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Tag: Atiku Abubakar

  • Kwankwaso to give security priority

    Kwankwaso to give security priority

    Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso yesterday joined the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with a pledge to protect lives and property, if elected.

    Addressing a big crowd at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja, Kwankwaso promised to give security top priority.

    He said bad governance was responsible for the country’s in security, promising to rescue Nigeria “from the clutches of incompetence and destruction and restore peace and progress”.

    A major highlight of the rally was the presence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s supporters. There were also governors, ex-governors and  lawmakers.

    Kwankwaso accused the President Goodluck Jonathan administration of using religious, ethnic, sectional and other primordial sentiments to promote corruption and divide the country to remain in power.

    He said Nigerians must unite to fight corruption, impunity and division.

    Acknowledging the task ahead, Kwankwaso said: “I have no illusion about the enormity of the challenges. But, to save our country, we must walk the journey, however difficult, and we must confront and defeat all the challenges, however monstrous.

    “The first priority of this country at the moment is restoring peace and security in every corner of the land. Life and property must be protected. Boko Haram and all forms of insurgency must be defeated. As a government, we cannot afford to live in denial. Insecurity is escalating at an alarming rate. Little wonder rag-tag insurgents are taking over cities and towns in the Northeast.

    “My experiences as Nigeria’s Defence minister and as special adviser on war-torn Darfur and Somalia have shown me that securing a nation and defeating armed insurgents are only achievable, if the forces are professionally mobilised, properly kitted and equipped, highly spirited and correctly armed with intelligence and munitions.

    “My experiences have shown me that technology must be deployed in addition to mobilising and cultivating the support of local communities. Cross-border intelligence is a veritable ingredient necessary to defeat armed insurgents.

    “Relegating the welfare of the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Police Force to the background only helps in compounding the phenomenon. And where low morals meet poor equipment and kits, no doubt the insurgents will have an edge. Any responsible government must take these issues seriously, if the protection of the life and property of its citizens is its primary responsibility. These, we understand very well. We must work together, compatriots, in a new APC government to achieve this.

    “Our journey to economic prosperity will always be imperiled if the movement of persons and goods cannot be guaranteed. Stopping these menaces does not require rocket science. Good surveillance equipment deployed appropriately and manned by well-groomed and well -motivated enforcement agents will do the magic.

    “The second priority of this country is killing the cancer of corruption that has eaten so deeply into the very fabric of our value system. The impunity with which corruption is being perpetrated, promoted and protected by the present PDP administration leaves no patriotic Nigerian in doubt that the government is working deliberately and with determination to impoverish Nigerians.

    “Effective fight against corruption requires strong institutions, the political will of the leadership, as well as the cooperation of citizens. This, we are determined to do. Our antecedent testifies that we have the capacity and political will to do so.

    “Nations do not build sound economies on insecurity, brigandage and mayhem. Nations do not build responsive economies on a foundation of scandalous corruption and impunity. Nations do not build strong economies on lies and half-truths.

    “All sorts of colourful, yet deceptive, statistics are being churned out by the PDP administration to give Nigeria’s economy a clean bill of health. They are all conjectures. The reality on the ground is at sharp contrast with the cooked up statistics.”

    Kwankwaso condemned the fiscal policy of the Jonathan administration as “more than disastrous”. Its micro and macro-economic policies are as vacuous as they are deceptive. How can we attain development when only a tiny percentage of our budget is allocated for capital projects and even that is not properly implemented?

    “How can we grow when the wealth of the nation is being stolen by the very trustees to the wealth? Where on this planet do we have a nation so endowed and yet so impoverished? That is why we must rally round and replace this PDP government with a progressive and responsive APC administration under my stewardship.

    “The strength of any economy depends on the quality, competence, fitness and morale of the available human resources that drive it. Nigeria’s education and health sectors are facing multi-throng crises of quality, quantity, infrastructure, equipment and brain drain.

    “At the heart of these crises are policy and sincerity. We must remake our national education and health policies to provide sustainable lifeline of funding for these very critical sectors of our national life. Toying with the education of our children and youth is akin to passing a death sentence on an entire generation. A generation killed, a future mortgaged, and a country destroyed. That is the result of playing insincere politics with education. We cannot afford to sacrifice the future of Nigeria.

    “Once upon a time, Nigeria stood out as the doyen of Africa’s diplomacy, and credible global ambassador of peace and stability as reflected in our leadership of peace keeping operations around the globe. Our neighbours, in particular, then looked to us for leadership and support at critical times for their existence.

    “Today, the reverse is the case. We are sadly on our knees looking for aid and cooperation from our neighbours and the international community to preserve our territorial integrity and wellbeing.

    The aspirant spoke on foreign policy, promising an overhaul.

    He said: “An APC administration under my stewardship will, as a matter of priority, overhaul our foreign policy initiative and harvest the dividends of our interventions in the economy, security and other critical areas highlighted in this address, to revamp the image of Nigeria and place our country in its right position as the giant of Africa and a key global player in international relations.

    “The success of this journey and clarion call by patriotic Nigerians from across the country motivated me to seek the APC’s nomination as its presidential flag bearer for the February, 2015, general elections.

    “I am offering myself and soliciting the support of all patriotic Nigerians on this difficult journey,” Kwankwaso said.

    Some dignitaries present include Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Senator George Akume, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Senator Kabir Ibrahim Gaya, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Raji Fashola, Chief Audu Ogbe, Senator  Chris Ngige, former Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi, deputy governors of Edo, Yobe and Borno states.

    The Kwara and Nasarawa state governors were represented by their commissioners. Others present include former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, former Kogi State Governor Abubakar Audu, Some Members of the House of Representatives and members of the Kano state House of Assembly.

    The National Secretary of the party Alhaji Mai Mala Buni led some officials of the party to the event.

  • Atiku to decentralise security

    Atiku to decentralise security

    •Ex-VP plans to scrap NSA’s office 

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has unveiled plans to replace the Office of the National Security Adviser with a National Security Council to combat terrorism and insurgency, if elected President next year.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant, who stated this in a draft policy yesterday,said he had mapped out a “National Security Strategy, by creating a dedicated counter-terrorism and intelligence division to replace the Office of the National Security Adviser with a National Security Council.”

    Explaining that the draft policy document would still be modified into a final policy document by experts, he noted that the NSC would be made up of the Presidency, the heads of the NPF and state police services (when they are ready), the head of the security services and the Chief of Defence staff.

    Atiku also vowed to scrap all “non-statutory task forces and commissions”, adding that their expert workers would be transfered into the NSC.”

    In addition, the plan also anticipates the creation of “a single National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) composed of former heads of state, traditional, community leaders” and others.

    The document said there would also be an overhaul of security structure through removal of “federal monopoly of the police force.”

    Governors, it added, would be empowered as the “chief security officers” in their states. Those that desire state police would be given given the chance to have them along with relevant legislative changes with the National Assembly specifying mandates and jurisdictions, the document said.

    The former vice president stressed that local governments would also “be given the chance to have their police forces, as long as they follow the mandates and jurisdiction applied by the state authorities.

    Also, states that prefer to use only the federal police can maintain the situation and negotiate the arrangements with federal authorities for funding, mandates and jurisdiction they are there to serve and protect.”

    The policy document said the “administration wants a country where the rule of law reigns, there is significant reduction in crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping, eliminating terrorism and insurgency in the country and eliminating inter-communal and inter-tribal conflicts across the country.”

    He said his administration would pave the way for true federalism to ensure overall peace and stability in the country by “allocating more power and resources to the federating units, freedom and flexibility for the federating states to address the choices and challenges with which local populations are confronted.”

    On public sector financing and funding, he claimed that his government would review the Federation Account and restructure government finance by amending the constitution and all legislation to ensure that “states of origin can retain a significant share of revenues, a rule-based financial equalisation mechanism allocates a significant share of the remaining revenues to states and local government areas, funding needs are established on the basis of population and public finance performance, rather than number of units or territory.

    He noted that the federal, state and local governments would have a strong incentive to broaden the tax base needed to support transformational PWPs and ensure that the projects did not delay urgent infrastructure upgrades, crowd out private enterprises, entrench private oligopolies and drain fiscal resources.

    Private efforts to maintain and upgrade basic infrastructure, it added, would be rewarded through encouraging businesses to address bottlenecks by offering “small cash transfers or tax refunds for documented irrigation, road and maintenance work and tax credits for infrastructure upgrades that benefit and are paid for by the private businesses.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The administration, if elected, also planS to channel a greater proportion of GDP towards infrastructure development, arguing that Nigeria’s infrastructure needs are substantial relative to GDP.

    On the economic front – especially on employment and wealth creation, the vice president team plans to facilitate implementation and to ensure continuity with current administration’s more sensible initiatives, and solutions, which will be aligned with existing instruments and institutions.

    “There is a plan to significantly reduce the rate of unemployment from 23.9 per cent to Zambia’s 14 per cent (2013), one of the lowest in Africa as well as carry out a significant reduction in youth unemployment from 54 per cent to the national average of 23 per cent”, the document added.

     

     

     

     

     

    The administration promised to emphasise the use of local contractors, local workers, local materials and labour intensive method of execution like environmental schemes, maintenance and beautification of towns and cities.

    It will also include infrastructural development (upgrade and construction) like power plants, roads, bridges, schools; co-funding public works projects  (PWPs) “to facilitate mass employment and contribute towards infrastructural development; co-fund works programmes (PWPs) that federal state and local authorities build, maintain and monitor.”

    The policy said it would ensure that the PWPs did not delay urgent infrastructure upgrades, crowd out private enterprises, entrench private oligopolies and drain fiscal resources.

    The document said Atiku will promote local ownership of job creation initiatives by offering Local Governments performance linked block grants that allow them to implement labour-intensive growth initiatives, with guidance that prioritize fixed asset creation, projects that confer transferable skills and co-financed and decentralized job creation schemes.

    His administration will “instruct public entities and encourage large private enterprises to create merit based job openings for a set share of their appointments by, instructing the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to issue and monitor transparent public sector recruitment guidelines, promoting the use of standardized tools and aptitude test, using blind (IT based) screening tools in competitive pre-qualification, recruitment rounds and creating a ‘we are hiring hotline’ and establishing an Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) affiliated review panel with the power to suspend, demote and dismiss officials who cannot justify their hiring decisions on the basis of qualifications.”

    There is a policy Economic Enabler Initiative that is aimed at supporting businesses to be more efficient and widen their scope to create jobs, “given that Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa, we aim to improve the environment for doing business within the next four years by improving the current; World Economic Forum (WEF’s) Competitiveness index ranking from 127/144 to 56/144, which South Africa currently occupies, World Bank’s ease of doing business ranking from 147/189 to 32/189 which Rwanda currently occupies, trading across border from 158/188, which Tunisia currently occupies.”

    The document said they aim to create “level playing fields environment for businesses to flourish, a business environment unburdened by government regulations, a more predictable, accountable and responsive political environment, an entrepreneurial economy, an economy that promotes competitiveness and innovation and a thriving environment for international trade and investment.”

    Domestic investment will be mobilized through “encouraging venture capital and private equity investors to invest in local startups by; improving investors’ protection, enhancing SMEs’ transparency and promoting arbitration.”

    It emphasised that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) will be instructed “to develop a cheap and easy-to-use (SMS-based) registration and startup tools that give Micro Household Enterprises (MHEs) that file simplified accounts and pay flat corporate taxes access to an efficient Commercial Complaints Commission (CCC).”

    Businesses, it added, will be insulated from the state and allowed “to focus on customers and markets rather than political sponsors and favours by cutting red tape, simplifying administrative procedures, cutting out intermediaries, like  using electronic/mobile payments systems for all government-related transactions and discouraging, monitoring and punishing graft by using modern technology.

    The Atiku’s team said it plans to help businesses focus on doing business by working with state governments to do inventory and harmonise business taxes, levies and fees, cutting the number of federal levies and fees, simplifying tax filings, creating a transparent corporate tax register, phasing out special purpose funds that tap private donations to provide public services.”

    There is also a plan to establish an independent competition and anti-trust authority by cutting customer costs, improve product and service quality and promote innovation by establishing and independently monitoring market/sector dynamics, developing policies and regulations to create and maintain level playing fields and prosecuting and punishing anti-competitive practices by breaking up monopolies and oligopolies.

    There will be encouragement and reward formalization of Micro Household Enterprises (MHEs) by creating a new enterprise type that gives micro and household enterprises MHEs more structure and rights than sole traders and fewer obligations than private limited companies, so that they can; sign leases etc, file simplified accounts, access concessional finance and offer registered MHEs non-transferable productive vouchers for short management courses that can be used at the owner’s preferred training institution.

    Public procurement rules, the document stressed, will be designed to benefit SMEs by “creating a small business procurement portal that allows registered firms with limited pre-qualifications to bid for renewable short-term contracts and buyers/stakeholders to rate their performance, transferring more tenders to state and local governments.”

    This would, however, be based on the “condition that they agree to transparent and independent audits of milestones, reviewing the rules on contract splitting to ensure that accountability remains clear, and that public funds are spent on projects and programmes, rather than rents and rewarding the creation of (open) contracting value chains through collective bids.

    “Public sector payment terms will be shortened to unlock cash flows by instructing MDAs (and encouraging state and local governments) to pay suppliers and contractors within 60 days of the receipt of their invoices and sponsoring legislation that imposes automatic (CBN base rate+10%) punitive interests on non-compliant public entities.”

    Banks will also be encouraged to lend to mid-sized businesses by “tendering the running of a Mid-sized Enterprise Development Fund (MEDF) to prequalified banks that provide MEs with; the fastest loan approval processes, the most generous (risk-weighted) use of available collateral, and the most comprehensive (affordable) customer service package.”

     

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  • Jonathan running govt of ‘clientelism,’ says Atiku

    Jonathan running govt of ‘clientelism,’ says Atiku

    •Ex-VP: President favouring cronies for political gains 

    President Goodluck Jonathan has been accused of indulging in “politics of clientelism” by awarding favours only to his cronies, to the detriment of accountability and democratic principles.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar made the allegation through the Director -General of his campaign organisation, Prof. Babalola Borisade.

    He spoke at a news conference, which took place at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Atiku alleged that the favours were taking the form of “public sector jobs appointments, distribution of resources through licences, contracts and tax waivers” to curry political gains from the beneficiaries.

    The former vice president said the crony- beneficiaries of the favours go about “mobilising political support and loyalty for their patrons.”

    Aside the news conference, which was attended by Dr. Nathaniel Yaduma, Dr. Akinwunmi Oluwole and Dr. Garba Abari, a two-day summit to review the state of the nation and the way forward organised by the campaign organisation also kicked off at the same venue.

    Atiku cited the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) spectacle as an instance to buttress Jonathan’s alleged “clientelism style”.

    He noted that the rest of Nigerians, who stayed out of the network, remained excluded from the decision-making process and cut-off from benefits of democracy.

    The nation, according to him, now has a prevalence of people who surrendered principles so that they could be integrated into such network.

    He said: “A deductive observer will not fail to notice that the nation has been gravitating from the presidential system of governance stipulated in our constitution to presidentialism. This means the systematic concentration of political power in the hands of one individual or a cabal.

    “As a result, effective accountability and representation through popular democratic participation is giving way to personal rule and single party dictatorships rooted on politics of clientelism.

    “Clientelism refers to the awarding of personal favours among patrimonial cronies. These favours take the form of public sector jobs, appointments, distribution of resources through licences, contracts and tax waivers. In return, the cronies mobilise political support and loyalty for their patrons – the TAN Spectacle.”

    “For the voters, the ballot becomes a token exchange in a highly personal relationship of dependency on hand-outs, the so called ‘stomach infrastructure.

    “Those who stay out of this network do not only remain excluded from the decision-making process, but also from allocated benefits of democracy, hence the prevalence of people who surrender principles so that they can be integrated into the network.”

    Atiku, who pledged to tackle corruption, unemployment, insecurity and other national challenges, if elected into office in 2015, said Nigerians need democracy of substance that would respond to their socio-economic demands and bring about improvements in their living conditions.

    He urged the electorate to have a re-think about why and how they cast their votes, saying elections should no longer be about the right to vote, but must also provide avenues for them to choose between candidates and not based on primordial sentiments.

    He also lamented that the country faces a bleak and dangerous future due to poor governance, adding that the nation requires re-evaluating and re-positioning to the path of recovery and greatness.

    This, he added, must be done by people, who have prepared themselves to lead and not “those being persuaded to do so at a time Nigeria is being subdued on all fronts.”

    He said:”There is an unmistakable feeling that we are being subdued on all fronts by crippling economic conditions, high unemployment rates, collapsing infrastructure, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping and Boko-Haram insurgency.

    “It is clear that our country is in dire need of a re-evaluation of its political and socio-economic status.  Nigeria is a one resource economy. The substantial portion of the national revenue is controlled by the Federal Government.

    “When this privilege is exercised within a complex patronage system characterised by nepotism, corruption and utter disregard for due process, the nation’s social, political and economic capital cannot be as strong as we are made to believe.

    “Often, we are told by the economic and financial managers in this administration that the Nigerian economy is the largest in Africa, closely followed by that of South Africa.

    “According to the ‘good’ news released towards the end of the first quarter of this year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) put the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2013 at $503 billion (£307 billion), a figure that was nearly twice its previous estimates, and more than that of South Africa.

    “It is also constantly claimed that the economy has consistently grown at a rate of between five and seven per cent annually for the last five or more years. And by the newly “re-based” or recalculated GDP, Nigeria has moved up the ladder from being 31st largest economy in the world to 12th, putting it in the same prosperity bracket as Belgium and Poland.

    “Good news indeed! But what does the breakdown reveal? Regrettably, the new buoyant economic tabulation does not match the indices on the ground. One report immediately cast doubt about the impact of the new encouraging figures by stating that it “won’t change poverty and infrastructure woes” in the country.

    “Meanwhile the government has invested more than $15 billion into improving the power sector, privatised the sector, but still there is a 6000 MW gap in the power supply system, implying that more generators will be required to power our homes, offices and factories.”

    The presidential aspirant, who also decried sincerity of the employment figures from government’s statistics, noted that it was painfully that poverty has not been ‘down-sized’.

    He quoted a recent study, which states that more than 50 per cent of Nigerians live below the poverty level.

    Atiku also decried the decay in the critical education sector, road infrastructure development, and lack of security of life and property.

    “Today, Nigeria is in the grip of murderous insurgents, who daily commit heinous crimes against innocent people in many parts of Nigeria, especially in the Northeast.

    “Boko Haram has captured enclaves of land, hoisted their flags and imposed a reign of terror on citizens. Bombings, abductions, kidnappings, robberies and rapes are on the increase as general insecurity pervades the land,” he said.

    He added: “Could this state of anomie be attributed to poor governance? According to the highly-regarded 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance Report, Nigeria was ranked one of the worst governed countries on the continent”.

     

  • Jonathan running government of clientelism – Atiku

    Jonathan running government of clientelism – Atiku

    • The former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday accused President Goodluck Jonathan of indulging in “politics of clientelism” – awarding favours only to cronies, to the detriment of accountability and full democratic participation.Atiku, who is a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the favours take the form of “public sector jobs appointments, distribution of resources through licences, contracts and tax waivers” ostensibly to curry political gains from the beneficiaries.The former vice president, who spoke during a press briefing at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State, through the Director – General, 2015 Atiku Campaign Organisation, Prof. Babalola  Borishade, said the beneficiaries of the favours go about “mobilising political support and loyalty for their patrons.”Aside the press briefing attended by Dr. Nathaniel Yaduma, Dr. Akinwunmi Oluwole, Dr. Garba Abari and chaired by Prof. Femi Aborisade at the OOPL, a two – day summit to review the state of the nation and proffer a way forward organised by the Atiku Campaign Organisation also takes place at the same venue.

      Citing the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) spectacle as a case in point to buttress Jonathan’s clientelism style, Atiku lamented that the rest of Nigerians  who stay out of this network do not only remain excluded from the decision making process, but are also cut – off from enjoying the benefits of democracy.

      He said, “A deductive observer will not fail to notice that the nation has been gravitating from the presidential system of governance stipulated in our constitution to presidentialism.

      “This means the systematic concentration of political power in the hands of one individual or a cabal.

      “As a result, effective accountability and representation through popular democratic participation is giving way to personal rule and single party dictatorships rooted on politics of clientelism.

      “Clientelism refers to the awarding of personal favours among patrimonial cronies. These favours take the form of public sector jobs, appointments, distribution of resources through licences, contracts and tax waivers. In return, the cronies mobilize political support and loyalty for their patrons, the TAN spectacle.”

  • Atiku meets lawmakers today

    Atiku meets lawmakers today

    Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will today meet Lagos State House of Assembly lawmakers on his presidential ambition.

    In a letter, which was read by the Clerk, Ganiyu Abiru, Atiku expressed his readiness to contest the election to bring about change in the country.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant said he needs the lawmakers’ support in actualising his dream.

    Abubakar said the lawmakers’ role in the party made it necessary for him to propose such a visit.

    The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said once he gets the detail of the visit, he would communicate to members.

    Ikuforiji said: “I don’t have the details, immediately we have the details, it will be sent to all members.”

     

     

     

  • I’m not prepared for consensus candidate, says Atiku

    I’m not prepared for consensus candidate, says Atiku

    Former Vice-President and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said he is not prepared for a consensus in choosing the party’s candidate for next year’s elections.

    He also said unless the nation’s leadership breaks what he called the mafias in the energy sector, the nation may not get the two vital areas to function well.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja ahead of a policy review summit to be held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the APC chieftain said the party’s leadership had met at various fora and decided to go for the primaries.

    Atiku said: “When we came in (in 1999), I told my boss, the then President (Olusegun Obasanjo) that there were two mafias in this country: the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mafias, and that unless you break those mafias, you would never get those two institutions to work.

    “Unfortunately, up till now, we have not been able to break those mafias. So, one thing you must do is to be prepared to dismantle the mafia in NEPA, now Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) which, up till now, has not allowed us to have sufficient power supply and the mafia in the NNPC.”

    The former vice-president noted that “running government is business today”.

    He added: “If you don’t know how to run a business, please, don’t try to run a government. Some people think that a government can do everything but government does not have the money to do everything.

    “The jobs that are being created in developed economies are being created by the private sector and not by the government. But we continue to make the mistake that a government can create the jobs we want.”

    The former vice-president said the nation had “recorded very impressive gross domestic product (GDP) growth and very impressive macro-economic stability over the years, starting from our administration”.

    According to him, the impressive growth had not trickled down to the ordinary man.

    Atiku said: “This is because the way government is so structured is such that the wealth will continue to remain in the hands of a few people in the top echelon of the population. In order words, we have been stunted and our job creation record has been very bad. So, it is only when the job creation effort is good that the growth in GDP can be translated because, at the moment, we have the highest rate of unemployment, which is not good.

    “One of the ways I have proposed to go about this is to say the major creators of jobs, I would like to work with each of them and give them a tax rebate. But they must create, say, half a million jobs for me.

    “But people have said I would lose a lot of tax from that. But my response is that those young men and women who will be employed are also going to pay tax. So, from giving a tax rebate, I am also going to recover a larger taxable base.

    “We need to be careful. Running a government is like running a business nowadays. If you do not know how to run a business, please don’t venture into running a government; don’t think government can do everything. Government does not have the money to do everything. Jobs that are being created in developed economies are being developed by the private sector. But we continue to make the mistake in this country that the government can create all the jobs we need.”

    On consensus, the aspirant said: “We have met as a caucus, as a Board of Trustees (BOT), as a National Executive Council (NEC), but we have decided to go the primaries.”

    On job creation, Atiku said: “You don’t have to reduce the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to create jobs. MDAs are good but they are mostly government-funded. Right now, our revenue is on the decline. Before, we were exporting 2.3 million barrels of oil per day. But today, we are exporting 1.8 million per day and the price is falling.

    “I can bet you: if you are relying on MDAs to create employment, the government will be faced with ‘how do we close this or streamline this?’ But if you encourage the private sector to bring foreign investors, they will come and create jobs 10 times more than what the MDAs can create.

    “Stop looking at employment creation solely as a government responsibility; it is government’s responsibility to see that jobs are created and those jobs can be created if the private sector is stimulated with unrestricted direct funding and make it easy for investors to come on board.

    “I didn’t privatise the refineries, neither did I privatise the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL). What is the problem if I call Aliko Dangote and say, ‘Aliko, I am going to give you a 10 per cent tax rebate but can you give me a million jobs?’

    “If he says he can, fine. I will have one million jobs created and out of those one million jobs, of course, they will pay tax. So, why do you say that I don’t have the will? I want to challenge anybody to give me the opportunity to see whether I have the will or not.”

    On the summit, Atiku said: “As you know, over the years, anytime I tried to run for the Presidency, I always made sure that I prepared myself to be President. It is up to Nigerians to elect whoever they want to elect. But the point is that he should not be found wanting and he should not learn on the job. He must be on the job well prepared.

    “Again, this is another opportunity that God and Nigerians have given me to make another attempt. Therefore, I am aware that the gentlemen of the press constitute an important partner in our effort to establish the APC as an enduring alternative political platform with a sustainable legitimacy.

    “The APC is envisaged by the founding fathers to develop the capacity to provide this nation with a leadership that will be committed to the welfare of the people, whose choice will be determined by the common good and the popular will of all Nigerians. My declaration on September 24 to present myself for nomination as an aspirant of the APC for the 2015 election was our first major outing.

    “It was a deliberate policy to make the event an interactive session with the youths. We made it clear to the leadership of the party that it was not going to be a rally or a campaign because it was not yet time for that.

    “We thank the over 30 youth groups that participated in the event. It was clear from their contributions that it is their future that is at stake. Their submissions with respect to their pains, needs and wants constitute a major input in our draft policy.

    “The purpose of this press conference is to announce that we will be hosting a policy review summit on October 27 at the Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

    “The summit will host a panel of experts who will fine-tune the elements needed for the Atiku 2015 policy document. The draft policy to be reviewed was drawn up within the context of the manifesto of the APC. Nothing was done outside the manifesto.

    “The main thrust is the exclusive bid to modify the way the machinery of government works by providing the political base, vision and capacity to lead this great nation with a great population, plan and streamline the MDAs with a view to removing overlaps and operational redundancy, systematically devolving and delegating operational responsibilities to states and local government and private sector organisations, addressing habits and practices that hinder policy implementations.”

     

  • Photo: Okorocha daughters wedding

    Photo: Okorocha daughters wedding

    L-R Governor Rochas Okorocha, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, groom, Mr. Ozumma Tony Awukah and bride, Uju at the wedding of Governor Okorocha's daughter at St Joseph's Catholic Chaplaincy of Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State on Saturday.
    L-R Governor Rochas Okorocha, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, groom, Mr. Ozumma Tony Awukah and bride, Uju at the wedding of Governor Okorocha’s daughter at St Joseph’s Catholic Chaplaincy of Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State on Saturday.
  • Atiku canvasses devolution of power to states

    Atiku canvasses devolution of power to states

    •Ex-vice president inaugurates hospital in Ado-Ekiti

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has canvassed the need for the Federal Government to devolve some of the power it wields to the states.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant spoke yesterday while inaugurating the 300-bed Oba Adejugbe General Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, built by the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.

    He argued that by devolving power, the presidency would be less attractive to people, who do not have well-thought-out plans for the nation.

    Atiku stressed that the devolution should also be accompanied by a commensurate increase in the resources that would go to states to meet their responsibilities.

    He said: “I have always said that our Federal Government is too powerful. Our Federal Government has taken in so many responsibilities and some of these responsibilities can best be handled by the states.

    “What I am saying in essence is that there is need for us to devolve more powers to the states and also give them more resources. When we move the powers, let us also move away the resources that the Federal Government controls and move them back to the states so that we can see real development.

    “Believe me; in the last two months that I have been commissioning roads, schools, hospitals, water supply projects and so on, none of them is a Federal project. They are all states’ projects. So, why don’t we then devolve more powers to the states and give them more resources and leave the Federal Government with very little: foreign affairs and defence? This will make the Presidency less attractive”.

    Atiku noted that the governor’s feat in the provision of infrastructure was an indication that Nigeria needs devolution of power to the states for state governments to perform optimally.

    He described Fayemi’s performance as extraordinary and added that it was high time the government stopped getting involved in some sectors of the economy because they are better handled by states for being closer to the people.

    He expressed amazement at the physical infrastructure, which Fayemi had put in place, noting that only an extraordinary and intellectual leader could do so.

    “I think his (Fayemi’s) performance is extraordinary. Early this year, I was here and when I came here, this very edifice was not available and driving round the city is also amazing because there are quite a number of infrastructural facilities that have come up. So, I think it is an extraordinary performance,” he said.

    Fayemi, in his remarks, praised the former Segun Oni-led government for initiating the hospital project, adding that his administration’s commitment to a healthy population led to its completion.

    The governor, who described the inauguration of the hospital named after the traditional ruler of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, as timely, said it became imperative to give attention to the health care sector because health is wealth.

    Fayemi said: “What is happening today is a demonstration of another promise kept. What we have with this edifice as well as 18 General Hospitals around our 16 local governments is to let our people know that we are committed to their well being. We are committed to good health. We are committed to ensuring low maternal mortality, increased life expectancy, committed and virile people. We have achieved this. It is a long way to go, but it is not accident that today in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, according to statistics of the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ekiti has the highest life expectancy in this country.

    “Today, it is also not an accident that apart from the free health mission that we run, we were the first state to institute a social welfare programme that pays a stipend to our elderly population and that has contributed to prolonging the lives of those who ordinarily could not have been here with us if they have not been taken good care of by the support safety net that we provided to the segment of our population.”

    On resumption of the state’s schools, which was delayed as a result of the outbreak of Ebola in some parts of the country early in the year, the governor said his government had put in place an isolation unit as well as procured sanitary equipment for all the 187 secondary and 889 primary schools.

    Fayemi, who said the provision of the equipment was preceded by a training session for those who would handle them, stated that sanitation should be a major priority and the people should focus more on their hygiene before the outbreak of any diseases.

    The event was witnessed by the governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi, Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemi Adejugbe, Senator representing Taraba North, Senator Aisha al-Hassan, Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, an APC leader in Ondo State, and Otunba Johnson Fasawe, among other well-wishers.

     

  • Atiku to FG: Make presidency less attractive to politicians

    Atiku to FG: Make presidency less attractive to politicians

    The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday appealed to the Federal Government to take necessary steps to make governance at the centre less attractive to politicians.

    Atiku stated this in Ado-Ekiti , Ekiti, when he inaugurated the Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe General Hospital built by the outgoing government in the state to mark its fourth year in office.

    He suggested that the federal government could reduce the rush for power at the centre by devolving some of its powers which he described as too enormous.

    He advised the federal government to limit itself with issues relating to defence and foreign affairs among a few other responsibilities.

    Atikusaid other sectors including health, education and agriculture should be left for the state governments to manage.

    The ex-vice president advised that more resources and funds should also be ceded to the states to make them more functional.

    “The federal government as it is constituted presently is too powerful, some of the responsibilities being supervised by it can be better handled by the states.

    “For instance, what is the federal government’s business in agriculture when it does not even own any piece of land of its own.

    “Why is the federal government still involved in health matters when most of the health responsibilities are undertaken by the states,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Atiku as saying at the gathering.

  • Atiku harps on due diligence

    Atiku harps on due diligence

    Fomer Vice President and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has said that strict adherence to the procedure of due diligence before entering into contractual agreements is an imperative for the evolution of a progressive nation.

    In his goodwill message on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir, Atiku said the significance of the festival is a celebration of trust between man and God, rooted in the fulfillment of promises.

    Atiku said: “The significance of the celebration today is not in the blood or the flesh of the rams that are slaughtered.

    “The message is for people to be honour-bound to respect the terms of the promises made to other entities.

    “As a society, we must place a premium on trust. Our greatness as a country is attainable only when government honours the promises it makes to the people.

    “A leader who has a track record of reneging on every promise he makes cannot drive the process of change we desperately yearn for.”

    He added:”As a people too, we must be vigilant and thorough about the decisions that we take in conjunction with others.

    “It is our responsibility to ensure that we enter into agreements with people of proven character and credibility.

    “The prevailing mindset of placing trust on people based on primordial sentiments such as ethnic or religious considerations  without recourse to due diligence is not healthy for the growth of individuals or nations.”