Analysis: Financing In politics And Godfatherism

By Fred Doc Nwaozor

         

As Nigerians as a people are ostensibly determined to nurture their nascent democratic terrain, it’s expected of them to keenly and extensively look inwards toward discovering the encumbrances surrounding the said process with a candid view to holistically addressing them.

        

It’s not anymore news that every electioneering era across the global community, particularly on the African continent, invariably begets a set of peculiar stories that ordinarily aren’t meant to be harboured in the nature’s womb let alone seeing the light of the day.

        

If your thought is as good as mine, then you would agree with me that as regards financing, the Nigeria’s political system is presently characterized by nauseous happenings, thereby causing the innocent polity and its teeming watchers ceaseless nightmares.

         

This unabated and seeming acceptable activity is cut across all elective posts, hence isn’t peculiar to when one is vying for a particular position. For example, someone who’s aspiring for the post of the executive chairman of a certain local government council may end up spending millions of naira in the process and might not even secure the anticipated position afterwards.

        

One may ask: what exactly are these aspirants really financing? Officially, they are expected to finance the purchase of their nomination and expression of interest forms. The forms as being sold by various political parties to their respective members are reportedly exorbitant that the prospective office holders or aspirants, in most cases, have to borrow to foot the bills.

         

Aside purchase of forms and other allied matters, the campaign process that usually succeeds the primary elections – thus preceding the main elections – is another avenue where the aspirants resort to indulging in money politics.

         

If you are well informed, then you wouldn’t hesitate to concur with the survey that indicates that in the contemporary Nigerian society, for instance, the citizenry have been compelled to boldly and proudly sell their birthright for a mere pot of porridge yam. This show of shame cannot be unconnected with ignorance and/or poverty.

         

It’s noteworthy that whatever uncalled practice being showcased by the electorate is arguably attributable to the liberty granted to the teeming politicians to ‘mess around’ while canvassing for a given political office. It can’t be argued that every practising politician in Nigeria that’s seeking for any position of authority has the ‘right’ to spend any sum of money in the process.

        

It’s worth noting that, in this case, not just the electorate are at the receiving side. The so-called political gladiators are equally lavished with bags of money by the aspirants in order to buy their consent. This very act often precedes the primary election of a given party.

         

All these are the cogent reason an aspirant who’s not financially buoyant would be left with no choice than to accept the lending hand of a godfather, which in the long run, might bastardize his/her political career. Sometimes, it’s even the aspirants that go about seeking for who would sponsor their ambitions.

         

Since politics has regrettably been considered as an investment or business venture, rather than an avenue to render selfless service, what else would you expect from an average politician who eventually clinched victory at the polls? Such a person, if assumed duty, wouldn’t fail to please the desires of the political mafia.

          

In view of the above, most of the funds budgeted for various infrastructural/developmental projects in the concerned locality might be siphoned into the private purse of a godfather, thereby relegating governance to the background. This singular act has overtime crippled our god-sent nascent democracy. In a situation where the demands of the bigwig aren’t met, the society may be plunged into shambles.

          

Apart from the financial implications of godfatherism, a certain godfather might at anytime decide to unseat his beneficiary. This kind of case was recently sighted in Lagos State in the melodrama that ensued between the sitting governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and the erstwhile governor, Chief Bola Tinubu. It has been, and is still, occurring ubiquitously.

        

What’s the way out of this quagmire? First, we must completely silence the ongoing high rate of nomination form introduced by the various parties. This can be made possible by specifying in the Electoral Act the maximum price any party should charge for each of the forms to be purchased by their members aspiring for different offices.

        

More so, any aspirant ought to be mandated by law to declare his/her assets. Hence, after the elections, the electoral umpire would be required to crosscheck the affected assets towards ascertaining how much the aspirant actually ‘invested’ in the campaign activity. The aspirants must be mandated not to exceed a certain threshold in regard to expenditure in accordance with the position he’s biding for.

          

If he’s found culpable after the thorough investigations, he would be charged to court for onward prosecution. If found guilty, such a politician should not just pay fine but be jailed. This would strongly help to eradicate godfatherism.

         

The electorate must, on their part, be reasonable. It’s unequivocally only insane person that could freely mortgage his/her future merely for peanut’s sake. Thus, everything centres on amending our existing individual and collective policies. Think about it!

Comrade Nwaozor, a policy analyst & rights activist

and the National Coordinator, of Right Thinkers Movement, 

sent this piece via frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

TechDeck I 58yrs After: Nigeria's Tech Under Scrutiny

By Fred Doc Nwaozor

         

Nigeria as an independent nation elatedly clocked 58 penultimate week. The anniversary reportedly attracted countless accolades from her teeming fans across the globe.

         

At such a critical cum joyous moment, any rational individual or entity who thinks well of Nigeria is required to cross-examine the country towards ascertaining how far she has fared so far in many areas of human endeavour.

         

I have chosen to emphatically lay emphasis on the country’s technology sector, which is borne out of my quest to see a Nigeria where the citizenry wouldn’t depend on foreign products or services as they struggle for survival and greatness.

         

The current blurry outlook of Nigeria’s tech sector doesn’t need flurry of activity, but holistic, from those who have been delegated to salvage it, or sieve the flour, if we must get it right. It’s on this premise I thought it wise to painstakingly observe and study the area in question.

          

It’s quite appalling – to assert the least – that at this age, our education sector as regards science and technology is still operating in the past. On a regular basis, countless of our engineering graduates could hardly design a device related to their field of study let alone constructing it.

          

The aforementioned educational lapse is not unconnected with the dilapidated learning environment found in our various higher institutions. These citadels can hardly boast of standard laboratories and workshops needed to inculcate the required technical skills into the students’ minds.

         

Pathetically, a few of the graduates who were privileged to acquire the necessary skills, perhaps owing to their individual talents, had been compelled to leave the country for elsewhere in search of a better accommodating environment suitable for their quest. This irritating condition has continued unabated that it’s seriously telling on the system.

         

The ongoing lack of adequate facilities invariably witnessed in our schools is the reason many have overtime been forced to patronize foreign education, hence posing severe threat to the economy of the acclaimed giant of Africa.

        

Aside learning, the universities aren’t doing enough regarding research works. Basically, they were not to function as institutions meant solely for imparting knowledge, but equally a place where people or corporate bodies can seek services on all forms of research.

        

It’s bad that these citadels are not duly funded by the respective governments to enable them commercialize their patents. It’s noteworthy that every technological invention is directly dependent on a certain research activity.

        

The health angle isn’t left out while dissecting the lingering ugly physiognomy of the Nigeria’s technology at large. Nigerians quickly rush abroad when suffering from an ailment that ordinarily could easily be taken care of here, probably as a result of the unfriendly outlook of both private and public hospitals cum health centres domiciled across the country.

        

We have well-tested health/medical experts but occurrence of uncalled environment deprives them the opportunity to practise favourably. This particular menace has also resulted in colossal brain drain, thereby making our tech sector cry woefully.

          

In the area of agriculture, the story isn’t different. The government has continually clamoured for improved farming activity, still the country dwells on crude system of cultivation and harvest. It’s not anymore news that the Nigerian State is yet to get it right when it calls for mechanized farming despite the apparent willingness.

          

What about the manufacturing sector? It would candidly be an understatement if one opines that this area is really frowning at us. In spite of the outpouring promises coupled with seeming frantic effort to uplift it, the stakeholders involved are still seemingly marred by apathy. All our various ancient production firms have virtually gone into moribund, and till date, nothing tangible has been done to revive them.

          

As we collectively celebrate Nigeria in her 58^th birthday anniversary, it would be nice, wise and caring of us to as well urge her to embrace a sober reflection with a view to bringing a turnaround in the country’s system, particularly the tech sector.

          

It’s pertinent to acknowledge that to address a certain existing anomaly, you must be ready to fish out its rudimentary attributes or fundamental causes. This is the only way such plight could be tactically tackled.

         

The truth is that we have in recent times neglected as well as abused our technical value as a people. We need to revisit the said value towards making amends. The governments at all levels must take drastic action to resuscitate our numerous technical colleges. There’s a compelling need to inject more life into these institutions, which bear the foundation of the nation’s tech sector.

         

We ought to equally reawake the essence of the ongoing Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) being participated by the science-oriented learners in our various universities and polytechnics. Similarly, the engineering students should be meant to undergo a one-year compulsory training section, which ought to serve as a prerequisite to the national youth service, just as it’s done by the medical cum pharmaceutical students.

         

Inter alia, we need to in earnest rejig the country’s extant policies toward suiting the political will worn by the current government that’s ostensibly trying to end the mono-economy era. For instance, the desire to revive the country’s downstream sector in the petroleum industry requires a viable and strict policy.

          

It’s disheartening that 58 years after, Nigeria isn’t yet self-reliant, technology wise, hence the need not to rebuff the above candid suggestions. Think about it!

Comrade Nwaozor, a tech expert, writes via

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador                  

CRIME: Buhari Signs Executive Order On Money Laundering, Tax Evasion

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, 8th October 2018 signed a new Executive Order to fight money laundering as well as tax evasion.

The executive order has been tagged "Voluntary Offshore Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS) 008".

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Garba Shehu, in a statement on Wednesday, 10th October 2018, disclosed the order takes effect from the day it was signed by Mr. President.

He said by this order, Nigerian taxpayers who had offshore assets and incomes would within a period of 12 months, declare voluntary those assets and pay taxes on them.

 

 
According to him: “When they do this, they ought to expect to derive certain specified benefits.
“Any taxpayer who truthfully and voluntarily complies with the conditions of the scheme, pays a one-time levy of 35 per cent on the total offshore assets or pays all outstanding taxes, penalties and interest after forensic audit of their offshore assets and income shall obtain immunity from prosecution for tax offences and offences related to offshore assets, among others.

“Equally, failure of any defaulting taxpayer to take advantage of this scheme shall, at the expiration of the scheme result in investigation and enforcement procedures concerning offshore assets anywhere in the world pursuant to information now readily available through automatic exchange of information between Nigeria and foreign countries.”

He went further to state “In accordance with the new order, the Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will set up a VOARS in Switzerland for all categories of taxpayers who have defaulted in the declaration of their offshore assets, payment of taxes due and collectible subject to the fulfillment of the terms and conditions as stipulated in the order, or any other subsequent complementary regulations that follow.

“To avoid the abuse of this process, the Federal Government makes clear that the scheme is open to all persons, entities, and their intermediaries holding offshore assets and are in default of their tax obligations in any way, including those who are not already under investigation by law enforcement agencies in Nigeria or any other country and have not been charged with any crimes including theft of public funds or obtaining offshore assets through corrupt practices.”

In signing the order, President Buhari noted that under the Nigerian law, every citizen has the duty to declare his or her income and assets and pay taxes on them but regretted that this, in most instances, had not been the case.

“The sad reality is that efforts to recover these taxes from defaulters through litigation are often frustrated by the complications caused by the change in the character and nature of such assets, insufficient financial intelligence, long delays in courts, among several other reasons,” the President said.

Rostrum gathered that President Buhari is optimistic that the new scheme would help to facilitate the expedient regularization of offshore assets connected to Nigeria and lead to “a new expanded tax base for the Federal Government, and also fund the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund in Switzerland.”

FG, Labour Fail To Reach Agreement Over Minimum Wage

The Nigeria's Federal Government (FG) on Wednesday, 10th October 2018 faulted the report that a N30,000 minimum wage had been agreed upon as the country’s new national minimum wage.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige told newsmen at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr. Ngige disclosed the FG has not shifted ground on its N24,000 proposal, saying the issue of National Minimum Wage is a law that is binding on all.

He said the state government, the private sector and the organized labour proposed N20,000, N25,000 and N30,000 as national minimum wage respectively.

The minister added that the federal government would continue to discuss with the organized labour and all other stakeholders informally to arrive at a specific figure.

"It is not cast in stone that because two sectors have agreed on N30,000, it should be binding on others. The issue of National Minimum wage is a law that is binding on all,” he declared.

SHOCKING: IGP Removes And Replaces Plateau CP

The Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris has ordered the immediate removal of the Plateau State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Undie Adie.

A statement by the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Mr. Matthias Tyopev, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), announced the removal.

Though the reasons surrounding the development was not officially disclosed, Rostrum learnt it was not unconnected with the recent incessant killings in the affected State.

Rostrum gathered that Mr. Adie had been replaced with Mr. Austin Agbonlahor, who was until his appointment, was the CP (Operations) at Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Agbonlahor graduated from the University of Benin and joined the Police as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police and has served in various capacities including the Director of Course in Nigeria Police Academy, in Wudil, Kano and Commissioner of Police in Minna, Niger State.

As a Fellow of the National Defence College, Abuja, he has worked in virtually all the six geo-political zones of the country and departments in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

BREAKING: US Ambassador To UN, Haley Resigns

The United States'  Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Mrs. Nikki Haley has resigned and would reportedly leave her post in January 2019, in a move that stunned allied diplomats and other senior officials.

Mrs. Haley and Donald Trump announced her departure in the Oval Office. The timing came as a surprise to her colleagues at the state department and at the UN security council.

 

The Secretary of State, Mr. Mike Pompeo and the National Security Adviser, Mr. John Bolton are reported to have been taken unawares. But the president claimed he had been informed well in advance.

Mr. Trump said “She told me probably six months ago. She said: ‘You know, at the end of the year, at the end of a two-year period, I want to take some time off, I want to take a break."

Though it is not unusual for ambassadors to the UN to serve short terms, it remained unclear the reason Haley did not complete two years before pulling out of the job prior to the midterm elections.

Meanwhile. there have been speculations that she was leaving to take a run at the presidency come next elections but she refuted, saying she had no plans to stand in 2020 and would be campaigning for Trump.

In her resignation letter, Haley said she was going back to the private sector, although she said she expected to “speak out from time to time on important public policy matters”.

Both the president and the outgoing envoy heaped praise on each other, to portray that she was not leaving on hard terms.



Hence, she showcased her departure as the act of a conscientious public servant. “I think you have to be selfless enough to know when you step aside and allow someone else to do the job,” she opined.

When asked about Haley’s successor, Trump stated there were “a number of people that would very much like to do it”, saying that Haley had made it “a more glamorous position”.

Among the possible candidates is the president’s daughter, Ivanka, and Haley went out of her way to praise her as well as her husband, Jared Kushner who acts as a presidential adviser on the Middle East and is  presently working on an Israel-Palestinian peace plan, though its unveiling has been delayed multiple times.

“Jared is such a hidden genius that nobody understands,” Haley said, crediting him with the replacement of the Nafta trade agreement and claiming the Middle East peace plan was “unbelievably well done”.

She added: “And Ivanka has been just a great friend, and they do a lot of things behind the scenes that I wish more people knew about. Because we are a better country because they are in this administration.”

Another candidate is the former Deputy National Security Adviser, Mrs. Dina Powell who spent last weekend with Haley and their families on a boat in South Carolina.

Mr. Richard Grenell, the US Ambassador to Germany who spent eight years at the mission to the UN, is a third leading contender. He has maintained a high profile since he moved to Berlin in May 2018, appearing on conservative media to speak forcefully in support of Trump’s foreign policy.

The former governor of South Carolina, Haley has been one of Trump’s most high-profile lieutenants, acting as the international face of an administration that has lacked a clear foreign policy doctrine. However, she pursued an outspoken policy direction that was sometimes at odds with the White House, particularly on the subject of Russia.

While Trump has been reticent about criticizing the Kremlin, Haley was a persistent, trenchant critic of Russian policy in Syria and Ukraine, and over the chemical weapon attack against a former Russian spy on the UK in March this year.

She equally spoke out on human rights issues more frequently and fervently than others in the state department.

On other issues – unconditional support for Israel, unflinching hostility to Iran, North Korea and Venezuela – she was the most articulate exponent of hardline positions.

Earlier this year, she announced that the US was withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council, which she described as a “cesspool of political bias”.

The timing of Haley’s departure caught diplomats at the UN by surprise. She appears not to have given any indication of her intentions to colleagues on the security council.

But few of the diplomats she worked with expected her to stay in the UN role for the full four years of Trump’s presidential term. She was universally seen as a politician using the UN post to burnish her image and bide her time while it served her presidential ambitions.

“I thought she would go after two years, but two years isn’t up. Why would she go before the mid-terms?” a senior diplomat thought aloud.

The diplomat speculated her departure could have been influenced by recent demands for an enquiry into her use of private jets last year provided by a South Carolina businessman, but expressed doubt over whether the allegations were serious enough to trigger an early departure.

Her departure will raise anxiety levels for US allies at the UN. Despite her pointed rhetoric – warning any country who voted against the US that she was “taking names” and making lists of friends and enemies – she acted as a bridge between Trump and the UN-despising Bolton. She succeeded in convincing Trump that the UN served a useful purpose for US national interests.

 

However, her relative position within the administration had been diminishing since the arrival of Pompeo at the head of the state department. Under Pompeo’s predecessor Rex Tillerson, Haley had a free hand, as Tillerson took a low-key approach to his job and was frequently at odds with Trump, who often ignored him.

It's noteworthy that Mr. Pompeo, by contrast, quickly became the primary spokesman for Trump’s policy, and Haley’s importance faded.

Bolton, meanwhile, is said to have clashed with Haley when she tried to defend the UN as an institution. Haley also lost a battle with the White House hardliner , Stephen Miller over the administration’s refugee policy.