The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

  • TouchStone: Atiku a political prostitute – Sam Omatseye

    Political analyst and Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Sam Omatseye, joined by Member, Editorial board Femi Macaulay to discuss the CCT trial of CJN Walter Onnoghen, President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar chances at the 2019 elections and Former President Olusegun Obasanjo latest Letter.

  • Southern Youths Leaders warns PDP against dragging Army into politics

    The Southern Youth Leaders Forum, which consists of leaders of various youth groups,  civil society groups, trade unions and voluntary youth organizations from the Seventeen Southern States has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and it’s Presidential candidate,  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against attempt at dragging the Nigerian Army into its ongoing war of words between itself and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
    The group described as worrisome, a recent statement by the PDP and it’s Presidential candidate where they said the Nigerian Army lack power to deploy its troops,  for elections. While also amongst other things also calling on the Nigerian Military to reject orders from the President and Commander in Chief. The youth leaders said such statement by the PDP is a clear attempt, to drag the Nigeria military into the mucky water of politics.
    At a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, the group through its leaders, Comrade Oladimeji Odeyemi,  for the Southwest States, Engr, Dr Fidelis Nze (KSM) for the Southeast States and Barr John Atani for the Southsouth States, stated that PDP’s attack on the constitutional duty of the Army, is  aimed at unnecessarily heating up the polity and  instigating civil disturbances during the election.
    According to the Southern Youth leaders, , demanding that security be lessen at a crucial election such as the forthcoming one, is politics taken too far and quite mischievous, for a party, which for sixteen years used the military, to protect the citizens during elections in the country.
    The groups alleged that PDP only aim is to smear the reputation and integrity of the Army leadership in its choice of attack on the  Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. The unfortunate attacks on General Tukur Buratai by some unscrupulous politicians, is an attempt to undermine our nation’s military and security policies.

    Read Also:Protect your votes from ballot box snatchers- Lagos APC women leader

     

    The groups further advised Nigerians to be weary of the campaign of calumny by the PDP as the main intent is to promote insecurity and encourage violence, during the general elections, in other to criticize the result of the elections.

    The group also said it needs to remind Nigerians, that the Nigeria Army under the leadership of Lt. General  Tukur Buratai has catapulted professionalism to the point where its institutional ethos and mission has seen significant improvement in the last three years. Discerning Nigerians and every right thinking person on earth will at this point in time be able to compare  PDP agitation, to the reality on ground, in term of the performance of our military.
    The group urged Nigerians especially the youth to reject being used as instruments of violence, and to cooperate with the military, especially the Nigerian Army as it gives support to the Nigerian Police and other sister security agencies during the elections, in order to entrench peace and tranquillity throughout the electioneering process.

     

  • Hurrah, Atiku goes to America!

    We should clap for the former VP for the feat after about 13 years

    When on Friday I read the news that former vice president and Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate in next month’s presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, posted on his official Twitter handle on Thursday that he had finally arrived the United States of America, I suddenly remembered some of those books I read in my secondary school days: “Eze goes to school”, in particular. It dawned on me, once again, the huge joke that this country that has remained potentially great ever since I can remember, has become. So, going to America is now a big deal for a man of Atiku’s stature? Or, how else can one describe the posting by no less a personality than the former vice president himself? As one of my colleagues would say, Atiku is now celebrating the trip and is so exited about it like a baby that has just been handed lollypop or chocolate.

    Hear Atiku: “Just arrived Washington D.C. for a meeting with the US government officials, Nigerians living in D.C. metropolis and the business community.” Indeed, to prove that this is for real, the former vice president was said to have posted a photo of the visit where he was being presented with a bouquet of flowers. He was said to have been accompanied on the trip by Senate President Bukola Saraki. This was amidst denial by the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C. that Atiku had arrived America. “Actually we have not received any information for the embassy but we are just trying to find out whether he is really coming. That is what we are doing right now … So we are still trying to see but if you get anything, please just let us know also because they said he’s coming here so that if you’re able to get any updated information, just inform us so that we can prepare vehicles to go to the airport and meet him”, The Punch quoted a  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) source as saying.

    This is the standard practice. But, it would appear someone must have told Atiku the Biblical story of the three wise men that were told by King Herod to return to him to tell him where the new king was born so he could go greet him, too. But the wise men never returned to him after finding where Jesus Christ was born because they knew Herod’s satanic intention. So, apparently because of the do-or-die nature of politics in the country, Atiku sidelined the embassy on the trip. No one can blame him for being extra careful, though. But one thing I have not understood in the entire matter is why travelling to America by Atiku should be a big issue. This is what every Tom, Dick and Harry does without much ado. So, why would Atiku’s trip to the US become controversial? Definitely, something is wrong.  The All Progressives Congress (APC) would appear to have provided the basis for the controversy, which may be germane to our understanding of the personality of the man, Atiku Abubakar, especially now that he is aspiring once again to lead the country.

    Indeed, some time ago, in a statement by Yekini Nabena, APC acting national publicity secretary and made available to Legit.ng, the ruling party said former President Olusegun Obasanjo was lobbying US authorities to withdraw the ban reportedly placed on Atiku after a $500,000 bribery scandal in 2005 that involved Atiku’s fourth wife, Jennifer, and former United States Congressman, William Jefferson. Obasanjo, reports said, finally succeeded in having a US visa for Atiku sometime last December. Even then Atiku could still not trust that the Americans would not hold him if he landed in their country, so, he took his time to be sure all issues around the matter were resolved. He knew the political implications of making the headlines in the U.S. for the wrong reasons, especially with the elections only a few weeks away. That would have convinced  even Doubting Thomasses who never made up their minds on the kinds of stuff they have been reading or hearing about him.

    Anyway, after procrastinating for a long time, Atiku finally made up his mind to go to America. And the matter is being treated like the days of old when someone travelled abroad from Nigeria. The only difference between that experience and Atiku’s is that in those days, the entire community would gather to celebrate the person that was lucky to travel abroad or had just returned from there. So, what is making Atiku and his supporters to feel that the ability of their principal to travel to the US. is something to wash or celebrate?

    We almost crucified the Late President Umaru Yar’Adua when he said during a visit to the White House in 2007 that that was the happiest day in his life. But, the man was being honest with himself; many people dream of getting to the place to have a handshake with the World’s Number One citizen. Never mind if Donald Trump is now the one occupying that exalted office. The only thing is that we had expected Yar’Adua to be more careful about making such a statement in public.

    Anyway, notwithstanding that Atiku has finally made it to the U.S., after more than a decade, there is still an important question that the former vice president has not answered. Was it that he was not interested in travelling to the US for more than a decade after his last visit to the place? If he answers this question in the affirmative, then he must be a different kind of Nigerian public figure. And he would also have to tell us since when he stopped seeing America as the place he could do without for that long. Perhaps God is yet to create that Nigerian big man that can say ‘to hell with America’ because they all crave America and America knows it.

    As a matter of fact, that was one reason the United States could play the key role it played during the country’s struggle to get the military out of political power in the 1990s. The US knew that Nigerian generals, military officers and their political collaborators in ‘agbada’ generally would not find any meaning in life without travelling to God’s own country. It was only a man like the late General Sani Abacha that couldn’t care less about America. His self-perpetuation agenda was paramount than whatever allure America could offer. But we should understand that; Abacha was a provincial man through and through and he made no pretensions about it. He was not one to be swayed by ‘toys’ that foreign travels, particularly to a place like America, offered.

    All said,since this is the season of celebration, I want to join the supporters of the former vice president in congratulating him for the feat of successfully travelling to America, in spite of detractors’ assertion that if he dared it, he would be whisked away from the airport. At least Atiku has shamed his enemies. It is immaterial whether he went there in own recognisance or as an ‘attache’ to Saraki’s diplomatic entourage or luggage (as is being peddled in some quarters), which naturally enjoys immunity. But if the latter was the case, it would only have further confirmed to the Americans the extent to which some Nigerians in leadership positions can take advantage of loopholes in laws that were hitherto thought were watertight.

    But, we cannot bring closure to this matter until Atiku has told us everything he knows about this controversial trip. American visa might not be something to pick as cowries at the beach, but it ought not to become bone in the mouth of a man like Atiku. We wait to hear the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from our presidential aspirant.

    Atiku goes to America!

  • FG to quiz Atiku

    THE Federal Government is set to quiz the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over an alleged N156million payment from the defunct Bank PHB. Atiku, according to Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, allegedly benefitted from the payment that led to the demise of the bank.

    The former vice president is currently on a visit to the USA. But Mohammed said yesterday that “any time Abubakar returns home, he has questions to answer following the fresh evidence that we have that he benefitted from ‘slush funds’ that led to the collapse of the former Bank PHB.” Atiku’s party, the PDP dared the Federal Government to go ahead with its threat to arrest him on the allegation,while the presidential candidate’s spokesman dismissed the N156million claim as a cock and bull story Mohammed said: “The document we have shows that he benefitted to the tune of N156 million from that fund. “The paper which we have here started from an internal memo on the Jan. 13, 2009.” “These are pieces of fresh evidence as to his involvement in the collapse of Bank PHB.

    So we want him to stay as long he wants in the US but as soon he comes back, he has to explain to the electorate and to Nigerians what is his role in the collapse in the former Bank PHB.” The minister said the Federal Government was not losing sleep over Atiku’s US trip,saying: “You can recall that a few weeks ago, I did issue a statement advising the US government not to issue visa to Atiku. “Remember also that in that same press conference, I also stated that it remains the prerogative of the US government to issue visa to anyone it deems fit. “Let me say right away that we are not perturbed one bit that Alhaji Atiku Abukakar was able to secure visa to the US. As a matter of fact, he can go ahead and get the US Green card.That will not save him from imminent defeat in the forthcoming election.

    “I want to remind Abubakar that the elections will be right here in Nigeria and not in the US.” Asked why the fresh allegation against Atiku was coming now, Mohammed said: “Because even though this happened in 2009, and the case on the collapse of BANK PHB has been on, this evidence is fresh. “In any case, there is no statute of limitation on this case. “Like I told you, this is a freshly-uncovered evidence. Whether or not he travelled to the US, we would still have disclosed this evidence.” PDP dares Buhari over threats to arrest Atiku Responding last night to the allegations against Atiku ,the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO) dared government to go ahead and arrest him.

    The spokesman for the organisation,Mr.Kola Ologbondiyan, told reporters that the planned arrest was both laughable and a heinous plot to frame Atiku borne out of fear of his victory in the February 16 presidential election. “It is reprehensible that Mr. President will descend abysmally low to fabricate outright lies and falsehood in a bid to discredit a more qualified and acceptable presidential candidate”, Ologbondiyan said. The PDP campaign spokesman added that Atiku has nothing to do with the alleged issues leading to the collapse of Bank PHB, stressing that the PDP presidential candidate is an honest and hard working Nigerian who has no skeleton of any sort in his cupboard.

    “For emphasis, even the Chairman of President Buhari’s Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, has since told the world that the Buhari Presidency has searched everywhere and could not find anything incriminating on Atiku Abubakar. “The world already knows that this attempt to mudsling our presidential candidate is coming out of President Buhari’s frustration over Atiku Abubakar’s successful outing in the United States, for which the Buhari Presidency has gone into full hallucination. .”The PPCO, however, counselled the APC to note that Nigerians can see through their lies, fabrications and frustration and that their scheme against Atiku Abubakar is already dead on arrival.

    Read also: Why Atiku travelled to USA —Obi

    “If anything, the PPCO will want President Buhari to open the books and provide explanation for the N9 trillion stolen under his watch as Minister of Petroleum Resources as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo. “Finally, the PPCO states that the PDP presidential candidate, our great party and indeed all Nigerians, who have already reached a national consensus to vote-in Atiku Abubakar as the next President of our country, will not be distracted by this unfounded allegation by the rejected President Buhari and his handlers.” A similar response came from Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu. Shaibu said the allegation against Atiku was a cock and bull story.

    The allegation,he also said ,stemmed from what he called Atiku’s growing popularity, especially his current trip to the USA. He said the Federal Government having failed to stop Washington from granting visa to Atiku had to devise another strategy to embarrass him. He also said that with or without a trip to the US, the PDP will defeat the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress in next month’s election.

    Said Atiku: “It is disgusting to continue to spin allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office. “They just suddenly woke up to the reality that their lies about Atiku being corrupt can no longer hold? I challenge the Federal Government to come up with evidence that I benefitted from N156 million slush funds through Claremont Management Services Account on 13th January, 2009 as well as the collapse of Bank PHB as they have alleged. “It is instructive to note that the same Bank PHB is now Keystone Bank, which was said to have been acquired by Buhari’s cronies through AMCON last year.”

  • As creatives continue to find their bearings

    There is no doubt that the Nigerian creative industry is yet to maximize its potentials, thus, each election year, they seek a messiah.

    This was the case last Wednesday, when PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar met with stakeholders in the film, theatre and music sectors at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    It was the second leg of the PDP flag bearer’s town hall meeting that day, after an Economic Summit that held earlier.

    One would have thought that the entertainment industry, being the much talked about alternative source of income to oil, would be part of the economic summit that held earlier, as a way of ranking the sector with other serious economies. But it is understandable that the audio visual and motion picture industries are a special breed that requires special attention.

    So much was said about how successive governments in Nigeria have used entertainers as political campaign tools to ‘win’ elections; how their best had been seen and treated synonymously to the glamour of their profession; and how, when it comes to leadership positions, they are not considered fit, because such managerial positions appear to be purely political.

    So much was said about how filmmakers, especially, cannot even be bosses of their art in the face of intellectual property thieves who, ironically, are lords in the business, smiling to the bank at the expense of rights owners.

    So much was said about enabling environment from government in forms of security at film locations; import waivers, especially for capital equipment and support for trade related initiatives; transformative policies around access to finance and distribution.

    All these, the industry people reiterated, as they met with Atiku who was flanked by his Vice Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, and Senate President Bukola Saraki at the event.

    Personally, I do not know where they got it wrong, but these creative people are some of the most brilliant people I have known across all professions in the world. These attributes, they often exhibit before the politicians, who, obviously will agree to every demand but bow to whatever superior interests when the ‘stew’ is done. Not deterred, they have continued to find their bearings.

    There was no unnecessary smiling and laugher, except the usual camaraderie among them, and of course, some clapping and cheering when their own made a frantic point.

    Norbert Ajaegbu, Obi Asika and Don Pedro Obaseki were among those that spoke to the situation. Obaseki even pleaded that the crowd should not clap for him. It was understandable that the industry had enjoyed a lot of encomiums, but that should be confined to concert grounds and cinema halls, they appeared to be saying. They were angry albeit diplomatic, and it was clear their lead guest got the message.

    He wanted them to record his promises, and take him on, should he be elected President of Nigeria in February 2019.

    They were not in for handouts. They wanted their work to speak for them, knowing there is nothing like being their own fishermen. They also wanted to be able to monetize their intellectual property by taking back their fortunes from pirates.

    One of the issues was to have professionals head agencies of the creative industry rather than political appointees; and he so promised, with much more. They believed him, and cannot wait for that time to come. In expressing their faith, some of them referred to him as president in waiting. They all smiled home, waiting, and hoping that with the passing of time, they will find their bearings in a government that truly cares about the business, and not just the art of entertainment.

  • 2019: Adewale hails Obasanjo, canvasses for Protection of south west votes

    A chieftain and former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Otunba Segun Adewale, popularly called Aeroland, has hailed the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his exemplary leadership concerning the State of the Nation.
    Adewale said that Chief Obasanjo’s letter “Point of Concern and Action” came at the right time,  because he has been echoing in the same direction, the need for all stakeholders to be vigilant, and ensure that our nascent democracy is not truncated by those who are hell bent on staying in power at all cost.
    He stressed further that, the biggest threat are those who do not care about our constitution anymore but only care about “Regime Protection”, advising that Nigerians must remain resolute by voting for a candidate that can get the country working again.
    Adewale however reiterated on his earlier call, that South West votes will determine who will emerge as the next President of the country, according to him,  he said both Atiku and Buhari will slug it out in the North, while South South and South East are the area of strength for PDP, but the total number of votes in that area will be complimented by what South West can add.
    He said, PDP must work very hard to secure the bloc votes that the South West will produce. Adewale noted some factors that may militate against this victory, that if wrong people are engaged to coordinate the region, there will be big trouble for the party.
    Adewale made this known to Newsmen at the Muritala Muhammed Airport on his way out of Lagos for a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday Morning.
    According to him, he believes that the chances of the former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is very bright but must ensure that he work with people who truly wants him to emerge at the polls.
    He said for instance in Lagos, a lot of the people running and forming a circle around Alhaji Atiku from the State, have not lifted a finger to add anything to Atiku’s electoral fortune or campaign, adding that many of them lacks the political sagacity to use their influence to affect his electoral fortune.
    It is not a news that Nigerians have rejected APC, their only hope is to rig the election shamelessly, and our party must be ready to prevent it by looking for trusted and capable hands with committed party members who are ready to man or protect all the polling Units and collation centres in the region.

    Read Also:Olusegun Obasanjo: Ideas, politics and the love for country II

    PDP have always won convincingly in South West but our polling agents are too porous, the elections are rigged right from polling units to collation centers with  intimidation and forceful declaration of fake result, outright refusal or allowing PDP voters to even vote in some of the polling units.
    He stressed further that the 2019 election is a very peculiar election year in Nigeria’s history, noting that, the campaign emphasis must be on securing votes rather than extensive campaigns or spending too much money and time on the nationwide tour, getting people who can secure our votes in various state should be out paramount task, Adewale Said.
    Adewale said if Atiku truly wants to win convincingly in South West, he must assemble young and smart “Hard Working Team” with proven electoral track record and not the regular old and tired brigades who won’t event step outside their doors on the election day. It is one thing to be a leader and another thing is to be a responsible leader, how do you categorize some of them that on the election day, when our PDP members have issues, the so called leaders won’t do anything while some of them will deliberately switch off their mobile phones.
    He said that the party must take a cue from the recently concluded Ekiti and Osun election, he posited that all hands must be on deck if indeed the party want a resounding victory in 2019. Adewale said that Nigerians will vote for PDP massively, we must play our own role to secured Atiku Victory by looking for a minimum of 100 strong, vibrant and honest people from each ward throughout the South West to man our polling units
    The PDP Chieftain said that, it is obvious that some of the so called leaders from the region are running from pillar to post just to be named State Coordinators but cannot stake their personal finance to kick off campaign but waiting for the “Atiku’s Money”, the same set of people have their strong links and family members benefiting immensely from Buhari’s government, how do we expect such people to work with all their strength to ensure that Atiku emerge from the region?  Adewale asked.
    According to him, both Atiku and Buhari will share Northern votes, South East and South South are for PDP but South West is the battle ground and as such, credible people must be chosen to man all the States in the region. Adewale said that Lagos, out of the about 85m registered voters declared by the INEC, has over 5 million voters spread across the 20 local government and 37 LCDAs created by the State government, it is a peculiar State that needs men who can navigate it despite the structure of the ruling APC.
    I am speaking from experience because I know how APC rig elections recklessly. In 2007 when I first contested, the ruling party got a wind of my popularity, they connived with INEC and removed my party’s logo from Ballot paper. In 2011, I won convincingly same INEC declared a fake result in favor of Olamilekan Yayi.
    They used the same pattern in 2015 when i won in 7 out of 10 Local governments, APC in connivance with INEC delayed results from 3 local governments,  when they knew the summed up of the figures from the 7 LGS where I won, they suddenly released outrageously rigged results from the delayed 3 LGs.
    Evidence of the real results were presented in court, but the presiding judge at that time claimed that the file was stolen from his office and no effort was made to investigate the theft of the sensitive tribunal documents.
    Adewale, said to guide against APC’s planned manipulation of results, serious plans must be put in place by the PDP,  he said it will be difficult to achieve good outing if the party continues to enthrust it’s political plans in the hands of those who are PDP in the morning and APC members at night.

  • PDP, Atiku know Buhari is honest – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says that members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar know that President Muhammadu Buhari is an honest man.

    Osinbajo stated this while addressing the `Drive 4 Buhari-Osinbajo’ rally organised by the `I am Ready’ campaign group alongside other support groups on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Referring to an earlier remark by Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Osinbajo said that with Buhari Nigeria’s wealth is safe.

    Bello had earlier posed a question to crowd on whether they would rather deposit their monies in an Atiku Bank or a Buhari Bank.

    “I will not speak much, I will only give you certain examples and then you will make your choice.  Because the difference is clear between APC and any other political party.

    “Anywhere you go, you ask them this simple question—there are two banks; one is Buhari bank; another one is Atiku bank, where will you deposit your money?

    The crowd erupted in laughter. Shouting Buhari bank.

    “The talakawas know that their money is safe in Buhari bank; even Atiku knows that his money is safe in Buhari bank,’’ Bello said.

    Osinbajo, who was beaming with smile while acknowledging cheers from the enthusiastic crowd, chanted APC campaign slogans while the audience responded.

    He told the audience that Bello had said it all.

    The vice president said the major problem of Nigeria was corruption- stealing of the resources of the people, adding that Nigeria would never give looters chance to return to power.

    “We will not allow them to come back. I think that the very right question has been asked; where will you rather put your money?

    “If it is me, I will put my money in Buhari bank because even Buhari’s worst enemies know that he is an honest man; even the thieves know that he is an honest man.

    “Even the enemies will put their money in his bank because they know that their money will be safe in his bank; we have today an honest man as president, a man who will use the money for what it is meant.

    “Even his worst enemy knows that he is an honest man and that he will use the money. I pray for our country that our country will be great.

    “And the only way our country would be great is if you and I vote for a man who is honest, for a man who is truthful, a man we know, even his opponents know, everybody in PDP knows that he is an honest man.

    “Even Atiku knows that Buhari is an honest man; and he can never deny that; nobody can deny that; that is the kind of leader we want for our country today.’’

    Osinbajo said that the Buhari-led administration had made giant strides in the last three years.

    According to him, for the first time, the country is spending money on roads and railways.

    The vice president listed some completed and ongoing projects as the Lagos-Kano railway; Itakpe—Warri railway and second Niger Bridge.

    “In every state of Nigeria, we are building a major road.  We are going to do the Lagos-Calabar railway. We are going to complete that by the grace of God. Port Harcourt-Maiduguri we are going to complete it.

    “When we came into office, after 16 years, 3000mw of power was all that we had. Today, we have 7000MW,’’ he said.

    Osinbajo thanked the campaign coordinators for working so hard across the country to drive home the APC campaign.

    On his part, Festus Keyamo, Director of Media of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, said that the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme was the first since 1960 aimed at improving the lives of the poor.

    Earlier in his remark, Dr Abudallahi Bafa, Coordinator, One 2-Tell-10 Support Group said that the rally was organised to push the Next Level agenda.

    More so, Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation (N-Power Scheme), highlighted the impact of the scheme on young Nigerian; hence the need for another four years for the administration.

    The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who spoke on behalf of other ministers at the event, urged Nigerians to vote for continuation so that Buhari would consolidate on his feats.

    Afterwards, Osinbajo proceeded to the UTC Market, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, where he addressed the artisans and urged them to vote for Buhari in the forthcoming presidential election. (NAN)

  • Atiku Abubakar on suicide mission: PMBCO

    Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Director of Strategic Communications, President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation(PMBCO) says Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s latest adventure seeking to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in matters of integrity with President Muhammadu Buhari is a political suicide mission.

    Keyamo stated this while reacting to a statement credited to Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, disputing the assertion by President Muhammadu Buhari that “the system in Nigeria allows corruption to thrive because the system is slow in tackling corruption’’.

    He said the handlers of the PDP presidential candidate would have tried to steer him away from embarking on political suicide mission, “but alas! They have decided to test the waters.

    According to Keyamo, locally and internationally President Buhari stands several miles away from Atiku Abubakar in matters of integrity.

    He said: “When the President used all his life in public office building a reputation and a name, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar used all his life in public office to build mansions and acquire personal wealth.

    “Now Judgment Day has come when the credentials needed by the Nigerian people for the highest office are not the buildings and wealth but the simple quality of integrity.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot eat his cake and have it.’’

    Keyamo described Atiku Abubakar as one of the greatest beneficiaries of the failed system in tackling corruption that was in place before President Buhari took over in 2015.

    “We know he is aware of this, hence his latest diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari amounts to nothing but disgusting grandstanding and an attempt to mock the system.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have acquired substantial shares in INTELS in clear conflict of his duties as a Customs Officer whilst in office. Those shares would have belonged to the Nigerian people by now.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have run a monopolistic company called INTELS all these years, ripping off the Nigerian people and the Nigerian State before Muhammadu Buhari came and broke that monopoly.

    “If the system was working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would have been prosecuted and jailed for various acts of corruption and abuse of office after he left office as Vice President, some of which are:

    “(a) For himself and his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, granting themselves licenses to build universities as President and Vice President whilst in office in clear breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Those Universities would have been probed, seized and transferred to the Nigeria State and the Nigerian people by now.

    “(b) Laundering slush funds to the United States of America using phony companies, part of which was used to fund his present American University in Adamawa State through which he is also extorting Nigerians through exorbitant fees.

    “It is public knowledge that this indictment is contained in a US Congressional Report that has led to the prosecution and conviction of his accomplices in the US, which are William Jefferson and Siemens.

    “They were convicted under a system that works, whilst he has been walking free in Nigeria and even aspiring to the highest office in the land. It is also public knowledge that his ban from entering the United States was as a result of these indictments.

    “(c) His indictment and recommendation for prosecution by the Report of the EFCC over the PTDF scandal whilst he was Vice President,’’ he said.

    Keyamo also underscored the case filed against Atiku Abubakar by some public spirited Nigerians alleging that Abubakar never paid his Personal Income Taxes as at when due, yet he wanted to ‘get Nigeria working again’.

    Keyamo therefore challenged him to publicly display his Personal Income Tax receipts for the three years preceding 2018 to show that he did not just run to FIRS in 2018 to pay his backlog of Personal Income Taxes.

    “For the information of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, President Muhammadu Buhari’s gallant efforts in tackling corruption headlong has led to the conviction of the President’s own party men and ex-Governors who served under PDP and for acts they committed whilst in PDP,’’ he said.

    He added that 703 persons and institutions had been convicted by the EFCC under the watch of President Buhari since 2015.

    According to him, the biggest recoveries of stolen public funds in the history of Nigeria are being carried out by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He stated that these recoveries were made from principally Abubakar’s party men who now wish to lead Nigeria with him.

    He also listed some of these recoveries/seizures/forfeitures (interim and final).

    They include 407 mansions since 2015; N794 billion, over 261 million dollars, 1.1 million Pounds Sterling, 8.1 Million Euros, 259 Automobiles and a fully functional hospital, St. Solomon Health Care Centre at 24, Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos.

    He also urged the PDP to stop making wild, unsubstantiated allegations of corruption without a modicum of proof.

    “We have no time to respond to any allegation by the PDP without the backing of some kind of document or proof.

    “When we see some scintilla of proof, we shall respond appropriately. And that is how we have treated the recent allegation of acquisition of shares in Etisalat and Keystone Bank by some supposed ‘family members’ of the President.

    “No name was mentioned and no document was shown,’’ he said.

  • Of unruly and shameless legislators

    You would not but wonder how we come to have these types for leaders.

    President Mohammadu Buhari this past week, once again demonstrated why, whether amongst his rambunctious or supine predecessors, or among the indistinguishable assortment of humanity now ogling his office, he will always be the pick of thinking Nigerians who, happily, are in the majority in this country today.

    After continuously running helter skelter, adjourning the business of the legislative branch out of a fear of being swept off their giddy offices, our legislators finally came back few weeks ago and were scheduled to receive the 2019 budget from the President at a joint sitting of the two chambers, which happened in a most riotous fashion on Wednesday, 19 December, 2018.

    Thank God for little mercies.

    Nobody who knows former President Olusegun Obasanjo or his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, well enough, could have doubted that neither would have tolerated the jeering, the idiocy and the outright rudeness which were targeted at the President as he attempted to perform that solemn constitutional function.

    Of course, suffused with tree climbers and sundry liars, and given that  the days of Ghana Must Go bags, full of freshly minted U. S dollars in exchange for budget passage were long gone,  now permanently buried in the bowels of history , their shameful behaviour was not totally unexpected.

    But in the days of yore, if Atiku could at all be restrained, there was no way you could have stopped his boss from planting his palms on the cheeks of cheeky legislators like Diri Duoye (Bayelsa, PDP), Johnbull Shekarau (Plateau, PDP), Boma Goodhead (Rivers, PDP), Kingsley Chinda (Rivers PDP) and Chukwuka Onyema (Anambra, PDP), to mention only a few of the jeering gang.

    But not so Buhari who you would never see fight the piggy fight.

    As The Nation emphasised in its analysis of the thoroughly shameful event: “Buhari stood before them in honour and dignity of an anti-corruption crusader, a reformist and ‘no-to-business-as usual’ leader. He was kingly as he towered above his tormentors and noisemakers, not only in height, but also in responsibility” and, of course, decency. But the pungent analysis was not done as it continued: “National Assembly was a House of Babel yesterday. Decorum was sacrificed on the altar of partisanship. President Muhammadu Buhari and the nation were embarrassed. The parliament became a laughing stock. The legislative/executive feud assumed a new dimension. Hope of cordial relations dimmed. Nigerians were taken aback. Many observers asked in bewilderment: is the Senate and House of Representatives worthy of national pride? His message was ignored, not because it lacked potency. The budget speech fell on deaf ears of many legislators, who may be acting a script. (undoubtedly,  a Dubai pre-planned  conspiracy or isn’t  Saraki Atiku’s campaign Director –General  wanting  anything to embarrass Buhari as if such rascality is capable of winning election) The President’s remarks were interrupted. Some lawmakers were shouting on top of their voices, to the consternation of constituents who viewed the unruly behaviour on television. As President Buhari reeled out his achievements across the sectors, shouts of “no, no no” and “lie, lie lie” filled the air. For the president, it was a test of emotional stability. President Buhari kept his cool. But, as the irritation persisted, he urged calm. As a statesman, he patiently cautioned the unrepentant legislators. “May I appeal to the honourable members that the world is watching us…we are supposed to be above this.” When they would not listen, he added: “You are only messing up yourselves.” A thoroughly well deserved spanking of the unruly adults.

    Rather than take part in their un-parliamentary behaviour, the president became a preacher of sorts; a moral force and an exemplar, bringing back to their senses, those unruly few who did not realise they were being captured  live by the international media.

    You would not but wonder how we come to have these types for leaders. But you do not wonder for too long. Blame Saraki, Atiku etal who plotted the crisis in the Senate from day one. The unfeeling legislature continues to treat its striking workers with disdain even  when they  haul home about N14M monthly  while all  their miserable workers ask for is a  mere pittance, a small fraction  of their wardrobe allowance. It even got so bad one of them who is in jail, carted home over N80M as allowances in the six months since being jailed. Their response to that reprehensible act has been nothing short of sabre rattling. I hope the Attorney –General would  immediately put in place the process of recovering that  humongous amount of money and making everybody complicit, no matter how seemingly important, answerable.

    But far worse is the fact that Saraki has since gone lyrical, lecturing Nigerians you would think he just came back from Harvard Business School. Hear the aspiring ‘Nobel Laureate’ in chicanery:

    “The last three-and-a-half years have been eventful ones at the global level and in our domestic economy. From dips in oil prices to major shifts in the economic landscape, crude oil production shut-ins and security challenges, the economy and Nigerians have been directly impacted by these events.

    “Many businesses closed down and many people lost their jobs during the recent recession. In the same period, we lost innocent citizens to the insurgency in parts of the North East, thousands were displaced, and many lives also lost due to clashes between farmers and herders, in addition to the general hardship unleashed by unstable economic winds.

    “The recovery from the recession is still fragile. The fundamentals underlying the recovery remain weak, and if unchecked, can lead to dire consequences. The economy still runs on oil and very little progress has been made in terms of diversification.

    “As a result, the expansionary budget policy in effect since 2016, which was aimed at raising spending and stimulating growth in the economy, was not matched by achievable revenue targets. The corollary is a higher and rising deficit as well as a considerable debt burden, all due to an unsustainable fiscal stance.

    “The under-performance of independent revenues is straining government’s ability to meet its expenditure, especially investments in critical infrastructure. This further exposes the government to higher deficit levels which have been largely financed by borrowing.”

    Not anywhere in this lengthy thesis would you see him mention anything about a N3.5 billion allegedly laundered from the Paris Club Loan Refund by elements who are no state actors and you wonder how this came through their ever itchy fingers, ordering hundreds of thousands dollar jewellery from Dubai but yet having the Godlessness to talk about poverty in Nigeria. Neither  were we regaled with anything pertaining to  the bloodiest ever bank robbery in Nigeria which saw 33 Nigerians murdered  in cold blood by blood hounds who have since allegedly implicated Mr Lecturer as their armourer. When did the wise saying that you should first remove the log in your eyes before helping to remove the spec in another’s eyes go out of fashion?

    Here is the most perfidious party man ever who thought nothing of selling off his party and thus set off the most intractable executive-legislative disharmony ever in Nigeria. Were Saraki wise, or given to introspection, he should by now be on his knees, begging God for forgiveness, and pleading with Nigerians for pardon.

    One only hopes he will one day, sooner or later, come to the realisation of his heinous crime against fatherland.

  • 2019: Bode George calls for unity in PDP

    A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has urged  members  to unite to achieve victory in 2019.

    George gave the advice while speaking with journalists on Friday in Lagos.

    He said the goal of defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections could not be realized in a divided house.

    George enjoined party members to put whatever grievances they had behind them and sacrifice their personal ambitions and interests to ensure PDP’s victory in 2019.

    He also called for repositioning of PDP in view of the mistakes the party made in the past.

    “We must unite and work closely together for the victory of the party in 2019.

    “We must put old things behind us and sacrifice our personal ambitions and interests, not only for the victory of the party, but for the progress of the nation.

    “We must correct things quickly before the end of the year and reposition and restabilise the party for the battle ahead.

    “We are not fighting from the government side now, we are in the opposition. We must unite more than ever because a divided house is a defeated house,” he said.

    George said one of the mistakes the party made in the past was its failure to micro-zone the position of the national chairmanship to South West at the last convention to elect officers.

    He said the zone had never produced a national chairman and there were high expectations that the Ahmed Makarfi-led committee would give the slot to the region in line with the party’s long -standing arrangement.

    George said with the eventual emergence of the chairman from the South South, the party presented the South West as if it did not matter.

    The former Deputy-Chairman of the party added that shutting out of the South West in the scheme of  things gave the APC a field day in 2015 to ensure the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    George urged the party to avoid the pitfalls of the past ahead of 2019, calling for the inclusion of all regions and members in the journey to the election.

    He described himself as an irredentist PDP member in spite of all , saying his support for the party’s Presidential Candidate,  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, could not be doubted.

    Read also: Bode George to youths: Don’t repeat mistakes of the past

    On the relationship between him and the Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate,  Mr Jimi Agbaje, George said he had no problem with him.

    He said though Agbaje erred by contesting against him for the party’s chairmanship at the elective convention just to stop him, he had forgiven him.

    George said at the right time, he and some other elders of the party would be more visible in the candidate’s campaign to win Lagos.

    The PDP Chieftain urged Nigerians to make peace the watch word as the country journeyed into 2019, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the people’s will prevailed.

    “We should all do our bits to ensure the hitch-free conduct of the general elections. We should eshew violence.

    “President Buhari should also ensure that the will of the people prevails by ensuring credible conduct.

    “Nigeria belongs to all of us and we should not do anything to plunge it into chaos.,” he said.

    He said restructuring was a precondition for development and called for the implementation of the idea for progress. (NAN)