LOOT RECOVERED UNDER BUHARI RETURNED TO OWNERS – OBONO-OBLA
LOOT RECOVERED UNDER BUHARI RETURNED TO OWNERS – OBONO-OBLA A former Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, has alleged that the loot recovered by his panel under former President Muhammadu Buhari were returned to the looters. He added that the Buhari administration failed to fight corruption, supposedly the bedrock of people’s trust in him. Obono-Obla, who was appointed a presidential aide by Buhari, made the allegation on Saturday while speaking on the Mic On Podcast. SPIP was an independent investigative panel set up by Buhari to recover stolen property and assets belonging to the country. According to Obono-Obla, his efforts to bring many looters to justice in the country were frustrated by officials in the same administration, including former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, whom he (Obono-Obla) described as an ‘authoritarian’. “Some of the things I recovered were returned to the looters. For instance, there was this case of someone from whom I recovered over 80 brand new X-class Mercedes Benz cars (armoured plated) from in Jabi, Abuja. “I wrote to the DG, Customs to ask if the person paid customs duties of the vehicles, he said ‘No’, they didn’t pay. I wrote to the Federal Inland Revenue Services to know if the person paid tax on the vehicles; he also said ‘No’ and that they don’t have the records. “We went to court to get an order of interim forfeiture, and it was granted pending the hearing of the case. So, I sent a memo to Malami to brief him on what we were doing, only for him to tell me that he never mandated me to do things I investigated,” he said. Obono-Obla was referring to a case involving a former Director of Power, Works, and Housing, Mr. Ibrahim Tumsah, a resident of Jabi, Abuja, from whom SPIP recovered 86 vehicles valued at about N500 million, land, houses, and farms. “Another one is the case of a senator who was then in his sitting status and later became the President of the Senate. I found his story in the Panama Papers, which stated that he had property in offshore islands; I didn’t have the power to investigate him because it was overseas, so I went to the DG, NIA, and sought his help to work together. “They conducted an investigation and sent the report to me. The report confirmed that this senator has over £200 million worth of property in the offshore islands; I sent a copy to the president and one to the Attorney General. Till today, nothing happened,” he added. While fielding questions on whether the Buhari administration failed to fight corruption, Obono-Obla said, “Yes, I would say so. We didn’t do well. When Magu (former EFCC chairman) and I left, we didn’t hear anything again about fighting corruption. Both of us had a similar fate; we were stepping on toes and too stubborn. In fact, Malami’s close associate once told me, ‘you —Obla and Magu— are very stubborn,’” he stressed. He narrated how, on many occasions, Malami would make jest of him to his wife on his moves to recover funds and question if he had recovered them. “All the problems I had, Malami was behind them. The president wouldn’t have removed me without his input. He would joke to my wife if I had now recovered the billion dollars I wanted to recover from the firm that mailed me. “I was not dismissed, I was suspended and till date, the suspension has not been lifted,” he added. Recall that in 2019, Obono-Obla was served a letter of his immediate suspension from office over an investigation by the anti-graft agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices…
HOW POLITICS, LOBBYING DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF ORONSAYE REPORT
HOW POLITICS, LOBBYING DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF ORONSAYA REPORT Many Nigerians are curious as to why the government has not yet implemented the recommendations of the Oronsaye Report. There are rumours of political manoeuvring and lobbying by some powerful individuals who stand to lose from the proposed merger of ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs). Others speculate that the government may face logistical and financial challenges in the mergers. However, the delay is causing anxiety among civil servants and citizens alike, who are eager to see a leaner and more efficient government. They say the government must provide clear and transparent communication on the progress of the mergers and address any concerns or obstacles hindering the implementation. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the merging, scrapping, and subsuming of some MDAs in February this year in line with its policy of reducing the cost of governance. The president’s special adviser on policy coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman, said the decision was based on the Steve Oronsaye Report on Civil Service Reforms inaugurated under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2014. According to the report, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria will be merged with the Voice of Nigeria, while the National Commission for Museum and Monuments will be merged with the National Gallery of Acts. The National Theatre will merge with the National Troupe of Nigeria, while the National Meteorological Development Centre will merge with the National Meteorological Training Institute. National Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA) is to be merged with the Centre for Disease Control in the Federal Ministry of Health, while National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is to be merged with the National Commission for Refugee Migration and Internally Displaced Persons. The Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa will be merged with the Directorate of Technical Aid to function as a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission is to be merged with the Bureau for Public Enterprises. The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission will merge with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, while the National Agency for Science and Technology and Science and Engineering Infrastructure will merge with the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation and the Project Development Institute. The special adviser further revealed that the National Biotechnology Development Agency will be merged with the National Centre for Genetic Resource and Biotechnology, while the National Institute for Leather Science Technology will be merged with the National Institute for Chemical Technology. The Nomadic Education Commission will merge with the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult Education, and Non-formal Education. The Nigerian Army University will be merged with the Nigerian Defence Academy to function as a faculty within the latter. Similarly, the Air Force Institute of Technology also will be merged with the Nigerian Defence Academy to function as the faculty of the Nigerian Defence Academy. The Border Communities Development Agency will be subsumed to function as a department under the National Boundary Commission. The National Salaries Income and Wages Commission is to be subsumed into the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission while the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution is to be subsumed under the Institute for International Affairs. The Public Complaints Commission is to be subsumed under the National Human Rights Commission while the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis is to be subsumed into the Institute for Veterinary Research. On the agencies to be relocated, Hadiza Bala Usman said the Niger Delta Power Holding Company is to be relocated to the Ministry of Power while the National Agricultural Land Development Agency will be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Meanwhile, a director in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, who pleaded anonymity while speaking on the expiration of…
TINUBU NOT PERTURBED BY NORTHERN GANG UP AGAINST HIM AHEAD OF 2027 – PRESIDENCY SOURCES
TINUBU NOT PERTURBED BY NORTHERN GANG UP AGAINST HIM AHEAD 2027 – PRESIDENCY SOURCES There have been surreptitious moves by some political figures working on possible alignments ahead of the 2027 Presidential election to scuttle possible second term ambition of President Bola Tinubu. Some politicians, especially those that lost out during the election and the appointments that followed, have somehow been trying to position themselves to be relevant ahead of the next elections. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, a foremost and formidable opposition figure in the country, has obviously not relented in pursuing his Presidential ambition and he has been raising his game with a view to running for the position of the President in 2027. Though the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has yet to openly declare his Presidential ambition, there are indications that he may have commenced consultations ahead of the polls judging from his meetings with political stakeholders across the country with a view to forging a new political platform with the capacity to give the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) a run for its money by 2027. Only recently, some Northern political figures, including a former governor of Sokoto State and a serving Senator, Aminu Tambuwal, led by a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, paid a Sallah visit on the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, in his Daura country home in Katsina State. Responding to the development, a source in the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “It’s not a political sacrilege for politicians to align and realign to strategise for political power. It has always been like that in this country. They are free to do so. “But the President is unperturbed. It is too early on his four-year tenure to be dragged into 2027 politics. The President is currently focused on delivering on his electoral promises and making life better for Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliations.” Another source said: “To an average politician in Nigeria, preparation for the 2027 election started immediately after that of 2023 was won and lost. However, Tinubu’s second term will be determined by his performance at the end of this tenure. I’m sure that he won’t have to campaign too hard because his performance will do that for him. “Already, the nation’s security has begun to take shape; the security forces are working hard to restore peace in the country and the nation’s economy has started to improve owing to the policies introduced by the President.“I’m convinced that in the next two to three years, Nigerians will feel the positive impacts of government policies as the economy is on the trajectory of revival.” Another source added: “Let’s wait till then. If someone could win a Presidential election without overt support from the incumbent and staunch party leaders, how much more when he is now in power?” “Recall that some powerful figures never supported the President at the 2023 polls; but Asiwaju deployed his political capital, having built a formidable goodwill across the country to win that election. Let them gather; they’ll eventually scatter,” he concluded. They are seeking alliance -Prof Muhammad-Baba Speaking on the development, the Spokesman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Prof Tukur Muhammad-Baba, told Saturday Telegraph that the meeting in Daura was not just Sallah homage, but political alliances for 2027 elections. He said: “I don’t think it was a normal Sallah greeting, it is political in the sense that they are seeking re-alliances. This is because all those who visited were those either in the opposition or those people with what you can call lifetime ambition like in the case of Atiku and el-Rufai. “Someone who was in the centre of things, all of a sudden, you find yourself without a hope, now…
KANO GOVERNOR YUSUF RELEASES N5B FOR PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS
KANO GOVERNOR YUSUF, RELEASES N5B FOR PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Saturday released N5 billion for payment of retirement, and death benefits to no fewer than 4,000 pensioners across the state. Governor Yusuf at the inception of his administration unveiled initial disbursement of N6 billion in November 2023 to offset backlog of entitlement incurred by immediate past administration. Upon assuming office in May 2023, Governor Yusuf inherited a pension system plagued by disorder and corruption, where illegal deductions and systemic irregularities left many pensioners without their entitled benefits. Governor Yusuf while unfolding the second trenche disclosed that his government was compelled by the mercy condition of the retiress who have been denied their dues by Ganduje’s administration. He said the NNPP government is poised to rectify the injustices meted against the innocent pensioners who were not paid gratuity for the eight years of Ganjude’s administration (2015-2023). “The initial phase saw the successful allocation of N6 billion to settle the retirement gratuity and death benefits of 5,333 pensioners, including state and local government retirees and families of deceased civil servants. ” This second phase of N5 billion, dedicated and aimed to settling pension arrears for approximately 4,000 retirees. “The administration has established stringent criteria to ensure equitable and transparent disbursement, benefiting individuals with gratuities and death gratuities ranging from N1.6 million to N6.9 million. “To guarantee the implementation process’s integrity, a distinguished committee comprising representatives from the Pension Fund Trustees, the Sharia Court of Appeal, the Office of the Head of Civil Service, and other pivotal agencies has been formed”. He said. Governor Yusuf reiterated the administration’s unwavering commitment to championing the interests of pensioners, emphasizing that pension and gratuity are fundamental rights, not privileges. He underscored the state’s obligation to promptly fulfill its commitments to elderly retirees as promised during the election campaigns. Illustrating this steadfast commitment, Governor Yusuf announced that monthly pensions are now disbursed on or before the 25th of each month, free from arbitrary deductions—a significant departure from past practices, highlighting transparency and accountability.The National Union of Pensioners Recently recognized Governor Yusuf as the most Pensioners-Friendly Governor of the 2024 due to his commitment to the plight of pensioners.
SIX FIRMS GET LICENSE TO DISTRIBUTE ELECTRICITY
KANO GOVERNOR YUSUF, RELEASES N5B FOR PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Saturday released N5 billion for payment of retirement, and death benefits to no fewer than 4,000 pensioners across the state. Governor Yusuf at the inception of his administration unveiled initial disbursement of N6 billion in November 2023 to offset backlog of entitlement incurred by immediate past administration. Upon assuming office in May 2023, Governor Yusuf inherited a pension system plagued by disorder and corruption, where illegal deductions and systemic irregularities left many pensioners without their entitled benefits. Governor Yusuf while unfolding the second trenche disclosed that his government was compelled by the mercy condition of the retiress who have been denied their dues by Ganduje’s administration. He said the NNPP government is poised to rectify the injustices meted against the innocent pensioners who were not paid gratuity for the eight years of Ganjude’s administration (2015-2023). “The initial phase saw the successful allocation of N6 billion to settle the retirement gratuity and death benefits of 5,333 pensioners, including state and local government retirees and families of deceased civil servants. ” This second phase of N5 billion, dedicated and aimed to settling pension arrears for approximately 4,000 retirees. “The administration has established stringent criteria to ensure equitable and transparent disbursement, benefiting individuals with gratuities and death gratuities ranging from N1.6 million to N6.9 million. “To guarantee the implementation process’s integrity, a distinguished committee comprising representatives from the Pension Fund Trustees, the Sharia Court of Appeal, the Office of the Head of Civil Service, and other pivotal agencies has been formed”. He said. Governor Yusuf reiterated the administration’s unwavering commitment to championing the interests of pensioners, emphasizing that pension and gratuity are fundamental rights, not privileges. He underscored the state’s obligation to promptly fulfill its commitments to elderly retirees as promised during the election campaigns. Illustrating this steadfast commitment, Governor Yusuf announced that monthly pensions are now disbursed on or before the 25th of each month, free from arbitrary deductions—a significant departure from past practices, highlighting transparency and accountability.The National Union of Pensioners Recently recognized Governor Yusuf as the most Pensioners-Friendly Governor of the 2024 due to his commitment to the plight of pensioners.
KANO GOVERNOR, YUSUF RELEASES N5B FOR PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS
KANO GOVERNOR YUSUF, RELEASES N5B FOR PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Saturday released N5 billion for payment of retirement, and death benefits to no fewer than 4,000 pensioners across the state. Governor Yusuf at the inception of his administration unveiled initial disbursement of N6 billion in November 2023 to offset backlog of entitlement incurred by immediate past administration. Upon assuming office in May 2023, Governor Yusuf inherited a pension system plagued by disorder and corruption, where illegal deductions and systemic irregularities left many pensioners without their entitled benefits. Governor Yusuf while unfolding the second trenche disclosed that his government was compelled by the mercy condition of the retiress who have been denied their dues by Ganduje’s administration. He said the NNPP government is poised to rectify the injustices meted against the innocent pensioners who were not paid gratuity for the eight years of Ganjude’s administration (2015-2023). “The initial phase saw the successful allocation of N6 billion to settle the retirement gratuity and death benefits of 5,333 pensioners, including state and local government retirees and families of deceased civil servants. ” This second phase of N5 billion, dedicated and aimed to settling pension arrears for approximately 4,000 retirees. “The administration has established stringent criteria to ensure equitable and transparent disbursement, benefiting individuals with gratuities and death gratuities ranging from N1.6 million to N6.9 million. “To guarantee the implementation process’s integrity, a distinguished committee comprising representatives from the Pension Fund Trustees, the Sharia Court of Appeal, the Office of the Head of Civil Service, and other pivotal agencies has been formed”. He said. Governor Yusuf reiterated the administration’s unwavering commitment to championing the interests of pensioners, emphasizing that pension and gratuity are fundamental rights, not privileges. He underscored the state’s obligation to promptly fulfill its commitments to elderly retirees as promised during the election campaigns. Illustrating this steadfast commitment, Governor Yusuf announced that monthly pensions are now disbursed on or before the 25th of each month, free from arbitrary deductions—a significant departure from past practices, highlighting transparency and accountability.The National Union of Pensioners Recently recognized Governor Yusuf as the most Pensioners-Friendly Governor of the 2024 due to his commitment to the plight of pensioners.
ENUGU, ONDO, JIGAWA, 24 OTHER STATES FAIL TO ACCESS N36.1B UBEC FUND
ENUGU, ONDO, JIGAWA 24 OTHER STATES FAIL TO ACCESS N36.1B UBEC FUND Twenty-seven states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, have failed to access the N36.1bn education fund provided by the Universal Basic Education Commission in 2023. The N36.1bn figure is obtained from a document prepared by UBEC in March 2024, which showed how state-by-state matching grants were not accessed. The document, which was signed by UBEC’s Director of Finance and Account, Adamu Misau, said the sum of N36.1bn was not accessed by states. According to the data on the document, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara states in the North-West; Borno and Taraba states in the North-East; Nasarawa State in the North Central; Ondo State in the South-West; Enugu State in the South-East and Delta State in the South-South have fully accessed their funds. However, the document stated that Kaduna State failed to access the sum of N1.3bn in 2023; Kano State failed to access the sum of N581m in the same year, with Katsina and Kebbi states also failing to access the sum of N1.3bn each in 2023. Adamawa and Bauchi states, according to the data, jointly failed to access the funds provided for 2023 (N1.3bn). Gombe State failed to access the sum of N1.3bn from 2023, while Yobe State failed to access the same amount in the same year. Benue, Kwara and Niger states owed an accumulated sum of N2.6bn both, due to their failure to access the intervention funds in 2023. Kogi, Plateau states and the FCT presently have N1.3bn each not accessed, which is presently lodged with the commission from the 2023 disbursement. Ekiti and Lagos states also failed to access the sum of N1.3bn each from the 2023 disbursement. Further analysis of the data revealed that Ogun State is yet to access the fund. In February 2024, Human rights lawyer, Mrs Funmi Falana (SAN), dragged the 36 state governments and the FCT before the Federal High Court in Lagos, over their failure to access N68bn UBEC funds to provide free basic education for their citizens. The senior advocate said the states failed to pay the counterparts funds necessary to access the UBEC funds to provide free basic education for citizens. Also joined as defendants in the suit were the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN) and UBEC. But The NGF’s Education Advisor, Dr Ebenezer Leo The Great, in a recent interview with Saturday PUNCH, disclosed that the UBEC fund was trapped due to the inability of state governments to raise the 50 per cent counterpart of the amount they need. “The issue is the difficulty faced by states to access funds in UBEC. We’re looking at how to change the legislation, amend the UBEC Act to reduce the matching grant, that is the counterpart fund that states are supposed to pay to access the fund,” he said. Meanwhile, data from the Commission also revealed that over 47m pupils are currently enrolled in 171,027 private and public primary and junior secondary schools across the country. UBEC puts the total of public schools at 79,775 while private schools are currently standing at 91,252. For enrollment, the Commission noted that 7.2m pupils are currently enrolled in Early Childhood facilities with 31.7m enrolled in primary schools while a total of 8m are currently enrolled in Junior Secondary Schools. For the teachers, the Commission noted that 354,651 teachers are currently teaching in Early Childhood facilities, 915,593 in primary schools and 416,291 in Junior Secondary Schools. Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, said even though accessing the UBEC funds will reduce the 10.5m out of school children in the country by 80 per…
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VICTORIOUS RANGERS SHUT DOWN ENUGU
VICTORIOUS RANGERS SHUT DOWN ENUGU Winners of the Nigerian Premier League, Rangers International Football Club of Enugu rode an early morning downpour into Enugu in a private jet to the thunderous applause of its fans and excited air travellers and airport staff. In the entourage of the jubilant players was Dr Ike Chioke, the Group Managing Director of Afrinvest West Africa, whose sponsorship of the club is credited with Rangers’ amazing run to victory in the Nigerian league. The team’s arrival with the coveted trophy, their eighth since inception, has been widely hailed as emblematic of the people’s admirable will to survive the present economic difficulties in the country. There has been a persisting myth that the people of the region have always performed better with their backs against the wall. To many people, therefore, the club’s recent victory is a timely invocation of their trademark survival instinct in an adverse environment. The highly elated fans chanted the club’s anthem and sang praises to God at the arrival wing of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport before heading into the city for the victory party at the iconic Michael Okpara Square. A mammoth crowd of supporters also gathered at Okpara Square to receive the trophy from their darling club and thank them for defeating their rivals across the country to win the highly contested league. Speaking at the occasion, the club’s general manager, Mr. Amobi Ezeaku, declared that Rangers was the true identity of the people of south-east Nigeria. He declared the readiness of the club to give Nigeria a strong chance in the coming continental championship starting in August and expressed the club’s gratitude to Afrinvest West Africa for sponsoring it. In his own remarks, the Group Managing Director of Afrinvest, Dr. Ike Chioke, recalled that when, in October 2023, the management of Afrinvest decided to take up the sponsorship of Rangers, they did not expect that the club would go all the way to win the league shield. “We are excited that less than ten months later, we are gathered here to celebrate a sweet victory,” he observed, declaring the unflinching support of Afrinvest for Rangers as the club gears up to hoist Nigeria’s flag among other clubs in Africa in August this year.Formed in 1970, Rangers has remained a symbol of resilience, a never-say-die spirit, and the rippling ambition of South East Nigeria all through its history.
30 KILLED, 100 INJURED IN SUICIDE ATTACK AT WEDDING, FUNERAL CEREMONIES IN BORNO
30 KILLED, 100 INJURED IN SUICIDE ATTACKS AT WEDDING, FUNERAL CEREMONIES IN BORNO The First Class Emir of Gwoza local government area in Borno state, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta on Saturday confirmed that multiple suicide attacks were carried out at various locations, including a wedding reception and a burial ceremony in Gwoza town. The coordinated incidents which took place in the afternoon have caused pandemonium as people scamper for safety. Reliable Sources said, “More than 30 innocent civilians were killed with over 100 sustained various degrees of injuries, even as many of the victims have been evacuated to Maiduguri for medical attention.” Confirming the incident to Vanguard Newspaper, the Royal Father, Timta said, ” The entire Gwoza council area is in serious mourning following multiple suicide attacks on our community. SaharaReporters also reported that a Nigerian soldier was among those killed when two suicide bombers detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on Saturday at a wedding venue, killing the guests and injuring many others. According to a survivor, one of the bombers, shockingly carried a baby on her back as she entered the venue and detonated the device. A military source in Gwoza reported that a female suicide bomber crossed the road near the military base and detonated an IED, resulting in the death of a soldier. It was learnt that the terrorists reinforced and returned to the 192 Brigade but the Nigerian Army troops successfully repelled the attack. However, the bomber identified as a young mother in her twenties pretended to be a guest at the wedding. While trying to bury the deceased, another bomber disguised as a mourner detonated an IED at the burial site, killing one person. Meanwhile, the injured were receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Gwoza. The spokesperson for Sector One Operation Hadin Kai and the 7th Division confirmed the incident but stated that there was no situation report from Gwoza yet.However, as a result of the explosions, the military has declared an immediate curfew in Gwoza.
NORTHERN NIGERIA: EXPLOSIVE WAITING FOR DETONATION – SALISU LUKMAN
NORTHERN NIGERIA: EXPLOSIVE WAITING FOR DETONATION – SALIHU LUKMAN A former Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Salisu Lukman, has described the current situation in Northern Nigeria as an explotion waiting for detonation. In an open letter, Lukman blamed Northern politicians as responsible for the word of the North. He wrote: “The living reality in Northern Nigeria is very explosive. If anyone is interested in finding the practical meaning of the Hobbesian description of life being ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’, just look at what life is in Northern Nigeria. Indices of poverty, unemployment, inequality are beyond description. “Conditions of schools and hospitals is, to say the least, depressing. The civil service, in virtually all the nineteen states, is only a shadow of itself, with hardly any public service activity taking place. “Our illustrious and respected traditional institutions have been devalued and reduced to state of hopelessness. Most of our religious leaders and centres are far removed from God’s way of life. Few industries exist in the region. And on account of insecurity, agricultural activities, which is the main stay of the economy of the region, is highly on the decline. “No need to go into conventional statistical analysis of out of school children, number of people living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. Not to talk of problems of drugs and substance abuse. Problems of broken homes and abandoned children is quite alarming. “As it is, the North is an explosive waiting to explode. We have lost virtually all our homes, our families and our children. Every person with human feeling should be saddened with the reality of what the Northern part of Nigeria has become. Sadly, even the one strength the North is known for, which is strongly united political leaders, has been lost. “More than anytime in the political history of Nigeria, the North has never been disunited without any semblance of political leadership like we have in today’s Nigeria. “Partly, on account of lack of unity, the quality of political leadership in the North is sharply on the decline. Many so-called politicians are Internally Displaced Persons/Politicians (IDPs), especially once they are out of office. Those in office today are potential IDPs. “Consequently, the worst among us, with hardly any commitment to resolving the challenges facing the North, find their way to political leadership in the North simply because they can cheaply access elective and appointive offices and control public resources, which is largely mismanaged and privatised. “Perhaps, the opportunity for Northern political leaders to redeem themselves and return the North back to rational order with committed leaders capable of responding to the challenges of the region was blown away during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. “The painful reality was that no leader in the political history of Nigeria gained the kind of national acceptability former President Buhari had at the beginning of his tenure. The closest was Chief M. K. O. Abiola whose election was annulled by the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. “More than any Northern political leader, former President Buhari undisputedly won the votes of people from both Northern and Southern Nigeria, which could have been used to produce new crop of selfless leadership for the country. Selfless leadership is required to put every part of Nigeria on the roadmap to national development. “Golden eight years between 2015 and 2023 was lost. Instead, the country, especially the North became worse off with crisis of insecurity taking over everywhere. Problems of poverty, unemployment, drugs and substance abuses, etc. becoming almost peculiar characteristics of the Northern region. “Unfortunately, here we are under President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who got majority of the votes that won him the Presidency from the three regions in the…