Godfatherism will lead to selection of bad leaders in Nigeria – Shekarau

Former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has cautioned against godfatherism in selecting leaders in Nigeria.




Shekarau said godfatherism would lead to picking inexperienced and morally bankrupt leaders.




He noted that the pattern of godfatherism in selecting leaders in Nigeria must change.




Shekarau spoke while delivering a paper titled, ‘Challenges of Operating in Political Environment by Public Officers’ at a 4-day retreat organised for members of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and National Assembly’s top management staff which started in Abuja on Friday.




According to Shekarau: “Though it (public service) represents just a minor fraction of the population it serves, it determines the progress or otherwise of entire society.




“Hence, allowing poor quality leadership in public service will mean poor and selfish policies, which will spell doom for entire society.




“The situation where financial worthiness or godfatherism determines who gets elected or appointed into leadership positions must change. Otherwise, we shall continue to have inexperienced, incompetent, selfish and morally bankrupt people as political leaders in public service.”




He charges political parties to ensure that the right people are elected into leadership.




“Political parties must ensure that only the RIGHT people get elected into party leadership positions, and who will, in turn, ensure that only credible, experienced and level-headed party members are presented as candidates to contest, or be appointed to any public office at all levels,” he added.

Six British diplomats expelled from Russia over alleged spying

Russia has expelled six British diplomats, accusing them of espionage and involvement in efforts to destabilize the country, according to a statement from the Federal Security Service (FSB) on Friday.




The FSB claimed that the United Kingdom has been actively engaged in escalating global tensions and undermining Russia’s internal stability.




In a statement, the FSB said it had obtained “documents confirming London’s coordination of the escalation of the international military-political situation.”




The agency further accused the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate (EECAD) of spearheading “subversive policies” aimed at delivering a “strategic defeat” to Russia.




The FSB noted that after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the EECAD transformed into an intelligence service working against Moscow, which led to the conclusion that British diplomats operating under its umbrella posed a “security threat.”




In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry, in collaboration with other departments, revoked the accreditation of six employees from the British Embassy’s political department in Moscow.




Officials stated that these diplomats had engaged in activities “showing signs of intelligence and subversive work” and demanded the early termination of their missions in Russia.




Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova supported the FSB’s assessment, telling TASS that British diplomats had been involved in “actions aimed at harming our people.”




The British government has yet to respond to the allegations.




Relations between Russia and the UK have reached historic lows since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, with both nations engaging in multiple rounds of diplomatic expulsions and sanctions.




In February, the FSB also accused the British Council, a UK cultural organization, of gathering intelligence for Ukraine by using refugees in the UK to obtain military and political information from contacts in Russia’s Kherson Region.

Kano Electoral Commission drops chairmanship forms to N9m after restraining order

Following a court order secured by three political parties restraining the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSAIC from selling Chairmanship forms for N10 million, the Agency has dropped the price to N9 million for Chairmen and N4 million for Councillors.




Speaking to the Media, Friday, in Kano, the State Chairman of the KANSAIC, Professor Sani Lawan Malumfashi, said the State Independent Electoral Law has given them powers to decide on the nomination fees for the elections but because they are law-abiding citizens they are complying with the restraining order.




He said although they have challenged the order at the Court of Appeal, they are still going ahead with the elections because they are guided by the law.




The Chairman also commended the opposition Political Party for participating in the elections which he said clearly shows that they believed in the quality of the Commission to undertake a fair and just election.




“The decision by the leading opposition APC to participate is a welcome decision; it shows that they believe in the Commission that they are going to deliver.




” An election is a win-win game, it continues regardless of who wins or loses, rather it calls for sober reflection, deciding to participate one gives his members a chance to participate.

Edo election: Police’ll remain impartial, professional – IGP Egbetokun

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said that the police will provide a level playing ground for all political parties participating in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.




Egbetokun made this promise on Thursday in Benin during the signing of a peace accord by political parties and their candidates ahead of the election.




The national peace committee led by Abubakar Abdulsalami, a former military head of state, initiated the peace accord.




However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate refused to sign the peace accord.




The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Monday Okpebholo, his Labour Party, LP, counterpart, Olumide Akpata and other political parties signed the peace accord.




According to the IGP, the police will be neutral and professional, stressing that all stakeholders must work together to achieve a conducive environment for the poll.




“I’m here today to reaffirm our commitment to a peaceful and secure electoral process.




“We recognise the importance of this moment and the trust placed on us to protect the integrity of this election.




“We will remain impartial, professional, and vigilant while providing a level playing ground for political parties and their candidates.




“I urge all stakeholders to embrace peace, tolerance, and respect. Let’s work together to create a conducive environment for a free, fair, and peaceful election, where every voter can exercise their rights to vote without fear and intimidation,” the IGP said.

NAF airstrikes decimate scores of terrorists in Niger

The Nigerian Airforce has disclosed that the Air Component of Operation WHIRL PUNCH conducted a highly successful air interdiction mission on 11 September, 2024 targeted at terrorists in Bassa, Niger State.




It said in the process, the Nigerian Air Force Air assets observed over 100 terrorists engaging friendly forces in a fierce firefight, and the NAF Air strike neutralized dozens of the bandits.




Kabiru Ali, Group Captain, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, said in a statement that 28 bodies had been recovered from the target area, with several more terrorists, weapons, and burnt motorcycles still being cleared.




According to the statement, the successful operation underscored the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to protecting the nation and supporting sister services and other security agencies in combating banditry, terrorism, insurgency and all other forms of criminality.




“Nigerians can be assured that NAF will continue to conduct air operations, both independently and in collaboration with surface forces, to eliminate all threats to the peace, prosperity and security of our great nation,” he said.




NAF sought for members of the public’s continued support in vital information that would lead to decimating bandits and other criminal elements.

Nigeria signs Cape Town treaty on aircraft leasing

The federal government has officially signed the Cape Town
Convention (CTC) practice direction to enable domestic airline operators to
access aircraft on dry lease.



 



The signing, which took place on Thursday at the
presidential villa in Abuja, was presided over by Vice-President Kashim
Shettima and witnessed by aviation stakeholders, including Allen Onyema, Air
Peace chairman.



 



The milestone, which comes 20 years after the treaty’s
inception, was signed by John Tsoho, chief judge of the federal high court,
during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Presidential Enabling Business
Environment Council (PEBEC) chaired by Shettima.



 



The Cape Town accord aims to enhance asset-based financing
and leasing of aviation equipment, including aircraft, thereby expanding
funding opportunities and reducing costs for airlines.



 





With the agreement, Nigerian airline operators are expected
to gain access to aircraft on dry lease, which could lead to lower flight rates
for passengers.



 



Dry lease is an arrangement which involves hiring an
aircraft without a flight crew. The hiring entity (the lessee) takes on
operational responsibilities, such as crew members and maintenance.



In a statement on the development, Stanley Nkwocha, vice-president’s
media aide, said the treaty would resolve the problem of obtaining certain and
opposable rights to high-value aviation assets such as airframes, aircraft
engines, and helicopters which have no fixed location.



 



“The signing of the CTC Practice Direction will ensure the
Cape Town Convention becomes fully operational in Nigeria, thereby reducing the
cost of insurance for airlines, restoring investors’ confidence in the Nigerian
aviation sector, and reducing the cost of doing business in the nation’s
aviation sector,” he posted.



 



On April 8, Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and
aerospace development, had said the federal government was working on a
practice direction that would enable domestic airline operators to hire
aircraft on dry lease.



 



According to Keyamo some local operators had, in the past,
breached the CTC which regulates aircraft leasing across the world.



 



This, he said, had forced the Aviation Working Group,
co-chaired by Airbus and Boeing, to blacklist Nigeria until it implements a law
that would prevent such occurrences.



 



“Why we cannot compete with big international airlines is
because we don’t have access to aircraft on the same terms as they have,” the
minister had said.



 



 “People don’t know
that the best airlines in the world run their fleet 100 percent based on actual
purchase of aircraft.”



 



Keyamo said recent studies showed that 70 percent of the
fleet across the world is on dry leases.



 



Also, on August 17, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA), had said the federal government was working to make the acquisition of
aircraft easier for local airlines.



 



Chris Najomo, the acting director-general (DG) of NCAA, said
the minister had been in discussions with companies like Boeing and Embraer to
facilitate dry leasing for Nigerian airlines.

Don’t blame Tinubu for NNPCL’s business decisions — Omokri

 A former presidential aide, Mr Reno Omokri, has said it was erroneous to blame President Bola Tinubu for business decisions made by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

 

He said despite the federal government’s ownership of the national oil company, its board of directors was responsible for its management and must be held accountable for all its decisions made in accordance with its obligation to run the business profitably.

 

“It betrays a lack of understanding of corporate governance and ignorance of how government operates when politicians and activists attack President Bola Tinubu over the NNPCL’s statements and actions,” Omokri, who was former President Goodluck Jonathan’s special assistant on New Media, said in a statement yesterday.

 

President Tinubu has come under attack over the recent petrol price hikes by the NNPCL from N580/N617 to N850/N893 per litre, which triggered angry reactions from a cross-section of the public.

 



Many social commentators and policy analysts held the president responsible for the hike because they believed that the national oil company, wholly owned by the federal government, could not tinker with its products’ prices without the president’s assent.

 

However, Omokri thinks differently, contending that the company that decided for its business survival must be held accountable.

 



“The NNPCL, though state-owned, is a limited liability company that is not subject to the Appropriation Act or the Fiscal Responsibility Act in the way ministries, departments, and agencies are,” he said.