The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, yesterday in Kaduna blamed the current leaders in the North for the under-development of the region and their inability to sustain the legacies of the late Premier of the region, Ahmadu Bello.

Mr Sanusi, in a paper titled "Mobilizing Capital for the Economic Transformation of Northern Nigeria", which he delivered at the maiden Northern Economic Summit held in Kaduna, said recurring crises in Jos, Maiduguri and some other parts of the region were a result of the high poverty level caused by poor leadership.

The summit, which has as its theme, "An Agenda for Economic and Social Transformation of the North", was attended by only the host governor, Patrick Yakowa. The other 18 northern governors were absent at the event.

President Goodluck Jonathan; his vice, Namadi Sambo and a former head of state, Yakubu Gowon were, however, in attendance.

"How many people have taken statistics of collapsed industries in the North? It is because of government's negligence to provide power that led to the closure of these industries," Mr Sanusi said.

"If there are right economic policies, every part of this nation will benefit. Agriculture is 42 percent of the country's GDP and the North accounts for a greater percentage of the agric products, yet the North is very poor and backward because of lack of good agricultural policies."

Nigeria's number one banker, who said the economic problem of the North cannot be removed from the problem facing the country, explained that Nigeria suffers from the same resource curse that afflicts other countries that are endowed with natural resources.

Past glory

Mr. Sanusi advised Northern political leaders not to continue to give tribute to late Ahmadu Bello who, during his time, was able to give to the people the needed basic infrastructure. He said they should rather find ways to address poverty and infrastructure problems facing the region.

Mr Sanusi said the key to addressing the high poverty rate in the north is fixing the agricultural value chain so that real farmers can have access to finance and the necessary policies and infrastructure. He stated that the summit will be an exercise in futility if it does not address the problems of the ordinary people on the street.

"The immediate post-independence leaders in the north articulated a blueprint for industrial development akin to the model of the South Asian economies. The outcome of that vision was evident with the emergence of industrial, commercial and manufacturing concerns that were once the pride of the North," he said.

"The thriving textile industries, groundnut pyramids and other numerous business concerns that provided a means of livelihood for the thousands of families are now only mentioned in the past tense."

He said if subsequent leaders in the region fail to build on the foundation laid by their predecessors, they could have sustained those legacies, pointing that rather than creating the enabling environment for the enormous potentials of the region to be effectively harnessed, leadership in the region has largely fallen short of the standard set by the post-independence leadership.

"This has resulted in pervasive poverty, poor infrastructure base, reliance on statutory allocations, general under-development and insecurity occasioned by incessant religious or ethnic unrest", the CBN Governor stated.

Mr Sanusi, who explained that about $1billion was spent only on importation of rice last year, also stressed the need for the federal government to remove subsidy on imported rice and fertilizer, which he said can be manufactured locally as a way of creating employment in the country.

He said the same people benefiting from the importation are the ones frustrating the manufacturing of the products locally.

Mr Sambo described the summit as timely because it came at a transitional period to another democratic dispensation. He emphasized that for the summit to be termed successful, it must address the areas of high poverty rate, decayed infrastructure, education backwardness and under-utilization of the potentials of the North in Agriculture.

While calling on all northern leaders to improve on the existing infrastructure built by past leaders, such as the Ahmadu Bello University, Unity Bank, New Nigerian Newspapers and Kaduna Polytechnic, Mr Sambo expressed the determination of the Goodluck Jonathan's administration to address the problems of power, education and revival of moribund industries across the country.

Build on your strengths

The Chairman of the occasion, Yakubu Gowon, said the summit was to articulate strategies to transform the economy of the states in the North, adding that it would also produce practical and implementable economic charter for all the states in the region.

He recalled with nostalgia the disappearance of high quality groundnut and cotton pyramids in Kano, Gusau, Katsina and other places, as well as the textile industry in Kaduna, Kano and the high quality tin ingots from Jos.

"Where are they today? We must ask questions, where do we want to be today and tomorrow, and how do we want to get there at least by 2020? These are some of the questions we must address at this summit," Mr Gowon said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole while observing that it took the region a long time to organise such a summit, said the development of the region will go a long way in developing the entire country.

The glamorous lovers’ day celebration on Monday turned bloody at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) when gunmen killed two students. Daily Sun gathered that the clash was between two rival cult groups, namely, Black Axe and the Buccaneers,’ over a female student allegedly snatched by the Capone of the Black Axe for Valentine celebration.

The action of the Capone , the source said did not go down well with the other group leading to the clash.
A student who witnessed the shooting said besides the two cult members who were shot dead, about four others sustained injuries and were ferried out of the campus by their leaders to shield their identity.

The sources said the cult members who carried out the attack were not UNILAG students but members from another campus, adding that the attack was carried out in a commando style with sporadic shooting.
An undergraduate student of English Department told Daily Sun that the Buccaneers’ group attacked the Black Axe members while another student returning from the Mosque said those who carried out the killing were not from UNILAG because they did not cover their faces.

It was learnt that as soon the shooting started, students scampered for safety while others took cover behind the wall and under cars packed around, while others ran into the halls to avoid being hit by stray bullets. 
A senior lecturer who confirmed the killings said the university management had met to curtail any reprisal attack while security personnel had taken over the investigation of the deadly cult clash.
When Daily Sun visited the troubled institution yesterday, there was uneasy calm, as most staff and students rebuffed efforts made by the reporters to get their comments.

However, one of the students who resides at Sodeinde Hall, said there was sporadic gunshots outside the premises which caused panic everywhere. 
It was gathered that the crisis, which erupted when the students were at the peak of lovers’ day celebration, created stampede on the campus as people ran for safety.

One of the victims of the attack reportedly ran into Sodeinde Hall for help, from where he was taken to the hospital.
Although the Hall Master of Sodeinde Hall declined comments on the issue, one of the officials, who wouldn’t want his name published, said the attack could not be linked to any cult group. He said there was increasing speculation that the perpetrators of the attack could be fighting for love. Efforts made by Daily Sun our reporter to ascertain the identities of the victims were unsuccessful.
The news bulletin of the university, Information Flash (ISSN 08195540) also captured the incident, while assuring the staff and students of the university of adequate security.

“The attention of the universities authorities has been drawn to the incident which occurred in one of the Halls of Residence in the late hours of Monday, February 14, 2011 where two persons were reportedly injured in fracas. The university management has commenced investigation into the unusual incident, in particular at a time when preparation for the first semester examinations due to commence on February 21, 2011 are in top gear. Security has been intensified to ensure safety of life and property on campus. Law enforcement agents have been involved to assist the university in this respect,” it said. 
Daily Sun learnt that students are leaving the campus because of the fear of reprisal attack while some parents called their wards on phone to return home until the situation is brought under control. 

The Deputy Registrar Information of UNILAG, Mr. Dare Adebisi refused to pick his calls or replied to text message sent to his phone.
When the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Samuel Jinadu (DSP) was called thrice, he promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area and did not call back as at the press time....

Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has written the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Okwwesilieze Nwodo, to formally announce his withdrawal from the 2011 party’s presidential primaries scheduled for January 13.

In the letter, which he personally signed, Mr. Babangida said though he obtained the nomination form last September, he is voluntarily withdrawing from the race because of the consensus arrangement which he had with three other presidential aspirants.

The letter is titled ‘Withdrawal of Participation in the 2011 PDP Presidential Primary Election.’

“This letter submits for the kind consideration and approval of the National Working Committee of our great party – the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria (PDP), a request to withdraw from all the processes leading to and including the PDP Primary elections scheduled for 13th January, 2011,” Mr. Babangida said.

“You will recall that in September, 2010, I had collected, completed, and submitted the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Guidelines set out by the party.

“As a consequence of the Consensus arrangement to which I voluntarily and willingly subscribed, I write to inform you of my decision to withdraw forthwith from all the processes leading to the selection and emergence of our Party’s Presidential flag bearer,” he added.

The former military ruler, while extending his highest regard to the chairman and the party, conveyed his gratitude for the opportunity given him to express his interest in the race.

Mr. Nwodo has since acknowledged receipt of the letter and wished the former president well. He also thanked him for his maturity.

It will be recalled that Mr. Babangida entered into a consensus arrangement with former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, former national security adviser, Aliyu Gusau, and Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State.

The project, which was coordinated by the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF), and led by former finance minister, Adamu Ciroma, produced Mr. Abubakar as the consensus candidate for the north.

The National Assembly yesterday brought an end to the controversy over whether past military heads of the federal government should be entitled to pension by approving what amounts to an enhanced pension package for the men through the joint passage of the ‘Remuneration for former presidents, Heads of State, Heads of federal legislative Houses and Chief Justice of the Federation Bill 2010 (SB 153)'..

Currently, the Constitution provides pension for only the president and the vice president, which, according to the 1999 Constitution, will be equivalent to the salary of the incumbent president. However, the new law introduces the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Senate president and his deputy, and the Speaker and his deputy, into the league of past leaders to benefit from the pension.

Past leaders to benefit from the act include Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdusalami Abubakar.

The law, however, restricts anybody who has held two offices that are eligible for the perk to only one - the highest of those offices which s/he has held in order of national precedence. Thus, Olusegun Obasanjo will have to choose whether he would want his pension to be paid as former military ruler or as a democratically elected president...

Initially excluded

Military heads of government were initially excluded when the Senate passed its own version of the bill, with the senators saying the enhanced pension scheme was meant to honour only democratic leaders. The thrust of the bill had been to ensure that only democratically elected former presidents are entitled to benefit from the pension package for former presidents.

"This is to discourage other unconstitutional means of getting into power. The only way recognised by the Constitution is through ballot, and not the barrel of a gun," David Mark, the Senate president, had said at the passage of the Senate version of the bill in March this year.

Members of the House of Representatives, however, were of the opinion that this group of past leaders should be included. The past leaders were grouped under the name of ‘Heads of the government of the Federation' in section 4 of the Act that was passed by the Reps.

The clean copy of the Harmonised Bill, approved yesterday and soon to be forwarded to the president for signing into law, supports the House version by listing the retired soldiers as qualified for the new package.

The Senate president, who was himself a retired soldier, and would benefit from the law as Senate president, expressed his gratitude to his current colleagues for passing the law.

Happy days for past leaders

Only past leaders who were impeached are excluded by the law from earning pensions.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the benefits stated in this bill shall not apply to persons removed from any of the offices referred to in this bill by the process of impeachment," the bill stated.

It further states that these past leaders shall be paid an amount recommended from time to time by the Revenue and Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission and approved by the National Assembly as upkeep allowance, in addition to the pension entitlement contained in the 1999 Constitution. This upkeep entitlement is expected to be reviewed (upwards) from time to time, but subject to the approval of the National Assembly.

There is also a provision in the bill which entitles the family of deceased ex-presidents and vice presidents to an annual payment for upkeep of his spouse(s) and education of his children up to university level. However, this spousal upkeep allowance will cease the moment the last spouse of the deceased passes on.

Re-presented

This legislation - excluding the past military leaders - had been passed by the last session of the National Assembly and presented to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo for assent. He, however, did not sign the act into law. The bill was, therefore, re-presented to the current session of the National Assembly for passage and representation to the president.

NEXT had, on January 4, reported the plan by the Senate to review the pay of all former leaders. In the initial plan, the former leaders' package would have been increased from N250 million proposed in the 2010 budget to about N2 billion.

Chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriation, Ayo Adeseun, said the money was meant to take care of the former leaders' pension, medicare, yearly vacation abroad, offices, and general maintenance. Allocations for former leaders' welfare began in 2005, when a total of N140 million was set aside for them in that year's budget. Subsequently, the following allocations were made - N105 million (2006), N24 million (2008), and N250 million (2009).

However, no allocation was made in the 2007 budget, although it might have been integrated into another item under the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Until 2008, when the allocation was brought under the office of the SGF, it was treated under the Presidency or State House.

WHAT IS IBB DOING AT AN AC RALLY ! ! !

The highly publicised ‘One man, One Vote’ rally organised by the Edo State government to promote democracy ran into trouble yesterday when Wole Soyinka, and leaders of the Action Congress, including Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, and party chairman, Bisi Akande, staged a public walkout.

The boycott was carried out to protest the presence of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, and Senate President, David Mark, who were at the rally.

Earlier, the former Lagos State governor, Bola Ahmed Tunubu; National Publicity Secretary of Action Congress, Lai Muhammed; the party’s governorship candidates in Osun and Ogun States, Raufu Aregbesola, and Kayode Fayemi; and party secretary, Usman Bugaje had flown out of Lagos to the Benin rally around 10:00am while Mr Fashola and his team joined the event shortly after.

However, two hours after the plane that took Mr Fashola to Benin took off, it returned to the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, followed by a private jet with Mr Soyinka on board. The men had refused to remain at the rally grounds, thus shunning an event attended by the Edo State governor and AC member, Adams Oshiomhole; Bayelsa State governor and representative of the Acting President, Timpreye Sylva; Mr Babangida; and most of the governors of the South-south.

Explaining why they had to turn their back on the event, Mr Bugaje told journalists that participating in the rally would be tantamount to his party endorsing the presidential ambition of Mr Babangida, who is not an AC member.

He also said it was not possible for the party’s delegation to have remained in Benin to attend a rally with a senate president who destroyed the report of Mohammed Uwais’ electoral reforms panel.

“We went to Edo for a rally on “one man, one vote,” meaning a rally on electoral reform, so that we can press home the point that we cannot afford to continue with the kind of electoral system that we have seen. That we must have a free, fair, credible and transparent election. But when we went, we found out that a stage had been set for one of the presidential aspirants on a platform, which is not our party and we thought our participation will mean some kind of endorsement, which we were not prepare to do.

“Secondly, and perhaps much more importantly, the fact is that the guest of honour as we saw in one of the dailies inside the plane, was the Senate President, David Mark. This is the same senate president who literally supervised the destruction of the Uwais report that went to the National Assembly. In other words, this was the man who supervised the mutilation, and destruction of the hope that this country had for a better electoral system. We cannot see how such a man can be the special guest of honour in a rally, which is all about free, fair and credible election after he has destroyed the report that virtually provided for free, fair and credible election.

“So, with all these contradictions, we discovered that the place was not for us and, therefore, we withdrew, excused ourselves, we wished them well and see how things unfold and we will let you know what our views are.”

Mr Soyinka, in reply to reporters’ questions, said: “Let me just put it this way, this is the last straw (pointing to a newspaper ). I saw this and this is the last straw, the guest of honour (David Mark).

That is all I will say to you right now. I think the people that gave me a ride will have a lot more to say (referring to Mr Tinubu and the AC delegation). The special guest of honour, for me, is Oro pesi je, as they say.” (Oro pesi je’ literally means ‘the matter is beyond comments.’) Mr Bugaje said attending such an event was antithetical to the beliefs of his party..

“Nigerians are already wise enough to see through some of these tricks and gimmicks. I don’t think anybody will be deceived by that kind of crowd, that this is the kind of crowd that gathers for electoral reform,” he said. “Nearly all the dignitaries that are elected officers there were the very beneficiaries of this corrupt, mutilated electoral system that was supervised by Maurice Iwu and how can these people really be there in the forefront in a rally which is all about free, fair and credible election?”

ECOWAS leaders elect Jonathan as Chairman

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was on Tuesday elected as the Chairman of ECOWAS.

Mr. Jonathan in his acceptance speech, expressed gratitude for the action, saying that Nigeria's re-election re-affirmed ECOWAS faith and confidence in the country, in spite of the circumstances facing it.

``Let me therefore, reassure you that Nigerians remain strong and unwavering in their belief in the west african institution, peace, unity and progress.

``I wish to assure of Nigeria's continued commitment to work with the body for the advancement of our common dreams to sustain the regional belief, democracy and development.

``These are the challenges we face and we must confront them as we strive to meet our hopes and aspirations of our people,'' he said.

Mr. Jonathan said in each of these challenges, the region had made some tremendous progress, adding that more needed to be accomplished.

``We must not relent in making our sub-region an oasis of peace and tranquility. Under Nigeria's leadership, we must continue to work for peace and tranquility,''
he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that under the ECOWAS chairmanship, countries are allowed to seek for a second term.

Nigeria would be the fifth among such countries that held the chairmanship position for two terms.

Other countries include Mali under President Alpha
Konare; Ghana, led by President John Kuffour; Niger, led by President Tandja and Burkina Faso, under President Blaise Compaore.

Meanwhile, James Victor Gbeho, Special Adviser to Ghanaian President Attah Mills, was also elected as the President of the ECOWAS Commission.