Metro

‘Take responsibility, Nigerians are suffering because of your policies,’ Atiku tackles Tinubu

Published

10 months ago

February 26, 2024

Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Tinubu to take responsibility as the country’s leader and address the sufferings of Nigerians occasioned by his policies since coming into power.

Atiku, who gave the advice in a message posted on his official verified X account on Sunday, said Tinubu should emulate the economic reforms embarked upon by the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, to take Nigeria out of the present hardship and poverty.

Atiku opined that while Milei, like Tinubu, inherited a disoriented and comatose economy, both leaders chose to apply different measures to recovery with Milei largely succeeding in turning things around for Argentina while Tinubu is still blaming past governments for Nigeria’s woes.

“I read a recent report in the Reuters titled: Argentina’s market double down on Milei as investors ‘start to believe’,” the PDP chieftain began.

“I took a keen interest in reading the report because I know quite well that Argentina and Nigeria closed the last quarter of the year 2023 on a similar path of economic downturn. In the case of Nigeria, a new government was installed at or about the middle of 2023, for Argentina, the new government came on board in December.

“Both leaders inherited a disoriented economy, but both applied different measures to recovery. President Javier Milei of Argentina was sworn into office on 10 December 2023. He inherited a worse condition than Nigeria’s.

“But what he did to return his country to a place where investors are ‘starting to believe’ should serve as a lesson to Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu.

“Nigeria is where we are today simply because of what Tinubu has done or did not do. His shifting the blame on the opposition and, even ridiculously, his predecessor, is needless and myopic. Market forces don’t play politics.

“They respond to your actions and inactions. President Milei’s major campaign promise was to re-position the Argentine economy after years of slow growth, high debt levels, triple-digit inflation (160% when he took over the Presidency in December 2023) and 40% poverty rate.

“His first task was to begin implementing measures to achieve greater macroeconomic stability and promote higher global competitiveness.

“He came into the office with a comprehensive stabilization plan, which seeks to implement far-reaching measures within the context of a market-oriented economy.

“He started off cutting government expenditure by cutting the size of government and wastages; blocked stealing of government funds, and attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through concessions, tax holidays, and improved ease of doing business.

“President Milei flies regular business class for all his travels and does not offer the presidential fleet of Argentina for his son’s birthday.

“Likewise, there is no settlement for his hangers-on and political allies through unwieldy and burdensome appointments to public offices.

“Argentina’s Milei did not build the largest government like Tinubu did at a time when our economy was and still on its knees.

“The examples set by President Milei are the requirement of leadership in a time when the economy has begun to fail the expectations of the people.

“The reforms so far implemented by the Tinubu administration are ad hoc and hurriedly put together without proper review.

“Ours is unlike Argentina’s Milei, who is sequencing his reforms. President Milei anticipates the after-reform shocks and admits that things will be tough for the people.

“But he is fully prepared for the aftershocks and has in place mitigating pills. He walks the talk. He makes sacrifices himself by giving up perks of office.

“It is not business-as-usual for the presidency while the people are called upon to make sacrifices. Argentina runs a lean government by reducing the number of ministries, privatizing nearly 40 state-owned enterprises, and reducing wasteful spending.

“Conversely, Tinubu in Nigeria increased the number of ministers and ministries and is spending enormous resources renovating houses for himself, his deputy, and the first lady.

“That is nothing short of Nero playing fiddle while Rome is on fire! Worse still, Tinubu has refused to roll up his sleeves and do the work that he signed up for.

“Instead, he and his team are preoccupied with behaving like Napoleon and Squealer, characters in the satire book Animal Farm, who made it a state policy scapegoating Snowball (the opposition) for their own failures arising from their ill-advised policies.

“I am attracted to the reforms in Argentina because Javier Milei’s stabilization plan bears a similar emblem with my Recover Nigeria Plan.

“It is a plan that I am more than willing to disclose details of its workings with the current government in order to take Nigeria out of the depth of hunger and anger that we find ourselves.

“The plan includes strategic steps we must take to recover the economy and make it stronger, dynamic, resilient, and competitive. We had outlined plans to relax the fiscal constraints facing us to include:

“Improving Spending Efficiency and Blocking Leakages

“Saving money through: a. A review of fiscal support for non-performing government enterprises and the privatization of those that can not sustain themselves.

b. Steps to improve spending efficiency through a gradual reduction in government recurrent expenditures, ensuring that those expenditures reflect higher levels of service delivery.

“Over the medium term, recurrent expenditures should not exceed 45% of the budget.

c. A review of government procurement processes to ensure high levels of transparency, competitiveness, and value-for-money and eliminate all leakages.

“Unless, and until there are clear-cut policies and pathway to economic rejuvenation predicated on a leadership led sacrifice, there will be discontentment, especially among the youths, which may find expression in protests and for which it will be silly to continue to blame the opposition for.”

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Metro

Nigerian activist remanded in prison for threatening President’s son

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Nigerian court has ordered a female activist, Olamide Thomas, to be remanded in prison custody for allegedly issuing a death threat to President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday delivered the ruling after Olamide was arraigned by the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, before Justice Emeka Nwite on a three-count charge.

The police team of lawyers led by A.A. Egwu told the court that Olamide was arrested on allegations bordering on harassing and threatening Seyi Tinubu, IGP Egbetokun and the country’s Police force spokesman, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, in a viral social media post back in October.

The police prosecutors told Justice Nwite that the activist had made a live video posted on Facebook in October, where she allegedly made threatening remarks cursing the President’s son, Egbetokun ahd Adejobi.

According to the police, she had live-streamed the video on the fourth year anniversary of the Lekki toll-gate massacre of Nigerian youths during the #EndSARS protest of 2020 where she said she and other protesters were brutalised by police officers during the memorial procession.

In the video, Thomas had reportedly accused police officers of harassment, claiming that they had been bullying and threatening her. She was also said to have rained curses on Tinubu and his family, Egbetokun and Adejobi, expressing deep grievances, invoking divine powers and issuing severe condemnations and predicting tragedy against them.

The police added that in the video, she stated that Seyi Tinubu would die this year, and misfortune and calamity would befall the Tinubu family, with intent to bully, threaten, harass the person of Mr Seyi Tinubu.

Reading out the charges, the police said that in count one, Olamide was alleged to have, “knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in the form of video recording through computer system or network on her social media platforms wherein she made remarks in Yoruba Language.”

“In the video, she stated that Mr Seyi Tinubu would die this year, and misfortune and calamity had befallen the Tinubu family, with intent to bully, threaten, harass the person of Mr Seyi Tinubu.

“The communication placed Seyi in fear of death, violence or bodily harm. The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (2) (a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.

“In count two, the defendant intentionally transmitted communication in the form of video recording wherein she made remarks in Yoruba Language to bully, threaten, harass the person of Mr Egbetokun.

“The communication placed Egbetokun in fear of death violence or bodily harm. The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (2) (a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.

“In count three, Olamide intentionally transmitted or cause the transmission of communication in the form of video recording wherein she made remarks in Yoruba Language, stating that the children of Adejobi would all die before his eyes.

“She was quoted to have also said that he (Adejobi) will bury all his children in a single day, with intent to bully, threaten, harass the person of Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi. The communication placed Adejobi in fear of death of his loved ones.”

After the counts were read to the defendant, she pleaded not guilty to the charge while her defence lawyer, T J. Aondo, SAN, sought to move an oral application on his client’s behalf but the request was turned down.

Justice Nwite therefore directed Aondo to file a formal bail application and adjourned the matter until December 30 for commencement of trial.

He consequently ordered the activist to be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre pending the hearing of her bail application.

Metro

Zambian law association kicks over suspension of two members

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has kicked against the suspension of two of its council members, Arnold Kaluba, the LAZ Honorary Secretary and Junior Lawyers Committee Chair, along with Mulenga Sholomo, the House and Welfare Committee Chair.

The suspended lawyers have already approached the Lusaka High Court to seek a judicial review of their suspensions during the festive season.

In their filings, the two claim their suspension and referral to the Legal Practitioners Committee (LPC) for disciplinary action were illegal and procedurally flawed.

They further argued that the decision which was made without a fair hearing, has damaged their reputations as legal practitioners and threatens their livelihoods.

Zambia Monitor reports that the dispute that led to the suspension of the lawyers stemmed from a letter the duo sent to the LPC on behalf of 399 newly qualified lawyers, scheduled to be called to the Bar in December 2024.

These lawyers had repeatedly raised concerns about paying the full 2024 subscription fees, given they would only be practicing for a few weeks that year but in its response, the LPC offered a compromise which was a reduced fee of K3,025, half the usual K6,050 annual fee.

Dissatisfied with the lack of a council position on the matter, Kaluba and Sholomo independently appealed to the LPC, urging them to reconsider the fees and establish a clearer policy for future cases.

Their actions reportedly angered LAZ president Lungisani Zulu, who accused them of undermining the council and acting without authority which led to their suspension.

Following their letter, Zulu allegedly demanded their removal from the council’s WhatsApp group and issued an ultimatum to resign or face disciplinary action but when they refused to step down, letters of suspension were issued to them.

“The applicants claim this move violated the rules of natural justice, as they were not given an opportunity to defend themselves. Their repeated requests for a council meeting to discuss the matter were also ignored,” the medium reported.

“Kaluba and Sholomo are now asking the court to overturn their suspension and restore them to their positions. Among their demands are a declaration that their suspension was illegal and irrational, an order to reinstate them as council members, and an expedited judicial review of the decision.

“They also want the court to rule that LAZ failed to hear their side of the story, a move they argue was contrary to principles of fairness and transparency.

“The applicants maintain that their actions were driven by the welfare of LAZ members, particularly the newly qualified lawyers struggling to meet the financial demands of the profession.”