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Jonathan’s Men, Money Cost Him Re-election- PDP
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday attributed the loss of President Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election to the hate campaign embarked by his campaign organisation.
The National Working Committee (NWC) members of the party also refuted claim that the NWC members shared part of the presidential campaign funds among themselves, saying the body was not involved in the disbursement of cash for electioneering purpose.
It said that it should not be blamed for Jonathan’s defeat, as they did not play any significant part in the 2015 presidential campaign.
Mr. Olisa Metuh, PDP national publicity secretary, told reporters at a press conference that the president and his associates should not blame the party leadership for the loss of the presidency, as the PDP leadership was not in charge of the campaign.
Metuh stated that “Our advice and suggestions were ignored. We cannot be held responsible for the failure. “Let me say this. In 2003, President Obasanjo ran an election against Odumegwu Ojukwu in the South- East. In 2007, Yar’Adua ran election against Ojukwu. I can tell you, if PDP had engaged in name calling or abuse Ojukwu in anyway, PDP would have lost the elections in the South- East,”
He blamed the poor performance of the party in the North to the hate campaign adopted and executed by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari.
The PDP presidential campaign organisation had devoted more time to running down Buhari than selling the president.
Despite the party’s pledge to embark on issuebased campaign, the focus was on Buhari’s health, certificate and his alleged role in encouraging graft in the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).
Metuh also said the NWC members had no knowledge of how the money voted for the PDP presidential campaign was spent.
He, however, explained that the N30 million allegedly paid to NWC members, with the approval of Jonathan, was meant for furniture, medical and other backlog of allowances accruable to the members for the last three years.
According to him, PDP generated about N9 billion from the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to aspirants to various offices on the platform of the party last year.
Out of this, the party donated N500 million to the national presidential campaign fund last December and gave out N100 million to each of the 29 gubernatorial candidates on the party. “We sponsored our House of Assembly candidates.
The money was passed through the governors or through ministers and gubernatorial candidates in states where PDP has no sitting governor,” he said. Metuh added that the party got approval from Jonathan for all its spending and expressed readiness of the NWC to make public its account.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that this national leadership has remained very transparent in all its dealings since coming into office.
No NWC member has been involved in any way in any sleaze or embezzlement of party funds. Also, no member of the NWC has ever been accused of embezzlement of funds in any ministry, department or agencies of government at any level whatsoever.
“We state clearly that we have not been given any money, rather this NWC generated billions of naira from the sale of forms from where we funded our candidates for governorship and state assembly elections in all the states of the federation in addition to funds released to key leaders, including NWC and BoT members to prosecute the campaigns in their various areas.
The NWC is willing and ready to make this account public in line with the freedom of information law”, he added.
He, however, said the party had resolved its differences following the in-tervention of Jonathan, the PDP governors and other key stakeholders of the party, including governors and legislators-elect.
Metuh added that PDP is joining forces with the NWC in the efforts to reengineer and rebuild the party and reposition to it to regain power in 2019. Part of the repositioning, he added, is the setting up of the PDP Post- Election Assessment Committee, which will be inaugurated today, to evaluate and assess the party’s performance in the general elections and make recommendations for the way forward.
“On this note, we wish to state clearly that there is no crisis in the national leadership of the PDP. The National Working Committee, under the chairmanship of Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, is duly elected and is fully in control of the administration of the party until the expiration of its tenure in March 2016 in line with the provisions of the constitution of our great party.
“We, therefore, urge all our members across the country to close ranks and work together with their leaders at all levels and make themselves partners in progress in the all important ongoing rebuilding process aimed at restoring the supremacy of the party and its glory as the pre-eminent party in Nigeria”, he stated.
On the crisis in the party over the call on the NWC members to quit to allow time for the reorganisation of PDP, Metuh said the matter had been resolved following the intervention of the president. He added that the president, at a meeting he chaired on Sunday, called all the parties to order.
“We are happy to announce that the leader of our party, President Jonathan, the PDP governors and other key stakeholders of our party, including governors and legislatorselect are deeply concerned about this development and have intervened to ensure the desired stability in our party,” he stated. Metuh was confident that with the resolution of the crisis, PDP’s chances of reclaiming the presidency in 2019 were brighter.
Commercial banks in Nigeria closed 2.021 million bank accounts in the first quarter of 2024, Q1’24, to clean their books of questionable accounts and comply with regulatory orders on the linkage of bank accounts to the National Identity Number (NIN).
This is contained in a report by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), which also indicated that the number of inactive bank accounts grew month-on-month, MoM, by four million or 2.0 per cent to 19.7 million in March 2024 from 19.3 million in the previous month, February.
A bank account is classified inactive when it records zero transactions including deposits, withdrawals, transfers or point-of-sale transactions for six months.
However, details of the “Industry Bank Account Database”, a monthly data reported by banks, and compiled by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, also indicated that the number of active bank accounts grew by 6.62 million or 3.0 per cent to 219.64 million from 213.02 million in February.
Recall that in December 2023, the CBN issued a directive to all commercial banks in the country to restrict tier-1 accounts without proper Biometric Verification Number (BVN), and National Identity Number, NIN, that are not linked by Thursday, March 1st, 2024.
According to NIBSS data on BVN enrollment count, 61.6 million Nigerians have BVN as of April 2024.
Credit: Vanguard
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Dubai-Based Citizenship Firm Imperial Citizenship Expands to Lagos, Targets Africa’s Growing Wealth
Imperial Citizenship, a Dubai-based firm specialising in Citizenship and Residency by Investment (CRBI) solutions, has set its sights on Africa’s burgeoning wealth with the launch of a new office in Lagos, Nigeria.
This strategic move positions Imperial Citizenship to capitalise on the continent’s growing population of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) seeking international investment and mobility options.
Imperial Citizenship boasts a proven track record of success, having secured over 2,000 approvals for clients seeking alternative citizenship and residency pathways. Their partnerships with over 15 governments worldwide provide a diverse portfolio of investment opportunities that adhere to strict international regulations.
With its Lagos launch, Imperial Citizenship begins its foray into Africa. The continent boasts a burgeoning HNWI population, according to PwC, presenting a lucrative market for investment firms like Imperial Citizenship.
According to the World Bank, African economies are projected to grow by 3.4 % in 2024 as the African Development Bank Africa has reported that Africa will account for eleven of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in 2024. Highlighting the market’s potential, Mr. Zaid Al Hindi, Founder and CEO of Imperial Citizenship, says, “our expansion into Lagos allows us to directly cater to this affluent segment, offering them strategic solutions for global asset diversification, optimised investment opportunities, and enhanced global mobility.”
“At Imperial Citizenship, we do not operate through intermediaries, as we differentiate ourselves through direct government partnerships. This ensures transparency, legality, and efficiency throughout the application process, providing peace of mind for investment-minded clients” Zaid stated during the launch event in Lagos.
Speaking on the company’s approach to CRBI, Zaid mentioned, “At Imperial Citizenship, we prioritise a client-centric approach. We go beyond simply offering programs; we provide dedicated advisors who understand the unique needs and aspirations of each client. This personalised service ensures clients receive tailored investment options that align with their financial goals and risk tolerance”.
The launch of the Lagos office underscores Imperial Citizenship’s commitment to global expansion. With physical offices in Dubai and now Nigeria as well as operational representatives in Mexico, Algeria, and Turkey, Imperial Citizenship demonstrates its ability to cater to a geographically diverse clientele.
Looking ahead, Zaid highlighted that Imperial Citizenship plans to broaden its service offerings and expand its reach into new markets. By strategically targeting Africa’s rising wealth, Imperial Citizenship is well-positioned to solidify its role as a leading player in the CRBI industry, offering investors a gateway to global opportunities.
In a recent gathering, organized by 234Finance, key stakeholders and HNIs came together to discuss the theme “Fueling Progress in the South East.”
The conversation highlighted the rich heritage, entrepreneurial spirit, opportunities for growth and the potential of the South East to be economic powerhouse.
During the discussion, the Managing Partner of 234Finance, Ezinne Nwazulu unveiled plans for an upcoming event of significant impact: the 4-week intensive SME Bootcamp and Mentor Matchup Challenge South East edition designed to empower SMEs. The program aims to empower SMEs with the knowledge, tools, and capital for rapid expansion and global competitiveness.
This initiative is building on the success of previous Mentor Matchup Challenge events, which equipped SMEs with actionable strategies and one-on-one mentorship, resulting in winners of the pitching competition securing grant funding to scale their businesses by 4x-10x.
The SME Bootcamp will feature an array of activities, including physical and virtual training sessions, onsite industrial training, and a pitching competition.
Ezinne Nwazulu emphasized the rigorous selection process, where the top 100 applicants meeting the criteria will undergo intensive training at two training centres in Abia and Anambra. From there, the most promising 15 participants will have the opportunity to pitch their business for grant funding.
Dr Chima Anyaso, Chairman of Caades Group, expressed his commitment to the region’s development and encouraged entrepreneurs with innovative crafts to seize this opportunity.
Criteria for selection are uncompromising, emphasizing technical expertise in core sectors; Agribusiness, Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Logistics, Fashion & Textile, and Retail, with a particular focus on businesses operating within the South-East region for at least three years and significant growth potential of 4x-10x.
The Bootcamp is set to commence from May 14 to June 14 2024 with Southeast-based entrepreneurs encouraged to visit the 234finance bootcamp to apply.
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