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Tag: Aliyu Babangida

  • APC hits back at Aliyu,Lamido

    APC hits back at Aliyu,Lamido

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has lashed out at Niger Governor Babangida Aliyu and his Jigawa counterpart Sule Lamido accusing them of getting stuck in the pre-election mode.

    In a statement issued on Saturday by APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed urged them to “wake up to the reality that electioneering campaign is over and it is time for nation building.”

    Mohammed, said the governors’ recent vituperation against the APC and the President-elect is “uncouth, ill-intentioned and in bad faith.”

    ”Nigerians have switched from pre-election to post-election mode, making the unsolicited advice and the rehash of the vitriolic electioneering campaign rhetoric from the two governors totally out of tune with reality,” Alhaji Mohammed said in a statement in Lagos.

    ” APC’s commitment to Nigeria,according to him, is “sacrosanct, irrespective of the state of the economy, hence we do not need any cheeky advice from Governors
    Aliyu and Lamido. We are not making any excuses, but we will let Nigerians and indeed the world know how much the economy has been wrecked and the role of anyone in bringing the economy to
    its knees.”

    He added: “the two governors’ historical revisionism has been beclouded by the trauma they suffered – and are still suffering – from the shellacking they received during the elections, hence they have forgotten even the role they played in seeking to scuttle the change that Nigerians so much desired and for which they voted.

    ”Governors Aliyu and Lamido are so bitter and traumatized that they have forgotten it was their party, the PDP, that divided Nigeria along its ethnic, religious and regional fault lines. They have forgotten that it was their party that cleaned out the commonwealth in its desperation to win at all cost, at a stage shunning the Naira for
    US dollars and helping to crash the value of the local currency.

    ”Governors Aliyu and Lamido are also imagining where they would have been now, had they not betrayed the G7 of which they were original members, seeing the group up to the starting line but cunningly refusing to take off when the race was flagged off. They made a wrong choice and lost out, and they must live with the consequences of their choice, instead of continuing to snipe at some imaginary enemies

    ”The chance to be part of a historic opportunity to rebuild Nigeria was offered to the two Governors on a platter of gold, but they chose to put their personal interests above the national interest. The fate they have now suffered is a direct consequence of their shortsightedness and selfishness, and they must accept the full blame
    for that.”
    The APC pledged to redeem its campaign promises,irrespective of the parlous state of the economy, saying however that “the change that Nigerians have voted for will not come overnight but through a gradual, painstaking and consistent acts of good governance,discipline and perseverance.

    ”We are therefore calling on our compatriots to give their unalloyed support to the incoming Administration as it embarks on charting a new path for the long-suffering nation, while shunning the naysayers who, in their own time, frittered away the

  • PDP not dead, says Aliyu

    PDP not dead, says Aliyu

    Niger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not dead. He predicted that the party will bounce back in 2019 to take what it lost in the just concluded general elections.

    Aliyu stated this when the Umar Nasko Campaign organization led by Alhaji Aminu Yusuf Wushishi visited him in Government House Minna, to inform him of plans by the PDP to meet at states and federal levels to correct its mistakes.

    According to him, “Our party is not dead. When all these cools down, we will properly re-organize to bring PDP back to its formidable political strength. Many things have happened and this is not the time for us to cast blames.”

    “I therefore hope that the time we will have to re-organize our party we would add more ideology to what we have. Let me urge you to stop thinking you have failed. In terms of elections, particularly the time we found ourselves, it went beyond the limits of individual effort”.

    Aliyu thanked electorates in the state for conducting themselves in the most peaceful manner. He noted that the elections were free and fair – devoid of electoral violence.

    Earlier Wushishi, the leader of team hailed Governor Aliyu over the way and manner he took the elections despite results were not in favour of the PDP. He said the governor exhibited the character of a good leader.

    He urged Aliyu not to be dismayed by the result adding that he has done well in the area of dividend of democracy. He said the challenge was the fact that Nigeria electorates were conclusive in the area of voting for a particular political party regardless of their candidate.

    “ We will continue to be with you wherever you go. You can always count on us whenever you need us. We have seen your work in all the 25 Local Government Areas of Niger State. May God continue to bless and guide you in your future endeavor,” Aliyu said.

  • We must fight Boko Haram to finish – Gov Aliyu

    Chairman Northern State Governors Forum (NSGF), Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has said all the nation’s arsenal should be deployed to fight the dreaded Boko haram radical Islamic sect to finish.

    He also wants the federal government to expose the sponsors of the dreaded sect that has killed thousands people and destroyed properties worth billions of Naira.

    Aliyu who spoke on Monday when he received the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage report at Government House said the termination of the activities of the dreaded sect members should also lead to the revelation of all their collaborators.

    The NSGF Chairman said despite the assistance from the international communities on the fight against insurgents in the country but declared that what ‘we need to win the war is the political will’.

    According to Aliyu, “We must fight them to finish and I hope in the process of fighting them, we will be able to know who originated, those who sponsor, those who collaborate and those who assist the Book Haram and by extention behoves on us to fight extrimism in any form whether in religion or in politics or in our culture completely.”

    He maintained that those who kill in the name of of fighting a Jihad have totally missed it pointing out that the concept of Jihad is not about killing one another or kidnapping people.

    “We must fight extremism anyone that is an extremist is not good for us we must bring such people back to the path of sanity.

    “We should fight extremism in politics, you cannot keep quiet when things are not going right if you can change it if you cannot not report to the authorities” he said.

  • Amaechi, Wamakko, Nyako, Saraki, Oyinlola join APC

    Amaechi, Wamakko, Nyako, Saraki, Oyinlola join APC

    History was made yesterday in Abuja, with the New Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) merging with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Besides, five of the aggrieved seven PDP governors, popularly called G-7, joined the APC.

    Governors Aliyu Babangida (Niger) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa) are to follow later.

    Aliyu, who showed up briefly at the conclusion of the merger talks in the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro District, Abuja will determine his political future in January, next year.

    Lamido decided to go through the peace talks with the President, based on the advice of his political godfather, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who he fondly calls “The Oracle”.

    The outcome of the peace talks would guide Lamido’s choice- either to pitch his tent with the APC or not.

    It was also learnt that Lamido is tarrying a while because of alleged overtures from the Presidency on tAhe fate of his sons, who were recently arrested for money laundering.

    The Presidency was said to be offering a soft-landing for the governor’s children, if he renounces his alliance with the New PDP.

    Radiating a sense of fulfillment, APC leaders posed for historic shots at the doorstep of the lodge, amid backslapping.

    They were all smiles as photographers kept on pestering them for shots to mark a milestone in the political evolution of Nigeria.

    An excited National Chairman of the New PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, who swiveled his brown Babanriga with ecstasy, said the merger was real.

    He read a terse statement, after about three hours talks between the faction and APC leaders, with the relish of a newscaster.

    The statement was signed by the National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande and Baraje.

    The statement said: “A meeting of the leadership of APC and the New PDP met this morning at the residence of the Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Abuja.

    “After exhaustive deliberations, the two parties agreed to merge in order to rescue our fledgling democracy.”

    The merger of New PDP with APC was preceded by final round of talks between the G-7 governors and top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja.

    The meeting, which began at 9.30am at Kano Governor’s Lodge and ended at about 12.30pm.

    Those at the meeting were a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governors – Rotimi Amaechi, Murtala Nyako, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Rabiu Kwankwaso. A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, ex-Governor Ogbonnaya Onu(the immediate National chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party), ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ex-Governor Bukola Saraki, ex-Governor Abdullahi Adamu, ex-Governor Timpreye Sylvia, Alhaji Lai Mohammed­ and ex-Senator Suleiman Nazif were also there.

    Others are: Imam Kashim, former Deputy National Chairman of New PDP, Sam Sam Jaja and the Youth Leader of the New PDP, Timi Frank.

    Governor Aliyu Wammako, who was away in Senegal, was said to be monitoring the talks.

    Speaking briefly with reporters, Baraje said the New PDP had merged with the APC.

    He said: “We are merging; we are merging.”

    Asked if the merger meant dropping the name, new PDP, he said: “All these are implications of merging. What they are telling you is that we have merged and we have agreed to merge.

    “Please take note that… you have observed that …some of our members took permission to go out of the meeting; they did not walk out. You have seen the Governor of Kwara State, you have seen the Governor of Niger. They all took permission to travel.

    “In fact, some of us here are travelling too. We only waited a little bit for this communiqué to be read because of you.”

    Although Baraje did not give the details of why the leaders terminated talks with Jonathan, The Nation learnt that the merger came two months earlier than proposed by the coalescing groups because of the President alleged foot-dragging on the peace talks within the crisis-ridden PDP.

    The G-7 governors and the New PDP had opted to wait till the conclusion of talks with Jonathan on or before January before merging with APC or not.

    It was learnt that the bungling of the peace talks last Sunday by the President made the merger a fait accompli.

    Most of the governors and New PDP leaders were aggrieved that the President was only bidding time.

    The New PDP and the G-7, according to sources, also acted to beat alleged plot by the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee(NWC) to expel their leaders.

    A governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “For sometime now, we have been weighing options. We felt we should wait till January 2014 to move to APC, if the talks with the President did not yield any fruits.

    “As a matter of fact, in the last 48 hours, we were still at the crossroads on whether to give Jonathan more time or not.

    “We have, however, discovered that the President was just bidding time to consolidate and deal with the G-7 governors. At a point when we gave the President a breathing space during the peace talks, he decided to remove ministers allegedly loyal to the G-7 governors.

    “In another instance when we thought were making progress with the peace talks, Oyinlola and others were suspended.

    “And when we expected resumption of peace talks after this year’s Hajj, Jonathan kept on shifting the goalpost. Although he said he would meet with us on Sunday, we knew there were plans to expel some of our leaders on or before Friday.”

    After reviewing past meetings, the group concluded that the President was never seriously committed to the peace talks. “Each time we met him, he would just be laughing. His position is that he should bark orders at us and we should comply, said the source, who added:

    “Technically, they do not want us in PDP again but they were being tactical in trying to edge us out.”

    Another source said: “We are actually expecting three or more PDP governors to join the APC early next year.

    “This is just the beginning of the coming political hurricane in the country. Nigerians should wait for further developments.”

    Replying to a question, the source added: “All the G-7 members did not join the APC today because of one reason or the other. They gave us cogent reasons, which are acceptable to us.

    “We are expecting them in 2014. For example, Governors Babangida Aliyu and Sule Lamido offered to explore the peace initiative to the fullest. Aliyu, who may make up his mind in January, is also reading the lips of political makers in Niger State.

    “For Lamido, the Presidency knows he is a political asset and it has been mounting pressure on him with a promise to address the money laundering case against his children. They know he is passionate about hanging corruption allegations against his children. They are using likely reprieve for the children as a bait to woo Lamido.

    “Also, Lamido as a party man, defers to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo a lot. He might still want to consult the ex-President before taking the next step.”

  • Boat mishaps: Niger bans operation of old boats

    Aftermath of the drowning of 44 persons due to boat mishaps within six days, Niger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has  banned the operation of old boats to ferry passengers across Niger River.

    He also mandated operators of marine transport service on waterways in the state to provide life jackets for their passengers or quit the sector.

    The banning came on the heels of two boat mishaps within six days along River Niger in Borgu local government area that claimed lives lost due to none availability of life jackets and usage of old boats to ferry people in that axis.

    Penultimate Friday 26 persons were confirmed dead when an overcrowded boat capsized on River Niger when conveying traders from Malale village to Tunga Illo. Another 18 were drown last Thursday at kokoli village, both in Borgu Kingdom.

    The governor’s directives made to prevent further loss of valuable lives and properties of those living in riverine areas in the state, were contained in a statement issued in Minna on Sunday and signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Malam Dalandi Ndayebo.

    According to the statement, “The action is intended to ensure that old and rickety boats do not continue to kill valuable lives in the riverine communities”.

    The statement also said the Ministry of Transportation has already been directed to ensure full compliance with all safety standards, including the use of life vests by all passengers.

    Meanwhile about 100 households have been displaced by flood in old Awuru and Fakun communities of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

    The flood submerged about 38 houses, two mosques, farm lands and the market leaving the affected people homeless.

    The displaced persons are been camped in the community primary school serving the two communities.

    Addressing the displaced persons the Special Assistant to the Niger State Governor on Disaster and Emergency Management, Alhaji Mohammed Saba sympathised with the flood victims but blamed them for their refusal to be relocated out of the flood prone areas.

  • APC governors’ visit to Maiduguri courageous – Aliyu

    APC governors’ visit to Maiduguri courageous – Aliyu

    The Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, on Tuesday saluted the courage of the nine All Progressive Congress governors for visiting Maiduguri, the Boko Haram stronghold, saying their action has not only demystified the myth associated with the fundamental group but a statement that situation in the capital city of Bornu State was not as bad as being portrayed.

    He said the planned visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state on Thursday will permanently open the state to other people and correct all misgiving about it.

    Commending the courageous governors while playing host to Major Gen. Baba Gana Mohammed Monguno, the new Commander of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army, Minna, at the Government House, Aliyu said their visit has also showed that the battle against terrorism would soon be over.

    Aliyu, the governor of Niger State noted that the APC governors braved all odds by visiting Maiduguri, stressing that the visit was a watershed, as their action helped make the people to have better understanding of the situation in the city.

    “I commend some colleague governors who visited Maiduguri some few days ago. Their visit and movement around the city made people understand that things are not as bad as they portrayed it. We at the Northern States Governors’ Forum have set up committees to look at the situation in Maiduguri and we are making progress with the report.

    ”I heard President Goodluck Jonathan will visit Maiduguri on Thursday. It is a very good decision because with the visit of the President, Maiduguri will be opened to people who have been afraid to visit the place, “the governor said.

     

  • Jonathan signed one-term agreement —Junaid Mohammed

    Jonathan signed one-term agreement —Junaid Mohammed

    A new twist has been introduced to the controversy on the alleged secret  signing of a single tenure term by  President Goodluck Jonathan as a top northern  second republic legislator , Dr. Junaid Mohammed, insists that the document exist.

    Mohammed, who made the disclosure on Monday morning on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, said he has sighted the document and that it was signed by the President, some governors and two deputy governors prior to the 2011 elections.

    Niger State Governor, Dr. Aliyu Babangida, had in a radio programme in Kaduna some few weeks ago blown the whistle on the existence of the document while the Presidency debunked the claim, daring anyone in possession of such an agreement to release it to the public.

    But Mohammed said he sighted the original document in the hands of trusted political confidants whom he had known for over 40 years.

    He said: “I am persuaded to say that such an agreement exists and it was signed by some governors, and I think, two deputy governors at the time. I have sighted the document and I got to know this from people whom I have known from 40-50 years that the agreement exists.

     “People are prepared to deny the existence of the paper because of our culture of double talk. We do not need a lower ranked aide of the President to deny it. As far as I am concerned, something of that magnitude should have been cleared by a very senior person at the highest possible level to clarify—someone at the Presidency. Dr. Doyin Okupe is my friend and he did the same thing for Obasanjo until he was fired.”

     The public affairs analyst and former lawmaker, accused Jonathan of lacking the political will to reshuffle the cabinet because of the activities of powerful forces hanging around the corridors of power.

     “There are clearly many powerful forces that are stopping the President from reshuffling the cabinet because there are two women ministers who think they cannot be removed from their posts.

    “The discourse on the 2015 election is premature but it was started by Jonathan. All we’ve had from 2011 to date was slogan. Promises were made and they have not been kept. The promises have been kept aside. You have to blame the President on early talk of 2015 and he is unleashing his attack dogs on the nation.

     “Nobody would believe the tale that the President would not run in 2015. The man is behind it and his body language says a lot. The body language indicates that he would be running. They have started preparing the war chest for 2015. They are pulling money for election through deliberate, half-hearted implementation of annual budgets. They leave no room for anybody to trust them and I, for one, do not trust them, ” Mohammed stated.

     Asked to clarify which party he is associated with , Mohammed said: “I am not  and will not be a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party because the party is fixated to the primordial sentiments of zoning and rotation.

     “I don’t believe that I speak for the North because the leaders of the North who claim to speak for the region are not sincere. That is why they would enter into an agreement with people who cannot keep to the terms of that agreement. Tough luck to them!”

  • Niger 2015: Battle to succeed Aliyu Babangida begins

    Niger 2015: Battle to succeed Aliyu Babangida begins

    The speculated entry of Mohammed Babangida, son of former military ruler, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, into the 2015 governorship race in Niger State, is generating heated discussions among stakeholders. In this report, Remi Adelowo analyses the chances of the younger Babangida and other governorship hopefuls

     

    For Mohammed Babangida, the eldest son of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, it is not a matter of if, but rather when he would announce his intention to contest for the Niger State governorship seat come 2015.

    In the last few months, the political circles in the North Central state has been agog with the alleged ambition of the 42-year-old businessman to succeed the incumbent governor, Dr. Aliyu Muazu Babangida, whose second term in office will lapse in 2015.

    This would not be the first time that the young man’s name has been mentioned in the rundown to a general election. Early in 2011, speculations were rife that Mohammed was keen to battle Aliyu Babangida for the PDP governorship ticket.

    Unconfirmed reports had it that an alleged frosty relationship between the governor and some influential stakeholders in Niger State, most particularly two former Heads of State, who hail from the state, (Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar) had given Mohammed the impetus to stake a claim to the exalted seat.

    The governor, it was alleged, incurred the wrath of the retired generals due to his consistent refusal to listen to ‘wise counsels’ in the running of the state.

    For Aliyu Babangida, his election as governor was as dramatic, as it was thorny. Sources revealed that he was not the first choice of major political stakeholders to succeed the then governor, Abdulkadir Kure, in 2007.

    Babangida had just retired from the Federal Civil Service as a permanent secretary and reportedly had no desire to plunge into politics just immediately. But as fate would have it, a bitter acrimony generated in the aftermath of the primary election to elect the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in 2007, prompted the national headquarters of the party to intervene.

    The outcome of the intervention, allegedly instigated by the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was the choice of Babangida, who in his eventful civil service career, served as permanent secretary in the ministries of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), national planning, industries, to mention but a few.

    And ever since he became governor, Babangida has grown in stature and political influence, culminating in his current position as the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum (NGF). Known for his outspokenness on issues of national importance and independent mindedness, these traits, it was learnt, had allegedly put him on a collision course with some powerful forces in his state in the last five years.

    A source close to Mohammed Babangida, however, disclosed to The Nation that talks about his father’s cold war with the governor was a figment of the imagination of some unnamed politicians in the state. “My father is on good terms with the governor, so am I,” Mohammed was quoted as telling a friend at a polo tournament held in Malaysia a few years ago.

    As a proof that all is well between the governor and the Babangidas, The Nation gathered that Mohammed had, early in 2007, been offered the position of a commissioner by the governor, but the former politely declined the offer for ‘personal reasons.’

     

    How prepared is Mohammed?

    To his critics, Mohammed Babangida appears too young to shoulder the responsibility of governing a state. His relative political inexperience, the critics further alleged, may also turn out as his Achilles’ heel in the battle to succeed the incumbent governor.

    But those rooting for the young man revealed that contrary to widespread notion that he is inexperienced, Mohammed has, in the last few years, prepared himself for the task ahead. A source told The Nation, “In spite of what anyone might say, he (Mohammed) has acquitted himself both in his private and business lives, but unfortunately, his critics still look at him in the shadows of his father. Though he is quiet, he is very intelligent.”

    While pooh-poohing the argument that Mohammed is too young to be a governor, the source continued, “this argument is not only laughable but ridiculous; here is a man who is 42-years-old, far older than the age many of the present governors were elected. Add that to the fact that for over 15 years now, Mohammed has been the CEO of his company, Profile Group, which is into oil and gas, properties and security consultancy.”

    The Nation gathered that preparatory to his joining the governorship race sometime next year, the scion of the Babangida dynasty has, in the last one year, been holding consultations with opinion leaders on his alleged ambition. “This is asides his various empowerment programmes in the grassroots, which he has been doing quietly without much fanfare,” added another source.

     

    Other likely contenders

    Though difficult to read his body language regarding his choice on who succeeds him in 2015, an unconfirmed speculation that Governor Babangida may have zeroed in on his Chief of Staff, Professor Yahaya Abubakar, has refused to die down.

    Believed to be the most powerful man after the governor in the state executive council, Abubakar had previously served as the Secretary to the Government before he was redeployed as COS due to what a source said was for ‘strategic reasons’.

    In the words of an aide to the governor who prefers not to be named, “Abubakar largely determines who gets what, when and how in Niger State. The governor reposes too much confidence in him. That is how powerful he is.”

    What may prove a stumbling block to the alleged desire of the governor to handover to Abubakar, is the resolve of the ‘Minna Generals’ to determine who governs the state in 2015.

    The Nation gathered that another option before the governor if the Abubakar ticket does not fly is to support his deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, who has reportedly enjoyed a warm relationship with his principal.

     

    Abu Sani-Bello joins the race

    Full name Abubakar Sani-Bello, this young man is the son of Col. Sani Bello (retd), a wealthy businessman and Vice-Chairman, MTN, with major stakes in other key sectors of the economy. The younger Sani Bello, who is married to one of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar’s daughters, is also alleged to be working behind the scene to contest the governorship in 2015.

    The entry of Sani-Bello into the race is expected to bring fresh permutations in what promises to be a dicey succession battle. Observers are already pondering what the outcome of a contest between Mohammed Babangida and Abu Sani-Bello would be based on the long standing friendship between their fathers and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who is an-law to the Sani-Bellos.

    With the governorship hopefuls likely to contest the governorship race on the platform of the PDP, it remains to be seen how the battle to succeed Aliyu Muazu Babangida pans out.