Sola Ogundeko's Blog

Wednesday, 1 January 2014

APC Reps set to take over House leadership

Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Mr. Aminu Tambuwal

The the All Progressives Congress in the House of Representatives has shared out the leadership positions in the House to its members as part of plans to assume full control of the legislature in the New Year.

The APC, formerly in the minority, outgrew the majority strength of the Peoples Democratic Party after 37 PDP lawmakers defected to it on December 18.

The development gave the country’s main opposition party a slim majority advantage of 172 members over PDP’s 171 in the House that has 360 legislators.

Findings indicated on Tuesday that with about 40 more PDP lawmakers expected to join the APC before the end of this month (January), the opposition party would be in a comfortable majority (212) to assume the leadership of the House.

“The only principal officer whose seat is guaranteed for now is the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal,” said a reliable House source in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to the source, the APC members collectively resolved that Tambuwal would continue to lead the House.

He said, “We have long resolved that Tambuwal will remain the speaker even in an APC dominated House until he decides to dump the PDP for the APC. For the other positions, we are taking over. We are electing a new deputy speaker also.”

Investigations showed that until now, the APC caucus had resolved that its Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, would become the Majority Leader.

The current majority leader, Mrs. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, a PDP member, is expected to relinquish her seat.

However, The PUNCH gathered that of late, Gbajabiamila had come under pressure to “step up and become the deputy speaker instead of being the majority leader.”

The lawmaker from Lagos State was said to be resisting the pressure and had urged members to allow the current Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, retain his seat like Tambuwal.

“The confusion now is that Gbajabiamila is caught between being the majority leader and the deputy speaker”, another source in the House informed The PUNCH.

It was learnt that in the event he succumbed to pressure to become the deputy speaker, the post of majority leader might be assigned to one of the 37 PDP defectors.

“That is the thinking of the caucus; the idea is to give the ex-PDP members a sense of belonging.

“They should have something to benefit from supporting the APC”, the source added.

Other positions the APC had decided on are Majority Whip, Mr. Samson Osagie (Edo State); Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Sumaila Kawu (Kano State); and Deputy Majority Whip, Mr. Garba Datti (Kaduna State).

The PUNCH gathered that in a bid to save Ihedioha, Tambuwal had reportedly intensified lobbying his colleagues to extend the same gesture of retaining him to Ihedioha.

Another source in the House said, “The speaker has been talking to members to consider his appeal. Many of them are bent on asking Ihedioha to go because they claim not to be comfortable with his leadership style.

“There are those who are giving him the option of joining the APC to remain the deputy speaker.

“This latter group is certain that Tambuwal too has little choice but to join the APC by the end of this month.”

But, Ihedioha, has stated categorically that he will not abandon the PDP, a party he said did so much for him by returning him to the National Assembly for the third time.

When contacted, Gbajabiamila said there were “unresolved issues being discussed by members.”

Asked whether one of the issues was his being tipped for the position of the deputy speaker, he said that “members are the ones discussing to take decisions.”

When our correspondent probed further, Gbajabiamila said he would have wished to be majority leader.

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PDP crisis: Tukur to know fate Jan. 8

National Chairman, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur

There were indications on Tuesday that the fate of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, would be determined during the party’s National Executive Committee meeting on January 8, 2014.

The PUNCH learnt that the meeting would be preceded by those of the Board of Trustees and the national caucus of the party on January 7.

A very reliable NEC member said on Tuesday that Tukur’s fate would be discussed during the January 8 meeting since PDP governors were still divided on his continued retention as the national chairman of the ruling party.

It was gathered that while some of the governors believed that it would be suicidal for Tukur to be sacked a year to the general elections, others were of the opinion that his removal would restore confidence in the party.

Our source said apart from Governors Sule Lamido(Jigawa) and Babangida Aliyu(Niger) whose views on the national chairman are well known, some of their colleagues were waiting for the NEC meeting to voice out their opposition to Tukur’s continued leadership of the party.

“The two governors, who are part of the aggrieved seven governors before five of them defected to the All Progressives Congress, are still insisting that the chairman must go. We also know that there are some of their colleagues who are waiting for our next NEC meeting to also kick against Tukur’s continued stay in office.”

But the source, who is a supporter of the national chairman, however, said that there was nothing to warrant his sacking.

He also dismissed the rumours that Tukur was planning to sue the NEC in order to stall any move to remove him from office.

Tukur’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Oliver Okpala, who spoke on the telephone with one of our correspondents, said his boss would allow NEC to do its job since he was also member of the body.

Okpala also denied the rumours that Tukur was planning to drag the NEC to court.

He said, “He (Tukur) is part of NEC and cannot take it to court on any issue. Besides, there is no such issue (his removal) before the NEC. So why would he take the body to court? He would allow NEC to do its job on any issue and would not be part of those who want to destroy what he contributed to its building ”

Meanwhile, a fresh crisis is brewing among the national officers of the PDP.

The crisis became public knowledge as the party’s top hierarchy disagreed on the comment made by the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, on the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi.

Elechi was quoted as describing the proposed national conference as a “big joke, waste of time, and a distraction to (President Goodluck) Jonathan.”

The governor was quoted to have also said that he would not be part of the conference.

While responding to the governor’s position, Jalo had said the national dialogue was the product of a PDP-led Federal Government, adding that it was wrong for any member of the party to criticise it.

He had said, “The national conference is a product of the PDP-controlled Federal Government.

“The President is the leader of the party and the national conference is the initiative of the Federal Government.”

He added that it would be out of place for any state not to participate.

However, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, issued a statement dismissing what Jalo said.

Although he did not mention Jalo’s name in his statement, Metuh said the party did not authorise anyone to speak on the matter.

Metuh’s statement on Monday reads, “We wish to clarify unequivocally that the National Working Committee of the PDP never in any manner whatsoever made or authorised any comment on the said report.

“The PDP as a well organised democratic institution has duly established channel of external communication which is carried out with the utmost sense of responsibility after due clarifications on issues.

“It is, therefore, wrong and completely unacceptable for anybody to present statements made by individuals who are not members of the NWC of the PDP on the said report as the official position of the party; more so when such statements were made without due clarifications from the governor.”

Investigations by our correspondent showed that the fear of further defection from the PDP by its elected officials was one of the reasons the party disowned Jalo.

The party recently lost five of its governors and 37 members of the House of Representatives to the APC.

This, it was gathered, made Metuh to say that “the entire NWC restates total commitment and respect to all our elected officials, especially PDP governors who remain strong pillars of the party.”

Metuh also cautioned all aides of elected officers at all levels of the party to desist from rushing to make statements that cast aspersion on PDP’s elected officials, especially its governors.

He cautioned that all aides must henceforth guard their actions and utterances and ensure that they did not in any way undermine the unity and stability of the party.

I begged Jonathan to appoint Wike minister —Amaechi

GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, yesterday, opened up on the role he played in the emergence of Mr. Nyesom Wike as a Minister in the country, saying that President Goodluck Jonathan, initially rejected Wike, but he (Amaechi) persistently appealed to the President to consider Wike for the job.

Gov. Rotimi Amaech:…“As a child growing up in that area, your parents are not able to take you to hospital because they are not able to fund the cost”

Wike is the supervising Minister of Education.

Amaechi, at the convention of the apex Ikwerre body, Ogbako Ikwerre, in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, said President Jonathan, initially rejected Wike when he recommended him for ministerial appointment.

Amaechi said his reward for his efforts at creating political visibility for his kinsmen in the country had been gross betrayal. He also recalled that he made Austin Opara Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He said: “When you see Nyesom Wike, tell him I nominated him to be a minister. And I have one witness sitting here today (yesterday). Chief Sampson Agbaru is my witness. He led other prominent sons and daughters of Ikwerre to see President Jonathan and the President told them that he had not known Nyesom Wike from Adam, that when Amaechi brought Wike’s name, he (Jonathan) opposed it. The President opposed the appointment of my former Chief of Staff as minister.

“He (Jonathan) rejected Wike and I begged President Jonathan several times and consistently because I wanted Wike to be appointed a minister. But today, Nyesom Wike has betrayed me for selfish reasons. Also, by the grace of God, I made Chief Austin Opara Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives. God used me. Prominent politicians met me and told me that there cannot be two captains in a boat, if I make Austin Opara, Deputy Speaker, I might not be the political leader in Ikwerre. But I said, I want my people to benefit and I picked Austin’s name and we battled to make him Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives in 2003.”

How Opara master-minded my arrest and detention in 2006

“In 2006, I was arrested through the machinery of Austin Opara and was detained for one day. Meanwhile, he was supposedly one of my supporters to be governor. Among those I have also helped who are now fighting me is Prof. Achinewhu, Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology. Achinewhu was sick and at the point of death, when I flew him out of the country for medical treatment, but he is now one of those accusing me and writing against me in the media.

As for those I gave contracts, they are so many for me to mention. But, if they deny, call the Ogbakor Ikwerre Convention and summon them, I will go there and mention them one after the other. For instance, Paul Nwonodi is one of them. He is now fighting me, writing and signing all sorts of petitions against me.”
On development of Ikwerre areas

The governor also spoke extensively on the impact he made in the development of Ikwerre areas in the state, adding that he also awarded scholarships to several Ikwerre sons and daughters as part of his empowerment programme for the people.

He said: “Gradually, we are beginning to wind down in government and I have started counting either my blessings or losses as governor of Rivers State, not just for all Rivers people but for those from Ikwerre ethnic nationality. I have started asking what I have done for Ikwerre people and I am convinced that the Ikwerre history cannot be complete if my name is not mentioned.

“I am not saying this because I am the governor. As Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, I ensured that most parts of Ikwerre had roads. The ones that didn’t get then, when I became governor they got roads.

Only a few communities may not have roads in Ikwerre now, and before we go, I will make sure they have roads like most parts of the state. We will ensure that those communities have roads. As Speaker, I asked for the grading of the Ogbakiri Road.”

NUPENG, PENGASSAN suspend strike

National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, yesterday, shelved its planned nationwide strike, scheduled to begin today.

The decision to suspend the strike, according to Mr Babatunde Ogun, President, PENGASSAN, is to allow for talks with officials of the ministries of Petroleum and Labourover the issue, scheduled to hold January 7, 2013.

NUPENG, on the other hand, according to its Secretary General, Mr.Elijah Okougbo, is yet to schedule a date for discussions with government officials, but will not commence the strike action until it meets with officials of the Federal Government over the issue.

Ogun further stated that if the government does not back down, PENGASSAN may embark on the strike action which will commence by halting the loading of crude cargoes and a gradual shutdown of oil and gas production.

Both unions had, on December 17, threatened to embark on the strike over Federal Government’s decision to privatise the countries’ refineries.

Mr. Eddy Ossai, Deputy President, NUPENG, had stated that the unions would immediately convey to the congress of all the subsidiaries to be prepared for the showdown, if their demand to retract the statement and the decision to sell the refineries were not met.

He said: “We shall tell the government that NUPENG and PENGASSAN have the capacity to mobilise, and by the first week of January, if the government does not make a u-turn on the sales of the refineries, we shall not hesitate to start the strike.”

2015: Jonathan can’t deny one-term pact with North —Nyako

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, yesterday, concurred with his Niger State counterpart, Muazu Aliyu Babangida, that President Goodluck Jonathan actually signed an agreement with them to serve for a single term of four years.

The governor, in an interview with Vanguard, said that the attempt by Jonathan to jettison the agreement he entered into with the northern political leaders, was responsible for the current political feud that led to the defection of some governors from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Nyako maintained that contrary to the claims by Jonathan’s aides that he did not enter into such a deal with the governors, Jonathan sealed the deal with them and pledged to abide by it.

Nyako pointed out that although he had his initial fears that Jonathan would not stand by the agreement after winning the 2011 election, former President Obasanjo pleaded with them to sign the agreement and back Jonathan in the presidential election, which he eventually won.

The governor also said that the document, which was with the Niger State governor, as the Chairman of the Northern State Governors Forum, would be produced at the appropriate time to shame those still denying of its existence.

Nyako asked Jonathan to be a man of honour by respecting the agreement, so that Nigerians can continue to respect and stand by him.

Nyako said “We had an agreement with Jonathan for him to run only in 2011. Obasanjo assured us that Jonathan would only run for a term. The agreement is with the Niger State governor and he can produce it.
“Jonathan should be a man of honour and stick to the agreement he signed with the northern governors.

This country needs leaders, who are honest, so that they can be trusted and respected,”he said.

According to him, Jonathan was number 73 on the list of those who signed the agreement and he cannot now turn round to deny what he validly endorsed.

“We all agreed based on the plea made to us by Obasanjo that the 2007 and 2011 presidency belonged to the North. Jonathan was number 73 as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State.

“So when they came and asked me to sign that he (Jonathan) had agreed that he would not contest the 2011 presidential election and I objected to it because he did not give his pledge to the agreement signed in 2003. They persisted and I signed.

“After that, the Niger State governor took the paper to Jonathan and he signed. Obasanjo can confirm that he came here with Jonathan and pleaded with me to support Jonathan to contest the 2011 Presidential election.”

APC's New Year Message to Nigerians: Change is imminent! - by: Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that the party is ready, willing and determined to make all the necessary sacrifices to reverse the prevailing gloomy situation in the country and bring about the much-needed change for the better in the interest of the long-suffering citizens.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Nigerians should go into the New Year with an unyielding commitment to be part of ongoing efforts to set the country on the path of growth and development, rather than get into a state of funk on the basis of the cumulative mis-governance of the past 14 years by the PDP-led Federal Government.

''While wishing all Nigerians a great 2014, we hereby solicit their unalloyed support for our efforts to reshape the country's political landscape, shake off the heavy yoke imposed on them by their selfish, self-serving and clueless leaders and make the country a source of pride not only to its citizens but to all black people in the world,'' it said.

APC said the first step in what will be a tough but final battle to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of rapacious leaders will be to bring the citizenry on board the train of change that is barrelling through the country, and to ensure that elections in the country are free, fair and credible.

''As we wrote in the preamble to our manifesto, 'democracy, to be stable and meaningful, must be anchored on the principle that government derives its powers from the consent of the governed....This means that governments are instituted on the basis of free, fair and credible elections, and are maintained through responsiveness to public opinion.

'''In addition, the exercise of political authority is rooted in the rule of law. APC believes in the doctrine of social contract between the leaders and the led; which means that the public office holder is a trustee of the people and that power must be used in the interest of the people rather than in the interest of the public office holder','' the party said.

It said in order to ensure that as many Nigerians as possible are brought aboard the APC train of change, the party will kick-start its membership registration drive early in the year, targeting in particular the youth who are indispensable in any effort to bring about change.

''We ask all those who are yearning for genuine change to seize the moment and embrace the engine of change, which the APC represents! Our compatriots who have lost faith in our dear country because of inefficient and corrupt leadership can count on us, because we represent committed, transparent and focused leadership,'' APC said.

The party pledged to halt the country's drift towards a failed state with a conscious plan for a post-oil economy in Nigeria, details of which will be outlined in the weeks and months ahead; and to make the welfare and security of the citizenry, which is the raison d'etre of any government, its top priority;

APC said that in order to extricate Nigeria from the dire straits in which it has been plunged by the successive PDP governments, the party has decided to make as its priority the War Against Corruption; Food security; Accelerated Power Supply; Integrated Transport Network; Free Education; Devolution of Power; Accelerated Economic Growth and Affordable Health Care.

''We know skeptics will sneer at these and deride them as mere sloganeering. After all, Nigerians have been taken for a ride for the past 14 years by those who have mistaken transmogrification for transformation, and those who have relentless pursued power for the sake of power, rather than to use it to harness the country's abundant human resources.

''But most things look impossible until they have been achieved, and the impressive record of performance in the states under our control, from Kano to Imo states and from Lagos to Edo, testifies to our ability, determination and willingness to make things happen for the benefit of our people,'' the party said.

Meanwhile, the party has said the year 2013 is among the worst, if not the worst, for the citizenry, who have been pauperized and dehumanized by a government that keeps touting favourable economic statistics in the face of an unprecedented fall in the standard of living of its people.

''They say President Jonathan's achievement in 2013 is unprecedented, yet Nigerians celebrated the Christmas and New Year holidays in unprecedented pitch darkness and an unprecedented number of our youths are unemployed; They say they are winning the war against corruption, yet key government officials, including the so-called Coordinating Minister of the Economy, do not even know how much Nigeria earns from crude oil and gas sales, and what happened to 12 billion dollars earned from domestic crude lifting; They are so eager to cling to any straw of 'achievement' that they are celebrating the revival of the locomotive engine in the 21st century!

''Such is their insensitivity and total lack of compassion for human beings that the Jonathan administration will rather spend the nation's scarce resources on importing animals for the villa zoo and on purchasing presidential jets that they do not need.

''Because this government has become numb to reason, because this government has deteriorated from cluelessness to hopelessness and because this government has totally lost any sense of direction, we say it is time for Nigerians to gird their loins and join hands with all those who are seeking genuine change. To adapt Mahatma Gandhi's timeless quote, Nigerians must be the change they wish to see in their country, and the year 2014 must be our Year of Change!'' APC said.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Interim National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, Dec. 31st 2013

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Will Nigeria expire legally today?…lawyers tackle ethnic nationalities

CONTROVERSIES ruled the polity, yesterday, over whether or not Nigeria will cease to exist as a legal entity after 12 midnight today.

A conglomeration of ethnic nationality groups said going by the Amalgamation Treaty of January 1, 1914, which joined Northern and Southern protectorates to create Nigeria with a life span of 100 years, the country will expire at 12 a.m. today.

Professor Akin Oyebode, a lawyer, said Nigeria will not expire because the amalgamation was not put in place by a treaty, but by an order in council by the British Parliament.

Oyebode has a soul mate in legal icon, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), who argued that there was no law that automatically gives a treaty 100 years life span.

However, the ethnic nationalities, which included Federation of Oodua People, Middle Belt Congress, Lower Niger Congress and Oporoza House, which congregated on the banner of Movement for New Nigeria, MNN, insisted that Nigeria would become history after today and urged all Nigerians to embrace the national conference to agree on fresh terms of co-existing.

They spoke at a briefing held at Freedom Park, Lagos. Present at the briefing were Elder Fred Agbeyegbe, Co-coordinator; Tony Nnadi, Secretary-General; Mrs Hilda Dokubo, Timi Kaiser Ogoriba, Chief Dan Ekpebide, Abuka Onalo, Ambah Binaebi, Shade Olukoya and Leye Akinmodiro.

On nat’l dialogue, 2015

They urged President Goodluck Jonathan to speed up the national dialogue, warning that it would be disastrous to hold the 2015 elections without a new constitution emerging from a national conference.

They said: “The mention of 2015 in Nigeria’s political discourse instantly evokes two ominous conjectures. One is the haunt of the US intelligence prediction that Nigeria will disintegrate before 2015.

“The other very bloody prospect swirls around the 2015 electoral round in which a northern politician assumes that there would be trouble if the elections are rigged.”

100 years treaty

Nnadi said: “What the British did in the amalgamation treaty was to consolidate all the treaties that they signed with the different ethnic nationalities they subdued in the process of their conquest.

“By 1914, the various treaties were consolidated so as to be recognised in international law. Under international law, every treaty has a life span of 100 years. The Amalgamation Treaty took effect on January 1, 1914, which means that it will expire on December 31, 2013.

“The second challenge for Nigeria is that the 1999 Constitution, which General Abdulsalami Abubakar gave to Nigeria made certain proclamations that are rooted in falsehood because it was not a constitution drawn up by Nigerians.

“What will hold Nigeria after December 31 is a hope that the national conference will produce another document that Nigerians would accept.”

Former Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Dan Mou, said Nigeria is fortunate that there was no separatist movement in the country.

He said that issues such as these were what the national conference should resolve and all the ethnic minorities should wait to see the outcome of the conference, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan acted wisely by putting the conference in place and the outcome should be subjected to a referendum.

No danger,says Oyebode

Countering, Professor Oyebode said Nigeria will not cease to exist legally on account of the 100 years of amalgamation because the amalgamation was consummated through an order in council by the British Parliament.

According to him, the process of amalgamation started in January 1900, when the British Parliament issued an Order-in-Council through which the Royal Nigeria Company, which succeeded the United African Company, ceded its power to the British Crown and resulted in the amalgamation of the Southern protectorate.

He said the British Parliament also issued an Order-in-Council which resulted in the amalgamation of Northern protectorate in 1906. The amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates took place in 1914 through another Order-in-Council.

He said the order was used in British territories, which had no legislature to issue such legislative instrument. He said it was through the order that Nigeria got her independence in 1960.

Professor Oyebode agreed with moves to convene a national conference because the 1999 Constitution, which was foisted on Nigerians by the military, shared the same features and characteristics with the Amalgamation Acts which were enacted without the participation and consent of Nigerians.

According to Oyebode, the 1999 Constitution is nothing but Decree No. 24, which has since been identified as a fraudulent document.

Noting that the 1999 Constitution may be valid but not legal, he said “what we should expect is for the proposed national conference to lead to a constitutional conference through which Nigerians can produce a document that they can respect.”

Amalgamation was not a treaty— Sagay

Professor Itse Sagay said: “I totally disagree with the group that the 1914 amalgamation was by a treaty.

“It was a union imposed on us by the British who were colonial overlords of Nigeria, then recognised by international law, which was a legitimate power to join the Northern and Southern protectorates.

“So, it was not a treaty at all. If it were a treaty, both parties could have sat round the table to negotiate their merger. But there wasn’t anything like that at all.

“The people just woke up one morning and found out that they have been joined together by the superior colonial force.

“Meanwhile, contrary to their belief that a treaty can expire, it can be forever and can be terminated by either party. A party can withdraw from a treaty at anytime, provided certain conditions are met.”

New Year Message To The Nation From President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR

Dear Compatriots,
I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which promises to be a momentous one for our country for several reasons, including the fact that it is also the year of our great nation’s centenary celebrations. I join you all in giving thanks to God Almighty for guiding us and our beloved nation safely through all the challenges of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014.

Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria. For us therefore, today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria.

Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of strength. We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and mothers, and all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the century made this country what it is today.

As I noted, a few days ago, the amalgamation of 1914 was certainly not a mistake but a blessing. As we celebrate 100 years of nationhood, we must resolve to continue to work together as one, united people, to make our country even greater.

I assure you that our administration remains fully committed to the progressive development of our country and the consolidation of peace, unity and democratic governance in our fatherland. Despite several continuing domestic and global challenges, for us in Nigeria, the year 2013 witnessed many positive developments which we will strive to build upon in 2014.

We have diligently carried forward the purposeful and focused implementation of our agenda for national transformation in priority areas such as power, the rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure, agricultural development, education and employment generation.
You may recall that our 2013 Budget was on the theme, “Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth”, and I emphasized the need for us to “remain prudent with our fiscal resources and also ensure that the Nigerian economy keeps growing and creating jobs”. I am pleased to report that we have stayed focused on this goal.

Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth. We are keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy.

In 2013, we commenced implementation of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) aimed at industrializing Nigeria and diversifying our economy into sectors such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, and petrochemicals. We have also negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET) agreement with our ECOWAS partners which would enable us to protect our strategic industries where necessary.

I am pleased to note that as a result of our backward integration policies, Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2 million metric tonnes of cement in 2002, to a country that now has a capacity of 28.5 million metric tonnes. For the first time in our history, we have moved from being a net importer of cement to a net exporter. Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has also been strong. In fact, for the second year running, the UN Conference on Trade and Development has named Nigeria as the number 1 destination for investments in Africa.

We are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector and the results are evident. We have tackled corruption in the input distribution system as many farmers now obtain their fertilizers and seeds directly through an e-wallet system. In 2013, 4.2 million farmers received subsidized inputs via this programme. This scheme has restored dignity to our farmers.

Last year we produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional food; and this year, inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008 partly due to higher domestic food production. Our food import bill has also reduced from N1.1 trillion in 2011, to N648 billion in 2012, placing Nigeria firmly on the path to food self-sufficiency.

The sector is also supporting more jobs. Last year, we produced 1.1 million metric tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in these States are now profitably engaged in farming even during the dry season.

This Administration is also developing our water resources which are key for both our food production and job creation goals. In 2013, we completed the construction of nine dams which increased the volume of our water reservoirs by 422 million cubic metres. Through our irrigation and drainage programme, we have increased the total irrigated area by over 31,000 hectares creating jobs for over 75,000 farming families while increasing production of over 400,000 metric tons of assorted irrigated food products.

Fellow Compatriots, I have always believed that the single greatest thing we can do to ensure all Nigerians realize their potential and play a full part in our nation’s future, is to invest in education. The education of our young people is a key priority for this Government. We take this responsibility very seriously and I urge all other stakeholders in the sector to recognize the national importance of their work, and to help advance the cause of education in our nation.

Between 2007 and 2013, we have almost tripled the allocation for education from N224 billion to N634 billion – and we will continue to vigorously support the sector. We have improved access to education in the country with the construction of 125 Almajiri schools, and the establishment of three additional Federal Universities in the North, bringing to twelve, the number of universities established by this administration.

In 2013, we rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new libraries in the Federal Unity Schools; and also rehabilitated laboratories of all the 51 Federal and State polytechnics across the country.

In the Health sector, we are building strong safety nets and improving access to primary health care under the Saving One Million Lives programme. In 2013, we recruited 11,300 frontline health workers who were deployed to under-served communities across the country. Over 400,000 lives have been saved through our various interventions. We have reached over 10,000 women and children with conditional cash transfer programmes across 8 States and the FCT and we intend to scale up this successful initiative.

Our national immunization coverage has exceeded 80%. And for the first time in the history of the country there has not been any transmission of the Type-3 Wild Polio virus for more than one year. We have also eradicated the guinea worm that previously affected the lives of over 800,000 Nigerians yearly. In tertiary health care, we upgraded medical facilities across the country. Two of our teaching hospitals – the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the University College Hospital in Ibadan – commenced open heart surgeries this year after the installation of new facilities.

Fellow Nigerians, I have dwelt on some of our administration’s achievements in 2013 to reassure you that we are working and results are being achieved on the ground. As we enter our Centennial year, there is still much work ahead. We are determined to sustain our strong macroeconomic fundamentals, to strengthen our domestic institutions, and to invest in priority sectors. These investments will create more jobs for our youth. Government will at the same time, continue to scale-up investments in safety nets and the MDGs to take care of the poor and the vulnerable so that they too can share in our growth and prosperity.

In 2014, we will continue to prioritize investments in key sectors such as infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation and aviation. In the past year, the Federal Government completed the privatization of four power generation companies and 10 power distribution companies. We are also in the process of privatizing 10 power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).

We shall boost investments in transmission to ensure power generated is properly evacuated and distributed. In this regard, we have already mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the upgrade of the transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also strengthen regulation of the sector, and closely monitor electricity delivery to increase this beyond 18 hours per day. We will complete the privatization of the NIPP projects, accelerate work on our gas pipeline infrastructure and also continue to invest in hydro-electric power and clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate change on our economy.

Our administration believes that the cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced. We will also take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages. We have worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have introduced a Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new Director-General. This department will now ensure that those of our pensioners still under the old scheme receive their pensions and gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud. Prosecution of all those involved in robbing our retired people will continue. The Petroleum Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict guidelines to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud.

Foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed. This directive shall apply to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. Our strategy to curb leakages will increasingly rely on introducing the right technologies such as biometrics and digitizing government payments.

I am therefore pleased to inform you that we shall complete the deployment of the three electronic platforms in 2014 – namely, the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) – which are all geared towards improving efficiency and transparency in our public finances. Through these reforms, we have already saved about N126 billion in leaked funds and intend to save more.

To sustain Nigeria’s ongoing agricultural transformation, we have planned further investments in the sector. We will provide input subsidies to five million farmers nationwide using the e-wallet system. This Administration recently launched a self-employment initiative under the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), called the Nagropreneur programme. This scheme would encourage our youth to go into commercial agriculture as entrepreneurs and we plan to develop over 750,000 young Nagropreneurs by 2015.

We will also establish new agro-industrial clusters to complement the staple crop processing zones being developed across the country. In 2014, this Administration will continue to work with the private sector to improve financing in the agricultural sector. For example, we will launch the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) which will serve as a private equity fund to invest in agri-businesses across the country.

Our Small and Medium scale enterprises (SMEs) will be the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization. We have about 17 million registered SMEs, and they employ over 32 million Nigerians. When our SMEs grow, more jobs will be created for our youth. Therefore, in 2014, this Administration will focus strongly on implementing the Nigeria Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) to address the needs of small businesses. Our interventions will include helping SMEs with access to affordable finance, business development services, and youth training. In addition, our new CET policies will enable us to support our emerging industries.

We will also intensify our investment promotion efforts abroad, to ensure we bring the biggest and best companies from around the world to invest in Nigeria.

Dear Compatriots, the housing and construction industry is a critical sector in most developed economies. When the housing sector booms, it creates additional jobs for architects and masons, for electricians and plumbers, for painters and interior decorators, and for those in the cement and furniture industries.

Today, I am pleased to inform you that this Administration is reinvigorating our housing and construction sector. We have established the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) which will increase liquidity in the housing sector, provide a secondary market for mortgages, and thereby increase the number of people able to purchase or build homes at an affordable price in the country.

In 2014, we will work in a number of pilot states where the State Governors have agreed to provide fast-track land titles, foreclosure arrangements, and serviced plots. This new institution will enable us to create over 200,000 mortgages over the next five years at affordable interest rates. In addition, those at the lower end of the economic ladder will not be left behind as this new initiative will expand mass housing schemes through a re-structured Federal Mortgage Bank and other institutions to provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options. I am confident that very soon, many more hardworking Nigerian families will be able to realize their dream of owning a home.

In this our centenary year, we will continue our efforts, through the Saving One Million Lives initiative to strengthen primary health care services. We will scale up interventions in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, routine immunization, HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases. We will pay greater attention to the provision of universal health coverage. Besides the implementation of new initiatives such as my comprehensive response plan for HIV/AIDS, we shall continue to collaborate with global health partners to deliver our health sector transformation agenda.
I am glad that the issues responsible for the long-drawn ASUU strike have been resolved and our children are returning to their campuses. We are committed to making our tertiary institutions true centers of learning for our young people. We will therefore focus on upgrading hostels, laboratories, classrooms, and halls. As the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals approaches, we will continue to expand access to basic education for all Nigerian children. Working with State Governments, we shall decisively tackle the problem of the large numbers of out-of-school children in this country. We will also invest in technical and vocational education to promote skills development for our youth across the country.

Nigerian entrepreneurs still lack access to affordable financing, with medium-to-long-term tenors. To address this gap, a new wholesale development finance institution will be established in 2014 to provide medium-to long-term financing for Nigerian businesses. We are working with partners such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the BNDES Bank in Brazil, and KfW in Germany, to realize this project. Our existing Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry will be re-structured as specialized institutions to retail financing from this new wholesale development bank.

In addition to the foregoing, our administration will also do all within its powers to ensure the success of the forthcoming National Conference. The report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Conference is undergoing urgent review and the approved structure, guidelines and modalities for the conference will soon be published as a prelude to its commencement and expeditious conclusion.

It remains our sincere hope and expectation that the success of the national conference will further enhance national unity, peace and cohesion as we move ahead to the 2015 general elections.

In keeping with our avowed commitment to progressively enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process by consistently upholding the principle of one man, one vote, our Administration will also ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receives all required support to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the next general elections.

As peace and security remain prerequisite conditions for the full realization of our objectives, we will also do more in 2014 to further empower our security agencies who are working in collaborative partnerships with our friends in the international community to stem the scourge of terrorism in our country and enhance the security of lives and property in all parts of Nigeria. The allocation of over N600 Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget attests to this commitment.

Fellow compatriots, the task of making our dear nation a much better place for present and future generations cannot be left to government alone. I therefore urge you all to be ready and willing to do more this year to support the implementation of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation in every possible way.

Let us all therefore resolve as we celebrate the new year, and Nigeria’s Centenary, to place the higher interests of national unity, peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work harder in our particular fields of human endeavour to contribute more significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations. I urge all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life, to rededicate themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our national heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow.

I wish you all a happy and rewarding 2014. God bless Nigeria. Happy New Year.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
December 31, 2013

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