Nigeria's Telecoms Economic Output Drops

IN WHAT seems to be a deviation from the norms, the contribution of the telecommunications sector to the total economic output of the country dropped by a margin in the opening quarter 2015.

• ·         Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM, continues to dominate mobile subscription with 98.34 percent of the total
• ·         The growth in subscribers was mainly driven by Globacom, which recorded an average rate of 1.45 percent
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•       MTN dominated the number of subscriptions, with 61,218,803 subscribers

In Naira terms, the telecommunications sector contributed N1, 344,489.25 million or 8.38 percent to the total economic output, which is a marginal decline from the 2014 average contribution of 8.46 percent.

According to latest report on the sector from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, made available to the ICT-BizAfrica, the opening quarter of 2015 recorded a real growth rate of 5.36 percent, a rise of 0.61 percent points from the 2014 average growth rate of 4.75 percent.

The report observed that it was the second time in the space of four years that the sector would be recording a negative performance noting that the only negative yearly growth rates were recorded in 2011, with the lowest rate reaching - 6.45 percent in the third quarter.

However, according to NBS, the following quarter saw the highest rate record of 8.67 percent, which has not been matched to date stating that the share of telecommunications in real GDP has fluctuated between a relatively narrow margin between 2010 and the first quarter of 2015, peaking at 9.32 percent in the first quarter of 2010, and reaching a low of 7.68 percent in the third quarter of 2012.

The NBS report further observed that the annual averages have shown steady marginal declines from 9.03 percent of real GDP in 2010 stating that it declined to 8.68 percent in 2011, with marginal declines of 0.04 percent points in 2012, 0.07 percent points in 2013 and 0.11 percent points in 2014.

The telecoms sector report for the first quarter from the NBS revealed Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM, continues to dominate mobile subscription with 98.34 percent of the total, followed by CDMA with 1.54 percent of the total, whist fixed wire and wireless make up 0.09 percent and 0.04 percent respectively.

According to NBS, a total of 143,057,324 subscribers were registered with GSM technology to the four networks of MTN, Etisalat, Globacom and Airtel as of April 2015 adding that MTN dominated the number of subscriptions, with 61,218,803 subscribers or 42.84 percent of the total.

The report said Globacom followed with 21.00 percent, whilst Airtel was third most dominant at 20.48 percent putting Etisalat in the fourth position with 15.69 percent stressing that since May of 2014, monthly growth in GSM subscribers has averaged 0.95 percent, with the greatest increase recorded in December of 2014 at 1.97 percent and the lowest in July of the same year at -0.43 percent.

However, NBS stated that the growth in subscribers was mainly driven by Globacom, which recorded an average rate of 1.45 percent over the period, followed by Etisalat with 1.37 percent and Airtel with 1.29 percent, whilst MTN recorded the lowest average monthly growth in subscribers at 0.44 percent.

Similarly, the greatest monthly growth rate of the four networks was recorded for Globacom in July of 2014, in which the number of subscribers increased by 1,637,543 or 6.37 percent while the lowest rate was recorded for Airtel with a figure of 436,260 or 1.72 percent fewer subscribers was recorded.

The internet subscription section of the report showed that only 60.75 percent of the active GSM lines had internet subscription with the majority of internet subscriptions being on the MTN network, with 39,520,285 or 45.48 percent of the total, followed by Globacom with 19,690,526 or 22.66 percent of the total.

Airtel ranked third with 17,272,665 subscribers or 19.88 percent of the total, whilst Etisalat had the lowest number, with 10,421,229 or 11.99 percent of the total.

However, the growth statistics in the internet sector revealed Globacom as the major driver with an average of 539,034 additional subscribers each month, a rate of 3.39 percent, although all the operators exhibited strong growth. Between April of 2014 and May of 2015, monthly growth in internet subscriptions averaged 2.36 percent.

Porting activities of the report stated that a total of 15, 519 active subscribers ported with different network in April of 2015, representing just 0.01 percent but of these Etisalat received the most, with 9,875 or 63.63 percent of the total, followed by Airtel with 2,993 or 18.90 percent and Globacom with 1,717 or 11.06 percent with MTN receiving the fewest subscribers at 994 or 6.41 percent.

On outgoing subscribers, the four network operators recorded a total of 15,357 active subscribers leaving their networks in April of 2015 while MTN recorded the most, with 8,161 or 53.14 percent of the total leaving the network for another.

Airtel followed, with 3,381 subscribers or 22.02 percent of the total transferring, whilst Globacom came third with 2,038 or 13.27 percent of the total. Etisalat had the fewest wishing to transfer, at 1,777 or 11.57 percent of the total.

According to NBS, over the period of May 2014 to April 2015, monthly growth in subscribers transferring away from their network averaged 2.96 percent saying that transfer was primarily driven by MTN, which recorded a monthly average of 8.71 percent for the same period while the only operator to record negative monthly growth over the period on average was Globacom, which had a rate of -1.75 percent.

For internet subscribers on the CDMA networks, two of them Multilinks and Visafone had a total of 150,799 internet subscriptions, which is just 6.75 percent of the total CDMA mobile subscribers.

The NBS report stated that Visafone holds the large mobile subscription majority of the internet subscriptions, with 150,252 or 99.65 percent of the total saying that the remaining 527 or 0.35 percent of internet subscribers are held by Multilinks.

However, monthly average growth in the number of internet subscribers remained low at 0.05 percent, driven by Visafone, which also had 0.05 percent average growth.

Multilinks on the other hand had high average monthly growth, of 15.69 percent, although absolute numbers remained low while Visafone experienced a month on month declines in internet subscriber numbers in four consecutive months in 2014, from July to September, reaching a trough of -2.39 percent that month, with 3,687 fewer subscribers that month. Growth picked up thereafter, with 2,063 or 1.35 percent more subscribers in April of 2015 from the preceding month.

Broadband Access: Daunting Challenges Undermining Penetration Drive

DAUNTING challenges enunciated in the Nigeria’s telecommunications operating environment are likely to stagnate the industry stakeholders’ efforts in the actualisation of the professed 2018 set target for 30 percent broadband penetration by government.

There is a professed jubilation that the nation is on the pathway of excellent performance as far as broadband penetration is concerned but investigation showed that so little has been achieved when compared with what obtained in the global economies, whose telecoms expert labelled Nigeria as the fastest growing telecoms market in Africa.

President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Engr. Lanre Ajayi disclosed to the ICT-BizAfrica that content is still a major subject of discussion when the quest for more broadband penetration is in focus.

According to him, the quest for more broadband penetration is not commensurate with what the broadband will be used for saying so many government activities are not yet online, and where there are government activities online, it is not properly deplored.

He said that for broadband availability to be useful there much be sufficient online activities, particularly from the side of government, since most business activities in the country are linked with governance.

However, speaking at the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Broadband forum 2015 held in Abuja, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah expressed satisfaction that the present level of broadband penetration has impacted on the economy.

Juwah who was represented at the forum by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Dr.OkechukwuItanyi cited education, health care provision, energy management, security, and information dissemination as areas in the economy wherein broadband services have had positive impact on the nation.

He however admitted that there is the lack of a robust fixed network infrastructure noting that there is the need to rapidly develop the infrastructure to provide universal broadband services required for a coordinated national approach.

Juwah stated that efforts have been made to address the challenge saying that one of such was the crafting of a National Broadband Plan covering the period 2013 to 2018.

The policy and regulatory strategies for accelerated broadband infrastructure development was thus articulated taking due cognizance of the unique conditions prevailing the country.”

The ATCON highlighted that the quest for broadband penetration seems to have left bulk of the nation’s citizen in the rural areas out of the broadband quest by the industry saying that presently most Nigerians in the rural areas do not have access to the internet.

He said that where that is present, the speed and stability of the connection is far below international standard. 

Secretary-General of CTO, Prof. Tim Unwin disclosed at the CTO that that is an area where government and the private sector need to focus on.

He said at the forum in his welcome address that government officials and policy makers should put all hands on the deck if the nations within the Commonwealth must harness resources to make broadband available to their citizenry especially in the unserved and under-served.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications Technology, Dr.TunjiOlaopa said that broadband is the catalyst for achieving a knowledge based economy saying that it potentially influences the entire economy as a general purpose platform used as a key input across various sectors ranging from health, commerce, education, banking” among others.

According to him, the economic impact of broadband penetration has been found to be quite impressive, noting that World Bank studies showed, quite conclusively, that in low and middle-income countries, every 10 percentage point increase in broadband penetration accelerates economic growth by 1.38 percentage points indicating the need for the world over to do everything possible to ensuring the roll out of broadband infrastructure.

Still on the sideline of the CTO concerning the present state of broadband penetration in the country, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher said that nothing has be done yet by government and their agents to address the challenges of broadband penetration.

He said that the Ministry of Communications Technology and the NCC must put in place policy and regulatory interventions to address challenges affecting broadband development in Nigeria.

According to him, in the telecommunication sector revenues and profits go to one operator while others struggle to survive noting that it is largely responsible for the broadband investment deficit and resultant low broadband penetration in Nigeria.

 Willsher stated that the presence of several struggling operators, many of whom are barely active, in an industry the size of Nigeria’s, is indicative of serious underlying issues with value distribution across the industry.

He said that the concentration of 70 percent industry EBITDA and probably all of the industry’s net profit in one operator is to the detriment of the rest of the industry.

 “Nigeria has underperformed in the area of broadband development in comparison to its peers. Nigeria’s mobile broadband penetration stands at 10.1 percent while the average for peer countries in Africa is 30 percent. Peer countries have an average Smartphone penetration of 26 percent while Nigeria’s Smartphone penetration averages 12 percent”, he said.

 He called for tailor-made regulations to enable unprofitable operators compete more favourably in order to attract a greater share of the currently lopsided value in the industry. 

According to him ‘it is perfectly normal to have asymmetric regulation in a market where one operator holds the sort of market share and significant market power – and pertinent to ask is whether Nigeria can learn from the success of other markets in restricting dominant players in the interests of the industry and the country at large’.

Aggrieved Willsher said that if struggling operators can extract a better share of industry value, they are more likely to increase their broadband investment which will drive broadband development in Nigeria.

 While identifying inadequate spectrum support broadband deployment as a key challenge in the provision of broadband services in Nigeria, he suggested that mobile broadband is clearly Nigeria’s best route towards achieving its broadband coverage objectives given the high cost associated with fixed broadband.

He stated that the most valuable coverage spectrum is under-utilised with the sub-optimal use of the 800MHz spectrum and the delays being experienced in the freeing up of the 700MHz spectrum saying that accounts for Nigeria’s inability to meet the June 17^th 2015 deadline set by the ITU to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting.

He revealed that the recent closure by the Central Bank of Nigeria of the Wholesale and Retail Dutch Auction windows has resulted to telecommunications operators sourcing foreign exchange to fund equipment purchases at significantly higher rates through the interbank foreign exchange market.

Opera Users in Nigeria Hit 20m

LATEST statistics from Opera, one of the world’s leading internet web browser revealed that its users has reached 20 million.

Vice President, Africa for Opera Software, Mr. Richard Monday made the disclosure in Lagos during the flagged off partnership with MTN Nigeria and online news portal, Naij.com.

He said that considering the massive growth of o

nline citizens in the country and with many more eager to be online, Opera decided to partner with both organisation to bring more Nigerians online by offering one million days of free internet access.

“Connecting more people, wherever they are and helping them to do more with their data will always be in the forefront of what we do at Opera. Partnerships like this are key to achieving our goals”, added Monday.

Although the offer is presently limited to subscribers on the MTN network to access the surfers will use the Opera web browser by logging first into the Naij.com portal.

According to all the partners in the initiative, the intention is to bring free mobile internet to Nigerians via the MTN network adding that this has been made possible through Opera’s Sponsored Web Pass, which allows operators to package their data in a user-friendly way.

At the click of a button, users can get online and explore what the mobile internet has to offer.

A first-of-its-kind initiative in Africa, Naij.com is sponsoring a massive one million days of internet for subscribers on the MTN network between from June 17^th whereby MTN users will be able to activate their free day of internet and will be able to browse all websites using Opera Mini.

Country Group Head at Naij.com, Mr. Goke Olaegbe said that his company is committed to providing engaging online content for Nigerians, we’re thrilled to also provide them with a day of mobile internet saying that the partners are working together to boost Nigeria’s mobile internet usage.

He described the initiative as unique because of the over 20 million Opera Mini users in Nigeria, 140 million MTN subscribers and more than 12 million monthly Naij.com readers saying that it is an opportunity to bring mobile users online for the first time.

Acting Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer at MTN Business, Tsola Barrow, said the initiative is not only in line with MTN’s  vision to deliver a bold, new digital world to its customers but also underpins its mission to make the lives of customers on Africa’s largest network a whole lot brighter. Represented by the Manager Mobile Advertising, MTN Business, Mr, Chinedum Adim, he said that MTN believes in the power of bringing people online via the devices they use every day adding that the Opera’s Sponsored Web Pass helps take the fear out of using mobile internet for the first time.

Digital Economy in Nigeria to Spur National Devt’

THE Nigeria’s digital economy has been described as one of the leading sector in the world that has a huge capacity that will impact all segments of the economy.

Managing Director, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Mr. Michiel Buitelaar  who made the remark  during a panel discussion at the sixth Annual Pan-African 1:1 

Investor Conference organised by Renaissance Capital in Lagos said that leveraging digital economy should be regarded as a sine qua non in sustaining the economy by the incoming administration led by Muhammed Buhari.

According to him, the quest for an economy that is digitally enable is crucial particularly in the face of dwindling oil revenue with increasingly pressure on the economy evident in budgets deficit, infrastructural deficit, high unemployment rate, harsh business environment and corruption.

Buitelaar identified infrastructural advancement as overriding factor for the immediate expansion of sectors such as agriculture, transportation, banking and finance, health-care/medicine, and education.

He said that Smile Communications aligns itself with the key statistics expected for the Nigerian Digital Economy by 2018 as released by the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, especially for the emergence of an industry that is less fragmented.

According to the country’s target, the industry expects to attain 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018 from the present less than 10 per cent.

The Smile MD said, “There are various advantages the digital economic providers have over the traditional. However, to make this happen faster, there are catalysts required for it to even drive other sectors outside the ICT.”

He stated that the digital economy will be the driver of the agricultural, transport, health-care/medicine, education, banking and finance adding that “In our company, for instance, we are talking to companies in those sectors and one recently said that ‘the software is eating the world.”

He said that Smile believes the new digital ICT will influence other sectors saying that he has seen in other countries, the efficiency and productivity is very likely to explode once all the digital economy has entered into their arena.

He added: “It is also our expectation that the impact will become more pronounced within the next ten years. For emphasis sake, sectors like agricultural, transport, health-care/medicine, education, commerce, in fact, the whole move of digitisation will have impact on the emerging economy and Nigeria’s economy is well positioned to make their journey better than many others.”

While extolling the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for approving the National Broadband Plan, NBP, Buitelaar expressed confidence in the Buhari government’s compelling posture for firm implementation of the plans saying that he expects broadband impact on digital economy.

 “I think the Federal Government is doing a quite well, especially, by releasing a National Broadband Plan, NBP, but I will urge that the next Government continues with the plan in an even ‘forceful’ manner. Similarly, spectrum allocations should be looked at too; it is more of technical, but very important in the nation’s quest for more ubiquitous broadband. There are sub-sectors that the broadband availability will immediately impact their operations such as the delivery viz a viz ecommerce, e-payment, education and other clusters of business. These are crucial reasons the digital economy should be allowed to blossom.”
On infrastructure, he said the whole country will benefit in smart investments in infrastructure saying that there are issues in transport, power and payment systems; if these issues can be addressed, with a couple of other commitments, I believe in the next few years the country will be reaping large chunk of benefits from them.

Buitelaar added that Smile will not rest on its oars until Nigerians have access to qualitative and affordable broadband services stressing that “From the Smile Communications’ perspective, we have penchant interest in the provision of high quality service. Later this year we will rollout service in a couple of other cities.”

He added that Smile is serious about providing superfast broadband, high availability, high-quality and reliable offering noting that “if a small scale business is using your service, they ought to get maximum benefit; that is the way they can grow and employ more people. In that way you have impacted lives and the country’s GDP will feel the boost as well.”

Also speaking at the event, Professor Pat Utomi said that thrust of the in-coming administration should be centered on making corruption costly and unattractive through public service entrepreneurship and goal oriented; reinvent sectors like mining and building clusters of strong institutions and leveraging ICT.

Global Chief Economist at Renaissance Capital, Mr. Charles Robertson, noted great long-term potential across Africa, particularly, in Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt saying that “We believe Nigeria will be a trillion dollar economy by 2025 and it will keep doubling in size every 10 years. GDP per capita is likely to reach around $15,000 by 2050. Following the April elections, the new government represents the best opportunity in recent years to push forward reform for Africa’s largest economy.”

Ericsson to Manage Smile’s 4G/LTE Operations

GLOBAL telecoms vendor company, Ericsson has been engaged under a five-year multi-country managed services agreement to manage Smile Communications’ 4G/LTE networks across all operations in Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. This is the first 4G/LTE managed services contract signed in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to information made available to National Mirror by the Ericsson Nigeria in Lagos, the global vendor company will provide a fully managed end-to-end service that includes network operations, performance, optimisation, field support and maintenance for Smile’s LTE networks in Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and  later in the Democratic Republic of Congo .

Group Chief Operations Officer of Smile Communications, Mr.Tom Allen, said: “We regard Ericsson as more than a vendor, we are long term partners focused on delivering on the Smile promise to be the broadband provider of choice in Africa and to ensure that our customers fully benefit from the internet world”.

He said that the managed services contract extends Ericsson’s relationship with Smile in Nigeria, where Ericsson is Smile’s sole vendor for 4G networks adding that the agreement also leverages Ericsson’s more than 15 years of experience in managing multi-vendor, multi-technology networks in Tanzania, Uganda and the DRC.

President Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. Fredrik Jejdling expressed delight over the agreement saying that Ericsson is excited to be delivering this service to Smile as it further extends its partnership with the operator in the region.

”Bringing with us our expertise as global HSPA and LTE leaders, this partnership enables Smile Communications to focus even more on the core business of delivering superior products and services that cater to the needs of its subscribers, whilst at the same time improving operational cost efficiency”, he said.

 Ericsson is the global leader in telecommunications managed services, managing networks for multiple operators worldwide via a combination of global and local network operations centers.

Ericsson employs 66,000 services professionals in 180 countries, and provides managed services for networks that serve more than 1 billion subscribers.

 In addition, Ericsson is present in all high-traffic LTE markets including US, Japan, and South Korea, and is ranked first for handling the most global LTE traffic. Forty percent of the world’s mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks.

Fire Guts Zenith Bank Headquarters

There was confusion on Thursday as a section of the Zenith bank head of office on Ajose Adeogun‎, Victoria Island, Lagos State, went up in flames. ‎It was learnt that the fire, which started around 5pm, razed some gadgets and a few documents.  The fire was said to have been caused by an electric surge inside the banking hall. Our correspondent gathered that the fire was prevented from escalating by firefighters from the Onikan station of the Lagos State Fire Service, who responded with 10,000 litres of water. The security officials of the bank declined to comment on the development. 

Fresh Facts Behind Frequency Spectrum Sale Saga

WHILE it seems there is total calm over the controversial sale of the 900MHz spectrum and 700MHz to Jim Ovia and Mike Adenuga companies by the Nigerian Communications Commission after a directive by former President Goodluck Jonathan, fresh investigations have unraveled the behind the scene deals of the exercise.

There are indications that the Ministry of Communications Technology and the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC may not have played an indicting role in the recent sale of the 900MHz spectrum and 700MHz to Jim Ovia and Mike Adenuga by the Federal Government few months before the expiration of tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Investigations revealed that there was no reason for some stakeholders in the industry to assume that both government organisations played a fraudulent in by-passing the laid down due process for the sale of both spectrum, which are government properties.

Our source, who is close to the presidency then disclosed that although it was for government not to have allowed due process to be followed in the sale of spectrum as it has been done in the past said that the former president merely exercised his prerogative, which the constitution allows.

While commenting on the return of Ovia’s spectrum, the source said that what transpired between the NCC and Cyberspace following the directive of the former president had no element of fraud.

According him, it was a transaction, and money was paid into government account stressing that when Cyberspace decided to return the spectrum, when it discovered it had no need of it, it did not get a full refund.

The source stated that details of the financial transactions between the NCC as the custodian of the spectrum and Cyberspace are with the relevant government agencies for anyone to verify.

It was recently reported by an online media that former President Goodluck Jonathan “secretly” awarded the highly lucrative “digital dividend” frequency spectrum to Mike Adenuga’s Globacom and Jim Ovia’s Cyberspace without allowing the NCC to carry out its function as custodian of the spectrum on behalf of government.

It was gathered that the presidency did not allow the NCC to carry out its statutory function with regard to the sale of the spectrum but had gave directive that both spectrum be sold to the two businessmen.

It is traditional in the NCC to often engage stakeholders in the industry whenever there is a spectrum for sale as was the case of the frequency licensing for the 70/80GHz spectrum bands.

And in March 2015, the NCC in Lagos held a consultative forum with industry stakeholders on the viability of the auction where discussions on modalities for the auctioning was unveiled and stakeholders were able to make their input.

Also the NCC had in the first few months of the year engaged stakeholders on the modalities for the auction of the 2.6GHz, which had suffered three postponements.

 Although there were no official explanation for the postponement, it was however gathered that the regulator wants to avoid the mistake of the past as was the case in 2001 after the Digital Mobile Licence, DML, auction, Communication Investment Ltd, CIL, wherein one of the winners did not pay for the licence because the frequency allocated to CIL was believed to be encumbered and it lost the licence and the deposit for same.

A telecom expert who pleaded not to be quoted stated that the NCC may not have erred in selling the frequency spectrum without going through the traditional procedure, which had followed in the past saying that the NCC is just a custodian of the spectrum for government who is actually the owner.

According to him, the transaction that resulted in  Adenuga and Ovia parting with money to take possession of the spectrum was out even an outright sale but a least stressing that government can take it back whenever it desire.

However, President of the Nigerian Internet Group, NIG, Engr. Bayo Banjo said that there is no law that gives the president the power to by-pass due that has already been established by another.

According to him, what the former president did was part of the overbearing influence of government in the management of the NCC, which has resulted to several illegalities at the NCC.

Asked if the board of the NCC was in position to decline the directive of the former president, Banjo said that when a former commissioner at the NCC queried some of such illegalities, government found it uncomfortable, and therefore sacked him.

He disclosed since there is a president, the regulation could request that the sale of the spectrum frequency be reversed and allowed to followed due process as required by law.

“The NCC could just ask the new president, I hope there would not be any objection if we go ahead to revoke the sale of the frequency spectrum, just to satisfy political concern because sometimes actions are not solely base on law. There are also political concerns”, he said.

He said: “If the illegality committed by the companies that bought the frequency spectrum is too glaring they should be shut-down by the appropriate body. That is the real truth. The NCC will tell them that it is illegally obtained and that they are withdrawing the license and then maybe allowed the same companies to bid for the same spectrum frequency by following the due process.”

Banjo explained further that it is the new president that will give the directive on the reversal of the sale of the frequency spectrum and that the due process is followed saying “there is no law that says that the president has the right to sell out the frequency spectrum without the NCC following the due process as stated by law.”

On the return of the spectrum bought by Jim Ovia, it was gathered that it was not base on public outcry over the illegal sale of the spectrum to his company, Cyberspace.

Head, Corporate Affairs, Visafone, Mr. Joseph Ushighiale confirmed that before the purchase of the spectrum by Cyberspace, Jim Ovia had been in discussion with some Chinese businessmen to float a broadband internet service business.

He said that when he finally broke the news of the purchased spectrum to his Chinese business partners and upon careful study of the capacity of the spectrum concluded that it did not meet the requirement of their business plan.

A source, who had knowledge of Ovia’s business relationship with the Chinese businessmen confirmed that the proposed broadband internet service provider was actually intended to put the present internet service providers whose services was below expectations on their toes.

APC kicks Against Emergence of Saraki, Dogara as Senate President, House Speaker

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as totally unacceptable and the highest level of indiscipline and treachery the conduct of Tuesday’s inauguration of the National Assembly that led to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon Yakubu Dogara as Senate President.and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

”Senator Bukola and Hon. Dogara are not the candidates of the APC and a majority of its National Assembly members-elect for the positions of Senate President and House Speaker.

Dogara and Saraki

The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives.

All National Assembly members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that decision. The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members,” the party said in a statement issued in Abuja Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

”Consequently, the APC leadership is meeting in a bid to reestablish discipline in the party and to mete out the necessary sanctions to all those involved in what is nothing but a monumental act of indiscipline and betrayal to subject the party to ridicule and create obstacles for the new administration ” it said.

APC decried a situation in which some people, based on nothing but inordinate ambition and lack of discipline and loyalty, will enter into an unholy alliance with the very same people whom the party and indeed the entire country worked hard to replace and sell out the hard won victory of the Party.

”There can be no higher level of treachery, disloyalty and insincerity within any party,” the party said, vowing to resolve the matter using all constitutional and legal means available to it. Meanwhile, the APC has asked all its loyal Senators-elect to please report to the Senate to be sworn-in in order to discharge their constitutional duties. Alhaji Lai Mohammed National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC)Abuja, June 9th 2015