Somethings Are Wrong With APC -Babatope

CHIEF Ebenezar Babatope is a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peo­ples Democratic Party (PDP). He believes that so many things are wrong with the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, he spoke on vari­ous national issues including the need to address the issue of Biafra. Excerpts:
With the situation of things in the country today, there is no gainsaying that there is tension in the land. What are your reflections on the state of the nation?
The state of the nation is very bad because there is poverty all over the land and that is very unfortunate. Look at elec­tricity! For goodness sake, people are marking the Easter celebration and there was no electricity in Nigeria. I have been in my house for many days and there had not been a single blink of electricity. We were promised change and change before the elections but is this the change we are going to have? This is change to madness. This is change to poverty; I do not know how to describe it. I want to appeal to you journalists to help us tell them that Nigeri­ans are suffering. I hate comparing people or parties. It is true I belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and they belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC) but the truth is that we are not having it easy at all. They said they are fighting corruption, what is the level of corruption now? How does it affect the ordinary man in Nigeria? It is a pity with what is hap­pening in Nigeria today. I cannot explain it. I have been inundated with many, many calls from people who are really suffering. I must tell you that the state of the nation today is very bad. The other day, President Mu­hammadu Buhari was apologizing to Nigerians; apologizing to Nigerians for what? It is a very terrible situation; please help us tell them. We can no longer bear this anymore.
The claim of the APC is that the previous government had ruined the nation and they are just trying to clear the mess by the past PDP government led by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Don’t you think Nigeria should give them more time?
I do not agree with them at all. For how long will they continue to say that the economy of Nigeria had been badly battered by the past administration? I agree with them that there has to be some infrastructural changes all over Ni­geria but the question remains, for how long are we going to remain under that excuse? When President Jonathan was there, were things as bad as these? Let us say that things were not as good under Jonathan’s administration but things were not as bad as these. As bad as the PHCN was under Jonathan, it would try and give us light during celebrations. During Jonathan’s time, no matter how bad the situation was, they would try and give Nigerians light. They said Jonathan has battered the economy, who has not battered the economy? They said they have been fighting corruption taking N200 million, N300 million, N400 million and N500 million but where is the money. Where is the money going and what is the effect? I am a member of the PDP and all of us said ok, go ahead with your fight against corruption but where is it leading us? I must tell you that it is a terrible situation. There is so much frustration in the land. They must stop making pretences. They said Jonathan battered the economy; they have been there now for over one year but what has happened? Have they improved the economy at all? They have not. Nigerians are suffering very badly. I am not contesting power with them; I do not want to contest for power any more. At 73, what do I want to contest for again? But I want to face the issues as they affect the Nige­rian people. Nigerians have a right to vote for whoever they want to vote for. They voted for the APC who kept shouting change, change, but where is the change. That is the question every Nigerian is now asking.
Since the present administration came on board, Nigeria has witnessed se­ries of inconclusive elections unlike what happened in the past government under President Jonathan. What do you think is wrong and with the development, what is the future of our electoral process?
We have to pray. Like I said, I hate com­paring people. Buhari is certainly different from Jonathan, his predecessor. But the ques­tion remains that when Jonathan was there, he did not interfere in the electoral process to the point that elections were becoming inconclu­sive. Under Jonathan, the APC would contest in an election and win but now after elections, the result would not be declared. Look at what happened in Rivers State! They would go to an election and kill people and at the end of the day, the PDP led by 10 local govern­ments to one. The Buhari and the APC should close their eyes to the fact that somebody is in power, let the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have freedom to con­duct elections for goodness sake. When they do that, they would be helping democracy in Nigeria. What they are doing in Nigeria now is to destroy democracy and the will of the people in having confidence in INEC which is the electoral body that conducts elections.
There is a school of thought that con­tinues to insist that yes, Buhari has integ­rity and that he is not corrupt but that he lacks the intellectual content to lead a com­plex society like Nigeria. Do you share this view?
I tell you that there are many things wrong with the APC. It is not a question of Buhari. After all, he is just an individual. People know that Buhari has integrity; fine. He is not the only one. Many of us who are in the PDP have integ­rity; we did not steal N200 million and N300 million but the truth remains that the APC did not find time to sit down and plan their electoral victory. That is the issue. It is not Buhari’s matter. The APC as a party did not sit down to plan their victory in a way that will make people know that actually, there had been a change. That is the issue. What we are having now is the noise about N200 million, N300 Million and all that on issues of corruption; fine, it is beautiful on paper but where does it lead us. Does it lead us to three square meals a day? Look at the issue of fuel scarcity. You cannot even see fuel to buy to move from one place to the other. Look at the issue of power. There is no electricity. Hon­estly, it is annoying to hear the APC say that the PDP has destroyed the economy. They have not destroyed the economy but what has happened? Nigerians are suffering. Tell them that the suffer­ing is too much. We want you media men to help us tell them that that the suffering is too much. They should kindly give us all the avenues of ensuring that we get out of this mess. The suffering is too much and it is getting worse every day.
The PDP is the main opposition party. At the level of your party, what are you doing to relaunch the party to power in 2019?
I pray for our party to come back but we cannot come back until we have elec­tions. We are trying our best to ensure that we clear all the mess within our party. I agree with you that the PDP is full of messy situation. As I am talking to you, there are some young men who believe that all the young men must be buried alive. Within the PDP, there are some young men who believe that anything you say about anybody above 70 should be thrown to the bin. They believe that they are useless. But by the grace of God, we shall get over all these matters and by 2019, Nigerians will vote for the PDP because the best thing that would happen to Nigeria is for the PDP to come back to power. This is because the APC that is in power now lacks focus.
But in your view, what do you think would be a strategy which the PDP would adopt to win the hearts of Nige­rians in 2019?
We will organize as we have never organized before as a party. All the young men who are jumping up that the old should die, would soon learn lessons be­cause they lack experience. I know that in the PDP, very soon, we would clean our home because the thinking of Nigerians is different from what they are getting from the APC government.
The tension in the land is such that some are even scared of the future of the nation. From your vantage position, what do you see of the future of Nigeria?
The truth still remains that Nigeria is under a democratic government. I know there is tension but the tension must be contained by every Nigerian to ensure that the people are governed through the elec­toral process. There is no other alternative to democracy. You cannot use the military regime to solve the problem. You cannot tell the military to come back; to come and do what? We can never tolerate the mili­tary again in our society but then we the officials must ensure that we guarantee the people of Nigeria that they can choose and elect people who would represent them in government. That is what democracy is all about. As for the future of Nigeria, it is very bright. The tension that we are having is temporary. Democracy will survive and the country will survive.
Some argue that the present ad­ministration has not been able to achieve national reconciliation as some ethnic regions feel alienated from the government. Do you think Buhari has been able to achieve national cohesion?
I agree with you totally. Buhari has not done much about national reconcili­ation. And I do not like the approach of this government to the issue of Biafra. It is true Biafra has come and gone but we must realize that there were some innocent Nigerians who were killed during the Bi­afran era and since some people are embit­tered, the government should try to meet them and try to ameliorate their condition. I do not like the treatment being given to Kanu; it is not right. We should meet them and talk to them. The Igbo people are hard working people and I do not see why they should not agree with the Buhari govern­ment. Let the APC government pursue genuine reconciliation on the issue of Bi­afra so that it would be seen that justice has been done to the people.
Recently, President Buhari made Nigeria to join a group made up of Muslim nations united in the fight against terrorism. Considering that the nation is a secular state, many expected that the president should have sought the consent of the National Assembly before taking such a foreign policy deci­sion. What is your take on that?
I want to tell you this; the president has a right to take certain decisions that he feels should be in the best interest of the people even though I do not agree with what he did. It is not based on religion but my problem is this, even the Arab nations that President Buhari has gone to join, have they been able to solve the problems that they have? ISIS is becoming much more troublesome in its own territories.

Fuel scarcity: No respite in Lagos, others

Marketers of petroleum products said on Wednesday that consumers might not enjoy much relief from the current fuel scarcity until next week due to inadequate supply of petrol.

Though a vessel, which carried about 27 million metric tonnes of petrol, berthed at the Petroleum Wharf, Apapa, Lagos on Wednesday, and the discharge of its content is expected to start today (Thursday), marketers said supply had not kept up with demand.

One of the two vessels that came in between Monday and Tuesday was said to have started discharging, with loading by Mobil, Forte Oil, Nipco Plc and others.

Our correspondents gathered over 8,000 tickets had been issued to marketers to load Premium Motor Spirit at depots in Apapa, as the scarcity of the product persisted at many filling stations on Wednesday.

A source, who is an official of an independent marketing firm, said, “We need a minimum of 250 trucks loading petrol. From Apapa alone, if 300 to 350 trucks are being loaded every day, we can begin to see an end to the scarcity. We are not doing up to 200 trucks currently. The number of unloaded tickets here in Apapa is more than 5,000.

“In terms of supply to the depots, it is getting better; it is just that most of them have been very dry before now. It is not feasible that the scarcity will end tomorrow (Thursday), contrary to what the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources said. If it is feasible, you will know from the loading points here.”

In Lagos, a litre of the product sold for between N120 and N250 at some filling stations, instead of the N86 and N86.50 official pump prices, while black market hawkers sold it for as high as N400 per litre.

The National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, said, “If the product is available, we will load it. The NNPC should make the product available; we are ready to load 24 hours for the benefit of Nigerians. Our vehicles are ready and we have already paid.

 “We have over 8,000 tickets that we have already paid for and waiting for loading. Let them load us so that we can wet the system. They are ready to partner us and so are we. We don’t have any issue with the government, but they have to make the product available by whatever means.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has said it is ready to work with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to end the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

The union noted in a statement on Wednesday that since 60 per cent of its members were involved in the distribution of petroleum products across the country, it had the capacity to end the fuel shortage.

The President, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, said in a statement, “The Federal Government should also assist the marketers through the Central Bank of Nigeria to procure foreign exchange to import petroleum products in order to cushion the biting effects of fuel scarcity.

“The union also enjoins the Federal Government to honour and pay all joint venture agreements to end the current lull in the upstream oil and gas business. The union calls on the Federal Government to make the refineries work optimally to reduce the dependence on foreign importation of petroleum products.”

Meanwhile, queues of motorists and other petrol users failed to disappear on Wednesday in Abuja, Nasarawa and Kaduna states despite assurances from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that they would disappear by Wednesday or Thursday.

This is coming as members of the 14-man committee inaugurated by the minister to mediate in the feud by factions of IPMAN held a meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Abuja and insisted that the queues across the country were largely because of the rivalry in the association.

Last week, Kachikwu raised the committee and charged it with the task of doing everything possible to bring back peace to the association at the national, zonal and depot levels.

Although the queues in Abuja had reduced marginally when compared to last week’s experience, the same could not be said of the situation in parts of Nasarawa and Kaduna states.

The few filling stations that dispensed petrol along the Nyanya/Mararaba axis of the Abuja-Keffi Expressway had hundreds of motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders, as well as motorists in queues waiting to be served.

Similarly, filling stations run by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation were besieged by fuel seekers as the out-lets dispensed at the government approved price, while many others sold the product at higher rates.

The Nipco, Total, NNPC and A. A. Rano filling stations on the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway, Abuja, had queues of motorists and okada riders.

The two petrol stations, Total and Conoil, located right opposite the four towers of the NNPC in Abuja, dispensed products on Wednesday, but had long queues of anxious motorists.

Fuel: NSCDC officers kill petrol hawker, injure three

There was confusion around the Forte Oil Petrol Station on 21 Road in the FESTAC Town area of Lagos State on Wednesday after officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps shot dead an alleged illegal fuel hawker, while three others sustained gunshot injuries.

Our correspondents gathered that the hawker, identified only as Emeka, was shot dead when the NSCDC men, said to be members of a  task force on curbing activities of black marketers, invaded the area around 1pm.

It was learnt that following an altercation between the task force and some fuel sellers, the NSCDC men opened fire on the fuel sellers.

While Emeka was said to have died on the spot, two others, identified as Smart Ogabor and Oladiran Atolagbe, were rushed to a hospital.

It was gathered that there was panic in the area as motorists and other fuel buyers fled from the AP bus stop, where the filling station was located.

PUNCH Metro learnt that it took efforts of policemen from the Area E Command to stop youths who wanted to stage a protest against the killing.

 A resident, identified only as Bosun, said trouble started at the filling station when the NSCDC task force came to the area and wanted to seize fuel in jerrycans from the black marketers.

He said, “One of the NSCDC men killed the hawker. About four of them were shot, but only one of them died. After the killing, some youths wanted to start trouble, but policemen dispersed everyone.

“I had to leave the scene in a hurry. Trouble began when the hawkers prevented the task force men from seizing their fuel.”

An eyewitness, who identified herself only as Mercy, tweeted that the area had been thrown into confusion.

 “I am looking at the deceased right now, but I cannot get close. He is dead. Policemen are on the ground. I learnt that a female officer of the NSCDC shot the man. He was trying to get fuel. Tyre is being burnt on the road. Trouble is brewing. The road has been blocked.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the man was shot dead during “indiscriminate firing from NSCDC personnel” at the filling station.

She said, “About seven operatives of the NSCDC, in a Toyota Hilux and armed with AK 47 rifles, raided roadside petroleum product hawkers on the 21 Road, FESTAC. In the process, they fired sporadically injuring Ogabor, Atolagbe and Emeka and escaped to unknown destination.

“Emeka, an okada rider, was confirmed dead at Lagos Mainland General Hospital, Yaba, while his corpse was deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

“The men of the Area E Command were called and the Area Commander is currently on the ground to restore normalcy to the area.

“The command has commenced investigation to identify the civil defence operatives.”

The spokesperson for the NSCDC Lagos State Command, Mefor Chibuzor, denied that the officers killed the man. He added that the NSCDC men only monitored stations selling above the pump price.

He said, “Our men went to FESTAC Town area for an operation. We went to the area to monitor filling stations selling above the pump price.”

Delta poly students groan over incessant robbery attacks

OZORO—STUDENTS of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro have raised alarm over the alleged worsening security situation in the institution’s host community, citing the rising cases of armed robbery attack on private hostels. They appealed to the police, men of the various vigilante groups and other security agencies to intensify security surveillance in the community to ensure security of lives and properties.
Some of the students, who spoke with Niger Delta Voice lamented that they could no longer sleep with their eyes closed in their hostels for the fear of hoodlums, who they claimed, invade their hostels between the hours of 8p.m. and 11p.m. daily. Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the hoodlums, a male student (names withheld), resident on Campus 2 Road, lamented that he was brutally attacked by some armed men, who accosted him at about 8.30p.m. when he was about entering his room. His words: “As I was trying to argue with them, they inflicted machete cut on my back and carted away my laptop, a television set and mobile phone. They had earlier attacked the hostel close to mine. “We have been experiencing attacks, but the situation has worsened lately. We are begging the security agencies to come to our aid because it is no longer safe to live in some of these hostels.” A female victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said robbers had been terrorizing their hostels and that some of them were raped in the process. “It was a painful experience; they asked me to give them money, my phone and my laptop. When I told them I didn’t have any of these things, one of them, took me to my toilet and the three of them raped me,” she said as tears dropped from her eyes. Some students, who were robbed in one of the hostels at Erovie quarter of the community said the unknown gunmen numbering five, arrived the hostel in a car, carrying guns, daggers, battle axe and four school bags. “They came and raped two girls in this hostel and took away all our phones, laptops where we were charging them. They also carted away three television sets. This is the first time such a thing will happen in this vicinity. Throughout last year, we did not hear of anything like this in this area,” one of the girls said. Contacted, Chairman of Isoko North Local Government Council, Hon. Emmanuel Egbabor, expressed concern over the recent trend of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area and assured that plans are under way to address the situation. Egbabor disclosed that he recently held a meeting with all the security heads, Presidents General and Chairmen of communities in the council area on the need to reorganize and strengthen the various vigilante outfits to enhance security of lives and properties in the area. “I have ordered them to inject new blood into the vigilante groups and take away those, who they think are into cultism and other criminal activities,” he said, warning all criminally minded persons to stay away from the area. “The government will not take it lightly with anyone caught. We have been enjoying relative peace in this area and we will not sit down and fold our hands and watch some miscreants make our communities uninhabitable for us. We will fight with all our arsenals,” he said. Commenting on the development, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Mr. Boniface Ogeleya, said the institution had tried “to encourage students to take advantage of the hostel accommodation provided by the institution but the students prefer to stay in the town.” According to him: “We always try to monitor the security apparatus installed by the owners of the private hostels in the community and if the security measures are found to be insufficient, we proscribe such places.” On his part, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ozoro division, Mr. Paul Ibegbu, said his men are working round the clock to bring the nefarious activities of the hoodlums to the barest minimum.

Unpaid salary arrears: APC, PDP in war of words

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State yesterday, locked horns over unpaid salaries of workers.
While the APC criticised Governor Ayodele Fayose over failure to pay workers salary arrears, the PDP said that the State Governor. Mr Ayodele Fayose was not borrowing money to execute capital projects like former Governor Kayode Fayemi, now Federal Minister of Solid Minerals had done, adding that governor Fayose will continue to be transparent in his handling of the state finances.
APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement on Sunday that the governor had been playing games with the intelligence of Ekiti people since the assumption of office in his programme implementation policy.
“We knew from the outset that Governor Fayose had no programme that could lift Ekiti people out of poverty. “At best, his stomach infrastructure slogan was meant to dishonestly set Ekiti people, particularly workers, against the immediate past government of Dr Kayode Fayemi, which embarked on massive infrastructure development for socio-economic needs of Ekiti people.
It said the governor’s preference for building airport, new market and fly-over bridge contradicted his campaign slogan to “tar stomachs” before embarking on physical infrastructure.
It added that it is sheer opportunism and lack of integrity to deceive the people during campaigns with mouth-watering promises only to turn around to deny them after getting to power to pursue selfish agenda.
“As anti-development politician with an eye on wealth accumulation, Fayose started touting “stomach infrastructure” with the promise never to owe workers salaries because people must eat first before embarking on physical infrastructure.
“Now, the governor has turned full circle, telling workers that they should expect pay three times in a year while embarking on multi-billion naira bridge, market and airport projects,” he explained.
Insisting that Fayose embarked on these projects to feather his nest, Olatunbosun said:
“Even though he criticized Fayemi for borrowing money for development purposes, Fayose has gone to borrow N10 billion to construct a needless flyover while workers and pensioners are being owed between five and six months in arrears.
The money was in a fixed account over a period of time but Fayose has not told Ekiti people how much interest has accrued on the money.
Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, who reacted to the APC claim that the governor borrowed N10 billion to construct Flyover Bridge in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said “Governor Fayose’s government is not profligate like APC government of Fayemi that took loans to plant flowers that were not seen, construct uncompleted state pavilion and civic centre and build governor’s lodge for the benefit of Fayemi and his wife.”
He said the governor will continue to hold the welfare of workers sacrosanct by taking payment of salaries as his priority, adding that; “The challenges being faced by the government in paying workers salary was as a result of the way and manners the APC government of Fayemi mortgaged the state to irrelevant loans.
“Today, over N900 million is being deducted from Ekiti State allocation monthly and this is because of the loans the APC government took to execute white elephant projects.
“Perhaps, because of the way they used irrelevant capital projects to steal Ekiti State blind, they still carry on with the belief that other people must also be like them.”
On the desirability of the projects, Olayinka said; “To the APC elements in Ekiti State, no project is desirable provided their party is not in power. Before Fayemi became governor, he condemned the Ekiti Airport project the PDP government of Engr Segun Oni started, but in 2013, the same Fayemi blamed the PDP government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan for stalling the Airport project.
“Also, when the magnificent edifice built in honor of Fayemi’s deputy, Late Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka was being constructed, these same APC loudmouths said Governor Fayose was desecrating the woman’s tomb just the same way they said Segun Oni was desecrating Fajuyi’s tomb when he was building the Fajuyi Park.
“We are, therefore, not bothered by their ogogoro induced criticism because we know as a fact that since Fayemi, their leader wasted his opportunity to write his name in the hearts of Ekiti people, they want other people to waste theirs too.”

Hoodlums attack churches in Kaduna, injure 2

HOODLUMS, number­ing about 50, at the week­end attacked three churches around Ngwan Baro, Chi­kun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, leav­ing two persons critically wounded.
Eyewitness account stat­ed that at 5 p. m. penultimate Friday when some worship­ers were praying in their re­spective local churches, the hoodlums struck. When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Zubairu Abubakar, who confirmed the incident, said one Akim Samuel of ECWA Church had been arrested in connec­tion with the attacks.
Abubakar said prelimi­nary investigation revealed that the perpetrators were Christian youths.
He also confirmed the death of 20-year-old Thank-God Peter, who went to Ferroro
River with his friend to swim and got drowned in the process shortly before the attack.
He said Peter’s corpse had been taken to the mortuary while investigation continued. Efforts, he said, had been intensified to arrest fleeing suspects.
Narrating her ordeal yesterday, Founder, Redemption Hill Church, Prophet Julianah Adebayo, said the miscreants were pursuing people from a nearby prayer
mountain with deadly weapons, brutalising anyone at sight and in the process, they broke into her church where about N250, 000 cash, phones and other valuables were carted away.
She said: “They came in several tricycles and launched attack on churches. We don’t know the reason for their action. We have never experienced any situation like this in 25 years of our living here.
“People were praying inside the church while the front door was open. “They came in and as you can see, they destroyed our pulpit, broke all our windows, went away with about N250, 000 offering, beat up some members, collected phones, money and other valuables of people in the church as at that time.
“They were saying police could not do them anything. But we know that if the police want to do their job, they will get all of them arrested in no distant time.”
Another victim of the attack, who is the Founder of Holy Michael Church, Ngwan Baro, Kaduna, Prophet Yusuf Joseph, described the experience as “worrisome.”
“At about 5:30 p.m., I was praying on the mountain when I saw some boys coming with wood and all that. They sighted me on the mountain and started shouting ‘kill him kill him, he’s one of the prophets we want to kill’. They beat me and I kept running. I sustained wounds all over my body.
“When I eventually managed to escape, with little energy in me, I went straight to the police station and narrated my ordeal. Some policemen came with me almost immediately and pursued the hoodlums. They caught one of them,” he said.
On what could have led to the attack, he said: “It was when we got to the police station we learnt that two drunk tricycle riders went to a river here in Ferroro to swim and one of them drowned in the process.
“What we are yet to know is the link between what happened and churches in the area.”

Chelsea appoint Conte on a three-year deal

Chelsea have appointed Italy’s national team coach  Antonio Conte as new coach on a three-year contract.
A message on the club’s website said Conte, whose formal appointment came earlier than the summer generally expected, will begin work in London following his country’s participation in this summer’s Euro 2016 tournament.
The 46-year-old said: ‘I am very excited about the prospect of working at Chelsea Football Club. I am proud to be the coach of the national team of my country and only a role as attractive as manager of Chelsea could follow that.
‘I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the club and the day-to-day challenge of competing in the Premier League.
‘Chelsea and English football are watched wherever you go, the fans are passionate and my ambition is to have more success to follow the victories I enjoyed in Italy.
‘I am happy we have made the announcement now so everything is clear and we can end the speculation. I will continue to focus on my job with the Italian national team and will reserve speaking about Chelsea again until after the Euros.’
The manager would be be the fifth Italian to manage Chelsea, following Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo.