Category: Lead

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential standard bearer Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday explained why Nigerians should not vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in next month’s election.

He said Atiku will sell all government properties to his allies and reverse the trend of progress.

Tinubu, who spoke at a rally in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, also urged the electorate to sustain their political freedom by rejecting PDP flagbearers at the polls.

Also, at the Southeast APC Women rally in Owerri, capital of Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma and Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, rallied women’s support for the ruling party.

Chiding Atiku for unfolding plans to sell government property if elected, Tinubu said the country cannot make progress under the PDP candidate.

He said: “The PDP candidate in the race is well known for selling everything that has the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s name on it. 

“If it is part of the public treasure or national patrimony, he is looking to pawn it to one of his shady partners.

“He wants to sell off your chance at a decent job, good schools, a nice home and a happy life. 

“His aim is to sell and turn our public assets into his private profit. He wants you to go hungry so that he can feast off the abundance of the land.”

Urging the people of Kwara to vote for APC, Tinubu said their votes for the party will cement their freedom from exploitation, which they achieved four years ago.

Tinubu and his entourage virtually shut down Ilorin as a huge crowd of party faithful and supporters thronged the Metropolitan Square, the venue of the rally, from sunrise.

It was a carnival-like rally. Security agencies struggled to clear the human traffic that heralded the arrival of the campaign train. Many party enthusiasts adorned the typical ‘Emilokan’ cap.

The ancient city was agog with festivities as the surging crowd spilt across the streets, many of them in branded t-shirts, waving the brooms, singing and dancing.

It took over two hours for the campaign train to arrive at the square from the Ilorin Airport.

The standard bearer, who was accompanied by his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Campaign Director-General Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, and Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari, was received by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Kwara Central senatorial candidate, Alhaji Salihu Mustapha, Turaki of Ilorin.

Also at the rally were former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole; Minister of Youths and Sports Sunday Dare; Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly Yakubu Salihu Danladi; Senators Lola Ashiru and Sadiq Umar; House of Representatives members Tunji Raheem Olawuyi (Ajuloopin) and Mohammed Omar Bio.

Others were Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), Mallam Isa Lanre Onilu, Hajia Faridah Dankaka, Yahya Seriki, and Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin; House of Assembly members; commissioners, and Kwara APC Chairman Prince Sunday Fagbemi.

The rest were Senators Ibrahim Oloriegbe and Godswill Akpabio; Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Labour Leader Isa Aremu.

Exuding confidence, Tinubu waved the broom and danced to the different music tunes by ace fuji musician, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, and other itinerant drummers.

Accompanied by a motorcade that stretched a few kilometres, the double-decker Marco Polo bus conveying Tinubu and top stalwarts intermittently got locked in suffocating human traffic formed by thousands of supporters and admirers who lined the streets.

Tinubu and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) paid a courtesy call to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, in his palace.

The monarch, who acknowledged the sterling qualities of Tinubu and Abdulrazaq, described them as great and humble achievers. 

He also prayed for the success of the presidential candidate at the poll.

Thanking the people for their commitment, Tinubu said they should continue to enjoy the freedom and progress that the AbdulRasaq Administration has brought to Kwara.

“Are you going to be committed to the freedom that you have been enjoying under Governor Abdulrazaq? Are you going to cement that freedom? Do you have your PVCs?” he asked the crowd, who answered with a thunderous “Yes.”

Noting their commitment to the governor’s re-election bid, Tinubu said: “On February 25, we will need you to come out. You don’t vote for anybody else; you vote for me, you vote for the APC. Vote APC across all levels – presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state House of Assembly elections.”

In his prepared speech, the presidential candidate said Nigerians should not be deceived into voting for the PDP in next month’s election, pointing out that a vote for PDP would be an error that will be hard to correct.

He said it was evident that Atiku is in the race to enrich himself and his friends.

He said reminiscent of the past, if given the opportunity again, Atiku would only sell Nigeria to his friends in the name of privatisation.

Tinubu hailed the decision of the Kwara people to elect an APC government in 2019, saying: “You earned a favourable and great place in the history of our progressive party and of the nation when you voted for the APC to chase the PDP out of this beautiful and historic town. You kicked them out and now they want to come back.

“Do not let them back in. They only want to devour what they could not take the first time. If you give them the chance, they will strip Kwara and Nigeria bare to the bone.”

Tinubu also spoke on the recent revelation by one of Atiku’s former aides, Michael Achimugu, where the former vice president allegedly admitted to setting up Special Purpose Vehicle companies to siphon the country’s funds.

He said: “Before today, we used to call him Mr. Privatize. But today, we must give him a new name. One that comes from his own mouth.

“He is now Mr. SPV. From his own mouth, we have heard him admit that he and his old boss conspired to rob the Nigerian treasury of millions upon millions of dollars. 

“They did this by using a fancy business device called an SPV, Special Purpose Vehicle, to hide the money.

“By his antics, Atiku has changed the meaning of SPV. It is no longer a business unit. With him, it is a money-eating monster. From henceforth, Atiku shall be known as MR. SPV. S for Stealing, P for Plunder and V for Vicious.

“For this is a vicious assault on the public funds, public welfare and on the public conscience. 

“How can he so brazenly steal and plunder, yet ask you to return him to the scene of the crime? 

“He wants to return to the crime scene, not to repent, but to repeat the stealing, plundering and viciousness.

“You must stop him before he stops your dreams and aspirations for a better Nigeria.”

Tinubu said the ruling party, judging by eight years of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, has shown that it meant well for the country.

Stressing that he will continue to chart the way for progress, he said: “The APC has a much better way for you. We have good and positive plans for this country.

“If you give us the mandate with your vote, we will carry Kwara and the rest of the country to a more prosperous and secure future.”

The presidential candidate promised to take advantage of the abundant agricultural resources in Kwara to transform the state, create jobs and promote its welfare.

He said: “We will return farming to its glorious past of profitability. Farmers will be paid the full value of their toil and their produce. 

“This will be achieved through Commodity Exchange boards, setting a minimum price for strategic agricultural produce.

“We shall create agricultural hubs throughout Nigeria. These hubs will increase land under cultivation. 

“They will also wed small, medium and large farms so that small farms will benefit from the expertise and equipment of the larger ones.

“We shall continue the progress made by the present administration by enhancing agricultural productivity and agro-allied industry. 

“We will boost our production so that we turn our country of importers into one of the exporters. We have the experience and the will to make it happen.”

On education, Tinubu said: “We will prioritise education as a tool for empowerment. It is not just about producing more and more graduates. 

“We will improve the quality of our education to make our youths more productive and will reform education such that our able and energetic young people are given the skills and knowledge needed to fill the jobs and compete in the economy of the future.”

Tinubu also promised to tackle insecurity, saying: “We will secure our nation and our borders through recruiting and deploying more security personnel, improving the communications, equipment and training of our personnel as well as using top-shelf technology to improve ground and aerial surveillance.

“Crime, kidnapping and terror networks want to put a roadblock in the way of your destiny and future. 

“But we shall take up our progressive broom and sweep away their evil doings so that we can move forward to our nation’s best destiny.”

Abdulrasaq, who was described by Tinubu as an honest and hardworking governor, thanked the people for the massive turnout.

He urged them not to allow “those who stole your future, who could not pay your salaries and pensions to return to power.”

Accompanied by his wife, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the governor said: “This huge crowd is a testament to our standing with the people of Kwara State. 

“It shows that we have won this election. Our presidential candidate has seen what we have done in this state.

“Kwara is APC. Kwara indeed is one of the strongholds of the APC. Our members are happy. The state is happy. They have seen what we have done. 

“We met a failed state in several sectors, and we have been able to tackle it in education, healthcare, and other sectors. All the indices have gone up in the right sense,” he said.

“You need to continue to support this party at all levels. President Muhammadu Buhari has done well. We need to build on his success. 

“No person could have done what he has done, despite the economic downturn, Covid-19 pandemic, and global economic crisis. 

“We must sustain this growth consistently. That will be continued by our incoming team, led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Party faithful, I urge you to support and vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

“The progress we have in this state will be continued with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We thank him for the support he gave us in 2019. He gave us full support in throwing out the termites in this state.”

The governor also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, who is away in Mauritania.

He said voters should re-elect him so that the party of dubious characters will not to come back into this state.

Abdulrazaq said: “Don’t allow people who stole the UBEC funds to come back to this state. They could not even pay salaries. What are they coming to do?

“Just last month, we paid N3.5 billion for pensions and gratuities of 2009 and 2010. 

“When we came in, there were no water works working in this state. We have 90 waterworks in this state right from the time of Sir Ahmadu Bello. 

“They crashed everything. In fact, they were not paying counterpart funds in the health sector. Nothing.”

Adamu said Kwara is a strong APC state, adding: “Kwarans, you have really surprised me. I have seen more than what I expected, and everyone has seen what Kwara has done today. 

“You have said it loud and clear that you are better together. We pray and hope that this is translated to a real vote on the 25th of February.”

Lalong said: “Asiwaju Tinubu has done good. It is his turn. It is your turn. It is our turn. If you chop alone, you will die alone. He did not chop alone. It is his turn. That is why ‘emilokan’ is very important.

“I am standing in for our president who is the chairman of the campaign council. The President knew that this crowd will be here. 

“He went for an assignment. There is no doubt we have seen it. We expect that this

same crowd will be more than this after 25th of February.”

Fagbemi said: “We in Kwara are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Shettima-compliant. We stand with APC and behind our exceptional governor. 

“You have seen hope written on the faces of Kwarans. We want to assure the national chairman that by the special grace of God, we are delivering once again to APC.”

Nollywwod actors drum up support for Tinubu/Shettima 

Popular Nollywood actors at the rally included Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami alias Oga Bello, Yinka Quadri, Muka Ray Eyiwumi, Kikelomo Adeyemi and Zack Orji.

The Nollywood stars, who performed one after the other, urged the crowd to vote for Tinubu/Shettima.

Kosoko said: “Vote Tinubu/Shettima and vote for renewed hope. No going back.”

Salami said: “Tinubu is the answer to Nigeria’s woes.”

Quadri said: “Only Tinubu can do it. Let us go and cast our vote for him.”

Naira redesign, cash withdrawal policy and some of the policies recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will form the planks of discussion at a meeting between the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.

The virtual engagement is scheduled for tomorrow, NGF’s spokesman Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo said in a statement last night.

Bello-Barkindo said the state’s chief executives plan to engage Emefiele on “the economic and security implications of naira redesign and withdrawal policy.”

According to the statement, NGF Chairman/Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has sent an invitation to Emefie on the virtual meeting scheduled for 9pm tomorrow.

He quoted the NGF Director-General, Mr. Asishana Bayo Okauru, as stating that the virtual meeting’s agenda will centre on the recent CBN policy of redesigning the naira notes.

Bello-Barkindo added: “For the virtual meeting, the agenda is titled: ‘The Economic and Security implications of naira redesign and withdrawal policy,’ and it has lingered for some time now.

“The discussion promises to foster participation and dialogue between various stakeholders including governments and civil society organizations to come out with a solution to the lingering issue.”

On October 26, last year, Emefiele announced the apex bank’s decision to redesign the naira note.

The CBN told Nigerians that the redesigned N1000, N500 and N200 notes will remain legal tenders till January 31. The new notes were unveiled on December 15 last year.

Also on December 6 last year, the CBN announced cash withdrawal policy.

The policy, which became effective on January 9, initially pegged over-the-counter cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities at N100,000 and N500,000 respectively per week.

But following the intervention of the National Assembly, the CBN issued a circular two weeks after, raising the cash withdrawal limit per week to N500, 000 (for individuals) and N5 million for organisations.

Individuals willing to draw above the prescribed N500,000 weekly limit will pay a fee of three per cent. Corporate bodies will be charged five cent if withdrawing above N5 million across the counter.

Those sponsoring Boko Haram insurgency planned to split Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday.

Reiterating his conviction that the backers of such projects never meant well, the President   wondered why the terrorist group and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) were bent on destabilising the country.

He said: “Boko Haram is false. You say western education is ungodly. It’s fraudulent. Whoever is financing them just wants to split the country. All the grounds they seized before we came have been recovered, and the rebuilding process is going on well.”

The President, who  spoke after his decoration with the African Award for Strengthening the Peace , was described by the Shaykh Bin Bayyah as “a symbol and icon of leadership and integrity.”

He promised to remain an inspiration even after leaving office as President.

According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Shaykh Bin Bayyah lauded Buhari’s efforts to eradicate religious extremism, stressing that it is something the world must collaborate to do.

“You are doing a great job in that regard, and it is something we need to do wherever such rears its head round the world,” the cleric said.

Inviting the President to visit Abu Dhabi before the expiration of his tenure on May 29, the Shaykh said: “You have had varied experiences, as a military leader, a democratically elected leader for two terms, and your input will be appreciated in any society. We will be glad to receive you.”

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said he and his political allies will soon conclude talks on their preferred presidential candidate for the February 25 election.

Wike stated this during the inauguration of Ikwerre Local Government Area  Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Omagwa yesterday.

The governor is the arrowhead of Integrity Group, a body comprising five PDP governors kicking against the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar as the opposition party’s presidential candidate.

 Restating that Rivers is for PDP governorship, National Assembly, and House of Assembly candidates only,  Wike vowed that  the people would not allow themselves to be treated as “second-class citizens.”

“Nobody should intimidate you. Nobody should tell you any story. We are free-born in this country. We are not second-class citizens. Nobody can tell us anything. I dare them. Let anybody do any funny thing and we’ll tell them we are from Rivers State,” he told the gathering.

Wike told the people to be sure that all their votes are put in one basket in favour of candidates of the PDP in the state.

The governor said that the general election would not leave room for any form of manipulation and intimidation by security operatives.

He insisted that no blackmail would thwart the collective resolve of the people on whom to support with their votes.

The governor urged the people to be calm, adding that they would be notified of their presidential candidate once the talks with his allies are concluded. 

Wike said: “This time, no army will do anything. No Fakorode will do anything. No police will do anything. Now, it is one man, one -vote. All the votes must be in one basket from the governorship to the House of Assembly. The other one we are concluding. When we conclude, you will be told.”

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has said despite the violence in various parts of the country, the general election will proceed as planned. 

Yakubu, who said this while delivering a speech at Chatham House in London yesterday, assured there is no plan to postpone the election.

He said INEC was working with security agencies and other stakeholders to establish mechanisms to understand, track and mitigate the security challenges. 

Yakubu said: “We are working collaboratively in the context of ICCES, and we also have the Election Violence Mitigation and Advocacy Tool (EVMAT), which is a research and diagnostic tool for predicting and mitigating election violence, prior to elections. 

“In addition, there is the Election Risk Management Tool (ERM), which tracks and reports general risks to elections. 

“In all, we feel assured by the actions we have taken and our collaboration with the security agencies. The 2023 general election will proceed as planned. There is no plan to postpone the election.”

Yakubu, however, said violence and threats of violence in parts of the country are challenges to credible elections.

The insecurity experienced in various parts of the country was making it difficult to deploy election materials to those areas.

He said this was particularly in areas where the attacks were targeted at the electoral process and participants. 

Yakubu said the nation has experienced many years of insecurity, which began in the Northeast where there have been Boko Haram attacks.

He said this had escalated to other parts of the country.

Yakubu added: “In the Northwest and the Northcentral, banditry, terrorism and the herder-farmer conflicts remain major challenges. In the Southsouth, the threat of renewed insurgency by groups demanding more share of petroleum revenue to the Niger Delta continues to simmer. 

“In the Southwest, although an earlier surge by a group demanding independence for the region has considerably dissipated, recent violent attacks on places of worship, rise in the activities of violent cults and kidnapping groups, as well as a history of violence involving groups seeking to control markets and motor parks, remain strong. 

“In the Southeast, the lingering agitation for separatism championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) pose a major security threat. Not only have violent attacks by a number of armed groups increased, the long-standing weekly lockdown of the five states in that geo-political zone, continue to disrupt social and economic activities.”

The INEC chairman also said the fate of internally displaced voters is posing a threat to the conduct of the election.

He said in some states, the commission has found it difficult to identify the internally displaced persons (IDPs) because “they are not in camps but rather settled among extended family members, relations and good Samaritans within safer communities where they are not registered voters.”

He said consequently, it is difficult for the commission to provide necessary electoral services to them.

Yakubu disclosed that in 2015, an estimated two million voters were displaced by conflict in the Northeast and Northcentral. 

He added that in response, INEC worked with the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to support voting by internally displaced persons. 

Yakubu added: “This entailed making additional provisions for enumeration of IDP voters and for voting in their camps.”

The INEC chairman said the commission recently revised its policy on IDP voting, which it has been using since 2015, to cater for new realities of displaced populations. 

He however assured that the IDP in camps within Nigeria would be catered for in line with INEC’s policy.

Yakubu likened the conduct of election in Nigeria to conducting elections in the whole of West Africa and beyond.

He pointed out that Nigeria’s current voter population is 16,742,916 higher than the 76,726,092 registered voters in the other 14 countries put together. 

He stressed: “Given the geographical expanse of the country, the number of registered voters, electoral constituencies and polling units, conducting a general election in Nigeria is a huge undertaking. 

“The delimitation details are staggering: 93,469,008 registered voters expected to elect their representatives for 1,491 constituencies in 176,846 polling units. 

“Since 1999, Nigeria has been conducting regular general elections following the restoration of civilian-democratic rule governance after many years of military rule. 

“The 2023 general election will be the seventh consecutive general election in Nigeria. This fact makes this the longest period of electoral democracy in the country’s history. 

“Previous periods of electoral democracy were relatively short, repeatedly truncated by military interventions.”