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Late Yar’Adau Deceived Me, Atiku, Others are Shameless Liars-OBJ
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president in his new memoir titled “My Watch” has accused late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adau of deceiving him about how serious his health issues were before he became the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007.
Obasanjo took swipes on Atiku Abubakar, his former deputy,Ken Nnamani, former Senate President; Bola Tinubu, ex-Lagos State Governor; and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and described most of them as liars.
He also accused President Goodluck Jonathan of incompetence.
In a chapter in the book, which chronicles the life of the former President from birth till this year, entitled: “To be or Not to be: Jonathan,” Obasanjo stated that the late Yar’Adua made him to believe that he had overcome his health problems, thereby deceiving him.
The former President wrote in the book: “I was heavily involved in the transition and exit process that saw me leaving office for my successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, as recounted in Chapter 37, the ninth chapter of the second volume of this book. The unprepared and unplanned transition from Yar’Adua to Jonathan was a more difficult exercise in some respects. One reason was the ‘cloak and dagger’ manner in which Yar’Adua’s illness was handled.
“The illness of a President cannot be regarded as private. His health has implications for the security and wellbeing of the nation. For the president and those around him to have attempted strenuously to keep the fact of the severity of his illness from public smacks of ignorance of the enormity of what the job entails and the level of provinciality of their understanding, attitude, and approach.
In the book, Obasanjo blasted President Jonathan, describing him as an incompetent leader. He wrote that President Jonathan has failed Nigerians and considered the current administration as inept and a colossal failure. He exonerated himself from the blame of the Musa Yar’Adua/Jonathan presidency that resulted in the current administration.
The former President did not also spare some leaders, like Atiku, who he described as a “blatant and shameless liar.” Also, he described El-Rufai as “a brilliant man who is economical with the truth.” Just as he wrote that Tinubu, was “one of the worst cases” in terms of corruption. He described Gen Muhammadu Buhari as a “strong, almost inflexible, courageous and firm leader,” but said he would not be a good economic manager.
In the book, Obasanjo also blasted Yoruba chieftains, some of whom he said would prefer to be “rulers in hell, if they cannot be rulers in heaven.”
On the infamous Third Term agenda, Obasanjo denied that he ever wanted to elongate his tenure, but wrote that it was the monumental mischief of his detractors that turned an effort at constitutional reform into a myopic argument about tenure elongation.
He accused Atiku and PDP governors, saying that were behind the alleged move. He said: “Atiku was behind the whole episode of turning wholesome constitutional amendment efforts of the National Assembly to a futile exercise and as a means of riding on its ashes to be a Nigerian President,” he wrote.
“Those who can be regarded as influential and who have publicly accused me of allegedly manipulating a third term were Atiku Abubakar, who is a blatant and shameless liar, who was behind the whole episode of turning wholesome constitutional amendments efforts of the National Assembly to a futile exercise and as a means of riding on its ashes to be a Nigerian President; Nasir el-Rufai, a brilliant man, economical with truth and without substantiating his claim in his book and has a track record of a turncoat.
“If I did not want tenure elongation when I was military Head of State and had me to, I see no reason why I should be falsely accused of coup planning by Abacha and tenure elongation by Atiku.”
He also blasted Nnamani, in the book, saying: “Ken Nnamani, the then Senate President, was a blatant liar and unabashed maker of the untrue statement on third term by saying that I informed him of my desire for a third term.
As for Gbajabiamila (Femi), who talked about money passing hands, if money flowed to lawmakers, it was not from the federal treasury and definitely not from me. It could be from state governors who wished to be beneficiaries of a third term amendment.”
Writing on Tinubu, he said: “Nuhu Ribadu tried to investigate almost all of them to the best of my understanding.
At a time, he publicly announced that 28 out of the 36 governors were either manifestly corrupt or had tainted in one way or other. He gave me a copy of his report on those governors. Bola Tinubu was definitely one of the worst cases.”
The former President also took a swipe at former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, in the book, saying: “Daniel is shifty, dubious and believes he is the cleverest human being on earth.”
While answering questions thrown at him, Obasanjo said he was not afraid of telling the truth, insisting that everything he wrote was true.
He also spoke on the court injunction obtained by a chieftain of the PDP, Buruji Kashamu, to stop the publication of the book. He described the injunction as absurd, saying that the book was published three months ago and called for the sanction of the judge who gave the judgment.
“The book had already been published and printed three months ago, only for the court to be asked to put a stop to it. Buruji went to a court to stop the book from being published and the hearing was fixed for yesterday (Monday). When that was not enough, he went to another court by 5pm on a Friday and got an injunction, saying the book should not be published. Unfortunately, the book was already completed three months ago. Secondly, I want the judge that gave such an injunction to be penalised.”
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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