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Tag: 2019 election

  • Do not sell your votes, Bagudu tells electorate

    Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi has called on the electorate not to sell their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to any politician.

    The governor made the call during the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC ) campaign rally at Maiyama Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.

    Bagudu said the electorate should jealously guard their PVCs against unscrupulous politicians, who go round buying PVCs, especially in rural areas.

    “Chase away any politician who gives out money to collect PVCs for whatever reason.

    “Do not sell your PVC, your PVC is your vote and if you sell your PVC, you sell your conscience and you cannot vote for the candidate of your choice during any election,” he said.

    The governor enjoined the electorate to report any politician who attempted to buy PVCs to the appropriate authorities.

    Read Also: PDP suspends Deputy National Chairman (North)

    The governor also commended President Muhammadu Buhari on his economic diversification agenda, adding that it gave opportunity for people in the state to excel in rice production.

    Earlier, the state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bala Kangiwa, told the mammoth crowd that the campaign would be issue based.

    He said APC would showcase its projects to the people to see in every local government area.

  • Tinubu fully in charge of my campaign- Buhari

    To avoid any bottleneck in his re-election campaign, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday disclosed the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is fully in charge of the 2019 APC Presidential Campaign Council.

    Buhari made the remark while inaugurating the Campaign Council, for which himself and Tinubu are co-chairmen.

    The President urged all the leadership of the campaign, including the field operations, the campaign trail and the Secretariat to consult with Asiwaju Tinubu whenever guidance is needed.

    He said: “Even though we have only 40 days, this campaign is going to task us all because we intend to touch all corners of our great and vast country.

    “But I must also add that, though we will all be deeply involved, I would like to assure the nation that I will do my part without making governance or my work suffer.

    “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my co-chairman, will be fully in charge, and is going to be on 24-hour vigil.

    “That is to say, the operational buck of this campaign stops at his table, and I, therefore, urge all of us in the leadership of this campaign, in the field operations on the campaign trail and in the secretariat to consult with Asiwaju whenever guidance is needed.”

    The President implored the Council leaders to resist being provoked, remain focused and civil in the campaigns.

    “Let us engage our citizens on issues and ask for reflection on the comparative difference between 2015 and 2019 on security, economy and corruption and abuse by those entrusted with leadership in Nigeria.” he said

    Buhari also acknowledged the sacrifices and contributions of all stakeholders who have endeavoured to keep the APC united and making the APC governance successful.

    “I urge members of this formidable team to always keep their eyes on the ball, which is the success of our party at the polls. I wish to appeal to all members to be guided by the enduring vision behind the formation and sustenance of our party, which is anchored, on sacrifice and imperative to salvage and stabilize our great and promising nation.”

    He appealed to all members, especially those who are in the campaign council, to unite and cooperate and ensure a smooth operation.

    He added: “Needless to add, Directorates could co-opt on full or part-time basic persons who could add value to our campaign and help us to attain success.

    “To my mind, the division of responsibility is clear enough. The Leadership that has formulated the campaign policy will supervise its execution; the Director-General will have overall responsibility for all aspects of the campaign, including field operations; while the Secretary will be responsible for all administrative and treasury-related activities of the council.”

    The President also congratulated all APC men and women seeking election and those who are running on other political platforms.

     

     

     

     

  • 2019: INEC presents voters’ register to political parties

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has presented the National Register of Voters to Political Parties.

    Yakubu did the presentation on Monday at the Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Political Parties in Abuja.

    Read Also: INEC takes PVCs collection to registration areas in Plateau

    According to him, the official total number of registered voters is 84,004,084. ( Eighty Four Million, Four Thousand, and Eighty Four).

  • Akpabio to politicians: Stop politicising tragedy

    A former Minority Leader of the Nigeria Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has advised politicians to run decent campaigns and stop politicising tragedies, as the general elections approach.

    Akpabio, who is also a former governor of Akwa Ibom, who now represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

    He said that the unity of Nigeria was more important than politics, adding that all Nigerians should take steps to maintain that unity.

    “Nigerian politicians should learn to run decent campaigns and try to shy away from issues that can generate violence or further polarise our country as we approach the elections.

    “They should stop jubilation whenever we experience set back in the war against insurgency, it is a collective responsibility to ensure that Nigeria is safe and we should all show commitment to that cause.

    “The reason why we are contesting for political leadership in the first place is because there is a country called Nigeria; if Nigeria stops to exist today, our politics will become useless,’’ he said.

    Akpabio also urged politicians to see the advantage in the size and diversity of Nigeria and work hard to maintain its unity.

    “The reason why we are respected across the world is because of our population and our diverse ethnic configuration.

    “Politicians are supposed to use these factors to further engender peace and unity in the country, instead of creating hatred and enmity amongst their followers,’’ he said.

    The former governor also advised Nigerians to stop viewing “dividends of democracy’’ or political reward system in terms of appointment and contracts.

    “Nigerians should ensure that they elect good and committed leaders at all elections, and stop expecting patronage in terms of appointments or contracts.

    “Good governance and delivery of critical infrastructure are the best reward system that any leadership can give the citizenry, and any leader that does these deserves mass support,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that Akpabio, a former member of Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), decamped to the ruling All Progrissives Congress (APC) on Aug. 8, 2018. (NAN)

  • ‘Use your PVCs to end dismal PDP in Sokoto’

    AHEAD of the soon to be conducted 2019 polls, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, has urged electorates in the state to wisely use their Permanent Voter Cards ( PVCs), to end the administration of sitting Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the state for its dismal performance in the last four years .

    Wamakko made the call in Sokoto at the formal inauguration of the APC state campaign committees for the Sokoto North Senatorial District, as well as the eight Local Governments in the zone.

    They are Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Wamakko, Kware, Silame, Binji, Gudu and Tangaza according to a statement issued to reporters Thursday night by Bashir Rabe Mani, Special Assistant to the Senator on Media and Publicity.

    Read Also: PDP not a threat to Buhari’s re-election — Keyamo

    Represented by the Zonal Campaign Coordinator, Alhaji Tsalhatu Sidi Mamman, a former Commissioner in the State, Senator Wamakko, who represents Sokoto North Senatorial District, sermoned ‘” The people of the state should judge for themselves and vote out the current administration in the state.

    ” This is because the confidence, trust and respect in it had for long been eroded as the people have not gotten the much expected dividends of democracy like they happily and tangibly did between 2007 and 2015.

    ” Consequently, we should be the judges for ourselves and come out on February 16 and March 2, 2019, to massively vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and all Candidates of the APC, at all levels. ”

    The APC lawmaker and immediate past Governor in the state said the party holds the sanctity of the people in high esteem, while it has mapped out myriad of people-oriented programmes and policies, for all Nigerians.

  • Farmers call for peaceful 2019 elections

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has appealed to various stakeholders saddled with the responsibility of ensuring peaceful elections to increase their efforts to guarantee peace during and after the 2019 elections.

    The Vice President of AFAN, Chief Daniel Okafor made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

    He said that without peace during and after the elections, farmers would not be able to go to their farms.

    Okafor, who was speaking on Farmers’ 2019 expectations in the agriculture sector, noted that agriculture budget and inputs should be timely distributed to farmers to boost food production in 2019.

    The vice president, who said that agriculture was time-bound, suggested the approval and release of agriculture budget between January and February to aid the implementation of agriculture projects.

    He said that timely implementation of agriculture projects and activities would guarantee food security in the country in 2019.

    “What we have noticed is that without peace and harmony, human beings cannot exist and farmers cannot go to the farms.

    “We want peaceful elections as our first expectation from the government this year.

    “The second is the farmers-herdsmen crisis. Government should look into it because it is going to the extreme and government can do more than they are doing.

    “Inputs should be given to farmers and distributed on time and not when the farming season is over.

    “Agriculture budget should be timely. It should be approved by January or February to enable the timely implementation of agricultural projects.

    “I wish the government well this year but they should not joke with agriculture,’’ Okafor said.

  • Presidency to air documentary on Buhari administration

    The Media and Publicity Department of the State House says it has put together a 58-minute documentary on the efforts of the President Buhari administration in tackling the challenges it met on the ground.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

    According to the presidential aide, the documentary, entitled, ‘FIRST TERM OF PRESIDENT BUHARI: IS CHANGE HERE?’,  gives more insight into various attempts by the administration to make Nigeria a better place.

    Read also: DG VON to Ndigbo: Add million votes to Buhari’s 12M Vote-banks

    “It is made up of interviews from officials of the administration with first-hand information on how the challenges are being tackled.

    “This documentary will air on Channels Television on Jan. 1, 2019 (New Year Day) between 8 and 9 p.m. and on the Network Service of the NTA on Jan. 2, 2019 at the same time belt,’’ he added.(NAN)

  • ‘2019 election will not break Nigeria’

    Ahead the general elections slated for next year, a group has assured that its outcome will not lead to the dismemberment of the country. It also said though things may be tough for the citizens now, all hopes should not be lost.

    The Nigerian Association of Seers (NAS), said its members have been praying for the country to ensure there will be no violence. Its spokesman, Dr. Okhue Iboi, who spoke in an interview in Lagos at the weekend, said the group’s last meeting in Calabar, Cross-River State, said special prayers were conducted for the country during which some of the founding fathers of the country appeared in crystal ball and expressed displeasure at the state of things in the country.

    According to him, leaders such as the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and the late Sir Ahmadu Bello were particularly unhappy with the spate of senseless killings across the country. They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fix some of these problems which have become a sort of national embarrassment.

    He said: “The election is going to be tough but it will not lead to the disintegration of Nigeria. Nigeria will endure. Nigeria will not break. The ongoing crises rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the country will extend till 2019, and it is going to affect the candidates at the polls. For instance in Ogun State, Senator Buruji Kashamu may become the next governor.

    “Buhari and APC should not go to sleep thinking that victory is already assured. 2019 general elections will be full of shockers. This is Atiku’s last chance. If he misses it this time, he should forget about ever becoming president. However victory is not going to come easily.”

    According to him, Atiku’s chance looks bright, adding that he still has some challenges which may affect his chance. He has to go spiritual, seek the face of God in prayers so that the obstacles on his path can be cleared, he advised.

    He urged politicians to say no to violence; politicians must play the game according to the rules; they must comply with the rules and guidelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Politicians and political parties should not see politics as a do-or-die affair.

  • BUHARI: We’ll go tougher on corruption from 2019

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari vowed yesterday to go tougher on corruption if he is re-elected in the February 16,2019 election.

    uhari ,speaking at the flag off of his presidential campaign in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State, said that with him remaining in power ,the era of handouts for people who are not ready to work,is over.

    National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said Buhari’s integrity has earned him global respect across the world leaders others who can’t enter the United States of America,in an apparent broadside at the pres idential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    Also speaking at the rally,National leader of the APC,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said Nigerians should not make the mistake of  allowing PDP back into power. “Vote for your future and not that of corruption.They took 16 years and gave 16 years of darkness, if only they concentrated on one item like power, Nigeria would have not been in this mess. We are not bringing you (PDP) back,” he said. Buhari told the mammoth crowd at the Uyo Stadium that Nigerians would not regret voting for him if he wins the coming election He said that  not only would he secure Nigeria,he would also “ stop corruption.” He added:” So, you better stay and work for a living because there is no more handouts.”

    He said his focus would continue to be on  security, economy and the fight against  corruption. His words: “I like those who are challenging us at any level, and at any constituency to doubt our contributions towards our undertaking. “Firstly, the civil war in the North East has been really won in the sense that when we came, they were holding, I mean Boko Haram, about 17 local government areas in Borno and Yobe states. They are not holding physically any local government areas now. “They have resorted to  indoctrinating young men and women, especially girls, dress them up in explosives and explode themselves in churches, mosques, market places and motor parks. I assure you that eventually, we are going to clear them off from our country. “The second thing is about economy.

    Our population is over 60 per cent of young men that is 30 years and below. Our main problem is employment. We are very lucky, the two previous rainy seasons were good, and we’ve virtually achieved food security. We don’t import  rice now. We are encouraging our farmers and we’ve regained food security.

    “When I was around in uniform and much younger, I arrested former  president, vice president, the governors, the ministers and told them that you are guilty until they can prove themselves innocent.

    “I myself was arrested and detained. So, when I came in  agbada, I decided to follow what this system accepts and that those who are corrupt, should be investigated and prosecuted.

    “We are doing that and we will not stop. I assure you, we have collected properties , we’ve collected cash.  We have established a single treasury account to put money that are accruing to the government into one account which can be traced and accounted for.

    “Nigerians will be informed from time to time on the money we’ve recovered, and from who and how we are going to use to develop this country.

    “ I assure you, in 2019, trust in us, we are going to secure this country. We are going to stop corruption. So, you better stay and work for a living because there is no more handouts. I thank you very much for organizing this.

    “I assure you no Nigerian will regret voting us into office and we will continue to improve the situation-security, economy and fighting corruption.”

    Candidates’ character, a strong  factor in 2019 elections, says  Oshiomole

    Comrade Oshiomhole said at the rally that Buhari stands head and shoulder above on the strength of his  impeccable integrity.

    He called the President  “the one that is celebrated by fellow world leaders, the president who can go to America, and can stand with ex-President Obama and President Trump; not those who can’t get visa outside Nigeria. The one and only President Mohammadu Buhari.”

    The taunt  was perceived as a  veiled reference  to the protracted issue of a US visa for Atiku.

    He said: “The only thing to speak on today before I perform my simple task is to say that this coming election, one of the issues that would form the basis of our campaign is the issue of character.

    “And I noticed over the past 48 hours the opposition, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, they’ve decided to look for mud, wherever they could find, to throw at your person.

    “The more they do it, the more the people laugh at them.

    “Mr. President Nigerians know who you are, the world knows who you are; but Nigeria also knows who you  are.

    “I am happy that the PDP candidate cannot speak in certain parts of the world and there is nowhere you will go where you cannot speak.”

    He also spoke on the statement by Atiku that he would sell some stakes in the NNPC with a view to getting money to fund Nigeria’s development projects.

    He said: “the PDP candidate has already put Nigeria on notice that he is going to sell NNPC. Are we ready to sell NNPC?  I believe the people of the South South where most of the oil is produced will not support  a government whose policy is to privatise and take over our oil resources as the PDP candidate has promised. “

    Why Buhari deserves to be re-elected -Tinubu

    In his remarks, APC’ National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is also the co-Chairman of APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2019 elections emphasized that the struggle of the party’s leaders is solely for the future of the nation.

    “We came in 2015, we assured the nation and Nigeria was yearning for change – change from ineptitude, change from corruption, change from laziness, change from importation, change with a great meaning for development and diversification of the economy.

    “I read their response to the last budget presented by this government and I could see several missteps; it was shallow, full of contradictions and is nothing that Nigeria should hope for.

    “For the sake of this country, we will re-elect Muhammadu Buhari;, we will re-elect an APC government that will give you hope, give you a diversified economy.

    “Akwa Ibom, you are one of the largest producers of petroleum but we can support you on the renaissance and renewal of your infrastructural development.

    “Sixteen years of miserable economy, corruptive economy, corrosive economy of PDP will never come back to this country.

    “We are strongly determined to positively change the goals of governance and that is what Muhammadu Buhari is all about and that is what APC is determined to do.

    “To bring that hope, strong determination, we are building on a new foundation and that foundation is for you – the youth, the elderly and small children; focus on a future and not on corruption.

    “They gave 16 years and gave you 16 years of darkness; if only they had concentrated on one item only – electricity – without which there can be no industrialization, without which there can be no development, we would have been better.

    “And yet because we started and began cleaning the stables, they say they want to come back.

    “No! We are not bringing you back; no backward move in our gear, no backward move for Akwa Ibom, no backward movement for Nigeria; forward-marching is progress, it is development , it is diversity in economic prosperity.

    “We will work with you to build a Nigeria that you can rely upon and not corrupt; as you heard from President Buhari, corruption is the greatest enemy of development in this country.

    “We will continue to fight it together, we will continue to renew the hope of Nigerians and build a greater nation.”

    Amaechi:PDP can’t be trusted with power again

    Earlier, the Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Committee,Mr. Chibuike Amaechi said the Buhari administration would not deviate from its focus on rebuilding the economy,providing security and fighting corruption.

    He said: “We promised just three things – we promised to rescue the economy, we promised to enhance security and we promised to fight corruption, those were just the three things that we promised; anybody who says that we promised that one Naira will be one dollar is a magician, anybody who said we promised that fuel prices will fall must also be a magician.

    “We are not voodoo economists, we were very clear about what was to be done; we got in and saw the challenges, we never knew they had stolen all the money.

    “The World Bank said we would not come out of the recession in three years but we came out of the recession in ten months,” he said adding that the government is also fighting corruption.

    “If you vote for the other party, let me tell you, they will be too busy stealing money that by the time Nigerians realize it, we would be back to a recession,” Amaechi stated while urging Nigerians to join hands with APC in ensuring that PDP does not return to power again.

    In his own speech, former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Obong Godswill Akpabio who was described as “an uncommon defector” noted that the 2019 election would present a great contrast between President Buhari’s integrity and what others are offering the nation.

    Oshiomhole later presented the APC flag to the party’s governorship candidates in the South South.

    They are  Mr Nsima Ekere, Akwa Ibom; Sen. John Enoh (Cross River); Chief  Great Ogboru (Delta);and Mr Tonye Cole ( Rivers State).

  • Atiku tasks Buhari over alleged ‘stake’ in Etisalat, Key Stone Bank shares

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has called on the appropriate authorities to urgently institute a probe to unravel the hidden faces behind the new ownership structure of multi billion naira telecoms giant, Etisalat Nigeria, as well as Keystone Bank.

    In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Special Assistant to Atiku on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu said such a probe was necessary in view of reports that members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family now own substantial shares in Etisalat Nigeria which, has an estimated $2billion (about N727billion at 360 per dollar) of its estimated $20billion global net worth.

    Atiku also expressed shock at alleged reports from unimpeachable sources that the first family now plays big in the nation’s financial sector after acquiring mouthwatering shares in Keystone Bank with total assets of $1.916 billion (equivalent to N307.5billion) as well as purchasing about ₦3 billion worth of shares in the new Pakistani Islamic Bank.

    “I know that last week was turbulent for President Buhari and I apologize for adding to his woes, but as he is insistent on the myth that he is spotless and anti corrupt, If this is found to be true, this scandal would break every rule of corporate and public governance, since this will be the first time members of the first family will be openly involved in a once-in-a-lifetime deal that would make them all richer beyond their wildest dreams,” the statement said.

    The accusation was a reaction to allegations in the media that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government plans to use billions of Naira from the Anchor Borrowers Programme allocated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for farmers, using imaginary donations from 12 million farmers as a façade.

    Atiku advised Buhari to shun the use of state resources and machinery for the upcoming 2019 presidential election, saying that no farmer contributed any N1.7billion for Buhari’s re-election campaign. He warned that APC’s decision to use monies meant for farmers to run the President’s campaign was untidy.

    Atiku continued, “The other day, a man who scored 15,424,921 votes to win the 2015 general election  was reported to have been nominated by 14 million APC members at the Presidential primaries for 2019. Now, over 12 million farmers have donated to his campaign.

    “Are they indirectly spewing out outrageous figures of people they intend to claim voted for them in the coming elections? Could that be why the President was flashing an occult double four hand signal that has gone viral?

    “What did the hand signal mean? Does it mean that the President has jettisoned the idea of a free and fair election and telling Nigerians that no matter how they vote, he will return for a second term of four years?

    “In any case, if the farmers who just took a loan through the borrowers anchor programme and have not liquidated the facility can donate this huge sum or any sum for that matter, it means the  ‘Association of widows and children of all those slain by Boko Haram and herdsmen will donate N5billion to the Buhari campaign. In fact, the 23.1 million youth who lost their jobs between 2016 till date will donate about N12billion to the Buhari campaign.

    “Assuming but not even conceding that such a huge sum of money was donated to President Buhari by Nigerian farmers as his handlers would want Nigerians to believe, wouldn’t such donation be in contravention of Section 91 (9)of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which says no individual or other entity shall donate more than N1m to an aspirant or a candidate,” Atiku said.

    The PDP presidential candidate referred the President to Section 91 (2) of the Electoral Act, which states that a presidential candidate can spend a maximum of N1billion.

    The law also recommends a fine of N1m or a prison term of 12 months or both for any candidate that breaches the provisions of the Act.

    “We have no stand on whether or not President Buhari should run for office. That is his prerogative and that of his party. But we believe it is improper for public office holders to forcefully loot public funds, on behalf of a sitting president seeking a second term in office.”

    ‘’What this means is that there is a ‘war chest’ which apparently is from the national coffers”. Atiku added.

    He said if President Buhari wants to run for office next year, he should take only from monies sourced from donations by his campaign groups that are independent of government sources.

    “Anything short of that – as is currently the case with the use of funds from the CBN meant for farmers will mean there will be no level playing field for all the candidates billed to contest for the presidency during next year’s presidential elections,’’ Atiku said.