 Well back with the breakfast and plus the Africa many thanks for staying with us and also joining we have Okunabon Kataria who joins us this morning for Off the Press. Okunabon, it's good to have you join us. Happy Monday. What's going to say happy holiday. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning Koti. Mr. Kota, you're looking impeccable as always. Thank you. Thank you. All right then let's take a look at the leadership newspaper as we have in front of us. 2023 Presidency in Supremacy Contest for Kano Atiku Tsunubu Godeti. That's how the leadership captions it. I won't be a part-time president hibernating in Dubai always. The APC flag bearer is quoted to see empty Kano streets signpost your defeat ex-vice president's fire back. We own Kano, you're just fighting in vain. NMPP tells APC and PDP. I'm just wondering what happens with the peace accord that is signed every other time and the fact that hey the issue should be issue-based campaign and not you know all of these free volatiles. Atiku's picture are missing on reverse PDP branded vehicles. I saw a couple of them and I'm wondering what could be going on. We're not aware of US security alert to citizens that's what the police is quoted to see and so Kofi, I'm not sure if you saw that there was a planned attack in Abuja that I've seen several emails and all of that but of course the police is saying that they're not in the know. Niger SACS 27 judicial workers for certificate racketeering and just before we move away manufacturers lament high interest rates seek friendly policies and another says travel ban federal government evacuates 542 Nigerians stranded in UAE. Three justices who sat on Namdi Kano's appeal transferred and the LEA arrest four kingpins over 16 tons of drugs in a Lagos and at Abuja. Don't worry it's not in you know that particular area where you think of Kofi but that's the much we can take at this point in time on the leadership. All right moving on from the leadership let's quickly go to the punch this morning with the following headlines. FG subsidy spending to hit 11 trillion error in 2023. Several riders to that so look at that as if time permits. FG may announce airport concession winners this week. FCT risks attacks as US DHQ LA spheres what Messi was just referring to earlier. Punch investigations editor when stopped West African journalism price I think that should be the the one that was held in a crack and this week or last week rather 539 stranded Nigerians couldn't get UAE work permits this is never saying that kerosene price source by 118 percent feels anxiety. I'm sure they don't intend that pun uh over there that to buy jails Nigerian lady for filming more treatment family protests an ex-convict rapist 12 year old girl uh people rather to death in Ogul really sad one there. Away from the punch we have the nation newspaper the nation says security alert in a border to for stall attacks by bandits. US United Kingdom issue travel advice no cause for alarm says the defense headquarter but the police is saying they are not in the know I don't quite understand. Flood Lagos begins dredging of canals Tunibu's 100 million for can was given. That's what you find right there and just before we move away from the nation you find 542 stranded Nigerians evacuated from UAE telecom sector contributes 70 billion dollars to economy says NCC investors apathy threatens 10.78 trillion nair deficit funding that's the much we can take this morning on the nation. All right um let's go to the guardian like uh cholera cases a death surge and made nationwide flooding cholera cases deaths surge and made nationwide flooding so many riders under that uh canal anxiety supreme court has FG's appeal today. Youth race concern over 2023 elections as group offers path for peaceful exercise and uh final two uh from the guardian youth ban politicking in Inigo community over bad roads interesting one there and US raises the alarm of a possible attacks in Abuja and I think that is a good way to introduce our guests and into the conversation upon a boy in criteria public affairs analysts amongst other thing Mr. Secretary what are your thoughts on what the papers are saying is a terror alert by the United States issued to its citizens in Nigeria and in particular in the federal capital territory Abuja um one of the papers I think it's the nation also said that the uh the the punch sorry that the military Nigerian army is allying fears what are your thoughts on this? That's good but the United States to have um issued that warning it has there's some information at his disposal that must have informed the warning uh the Nigerian government will always want to dismiss it or to a very extent uh try to convince Nigerians that those threats don't exist in all just in the youth to use our mana anyway to tell you that they are top of the situation as we always say in this country but the truth is I would rather defer to the trust to the warning by the United States because uh that is one country that does not just talk without power so definitely uh they are calling on Nigerians to be very careful and you don't even need the warnings from the United States to know that lives and properties are threatened on daily basis not everyone one minute in this country if you I don't need to think of anything without one issue of uh hidden have been banned three attacks even by the bandits or terrorists or they won't sponsor by the state like what you had in uh Airborne you see when the obedience went on on uh will I call it a rally or whatever you call it so the threats are there you don't need anybody to tell you don't need any country to remind you that there are threats but I think what the United States is talking about it's not just this normal threat of um they are talking about serious threats like the ones that have been carried out by uh the bandits the terrorists and the kidnappers okay but I like you to also respond uh in that regard talking about the security alert that's been put out by the United States the Nigerian police is also saying that they are not aware of it because they were contacted you know to respond to what are the plans to curtail all of this I'd like you to share your thought on this what does this mean I don't that's what I said I said you know the Nigerian police is training ignorant or maybe probably genuinely but I doubt this is uh a genuine the denial is genuine because the Nigerian police is really wants to work is good at the job that's the point I'm making like I said I said but this is not one one in that can be dismissed by anybody if the Nigerian police is not aware of the uh threats then no problem now they have been told so they have to ensure uh to and they have to be sure that and they will do whatever about their disorder to step it up if at all they can't like I said the United States I strongly believe in the veracity of his claims because it is one state that will not just make a statement that it is not quite sure then the Nigerian police is saying it is not aware no problem now you have been briefed you have been told now you are aware so uh you must ensure that whatever the threats are I think this will also work with the informant that is the United States also work with the informant to ensure that they gather more fast with the view to sticking up whatever threats that are imminent all right then on the punch the federal government's uh subsidy spending to hit 11 trillion in 2023 your thoughts yes 11 trillion in 2023 uh it was their timeline but is it before me tonight I don't know but if it is if there's a timeline my daddy's subsidy is just one happening is it is one credit trade another new by government functionaries and their cabals to miss our credit right uh the government will stop at nothing I mean this is a government that initially did space the issue of subsidy said I was not like subsidy subsidy was a fraud it came in it did not just continue with the subsidy but it has increased the amount of time so if you ask me I think uh if it's the 10 million trillion this is the last month this is the last opportunity for them to continue to spew whatever they have to spew from the treasury and of course you know they'll always have a name for it and that means is the subsidy I also read that they're talking about time around maintenance now for the refineries this time around maintenance has been on for years most of this government the criticism government this government came inherited it I'm glad to be standing the promise it is made came inherited it and we've never done and I was without the refineries being turned around is it so the nntc the oil sector the food sector is definitely seen as a set I learned by government functionaries and their cronies to fleece our trade is right there is no sincerity of people even in the talk of the so-called subsidy they are talking about it's also the microcopy few making a lot of money from it and that is why you find out that the government is really interested in issue of subsidy I'm less interested in the issue of funding around the refineries all right let's go over to the nation newspaper I I'm tempted to start with the story on the health of Bola Mettinubu who is the APC presidential candidate he says I'm fit to rule he's shown that he's really aware of the conversations everywhere and rumors about his health and of course some his opponents have used that to make political gain but he was speaking as captured by the nation newspaper at a dinner organized by the carnal business community council in his honor and he says quote I am more than healthy to lead Nigeria if elected at the February 26 presidential poll he said and I think even at his unveiling of his his manifesto renewed hope 2023 last week he also asked him do I look sick to you what are your thoughts on this open up on the time he wasn't expecting an answer definitely because Bola Mettinubu looks sick so well he's in the midst of his supporters and loyalists and what do you expect it's like shit and nothing is impossible am I just well am I but what do you expect your possible to say those are you are good you're the best in fact got a little bit of this thing by sending you down so those are a very good question and he knew definitely that they were going to the rest of us going to be positive that would be true about but the Bola Mettinubu is sick it's not in doubt everyone knows that Bola Mettinubu is sick and we all pray for long life we all pray for recovery no doubt about that but we don't want the Yeratua experience or the Buarit experience at all I don't pray for the Yeratua experience for him some of the Buarit is still alive but we don't want the Buarit experience you can I mean we all are well at the Bola Mettinubu constantly traveling out of the country for medical reasons you know and what we have to describe why do you see a doctor like Christ said he's only the sick that needs the physician why do you go see a doctor is he going to say it's forever like check up and check up you spend months and months and months over there in the hospital you can go and check up you have to spend up to two days in the hospital what kind of check up he's saying it's not about about it's not a wrestling contest or so nobody says it's a wrestling contest but you know the office of the president is so taxing and so demanding that you have to be physically and mentally alert and well open up on Guntara we're not we're not in possession of any medical reports in the killing that he's sick I mean if you talk about maybe sickness that everybody has from time to time you know but if it's something that is um affecting his performance his ability to think and to function I don't know if you are in possession of his medical records let me put you there's no medical report whatever is it okay now I deal with you why would he bring a medical report to you are you a son are you a doctor lawyer so why do you keep visiting why are you frequent they have to be a problem for you to frequent the hospital you don't frequent hospitals you don't frequent police stations you don't frequent except there is a need for it not a one thing need for it you know if you have to go for medical checkup of course it's to be intermittently it's also the episode is not consistently if you visit consistently if you're seen at the police station consistently and you're not the lawyer you're not the policeman then that's if you have a problem even if you're a lawyer you have a problem for you to be seen that consistently which means you're a policeman otherwise you have a problem while you're working there if you're seen at the hospital you have a medical officer there what are you doing there even if you have somebody there you cannot you cannot be too consistent maybe just for a period you're visiting a sick patient a lot more but in this case you're all flying now we see pictures in the social media we see pictures not once not twice so how else do you want any other proof it's obvious you need to make further proof that the man is not physically found I'm not a mentalist physically found but that will have an effect on the message because once you are not sound physically what takes you to a living you are not even happy and your concentration will be more on your health and that is why we always see that is the example sorry that is why that is set him up his deputy vice president has practically doing everything look at well how long how long does it take to perform the uh uh inauguration of the efficiency that's because of his health is it let's call it the state all right open up on katar you can see you can see his hand check tube check it when he's holding something or when he's talking let's call it the state open up on katar let's move away uh from that I mean we have a lot of issues that we should talk about but time is not a friend but I'd like you to share your thoughts on this one I mean the leadership caption set up as a battle of supremacy for khanu where you have a tico and tunable going very dead in terms of you know exchange of words one is saying that I won't be part of a part-time president hibernating in dubai as always that's the apc flag bearer talking and empty khanu streets sign post your defeats that's what you know ex vice president fires back what are your thoughts with this we have a lot of issue flooding environmental issues security you know revenue issues should this political parties be engaged in in in trade awards well the truth about it is that I think it should be issue-based the campaign should be issue-based and they shouldn't actually the personal life but there are times you cannot actually digest these issues at all because if you have another president that is always out of the country like we have now the mr president who are you who is always out of the country all you need to do like I said on this program before if the commissioner a commissioner in Ghana or in kutunu if his son is having a wedding where they will want to go even if he's not invited you call them to say you must invite me so we don't want for the president anymore I probably that's why they say you don't need to we don't need a president of gravity in dubai at what are you but if I want to ask a question which is better a president that will go to dubai and come back and the president that will go to the hospital and then there which is better open up but that will be a conversation for you the man that he said I don't want somebody that I did in dubai we agree I also agree which is we don't want that we also don't want somebody that will be constantly visiting the clinics in long gone and farry but then in in team office and then finally I will ask them to ensure that their campaigns are issue-based because this that like I said you cannot complete diversity because if your colleagues probably don't have the resources of our country once you're a president everything you do is the sponsor they're taking care of by the country so it affects but it should be should be we have what in we have security challenges we have poverty we have all kinds of challenges so I think what our presidential candidate should do right now is to tell them how they are going to address this issue nobody's really interested in but my dear you cannot ask like I said you can't really dismiss you too if you have a stick president what kind of people address the issue the president is not actually out of the country so that's why I say you cannot completely dismiss them there is as much as you think that there is a given that they're extremely important extremely important because you all who've seen a sick president report one died one is still in office we've seen a situation where a president is always out of the country and we've seen the consequences we are the result of that is gluten has took advantage of it and they've messed up but we have to go we have to go interesting points you've made but we don't have like you said you know from your observation you're saying the man is ill but we are saying here we don't have that information yet so that's your view yeah totally you know the view I know you're Africa we want to thank you so much for your time like I told you when I come to what I call nick that hat of you for personal use thank you so much all right thank you so much for your time we'll discuss that later thank you very much upon I won't go tarry and that's the size of off the press for this morning we'll be back after a short break to discuss climate change but we have a look at what happened today in history