 Right now it's time to look at the papers and see what the headlines are. We're going to take some of the national dailies, not all of them, so you have the opportunity to read others up when you get that opportunity. We'll be looking at the punch, the daily trust, and so many other newspapers. But our guest this morning is Barista Justice C. Uhugu, human rights lawyer, 2019 presidential candidate of NAC party. Good morning and welcome to the program Barista. Good morning, it's my pleasure to welcome you all. Okay, let me begin what is not like we'll say on the streets now. Maka, do it in the no semi. Okay, 2019 you were presidential candidate of NAC party. We're presidential candidate, presidential candidate. Presidential candidate. Okay, vice presidential candidate. Okay, you had a dream for Nigeria. How is that working out? Even though you are not at the helm of affairs, but how is that dream, your dream for Nigeria working out right now? Well, to be speaking is actually not working out. That's just the truth. But I am still hopeful that one word or the other provided there is life. That dream will come to one day. There will be a couple of things. But one thing is to have a dream. Another thing is to focus on that dream. And another thing is to pursue that dream. And Barista has a way to work out and to work out for the good of every Nigerian. Amen to that. Amen. So let's begin with the punch newspaper this morning. The punch newspaper leads with the caption, federal government writes governors as agency predicts flooding in three states. Federal government, those, the writers are, federal government agency leads local governments in Akwaibom, Lagos, Adamaura, Ogun, Benwe, 26 others as high-flood risk areas. Benwe demolishes riverside buildings, Lagos directs residents to relocate Sokoto, Edo, others begin campaigns. So let me get your comments on that. Well, the truth is that yes, we are entering another when it is in period. And fortunately, unfortunately, once it comes like this, there will be issues of flooding and all the rest. But I think one of the problems we had earlier before now is that the government has planned so much for future. And that is why you need to, as a government, you need to always focus, you know, the future. Because it is called as most of the buildings and most of the things that we are doing, we are actually built in a drainage way and where the water should also flow easily to the sea or to the river. But unfortunately, because of the last season, the issue of the government, that time, all these things are blocked. And now we are not in the impact of some of these things. And secondly, the government should always prepare because in other countries where there is always flooding, it is not only Nigeria that there is flooding. It is not only saying, the federal government warning states about flooding. What is the action or measure the government actually taking in order to make sure that they prepare for this flooding so that in fact, you don't need to wait until it happens. You need to wait until it works so that it actually comes because it always comes as a natural disaster. You will not be cushioning the effect of those things so that it won't be much. I don't know what they can do because at some point, was it last year or so, when they said the dam in Cameroon was going to release water. Every time that happens, flooding happens in a lot of places and the government just tells the people, leave where you are, go and look for refuge somewhere else. And so I don't know what as a government they could do or they could have done to make sure that when it comes, because they say from April to November, that's a very long time to be expecting flood and trying to do anything about it. What do you think they could have done? No, for me, the government knows what to do. That is why they got me. That is why they got me. You are in the home of a state. You have to, you know, they have a leader for people to be here for the interests of the people and others. And if you remember, in the wisdom of the Constitution, the Constitution says that the main aim of government is for the welfare and security of the people. So these ones are the welfare of the people. So not a lot of things they should look at. If you feel that location is the best option, you know, to cover that issue, then provide the location exercise. Provide amenities and all the rest, so that they can move. Build local houses. Build houses so that they can locate for that need time. And then look for a larger solution. Now, for example, this thing has been seen. It has been forecasted. What is the government doing? It's not just seeing it. And forecasting is the agency's responsible for this. What is the agency doing? What recommendations are they making? So the government knows what to do. It's not a matter of what are they going to do. They know what to do, only that they forgot the refuse to do the need for. Okay, let me move to another issue. In the oil sector, market has excited as Dangote Lua's diesel to 1,000 naira per liter. Does it excite you as well? Because we've seen oil and oil and all that, and people are even saying that he should sell for 515 naira. I don't know. Does it excite you at all? I don't think there's any right in Nigerian that this issue of our petroleum produce is a fight. This is a country that produces goods. We're not talking about diesel, about BMS, about this. We produce this food. God has given it to us as a natural resources. And this includes like river on daily basis. Oh, in fact, Nigeria is supposed to be one of the countries that should be enjoying this naturalization. The problem we have, we're talking about Dangote today. Dangote is a private individual. Yes, it's in business. The problem we have, what's the point about it? Before now, we're having all these problems. We remember the early 18s. It wasn't like that. I remember when a little of us were sold for 11 naira per liter. So what are we saying? I don't think there's anybody getting tried. Okay, but the conditions in those days where it was sold for 11 naira may not be the same as now. So some people might argue that even the international price for oil has changed and all that. So it also will need to affect our oil. No, it's immaterial. Even in the international market, even the price changes and goes like this. We have to do this group. If we are the final group for our local consumption, these people Nigeria should enjoy it. The problem we have here, we see this group, we see this outside, this is the price here, and brought back here, and we show it to all the game. I mean, what a disaster. Even Nigeria went at the pricing. If we higher the price here, Nigeria should be making money. But it's not supposed to affect Nigeria. Okay, there is this red line also on the punch. $30 billion loss. Federal government may revoke unused oil well licenses. It's just now we're seeing that there are some oil wells that are unused. I wonder why you would get an oil well and not use it. And federal government may revoke this because of the losses that they incur. Do you think there will be an improvement on the production of oil that we have in Nigeria and subsequently other things that are tied to the oil production? Do you think revoking is the right step to take? Well, the truth is, even if you revoke them, who are you going to allocate them to? You see, the major problem we have in Nigeria is this issue of impurity. And that is what has been cleaned up. I need to continue until we tell ourselves the truth. And like I keep on saying, the initial problem is lack of concentration of people. That's all the truth. Now, you know, as you say, who are these people that have allocation for oil well? They are also the higher mighty in the society, in the government and all the way. So whether they use it or not, they do not contain them. For them, they have it. So if the government can actually be forcing to revoke those license, and is not only revoking them or collecting them, is are you going to make proper use of them for all this oil well? That is the problem. Secondly, for me, for me, I do not even see the reason why an individual to own an oil well in this country. Because this is a natural resource for all Nigerians. And they remember, like I keep on saying, and I keep on saying it, and I continue saying it, that every Nigerian, we are also coders in this country. So why would you regard the basic oil well? Alright, let's move to the Guardian newspaper. I'm taking a smaller headline there because it's really concerning security. Anything that has to do with security. Reps Kokos give Tinibu Ultimatum to end insecurity. That's on page 3 of the Guardian newspaper. So they have given the president an ultimatum to end insecurity. How feasible do you think this is? And what are the parameters, or what are the measures that need to be put in place if this is to work? Well, like you said earlier, I wish I succeeded in 2019. For me, by now, this is the security issue that has been a thing of the past. Because some of us, we know the technical know-how of what to do. It takes me back to my earlier statement. And what is that statement lack of the territory of Kokos? You see, it's not enough coming to the pages of newspaper every time going to television, organizing, podiums and all the ways. Let's not say we're saying that we're going to end insecurity. My brother, let's be realistic to ourselves in this country. This is not possible because the government is not able to do the needs for them. This is what I'm saying recently. How many of the senators, how many of the hearts of women members, without security. What I mean by security, I mean the volume of military men, policemen and others can easily, or conveniently, travel to their various hometowns which have been attacked. It's not possible. So they say in Abu-Jazia, the National Assembly or anywhere and coughing and all that, but they know what to do. And for me, it's very simple. Because when you have a security apparatus that is confined and that is dedicated to doing your job of the peaceful stuff, then the problem we have is that we are playing politics with everything. And certainly, we are still playing play politics with security. How do you mean we're still playing politics with security? Yes, everything today has come to be politics. Because something will happen, there will be blame games. These people will blame this sector or they will blame this one. This agency will blame this. This agency will blame this. And they are talking about politics. It's not enough. Look at what they are saying. They are going to end in security. How long have they been in power? How long have they been in government? They need to tell us. You don't need to tell us. Let me tell you the truth. A good security expert doesn't even need to tell people your security taxes in order to secure your territory. You come out anytime on the newspaper called the media to start saying this. You are helping it. You are only trying to let it be active in your doing. That's why I say we are playing politics with everything. This is our message. That's what I'm concerned. Do the needful. Okay, now some politics now. PDP Governors at Tikku Wike comes in ten to five positions at Mekoma Neck. My confusion is that a lot of people have been removed from their parties. A lot of people have been suspended from their parties or expelled from their parties because of what they call anti-party, because of some very, very insignificant, if you ask me, things that they may have done or said. Now, someone like Wike, former governor of River State and now minister of the Federal Capital Committee, is still in PDP. And even gone in for very, very high positions, he still has a camp in PDP and all that. What are the legal intricacies? What are the legal complexities that make it difficult to remove or expel or suspend someone like Wike? Because we've seen a lot of things forming gangs, if you ask me, against the party and doing so many other things. And right now he's in government position party on a different party. So what are the legal implications of removing someone of, let's say, Wike standing? Because we've seen governors being suspended, governors being sanctioned and all that. But Wike is still enduring in PDP. So what's going on? Well, I thought I'm concerned. There's no law in the fourth place. There's no law that says if you're a member of a particular political party, you cannot have a government that is formed by another political party. There's no law to that effect. And if we actually tell ourselves the truth of Nigeria and that woman is collectively. For example, in 2019, I already advised the National Candidate that we will not come into power don't mean I cannot have any other government. Because the world is paramount in that thing you want to do. And you come up and contribute your own quota to the society. Remember, the problem we have in Nigeria is that we play more with the party policies than playing politics the way it should be. If you become the president, you're the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Forget about the party you came from. Yes, what is your platform? Then you have become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At that point, you are not supposed to be talking about party. We can ask, is the minister of FPP. FPP comprises both PDP members, APC members and other political parties. So you know I'm carrying the minister for APC or PGP. So I don't see anything wrong in that as far as I'm concerned. Yes, but if you now come to political parties, they have their own constitution that they have policies or in Canada democracy within themselves. And I'm aware also that they always have this issue of anti-party activities and all the rest. I don't see somebody who has been hit with an appointment to stand in a government and don't see it as an anti-party activity. No. For me, I don't see it that way. There are so many things that are considered as anti-party activities. The government is being conducted and you are in PGP. You are now working for APC openly or you're making some derogatory statements against your party. Yes, but we saw that in the presidential election. Wiki was very vocal about it. The governorship will go to PDP but the presidential, he was going for the APC. How much anti-party can someone be? And then he was the spearhead that was formed against his own party and all that. They worked against his party. So what other anti-party activities do we need to see? I'm talking about this because there are people who have been suspended for less crimes as it were. So what is so difficult in his suspension? Yes, he could be a minister because no party it is not a one party thing as you said. But other things that have happened before now and we keep asking why is he not suspended? Why is he not sanctioned? What makes him greater than a party that is like the biggest opposition party right now? We just want to see if there is a law or there are some legal implications that if he is removed the party might crash or something or he might take them to court. No, no, no. Normally if he is removed he might decide to take them to court. But at the end of the day taking the party to court are you going to win the matter? Either here or there. But the truth is this the party itself is supreme somehow the constitution is supreme over its members and others. So if the party decides not to suspend him or not to initiate any proceedings against me that is their business. But I thought I'm concerned no one person is bigger than an association especially because a political party is an association registered especially when that association is registered as a constitution. So for the party I don't know why they may have chosen to do that right or nothing. I don't think that he is bigger than the party or anything else. If they are going to suspend him or take any action on the part or simply for the part that he was appointed the minister, no that one will not sustain. But there are other reasons where they can actually lay their hands to suspend him provided they have their parts and things also. I thought I'm concerned nobody is... In fact the court has said this several times but there is so many deciding things that the party and its internal affairs does not contain anybody. The one thing can do if you don't lie to a political party you lose to another political party. Interesting. Because in Rivers State right now his loyalists are all in APC and he is supporting them and all that. Now we have like two governments in Rivers State because of that and he still works so strong right now. He is one of the contenders to get all the juicy positions what we are seeing on the papers is Atticus camp and VK's camp in the same PDP and I'm just wondering I'm not that much of a politician so I'm asking to know because you have been in the highest rank of a political party that's why I needed to know which your background in law. Now we go to Vanguard newspaper and the leading headline there is food inflation slowing the slowing federal government's revenue rises that's according to a DOOM the Wally DOOM, the Minister of Finance and Coordination Minister of the Economy. Then the rider is that targets more foreign investment in flow and then IMF raises forecast for Nigeria's economic growth 3.3%. Now they went to the United States and said that the food inflation is slowing down now and that the federal government revenue is rising that's the Finance Minister and they are targeting more investments and so many other things but what do you think about this the reality on ground and what they said in Washington you see the truth is that we are Nigerians in this nation most times what you see on the studies of the newspapers and what you see on on the media in fact they are not always the two examples of what is happening in practice I think everybody in Nigeria knows including me and I believe also including you here in the studio that in some few months now or let me put it that way the issue of food has become a very very big problem in the country and unfortunately why Nigerians are going through grief there is rise everyday in revenue generation from the federal government taxation is going high so many things are going high and all these things are to be deteriorated by the citizens so it's so unfortunate and that's why we keep on saying or people like us keep on saying are we now actually being you know in line with what the constitution provides for the welfare and security of the citizens so actually when you see some of these you wonder where the government is coming from because for me any government that comes in power to think about the interest of the people gets to the market today and still the cost of food items you need to if you have 599 put it in the market you can buy anything you think in fact it cannot it cannot provide you once we are made just one, just one I'm not talking about three times afternoon and night just one 5,000 so what are we talking about and still any little thing you do government taxation you go to bank with your money government taxation you do anything government taxation so and that is why the Nigerians are becoming population and all the way but it's nothing that our money is becoming something else go to the market today now with 50,000 naira you cannot buy, you cannot feel half of the sort of thing bad will not be fueled how much is, I don't know when that you went to the market this small page of Gary in the market tonight is about 3,000, 5 2,000 of yam is about 2,000, 5 1,000 of yam so what are we still tomatoes and all the way that place is no great and these are things that people need on daily basis I don't want to go to jeans I don't want to go to rice a bag of rice today that we used to buy for 7,500 8,000 naira is almost 80,000 what are we saying if you are saying almost that means you are in a very good area because in some places it's 90,000 and I've heard some people say I bought it for like 100,000 so I don't know so if it is almost 80,000 naira buy like 10 because it might even still go higher but we'll pray against that now let's take a final one Kano State Antigrafts Agency files fresh charges against Ganduje former governor Ganduje is in the EFCC net fortunately or unfortunately the chairman national chairman of the ruling party APC in fact because of this problem of him facing accusations by EFCC the Gandola thing and so many other bribes allegations against him the word where he comes from which eventually is called Ganduje word as well suspended him from the party and said that he should answer to these purported crimes before he can come back into the party and these people have been now suspended again by higher body of the party the local government so the local government is not in support the state is not in support the national is not in support only the word and now they have been branded anti-party so where do you see this case of Ganduje even going well the truth about the matter is that personally I think the party will do what they are supposed to do I wish that will continue this way because for me once somebody has an allegation or if this person is who I am for anything that person should be suspended if from anywhere is holding any public position until that matter is dispensing and as much as the national as much as I mentioned presumed every accused person innocent until presumed guilty presumed guilty but once there is false claim it is true of the integrity and the character of the person and for me I think the party got it right at this point in time we should begin to seek a change we should begin to seek a change to see how we can do things better but my problem is not just plcc arresting him or turning him to court at the end of the day and then come up with it because you see we are in a country now there are few sets of law that is existing one for the court and one for the rich look at the case of Boris Kina who was taken to court and convicted for Naira motivation he is not the only person that has been doing that go to parties that you see one government official in the way they spread the Naira government official that ELCC will arrest because of that so it is part of what we are saying that we are watching we are watching I saw them consign for me the APC party got it right by suspending you for the meantime let me face it try and finish it because somebody who has a pending matter it goes to the integrity and the personality of that person in case of corruption okay well this is a good place to drop it I know there are so many other headlines but we would like to thank you, Barista for being a part of our show this morning thank you very much okay we will be talking with Barista Justice C Uhueh Bu human rights lawyer and 2019 presidential candidate or vice presidential candidate of NAC party on off the press break and when we return we will be looking at our first hot topic stay with us