The choice of a Muslim as running mate by the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress, Chief Bola Tinubu and the reactions dominate the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Monday.
The Guardian reports that all doubts of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election was laid to rest, yesterday, when its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, announced former Borno State governor, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his substantive running mate.
Tinubu made this disclosure on Sunday afternoon in Daura, Katsina State, shortly after paying Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari at his private residence. Tinubu’s choice is contrary to the advice given by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which had earlier warned presidential candidates not to field running mates of the same religion.
Speaking on why he chose Shettima, Tinubu, in a statement, said: “In full compliance with existing law and regulation, I submitted all necessary documents regarding my nomination as the APC presidential candidate to INEC. But, as was expected, the choice of my vice presidential running mate remained an open and burning question.
Speaking in an interview with The Guardian yesterday, CAN’s spokesperson, Adebayo Oladeji, said making such a decision in a polarised country was wrong and insensitive.
He stated that if having a pastor as the vice president of the country and Christian clerics and worshipers are being killed, the security of lives and properties of Christians under a Muslim-Muslim could not be guaranteed.
Oladeji, however, warned that Nigerians should be ready to face the consequences of their actions if they endorsed and vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
He said: “We knew this was what he was going to do and we have warned against it. It is up to Nigerians to decide on what they want.”
AREWA chieftain and former Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, has picked holes in the choice of APC to present a Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying the selection will further divide Nigeria rather than uniting the nation.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described the development as unconstitutional and illegal despite all entreaties to the contrary and urged all patriotic Nigerians to reject the party at the poll.
Also, a human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), has asked Nigerians to reject the APC for fielding a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. Adegboruwa considers the decision “a terrible choice, in one million ways!”
The newspaper says that the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) will join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to mobilise for a solidarity industrial action if the Federal Government fails to address the crisis between it and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Officials of NUTGTWN condemned the government’s “no work no pay” policy on the striking dons when the basis for the strike has not been addressed.
In a statement by the President, John Adaji, to felicitate Muslims on the occasion of Eid el-Kabir, NUTGTWN called on the Federal Government to urgently address the lingering crisis in the education sector.
He said: “We note that despite the efforts of NLC and trade unions in Nigeria’s university system to resolve this crisis, including convening high-powered stakeholders’ meetings, the government has remained recalcitrant and insensitive to the plight of the lecturers and the students by refusing to give the matter the seriousness it deserves. Even more worrisome and provocative is the recent declaration of ‘no work no pay policy by the Federal Government, resulting in the stoppage of the salaries of the striking university workers.”
Adaji explained that as an affiliate of NLC, “we hereby commend the untiring effort and solidarity of NLC led by Ayuba Wabba and other concerned citizens of the country with a view to resolving the lingering crisis in the education sector.”
Also, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened to shut down operations, if the current impasse between ASUU and the government is not conclusively addressed.
NUEE General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, stated, yesterday, that the union would be forced to stay at home with their children if an agreement is not reached by the parties.
The Punch reports that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has warned that a shutdown of manufacturing activities is imminent if nothing is done to address the soaring cost of energy bedevilling the sector.
According to a statement by the Director-General of the association, Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, over the years, the manufacturing sector has been battered by numerous challenges which have reduced the number of industries in Nigeria and converted industrial hubs in many parts of the country to warehouses of imported goods and event centres.
MAN also asked for a policy that would urgently allow companies and airlines to import diesel and aviation fuel respectively from the Republic of Niger and Chad.
MAN said by immediately opening up border posts in that axis for this purpose, the effect of high diesel and aviation fuel prices would be cushioned on the economy.
The association also called for help in saving the remaining manufacturing companies from closing down as a result of challenges arising from the inadequate electricity supply, inaccessible foreign exchange, and a rise in the cost of diesel.
Ajayi-Kadri said there were uncertainties and fear of survival of firms, and expressed fear of a force majeure over increasing diesel prices by 200 per cent.
Findings showed that diesel, which was sold at N266/litre as of October 2021, has recently increased to above N800/litre, which is above 200 per cent.
The newspaper says that five international oil companies operating in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector are to remit an outstanding balance of about N400bn to the Federation Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited this July.
Figures on April 2022 domestic crude oil payable in July 2022 obtained from NNPC on Sunday showed that the companies would pay N399.91bn this month for domestic crude oil sold by the firms in April 2022.
The five oil firms include Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria, as well as First Exploration and Production.
Data from NNPC indicated that N92.64bn for 2.2 million barrels of crude oil would come from Chevron, while N201.49bn for 4.75 million barrels of oil would be paid by Mobil.
Shell and Total would remit N39.04bn and N38.6bn for 948,352 and 949,222 barrels of oil respectively, according to figures obtained from NNPC.
For First E&P, a total of N28.13bn for 650,058 barrels of crude oil would come from the oil firm this July for products sold in April 2022.
In its remarks on the expected payments, the national oil firm explained that the funds were for “April 2022 domestic crude oil payable in July 2022 by NNPC in line with the 90 days payment terms.”
The Nation reports that Nigeria ginger production has been on the rise as Global Ginger Market Report 2021-2027 exceeded $6.82billion in 2020. It is expected that the market will reach $8.46 billion.
The key driver of the global ginger market growth, according to Global Ginger Market Report 2021-2027, is increasing skin problems. Ginger’s powders are used in the cosmetic industry as adding fragrance in soaps and personal care products.
Also, the ginger is used as a condiment or flavouring agent in salad dressings, tomato ketchup and sauces, pickles or curry dishes.
According to Statista, a Germany based international business intelligence platform, Nigeria was the main producer of ginger in Africa as of 2020. The country produced over 734,000 metric tonnes.
In the said year, the firm noted that Africa produced slightly over 856,000 metric tonnes of ginger in total.
The firm said Nigeria’s ginger production volume was 647,041 metric tonnes; 2019, 700,000 in 2018 and 834,634 in 2017.
Globally, Nigeria has the 2nd largest production share of about 16 per cent after India with a production share of 33.9 per cent. In 2016 it was 522,096 metric tonnes.
GIK/APA