Incessant strikes, weak funding, and other problems, according to Yusuf Alli, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and keynote lecturer at the University of Ilorin’s 36th Convocation, are fundamental challenges destroying the country’s universities.
The legal icon and philanthropist made this known at the Convocation Lecture held on Friday at the cavernous Main Auditorium of the university campus, Ilorin.
Alli said, the greatest challenges that faces the Nigerian universities is that of underfunding.
“Finance is so crucial to any organisation as it continues to dominate discussions on the state of university education in Nigeria.
“The establishment and the running of tertiary institutions is capital intensive, he said.
The lawyer observed that contrary to UNESCO provision for a minimum of 26 percent of every national budget to be channeled into education, the national budget 2021 falls far short of this requirement at just 5.6 percent.
“Mind you, the above figure is for the whole of the education sector from Primary to the Universities.
“I am aware that, as we speak, many Federal Universities cannot employ critical work force, even in areas of dire need, especially in the academic,” he added.
Alli also observed that there is a need to reprofessionalize the unions in the universities.
According to him, the true essence of unionism is primarily to foster harmony between the management and labour so that industrial peace, efficiency and productivity are achieved.
“There has, however, been a great deviation from the true aim of unionism by the University unions.
“People are now part of unions, not to foster any smooth running of the university, but for self aggrandizement,” the lawyer said.
Alli maintained that this factor has resulted into incessant strike actions that has affected quality of academic activities.
“The result of this has been frequent disruptions leading to poor quality of academic work, irregular and uncertain university calendars,” he said.
Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has urged the National Assembly’s relevant committees to pass the current Electoral Act Amendment Bill as soon as possible.
Prof spoke at a Transcorp Hilton symposium on INEC convened by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Thursday in Abuja.
He claims that hastening the bill’s passage will allow the commission to develop rules and regulations that will give the Act life and aid in the development of training manuals in time for the 2023 General Elections.
“The current Bill contains a number of clauses that require the Commission to provide unambiguous guidance.
With only 484 days till the General Election of 2023, time is running out.
The Commission has already scheduled three important elections for next year, in addition to the Anambra State Governorship election on November 6, 2021.
“The first is the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on February 12, 2022, followed by the Ekiti Governorship election on June 18, 2022, and the Osun Governorship election on July 16, 2022.”
Three Federal Constituencies and two State Constituencies are among the five outstanding bye-elections that the Commission must deal with.
The INEC chief stated that the Commission will handle the challenges ahead by working with the national assembly.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the enabling law, the commission has issued notice for the Anambra State Governorship Election on November 6.
The Commission is required under Section 46 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) to give notice of the election no later than 14 days before the election day, specifying the date and hours of the poll, the persons eligible to vote, and the site of the exercise.
INEC also expressed satisfaction with the degree of preparation for the governorship election, according to a statement released by Barrister Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee.
“The Commission is satisfied with the current level of preparations. Virtually all non-sensitive materials have been delivered in readiness for the election.
” The training of ad-hoc staff is also going on as scheduled. The Commission is in touch with the National Peace Committtee under the Chairmanship of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) GCFR. Preparations are underway for the signing of the Peace Accord in Awka on Thursday 4th November 2021.
“The Commission has also noted with appreciation, the role of religious, traditional and community leaders in Anambra State as well as civil society, socio-cultural associations and the media in appealing for peace during electioneering campaign and Election Day activities.
“With just a little over two weeks to the election, the Commission once again appeals for support from all and sundry in Anambra to ensure that the election will not only be peaceful but also free, fair and credible”.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, First Bank, Polaris Bank, Sterling Bank, Nexim Bank, and Heritage Bank have been summoned by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loot, Movable and Immovable Assets to account for the monies recovered and in their possession.
The committee asked the representative of Polaris Bank, Northern Region, who identified himself to the panel as the Bank’s legal counsel, to speak to the invitees.
However, after his introduction, the Committee’s chairman, Hon Adeogun Adejoro, denied him the right to speak further in the public hearing.
He said: “You are not permitted to speak in this committee”, we need the MD of Polaris Bank to appear in this committee by himself”.
“If your Bank refuses to come out straight and continue to play pranks with us, we will issue warrant of arrest against your MD. You people can take somebody’s money and start playing with it? 32 Million Dollars is what we are talking about here,” he stressed.
According to the Legal advisor of Polaris Bank, “Monies have been paid to the CBN account, and the CBN has the evidence”.
The Chairman of the Committee, without hesitation asked the CBN director of Money if such was paid into the CBN account by Polaris Bank, an allegation the Director vehemently refuted, saying “the alleged $32 Million is still with them, nothing was paid into the CBN account”.
Hon. Adeogun therefore warned Polaris to be mindful of the lies they are telling to the government. He also said, “Polaris Bank Cannot be comfortably owing the federal government and refuse to pay, because, the money is supposed to be used to fund the 2022 budget”.
The committee also summoned the executive director of First Bank Plc, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim to explain some three pending issues unexplained from his payment.
The director who corrected them, saying, “it was two(2) unexplained issues, which he explained thus: “Mr Chairman, N2.3 billion was remitted, but was not supported in any bank statement. Another N100 million was deposited as well, but it was not recorded. “NNPC advised it should be closed”.
“As far as this recovered loot is concerned now, First Bank is not involved in such again, it has been settled. NNPC therefore concored with the submission by First Bank.
The committee, led by Hon Adeogun Adejoro, therefore mandated some heads of agencies to appear at its next sitting, just as he adjourned the investigative hearing to next week Wednesday.
Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, lamented on Thursday that the country’s electricity sector is underutilized, with over 13,000 megawatts underutilized due to a lack of investment.
Mr. K. Kariuki, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth Complex, paid the Minister a courtesy call at the Ministry’s headquarters on Thursday.
Engr. Aliyu, on the other hand, assured consumers of improved electricity quality, emphasizing that “the Power sector has a lot of opportunities for investors ranging from distribution to transmission, and its challenge has left the generation of over 13,000 megawatts underutilized.”
While praising the Africa Development Bank for its intervention in certain areas of the power sector, Odutayo Oluseyi, Assistant Director, Press in the Ministry of Power, stated that more intervention is needed, stating that 80 percent of megawatts come from gas, while efforts are underway to move quickly to renewable energy through the engagement of independent power producers.
The Minister directed that the Federal Ministry of Power and the Africa Development Bank continue to work together on areas of intervention and collaboration.
Mr. K. Kariuki, Vice President of the African Development Bank’s Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth Complex, said earlier that the AFDB appreciates the power sector reform in Nigeria and would be pleased if it succeeds because Nigeria has Africa’s largest economy and the success of the reform will serve as a model for other countries.
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) promoted seventy-two legal practitioners to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria at its 149th plenary session on Thursday.
Members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves as lawyers and academics are conferred the position of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The 72 Legal Practitioners will be sworn in by the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) on December 8, 2021, at the Supreme Court premises in Abuja.
Prof. Adewale Oladipo, Chief Okey Muo-Aroh, and Eddy Olafeso were disqualified by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, a day before the party’s national convention.
The three were among the candidates fighting for positions in the party’s elective offices ahead of the party’s convention on October 30 and 31.
Oladipo was running for Deputy National Chairman (South), Muo-Aroh for National Secretary, and Olafeso for National Publicity Secretary, while Muo-Aroh was running for Deputy National Chairman (North).
This was announced by Ahmadu Fintiri, Chairman of the PDP National Convention Committee and Governor of Adamawa State, in Abuja on Thursday when the party presented its convention logo and symbol.
While answering questions from reporters, Governor Fintiri explained why they were disqualified “I’d like to tell you about the three people who failed to satisfy the screening committee’s expectations.
Dr. Olafeso Eddy Eniola, who initially expressed interest in running for the position of National Publicity Secretary, and Prof. Adewale Abiodun Oladepo and Barr. Okey Muo-Aroh are the other candidates.
“All of them were disqualified because they went to court to sue the party.
The national convention was likewise to be halted.
So, if you tried to halt the convention by taking the party to court without exhausting the internal mechanisms for resolving your issues, the committee decided you couldn’t benefit from it as well.
“Moreso the provision of section 51 sub 1L in our party Constitution has clearly spelt out that you must exhaust all the internal mechanism in the party.
“The same Constitution of our great party have also made a provision that if you have not exhausted section, 58 (1L), you can be punished under Section 59 (1e). So you can see that the steering committee have done what is needful of them.
“You must be disciplined in the party for us to survive. And I think we have to move away from the past as we are trying to open a new chapter for the party.”
In his remarks earlier, Fintiri lamented that the nation is at a crossroad, adding that “as a nation we are at the crossroad and we have to do the needful beginning from this convention to ensure that we get our best to steer us with their skills, with their experience and their integrity, so that NIgerians can move forward.
“We have to rewrite all the mistakes that we have committed in the past. Our leaders have agreed that we made a mistake and they have apologized to Nigerians. And with this, I think we also need to bring people of high integrity to manage the affairs of the party, and to get us wining the 2023 general elections, particularly the President.”
He said that despite the tight and challenges associated with this convention, the committee didn’t ask for any extension of time, adding, “we expect our members across the country to also make sacrifice and put time into this convention, because it is very key for the survival of our party.
“We need to revamp, reengineer this party and position it into winning spirit. This, I believe we will achieve.”
He disclosed that the screening committee has completed and submitted its report, adding, “31 candidates have indicated interest to contest for all the positions across from the National Chairman to the least position. 27 of them have been cleared, one has withdrawn and three have been disqualified.
“If they have any reason not to agree with why they were disqualified, this party is very democratic. You have the opportunity tomorrow to appear before the Appeal Committee, and they may be considered, they may not be considered, depending on the reason they may be putting forth. But I’m satisfied with the job done by the screening committee.
“It has paved the way for us to move forward. I assure you, on 30/31 we will have one of the best, open, transparent, and democratic convention in the history of this country.
“We’re still working on the delegate list. There are some litigations coming along with this, so we have to be sure that we have clean list of delegates. It will be very difficult at the moment to speak about the actual number of delegates that will be attending this convention, but the basic I can give you at the moment is that, not less than 4000 delegates will be in attendance of this 2021 convention.
Reacting to his disqualification, Muo-Aroh said that since he became member of PDP in 1999, he has never taken the party to court, even when he was disqualified sometimes ago while contesting for the position of National Publicity Secretary.
Expressing his anger over his qualification, Muo-Aroh said he will appear before the appeal committee on Saturday, adding, “I have been in the party since 1999 and I have not taken the party to court before. I am just coming from the Supreme Court where I went to defend our candidate for the Anambra state governorship candidate. I have collected my certificate and I will do the needful.”
The downward trend in piracy and armed robbery in Nigerian waters has continued, with the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reporting a 77% decline in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year in its third quarter 2021 account.
In the first nine months of 2021, Nigeria recorded four events, compared to 17 in 2020 and 41 in 2018.
According to Osagie Edward, Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA, this indicates a 77% drop in incidents between 2021 and 2020, and a 95% reduction from 2018.
In the Gulf of Guinea, the IMB recorded a 39% drop in pirate and armed robbery events (GoG).
The latest results follow President Muhammadu Buhari’s June 10 announcement of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, better known as the Deep Blue Project.
“In the first nine months of 2021, the Gulf of Guinea region registered 28 occurrences of piracy and armed robbery, compared to 46 for the same period in 2020,” according to the IMB.
The piracy reporting agency explained, “Crew kidnappings in the region have dropped with only one crew member kidnapped in Q3 2021, compared to 31 crew members taken in five separate incidents during Q3 2020. All Q3 incidents in 2021 were also against vessels at port anchorages whilst the average successful kidnapping location in Q3 2020 was approximately 100NM from land.”
According to IMB, “The overall reduction of piracy and armed robbery incidents in the region is a testament to enhanced maritime security and response coordination measures adopted by regional and national authorities.”
It called for the sustenance of the current momentum.
“We welcome the decrease of piracy and armed robbery attacks in the Gulf of Guinea and the efforts taken by maritime authorities in the region,” said IMB Director, Michael Howlett. “However, there needs to be sustained efforts to ensure the continued safety of seafarers as they transport essential goods throughout the region. Coastal States must redouble their coordination and security measures to ensure that piracy and armed robbery incidents continue to decline.”
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the Agency had put in place measures to sustain the current momentum of security in the country’s waters.
“We are delighted by this latest news from the IMB and the trend of progressive reduction in piracy and related incidents in our waters, but we cannot afford to be complacent about our commitment to the security of our maritime domain,” Jamoh said. “We will continue to strive for more effective measures to keep Nigerian waters safe and secure.”
The Deep Blue Project is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Defence, being implemented by NIMASA, with personnel drawn from the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, and other security agencies.
Following an alleged terrorist bomb attack on Wednesday, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) suspended train services along the Abuja–Kaduna route indefinitely on Thursday.
Recalled that, Shehu Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna Central, was the first to speak out about the heinous crimes.
Sani said he avoided terrorist explosives while on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line in a tweet on Thursday, adding that it “required a miracle” for people on the train to survive.
In a separate attack on Wednesday, he claimed, terrorists shot at the train.
In his tweet, “Yesterday, terrorists attacked the Kaduna Abuja railway with an explosive & opened fire on the train, targeting the Engine Driver & the Tank”.
“This morning, I was on board when our train ran over another explosive [and it] damaged [the] rail. It took a miracle for us to escape.”
In a swift response, the NRC in a statement on its website on Thursday said the services were suspended for the safety of passengers and crew members.
According to the corporation efforts were being put in place to ensure absolute safety along the route.
It added that further information concerning the suspension will be conveyed to the public shortly.
Nigeria has generated over $20.9million from the export of rubber in 2020.
This was announced on Thursday during the maiden edition of the 2021 National Rubber Conference in Abuja by Prince Igbinoson Peter, National President of the National Rubber Producers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NARPPMAN).
According to Peter, Nigeria is currently rated 23rd in the world among rubber producing countries, according to the CIA Reports 2021 and Global Rubber Markets 2021, as of 2020.
Thailand, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, and Vietnam, on the other hand, account for 81.5 percent of the global value of natural rubber delivered in 2020, according to him.
He bemoaned the fact that Nigeria has not assumed its rightful place as the world’s leading producer and exporter of rubber.
He claims that 95 percent of the country’s potential rubber plantations are over 40 years old and have been abandoned because their trees have been chopped and utilized as fuel or furniture.
He said: “Rubber as an internationally traded agricultural commodity that is in high demand all over the world, played a major role as a foreign exchange earner and contributor to the growth of national economy.
“If given proper attention, rubber alone can transform the economy of Nigeria and employ millions of people as it is proven to have some of the largest value chain.
“With over 50 by-products, in over 400,000 applications, rubber is rated among the most profitable agro-industrial ventures.
“It is infact considered the world’s fourth most important natural resource after air, water and petroleum.”
Peter, however noted that in the 1960’s that Nigeria was the highest producer of rubber in Africa and 5th in the world, adding that Nigeria is the third highest producer of natural rubber in Africa but producing at 6% of African total production as compared to Ivory Coast whose production is at 76% of Africa total production.
He pointed out that if priority attention is given to the production of rubber, it would go a long way in assisting in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals targeted to eradicate poverty, hunger, and improve decent work, economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure.
The National President of NARPPMAN, said the Association could provide 480,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs for the teeming youths from plantation establisment alone.
Therefore, he called on government to assist the Association in rubber production technology to further enhance the promotion and sustainability of rubber sub-sector as well as provide agricultural subsidies to rubber farmers.
As part of his requests, Peter appealed to the government to provide other assistance such as processing machines, free construction of smokehouses in clusters for effective storage facilities, basic infrastructural facilities, agro-chemicals and fertilizers to boost rubber production.
He further solicited regular training for rubber farmers, provision of grants and soft loans at single digit interest rate as well as the involvement of the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry and Nexim Bank in the development of the rubber sub-sector through provision of funds for small and industrial rubber farmers.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, urged the Association to embark on the replanting of existing rubber plantations.
Umakhihe represented by Mohammed Tukur, said it has become necessary for Nigeria to occupy her pride of place in the rubber sub-sector.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the international community to refuse any human rights violators visas to travel abroad.
Sunday Asefon, the President of NANS, issued a statement criticizing security forces’ brutality in relation to the 2020 organized against the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
The students’ group demanded that the security officers indicted by various panels set up by governments to investigate allegations of human rights violations in Nigeria be prosecuted immediately.
NANS has also threatened to file a complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America, for alleged human rights breaches against innocent Nigerians.
Despite the days-long 2020 protests, Asefon highlighted the fact that young Nigerians are subjected to painful torture at the hands of security forces on a daily basis.
In due time, he notified the federal government and the governments of each state of the federation to begin diligent prosecution of individuals whose activities had resulted in the death, deprivation, and maiming of innocent Nigerians.
Asefon said: “The NANS shall by this notice, also petitions the United Nations Human Rights Council, governments of the United States and United Kingdom, to immediately initiate a process of visa cancelation of these identified perpetrators of crime against Nigerian young people.
“Beyond the nationwide commemoration, characterised by street protests and processions, the NANS used the opportunity of today’s ENDSARS memorial events, to review the incidences of October 20, 2020 and make specific demands from the Nigerian government, towards ensuring that we avoid a repeat of the unfortunate incident of October 20, 2020.
“Considering the commitment of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, to finding a meaningful resolution to the crisis created by the agitations for an end to police brutality.
“The foregoing is coupled with several evidence gathered from our Independent findings, through series of stakeholders engagements, via video footages and hospital reports, which have now confirmed that, the Nigerian Army operatives opened fire on thousands of young Nigerians who were peacefully gathered at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.
“This action that was followed up by subsequent assault on injured and other protesters by operatives of the Nigerian Police force in the later hours of same day.
“Consequent upon the above and ultimately in the spirit of ensuring justice for the severally injured and murdered young Nigerians, as now confirmed by various evidences, the NANS hereby demand” for the immediate arrest and prosecution of every operative and officers of the Nigerian Army, the police and particularly their commanding officers in Lagos, and other parts of Nigeria, where young Nigerians were murdered on October 20″.
The NANS president issued a seven days ultimatum, to the leadership of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police force, to provide everyone involved in this crime against humanity, without further delay.
NANS threatened that they are determined to hit the streets, to ensure that justice is delivered to all fallen heroes, as it struggles to ensure an end to police brutality and all forms of human rights abuses in the country.
