 many thanks for joining us this morning on the breakfast we head straight to looking through the pages of national delis we call it after-press okinawan Katara joins us this Monday morning okinawa thank you for joining us and happy holiday good morning okinawa you're looking quite splendid this morning well i'm just taking after you now brother all right let's start off with the punch quickly for the want of time fresh trouble hits article over anti-euroba Igbo comment to nubu's obese camp nmpp lambas ex-vice president over statement pdp candidate likely bridge section 97 of electoral act fine may apply article campaign in kuduna to nubu meets northern collision apc misleading Nigerians these are the riders you find underneath and the greed collapses 98 times under boharie and meet 1.52 trillion bailout boharie budgets 248 billion nara for legos ibadon expressway others vacity whole emergency meeting on resumption they're talking about asu here federal government says flood killed 603 and blamed states and local government and cbni 7,740 agents to drive e naira adoption federal government reopens dangote cement parties to continued talks oye banji freezes ikete account and wants bank well legos female driver kills a pregnant woman two passengers very saddening but that's the much we can take this morning all right let's move over from the punch newspaper and we take stories from the leadership uh interesting ones the lead story the leadership this morning uh bagudu kato or bagauda kautho rather america's grave silence worries nigerian media we write this to that ux ex-yours envoy russell hanks fingered in doba derbra hotel bombing kato's death for one month ux embassy has refused to respond to leadership queries and kato's wife n uj others insist american government fg must speak and since the paper has made an internal decision to focus on that bagaudu kautho america's grave silence worries nigerian media details on page four of the leadership more from that paper nnpp advices against endorsing any candidate for north's interest 2023 editors security chiefs election managers examine political landscape in maiden report agora policy calls for swift bold economic reforms 2023 apc tinnaboo others wrap a tiku over north's choice comment i think is that uh uh you know to say something through his folks people about that and to clarify what he meant 2022 floods 603 dead 1.3 million displaced nationwide wide fg that president has been has recently spoken about this finally spoken about this way about jay assumes office as akiti governor and these are some of the headlines on the front page of the leadership we turn attention quickly to uh the guardian newspaper where the boat caption says niger's hunger level serious ranks 103 out of 121 countries uh talking about world world's day for poverty eradication that's boldly written underneath for intent nigerians leave below two dollars daily you and chief cd tax cdd tax leaders on bending on binding worsening poverty curve and antonia gutter is let us sign let us consign poverty to pages of history there are several riders underneath food crisis as was in hunger in nigeria and just before we move away you find flooding to impact poverty demand value in 18 states just again rivers rang fest in fiscal performance according to budget uh that's the much we have this morning on the guardian all right and quickly take the final paper the nation has some interesting stories the first one there uh we'll focus on the pdp by the nation outrage over articles don't vote for yoruba ego remark i think it is one that one needs to analyze very carefully to understand the whether it's the way it is ohanese mogalu others knock pdp presidential candidate uh akiti governor yabangio unfolds plan you can see him waving there and we had some criticism of him this morning but wish him the best uh telecoms active voice subscribers hit 206.4 million ligos leads with 753 billion our igr collection tinnable to interact with northern leaders today forex crisis worsens as naira reserves drop to lowest levels uh we need some we desperately need some good economic news rivers runs first in fiscal performance budget federal government plans special fund for flood victims 603 lives lost to disasters 22.5 million displaced really sad one day and we'll leave it at that as we welcome and introduce our guests this morning up on abo and kota republic first and the stem based in kota rea what i thought some of the papers i've carried this morning as a reaction in the outrage over ticoboca is a so-called alleged remarks where he's allegedly have said that nigerian should not vote for uroba or ibo candidates um is this what you find to be the case for whatever reason the truth is it is insidious to consider the sensitive political environment it is expected that as a presidential candidate you dream your words from the word basket the right word from the word basket you know all words are in the basket so if you have to come together effectively without any noise in the channel you have to use the right words because meaning is not in the message but in the message user and so if the generated meaning is misunderstood by the target audience of course these are the kind of problems you're going to have but if you ask me i think i think that statement believe me was talking to target audience you know the message for the target audience is quite different from the message for everybody and he of course was quite the previous of the fact that at this point in time whatever he says will be immediate and number two uh his opponents the statement will be given in general i ask for the germans who are probably are not politically affiliated uh if you will give me the penetrating talks in other words you just have to be careful you don't talk of the select audience now because i think the problem felt he was talking to the not on us i was trying to let them understand that i i am going to be there in their own image like a father who is talking to a son who will now say i think nobody will sacrifice as much as i'm going to sacrifice for you so you better respect you better listen to me you better obey me i think it was in that context but it has been catastrophized by the media you know not just the media i want to make it easier i think it's wrong to say the media by politicians who are on the other side of the divide after all what he said cannot in any way be compared to tinnitus the climate statement when it is made to the pdp member to start even his wife few years ago said all those who are not going to vote for who are not going to support us they're going to be thrown out of legacy even tinnitus himself what happened after the declaration i don't know i'm not i'm not talking about the current job yes i think what is the declaration of the when they comment there there is a word for it for when they comment their campaign you know what happened but those who never turned up they went and locked their shops legacy so i mean what that you were said which to me was a sleep what that you were said compared to what tinnitus there is the apocity the noise they are making about the content so it is completely nothing tinnitus owned is highly inflammatory highly inflammatory and highly provocative but in article's case as well for the mischief makers he could be excused by saying he's talking to a target audience where he's saying look i am closest to you and don't forget that even in that speech he also said i am a pannan curia he said it is that i am a pannan curia all right and he has not just said it he has demonstrated it he has an Igbo wife and so on so i don't think we should just i mean that the apc should start uh uh uh gloting and jubilating that that's okay let us even assume without considering that that was an error that is the only error he has made for but the apc has been planning all kinds of all kinds of errors videos every don't know if we should be making comparison about errors at this point an error is an error however we need to move on your prison on your paper you said the apc you mentioned that's what i'm saying it you said the condemn this so that's what i'm I'm not going to justify it, but even at that, yes. The Daily Trust newspaper this morning, I beg your pardon, The Guardian newspaper, talks about Nigeria's hunger level, very serious and ranks as the country ranks 103 out of 121 countries. Now this is according to statistics and research that's been put out, but however it might also be interesting to note that Nigeria as a populous nation previously ranked 103 out of 16 countries that was in 2021 and 98 out of 107 in 107 countries in 2020. Now we are still ranking 103 out of 121 countries. I'd like you to share your thoughts briefly on this. Let's say I don't know what kind of thought you want me to share. The statistics things are there. It is obvious, we're all looking at Nigeria, we're all Nigeria, which is obvious that we are indigents. You know, what we have is not democracy, but plutocracy, government of the few. Fisting on the blood of other Nigerians. The poverty level is poor people and poverty. People can barely feed, not to talk of training children, not to talk of, and the hatch environment, you have a, I think all the NEPA, but they call them PhD and whatever they do, which is a cabal that is of constrictor to a stacked Nigeria. Now you pay for NEPA for those that have the pre-paid bills and so on, and you don't even have electricity. You spend more on your diesel, more on your diesel and petrol. And the diesel and petrol, the prices are so, so very that you can't even afford them. So what are we discussing? How much is the loss of blood? What are we going to discuss? I mean, they are just trying to tell the world that this is how bad it is. An incoming government, please, address these issues. Otherwise, what are we going to, am I going to tell you no, that they're lying? Is that the discussion? Okay, if that is what you want, message, they said the truth. That is not lying. It is irrefutable. Okay. There's so much hunger in the land. There's so much in the land. What are we going to discuss about that? This is obvious now. What are we going to discuss? So my guess is that, I mean, these things are highly provocative, they are just incensed. Because we are blessed with human and natural resources. We ought to be the Dubai of the world today. We ought to be like America. We have all the debts to be. But we have some advantageous, greedy, intellectually myopic and many individuals. At the head of affairs, and that is why we are where we have to be. People that are callous and without compunction. They go ahead, carry out whatever they want to do. What are we going to discuss? After I've discussed it, people are still stealing. With impunity. That's the underlying thing. Not just stealing. With impunity. What are we discussing, my sister? Okay, let's discuss. All right, let me say because that is very interesting. I think you are thinking of what it can deny for you of is you say it as it is. But I'll bring you, take you home to River State. Your home state. With some favorable news making it to the front pages of the newspapers, I think for the third year in a row, River State seems to, you're laughing, for the third year in a row, sorry, I have to put you on the spot. River State has ranked first amongst the 36 states of the country as far as fiscal performance is concerned. And the Nong of Men's Organization budget, which is a well-respected one, they normally come up with this fiscal ranking of states. And it is saying just like River State did in 2020 and 2021, they are ranking number one again as far as a fiscal performance of fiscal health of the states in the country is concerned. So what are your thoughts on this? They're saying that this is their signature analysis. It assesses the ranks and ranks the fiscal performance of the states from the most sustainable to the least sustainable. So you're looking at recurring expenditure. Mr. Kota, are you there? Okay, okay. We've lost, I hope that was... We can't get him back, I think that's what I should say. We would love to get him back, so we get his thoughts on this. But you know, people often criticize the governor of River State. Yes, we do. But when it comes to fiscal performance, you look at the revenue versus how much you spend, versus how much is left there. Are you owing salaries? Are you able to generate revenue internally? I think River State has been doing quite well. In fact, what budget is saying, mercy from that front page of a Guardian newspaper, is saying that for the 2022 edition of this ranking, fiscal performance ranking of states in Nigeria, they rank the 36 states of the country using five metrics. Now, Index A examines the state's ability to meet. What is the problem? Okay, Mr. Kota, are you back? Yes, I'm back. I was very angry. I thought the deliberate... Well, we thought you were deliberately gone because it was a River State issue. So over to you. They're saying that they are ranking... They're saying they are ranking the states in terms of their ability to meet the operating expenses. That's a recurrent expenditure. With only the internally generated revenue, the ability to meet their recurrent expenditure with only the internally generated revenue. That's Index A. Then Index B. They say they look at the state's ability to cover all operating expenses and loan repayments or loan repayment obligations, with their total revenue. So this is what River State has excelled above every other state in Nigeria. Let me say in the country of the blind, the one eyed man is the king. That is number one. In a country where the governors are not performing abysmal when you see a man who has done what he ought to do, it becomes new because it's a novel thing. Just for example, I'll respond to those issues. But just for example, you have the PA to the governor. That is the PA to one of his PA's. Who is he then? That is also the happy state governor. Who has had it for seven years. He's just erected building a flyover. One flyover in seven years. I mean what do you expect? You understand what I'm trying to say. So now, the fact is, in Bangladesh, rather than concentrating on governors moving from one country to the other, there's no way to do that. That's the topic for another thing. I have to say this. Yes, I agree. The state capitol, the governor has performed heritously when it comes to infrastructure. But we have 23 local governments in reverse. And if you make reference to DTSU's administration, other DTSU's administration, you realize that then it was even old reverse things. They did not concentrate on protocols. They concentrated on the other local government areas to move development from the state capitol to the hinterlands. Then it was not, it was both reverse and biasa. Gene Agua was equally developed and so on. So the problem we have with the latest kind of development is that it is skewed. Why center and obu or nobi are called and father? Now, these skews is that when you come to reverse things, these are the first places you get into. So are you doing it for PR reasons or you're doing it because you want the reverse people you govern to benefit? From the dividends of democracy. These are the issues. Now, if you also talk of infrastructure, because you said infrastructure, fine. But should that be at the expense of pensioners, the gratuities and so on? No, it shouldn't be. If building 20 flyovers will deprive pensioners from receiving their pensions then build 10 and let them have their pensions. If building 20 flyovers will deny reverse people of jobs because out of the 20 flyover, probably you would have used 10 to set up industries and so on that would definitely employ reverse persons. Fine, that would then build 10 and not the 20. So these are our arguments. But in all fairness, if you talk of the infrastructure in the state capitol, fine, yes, it's done very well. Although we are not going to go into the reasons behind this thing. But don't worry, that's another thing. Yeah, the point we are making. Yeah, he's doing well financially. He doesn't owe salaries. You know workers in rivers that have paid on time. No, they are being owed and so on now. The salaries, let me not speak on issues that are not to solve now. Probably he's clenched them. But pensioners and so on are being owed. Now, between somebody that is working, somebody that is still working on the pensioner, who should attract what's in party? A man that has put in 35 years and has retired and has given his whole best to his state, doesn't have the strength anymore to continue. Who should have the same party? I mean, it's a pensioner now. All right, quickly. Now, yes. Did you just finish with your thoughts? Yes. Less if we can take another more. So now the issue, so when it comes to infrastructure at state capitol, but when you talk about good government, it should cut across board. It should not be skewed. It should cut across board. Every local government. You see, for example, now if you talk to me, he will tell you, I am completing the Transcalabary High to Kukuma. Okay. And he will tell you, oh yes, because it has been abandoned for some time. Right from that in this time, it was abandoned. He will tell you, I'm completing it. What he is saying is, it should be even. Let's not say the state capitol gets about 70% because it is the state capitol. But other local governments, 70% should be distributed to other local governments. Let's move away from that one and share your thoughts in just a minute or there about, because we're being prompted to call it a wrap. The federal government is blaming the flood and killings, I mean the flooding that has killed over 603 persons, blaming that on the local government and the federal government. Do you think that that's the case, especially with the issue of the dam? Blaming it on the local government and what? The state government. Oh definitely. Blaming it on the local government and state government. Because you have the federal, whatever, but you say the truth is the drains are blocked, the houses are built, whatever blocks the drain, these things are done in the local government areas. And in the states, the local governments are in the states. So it is the duty, it is incumbent upon the local government chairman to ensure that, I give an example that if somebody is to build on the drain, that will definitely lead to flooding. It is the duty of the local government chairman to ensure that that beauty is not erected. Now, even if the locals, even if that man is so powerful, he has the convention and whatever, to distribute the local government chairman and goes to the state, and the local government chairman believes that the man is so political, is politically powerful. They will also run to the state government to say that this is what this man is saying. The federal government, even in Abuja, it is the duty of the minister for the federal capital state. That's why you have to blame the local government and the state because there is no structure when a new structure, like a federal government. It is inherited by the federal minister. So it is a responsibility of the minister to ensure that tough running rules and laws are obeyed. And that's why they say, no, that the local government and the state cannot escalate themselves from all these flooding plains. So I completely agree with that. The only time you can blame the federal government is if the state says no, this must not be done here. For example, they want to set up an industry and the state says, no, it is not this industry. It is going to affect them because it is going to block them and the federal government uses its business to say, no, we must set up this industry. Open a bank ataria. Yes, yes. The current flooding that we're experiencing has been attributed to the release of water from the dam. And that's why, you know, you have a lot of parts of the country being flooded. And so I want to ask about the responsibility. I want to ask the responsibility of the state government in all of this and the local government. Should it be the function of the local government to preserve that? I mean, this would not be the first time that water has been released. So this is an unusual flood. We know we have flooding issues. Yes, now you're talking about the issue of the dam because the federal government has also said that they're flooding by the result of illegal structures and that's too much. Now, if you're talking about the dam, you know, it's a kind of situation because if you don't, then what will lead to more damage? I think what the federal government should do is they should come up with a thing. I'm not a time planner, so I cannot even come up with strategies. But what the federal government should do is to come up with set up a think tank. You should have a think tank expert in this field that you cannot stop flooding completely nowhere in the world, even in the United States of America. You can only ameliorate. You can only palliate the expenditures of flooding. You can't stop it completely. So what the federal government should do is set up, I mean, they have a committee of experts that will address it. So that any way you have to open up a dam for whatever reason, then you can have a measure to push it. You have to push it in fact to come. But definitely you're going to have flooding. Whether it is mandate, or whether it is natural, you're definitely going to have it. So I think the best way for the federal government to come up with ideas on how to cushion the effect of this flooding. Because from what I got there, even the dam is not open. There is going to come more damage. There is also a factor of electricity. So I think the experts should come together. Just as you come together and give us a solution. All right. Open up. We have to go. But we look forward to seeing how things unfold in the coming days. This week, I'm sure to be more drama and more comedy in the political space. If you have to pay 5 million Naira, if you have to pay 5 million Naira. All right. Have yourself a fantastic day ahead and of course a holiday. Thank you. We look forward to having you again soon. Thank you very much for your time. Have a great day. All right. And that's the size of the press for today. We don't have today in history, but we'll be back with a first major conversation. Talk about something really important to us. Please stay with us.