 And you're welcome back to the Breakfast and Plus TV Africa. It's now time for Off the Press, the segment on the programme where we take a look at the day's newspapers and make sense of it. And we've invited Mr Chris Wandoo, publisher of CQN News. Good morning. Thanks for joining us. Nice to be on TV this morning. Good morning. Fantastic. Let's begin with a punch newspaper this morning. The story headlines says fuel subsidy rises to 500 billion Naira. NNPC rules out price hike. The writer reads, Nigeria should subsidise production, not consumption. Lack of local refining capacity behind persistent subsidy. Still on oil, oil firms borrowed 130 billion Naira from banks in February, and that's the CBN speaking. Financial autonomy. Jussen disagrees as NGF fixes May date. Weak air conveys state ownership of minerals and government's royalty. Federal government admits revenues crashing, says Nigeria faces hard times. We see a picture of lawyers here, says MBA backs Jussen, vows to force government's compliance. Two nurses, two others, killed and injured, 10 injured in Ogun crashes. Lagos plans establishment of anti-graft agency. Iqiti monarchs, abductors, demand 20 million Naira as anxiety grips family. Oshun hunters engage herdsmen in gun fight, force invaders to flee. Igbo 2023 presidency, now a possibility, that's O'Hanei's speaking. And a sad story here about two cops and seven others killed, as government attacked Anambra and Abia police stations. Those are stories on the punch newspaper. Now to the daily independent, let's see what we can find over here. It says here 10 billion Naira for airports build for concession raises questions. Stakeholders say plans shrouded in secrecy. Also our dissenting views can't rob us of 2023 presidency and that's from O'Hanei's and Igbo. Slain soldiers, police arrest local government officials and two monarchs in Benway state. Also gunmen attack police stations in Abia, Anambra, raised vehicles. States lose 40% revenue to COVID-19 pandemic. That's from the Nigerian Governors Forum. And also ESN won't work with the Bubeagu security outfit says IPOB. INEC reads riot act to parties on violent congresses. We can also find here, governors agree to implement autonomy for state legislature and judiciary in May. So one of the things that we're going to be talking about on the program this morning. Lastly, affinity for factions unite for Dumakins funeral. Those are the big ones on the daily independence. Let's now take a look at the nation newspaper, gunmen kill policemen in multiple attacks on stations. Buildings and vehicles raised to tennis frees and the federal government says it's terrorism. States okay autonomy for judiciary and legislature. Lawyers join judicial workers protest. The minister here saying we shan't request to borrow 50 billion naira for sharing. Asu, Sanu rejects mackin day's order on lautec VC. Governors are now going to protest plant deduction of $318 million. And the finance minister has been asked not to issue promissory notes for disowned legal fees. Terrorist dislodged troops in Dikwa seven killed in herder's attack. Traditional rulers and council workers detained over killing of soldiers in Benrey state. Those are the stories on the nation this morning. All right, let's see what we can find. The guardian news comes up next. Pressure on disposable incomes as unemployment doubles. Also this morning again, twin attacks, rock police divisions in Abia and Anambra. We can also find their governor's promise implementation of financial autonomy as Jusun suspends strike. INEC threatens to sanction parties over violent congresses. And three INEC officials die in burnout road crash. Lastly, tension as suspected, full on the heads men invade Oshoom community shoot three. Mr. Chris Wando, I think let's start with once again stories from the southeast. What exactly would you say is going on? We've heard about these attacks on police stations and police facilities for far too long now. It seems to not be ending. What would you say might be going on? Very much once again. Personally, it's very amazing that the Nigerian police are finding it difficult to even defend themselves against this. And that means worrisome because the security of life and property internally in Nigeria is supposed to be the responsibility of the police. Not that they have a security process, but it's becoming too worrying that they leave the protection of life and parties of ordinary Nigeria. And not the one getting overrun by bandits. And to me is very worrisome. And that's a bigger challenge to the new Inspector General Police acting to do something about it. I don't see any yesterday's attack of particular interest to me. But the one that happened at Opo, the Zona headquarters of zone three, 13 of the Nigerian police, that is the Zona headquarters of that region. And before, we used to have pockets of attacks on just police stations across the South East. But now the fight has been taken to the Zona headquarters. If the Zona headquarters of the Nigerian police is not secure, then you can think of what happened today. And don't forget that also the state command of the police was attacking over a few days ago, really attacked at the personal facility in no way. Mr. Awando, does it seem like there's certain elements trying to weaken the security architecture in the Southeast? Of course, definitely that is the whole idea. The Soviets are some people trying to weaken the security apparatus in the Southeast. And that to me is where they need to nip this in the board. Because it's no longer the ordinary that are not secured. Even the security agencies, from what I had, even policemen are finding it difficult to move around in the Southeast. So don't wear your uniform again. They just put it in line and run around and take care to their stations. Even those at their station are not even feeling secured. That to me is a very, very tough call. And I believe that all the security agencies should assist the police. Since it seems that this is helpless in this situation, and by the DSS, the Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Army and our security NIA, and the rest of them to be able to pinpoint those that are behind these attacks. They can't just come into our police stations, attack the police, keep people, release prisoners, burn vehicles and houses. And just the priority are not wasted. All right, Mr. Ohanju, another big story we've seen across the newspapers and we'll be getting into the details later on on the program is about JUSSEN, Financial Autonomy. We know that yesterday the NBA gathered to do a solidarity walk with JUSSEN. They went to the National Assembly in Abuja to protest, but security officials shot them out. Also members of the NBA in Akura and those states did the same thing. So we're seeing the NBA here now chipping in their contribution to say that they support the independent of the judiciary and they're trying to press the governors and force them to make sure that that works out. I don't know how you interpret this in the light of the fact that the governors here, JUSSEN, have finger the governor saying these, they are the reason why, you know, the independence of the judiciary has not been implemented till now. But what's in the statement from Fahyemi saying the governors are not opposed to it and that they are the ones in the first place or they are the reason in the first place while the executive order was even passed? Even though we had the reason why the governor was in prison, according to the chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum. So why not implement it? That should be the question that should be the governor asks. So that to me is just rhetoric. He's just trying to call out the and ask the question is must JUSSEN go on strike before the governors have to be able to do what they need. The president has signed the executive executive order and it is expected that the governors are supposed to begin implementation of that order. But the people are going to every aspect of our political arm should be independent. The executive should be independent from the judiciary, judiciary from the legislature. That is what the Nigerian Constitution says. So section of the arm of government try to allow itself over and above the other arm of government that in this is is unacceptable. And so it takes just a strike across Nigeria and shoot down of the courts for weeks now before the governors just take it right to do the needful. And this to me is very, very challenging. It is very challenging because it goes to show that the kind of people who have political offices don't know what they're supposed to do because come to take off it. What does it and my problem with that that we're talking of funding of the judiciary. And I believe that since that executive has been has been signed into law by the president, I wonder why the office of the general cannot pay directly into the covers of judiciary. Of course, you know that that of legislation National Assembly have had that kind of autonomy, but this same governor are kicking against those of the state health assembly, as well as the local government. And how can we continue going out for everything good in single try to go on strike. So it's also went on strike. The other one, every kind of process. It is a new kind of man see I'm going to start to do the needful. That to me is not all right. It also shows that the governors seem to want to have a grip on those sectors to have more control over those sectors in their states, I guess, because we've had this discussion about the local governments for a long, long time. And even states that don't even conduct a local government elections, I haven't done that in a long, long while. But I also want to, you know, once again, stick with the southeast. The ESN is in the news this morning on the daily independence saying that they will not work with the Ibubeagu security outfit. What's your reaction to that? And that's from the IPOB, actually. Well, if you know, for sure, the ESN is not recognized by law. Inasmuch as I support the need for them to be able to participate in the current security challenges we have without ESN, it's necessary because all hands must be on deck. It's obvious that our security agencies seem to have the ability to handle this. You see what is happening in the southeast. Not only in the southeast, not west, not east, not central, south, south, and even southwest. But that of, if you know, that of a motorcycle has to go through serial legal, has a serial parking and legal bank to be able to operate. I, in my own personal opinion, I should think that the south is irrespective of the baby with the bat water, which I was, I am looking forward to see governors of the south to be able to have a meeting with ESN irrespective of whatever the ideology is. If the essence of that security is the common goal of securing the south is then all the stakeholders to be able to have a handshake and be able to come together to make sure that every, they cannot be working across board, or else they will be able to achieve anything. So ESN should be able to, there's only one government, and those are the state government's priorities. They cannot do anything without those government. But the government also should also move a bit for the, as the federal report, able to accommodate the areas where they can be of immense value to each other. There's no way that you can be able to, you cannot, you can be in every inch and 20s of the south is not so good. They don't have the manpower capacity, just like ESN. So I should say that I'm looking forward to have a kind of synergy between them and then so that they can get this risk and so that south is can be, south used to be one of the most peaceful region in the whole of Nigeria, but now it seems that it's taking over from the north, it's not west in the area of insecurity and that's in the picture. Okay, let's talk education now. In or your state, we're seeing that the state government and ASU are having quite a face off. So the state governor, Shane McIndy, had issued an order to the vice chancellor of the Laduke Akintola University of Technology, Laotek, asking him to step aside, but ASU has, you know, condemned this, saying the state governor has no rights to do that and that even if he wanted to, you know, issue that step aside order, he should have conferred with the governing council of the school. So this issue now, ASU or your state government, the back enforces all of the papers here. What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Andu? Yes, the state governor, McIndy, is it at all to the new best and I think he has some rights on that issue, but he should not be yielding. You realize what you met upon that you need like the last time, the vice chancellor and the pro chancellor, Barista, Babalaki and all the problems that went with the rest of them at the end of it all. It was the federal government set up a committee to look at the allegations against the vice chancellor of the instep leaders and later it was all that the protest has to leave. Now we have another protest. So I believe the government is able to carry on the legacy along because at the end of it, they are going to give recommendations to the vice chancellor and it is then that the governor can pick out of the choices by the subordinates, not by the governing council. But my question is that they have allegations against the what the governing council done, what did they look into those allegations and what if they put up an investigation and if they did put up an investigation. So there are allegations at the principle of the nature of the government and I think that it nips it in the production that whatever allegations they are placed against the vice chancellor they are investigated and recommendation made to governor, but they are not able to do that. Then the governor has the prerogative according to the constitution establishing the universe. Don't forget this university was a joint university of both Oyo and Oshun state and it was just recently that it was handed over to states because of the for long they have this big thing on funding and the rest of them, but it has not become the sole property of the Oyo government, sorry, and I hope they resolve because the students have been at home for long. It's not good for academic activities. Okay, Miss Awanju, another conflict was seen in the paper still on the front page of the nation newspaper. It reads, governors are going to protest planned deduction of 318 million Naira. So we see here that Ike Chiku is a Chiku S.A.N. is saying that he needs to collect the sum of 318 million Naira from the federation account as legal fees to a judgment creditor. He's saying basically that he offered his services, you know, consultancy and legal services to the 774 local government council in get a refunds of first line chat and the Paris club deduction and that he offered his services through a mandate from the chairman of the board of trustees association of the local government of Nigeria Algan. So he's asking now for 318 million dollars and that's equivalent to 152 million, billion, 640 billion Naira, basically, you know, as legal fees. What do you think about this? He claimed that President Muhammad al-Buhari had since December approved the payment of this money to him, but that through, you know, insurance or promissory notes, but that he's yet to be paid. Now, as we use some and the the letter is I must be waiting for him, but in every issue of this nature, there must be a contract. So definitely a contract must sign if you understand me. There must have been a trap between him and Algan and I think that if there's a breach, then each of the parties should go to court. It is a court pronoun. It is not just if there is a dispute. Is that going into treason? There's not a court arbitration that you've got arbitration. If you also agree during the course of the contract or they go to the point of dispute here, each of that thing cannot tell me what is going to happen. It has to be the court that we have an asset. So I think either Algan or the Landry Court and this on the court pronounce this issue to over 300 million blasts and how rich Algan is. And when we know what is going on within the local government, it's not the same, but if you look at the autonomy and where they've been suffering from funds to even perform the activities. So for the local government chair, Algan, we are going to get over 300 million dollars to be bet for the council to ask for that. They must have seen the appellate and make sure that they have the appellate bet. I think the only place that we can get this result is through the pronouncement of the court. So they should go to the high court to get the result and whatever I said. And anyone that is agree with the high court can go up to the court of appeal and then put Supreme Court punishment on that. Or alternatively, they cannot go through that, they should go through arbitration to get it resolved. All right, let's also throw in one last one from the Daily Independent this morning. And it's talking about states losing 40% of their revenue to the COVID-19 pandemic. It's the Nigerian Governors Forum saying that there. So I want your thoughts on Governors' internally generated revenue and their inability to improve on the IGR year after year. Do you think that their hands are tied because of the structure and the way that the country has been run? Or is it just lack of creativity and innovation that has led to this? Also, bear in mind, your state has been praised for increasing its IGR by about 14% in the last one year. Yes, to be able to lock the answers to get direct lack of creativity, the lopsidedness of our institution and the like. But for me, I think the issue of lopsidedness of the Constitution is the problem. I'm of this thought that we should have a structural system. We are still able to look at the resources. Don't forget the federal government is the octopus in this, in this when it comes to the Constitution. And there are areas where it is only an exclusive right of the federal government and also areas in the state and federal government have a joint state. When it comes to mining and natural resources on the ground, the states don't have a say on that. And I think that is where we need to rejig our Constitution to give them rights. We can go to pre-1960, or nice is the first probably, we have to be able to look at resources within the area and get them and also pay a certain amount to the federal system, but that is not what is necessary in that. That is what should be. The great governments are not the leaders of leadership on me also because they are not creative enough. There are so many ways they can be able to raise their idea. What they do every month is send their commission of finance to Abuja to go and share out of whatever we got from oil, from FRS and the customs and the rest of them, which is doing it on a daily basis. So we cannot continue and we make going cap every month to Abuja to collect this from because the funds are not even bought from me. The federal government is borrowing at an astronomical rate. So they don't even have anywhere to finance their activities. So the governments have to be very, very creative. But what also, how do you get creativity when even the economy is not in, there is no job for people. If you are going to any water areas, are you looking at enough tax? Are you going to ask people that don't have one? Probably we are having one of the highest level unemployment rate in the whole world. At 8.9 has been declared as the poverty heaven of the world. So you can say that it's a very bad, the economy team should be able to, I don't know what they discuss with that governance forum. It doesn't used to be like this. What some of the things they should be thinking is having a cross-facilization of, from other states they are very, very creative and they are not going about it rather than just eating and just drinking tea and the rest of them. All right, we need to wrap up. To be fair, the economies of all states are not the same. Lagos cannot necessarily compare to a KB state or something like that. But at the same time, I think I would just quickly say before we go that there is a very, very important conversation on blocking leakages through which funds have been wasted even on the state level. They are not doing enough of that. And at the same time, they are not investing enough in the infrastructure of each state to be able to raise more money. But thank you very much, Chris Wando, for speaking with us. I certainly agree with you. That's why I said that there is no way we can compare reverse, Lagos, Ghanu and other state boards. Also, you can be able to cross, look at, digig yourself, talk to yourself and see areas of every state has its own what it can use to be able to raise its high. Every single state in Nigeria has that. So there are some states in the North, what they depend on is rise. Some can look at their pre-court, instead of being wasted. There's so much stake in a pre-court and they can so much money from the North in terms of animal husbandry and the rest of them. South Wales, Koko is still in the East. The palm oil is there. So I think there's so much that they can do. They are just busy. All the work is for our budget and share the money and wait for the next one. Thank you very much. We always enjoy speaking with you. Thanks for joining us once again this morning. Yes, good morning. All right. So we'll take a break here and bring you stories from the past. Stay with us.