Abdulsalami gave the warning in Minna, Saturday, during the graduation ceremony and inaugural lecture of Abdulsalami Abubakar Institute for Peace and Sustainable Development (AAIPSDS).

He said the warning has become necessary because no nation can experience rapid sustainable development without sustainable peace.

Emphasising need for dialogue towards finding solution to the current security challenges in the country, he said it is the responsibility of the government and all Nigerians to understand the root causes of the problem and seek lasting peace.

“The government, at all levels, the people within the crisis zones, the security personnel, sympathisers of the aggrieved parties and the aggrieved must, for the sake of our future and that of our children, resort to dialogue,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the approach would yield huge dividends and lead to restoration of security, which, in turn, would pave way for development.

He urged government to urgently address issues of poverty, youth unemployment, dysfunctional educational system, corruption and misappropriation of public funds, among others.

Earlier, chairman of the occasion and Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswan, called on the political class to demonstrate a sense of commitment and sincerity of purpose towards addressing the security crisis facing the country.

He agreed with the former Head of State on the need to address poverty, corruption and unemployment among youths, as a way of addressing the issue.

He noted that governance, at all levels, must be people- driven to address the basic needs of the population with a view to building a brighter and greater future, irrespective of our diversity.

-Guardian

The electricity distribution companies are Eko, Ikeja and Ibadan.

Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing was prequalified to take control of the companies at the opening of bids submitted by 20 firms jostling for controlling stakes in 10 electricity distribution companies put up for privatisation by the Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja.

Although frontline bidders for the companies emerged, clear winners of the bids had yet to emerge, as the rules for the bidding employed by the Bureau of Public Enterprises prescribed that the bidders would still be subjected to further tests.

Although some bidders emerged top contenders in a number of companies, one of the rules states that no company can be allowed to win more than two bids.

In addition, no company will be allowed to win both the Ikeja and Eko Electricity Distribution Companies, which collectively generate about 45 per cent of the total revenue of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

Based on the rules, the National Council on Privatisation, led by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, will still subject the top contenders to scrutiny before announcing the eventual winners.

The Chairman, Technical Committee, NCP, Mr. Atedo Peterside, said successful bidders were contractually bound to deliver on the Average Technical, Commercial and Collection loss reduction levels they had submitted.

Peterside said, “The bidder offering the highest ATC&C loss reduction is in a leading position subject to the ground rules.

“The regulator will not adjust tariffs upwards to accommodate the inability of a Disco operator to deliver on the ATC&C levels that they commit to; rather tariffs will be adjusted downward annually to reflect the agreed ATC&C loss levels irrespective of the operator’s ability to meet its contractual obligation.”

However, going by the strategy adopted, the Federal Government will realise N197.25bn at the end of the sale of the 10 companies, whose bids were opened on Tuesday.

Instead of allowing the bidders to compete based on their financial strengths, they were evaluated based on ATC&C loss reduction proposals.

The eventual winners will have to pay 60 per cent of the asset worth of the companies as determined earlier by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

A breakdown shows that N25.79bn will be realised from the sale of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company; N20.23bn from the Benin Electricity Distribution Company; N21.19bn from Eko Electricity Distribution Company; and N19.81bn from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

Others are N26.51bn from the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company; N20.64bn from the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company; N12.86bn from the Jos Electricity Distribution Company; N21.44bn from the Kano Electricity Distribution Company; N19.51bn from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company; and N9.31bn from the Yola Electricity Distribution Company.

At the opening of the bids on Tuesday, Interstate Electronics Limited being promoted by business mogul, Mr. Emeka Ofor, emerged the top bidder for the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company by offering to reduce the ATC&C loss by 21.62 per cent.

The second bidder, Kann Consortium Utility Limited, offered to reduce the ATC&C loss by 18.43 per cent.

For the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Vigeo Power Consortium emerged the top contender with an offer to reduce the ATC&C loss by 21.78 per cent. The company is being promoted by Mr. Gbolade Osibodu.

The other contender for the Benin Disco is Southern Electricity Distribution Company, which offered to reduce the ATC&C loss by 17.72 per cent.

For the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Limited, Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited emerged the top bidder by offering a loss reduction of 21.43 per cent.

Other bidders for Eko include New Electricity Distribution Company Consortium, 20.43 per cent; West Power & Gas, 18.55 per cent; Honeywell Energy Resources International Limited, 16.33 per cent; SEPCO-Pacific Energy Consortium, 15.7 per cent; and Oando Consortium, 14.29 per cent.

Interstate Electrics Limited emerged the top contender for the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company with an offer of 20.83 per cent ATC&C loss reduction, while Eastern Electric Nigeria Limited offered a reduction rate of 15.99 per cent.

For the Ibadan Disco, Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited also emerged a top contender with an offer of 17.46 per cent loss reduction. Other contenders are New Electricity Distribution Company Consortium, 17.14 per cent; and Western Consortium 14.37 per cent.

Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited again emerged top contender for the Ikeja Disco with an offer of 21.51 per cent ATC&C loss reduction. Others bidders were New Electricity Distribution Company Consortium, 20.43 per cent; Vigeo Holdings, Gumco, African Corporation AFC & CESC Consortium, 19.27 per cent; Honeywell Energy Resources International Limited, 16.25 per cent; and Oando Consortium, 14.25 per cent.

The sole bidder for the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Aura Energy Limited offered 16.22 per cent ATC&C loss reduction; Sahelian Power SPV Limited offered 21.21 per cent for Kano; 4Power Consortium offered 19.55 per cent for Port Harcourt, while Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Limited offered 18.58 per cent for Yola.

-Punch

Abubakar spoke shortly after prayers to mark his 70th birthday anniversary at his hill top mansion in Minna, Niger State. He spoke against the backdrop of incessant bombings by an Islamist sect with the aim of Islamising the country under Sharia law.

He said: “Yes, I believe there is poverty in Nigeria. But Nigeria is not the only country suffering from poverty and this should not be an excuse for what is happening.

We can’t give up

“Certainly, challenges are there all over the world not only in Nigeria. The whole world is full of challenges. I know in Nigeria you will say we have the Boko Haram and kidnappers.

“It is true there are all these things but we should keep on trying and make sure that those misguided elements are eliminated to give peace a chance.

On elections

“I will remind politicians and Nigerians that politics is a matter of give and take. I will always refer to one of our elder statesmen who was always preaching politics without bitterness. A contestant cannot win all the time. So whoever is elected and wins should be given the fullest support so as to build this nation together.”

Abubakar further said the challenges confronting the country were surmountable and that many other developed countries in the world had also passed through similar challenges.

Speaking on his various peace keeping missions in Africa, he said the fact that some African countries are also engulfed in crises does not mean that his peace mission failed.

Abubakar said: ‘’I will not say our peace missions have failed. You know that always, there is time of turmoil in one way or the other but hopefully, things are getting a little bit normal. Although it is very difficult and slow, the peace will come.”

“I thank God. God has lifted me to the highest level somebody can expect in this country. So what regret do I have?

“I am married with children and grandchildren and they are the people who have organised this reception for me. I am proud of them. Certainly, I do not have any regrets.

“This country has also shown me love and I pray as usual that this country remains one indivisible country so that we can live together to be each others’ keepers.”

His predecessor, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida(rtd), and other prominent Nigerians attended the prayer session.

-Vanguard

Eminent leaders across the region, at yet another meeting to check the spate of insecurity in that part of the country, said they are all out for the rediscovery of Nigeria’s unity and the cohesion of northern communities.

The northern elders, who gathered in Minna on Thursday under the auspices of the Abdulsalami Abubakar Institute for Peace and Sustainable Development Studies (AAIPSDS),  resolved to enhance the cohesiveness of the region by promoting inter-faith and inter-ethnic relationship and also assist in the search for better state-community relations.

They also intend to facilitate the emergence of a broad consensus on the basic interests of the North and try to implement strategies in achieving them. 

At the forum were two former military rulers, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; one time Finance Minister, Mallam Adamu Ciroma; former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Pauline Tallen. 

Also in attendance were former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop John Onaiyekan; Sheik Ahmed Lemu; Mr. Nda Isaiah, the publisher of Leadership newspaper; Abubakar Gimba; Professor Bawa Salka; Brig.-Gen. Halilu Akilu (rtd); Senator Jubril Aminu and Alhaji Isa Funtua 

In a communiqué issued by Gen. Abubakar and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed yesterday, the forum also resolved to engage leadership at all levels in the search for better governance, transparency and improved responsiveness of leaders to the basic needs of citizens in the region. 

To this end, the forum intends to encourage northern state governors to improve on the management of the economy of the region, expand the regional investment base and encourage the search for more economic resources which abound in the region.

 The forum said it would involve communities in intelligence gathering and peace building.

Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, who read the communique, dismissed a media report that the forum discussed revenue allocation.

 He said: “The meeting discussed extensively on the search for solutions to the escalating security challenges in the North and the country. We never discussed any issue on revenue allocation.

“Aside from discussing issues on escalating security challenges in the region, we also frankly discussed how we can rebuild the economy of the North and strategise on how the North can further contribute to the development and the stability of the nation.”

The meeting was their second in one week.

At the first meeting in Abuja, the forum set up two committees–security and socio-economic–to address the problems of the North and submit their reports by March 27.

At the opening of the last session on Thursday, the host, Gen.Abdulsalami described the Boko Haram insurgency as the biggest security challenge confronting the North.

He lamented that while other parts of he country were “articulating positions which should improve their interests in the manner the nation should be structured, the North is being torn by conflicts, violence and deep mistrust among its communities.”

He added: “In Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano and Plateau states, just to mention a few places, we have killed and are killing ourselves needlessly in thousands on grounds of ethnic and religious differences. We have become our worst and bitterest enemies.”

-The Nation

Specifically, he urged former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Military Heads of State, Generals Abubakar Abdulsalami and Ibrahim Babangida to step in and join the initiative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in resolving the crisis. Ladoja spoke in his Ibadan home, on Tuesday, during a chat with selected media houses in commemoration of his 67th birthday ceremony.

A businessman-turned-politician, Ladoja decried the spate of insecurity across the country, saying the present situation would not encourage investment. “The Boko Haram issue is a sad one because, where there is no peace, there won’t be development. I think the Boko Haram crisis has been badly handled and that is why Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is coming in.”

“But I would have thought that it should be a concerted effort by the former presidents, especially those from the North. Abubakar Abdulsalami is still alive; Alhaji Shehu Shagari is still alive; Ibrahim Babangida is still alive. Let them intervene because we can not go back on western education”, the former governor stated.

A founding member of the PDP, Ladoja regretted the non-performance of PDP-led Federal Government since 1999, which he said could not be divorced from the poor leadership offered by Obasanjo during his eight years Presidency.

According to him, the party made a big mistake in picking Obasanjo as its candidate, saying the former president failed woefully to provide the needed direction during his eight year civilian administration.
“We cannot divorce Nigeria’s problem from Obasanjo. We made a big mistake by putting him forward in 1998. He had a very good opportunity but squandered it as he was more preoccupied settling scores with his people rather than offered governance”, Ladoja said.

On the recent moves by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile with its aggrieved members, Ladoja stated that he and his group are open to discussion but  quickly added that going back to PDP ‘is not yet on the table’. According to him, there has been lot of injustice perpetrated by the party, which needed to be addressed before any meaningful reconciliation could be arrived at.

“What I am saying is that we are open to discussions but anything that is going to happen must start with fairness. PDP was not fair to Oyo State. First of all, let the party understands that one.“We are not in national politics for joke. We are there for Oyo State’s interests. So, we are open to discussion. There is nothing that is rigid in this life and as long as it is in the best interest of Oyo State and its people, I am for it. Whether we are going to PDP or not is not yet on the table”, he said.

He cited the lopsidedness in the ministerial appointment at the federal level, which he said did not reflect the achievement of the party at the state level.

-Sun

The national president of the AYF, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, said it was only General Abubakar that could put an end to the controversy surrounding Major Al-Mustapha’s allegations and save the nation from further  suspense, as  the latter’s comments and videos had heated up the polity.

The Arewa youths, he said, had continued to monitor the court proceedings and were not happy with Abubakar for keeping mum in spite of the fact that the embattled  former chief security officer had mentioned him many times during the trial.

He said Abubakar should emulate  former President Ibrahim Babangida who had been calling for the release of Al-Mustapha in radio interviews, pointing out that posterity and history would not forgive those who make others suffer unjustly.

-Tribune

But the  offer  was politely turned down. 

Adebanjo spoke in the wake of the revelations by al-Mustapha, that some funds were withdrawn from the coffers of the Federal Government to settle some leaders of Yorubaland with a view to keeping them quiet after the death in detention of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, aka, MKO, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

The Yoruba leaders, alongside chieftains of NADECO led by the late Senator Abraham Adesanya, had several meetings with Abdulsalami in the wake of June 12 crisis but Adebanjo said the only one he was aware that money was offered was the one that preceded Abiola’s death. He relied on Adesanya’s accounts of the meetings to him. The leaders of the NADECO had attended that meeting with the former Head of State to request that they be allowed to visit and have audience with Abiola whose electoral mandate they had vigorously pursued from the time of Babangida regime which annulled the mandate, through the Shonekan interim government and the Abacha regime.

Corroborating Adebanjo’s claim, yesterday, was Senator Francis Okpozo, a South-South leader, who was part of the NADECO delegation that met Abdulsalami.  Okpozo said that although provision was made by the former Head of State to give the delegation money, they rejected it.

Faulting the insinuation by al-Mustapha that the NADECO leaders, through Adesanya, a veteran of the second republic Senate, who earned for himself the description of a feisty debater, received money from Abdulsalami on behalf of NADECO to be compromised on the June 12 struggle, Adebanjo said, “Pa Adesanya and some NADECO leaders visited Aso Rock and it is common knowledge”.

He went on: “They (NADECO leaders) visited Aso Rock to plead that Abubakar should allow them have audience with Abiola but Abdulsalami said for security reasons he could not allow them.

“They discussed other matters of state and when they were about leaving, Abdulsalami called them back and handed over to Pa Adesanya an envelope. Papa asked what was in it and the Head of State said it was money.  Papa then asked what it was meant for and he said it was to take care of transport.

“Papa simply told him that he felt insulted that Abdulsalami was giving him money because he paid him a visit in Aso Rock”.
Adebanjo said that since Abdulsalami is still alive, he “should come out and tell Nigerians those he gave money to, or, better still, explain to Nigerians what they did with the money they withdrew from government coffers”.

Financial arrangement
Okpozo, yesterday, denied that the delegation collected money from the former Head of State, saying that even though financial arrangement was made for the visit of the leaders to meet with the former Head of State, they turned it down.

 Speaking to Sunday Vanguard in his Ozoro country home, Delta State, the second republic senator pointed out that the delegation that met with Abdulsalami was not a Yoruba delegation but a delegation of the entire southern Nigeria, which was duly nominated by the people, adding, “I was nominated to represent defunct Bendel and Arthur Nwankwo represented the South-East.”  Others in the team, according to him, were the late Chief Bola Ige and Chief Ayo Opadokun.

His words: “The former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, made a financial provision for our travelling to meet him but, as if we knew things like this would happen, we did not take a kobo from Abubakar”.

He said that Admiral Mike Akhigbe(rtd), who was Abdulsalami’s deputy, and the Chief of Staff to the former Head of State were the other two persons present at the meeting.

According to Okpozo, “It was after two weeks of our consultation with him that we heard that Abiola had died. The first time we went, Abiola was detained and we told him then to release him since the  former head of state, General Sani Abacha, had died, he said  he would release him”.

“After two weeks, he sent for us again, saying it was to discuss the way forward. We were very reluctant to discuss any issue other than the havoc he (Abubakar) and Abacha had caused the nation. He showed sympathy for the family of the late Abiola. He was not happy and asked us, in our opinion, what he should do. 

“The late Chief Bola Ige got up and told him that we wanted Abiola alive and that if he was dead, Abubakar should go and put life in him and bring him out because the people wanted him alive. It was a tug of war”, he added.

“Pa Abraham Adesanya, who led the delegation, spoke in the same vein. After discussing to a certain level, we asked General Abubakar to give us chance and we went to a room separate from the venue of the meeting to discuss further.

“He was appealing to us to make suggestions to him on the way forward and he would take it. We contacted our other leaders in Lagos and then we told him that he must vacate the seat. One of his top officers was suggesting that they had to stay until Nigeria was stabilised. I told him that the death of Abiola could cause total breakdown of law and order in the country if you bring an Hausa man or Igbo man to come and contest that election or even defunct Bendel where I come from”.

Okpozo said the delegation told Abdulsalami that the people could only allow him three months to conduct election and handover to an elected civilian government, but they later agreed that he should not stay more than one year when the government team said three months was not enough.

On the allegation that the former Head of State gave them money, he said, “When we were going, we did not take a kobo from him”.

-Vanguard