has impacted positively on farmers in the state thereby creating jobs, increasing their income and increasing food production, “Today our farmers can carter for their households with ease without going to borrow,’’ he said.He urged the project to extend their activities in the state to the 20 Local Government Areas that are yet to benefit as only five local government areas in the state; Kontagora, Wushishi, Bida, Shiroro and Katcha are currently participating in the programme.The state IFAD Project Coordinator, Dr. Ahmed Mathew said that over N83 million has been expended for infrastructures for Rural Farmers in Niger state to provide them with basic amenities and alleviate their sufferings.He said that the infrastructures were provided under the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) under the programme adding that the projects will help in increasing the productivity of the farmers in the state.He said that Solar Powered boreholes was set up for N9.5 million, rehabilitation and construction  of warehouses gulped N23 million while others cost N33 million..Ahmed further said that IFAD has helped the farmers in increasing their income while he stressed on the need for the state government to pay up its counterpart fund to enable them give the farmers more infrastructures.

Nigeria internet users hits 91 million - NCC report

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), by May this year, Nigeria hit the 91 million mark in terms of internet users in the country.

The number, which has risen from 90,124,428 in April to 91,565,010 in May, was revealed in a report released by the telecommunications industry regulator in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data.

According to the NCC, internet users on both Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks increased during the period. The NCC report revealed that out of the 91,595,319 internet users in May, 91,565,010 were on GSM networks, while 30,309 users were on CDMA networks. Also, GSM service providers gained 1,440,582 internet customers after recording 91,565,010 users in May, as against 90,124,428 it recorded in April. On the other hand, CDMA operators had retained 30,309 internet subscribers in May as recorded in April.

The report also shows that MTN had 31,406,441 subscribers browsing the internet on its network in the month under review and also recorded an increase of 600,464 internet subscribers in May.

According to the NCC, Globacom had 27,402,484 customers surfing the net on its network in May, revealing an increase of 211,713 users from the 27,190,771 that surfed the internet on the network in April.

Airtel had 19,912,661 internet users in May, showing an increase of 504,811 customers from 19,407,850 recorded in April.

Etisalat, now 9Mobile, recorded 12,843,424 internet users in May, an increase of 123,594 users from the 12,719,830 users recorded in April.

CDMA operators, Multi-Links and Visafone had a total of 30,309 internet users on their networks in May.

Nigerians still believe in PDP – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said Nigerians still believed in the capacity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lead the country.

Jonathan stated this at the expanded National Caucus of the party held on Monday night at Wadata House, Abuja.

He said that this was demonstrated with reactions by Nigerians to the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership crisis on Wednesday.

He urged that all our efforts by PDP members and supporters within this period should be channeled towards building the party.

“Nigerians still believe in the PDP because when the Supreme Court judgment was given, I was so surprised because some people called and sent text messages to me.

“They are not even politicians but they are so happy that PDP has come on stream because they were worried that PDP will go down.

“So, if people who are not even members of PDP are so happy that PDP has now gotten a platform to operate in spite of the negative propaganda against us, it means people still believe in PDP.

“PDP is a party that Nigerians still believe in,” Jonathan said.

He appealed to party members to rebuild it, assuring that many people who stepped aside from the party as a result of its leadership crisis would return.

“The first thing we need to do is to rebuild the party because when the party is strong, everything will be added to that.

“Whether you have individual or group interest, as a politician, you must serve. These are very basic things, but first and foremost, we must strengthen the party.

“Let us cooperate with the Caretaker Committee and make sure that PDP is very cohesive. And when that happens, people who stepped aside may step back.

“We may not even need to go on a voyage of discovery to discover people. But they, themselves will come back because a strong party acts like a magnet.

“It will attract all the people that are interested,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, said only a miracle would stop PDP from regaining power in 2019.

Makarfi said the meeting was convened to chart the way forward for the party.

“We call this caucus before the meeting of other organs. You are our party leaders.

“Immediately judgment was delivered, I said no victor nor vanquished, and we mean it.

“It does not mean taking what belong to people and giving to a few people.”

On his part, Mr Ayodele Fayose, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, urged party members and leaders to return to the “home” and mobilise Nigerians at the grassroots.

“If this party must win, if PDP must get the confidence of Nigerians, if this party must be restored, our leaders must go back home and work,” Fayose said.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, said that the Lord gave PDP the victory because He loved Nigerian.

He said that the time had come for the party to work together and deliver good governance to the country.

“Time to work is now; we must go back to the drawing board. We must not disappoint Nigerians. It is time for fence-mending and reconstructing Nigeria for real change.

“We all believe in the party that was why we stayed. We need everybody in this party to re-build the party,” Ekweremadu said.

The Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Jubril Walid, said it was time for the party to build a new Nigeria.

Walid, who was represented by Mr Aminu Wali, said “this is a new PDP. It is going to have a new beginning, a new start, by the grace of God.”

Present at the meeting were David Mark, Remi Bakare, Stella Omu, Godswill Akpabio, Nyesom Wike, Sule Lamido, Ahmadu Ali and also Uche Secondus.

Others were Olisa Metu, Jonah Jang, Jerry Gana, Grace Bent, Gabriel Suswam, Emmanuel Udom, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Darius Ishyaku

The other persons were Jonah Jang, Tom Ikimi, Vincent Ogbulafor, Ahmadu Ali, Jim Agbaje, Solomon Ewuga, Liyel Imoke, Ibrahim Mantu, Emeka Ihedioha, Dimeji Bankole.

Meanwhile, the former Chairman of the Party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff was absent. (NAN)

APC fires PDP

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has slammed the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over its ongoing calls for the restructuring of Nigeria.

The party wondered why PDP suddenly woke up to realize that Nigeria needed to be restrucutured but failed to do so while it was in power between 1999-2015.

Speaking with Nation, Hon. Hilliard Etta, the National Vice Chairman (Southsouth) of the party said, Nigerians needed to give the APC time as it would surely fulfill all electioneering campaign promises.

He said, “I don’t know if it is essentially about the APC. But some Nigerians are very quick to enter judgement when it comes to APC. The APC has been in power for two years and in these two years, you are aware of what has attended our presidency. It is disingenuous for people to now look at the APC and say those types of things that they say.

“If is unfortunately because, whenever these things are done, I think they are just amplifying or reciting the propaganda of the PDP. The PDP was in power for 16 years and never cared about restructuring. Today, PDP is all over the place talking about restructuring. I think Nigerians should be a little patient with us.

“It is unfortunate that the unsustainable sub structure of Nigeria has brought the current agitations in the manner it has come and at this time when the APC is in power. We we are not afraid of the responsibility and the challenges of the time.”

Asked his take on the cries of marginalization, which has lead to one form of ultimatum or the other, Etta said, “there is agitations from almost all parts of the country. The almajaris are agitating for a better life, the Yoruba man is agitating for better governance, the Igbo man is agitating, the Calabar man is agitating.

“There is no ethnic nationality in this country that isn’t agitating. Now we must interrogate who they agitating against and who should they agitate against? I laugh when I hear my Igbo brothers agitating against the Hausa/Fulani, are they to saying that it is the Hausa/Fulani that has marginalized them.

“When I see the Almajiris agitating, are they to saying that it is the Hausa/Fulani that has marginalized them? It is the same thing for the Yoruba, the same for the Igala people, the same thing for the Efik people, the same for the Ibibio people. The truth of the matter is that Nigeria is sharply divided into two; the leaders and others and the people that have marginalized all ethnic nationality are less than one percent of the population of Nigeria and they come from all ethnic nationalities.

“I have done a personal interrogation of those who have superintended over Nigeria and very sadly, I have come to realise only three Hausa/Fulani people have been in charge of Nigeria since independence. The first was Tafa Balewa, the second was Buhari and the third was Yar’dua.‎”

Nigeria needs repackaging not restructuring- Okorocha

Gov. Rochas Okorocha said Nigeria does not need restructuring as being demanded by some Nigerians, but said the nation only needed to be repackaged.

Okorocha said this on Monday while declaring open the 67^th annual conference of Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON).

He said BON as critical stakeholders must be in the forefront of the campaign against restructuring, but rather sell the massage of repackaging.

He said only repackaging could attract huge investors to Nigeria and help boost its economy.

“Many people have defined restructuring just to benefit their geo-political zones.

“To the South Easterners, restructuring means creation of an additional state, While it may mean resource control to other geo-political zones”, he said.

The governor said Nigeria has been presented in the bad light to other nations of the world which made it non marketable to the international communities.

“We are not the worst nation in the world in terms of corruption but we have been presented as the worst nation.

“I urged BON to see Nigeria as its project and repackage it so that we can regain our lost glories”, he said.

Okorocha however appealed to BON to also give the less privileged  the opportunity to be heard considering high cost of electronics media subscription.

In his address, the BON Chairman Mr. John Momoh said the main aim of the meeting was to brainstorm on how to proffer solutions to Nigerian problems.

He also said part of the group’s agenda was to suggest ways  to strengthen BON for it to continue to serve as watch dog to political office holders.

According to him, it is the responsibility of BON to bring the feelings of the people to government and also let the people know their civic responsibilities.

He commended the governor for his huge developmental projects which he said have changed the face of Imo state. (NAN)

Fayose launches presidential campaign on Facebook, Twitter

The Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has commenced activities towards his ambition to become president of Nigeria in 2019.

On Monday, the governor launched his campaign on Twitter and Facebook by opening accounts in the name his presidential campaign on both platforms.

His spokesman, Lere Olayinka, however, told PREMIUM TIMES that the campaign has not been officially launched.

Mr. Olayinka said what happened on Monday was the opening of the official Twitter and Facebook accounts on the social media.

“When we officially launch the campaign, everyone will know about it,” he said.

Mr. Fayose had recently boasted that he would wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress come 2019.

He had indicated that he would approach the Supreme Court to determine his eligibility to contest the next governorship election following the court’s judgment that his impeachment during his first tenure was a nullity.

As a result, many Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirants had suspended their ambition until it was clear that Mr. Fayose would not be able run in the election.

Gauteng seeks to strengthen trade ties with Lagos State