PAY NEW WAGES AND SIGN THE PEACE CORPS BILL TO CONSOLIDATE VICTORY AT 2019 POLLS!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System From a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 271. 21st October, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

[A SPECIAL EDITION FOR THE EYES OF MR. PRESIDENT!]

PAY NEW WAGES AND SIGN THE PEACE CORPS BILL TO CONSOLIDATE VICTORY AT 2019 POLLS!

That the APC's Government is faithfully delivering on its cardinal three-pronged promise to entrench effective and adequate security within the geographical entity of Nigeria, destroy corruption in all facets of national life and prod the ailing economy which it inherited from 29th May, 2015 to an acceptable and enviable international standard, is no longer in contention because its laudable achievements in just three-and-a-half years of administration, have been highly-rated and commended at home by Nigerian democrats/patriots in the public/private Sectors and abroad by the African Union, United Nations, United States, European Union, Britain, several Third World Countries and the Islamic States!

However, what is in contention and inappropriate is a noticeable BREACH within the rank and file of the kitchen cabinet of Mr. President and APC's Party Structure which is about to rubbish the acclaimed, acknowledged, and laudable gains of the Change Administration if a fast and decisive PRESIDENTIAL ACTION was not taken immediately to nip the ugly trend in the bud with diplomacy, dexterity and political strategy, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige and the Presidential Advisers on Political and Legislative Matters are rocking the national boat of progress and MUST be sanctioned quickly before they caused irreparable damages that could rob the APC of some gains in the up-coming 2019 General Elections!

Also in that team of do-gooders is ex-Governor Adams Oshiomole, who has created more confusion in the Party since he assumed leadership as Chairman by behaving as a Labour leader!

AGITATION FOR NEW NATIONAL WAGE AND THE WARNING STRIKE!
Much as we do not have much confidence in the ability of the present crop of Labour and Union leaders to pilot Nigerian workers to the promised land, we also do not wish that government would walk into a LAND MINE OF THE RHETORIC "NO WORK NO PAY" SLOGAN OF THE TRADE DISPUTE ACT (2004), that is to be gazetted because it was ill-timed and inconspicuous! ILL-TIMED, because the FEC Meeting decision of Wednesday, 17th October, 2018, was a deliberate ruse to hamstrung LABOUR and will definitely back-fire to cause damages, especially at a time when APC needed more friends than foes! LABOUR has already reacted negatively and threatened to resist any such move!

INCONSPICUOUS because Minister Ngige displayed insincerity in handling the TRIPATITE MEETING without diplomacy but with some level of hidden agenda! He failed to acknowledge that Nigerian workers deserved even more than the initial request of N56, 000 by Labour, considering all economic indices, but deliberated more on the fact that though Federal Government was willing to negotiate the N30, 0000 figure, but that States were looking at N20, 000, which they might not even be able to afford! And the Chairman of the unconstitutional "APC Governors Forum", was so unempathetic when he said on Thursday, 18th October, 2018, after a National Economic Council (NEC), meeting in Abuja, that some States could not even afford to pay the approved N18, 000 national minimum wage approved in the year 2011, for several reasons of exigencies and would not even consider an upward review!
Nigerian Workers should not be treated as SLAVES in their own country; not by the undiplomatic Minister Ngige or by Zamfara's Governor Abdulazeez Yari who cared less whether THE LABOURER WAS WORTHY OF HIS WAGES OR NOT! Has Ngige and other political appointees ever missed their salaries and allowances since their appointments in 2015? IS THIS THE TIME FOR PROVOKING LABOUR AGITATIONS?

Is this the time TO IGNITE socio-economic/political disorder as APC LOOKS FORWARD TO WINNING THE 2019 PRESIDENTIAL, STATES AND LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS?
Has the Party forgotten that the NIGERIAN WORKERS are its own tripartite of - HUMAN CAPITAL, WORKFORCE AND THE ELECTORATE - who would jointly give the Party a record LANDSLIDE VICTORY AT THE POLLS? The President should fast-track the Labour Tripartite Committee activities and ensure that an acceptable figure was agreed upon and retrospectively paid to the workers with effect from 1st October, 2018, to redeem APC's promise of enhanced salary packages for Nigerian workers!

PEACE CORPS OF NIGERIA (PCN) BILL MUST BE RECALLED AND SIGNED INTO LAW NOW!
Can the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari afford to lose THREE MILLION VOTES OF PEACE CORPS PVC-CARRYING YOUTHS TO NINETY (90), OPPOSITION PARTIES IN THE UP-COMING 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS? The answer is NO, NO, NO! The President's Political and Legislative Aides misguided him to refuse assent to the BILL which had concurrent approval of the National Assembly (NASS), Legislators for very unacceptable and uneducated reasons that their addition to the SECURITY ARCHITECTURAL GRID, would tantamount to DUPLICATION OF DUTIES, while it is common knowledge that the entire numerical strength of the Armed Forces, Police and the Para-Military was grossly inadequate to provide adequate security for over 200 million Nigerians! They also told him that Nigeria was BROKE!
We published in our 264th Edition of 2nd September, 2018, that the President ERRED IN LAW ACCORDING TO PUBLIC OPINION POLLS for refusing assent to that strategic HUMAN CAPITAL ASSET BILL WHICH WILL COMPLEMENT THE WAR AGAINST BRIGANDAGE, INSURGENCY AND TERRORISM THROUGH CONSTANT AND REGULAR DISSEMINATION OF ADEQUATE INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING, INCLUDING WHISTLE-BLOWING, TO COUNTER, EXPOSE AND CONFRONT ALL ECONOMIC SABOTEURS ACROSS THE NATION AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE!
We have it on good authority that the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), which had existed for over 20 years, which has movable and immovable national assets/structures acquired as an NGO in those two decades of existence, had proved its mettle as a well-organised, well-trained, well-disciplined and a highly-efficient organisation which had performed creditably as had become a HOUSE-HOLD-NAME IN NIGERIA!

IF GOVERNMENT CAN CONTINUE TO BORROW MONEY INTERNATIONALLY TO FUND SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROJECTS (SIPS), THEN, PCN MUST BE REGARDED AS A "STRATEGIC SECURITY INTERVENTION PROJECT" AND BE SO ACCORDED THAT STATUS AND BE SO EQUALLY FUNDED NOW!
The PCN, is a safety/security, people-oriented, people-friendly, PROJECT that should be strategically-positioned to serve as a double-edged SOLUTION that would quickly stem the current spate of insecurity/killings across the country, enhance the quality, fairness, credibility of the up- coming 2019 elections and also add immense VALUE TO THE VICTORY OF THE APC AT THE 2019 POLLS!

PEACE CORPS MEMBERS CAN STOP SMUGGLING AND FISH OUT ILLEGAL WEAPONS!
The National Security Council rose from a crucial meeting in Abuja on Wednesday 18th October, 2018, and expressed grave concern in respect of the stock-pilling of small arms by desperate politicians who were determined to remain relevant and in power at all cost! All security Chiefs have been put on "RED ALERT" to fish out and seize all illegal and contraband weapons to avoid further security challenges, catastrophes and blood-letting in the country!
SPECIAL UNITS OF THE 3-MILLION YOUTH-MANPOWER OF THE PEACE CORPS OF NIGERIA (PCN) CAN BE DEPLOYED FOR THE MUCH-NEEDED INTELLIGENCE-GATHERING NEEDED TO COUNTER ALL MANNER OF SMUGGLINGS THROUGH THE NATION'S POROUS BORDERS!
No further time should be wasted to bring the PCN on board as a Para-military organisation in order to boost the existing network of security forces poised to ensure PEACE in Nigeria, not only before during, and after the 2019, but 24 hours daily throughout the nooks and crannies of our vast nation and its borders!

WERE THE YOUTHS WHO ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED ELECTORAL OFFENCES DURING RECENT STATE ELECTIONS, NOT MEMBERS OF THE "NOT-TO-YOUNG-TO-RULE" CLUB?
If some Nigerian youths can still be manipulated by politicians to act as THUGS during elections, then the Not-Too-Young-To-Rule group still needed to go back to the drawing board to re-articulate their advocacy and strategies to creating avenues to guide those victims of manipulation to both educational and vocational engagements that would provide life opportunities for them to serve and not be servients!

MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE PUT SMILES ON THE FACES OF NIGERIAN WORKERS THROUGH THE PAYMENT OF AT LEAST N 25,000 MINIMUM WAGE FOR NOW AND ALSO RECALL AND SIGN THE PEACE CORPS OF NIGERIA BILL TO IGNITE FRESH SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM IN THE 3 MILLION YOUTHS, FIT AND READY TO SERVE THEIR FATHERLAND! YOU MUST GET RID OF BAD ADVISERS AND CONSOLIDATE ON YOUR SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES (SIP), GAINS TODAY! "A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE"!

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

ATIKU-OBASANJO'S COALITION SHOULD NOT BE "DO-OR-DIE" IN 2019!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 270. 14th October, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

ATIKU-OBASANJO'S COALITION SHOULD NOT BE "DO-OR-DIE" IN 2019!

Contrary to the consensus of opinion, Nigeria does not lack good leaders but is inundated with a plethora of unprepared, selfish, greedy, unpatriotic and passionless leaders whose only reason for leadership positions is sheer aggrandizement to acquire inordinate wealth and power!

The gale of defections and anti-party activities that enveloped the polity before the National Assembly (NASS), recess of over two months which eventually terminated on Tuesday 8th October, 2018, when plenary sittings resumed, confirms the foregoing assertion of man's insatiable greed for lucrative positions of authority unceasingly because both Senate President, 'Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara jumped ship to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but have vehemently refused to relinquish their exalted positions although PDP is in the minority in both chambers!

At the resumption of plenary, aggrieved APC Legislators were counselled to sheath their swords in respect of a-sworn impeachment move against the traitors but to conclude actions on pending legislatives bills which needed urgent presidential assent, for the sake of the masses of the down-trodden who would suffer the consequences of any wrong move considering the fact that the 2019 General Election was just about FOUR months away!

APC'S SCORECARD OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN THREE-AND-A-HALF-YEARS!
Political analysts have also opined that there could be no better time than this short window of opportunity before the elections for the ruling party to showcase its achievements to the Electorate who would cast the votes and gain their confidence in other to destroy the blackmails by all the defectors at both Federal and State levels!
Although the Change Government had to grapple with 16 years of a plundered economy which was on the way to recession and a virtually empty treasury on 29th May, 2015, the economic managers were able to fix most of the mess within the limited time and did not renege on its anti- corruption drive and the battle against the Boko Haram insurgency to ensure adequate security across all geo-political zones!

SIXTEEN Local Government Areas (LGAs), seized by Boko Haram terrorists between 2010-2015, were all recovered by the Federal Troops within one year of APC's Administration and as October 2018, the remnants of the renegade group were being mopped up!

Although another security challenge in the form of herdsmen/farmers clashes claimed lots of lives - especially in the Middle Belt Region from January 2018, government mustered all security apparatuses to fish out the killers and their sponsors in order to bring the brutality, which was a deliberate ploy by Buhari's detractors, to discredit all his achievements, to a permanent end!

The SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES (SIPs), of the ruling government was indiscriminatory from the onset as all States of the Federation have been affected positively in the very short time of the Change Administration. All uncompleted or abandoned projects of past governments from 1999-2015, were taken over and completed by the people-oriented APC Administration for faster developments in all sectors of the economy! Road and Rail networks have come alive in all geo-political zones as people, goods and services are discharged faster across the Federation in spite of the rainy season and floods!

Other achievements include, but not limited to:
(1) The introduction of the TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT (TSA);
(2) Whistle-blowing policy which exposed TAX EVADERS and fraudulent Civil Servants from whom at least over N 21billion naira and about USD $70 million, were recovered and the External Reserve Portfolio stood at USD$ 43.437,951,431 billion dollars as at 10th October. 2018, a commendable feat indeed!

THE EMERGENCE OF APC AND PDP PRESIDENTIAL FLAG BEARERS!
Although President Muhammadu Buhari emerged as the consensus candidate of the APC, the Party still held a national convention to ratify his candidacy on Saturday, 6th October, 2018 in conformity with the Party's Constitution!
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, also emerged from among 13 Candidates as PDP's flag bearer but not without vehement allegations that USD-FILLED FAT ENVELOPES were distributed to all delegates by his agents!

BUHARI'S PROFILE: President Buhari is an accomplished statesman and democrat having cast the military garb of autocratic rule out of his system in order to fulfil his manifesto's promise that "he was for nobody and was for everybody!" This divinely anointed ambassador and crusader against corruption is a man of integrity both in the ARMY and as a civilian and even his worst detractor could not rail any accusation against him! He never enriched himself outside of his legitimate earnings and has no foreign bank accounts. The President has never amassed mobile or immobile properties in Nigeria or overseas for himself or relatives as some of his predecessors in office did! He does not possess an OIL WELL/BLOC and no one has been able to trace any act of corruption to him!

ATIKU'S PROFILE: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had Para-military experience in the Nigerian Customs where he served and retired as Deputy Director in 1989. He later went into business where he acquired much wealth which he diverted into partisan politics since 1999. He was indicted in office by the EFCC, a Ministerial Panel and Federal Executive Council (FEC), on charges of alleged conspiracy, fraudulent conversion of funds corrupt practices and money laundering!

He was also alleged to have received bribe money of USD $100,000 dollars from one Congressman Jefferson, to facilitate a certain contract from the Federal Government, and that he withdrew N20 million naira from the PDTF Account without due process in 2006! The rumour mill has it that ATIKU HAS BEEN BANNED FROM ENTERING THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE YEAR 2006!

DOES THE ATIKU-OBI TICKET POSE ANY THREAT TO BUHARI-OSINBAJO CONTINUITY AGENDA?
NO! Atiku Abubakar is no match for President Buhari, even if he ganged up with Satan himself other than with OBJ (aka, Ebora Owu, meaning, Owu's demon), his former boss for EIGHT YEARS in the State House, Abuja, because, from his profile, he might lack sufficient pedigree and integrity for the top job! During their fall out between 2006-2007, Obasanjo accused him of "embezzlement" of N20 million naira from the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF), under his watch and was also allegedly accused by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), of involvement in the Congressman Jefferson's bribe scandal which was investigated by the Agency and Nigeria's EFCC!

Atiku's profile speaks volumes and for him to anoint Peter Obi, a former two-term Governor of South East's Anambra State, is another kettle of fish! Since Obi's exit as governor, he had defected from APGA's Party platform, through which he enjoyed eight years of governance, to Jonathan's defunct PDP Administration and lobbied vigorously for a political appointment but failed! Peter Obi will be Atiku's greatest undoing!

During the second term election bid of his anointed successor, Governor Willy Obioma, Mr. Peter Obi, dishonoured the incumbent, sided with the opposition PDP candidate but failed woefully as Obioma, who was staunchly supported with APGA's party structure coasted to victory seamlessly! Does Anambra State alone constitute the South East Geo-political Zone or the entire Ndi-Igbo Clan?
Of what profit is Peter Obi to Atiku Abubakar as a running-mate? The belief of some political pundits was that the entire Ndi-Igbo Clan would rush to the polls on 16th February, 2019, and put Atiku in Aso Villa where he spent EIGHT YEARS (1999-2007), and FORGET IGBOS AMBITION TO PRODUCE AN IGBO PRESIDENT THAT WOULD OCCUPY THE VILLA FROM 2023-2031! The Igbos massively voted for PDP en-mass in 2015, but Muhammadu Buhari won in a landslide! Would they be lured to commit the same "suicide" in 2019? Can the Igbo people afford to lose their sure presidency mandate in 2023 to Atiku, who is allegedly carrying several corruption excess baggages? APC has made incursions into other South East States outside of IMO and the likelihood of winning more IGBO States cannot be ruled out! NDI-IGBO KWENU!

WHERE WILL OBASANJO’S VOLTE-FACE LAND HIM?
Obasanjo tore his PDP membership card and disowned the group for good in 2014 - but he is now back in PDP! He swore that he would never forgive Atiku Abubakar, but in a swift "about-turn", he is now dinning with him like in the old times before the 2006 feud between both men!

The former President, having lost face amongst his so-called COALITION THIRD FORCE- which fell like a pack of cards, like a drowning man has only Atiku Abubakar to hang on as a "saving grace"? Atiku is very desperate politician who would stop at nothing to become the President of Nigeria in 2019. ..... BUT, CAN HE? ATIKU AND OBASANJO SHOULD ALLOW PEACE TO REIGN IN NIGERIA! NIGERIAN POLITICS SHOULD NOT BE "DO-OR-DIE-AFFAIR", LIKE OBJ DECLARED IN 2007!

When ATIKU challenged BUHARI in 2014 during the APC PRIMARIES, he was flogged and did not even come second! Atiku is the holder of the national record of political defectors and we will not be alarmed if he decided to RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 2023 UNDER THE PLATFORM OF THE APC WHEN PRESIDENT BUHARI WOULD HAVE CONCLUDED HIS SECOND TERM IN OFFICE! MAYBE IT WAS TIME THE "EBORA OWU" RETURNED TO ROOST IN HIS SHRINE AND ALLOW THE "NOT-TOO-YOUNG-TO-RULE YOUTHS" OF THE APC TO TAKE OVER THE MANTLE OF CONTINUITY OF GOOD LEADERSHIP FROM PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI IN 2023!

"Righteousness exalts a nation, sin is a reproach to all people." (Proverbs. 14:34).

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

WHICH WAY NIGERIA, WHICH WAY TO GO?

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 269. 7th October, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

WHICH WAY NIGERIA, WHICH WAY TO GO?
[IN COMMEMORATION OF NIGERIA'S 58TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY].

Nigeria's chequered history of socio-political and economic exploits which spreads over a period of 58 years had witnessed "patriotic efforts" by stakeholders - especially the key players in the Nigerian Project - who executed various policies, as they thought best suited for the sprawling giant nation which is now prominent on the global population chart as the number seven most endowed with about 200, 000, 0000 million souls and still counting!!

From the lowly estate of a British colonial entity, in the early years of the 20th Century, Nigeria  metamorphosed into a nation of diverse people which shortly after independence, through a military interregnum/civil war (1966 -1970), and subsequent martial juntas for almost 30 years of its existence, back-slided into a State of neo-colonialists!
The unfortunate intervention that deepened Nigeria's diversity of 500 tribes/250 tongues brought with it seeds of tribalism, suspicion, nepotism, religious bigotry, clannish tendencies, intolerance, hate, violence, civil unrests, communal clashes, greed, avarice, self aggrandizement, insurgency/terrorism etc, which "democratic administrations" inherited from 1999 -2018!
We are now experiencing another bout of almost two decades of endemic CORRUPTION, because the coupists blame-game has become a child's play compared to People’s Democratic Party's (PDP), unbridled and consistent social, economic and political atrocities being funded with looted funds!

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY!
The first set of administrators (1960-1966), who inadvertently invited the gendarmes to steal our democratic mandate through a military coup by pilfering from the treasury,
The second set which precipitated the 30-month-old civil war that further divided the nation along ethnic lines; and
The third set which perfected the total looting and bare-faced robbery of our common patrimony, were not the Colonial Masters, but FELLOW NIGERIANS, THE CHIEFEST OF WHOM WAS THE LATE GENERAL SANNI ABACHA (1993-1998), whose loots are still being repatriated from several foreign countries!

THE CURRENT WAR AGANIST CORRUPTION AND TERRORISM!
One of the key players during the military interregnum is the current democratic President, Muhammadu Buhari, who was ousted as Head of State, barely two years in office (December, 1983- November, 1985), before he could execute his revolutionary ideas of inculcating discipline into the society and destroy the evil cankerworm of corruption in governance, by General Ibrahim Babangida, who took over and further entrenched the obnoxious malaise in the system!
In his retirement days, President Buhari never gave up his dream to salvage his fatherland from sequential bad governance and to rescue the poor masses from abject poverty! He nursed this ambition for over 33 years, contested the presidential elections on three consecutive occasions until 2015, when he won overwhelmingly, at a time when his detractors have written him off for good!

In spite of the very bad shape of the economy and a looming recession in 2015, the President and his management team were able to professionally manouvre with a determined zeal to salvage what was left of the rot left behind by the rampaging PDP predators who held sway for SIXTEEN YEARS (1999-2015), and in just three-and-a-half years, his Change Administration was able to turn the economy around in spite of a severe recession!

HOW DID HE DO IT?
President Buhari introduced the Treasury Single Account (TSA), where all monies accruing into the Federation Account were all lodged and disbursed to STATES, MDA's, CONTRACTORS AND FOR ALL SUNDRY EXPENSES through a prepared blue print, which he and his team faithfully and religiously executed to the letter - with emphasis on multi-faceted infrastructures, deliberately focussed on GRASSROOT DEVELOPMENT - potable water, durable/motorable network of roads, across the 774  Local Government Areas, primary health, education, acquision of skilled labour, intensification of and diversification to Agriculture, exploration of natural mineral resources, encouragement of Small and Medium Scale entreprenuership,etc!

Graduate employment programmes through the N-POWER policy, Market Money, for market women and traders, School feeding programme, Soft loan access for Farmers and SMES industrialists, professionals etc, through Bank of Industry (BOI) and African Development Bank (ADB), are other aggressive drives  by the APC Administration to keep the economy from retrogressing into another recession!

Testimonies of the resounding successes in those directions abound across the spectrum of Nigerian societies locally, in the Diaspora and among international community’s who do business with Nigeria. Nigeria's GDP has catapulted, our Foreign Reserves tripled within the period in question and INFLATION of goods and services have been grounded to pave way for a free economy to thrive!

SUCCESS ON ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR AND VICTORY OVER INSURGENCY!
Buhari did what no other Nigerian president ever did by launching a frontal war against corruption like never before and because of the resounding successes that have so far accrued from that direction, the Africa Union (AU), honoured him with the encouraging title of AMBASSADOR AGAINST CORRUPTION!
The remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents are being successfully annihilated and with deft diplomacy, coupled with persuasion, many have surrendered to the Nigerian Military and are being rehabilitated with high expectations that the entire unpleasant war would soon come to an end!

APC HAS COME TO THE RESCUE - NIGERIA WILL BE UTOPIA!
APC is the new party of the new Nigeria which is articulating a manifesto which guaranteed its landslide victory at the 2015 general elections, according to our predictions and prophecies! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

APC’s SIX PRIORITY AREAS OF OPERATIONAL CHART ARE AS FOLLOWS:  National Security, Good Governance, Human Capital Development, Economic Development, Land and Natural Resources, and Foreign Policy.
The Party has articulated clear policy direction and accompanying strategies to indicate how its vision would be implemented in addition to securing the territorial integrity of the country through development of capacity, capability and welfare of the Security Forces with clear public accountability frameworks and the promotion of peaceful co-existence among all Nigerians and has been consistent in all areas of execution!

And the following are APC’s Promises for a New Nigeria to which all Nigerians must hold them ACCOUNTABLE!
Free and fair elections at all levels; Respect for the rule of law; Promotion of transparency in governance; genuine anti-corruption measures and the Implementation of efficient public financial management strategies.
The Party's social commitments policies which are hinged on building blocks for human capital development and being implemented through coherent health education and social welfare though on course within its short span including the promotion of healthy lifestyle, availability of balanced nutrition and preventive and curative healthcare; quality education at all levels, are being monitored by our team of political analysts. Youth development, sports, and the entertainment industry in addition to the provision of sustainable social safety net beginning with most vulnerable Nigerians, and a pool of skilled Nigerians will complete the bedrock of the economic development blueprint according to this plan.
On the economy, APC has introduced policies and strategies to reverse Nigeria’s economic decline by ensuring sound macro-economic management and accelerated infrastructure development especially in the areas of electric power supply and transportation as listed earlier, including implementation of Fiscal Reforms that would build the economy by enlisting the bottom up approach!
APC believes that the decay in Nigeria’s political and economic structures can be traced to poor governance and dysfunctional public administration because when the democratic dispensation commenced in 1999, the Federal Government that emerged did not tell Nigerians what its vision was because it had none and that tens of thousands of innocent Nigerians who have been killed in all those 16 years, was due to government neglect of security; and that poverty and unemployment have multiplied due to perverse economic policies which has taken corruption to new levels while health, education and job opportunities were all in free falls!
APC described the government that had been in existence as one that thrived on chaos, corruption, impunity, injustice and the systematic exploitation of ethnicity, religious sentiments and other primal instincts to divide and rule Nigeria! It is all well said but the Change Administration MUST WALL THE TALK!

THE WAY TO GO IS FOR NIGERIANS TO BE VIGILLANT AND TO HOLD PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AND APC ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY FAILURE TO ACHIEVE THE CONTENTS OF THIS LAUDABLE MANIFESTO OF THEIR SOCIAL CONTRACT WITH NIGERIANS! AND IT IS A TASK THAT MUST BE ACHIEVED BY ALL NIGERIANS AT HOME AND IN DIASPORA!

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

LABOUR UNIONS SHOULD STOP DECEIVING NIGERIAN WORKERS!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System From a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 268. 30thSeptember, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

LABOUR UNIONS SHOULD STOP DECEIVING NIGERIAN WORKERS!

The present crop of Nigerian Labour leaders neither possess the clout nor the pedigree to call any workers union to embark on any form of strike action, be it warning or full-blown because, from inception in 2015, they were divided, dis-organized, dis-jointed and dis-oriented!

During the elections which threw up TWO FACTIONAL LEADERS from the rubbles and ashes of up-turned tables of ballot boxes and of the massive venue strewed with ballot papers that were kicked around by angry voters who believed that the whole exercise was a complete charade manipulated to favour the man, Ayuba Wabba, who is now the top negotiator of new national minimum wage with the Federal Government, it had been topsy-turvy and the centre could no longer hold!
And that was why the entire masses of Nigeria's 180-million-strong population refused to embark on any form of strike when the Buhari Administration increased fuel pump price from N87 - N145 naira for very good reasons on Wednesday, 11th May, 2016 and fuel scarcity had become an issue of the past since that increase!
The Labour Union is also involved in politics as most of them are eyeing top political jobs in 2019! Presently, they are in contention with the LABOUR PARTY OF NIGERIA over ownership claims and the courts might eventually have to decide who or which entity or body actually registered the Labour Party with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)!
And in spite of the fact that the confused labour leaders were running from pillar to post, they could still manipulate Nigerian workers into a senseless strike to broker an increased national minimum wage from eighteen thousand naira (N18, 000), to sixty-five thousand (N65, 000), in view of the "current economic hardship and price inflation on goods and services", according to them!
At mid-night on Wednesday, 26th, September, 2018, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their affiliates, ordered the hapless and disillusioned workforce of both public and private sectors of the economy to "down tools" and stay at home in protest against the nonchalant attitude of Federal Government towards the Tripartite Committee comprising, Government, Labour and the Private Sector since its inauguration!
The most vexing issue for Labour according to their President was the stalling tactics of government, failure to mention any figure and complete disregard of the two-week ultimatum of 12th September, 2018, set for the commencement of a seven-day warning strike, which terminated without any attempt by government to re-convene the meeting!

WASTED MANPOWER!
We believe that the strike action was misplaced and could have been avoided if Comrade Wabba and his cohorts were sincere in their demands when they were told by the Minister for Labour and Productivity that the tripartite meeting would re-convene on 4th October, 2018!

Who would be the loser at the end of the day when the dust settles down? Was it sensible for Labour to insist on a strike at the END OF A MONTH?
Who takes responsibility for the loss of several man-hours incurred since mid-night Thursday 27th September, 2018? Suppose government imposed the caveat of "NO WORK, NO PAY?"

It is on record that this dis-organized Labour leaders had been unable to armtwist the new Federal Government under any guise for any special treatment or attention because APC's manifesto is loaded with welfare packages and Special Intervention Programmes (SIPs), including increment of workers salaries across board! And according to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the National Salaries and Wages Commission would have concluded on government’s position before 4th October, 2018, meeting.
In the year 2011 the controversial national minimum wage was signed into law during Ex- President Ebele Jonathan's Administration which promised Nigerian workers a "living wage", but reneged and in spite of all entreaties, many State Governments bluntly refused to honour the payment till date! In order to fix a living wage, economic managers would normally take into consideration all economic factors and indices in respect of annual GDP, per capita income, foreign exchange earnings, IGRs, forex exchange rates, inflationary trends, transactions within the formal and informal sectors etc, for proper guidance!

None of the above factors were considered because when N18.000 was introduced as the national minimum wage, the paltry amount could only take care of workers transportation without leaving any allowance for feeding or other basic needs and workers were left high and dry at the close of each month! And for this grievous anomaly, workers had remained dis-oriented, abysmal, nonchalant, and absolutely work-unfriendly; but those who were more daring devoted official work period to the Private Practice (PP), Enterprise which was forbidden under the Civil Service Code! WITHOUT A STRENGTHENED NAIRA, NIGERIAN WORKERS WOULD BE WORSE OFF WITH N 65,000 NAIRA!
Until the advent of the present administration, thousands of "ghost workers" had infiltrated the government pay roll and successfully siphoned billions of naira out of the system and were bent on running the administration aground but for the timely intervention of the new economic managers who worked assiduously from May, 2015 to salvage the nation from recession and depression!

NIGERIA'S WORKFORCE NEEDS THE LIVING WAGE NOW!
What is a living wage? It is a regular salary that is commensurate to decent and goodly-living, i.e. the kind of money that has the VALUE to procure all basic necessities of life without failing. A currency which exchange rate is backed by the solid economy of the country of issue! And this is why the present Change Administration must intensify every effort to STRENGTHEN THE NAIRA!
How will government do this? First, encourage compulsory primary education of youths to Junior Secondary School (JSS), with emphasis in agricultural subjects and also assist illiterate grassroot adults to participate in agriculture and solid mineral exploration through provisions of modern implements, and ensure that the rural hinterland metamorphoses into beautiful and conducive habitats! Second, the cities able-bodied youths should be encouraged to get involved in various vocations like entertainment, music, comedy, acting, tourism, beauty pageants, theatre arts, livid arts and sculpture, trading i.e. buying and selling, small and medium scale manufacturing, - that would re-invent, re-engineer and revolutionize the entire architecture of the Nigerian economy in a way that had never been done before!
Third, WASTAGES IN GOVERNANCE as it exists presently is UNACCEPTABLE and MUST BE SURGICALLY EXCISED!
Starting with the National Assembly (NASS), the SENATE MUST BE SCRAPPED WHILE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE PRUNNED TO ONLY 74 PART-TIME MEMBERS!
Fourth, the EXECUTIVE should reduce its workforce by half since the CIVIL SERVANTS can even work successfully with the PRESIDENT without the POLITICAL APPOINTEES - MINISTERS AND SPECIAL ADVISER/ASSISTANTS! President Muhammadu Buhari worked without ministers for over NINE months and heavens did not fall!
Fifth, salaries and allowances must be very minimal to discourage those who believed in aggrandizement in government and the anti-graft agencies must be put on RED ALERT to monitor income/expenditure and the lifestyles of all politicians and government appointees in all of the THREE-TIERS!
Sixth, every able-bodied Nigerian and even those with physical challenges, MUST BE ENCOURAGED TO BE GAINFULLY- EMPLOYED FROM NOW ON BY THE APC ADMINISTRATION AND THE NIGERIAN NAIRA WOULD BE STRENGTHENED TO PROVIDE THE MUCH-NEEDED LIVING WAGE!
As at the time of this publication (Sunday, 30th September, 2018), there were strong indications that the warning strike was being called off! Are we surprised? Government should always call their bluff as they do not represent the Nigerian workers but their pockets! "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. (Prov 22:29.)

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/ zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

MEDIA TRIAL OF CRIME SUSPECTS IS ALIEN TO PROSECUTION PROCEDURE IN NIGERIA!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 267. 23rdSeptember, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

MEDIA TRIAL OF CRIME SUSPECTS IS ALIEN TO PROSECUTION PROCEDURE IN NIGERIA!

The unconstitutional trial of accused persons on the electronic and print media before their arraignment in courts of competent jurisdiction, which has now become an unchecked norm amongst almost all Nigerian law-enforcement agencies, is an unfortunate trend that deserves the urgent attention of the Change Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which emphasizes the entrenchment of fundamental human rights and rule of law for all citizens!

The crack detectives of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), of the Nigerian Police Force, (NPF), who were credited for unravelling all manner of criminal motives/traits/patterns of crime suspects and always dug for and produced concrete evidences for successful prosecutions and convictions in those good old days, have gone to ROOST only to be replaced by professional comedians/theatre artistes who now dramatize trials on television sets, and publish them in magazines, newspapers and lately on the internet/social media, in a manner that is publicly termed as "trial before trial", which is anathema to prosecution procedure!

IN SOME CASES, WHEN THEY WERE NOT ON TEE VEE, THEY GOT PHYSICAL AND VERY INTIMIDATING AGAINST THE CITIZENS ACROSS BOARD - JUDGES, STATE ADMINISTRATORS, LEGISLATORS, POLITICIANS, MOST ESPECIALLY THE MASSES AT CHECK POINTS/HIGHWAYS; ETC, MOST TIMES WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED PERMISSION OR APPROVAL OF THEIR SUPERIORS OR THE PRESIDENCY!

The State Security Services (SSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), which are off-shoots from NPF, regularly committed the same offences against human rights, and always got off the hook unchallenged and which attitude has brought to the fore the truth that these law-enforcement agencies lacked the fundamental ingredients required to lay the foundations of STRONG INSTITUTIONS!
Sensationalism and orchestration of allegations against crime suspects, especially politicians on Tube stations are the inheritance from past administrations but this very common option of media trial, adopted by these agencies and which is opposed and detrimental to APC's mantra of CHANGE, MUST be urgently nipped in the bud and also punished according to the law, in order to save the country from being the ubiquitous laughing stock among the comity of nations!
The most recent and most ridiculous was the television trial of the PDP Governorship Candidate, few days to the OSUN STATE ELECTIONS of Saturday, 22nd September, 2018, by the NPF during which allegations of examination malpractices were pronounced and "documented evidences, including photographs" were tendered by the image maker of the POLICE, who ordered the accused candidate and his accomplices to report at the Police Force Headquarters, ABUJA, three days before the election for immediate arraignment in court! The officer in question gave no thought to the fact that the PDP opposition party would protest the timing of such invitation as politically-motivated to dis-enfranchise their candidate from the crucial election and reduce his chances of winning; since he had earlier won a Senatorial seat, in the same State with a similar certificate and is a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
President Buhari however stopped the "kangaroo order", just as he had done to avert national embarrassments occasioned through these agencies in the past!
We vividly recall the physical and intimidating SSS "Sting Operation" of 8th-9th, October, 2016, on Judges of High and Supreme Courts, another operation of 4th September 2015, of the Akwa Ibom State Government House, and a recent siege of the National Assembly on 7th August, 2018, by the same agency, and an alleged blockade of the deputy senate president's Abuja residence by the Police, a few days earlier, ALL ON CAMERA AND TELEVISION!
But there used to be a glorious past when Police Detectives, Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO), /Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), were the "SECRET POLICE", who always got convictions in sensational/high profile cases involving politicians and the so-called elites of the society, but now these illustrious, dedicated and diligent officers have fizzled out without decendants! Those who took over their offices have discarded their HOODS and became TV Stars!

WHAT GAINS FROM MEDIA TRIALS?
We make bold to say that virtually all "tee vee" trials of high-profile cases which gulped millions of tax-payers money ended in shoddy investigations/unprofessional prosecution and were always lost by these agencies and we wondered if the technology of the Tube was meant to relieve law-enforcement agents of their constitutional duties of crime prevention, detection and successful prosecution of offenders!
From meticulous investigations over the years (especially, between 1999-2015), it has been revealed that the high statistics of cases won by these agencies were mostly of petty crimes which were always given much publicity while unsuccessful high-profile cases, were usually down-played!

WHAT OBTAINS IN OTHER CLIMES!
Who taught them to embark on media trials? Maybe the devil! Do we have similar traditions in other climes? NO! The Rule of Law is glaringly manifesting in most developed economies and the fundamental right of each citizen is jealously guarded by government! No lazy, sloven, nor lackadaisical prosecutor could find employment in law-enforcement agencies where there is fierce competition amongst best brains! It's on record that within 24 hours of the commission of any crime, criminals were quickly arrested and brought before the law for justice in other climes! No Scotland Yard detective, MI 5, FBI or CIA personnel ever went on television to CRUCIFY any citizen whether a matter was under investigation or had been concluded! Everyone had his opportunity in court to prove his innocence or guilt as the case may be!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDIA TRIAL AND FAKE/HATE NEWS?
There is a very thin line between the TWO CRIMES! Media trial is a subtle but blanket condemnation of a suspect who had not even been arraigned before any court of competent jurisdiction with a view of soliciting negative public judgment which is untenable and inconsequential in law, while FAKE news are fabrication of lies, gossips, innuendoes  laced with tribal, sectional, or religious sentiments, and surreptitiously aimed to cause public confusion, commotion, stampede, disorder or even war!
HATE news are libellous/defamatory publications maliciously targeted to impugn another's character negatively and present such person(s), as odious, irresponsible or incapable of credence or positivity! THE PRESS IS NOT LICENCED TO PUBLISH FAKE/HATE NEWS; THEREFORE, MEDIA TRIAL IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
This is the opportuned time for the Change administration to consider our advocacy for the strengthening of Nigeria's strategic institutions: The Armed Forces/Para-military Agencies; the Civil Service; Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDA's); etc, through total overhaul of their administrative/physical/financial structures/resources etc, with a view of lifting the HUMAN CAPITAL ASSETS to maximum potentiality in order to perform at optimal level and in tandem with international best practice! The 21st Century ICT-driven World of new inventions has no place for mediocrity in governance, therefore, Nigeria needs new managers with fresh and resourceful brains to tailor the nation's WORKFORCE  to conform with the modern trend of achieving highly sophisticated results!

Human capital development is a nation’s greatest asset and it is therefore imperative for political managers to cherish and nurture such natural capital base with much wisdom and dexterity, especially if such country is blessed with massive population! In fifty-eight years of independence, Nigeria is eminently qualified to be categorized within the ranks of countries whose human capital asset could easily lift it out of the doldrum of any economic challenge if and when such advantage was meticulously channelled!

HOW CAN THE INNOCENT CITIZENS BE PROTECTED FROM THE EXCESSES OF LAZY AGENTS?
Civil Society/Non-Governmental Organizations and The PRESS which is constitutional saddled in Section 39 (1) - (3) (a) (b) of the Federal Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as government's WATCHDOG, must galvanize massive advocacy against MEDIA TRIAL, and remind CITIZENS of their fundamental rights of " presumption of innocence by the law, for as long as any trial against them lasted"!
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES EXCESSES MUST HENCEFORTH BE RESISTED AND TESTED IN THE LAW COURTS BY AGGRIEVED CITIZENS IN ORDER TO PUT A PERMANENT STOP TO THE VIOLATION OF THEIR RIGHTS BY THOSE SHOULD PROTECT THEM FROM SUCH ABUSE IN THE FIRST INSTANCE!
President Muhammadu Buhari, who from the inception of his administration, had displayed sterling qualities of a democrat through principled statesmanship and people-oriented and friendly policies in the interest of the masses, should call his appointees to order to avoid a continuous condemnation of his government, locally and globally, because from all indications, he was not aware of these negative activities of his subordinates!
‘’If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?’’ (Psalm 11:3)

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

WE CAN JOINTLY CONTAIN THE ANNUAL FLOODS AND SAVE PRECIOUS LIVES

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 266. 16th September, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

WE CAN JOINTLY CONTAIN THE ANNUAL FLOODS AND SAVE PRECIOUS LIVES

Nigeria's annual deluge had been devoid of the accompaniment of hurricane/typhoon or severe tropical cyclone storms as being regularly experienced in the Far East, China/Japan and presently in the United States/United Kingdom.
According to latest reports about 1.7 million people on the US East Coast were being told to evacuate ahead of the Super Typhoon Mangkhut, considered the strongest storm so far this season, YET, adequate measures were always put in place in those climes unlike in Nigeria, to save the precious lives of their citizens through regular typhoon-tracking-devices and maps!

Another terrible Super Typhoon Jebi, (said to be the strongest on earth), which travelled at 170 miles per hour (mph), hit Japan, but with all  the resistant measures put in place, only eleven unfortunate deaths were recorded!

First, their hydrological and meteorological agencies were kept at RED ALERT all-year round to release, promptly and urgently regular weather forecasts and information on the movement of the EARTH vis-a-vis tropical cyclone ocean storms, which could be very dangerous and devastating both on the land and the seas when and where they occurred! In view of their promptness and civil obedience to early warnings, many lives were saved while immobile properties would suffer the colossal damages instead!

Second, the governments of those countries, value the life of every citizen with utmost dedication and patriotic passion and in view of the co-operation on both sides in cases of national emergencies - whether it be natural disasters/calamities or even wars, the ratio of citizens response to national calls with instructions on how avoid or reduce casualty figures to the barest minimum is classic and worthy of emulation!

Weather phenomenon has been present since the creation of the EARTH and Man who has divine authority to take DOMINION and SUBDUE all negative eventualities must live up to the task because all the forces of the world are subjected to his authority if he applied godly wisdom! If Man could discover other planets outside of the SUN, and had actually travelled to the MOON through scientific inventions/discoveries/expertise, he should also be sufficiently knowledgeable to save his own planet and population from extinction!
In Nigeria's 2018 floodings predicted would affect 35 States, about 141  deaths had been recorded according to official reports by Nigeria Hydrological Agency (NHSA), 19,369 people displaced, 5,732 houses destroyed, with Katsina, worst hit with 61 deaths!  In 2012, the nation suffered and unprecented flood casualties when an estimated 363 lives were lost, 2.1 million people displaced in 30 of the 36 States and properties worth billions of naira were lost due to several untenable factors, including the large volume of waters unguardedly released from the LAGDO DAM of Cameroon and ECONOMIC LOSSES WAS PUT AT N2.5. TRILLION!
As usual, panicky measures were taken by all affected States and the Federal Government to provide succour to unfortunate victims and with assurances that history would never repeat itself! But in spite of the predictions/forecasts of the Weather Agencies the flooding debacle has become an annual ritual from 2012 to date because, they were ignored and unheeded by the generality of both rural and urban dwellers! The unabated flood disasters of the past FIVE years since 2012 has led credence to the fact that, all efforts by both Federal and State Governments to assuage the massive annual loss of precious human lives and properties have been sheer shadow boxing!
In particular, the year 2015 re-enacted the unsavoury episode of a flooded nation that was gradually being sub-merged under a deluge of waters when Adamawa and Benue States which had the greatest casualty figures in 2012, turned out to be the hardest hit with alarming disaster statistics as the rains began in torrents!
As far back as the month of May, 2018, NHSA, through the Minister of Water Resource released information on flood outlooks in 35 States of the Federation with stern warnings to all coastal dwellers to move upland to avoid the dangers of loss of lives and properties during the impending floodings!

Presently, Adamawa and Benue States which had the greatest casualty figures in 2012 have again turned out be the worst hit as both have recorded alarming statistics of disaster since the rains began in torrents. In that year, nine, out of 21 Adamawa's Local Government Areas (LGAs),  were flooded, over 50 communities submerged in Kiri Dam while not less than 10 persons drowned and about one million people would be affected as malnutrition had also hit the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in the State!
In Benue State, the situation was virtually identical, as several LGAs have equally been submerged in Makurdi, Gboko in the ensuing deluge with over 3.000 houses submerged, lives and properties running into billions of naira having been lost and thousands of IDPs languishing in various improvised camps!
And in 2018, the loss is still humongous because rural waterways and river basins dwellers’ did not believe in weather forecasts and flood alerts by professional meteorologists in respect of weather conditions during the wet seasons! 
Unlike the year 2012 when Nigeria recorded one of the heaviest down-pour in history coupled with the sudden unannounced and unprecedented release of excess water from neighbouring Republic of Cameroon’s LAGDO DAM, there were early warnings by both National and States Emergency Management Agencies (NEMAs), of another flooding of several States during the 2018 rainy season!
Why would survivors of the 2012 national flooding disaster return to dwell on the waterways having lost their loved ones, properties and farmlands in the past in spite of the much publicised monetary and structural palliatives appropriated by both the National and State Governments to relocate and alleviate their plight and sufferings?
Victims of the unfortunate deluge who moved upland were treated like some undeserving internally displaced persons for a few weeks and later abandoned to their fate afterwards! Some who were interviewed in Kogi State confessed that their occupation as farmers and fishermen would always keep them nearest the waterways and basins where they could afford cheap accommodation commensurate to their livelihood since government would not provide alternative domicile abode for them!
We were aware that some billions of naira was appropriated by the Federal Government to the States as intervention funds to succour and alleviate the plight of flood victims while donor agencies also contributed financially to support the helpless and hapless citizens of the unfortunate flood to build low-cost houses for them, but from various negative reports in respect of the disbursements, it has become imperative for the new government of President Buhari to institute and inquiry to authenticate whether the funds actually served the intended purposes or not!

THERE IS A FRESH RED ALERT THAT LAGDO DAM WOULD BE RELEASED THIS WEEK-END 16-17TH SEPTEMBER, 2018
A Dam is built as barrier across a river to hold back the water for variety of reasons namely:
(1) Control flooding;
(2) Store water for drinking and irrigation;
(3) To improve navigation or produce thermal power; and
(4) To create artificial lakes and reservoirs as refuge for wildlife and also for recreation.

When the Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam was constructed on River Benue, south of the city of Garoua between 1977 and 1982, it was intended to supply electricity to the Northern part of the country and also to allow for irrigation of about 15.000 hectares of farmland crops downstream. According to its construction statistics, Lagdo Dam which is 308m long, 40m in height and 9m thick had performed optimally until the year 2012 when it had to suddenly discharge excess waters without prior notice or warning to Nigerian authorities! Could the Cameroon government be totally blamed for that disaster even when Nigeria was advised to build a BUFFER DAM downstream (precisely in present day Adamawa State) in the early 80s while Lagdo was still under construction to counter excess waters when it began operation? Thirty-three years down the line Adamawa State could only boast of some dredging and excavations at Dasin Hausa site and not a Buffer Dam!
It is however gratifying that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), was signed between Nigeria and Cameroon in 2013 to share information on rainfall and how to manage excess water without leading to flood disasters. The Agreement also stipulated that before excess water could be released from Lagdo Dam, Nigeria should have been adequately warned in order to put proactive measures in place to prevent destruction of lives and properties. Cameroon authorities have kept their word in respect of the MOU because alert of impending release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in 2018, had already been communicated to Nigerian authorities and all stakeholders – especially- the National and States Emergency Management Agencies who have swung into action since early May, 2018 to warn communities along Rivers Niger and Benue of possible flood between early August/September to November 2018!
States likely to be affected this year by river flooding apart from Adamawa, Benue and Kogi are Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Sokoto and Anambra States while coastal flooding resulting from sea level rise and tidal surges will likely occur in Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Lagos States and flash floods could be experienced in some urban locations such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Birnin Kebbi, Ibadan, Abeokuta and other towns along the country’s coast line.

After exiting Cameroon, River Benue proceeds West, south of the Mandara Mountains passing the city of Yola (Jimeta) to Makurdi, prior to discharging to the River Niger at Lokoja, the confluence city. The way forward in the interim is for the new Federal Government to complete the abandoned Dasin Hausa buffer dam in Adamawa State and also repair the submerged  1.2 kilometre Kiri Dam in Guyak LGA, damming  the Gongola  River, while long term measures should include more buffer dams along Rivers Benue and Katsina –Ala as a permanent solution to the persistent and perennial flooding along the banks of the two rivers and mutual collaboration between all government agencies involved in  environmental sanitation assignments! Since there would be further rising water level with the continuous release of Lagdo Dam excess water in September, 2018, there should be stricter compliance of the mitigating measures of MAN-MADE activities to ensure that wastes and refuse were not dumped into canals and drainages for free flow of flood waters!
Citizens MUST become environmentally conscious to comply with weather predictions through NASA, NiMET, Fire Brigade, Police, NSCDC, the Armed Forces including, NGO's and other agencies which are committed to save precious lives at all times! Strong punitive measures, by law-enforcement agencies, not excluding prosecution and jail sentences, should also be employed on citizens who fail to obey meteorological RED ALERTS henceforth to serve as deterrents to STIFF-NECKED AND INCURABLY STUBBORN people who are bent on committing SUICIDE!
There must be a greater bond between this CHANGE administration and all patriotic citizens to avoid the annual wastages of precious human lives in Nigeria!

WHERE THERE IS A CONSENSUS WILL, THERE WILL SURELY BE A WAY OUT OF EVERY QUAGMIRE!

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

CAN TRADE RELATIONS WITH CHINA TANTAMOUNT TO RE-COLONIZATION OF AFRICA?

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(LOOKING AT NIGERIA'S POLITICAL SYSTEM FROM A GODLY PERSPECTIVE)

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 265. 9th September, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

CAN TRADE RELATIONS WITH CHINA TANTAMOUNT TO RE-COLONIZATION OF AFRICA?

The Forum on China and Africa Co-operation (FOCAC 2018), 7th Summit held recently in Beijing (3rd-4th September, 2018, had been concluded but the ugly misinformation that the host's gesture was a disguise for a fresh in-road into Africa for the purpose of re-colonization is still trending in the social media of several African countries!

China hosted many African Leaders and Heads of State. The theme of the summit was "Towards an even Stronger China-Africa Community with a shared future". President Buhari first visited China in April 2016, and gains of the visit are visible in Nigeria's ongoing power, housing, solid mineral. Road and rail infrastructural developments across the nation have enjoyed over US $6 billion dollars in Chinese investments!

For the records, the United Nations (UN), as the umbrella body of 193 countries of the world, recognizes the independence and sovereignty of each member country and as such accords each country the dignity and respect it should enjoy among the comity of nations as a democratic entity!

And in pursuance of these goals the UN co-ordinates all activities of the various countries through Charters and Conventions that bind all together as one united family.
Africa as a continent is united under the African Union (AU), as its umbrella body, with several sub-regional bodies catering for the collective needs of their members.
Nigeria, even as the most populous nation of black people is a member of both the AU and the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS), and President Muhammadu Buhari, is its current Chairman!
Neither the UN nor the AU, nor any other union of sub-regional groups of nations would sit idle to watch any if its conventions or charters violated either by member nations or any external  meddlesome interlopers without resisting such moves either diplomatically or through military confrontation if need be!

It is therefore the height of insensibility and an act of unpatriotism for anyone to reduce the lofty ideals of China's Economic Policy of trade support for the African Continent to mere rhetoric’s and beer parlour gists!

The sudden rush for African markets by the super powers and major European countries of Britain and Germany in recent times is an unfolding drama that the black continent is the commercial destination of the world! In the past these same countries because of technological advantages in sea-faring and land exploration, had manipulated the natives of the old continent, harvested their natural resources as raw materials (virtually free of charge), for their various industries only to export the finished products to the same continent for massive gains from the brazen exploitation!
Now, fortunes have been reversed as the 21st Century Africa has become the global beautiful bride to be pampered and wooed even by the super power nations of the United States and China, because they would lose their prestigious positions if they cannot dispose their large consignments of manufactured products in order to garner sufficient foreign exchange earnings to cater for social contracts and also to maintain status quo in the ever-advancing and challenging industrial/manufacturing market places; revolution in rocket science/nuclear power rivalries; including the information communications technology fields!

China is now the largest investor in Africa in areas of infrastructure development in energy, agriculture, mining, healthcare, humanitarian aid and response to climate change. Nigeria's partnership with China through FOCAC has attracted projects worth over five billion dollars to the former while the 3050 Megawatts Mambilla Hydro-Power project is also under consideration for completion through the latter's expressed financial support from early 2019.
Universal trading - exhange of commercial goods and services - had been in existence from time immemorial!
No country is an island to itself! Can USA or China produce commodities or achieve scientific inventions only to utilize or consume all by themselves without exporting to other nations
Foreign external loan is a universal phenomenon! US and China also borrow from the world bank to improve and boost their large economies because loans are not free lunches, they are repayable at the appointed time!
President Xi Jinping says china has no colonial ambition - contrary to the absurd insinuations orchestrated by western powers and chorused by illiterate African politicians!
Alliances, confederations and alignments are bi-lateral ingredients of agreements for nation-building in areas of trade, technology, science, war etc.

During the six-day visit of President Buhari, several Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were signed between Nigeria and China in areas of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the economy.He described China's "increasing investment in Africa and the Sub-Region of ECOWAS as a way of building a prosperous and shared future."

UNESCO's INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY (ILD) - SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER, 2018.
World's Literacy Day has become an annual event aimed at raising global awareness on issues that necessitate adult and child literacy since its debut in 1966, and also now, part of United Nation's (UN's), Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's), programme adopted in 2015, aimed at raising global  awareness on literacy development in partnership with governments, charities, local communities and experts in line with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO), cliché, "LITERACY IS THE BEST REMEDY!"

Education is better than illiteracy but knowledge is far more preferable than ignorance! Talk is very cheap because it is legalized by the constitutions of most independent nations through such enactment classified as, “Freedom of Speech"!
A nation without well-educated leaders and citizens is bound to remain backward, uncivilized and analogue! Although the technology of internet website services was designed by creative minds to develop human capital assets for positive social contracts, interactions and ease of doing business by governments and citizens, what obtains in Nigeria's social media is the complete opposite of the good intentions of the inventors!
False/fake news, defamatory/inflammatory statements, hate/speeches, slanders, uneducated publications under the guise of political discourse, disrespect/dishonour of personalities (retired or in active service), irrespective of whether they were respectable people, elder statesmen/women, who had served meritoriously! President Muhammadu Buhari has not been spared from all manner of unwarranted assaults in spite of his highly revered, exalted position and globally-acclaimed integrity, - because desperate illiterate politicians were mis-interpreting educative national discourse on social development, infrastructures, restructuring, state police, resource control etc, to heat up the polity through their illiterate followers!

In spite of the fact that the present administration had, enumerated its achievements of rapid transformation from comatose to buoyant economy in the areas of speedy infrastructural developments in roads, transportation, agriculture, solid mineral resources, tourism, entertainment etc, within a limited period of about three-and-a-half-years of its Change mantra, (29th May, 2015, to date), opposition PDP detractors still maintained that nothing had changed from the chaos which they left behind from 1999 - 2015!

PDP SHOULD BECOME A LITERATE OPPOSITION PARTY!
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which never lost any general elections until 2015, believed that the role of an opposition party began and ended with criticisms of every action, inaction or policy of the ruling government! In charting this erroneous course, they have exposed themselves as totally naive to the understanding of the mechanisms of political science as practised in governance!
They have failed to understand that being in the opposition does not alienate them from governance and the citizenry; in fact that strategic position should give them the leverage needed to reach out to the electorate to find out how they got it wrong, make restitutions and strategize fresh social/people-friendly agendas to re-gain the electorate confidence. They did not also realize that the more unwarranted opposition raised against the performing ruling party, the more they would be alienated from the masses whose lives had been positively affected through the Change mantra!

The role of an opposition party in a democracy is to constructively monitor how or whether the ruling party was fulfilling all of its promises according to its manifesto and draw attention to any dereliction. The opposition should form a "shadow cabinet" as obtains in other climes to keep the incumbent government on its toes in the discharge of all of its social contract so that governance would be more robust and meaningful than the "assailant/bad blood" posture of the PDP!
The public image manager of the opposition party has not helped matters either; when he was not castigating the President for being too old to performing, he would condemn all the ministers as "square pegs in round holes", or even allege that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were more corrupt than those of the past PDP failed administrations and that the war against corruption was one-sided and directed against the opposition!
Constructive, not myopic criticisms are permissible in every democracy in order to achieve reasonable success that would ensure meaningful lives of safety, employment, living wages, qualitative education, safe health facilities, motorable roads, functioning railway network, portable water, and credible accountability by the management team at all times!

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. Prov 6:6-8(KJV)

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

PRESIDENT BUHARI MUST SIGN PEACE CORPS OF NIGERIA BILL IN THE INTEREST OF NIGERIAN YOUTHS!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 264. 2nd September, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

PRESIDENT BUHARI MUST SIGN PEACE CORPS OF NIGERIA BILL IN THE INTEREST OF NIGERIAN YOUTHS!

The denial of assent to the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Bill by the President, has generated so much controversy within the polity in recent times that well-meaning Nigerians have began to wonder whether some diabolical interest groups were not actually benefiting in economic and financial terms, from the persistent imbroglio of internal security challenges which is consuming huge resources on personnel and logistics on daily basis!

Citizens of Nigeria, especially the downtrodden, do not need sooth-sayers to tell them that government's inadequate measures in dealing with insurgency, terrorism, and all manner of senseless killings - most especially in the past NINE years - had been due to lack of adequate manpower and authentic intelligence-gathering!

Who are the sponsors of the incalcitrant Boko Haram terrorism onslaught that is still degrading our collective psyche? Who provides arms, ammunitions, guns, machetes, suicide vests, logistics, hand grenades, land mine gadgets, smart phones, laptop computers, hide-out bunkers; who reveals top secret information on government troop’s movements, and supplies food and medicine, etc, to insurgents? They are the FIFTH COLUMNISTS - the mercenary contractors!

The entire personnel strength of NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE, plus those of the NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES, including the NIGERIAN SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS, cannot muster TWO million able-bodied men and women to protect about 200 million Nigerians in spite of the regular annual recruitment drives to increase their population and yet some do-gooders thought that the addition of about THREE million PCN Para-military organisation would not make the required difference in the lopsided security architecture of the nation? They are wrong, very wrong to have misled President Muhammadu Buhari whom we know his antecedent as a lover of his people who should not be slaughtered like animals all over the land under his watch! He was always saddened and had wept bitterly each time he lost a single soul among his people - he would not have declined assent to the Bill knowing full well that intelligence gathering was the major antidote to crime prevention!

We are convinced that if the PEACE CORPS paramilitary personnel had received presidential approval long before 2018, those senseless killings would have been nipped in the bud through adequate logistics to counter the attackers!
And most unfortunately, the President was deceived to decline assent on the 25th January, 2018, to the consternation of the suffering masses while he hinged his reasons on
(1) "Scarcity of funds",
(2) "Duplication of duties ", and
(3) "Security concerns"!

Of all the reasons adduced, the most ridiculous was the issue of SECURITY CONCERNS as adduced and suggested to the President by the antagonists that the organisation could grow into an "uncontrollable monster" in the future!
This argument is laughable because the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has complimented other security agencies especially in the troubled States of the Federation with much camaraderie!

ARE POLITICIANS FAT SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES WORTHIER THAN ONE TALAKAWA'S LIFE?
THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THE PEACE CORPS BILL ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO INSISTED THAT NIGERIA SHOULD NOT BUILD REFINERIES BUT SHOULD CONTINUE IMPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS INDEFINITELY THROUGH ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY REGULARLY PAID TO THEM!

Before the National Assembly (NASS), went on  annual recess in July, 2018, a whooping some of N348 billion naira was paid as outstanding SUBSIDY claims to 74 Oil Marketers, "to enable them update all outstanding liabilities and clear all debts, interest accrued and forex differential once and for all!" The subsidy according to government is classified under "inherited local debts!"

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN FUND NPC IF IT CAN FUND CONTROVERSIAL PETROLEUM SUBSIDIES!
Over 8,000 Nigerians were killed in the Middle Belt alone between January and July 2018! HOW MUCH IS ONE LIFE WORTH TO THE CHANGE GOVERNMENT? CAN THE ECONOMY THRIVE IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF WAR, CONFLICTS, INSECURITY, AND INCESSANT/SENSELESS KILLINGS?
How much money would be appropriated to the Nigerian Peace Corps Organisation that would DENT THE PURSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WARRANT THE TEMPORARY SET BACK OF THE WORTHY PARA-MILITARY ORGANISATION THAT IS POISED TO ADD VALUE TO NIGERIA'S SECURITY NETWORK? APART FROM GOVERNMENT SUBVENTIONS THIS TWO-DECADE OLD NGO COULD BE ALLOTED LARGE ACRES OF FARMLANDS FOR CULTIVATION DURING SPARE TIMES, IN THE 36 STATES OF THE FEDERATION TO AUGUMENT WHATEVER FUNDS WAS ALLOCATED TO THEM THROUGH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE FOR BOTH CONSUMPTION AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES!

A POLICY SOMERSAULT!
How can the President complain of FUNDS OR DUPLICATION OF DUTIES, when the Talakawas whom he vouched to protect and succour are being massacred everyday like sheep without shepherd? January 2018 began with unprovoked attacks on Benue State where about 80 innocent talakawas were snuffed out! The gory scenario moved to Taraba and Plateau States where greater number of casualties were recorded while that of Benue continued unabated! What kind of money would be too much to appropriate for the protection of the lives and properties of law-abiding citizens and the ELECTORATE in whose hands lie the sovereign power of the country according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999?

How can the President allow sycophants to deceive him with that kind of hogwash when the three-prong mission statement of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), are: Eradication of Corruption, Re-invention of the Economy and War against Insecurity; ALL OF WHICH CANNOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT PEACE!

HOW MUCH WOULD IT TAKE TO FUND THE PEACE CORPS WHO HAD BEEN ON GROUND AS AN NGO SINCE 1998, AND FUNCTIONING IN ALMOST ALL STATES OF THE FEDERATION? CAN'T THE WASTAGES OF FUNDS IN GOVERNANCE BOTH AT EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE BE CURTAILED TO FUND THIS PARA-MILITARY ORGANISATION? CAN'T THE SECURITY VOTES OF THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNORS BE REDUCED AND DIVERTED TO FUND THEM? WHAT ABOUT THE GOVERNORS OUTRAGEOUS "PENSION BENEFITS" NOT SUPPORTED BY THE CONSTITUTION?

From all indications, the enemies of the talakawas would prefer that budget appropriations for the Nigerian Peace Corps Organisation, be diverted to irrelevant projects for party patronage because the poor masses, who always bore the brunt of all the ills and mis-governance of successive administrations MUST NEVER benefit from adequate security which is the TOP-MOST priority among the basic necessities of life! However, we are of the opinion that the need to compliment activities and bridge the gaps between existing security agencies in the maintenance of law and order, intelligence gathering, neighbourhood watch, community services, is now more expedient than ever before especially when a gory scenario of avoidable bloodshed greeted the new year 2018!
It is an open secret that the entire population of all Nigeria's security agencies - which is less than TWO MILLION - had not and cannot fulfil their collective mandate to maintain law and order, most especially, internal security matters posed by Boko Haram and now, the kidnappers and herdsmen killers, so what is the HULLABALLOO about?

THE PALIAMENTARIANS IMPUT!
Before the year November 2016, when the Bill for an Act to Establish Nigerian Peace Corps first got the attention of the legislators of the House of Representative and later the Senate, PCN had existed as an NGO and between December 2016 and July 2017, (in spite of Police declaration that the Peace Corps was an illegal outfit), the Bill received accelerated attention of the Committees of both Chambers and in December, 2017, it was passed by both chambers and forwarded to the President for the required assent of legal backing, as a government agency! The entire nation was assured by Senator Ita Enang, Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters that the Bill was a done deal only for the President to decline assent on 27th February 2018, and members of the House of Representatives also rejected the attempt to override the President's veto in spite of vehement protests by legislators who opined that the Bill had popular support!
PCN was registered as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in 1998, before the new attempt at democratic governance in the following year with the sole aim of complimenting the existing security of the nation through massive INTELLIGENCE GATHERING apart from other mandatory duties as follows: Empower youths in developing positive mindset in patriotism, creating genuine avenues for gainful employment for the youths, training their minds to embrace and facilitate peace in the communities,  volunteerism attitude and community services, nation building, mediation and conflicts resolution, neighbourhood watch, capacity- building of the youths in areas of creativity, entrepreneurship, civic duties awareness, skills acquisition, involvement in crowd-control,  security services as orderlies to traditional leaders, judicial officers, politicians and parliamentarians, to mention a few!
All of the preceding functions cannot be adequately covered by existing security agencies who are already over-burdened!

National Commandant Dr Dickson Akoh, who like other Nigerian patriots, rejected the set-back which he described as a CONSPIRACY against the YOUTHS whom the organisation sought to empower, also accused the Police of "bad blood and meddlesomeness" but promised to seek other legal options to see to the passage of the Bill!

THE BRITISH/GERMAN GOVERNMENTS FINANCIAL INTERVENTION!
Providence has finally brought respite to the Peace Corps of Nigeria Bill through British Prime Minister's and the German Chancellor's State visits to Nigeria on Wednesday 29th and Friday 31st August, 2018, respectively through bi-lateral agreements of financial support - especially earmarked for EMPLOYMENT FOR ABLE-BODIED YOUTHS! Government should take immediate advantage of these generous offers and also appropriate some part of the recovered Abacha Loots to fund the new organisation since funding was one of the reasons for its rejection in first instance!

There could be no better time than now for the President to hearken to popular opinion that his assent would provide great succour to the youths in view of the rate of unemployment, out of school adolescents, drug addiction and insecurity of lives and property in the country! 

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Prov 22:6).

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

ARE CORRUPT EX-PRESIDENTS AND POLITICIANS REALLY UNTOUCHABLE?

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a Godly perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 263. 26th August, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

ARE CORRUPT EX-PRESIDENTS AND POLITICIANS REALLY UNTOUCHABLE?

Since independence, past Military and Democratic Presidents in Nigeria who had been alleged to have corrupted themselves while in office, have been treated like SACRED COWS because none so far, has been interrogated, indicted nor taken before any court of competent jurisdiction for trial and in spite of the fact that one of them, General Sanni Abacha, suddenly died in office and all of his dirty deals of mass looting of the treasury were exposed, still, no visible effort has been made to subject others (before or after him), to give accounts of their stewardship while in office!
But if Abacha who committed several financial crimes while in office between 1993 and 1998, were still alive, would any law enforcement institution be bold enough to bring him to justice?

During the GULF WAR in the year 1991 when self-styled military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, held sway, he was alleged to have converted the oil wind fall of $12.4 billion dollars which accrued for Nigeria, to personal use. He denied the charge and is still walking free!
Former Military Head of State/Democratically elected President,  Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo, was also accused of corruption in some Power projects dubiously executed with about $16billion dollars, including PHCN contract between 1999 and 2007;  Transcorp Shares,  Presidential  Library Fundraising, which realised N3.5 billion and US $ 250 dollars, in May 2007,  shortly before his exit from office;  NNPC contracts worth a total cost of US $300 dollars and disbursement of N500 billion naira, to about 200 contractors; Defence contracts valued at N 6.7 billion naira,  $28 million, €26 million and DM6 million etc, etc., and the EFCC WHICH HE ESTABLISHED COULD NOT FIND SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE HIM because he claimed no wrongdoing in all allegations through a piece of STATEMENT submitted to them! He is still engaged in LETTER WRITING as a free man! 

Ex-President Ebele Jonathan was not spared of corruption allegations that were yet to be proved. He also is still walking free on the presumption of his innocence until the contrary was proven according to the Nigerian Constitution!
Have the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), crack detectives, investigators, prosecutors and lawyers who had been inundated with GENUINE PETITIONS - laden with facts, figures and authentic documents against these ex-leaders, become  lily-livered or too docile and intimidated to invite any of them for interrogation and if necessary to detain them from tampering with evidences that could lead to their convictions?

All over the world, with the exception of Nigeria, past corrupt leaders, including ex-Prime Ministers, Presidents in Pakistan, Israel, Indonesia, Liberia etc, and most recently South Korea, have been successfully investigated, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to spend several years in prison!

EXTENDED JAIL TERM FOR MISS PARK!
An Appeal Court was reported to have increased the prison sentence on former South Korea's female President,  Park Geun-hye to 25 years and her earlier fine by 2 billion won (1.78m), to 20 million won ($17.8m). The 66-year-old First Lady was found culpable of official corruption (involving fronting through a friend with whom she siphoned tens of billions of wons from major conglomerates), by a Constitutional Court in 2017 and forced out of office as the first democratically-elected Korean leader, to be so disgraced! Her friend, Choi Soon-sil, got only 20 years for her ignominious role in the whole saga! The ex-president earlier bagged 24 years in prison and 18 million won fine ($16m US dollars), by a lower court in April 2018 after a prolonged trial of about two years, which the unsatisfied prosecution which sought 30 years, appealed.
Like all politicians, she denied all accusations of wrong-doing and probably described them as "political witch-hunt"! However, she detained for months and did not get preferential treatment! It was also reported that in July 2018, Miss Park was sentenced by another court to 8-year in prison in a separate case arising from the same corruption scandal and for interfering in a 2016 parliamentary election!

THE RECOVERED ABACHA LOOTS!
In the SWISS BANKS alone, Abacha stashed away N1.073 billion, which, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, said in June 2018, had been  fully repatriated, going by the account of  Mayoraz, the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria as follows: Two tranches of $752 million and $321 million, already with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)! The ambassador also said that the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty countries would no longer allow for stolen wealth to be kept in any place in the Switzerland! Abacha also stashed monies in many countries of the world in Europe and the USA!

The money from Switzerland is now being disbursed, with the support of the World Bank to succour the most under privileged as their common patrimony in the first instance, in a form of NATIONAL CASH TRANSFER SCHEME in order to benefit the entire populace. Already, 19 States and 270.000 households have been captured out of the estimated 302.000! Disbursement of $321 million dollars to beneficiaries began in JULY, 2018.
We advocate that other looters of the Nigerian Treasury past and present would make URGENT RESTITUTION before the long arms of the LAW catches up with them!

THE ADVOCACY FOR STRONG INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA CANNOT BE OVER-EMPHASIZED!
Political analysts find it very convenient to compare Nigeria's presidential form of government with that of the United States of America, in isolation to reality that America's system is deliberately supported with very Strong Institutions to afford continuous government policies to thrive, and no matter the personality involved, every act or decision must always be carried out "according to the law"! Incumbent President Donald Trump, has found it impossible to ride rough-shod over the Judiciary on legal policy decisions the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), on criminal probes involving him and the Republican Party and also on Immigration matters because these very strong institutions would always insist on executing all directives according to the "Rule of Law", to the letter without affording preferential treatment to the President!
It was high time that the present crop of leaders in the ruling APC government began to follow the US policies of allowing strong institutions to evolve naturally through judicious and adequate policies in areas of personnel training/re-training/equipment, funding etc. in a gradual process of meticulous planning by devoted, patriotic, resilient and selfless leaders!

SHOULD DASUKI AND EL-ZAKZAKY REMAIN IN DETENTION?
Legal opinion is divided on the continuous detention of retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki who was alleged to have diverted US $ 2.1 dollars appropriated for the purchase of arms and ammunition to fight Boko Haram insurgency in 2014, and El-Zakzaky the Shiite Muslim leader in Nigeria whom government strongly believed was in the process of raising another religious militant group for foment and unleash further violence against the people of Nigeria!  According to Section 293-296 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, suspect should not be kept in custody/detention for more than a maximum time-frame of TWO WEEKS, and must be through an application and the expressed consent of a MAGISTRATE. Dasuki has been in detention for over TWO YEARS!
Although, Dasuki has been granted bail on FIVE different occasions, but on his release from KUJE PRISON on 29th December, 2015, he was re-arrested by the State Security Services (SSS), and has been kept in detention without fresh charges since then! According to Justices of the SUPREME COURT, in a unanimous decision read by Justice Ajembi Eko, said that the EFCC could not be held responsible for the continued detention of the ex-NSA since it was carried out by the SSS!  The apex court dismissed an appeal filed by Dasuki against EFCC for lack of merit and for abuse of court process! And the case of El Zakzaky, government said,  that the Muslim cleric and his wife were not in detention but PROTECTIVE CUSTODY in view of the danger to their lives for as long as the trial, which is on-going last! The couple dwell in a well-protected private apartment and have access to medical facilities.

IS THE LAW AN ASS?
In a recent interaction with a young barrister at law in respect of the continuous detention by government of both former National Security Adviser (NSA), in spite of about five court bails issued on his behalf and also El Zakzaky, the Shiite Muslim leader, I was persuaded to look at the whole scenario of incarceration of the duo from another legal perspective outside of the one vehemently held on to by the government! The Federal Government is holding on to a Supreme Court judgment which says that, "When the decision of bail in respect of a matter before a law court conflicts with STATE SECURITY,  liberty of a suspect could be denied in spite of the grant of bail according to fundamental rights of the suspect. 
The young legal practitioner believes that the Federal Government had erred in law by not APPEALING the BAIL JUDGEMENTS issued by those courts of competent jurisdiction in favour of Dasuki and El Zakzaky! According to his postulation, though the subsisting Supreme Court judgement was very valid, it was not BINDING on the LOWER COURTS to the extent that there was no pronouncement by the APEX COURT which restrained them from granting bail to the accused persons! That argument seemed plausible because, from the primary to tertiary levels, courts unite to execute justice but the rights and privileges of one court of competent jurisdiction was never usurped by the other!

HOW CAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESOLVE CONSTANT CONFLICTS OF RULE OF LAW AND NATIONAL SECURITY? It should expedite lawful trial to avoid unlawful detention! “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: [Romans.13:3].  
Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.
If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.
I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.