Akpomiemie M. Akpomiemie, Esq.

Akpomiemie M. Akpomiemie, Esq. A legal practitioner and business consultant A LEGAL PRACTITIONER, HONEST AND HARD WORKING. GOD LOVING AND A PATRIOT.

04/08/2023

*NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION WELFARE COMMITTEE MEDICAL OUTREACH*


Dear Colleagues,

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), under the leadership of Y.C Maikyau, OON, SAN, in collaboration with foreign medical doctors, will conduct a medical outreach during the upcoming NBA-AGC event in Abuja. Chief Emeka Ozoani, SAN, the Chairman of the NBA National Welfare Committee, will oversee this initiative, which includes surgeries. Branch Chairmen and their secretaries are requested to get in touch with the designated contacts for more information if they are aware of any lawyers or their family members within their branch who require medical surgery.

1. Nekabari Annah - Secretary Welfare Committee - 08138303715
2. Chinyere Obasi — National Welfare Officer - 08035649662
3. Henry Barnabas Ehi - Head Publicity/Media Sub-committee - 08037780864
4. Omolade Martha - NBA Representative - 08063913593

*Please note the list of medical conditions that the Health Mission can accommodate. They are as follows:*

1. Hernia
2. Breast mass/lump
3. Appendix
4. Lipoma
5. Cleft Lips (deformity of the lips)
6. Goitre
7. Cataract
8. Glacoma
9. Skin Keloid
10. Hypospadias
11. Hole in the heart
12. Malnourished children
13. Genu- valgum or Genu-varus (Bow leg or K leg)
14. Congenital Talipis Equinovarus deformity
15. Arthritis
16. Back pain
17. Trigger Finger
18. Bone infection
19. Caesarian section for pregnant women
20. Fibroids
21. Obstetrics and gynecology cases
22. Dental cases
23. Ear, Nose and Throat cases

*_Drugs will also be dispensed for those with hypertension and other cardiac cases.*_

It is important to note further that the medical report of any individual requiring the aforementioned medical assistance will be necessary. This will help guide the foreign doctors from the USA, Mexico, and Chile in understanding the nature of the surgical intervention required.

Warm regards.

*HENRY BARNABAS EHI, MICA*
*HEAD PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITTEE*
*NBA NATIONAL WELAFRE COMMITTEE*

27/09/2022

Keep shouting Amen and die a pauper

https://bit.ly/3zdvlqRAGC 2022: MONDAY ADJEH NBA BWARI CHAIRMAN APPEALS FOR EXTENSION OF EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR YOU...
17/07/2022

https://bit.ly/3zdvlqR

AGC 2022: MONDAY ADJEH NBA BWARI CHAIRMAN APPEALS FOR EXTENSION OF EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR YOUNG LAWYERS
The Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, Bwari-FCT branch has appealed to the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP) for the 2022 Annual General Conference (AGC) of the NBA scheduled to hold in Lagos in August to extend the closing date of early registration for the said conference. He noted that this is to enable the large numbers of lawyers who are mainly young Lawyers who are yet to register to do so.
He noted that the economic situation prevailing in the country has neccisitated the reason why most of the Young Lawyers have not registered.

AGC 2022: MONDAY ADJEH, NBA BWARI CHAIRMAN APPEALS FOR EXTENSION OF EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR YOUNG LAWYERS Get link Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Other Apps July 17, 2022  The Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, Bwari-FCT branch has appealed to the Technical Committee on Conference Planning...

25/11/2018

IVWIGHRE vs. STATE (2018) LPELR-44862(CA)
EVIDENCE - MEDICAL EVIDENCE: Whether a medical report must be issued from a government hospital to be admitted in evidence.
PRINCIPLE
"The medical report, Exhibit "B" corroborated the fact that PW1 was violated.
In my view, the learned trial Judge was right in law when he held that the PW1 suffered sexual assault. And Exhibit "B" the medical report tendered in this case showed that on examination of PW1, laceration and bruises of the h***n was noticed on her. The Learned Counsel for the Appellant is not contesting the fact that Exhibit "B" corroborated the testimony of PW1 that she was r***d however he is not happy that the medical report relied upon by the Prosecution came from a private Medical Doctor in a private clinic instead of a government hospital.
In my view, as long as the medical report is from a qualified Medical Doctor, whether it is from a private hospital or government hospital is a non-issue. The learned trial Judge was therefore right when he held that the medical report Exhibit "B" corroborated the evidence of PW1. See the following cases:-
- AFOR LUCKY V. STATE (Supra); - ADONIKE V. STATE (Supra)."Per BADA, J.C.A. (Pp. 14-15, Paras.
E-D)

22/11/2018

ABATEMENT OF ACTION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS AND THE RECENT EXECEPTION CREATED BY THE SUPREME COURT IN RE: ABDULLAHI (2018) 14 NWLR (PT. 1639) 272.

Under Nigerian law, the constitutional right of appeal against a conviction and sentence is considered a personal right which can only be exercised by the accused person or the prosecution. Same cannot, be exercised by any other person, transferred or inherited. See Section 243(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 233(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (pre 1st, 2nd & 3rd alterations).

Therefore, upon the death of an accused person during his trial or appeal, the proceedings terminate. This is summed up in the Latin maxim ‘’action personalis moritur cm persona’’, which means a personal right of action dies with the person.

However, the above-stated position of our law has been modified in the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the case of ABDULLAHI (2018) 14 NWLR (PT. 1639) 272.

BRIEF FACTS OF THE CASE

The General Court Martial (GCM) tried and convicted the Appellant on 5 out of the 6 counts charge. In addition to a sentence of 2 years imprisonment, the GCM ordered the forfeiture of the Appellant’s landed property located in Abuja.

Thereafter the Army Council confirmed the Appellant’s conviction and reduced his terms of imprisonment to 1 year. The Army Council also ordered the Appellant to refund the sum of N33, 500, 000.00 (Thirty Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to the Nigerian Armed Forces within 90 days from the date of confirmation of the sentence. The Army Council further directed that the Appellant’s personal property be confiscated to recover the said sum if he failed to pay same within the prescribed period.

Dissatisfied with the decisions of the GCM and the confirmation of same by the Army Council, the Appellant brought an appeal before the Court of Appeal.

In its judgment, the Court of Appeal affirmed the decisions of the GCM as confirmed by the Army Council and ordered the forfeiture of the Appellant’s landed property in Abuja.

Still aggrieved, the Appellant appealed to the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, while his appeal was pending he passed away.

Subsequently, his wife and his son as administrators of his estate brought an application before the Supreme Court craving an order of the Apex Court substituting them for the Appellant. The scope of the application was limited to prosecuting ground 9 of the Notice of Appeal which complained against the order of forfeiture of the Appellant’s landed property in Abuja.

The Respondents objected to the said application. The primary ground of their objection was that the appeal did not survive the deceased; hence the Applicants cannot inherit/substitute into the said criminal appeal. The Respondents’ position was that there was no basis for the said application under Nigerian law.

ARGUMENTS OF THE APPLICANTS

The Applicants conceded that Nigerian law does not contemplate an application of this nature as our laws do not specify what would happen in the event of the death of an accused person while his appeal is pending.

Notwithstanding the above, the Applicants urged the Supreme Court to grant their application based on the principle of law that provides that ‘’where there is a wrong there must be a remedy’’. This is summed up in the Latin maxim ‘ubi jus ibi remedium’’
The Applicants argued that the order of the Court of Appeal wherein the Court ordered the forfeiture of the Appellant’s landed property in Abuja has inflicted injury on the estate of the deceased Appellant which has adversely affected the Applicants.

The property in issue was valued as at 2005 at N83, 100, 000.00 (Eighty Three Million One Hundred Thousand Naira). The Applicants’ position was that forfeiture of the said property as against the use of same to realise the sum of N33, 500, 000.00 (Thirty Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from the deceased to the Respondents, deprived his estate (which they are beneficiary of), the benefit of the value of the property less the said sum of N33, 500, 000.00 (Thirty Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only due to the Respondents upon the deceased conviction.

The Applicants further argued that even though there is no express provision for the continuation of a criminal appeal upon the Appellant’s death under our laws, considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the Supreme Court has the power to allow the Applicants continue the appeal within the limited scope identified in the application in other to remedy the injury inflicted on the estate of the deceased Appellant.

In support of its position the Applicants relied on the English authorities in REGINA V. ROWE (1955) 1 GB 573; HODGSON V. LAKEMAN (1943) KB 15 and R V. JEFFERIES (1968) 3 ALL ER 238.

ARGUMENTS OF THE RESPONDENTS

The Respondents argued that before the Court can grant an application of this nature, there must be a competent pending appeal. As under our laws, the appeal abated and became moribund with death of the Appellant, the instant application is not predicated on any competent appeal.

The Respondents further argued in opposition to the application that the constitutional right of appeal under Section 233(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (pre 1st, 2nd & 3rd alterations) against a conviction and sentence is a personal right which can only be exercised by the deceased Appellant. Same cannot be exercised by, transferred or inherited by the Applicants regardless of any interest they might have in the subject matter of the appeal.

In response to the English authorities relied on by the Applicants, the Respondents’ position was that the said decisions are not applicable to the instant application as it was not demonstrated that the English Courts was interpreting provisions of the British constitution which is in pari materia with Section 233(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (pre 1st, 2nd & 3rd alterations) which has limited the right of appeal to a specific person.

Finally, the Respondents argued that the principle of law that provides that ‘’where there is a wrong there must be a remedy’’ cannot be used to confer jurisdiction on the Court to grant the instant application where no other specific provision of our laws grants the Court such power. The Respondents urged the Court to refuse the instant application as it has no basis in Nigerian law.

HOLDING OF THE COURT

The Supreme Court acknowledged that under our laws ordinarily the death of an accused person brings an end to his trial or appeal and that there is no case law in Nigeria where an Applicant has been substituted for a deceased Appellant in a criminal appeal.

The question that agitated the Court’s mind was whether or not considering the afore-stated position under Nigerian law and the facts and circumstances of this case; the Applicants whose interest are directly affected by the decision of the Court of Appeal in a criminal appeal have any remedy in law?

In determining the application, the Court was of the view that the fact that there is no case law in Nigeria where an Applicant has been substituted for a deceased Appellant in a criminal appeal is not a good enough reason for the Court to refuse the instant application. The Court relied on the obiter of Lord Denning in PARKER V. PARKER (1954) ALL ER 22, wherein, the great jurist held that if the Courts never do anything because it has never been done before, then the law will stand still, while the rest of the world moves on.

The Apex Court found the English authorities in REGINA V. ROWE (SUPRA); HODGSON V. LAKEMAN (SUPRA) and R V. JEFFERIES (SUPRA) cited by the Applicants highly persuasive. The English Courts’ position in the said decisions was to the effect that ordinarily the death of an accused person brings an end to his trial or appeal, however where a representative of a deceased accused person e.g. the executors or administrators of his estate shows a significant interest in the subject matter of the appeal then the Court can allow the said representative continue with the appeal. In REGINA V. ROWE (SUPRA), Lord Goddard CJ gave an example of a situation which is similar to the facts of the instant application where the Court would allow a representative of the deceased accused person to continue the appeal as follows:

‘’If a person is sentenced to pay a fine and dies having appealed, or even if he dies after payment of the fine – it might be immediately afterwards – it may be that the Court would allow executors or administrators to appeal merely on the ground that if the conviction were quashed they could recover the fine for the benefit of the estate of the deceased which they are bound to administer. ‘’

The Court took the position that the appeal might have died with the deceased Appellant, but his estate survived him, and being administrators of the deceased Applicant’s estate, the Applicants have an interest in his estate that lives on, and which cannot be left hanging.

The Court took cognizance of the fact that it is the only Court that can review the decision of the Court of Appeal. The Applicants having alleged a wrong against the decision of the Court of Appeal, refusing this application would be tantamount to denying the Applicants an opportunity to seek redress against the alleged wrong done to them by the decision of the Court of Appeal.

Finally, the Court relied on the above-cited English authorities and the principle of law which provides that ‘’where there is a wrong there must be a remedy’’, in holding that considering the fact that judgment of the Court of Appeal affects the Applicants’ interest in the estate of the deceased Appellant, the justice of the case requires that the application be granted and the Applicants be permitted to continue with the appeal in respect of ground 9 of the Notice of Appeal which complained against the order of forfeiture against the property in issue which formed a part of the deceased Appellant’s estate.

CONCLUSION

Based on the decision of the Apex Court in this case it is no longer automatic that upon the death of an accused person during his trial or appeal, the proceedings terminate.

Where there is a pending criminal appeal before the death of the accused person, the appeal can be taken over and continued by other persons. Provided the said persons can show significant interest in the subject matter of the appeal.

TUNDE AHMED ADEJUMO, ESQ.

28/08/2017

And Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN Wrote:
THE TITAN AT THE BAR
Though, now a Septuagenarian, the Igbajo, Osun State born, Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo, SAN, can easily pass for 55 years. Ever affable, always smiling, and extrovertly friendly, this prolific and iconic nationalist is a client’s delight, a Bar aficionado and a very successful lawyer who wears humility like a second skin.
I have known him since 1975, the year I was admitted to read English at the University of Ife (now OAU), before changing my course to Law in 1977 (my preferred choice), thereby losing a full academic year in the process. He was already clearly visible. We have crossed legal swords in various court rooms. But, he has never deployed his awesome influence, power, and his advantage of age and seniority at the Bar over me to attempt to intimidate me. Rather, I usually crossed over from my inner Bar seat, to meet with him for mutual friendly interactions. Many a time, he discarded the much cherished and jealously guarded seniority advantage at the Bar, to come over to me, on my seat. Gosh! This is rare.
Is it his illustrious upbringing that tempers his social conduct? Is it his religiosity and spiritual armament as a certified Baptist Theologian? Is it his self-assuredness and innate humility? I do not know. But, one thing is clear to me: this legal giant and pan-Nigerian patriot is as gregarious and infectious as nectar is to butterflies.
Not many people know that the Asiwaju (whom I fondly call my Egbon), was ever a Police officer. Because he does not behave like the typical modern day Police officer that you will rather flee from, to avoid being intimidated unfairly. Yet, he was one, between 1967 and 1972, wherein he served the nation in this capacity for about six years in Ibadan, Ijebu-Ode and Enugu. A man of many parts and versatility, Awomolo actually lectured at the Kwara State Polytechnic, even as he was appointed a part time pioneer lecturer to mentor new law students intake when University of Ilorin established its faculty of law.
Upon the creation of Osun State, Solomon brought his Solomonic wisdom to help resolve nascent centripetal and centrifugal challenges, as the first Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, between 1992 and 1993, in this new emergent State.
A social Activist, Community leader, Bar prodigy and Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International, and Patron of numerous organizations, including FIDA, the Asiwaju and Bamofin of Igbajo land, is indeed a prophet honoured in his own town, thus re-inventing the scriptures according to Mark 6:4 and Matthew 13:57.
A legal colossus of uncommon erudition and advocacy skills, Awomolo, the bridge-builder, is perhaps best remembered within the Bar and the Bench as the trouble-shooter who brought peace to a badly fractured NBA, picked up the pieces of its garment that was brutally torn by military dictatorship, mended it, and organized a fresh election that ushered in Chief T.J.O. Okpoko, SAN, as President of the NBA, between 1998 and 2000. The life Bencher and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies literally resurrected a dead NBA, like phoenix, from its ashes.
A court room czar and fashion aficionado, this quintessentially sartorial and debonair husband of Chief (Mrs) Victoria Olufunmilayo Awomolo, equally a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has made unquantifiable contributions to Law and Nigeria’s legal jurisprudence, helping to open up new vistas never before witnessed.
As he turns 70, what can I wish him? Oh this: the peace of God that passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7). And this: Genesis 6:3 :”Then the Lord said, ‘my Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their day will be a hundred and twenty years”. So, Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, FNIALS, nationalist, legal prodigy, humanist, be ready to contend with another fifty more years on this mother earth.
RODENTS IN THE VILLA?: A TALE BY MOONLIGHT!
It is a very shameful and disgraceful statement that emanated from the presidency to the effect that President Muhammadu Buhari, after a whole 105 days abroad on medical grounds, cannot work from his office because of rats and rodents.
So, a whole Julius Berger, the German construction giant had to be called in to drive away the rodents. I thought N5000 “otapiapia” rat poison, N6000 rat traps, N10,000 p***y cats, or a combination of all; or even a total fumigation of the complex at less than N55,000, would have done it! Julius Berger? Haba!
This statement further derides and shames Nigeria as a country. Why didn’t the same or similar rodents pursue Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, or Jonathan, during their presidency? The last time I checked, it was Jackals and Hyenas at the presidency, now rodents. Haba! APC, haba!; Presidential handler, haba! This is a sheer taleby moonlight, to enable the President continue his well deserved medical vacation, this time, inside A*o Villa, rather than London. This is because angry Nigerians based in London had forced him back home, through well organized, British Metropolitan Police authorized peaceful processions and candle – lit night vigils. If his return to Nigeria were not impromptu as a knee – jerk reaction of damage control, A*o Villa handlers would have long expected such return and completely exterminated the rodents.
For truth, there is another mini-office at the Villa, quite different from the official residence and main office. Let PMB work from them. Let’s see our President working as he did when he met with the governors and party leaders, not through still photo-shopping.
For how long will this government take the Nigerians for a ride and for robots? Who told the image makers we are all brainless? Don’t they know that lies have expiry date and that propaganda cannot substitute for professional image-marketing? Goebel was a fantastic world war propagandist, but failed woefully as information minister. Let this opaque government of barefaced misinformation, lies, deceit and cluelessness know that its directionlessness and incapacity to govern are hurting this country badly. The economy is in horrific tatters, image badly battered, security shattered, governance mangled and transparency and accountability interred.
Nigeria is today more divided, more hate-inebriated, more crisis- ridden and more dangerous precipice-prone than ever before. Nigeria is today more derided, more excoriated and more corrupt than it has ever been. Nigeria has never had it so bad since her forced amalgamation on January 1, 1914 by imperious Lord Lugard and his wife Flora Lugard (nee Shaw, who actually named the country after “Niger-Area”).Abraham Lincoln rightly theorized that you can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.God, help us.
ACCORD CONCONDIALE, THE CONTINUOUS SEARCH FOR NIGERIA’S ELUSIVE UNITY (PART 19)
ENCORE
Last week, we started our discourse on one of Nigeria’s prodigy of a kind, Joseph Tarka. Today, we will conclude our discourse on this great Nigerian, while we explore the lives and times of a different great patriot, Alvan Ikoku.
SECOND REPUBLIC (continues and concluded)
In the lead-up to restoration of democracy with the Nigerian Second Republic, Tarka aligned with northern politicians to form the National Party of Nigeria, on which platform he unsuccessfully competed in the presidential elections. He was elected Senator for Benue East in 1979, and was appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation, a position he held when he died on 30 March 1980, aged 48. His son Simeon Tarka was elected to the House of Representatives in 1979.
NOW THIS
ALVAN IKOKU
Alvan Ikoku (1900 – 1971), was a Nigerianeducator, statesman, activist and politician. Born in Arochukwu, present-day Abia State.
AND THIS
EARLY CAREER
From 1911 to 1914, Ikoku was educated at the Arochukwu Government Primary School and from 1915 to 1920, he attended Hope Waddell College, Calabar, where he was a student under James Emmanuel Aggrey and was mates with AkanuIbiam and Eyo Eyo Esua. In 1920, he received his first teaching appointment with the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria and Church of Scotland at Itigidi and two years later became a senior tutor at St. Paul's Teachers' Training College, Awka, Anambra State. While teaching at Awka, Ikoku earned his University of London degree in Philosophy in 1928, through its external programme.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK.
“I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there are moments where you've got to share your soul and conscience with people and show them who you are, and not be afraid of it”. (Howard Schultz).
LAST LINE
Hope Nigerians are reading, digesting and awaiting the next exploring discourse of Sunday Sermon on the Mount of the Nigerian Project by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb

15/08/2017

Game on.

GARBA SHEHU: THE TIME FOR PROPAGANDA IS OVER. IT IS TIME FOR PROPER AGENDA•

The Presidency's statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on media to President Muhammad Buhari, has only exposed why Nigeria is in an economic recession and is floundering in all spheres.

It is quite sad that Malam Garba Shehu does not know that oil constitutes only 15% of Nigeria's GDP and thus a fall in the price of oil should not lead to a collapse of the Nigerian economy as has been experienced under President Buhari.

If Garba and his boss are willing to learn, the Jonathan Foundation and the Peoples Democratic Party can arrange a course for them to be tutored on the subject-how to grow your economy to be the largest in Africa. We make bold that we are experienced in that area.

When Mr. Shehu says "There is nothing to show for the revenues earned, no major capital project was completed, neither power generation, road development, rail or agriculture benefitted from the windfall earnings" he only further exposes his intellectual laziness and failing memory.

Obviously Garba Shehu has forgotten that when his boss was commissioning the Abuja-Kaduna 187KM fast railway that enables Nigerians work in Abuja and live in Kaduna, he was forced to admit that the project was conceived, built and completed by the Jonathan administration.

At that event, President Muhammadu Buhari said about the $1.5 billion project and I quote "This project was conceived by a previous administration, started by the last government".

My question to Mr. Shehu is this-who is a liar between him and his boss?

I also urge Garba Shehu to take note of the fact that the only Federal University in his boss's home state of Katsina was built by the Jonathan administration in addition to 13 other universities and 165 Almajiri schools built all over Nigeria. For people who don't value education, I am not surprised that they see this as "nothing to show"!

It may also interest Garba Shehu to note that the Jonathan administration revived the moribund Nigerian Railways Corporation to the extent that the loquacious Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi was forced to confess on December 15, 2015 and I quote "In fact, I think we have a problem; most people don’t believe that the railway transport is functioning in Nigeria. I didn’t even know, until I started this tour, I never knew that the railway was functioning, it was even from his (MD’s) speech that I learnt that there are some coaches or services that go to Kano or Port Harcourt or elsewhere."

These are just a few of the infrastructural legacies of the Jonathan era.

It is quite surprising that Garba Shehu now praises the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, His Royal Majesty, Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Nigerians have not forgotten that it is the same Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, now Muhammadu Sanusi II who carpeted the economic policies of the Buhari administration, saying that under the Buhari administration, and again I quote, “There is one rate for petroleum marketers, there is interbank rate, there is another for money market operators such as western union, money gram, there is bureau de change rate and there is a special rate you get when you call the CBN for a transaction."

My other question to Garba Shehu is this, how will an economy not collapse when you have multiple exchange rates?

Malam Garba and his boss continues to show that they are in over their necks by their statements. For instance, Garba says "At the inception of the current administration, 21 States were unable to meet their salary bills and the spectre of workers arrears had commenced. The PDP solution was the raid the Ecological Fund and selectively grant N2Bn each to the PDP States."

Is it that Garba Shehu and his boss do not know that Nigeria is a federation and that the Federal Government cannot control the states? No wonder they are against restructuring and want to throw the report of the 2014 National Conference into the dustbin.

We have already proved that the accusation re the Ecological Fund is a lie and it shows desperation on the side of the Presidency to rehash it.

When that notorious liar, Nasir El-Rufai first made the accusation, we showed, with documentary evidence, that core PDP states like Akwa-Ibom, where the then chairman of the PDP Governors Forum comes from and Ekiti state which was the only PDP state in the Southwest, did not benefit from the Ecological Fund. Meanwhile, 10 states which were of the then opposition All Progressive Congress did.

Apparently, when Garba Shehu and Lai Mohammed speak, they speak their native language, lies!

Mr. Garba Shehu would do well to remember that his boss promised Nigerians 3 million jobs every year. Rather, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, 4.58 million jobs, created by the Jonathan led PDP administration, were lost in his boss's first year.

Laughably, Garba Shehu cites the fight against corruption and the terror war as major achievements of the Buhari administration.

How can Garba Shehu reconcile his so called anti corruption war with the fact that Nigeria has made NO PROGRESS in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index under Buhari and in the latest CPI Transparency International said and I quote "Some other large African countries have failed to improve their scores on the index. These include South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya."

On the alleged terror war, Nigerians will recall that President Muhammadu Buhari said that Boko Haram has been technically defeated.

My question is how can a defeated Boko Haram now have the ability to kidnap policewomen and oil explorers? How can a defeated Boko Haram attack military formations? How can a defeated Boko Haram carry out more su***de bombing a in the last eight months than at any other time in Nigeria's history.

Has Garba Shehu forgotten that on July 6, 2017, the World Economic Forum named Nigeria as the fifth most dangerous country in the world? Or that on the 4th of February 2017, the United States Congress cited Nigeria as "the most dangerous place for Christians in the world"?

Garba Shehu can continue living in his fool's paradise but he should give Nigerians more credit than to issue the pathetic tissue of lies that he called a response to former President Jonathan's comments at this past weekend's non elective Congress of the PDP.

Dr. Jonathan spoke generally about the positive impact of the PDP administrations on the lives of Nigerians and specifically on some of his exemplary achievements that made life better for the citizenry. He spoke about his reforms in the electoral process, transport, rail services, industrial and automotive policy, as well as the transformational impact of many other policies like YouWin, Youth Enterprises with Innovation (YouWin), bank verification number (BVN), the treasury single account (TSA) and the e-wallet system which were all measures designed to fight corruption.

The time for propaganda is long gone. Any body who wants to differ should speak to those issues raised, and not boasts about accomplishments that are not visible. The succeeding administration has been on the saddle for more than half of its four-year tenure.

This is the time for it to display its scorecard, especially since the blame game no longer connects with Nigerians. At some point under the PDP oil price fell to as low as $30 dollars and the party never cited that as a reason for non-performance.

It is up to Nigerians to determine if they are better or worse off today than they were in 2015, when former President Goodluck Jonthan left office.

Finally, I urge Garba Shehu to go back and read Malam El-Rufai's memo to President Muhammadu Buhari where El-Rufai said, and I quote, "In very blunt terms, Mr. President, our APC administration has not only failed to manage expectations of a populace that expected overnight ‘change’ but has failed to deliver even mundane matters of governance outside of our successes in fighting BH insurgency and corruption."

© RENO OMOKRI (Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years: Chibok, 2015 and Other Conspiracies)
for former Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
President of Nigeria 2010-2015.

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