 It's still the breakfast and plus TV Africa. Well, we have Chris Cain in Wandoo, who joins us on After Press. Chris, it's good to have you join us. Happy belated holiday. Thank you very much for having me. I hope you had a nice break too. Well, do you know we never go on break? We don't know the weather. Well, let's start off with the nation now. The nation newspaper, we have other papers. The punch and also the leadership newspaper and the daily trust. But the nation is what we'll start off with this morning. On the nation newspaper, the caption here talks about, PDP is a party of termites. Can't return to power, says Tunubu. PDP is a party of termites and can't return to power, says Tunubu. That's a boldly written on the nation. APC accuses Dogara of using religion to cause disaffection. Buhari to confer infrastructure award on weekend, October the 21st. That sounds really interesting. And fire raises Kogi House of Assembly complex. It was the crux of our conversation on our top trending this morning. INEC, political parties can substitute candidates again. And just before we move away from the nation newspaper, we K allies absent as a tickle campaign kicks off. And that happened yesterday in the Nests of Stadium in a quibrom state. ASUS striked to end days, or end days says Bajabiamila and Falunam. Let's see how that pans out, you know, for the students. Buhari lists winning strategies at Tunubu and Shatema women team inauguration. That's what you find. Navy destroy oil, bonk ring vessel arrested by Tom Peluz men. And would that be, you know, a very rational thing to do, especially when we have that some persons are involved in illegal activities? Wouldn't that just mean evidence has been destroyed? Really, but I can't wait to share the thoughts of Chris Cain de Wando on this issue. Away from the nation newspaper, the punches in front of us. And on the punch tickle campaign, PDP governors hit Uyo with 15 private jets. Weakay or Tom Mckenday, two others absent as party begins 2023 electioneering. Obasake holds south stakeholders meeting in Uyo. Deary Udon pledge support. IU appeals to a grieve governor says party needs everyone to rescue Nigeria. And a mushroom backs ADC candidates. APC says ex-governor is treacherous. And just before we move away from the punch, both accident claims 701 lives in 34 months. It's quite saddening. Walk for Tunubu's victory, Buhari tells APC women. I mean, so you have like a campaign it's been not great to just for women understanding the power that women have over time, especially in the elections, if you look at the statistics. Assembly fire, government alleges sabotage. Dangoti threatens Lyosuit. And that's it this morning on the punch newspaper. And in front of us, we have the leadership. The leadership says 2023 campaigns, Inaq threatened sanctions as states clamped down on opposition parties. Big caption here for the leadership. Destroy candidates, billbots, posters impose huge fee on venues. Relocate party secretaries from strategic locations. Governors action poses threat to peaceful polls. CSOs and IPAC Quota to say. President Mohammed Buhari and governors must protect rights of parties to hold rally says syrup. The riders you find underneath, WKBags Award for infrastructure delivery. And Lawan, Okundrewela, Amina, 444 others, Nash gets national honors today. Nigeria has potential to become world leader and digital economy and the vice president is very positive on his thoughts. And another interesting headline on the leadership. Flooding IMF6 social assistance for farmers to curb food insecurity. The headlines that you find very interesting this morning on the leadership and just before we move away, strike at last their solution inside as it declares. Sounds like some scriptural statement. At campaign flag off, Atiku says he will end insecurity and hunger. The question will be how? I mean, this would not be the first time that Nigerians have head of, you know, we will end insecurity and XYZ and what a view. But, you know, it doesn't look like we're getting there. The Daily Trust, look at the Daily Trust and then have Chris Kende, Wandoosha his thoughts this morning. Race to Presidency, Atiku unveils agenda and pledges jobs, poverty, eradication and orders. The question would always be and should be how? Join the rescue winning team or coattambu will are you others earners voters. We K4 other governors absent and PDP crisis will soon be over. Deary is very positive. As you promises to end strike after meeting reps and ASS try kills or kill terrorists, Kingpin Ali Dogo, 30 others in Kaduna. Presidency, words in Kogi government and dangotees stand off. Lokoja flood, petrol scarcity spreads to state as gas price spikes. I mean, it's a lot of prayers that, you know, and I think that everyone should be attention to Lokoja at this point. The issue of flooding fire with the national some parts of the, you know, assembly quarters. No alternative to APC victory. That's what the Buhari is quoted to say. That's the president. And you have another caption. Federal government to honor Mamondoura or Conjoy Waila 445 orders today. These are the headlines you find this morning on the daily trust newspaper. Well, Chris, it's good to have you join us once again. And we always appreciate your time and thoughts. Chris Kinde, can you hear us? Yes, I can hear you. Good morning. Good morning to you. So let's sort of down. I'd like to leave it very open to you, which of the headlines and trust here as we went through the pages of a national dailies. So okay, I think we should start with politics and the flag off of the PDP presidential campaign yesterday. You know, it was a very good start for the PDP. Despite the fact that some of those are there to us within the PDP, the weekly led group, that is not removed anything from the flag off. So many of the PDP governors were there. There are four or four governors from South South and three of them were there. And other governors from other parts of the country. So it was a good start off. And you could see the crowd. For me, the PDP is doing the right thing. They don't have to wait to get to settle the, whatever differences they have within their party before going ahead or they'll be left behind. And from what they did yesterday, they've set the pace for other political parties to follow. You remember that the ruling party, the APC, they find it difficult to reconstitute its own presidential campaign, and which was why the list was, they withdrew the list. Other parties like the Nepal party also have not flagged off their campaign with the NMPP and others. But for me, it's a good start. Now we can start talking about issues and what the political parties can do. And we do, we do differently from what is happening now. And the PDP presidential candidate threw out a lot of promises and his agenda yesterday. It is now for us to start evaluating some of those campaign promises. And ask them how they'll be able to deliver on it. So for me, it was a good one. And the campaign is here. We can now wait to see what the politicians will tell us differently from what they've told us since 1999. And it is now there for Nigerians to make their choice as to who they think, to be able to represent them in 2023. And who we think we can hire for the job and who we think that is competent for the job. Then, yeah. So I also look at the issue of the vessel that was destroyed by the Navy. It begs to question a lot of things. Tampolo, that group, vigilante group that was contacted recently by the federal government to marshal out and look after the pipelines also to discover where the leakages are coming from the Niger data. We are losing close to about 400,000 pairs of crude oil on a daily basis. And from what we heard, what we read, in the last count they've discovered about 55 illegal oil pipelines that were being used to steal this crude oil. And recently, a few days ago, they intercepted a large oil vessel, which is the crew we are arrested on the high sea. It is very, very disheartening for us to hear this morning that the Navy quickly destroyed and set the vessel on fire. That brings to question the integrity of the military and the involvement in the so-called oil bunker that is greater. Why are you setting a vessel on fire that was arrested if you don't have any material motive behind it? Investigation is going on. And that is what is also going to be used for as evidence in the course of prosecution. Why would they, I think the president should come out as quickly as possible and get all those behind this arrested either in the military anywhere, get them arrested and they must be prosecuted because I don't know who gave the order for the destruction. Did they come on the presidency or the high level of the military? For what reason? I think that is something that should be looked into. Okay, so let me take you back to the punch again and the issue of politics where you started from. So we know that the invitation was actually handed out to a lot of stakeholders in different categories, former Senate president, former governors and even expected that current governor should be there as well as former president and vice president. However, a lot of them were not present. There's a narrative that's been put out that those who were not present are actually very loyal to the camp of Governor Wike. I mean, we're talking about former president here, former Senate president and what have you. Do you think that this is actually true? I don't know the former president, former Senate president I was talking about. I saw. So we're talking about, I mean, for a party as the PDP, let's not forget that you had good luck, Jonathan. You have Ulusha Gunobasanjo off the PDP. They're products of the PDP. Now, let us we're sent for this campaign to be kicked off. I'm saying that there's a narrative that's out there that those who did not show up for the campaign, we know that some governors didn't show up. Wike is part of, you know, the governors that didn't show up. And a lot of persons are saying that these are those who are loyal to the aprons of the governor of Riva State, including almost everybody. So I'm asking, do you think that this narrative is true? It's not true. Ulusha Gunobasanjo is no longer a member of PDP. He taught his party his card in 2015 or there about. And he says he's no longer a member of any political party. Former president, a good luck, Jonathan, has not been involved with PDP for so many years now. He has concentrated in his effort in international politics and observing elections in so many countries as every three of these comment and rest. So you don't expect him to be there. He has never identified with PDP for a long time. Then talking about the comments in the press, I'm asking which of them. Sir, I think it was the... Yes. Pai Osayim Moabana. Let's not just narrow it to that narrative. That's what I'm talking about. People will always be aggrieved. When the APC is going to do this, you will be sure that so many other... they are keeping to my knowledge of media. But if for me, that does not reduce what happened yesterday. And the PDP is doing the right thing by making sure that they are moving ahead. They cannot wait for everybody, just for them, for everybody to come to the... There's going to be a campaign in all the 36 states of the federation. If you didn't find some people in Ruyo yesterday, I'm sure they will find their way to the other states when this campaign begins. So for me, they have done the right thing. And they are the first political party to do that. I shouldn't take any... While some other parties are saying, Gordon, with the problem of constituting their presidential campaign committee, putting their ass together, PDP has moved ahead to start their campaign. And that to me, that does not also focus all consultation and attempt to be able to assuage all other members of the party who feel aggrieved for one reason or the other. But from what I saw yesterday in Ruyo, it was a good show for the party. And I hope that they'll take it off from there and also be able to reconcile with other people, like the Wikis and other governors that were not at the venue yesterday. Yes, it's a big setback. When you look at that, five governors from the party were not there. It's a very big setback. But also look at it from the point that if they didn't start off the campaign today, or yesterday as they did, when we did with that, we have just been there about one round doing something to the election. And they have to move around the whole party system and that's it. All right, away from that, ASUS is promising to end a strike after meeting with REFs. And that's on the daily trust newspaper. As a matter of fact, Faleno is also agreeing to that. And Bajabi Amila saying, you know what, ASUS strike will just end in a matter of time. What are your thoughts on this? Yes, and you know, we'll be saying in time with a number that there must always come to a time where ASUS will just have to let go and call off the strike and continue in negotiation with the federal government. The investors cannot be closed down petrally. And this strike has lingered for too long. When to Elephant Fights is the scale that so far, the students have been at room for eight months. These are the students that the academic session were disrupted by COVID and another 11 months of strike before this. And some of them have lost up close to about two academic sessions. While ASUS will continue to agitate for improvements in facilities, in universities, staff welfare and the rest of them, that is also the need for us to be able to measure as soon as it opens, so that we don't have this long time off. And also the government should be able to fulfill its own promises and the agreement is to reach ASUS. And they said they are already doing that. So the intervention by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable Wajadia Mila, and he's really working out. But don't forget the fact that also ASUS have lost twice in the courts. First was the industrial court, then also at the Court of Appeal. We had the Court of Appeal, asked the members to return to work immediately. Why continue with this litigation on the issues with the federal government? So ASUS has no choice than to obey the courts. Even if they don't want to return to, the fact that a court of competent jurisdiction has given that order also is that they must return. But the question we're going to ask ourselves is that even if ASUS is supposed to return to class will you be able to force them to teach? Will they be able to give their best as lecturers when they are teaching the student? So those are the issues that are there. But to the disadvantage of ASUS, we can see that New Pets is trying to break their ranks by registering two other unions. So what we have now, instead of having just ASUS in the universities, by then they return, there are other unions that are competing for membership in the university. But if they have the funds out, will they be able to monitor enough membership to be able to break the ranks of ASUS is just to be seen? No, but also I'd also like to ask, because I think this question that a lot of students have also been putting out, if you look at it, we're already in October, so you have November and December. And so do you think that November, December would be enough for the students to meet up with a session, let's say a session? The university session doesn't run from January to December. No, I'm just saying for every, I mean, we're talking about semesters now. How many semesters, how many months make up a semester? So do you think that November, December is enough for one semester? What you might just see that we do is having it, they'll have a crash program, they still have two rips, more on their own. Some of us are being given out, guidelines are being given out, they have to read up. A session runs from, I don't think, from September to about July or then about, although, unlike in our days, where we have a curriculum that every university showed up at the same time. These days, you don't even know when they are finishing, when they are starting, and the rest of them. But I think there will be some level of adjustment. But the fact is that the students will have to do a lot of work and a lot of catch up to do. There are a lot of those that are supposed to go for youth service, if I know that the last batch of NYC, I don't know whether the new batch is in now. If they are in, that means they are losing that in that particular batch, they're waiting for the next batch. Then for those of them that read law and are supposed to graduate, I don't know, they definitely will not be to meet up with the law school this year, as it were. So it may just have to be next year. Those in the medicals also, it's a, sincerely, I don't know how to go to the party, but I know that the university, we'll be able to work at the modalities. I know one or two universities that have already given notice of resumption, whether or so, resuming or not. I know that one of the federal university in O'Yore's motion statement there about, has given a notice of resuming on 20th of this month. And some other ones are following suit. But they'll be able to adjust that, but the students will have to do more. But does it have anything to do with the new union that's been registered? No, I wouldn't think that it has to do with the new union. Don't forget that that was a narrative by the, by the NUC, sometime ago that the university should resume. You remember that that circular, which they quickly withdrew within 24 hours. So I don't know whether there's a fresh directive from NUC or federal minister of education from the universities to resume. Don't also forget, we're not talking just about the federal university, it's good if states and federal university, some of the state university and federal university, but I wouldn't think it has anything to do with the new union. Because if you're saying to the union, what is their membership? I doubt if they have membership up to 10% of the university so far. Well, quickly, let's talk about what's happening in Lokoja. You have the flood. Petroleum scarcity is spreading to states as gas price is also on the hike. There's a spike right here. I'm also talking about the fire incident. There's a lot that's going on. Do you think that, you know, we're really paying attention because it feels like the entire country we're moving on with politicking and no one seemed to be talking about what's happening, especially with the flooding. Yes, this flooding, not only in Lokoja, but in most parts of the country, is a troublesome one. We have flooding in Anambra state, so many villages have been submerged, so a lot of people killed. We have the same thing going on in Nassau-Awa, in Gombe, in Benway, and so many other states of defection. Lagos state also having a large amount of flooding. It's not as devastating as what we have in Lokoja. The same thing in Nogu states. But the problem for me is that this issue of flooding, especially within the north-central and local agencies and the river Niger, has become a worrisome. It has become a yearly occurrence. And some of these are man-made. It's not just the climate change. Time with that number, Cameroon have always was Nigerian. Whenever it's going to release water from its dam, and they've asked Niger to do the needs, we have not done our own part of the job. So whenever they release water from those dams, it gets the whole of the Niger River, or within the houses of Gombe states, only flooded. They said, when we're building their own, that Niger should also find a solution so that when it's of returnally the water, so that when they release it, it can just bounce off without flooding it. We have not done it. So that is the problem. And you see that most of these places, get up on a daily basis. Basically sometime about some few years back, I was coming back from Apuja to Lagos within this period, and I was stalked at Lokoja for two days because we couldn't drive past Lokoja because of our flooding. Now, the Federal Reserve is saying that people should take alternative routes, Mokwa and the rest of them. Go to that road. That road is so bad. So being as much as we are blaming nature for some of these issues, are we also doing what we are supposed to do to prevent it? Yes, we saw that it's a global warming. You can see what happened in Florida a few days ago. We are about 100 lives, we are lost. But you've seen the United States, they are doing the need to make sure that people are safer, and making sure that infrastructures that were destroyed are rebuke. What are we doing here? So the state and federal government need to do the needful. And we have to look at the issues being raised by Cameroon on a yearly basis, they released this water at this time. What are we doing to be able to prevent it from killing our people, flooding our homes, and destroying infrastructure? And what's some part for me is that this is going to affect agriculture because for example, there is a company that lost a hundred million dollars worth of rice plantation recently. We are wiped out with that as it is. What this is going to lose is the prices of food stuff which is already hitting the roof by next year it's going to increase because we're not able to harness and harvest as many products as possible because they've been wiped out. In Yarm, in Benwestie, rice and cookie and other places. And that is going to cause a lot of problems for us next year. Well, Chris, we have to go now. Thank you so much for your thoughts this morning. We just hope and pray as always in Nigeria that those actors were getting into action and we're talking about stakeholders here in the government, everyone that should be involved would take the necessary action to ensure that we salvage the situation because it doesn't look- We pray more than other nations instead of doing what we're all doing. So I'm saying that we're praying that the people will take action. That's what I'm saying. No, I agree with you. I agree with you. I say we'll continue to pray. But let us put, let us walk the talk. Let us just sit down and pray. Okay, nations that are even more part of us don't just sit down and pray. Let us walk and pray. That is what I'm saying. Have a wonderful day. Chris, thank you so much. I mean, Chris, we are praying that those who should do the work should do the work. I'm sure that if we can do the work, you and I will get into action. But that's the much that we can take. We appreciate your time. Chris K. DeWando is Executive Director of African Governance and Leadership Initiative. And we look forward to sharing his thoughts next week. That's it. We'll take a break. When we return, we'll be looking at our first conversation right here on The Breakfast. Stay with us.