 Welcome back to the Breakfast and Plasty of Africa. It's now time for Off The Press and let's say hello to our guest, Mr Eay Tok, a public affairs analyst. Good morning, thank you for joining us. Morning, always my pleasure to be with you. Thank you. Let's start with the punch newspapers. Headline says Petroleum Industry Act states tackle federal governments today. As Federal Accounts Allocation Committee meets, NBA advices governors will review the law at FAAC today and disclose our position. That's according to the Benway Commissioner. NBA Uzakamed tells state governments to challenge Petroleum Industry Act in court. Above that headline, it reads World Bank, AFDB, others to fund 4.89 trillion NARA budget deficit. Call for self-defense, ACF, middle belt, back massary or Hanezi, FLEASE government. Socapu falls Amsban and Socapu says they will challenge Southern Governors Amsban in court. IT investments dropped by $53 million in one year, PIA full implementation in 2022. Nigeria loses $50 billion investments. The long bags warring groups, gunmen, kill five, four missing. FAC approves 658 million NARA for sniper dogs. Education, others, 21 billion NARA. Dr. Strike, NMA meets NAD Friday. Patients resort to self-care. We also see APC releases timetable for September 4 local government congresses and all your youth protest WASSE candidates killing. Blame Amuteku. All right. Now moving on to the Daily Independent. Big story you can see there says, expect benefits of Petroleum Industry Act from 2023, says the FIRS. Targets 10.104 trillion NARA revenue in 2022, says Twitter, Facebook, coming into tax net. Uncertainty on their investment in oil industry gone, and that's from President Buhari. OK Staring Committee and Petroleum Industry Act says host communities will get real lasting benefits. Police deploy 1,000 for Oluwawari's Saturday coronation. And the flood hits 32 states as Buhari child's governors for ignoring warning. APC fixes local government area congresses for September 4. And COVID-19, Oshimba Joharps on need for innovation and action in vaccine manufacturing. We are working to regulate social media, says minister, and also courts rejects AGF. DSS plea to dismiss Sunday Bohosuit, says restraining order still subsists. The auditor generals in the news this morning saying 4.973 trillion NARA missing from Federation account. Also FECOK's 658 million NARA for deployment of dogs to Lagos Abuja airports. OK, all right, those are the stories on the Daily Independent. Let's turn to the nation newspaper Buhari. $50 billion investment lost in 10 years without oil sector law. Silver's implementation panel on PIA gets 12 month mandate. Declare Bonnie led caretaker panel illegal, APC chief tells court. APC council congresses for September 4. Gunmen kill 17 in Zamfara, Plato states. 50 abducted. Courts tolerance down government's request to dismiss Iburo's suit. Gunmen attack empty Bolion van in Undo. NNPC targets adventures in gas fired 5,000 megawatts. FEC approves 21.11 billion NARA for aviation education, others contracts. And also Unilag reopens. Those are the stories on the nation newspaper. The Daily Trust comes up next. Doubts trail surrender of Boko Haram members. Repentant fighters could be deceptive, says a traditional ruler. We will not forgive them, IDPs and residents say. And also we are sure they are insurgents. Defense headquarters. Bandits kill seven Nigerian soldiers. Three villagers abduct 17 others in Katsina. NNPC partners sign 50 megawatts mid-degree power project pact. And FIA grips Zamfara communities and as new armed group emerges. Despite dropping inflation rate, prices of goods and food stuff on the rise. Two years after, constituents lament as fate of 14 Edo lawmakers elect hands. And Bwari to attend Son's wedding as activities begin in Bici today. All right, those are the stories we can take on the Daily Trust. Good morning, Mr Nyayatok. Thanks for joining us once again. Good morning once again and always a pleasure to be on CLAWS TV Africa. Good to see you. I think we can start with the one on the Daily Independent from the Auditor General, saying 4.973 trillion Nair missing from the Federation account. You know, some of these things I find it difficult to know where to start from. Why would government always come up with all these figures to the public? Is it that they have no idea of what to do in the sense that if something is missing, my common sense tells me that the first thing you do is call the necessary investigating officers. When that's been done, we take the second step of trying to ascertain if this is a crime or if it is a mistake. If it is a mistake, we carry out institutional correctional, you know, dynamics, we activate it. If it's a crime, we call in the prosecuting agencies. And what we should be hearing is that these people have been jailed on account of these, then they can tell us the actions that they took. That, in my opinion, is what governance is all about. But when you come to the floor of the house or come to the nation and tell them that, oh, this amount of money is missing, I ask a simple question. To what end? Is it for you to get the sympathy of Nigerians? Is it for us to say, hey, so terrible? Is it for us? Why are they telling us this? Is it for us to be more careful? Is it for us to lose more interest in government? Is it for us to doubt them some more? What is the underlying intention of the auditor general to let us know that he's doing his work? He's been able to unravel some things. Are we the people he should send such information to? So maybe you guys can help me because sometimes I actually find it a little difficult to understand how this will operate. I wish we knew because I'm also as confused as you are. So it's probably the last one, the auditor general trying to let Nigerians know that he's doing his job. But once again, of course, as expected, not very much will be done after a headline like this. As expected, not very much will be done. That is unfortunately the sad reality that we face as Nigerians. And think about that statement. It's depressing. Now, if we are the system that we know that, wow, this has been said before we can say Jack, we would get the second part of it. I can live with it. But when the conclusion is that unfortunately not much will be done, it's depressing. And when you realize this amount of money and what people are going through anyway, let's go on. I think as some other matters arise, we'll be able to take on. Yes. Okay. We see the story of a Sunday. And we also know that Sunday will go here. His lawyer actually filed a suit asking the Ohio State High Court in the Badon to stop hearing the case instituted against him by the federal government. But the court in Ohio State rejected the request saying that it would go ahead to hear the suit, to hear all the sides regarding this matter. And apparently what's still happening regarding this case is that Malami has asked for time extension for them to be able to further process all opposition to Igboho's application. And we know that Igboho was actually arrested in Kutunu in the Republic after being on the ground for 19 days. So what this means then is that the court's case will still go on and we're yet to see the end of the legal battles between the federal government of Nigeria versus Sunday. Isn't it? Yeah, in one sense it is. On the other hand, I'm asking myself a very, very simple question. What am I supposed to take on that as a Nigerian? Am I trying to see justice can be served? What am I trying to get out? My mindset is actually very different on this matter as you would have realized by now. I'm just asking myself, where do I draw a line between stories, gist and life being dealt with on a daily basis? Let me come up with a conclusion that on account of this, there is a strategic move by government to ensure that the lives and properties of every Nigerian, that the freedom of every Nigerian, that the rights of every Nigerian is guaranteed. If that is my take from it, then maybe that's great. But if it's another story, another gist, then really honestly at my age, I think I'm tired of those stories. Okay, so I want us to talk something more nationalistic. It's the PIB. Finally, it was signed or assented by the President. But the reactions that it has have been missed. First of all, we have stories that state governors have been urged to go ahead and challenge that in court. It says the National MBA actually advises governors to do that, as well as OZECOME telling state governors to challenge this in court. First of all, state governors are supposed to meet on this today with the FAAC. So they're saying that lots of stakeholders in this matter have been sidelined and that if they couldn't solve this matter before it was passed that it can do so in court. Two things come straight at me. The first is we have people in government that really don't understand why they are there in the first instance. Processes of government is so clear cut. We have the three arms of government, the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. The legislature has a process of law making. This process is sustained and fortunately for the governors, they literally control the legislatures. They sleep on duty. They keep quiet. The bill is put before the House. It goes through the first reading, it goes through the second reading. It's committed to the committee. It goes through public hearing. It comes back to line by line before a final decision is made for goodness sake. I can understand the common man that does not really have as much access to these people because like the PIB, we all know what the popular opinion was and that at the end of the day the lawmakers did what they wanted to do. Now that's different from the governors because the lawmakers, over 90% of them are literally in the pockets of the governors. So when your lawmaker was doing this, I want to know how many governors called their lawmakers and presented the position of the state. How many of the governors called their lawmakers and had their own in-house public hearing so that the articulated position of the state is what is given to the lawmakers and they go to the chambers because one of their core functions is that of representation. They say, my people, not me, what it cares what your opinion is, my people say on this matter they stand on this. If that is done, then the governors know that they've done their best. The PIB, I'm from the Niger Delta like you all know and I've been in Uyo for a very long time now. Yet I can't remember the government of a Kwaibong state calling us together on this matter, taking a corporate decision, communicating it to our lawmakers and say this is where we stand. At the end of the day, this bill is passed. You want to start this new process or one-to-one challenging court. It's a legal process. It's an allowed process. It's okay. But what it will achieve is what I don't know and I cannot speculate. So for me, I wish them well on that score. But if we talk about the PIA, I think it's not PIA. In Nigeria, we always say something is on the double, PIA-PIA. And if you add a gut to it, then it means something else. But let's look at the PIA on its surface. If we are to talk about that, I don't know what the time is, then we will also look at one or two things concerning that because I have one or two strong opinions on that. Like one of our guests said yesterday, it seems like a lot of the people in the National Assembly are representing the apolitical parties and not representing the people who put them there. It's a valid, valid observation and it's a very wrong. When you talk of representation as one of the three commandates of lawmakers, that representation is that of the people which is the essence of democracy. That's why a lot of money is voted to them to have constituency consultations. So they are mainly reporters of the minds of the people and not people who are there to do the meetings of their party. As soon as you step into that chamber, red or green, you cease to be partisan. Let's quickly move on to Zamfara State. It says on the Daily Trust, fear grips Zamfara communities as new armed group emerges. Can you hear us? Yes, yes, I can hear you very well. Go ahead. I wanted you to respond to that story. You see, there is a cycle that we shouldn't, I'm not a security person, but certain things are just generic, so to speak. Once there is a group and there is an enterprise, it's just like in politics. Sooner or later, there's going to be new APC, new PDP, new this, new that, because people look at power and there's always this concept of monkey the work, baboon the job. So sooner or later, instead of right from heaven, you know, Satan said, look, I'm disimportant, why can't I also be the boss? That's just a statement and you know how you rebel against God. When it comes down, the Boko Haram or the insurgents or the terrorists and everything, they are never going to be monolithic for two reasons. One is reason of greed, the second is reason of strategy. So I think that we ought to look at how to infiltrate their ranks just like they are coming back to infiltrate our ranks by way of the so-called repentants. So we need to be a few steps ahead. So we need to start to have people in government who understand that and strategy and not people who through thinking is just their belly and their pocket. And within that context, anything goes so long as they benefit at the end of the day. They are even willing to allow insurgency to thrive. If by so thriving, they can use it as a means of security votes to get a lot more money. So all they think of is money. We need to bring out a new generation of Nigerians that think in terms of the people and service and this is possible. And unless we understand this narrative that the people in power largely, with all due respect to a few exceptions that we have, are largely thinking of themselves, their pockets, their bellies. And we need to start to evolve and change that narrative. And the time to do this now, I tell people, go and join a political party. They're a good person. There's something I said, let me end on this note. There's something I said to an Uber driver that brought me back yesterday from the airport. And I told the driver, I said, what do you think of politics? The driver said, no, no, Mio, I can't get involved in that. I said, okay, I like the idea that you buy a new car and you don't care who drives the car. Anybody can say, no, I said, that's what it is. Government drives you. Government drives your life. And you are so intelligent that you don't care who drives that car. You just say, wow, we have never thought of it that way. Orga Natruo, I've never ever thought of it that way. This government, they can just do one policy today and there's no Uber again. They can do one policy and then you can, they can even say ladies cannot drive in Nigeria again. Orga, that's true. And I think, I hope Nigerians can wake up to this mindset that government is the driver that drives our lives. And we can no longer allow anybody to just get in there because we think that politics is dirty. What is it not dirty? And when we do this, we start to think in terms of what governance is all about. Service to the people as different from private business. Private business things of personal profit. Government things of general good. And whoever gets into the government must have the concept and the mindset of general good and not personal profit. And they, 90% of government is on personal good and doesn't work that way. Alright Miss Sanyi Aitok. Lastly, I still want us to talk about security. And it's taking a closer look on the headline on the Daily Trust that says, doubts, trail surrender of Bokora members. I spoke about this extensively yesterday on the breakfast. But I want us to focus on a part here where Daily Trust interviewed internally displaced persons who were chased out of their homes because of the Bokoram insurgency. So hearing from them, they said that it's a shame that the government said they want to accept repentance Bokoram tourists and reintegrate them into society when them themselves have been in IDP camps for years, as much as seven years, they have not been reintegrated into society. So I don't know how you come in regarding this. Does it seem like, actually the own words of the government has been unfair, seems to be pampering these terrorists while they're still languishing there and suffering in IDP camps? My sister, if you want to hear the very honest truth from me, I really don't know what the policy of government, what the interests of government towards these terrorists, that they cannot be declared terrorists. Number two, they are using everything to try to, it's like either they are paying them lots of money or they are treating them like they are really endangered species that need to be protected. I've not seen a government that comes out on the insurgents and I hate to think that this is an oversight. I think there's something deeper and more fundamental. Look at the people in the camps. These are people who were killed, chased out of their homes, displaced. And then tell me how you will feel when you hear that the man that killed your parents, the man that chased you out of your farm, the man that has made life miserable to you for the past seven years is being courted, is being brought to kind of reintegrate them into society. While you are still abandoned, the victim is abandoned, the aggressor is being appealed at and being appeased. He just doesn't add up. Maybe there's something I'm not seeing. He just doesn't add up. Our guest yesterday, it's still the same discussion but I want you to respond to something that we heard yesterday. The guest that we had spoken with said that some of these people who have been reintegrated or been surrendering or being forgiven by the government are people who are victims of failure of government and so they were kidnapped and forced into terrorism and so the government cannot necessarily just jail them or punish them or kill them because they were forced into terrorism. What's your response to that? What a brilliant explanation. They must have engaged a consultant to give them that amazing narrative. I think they must have done such thorough research to come to the point where they are able to sift this person from that person. How they arrived at that is mind-boggling. But let me say this and I want us to think of it very seriously. There are two parts of this terrorism. One is ideology. Two is enterprise. One is ideology. Two is enterprise. Anything that is enterprising, even when we started shooting armed robbers, it did not stop armed robbery because of and you cannot even compare armed robbery to kidnapping. Armed robbery is hard work, little benefit. Kidnapping is soft touch, so much benefit as the enterprise of these terrorists. The second is the ideology. And ideology is so, so, so difficult to extract. And I want to see the plan of government through national orientation agency to reorientate the minds to give a counter narrative to this ideology. I'm not saying that you are coming to tell me, oh, these are the people that were forced. You were there, right? Let's take care of the people that were displaced. Make them happy first. Make the people that go in there to be very, very unattractive. And God of mercy and grace will know how to sift the sheep from the wheat amongst them. Those who are innocent, God knows how to get across to them. But you as man, take care of the one that you have direct control over, the IDPs. And don't go and try to convince them that these are the people that were victims and forced into it. That doesn't make sense. All right, Miss Aayitok. We thank you very much for your thoughts on Off the Press this morning. Have a great day. Thank you and same to you both. All right. Stay with us. We'll take a short break. When we come back, we're moving to today in history and sharing with you things that happened on this day many years ago. I'm going to go back to 2003. Oh, really? Or any of them. We'll be right back.