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Tag: atiku

  • Atiku’s monetary agenda will lead to perdition, says Emefiele

    Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Godwin Emefiele has warned the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential flag bearer’s suggestion the exchange rate should be free float is recipe for disaster that will surely lead to perdition.

    Reacting to Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of the CBN and Emefiele’ management of monetary policies and his suggestion that the exchange rate should be free-floating, the CBN governor said: “The MPC reviewed it and concluded that it would be wrong. It is as good as saying that we should go back to the era of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in Nigeria.

    “The implication can better be imagined. It will certainly lead to capital flight, lead to massive depreciation or devaluation of the currency and ultimately to currency crisis in Nigeria and I think we should all know that it is a road to perdition to ever go in that direction.”

    Addressing reporters at the end of the bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, the first for the year, and weeks before the general elections, Emefiele maintained: “There is no capital control in Nigeria today because you cannot find the CBN trying to intervene in the market for demand and supply of foreign exchange.”

    He insisted: “We cannot be talking about allowing import of items that can be produced in the country today, exporting jobs from Nigeria to foreign countries, and we say we have the interest of Nigeria at heart?

    “We don’t agree with anybody. It is a wrong premise to say that you will allow imports to just flood the country just because you want to please anybody. It is not in our interest.”

    Read Also: Emefiele outlines policy thrust for 2019

    Emefiele pointed out the CBN is apolitical. “We will remain apolitical. We will not want anybody to drag the central bank into issues within our remit otherwise, we would respond to it.”

    The CBN governor admitted the apex bank has instructed banks to suspend interest on loans for fuel imports.

    With regards to forex restrictions on imported items, Emefiele said CBN will get even more aggressive to see to it that any or all food items that can be produced in Nigeria and consumed in Nigeria and are currently being imported into Nigeria may face forex restrictions.

    Highlighting his successes and achievements as CBN governor, Emefiele argued that “Dangote is today establishing the biggest refinery I have ever seen.

    “The size of Dangote refinery is at least 10 times the size of Victoria Island. By April 2019 when Dangote Fertilizer Plant begins to roll, we will place a ban on the importation of fertilizer because Nigeria will both be self-sufficient and even export.”

    He also disclosed that he has “written to governors in the South-South and South East that time has come to stop importation of crude palm oil.

    “A barrel of crude palm oil is more expensive than crude petroleum per barrel. I told them that we will re-establish the oil palm belt in the South-South and South Eastern parts of the country.

    “Edo State has reacted positively like some other states. With support and intervention from CBN and government, we would reverse the trend.

    “That should be the direction. It is important to say this so that people can know that the economy is doing well.

    “A lot of work still needs to be done, there are still a couple of vulnerabilities and fragilities that we see in the economy but we are determined to resolve them.“

  • Why Nigerians cannot trust Atiku, by Presidency 

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council yesterday gave reasons why Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, cannot be trusted by Nigerians.

    APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson Festus Keyamo said Atiku is a questionable character who has continued to leave huge questions over his suitability for the highest office of the land.

    In his view, Atiku’s visit to the United States has destroyed his campaign and exposed him.

    The statement reads “In our press release issued on Sunday, December 30, 2018, titled “WHEN THE THIEF IS SHOUTING THIEF”: THE CASE OF ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR”, we correctly predicted as follows: “By running for President of Nigeria, Atiku intends to get some immunity from prosecution. Already, he is hoping to obtain a visa to visit the US, as a guest of the State Department, a concession that the US will grant to a presidential candidate of Africa’s biggest nation.”

    “Therefore, we were not surprised by his visit to the U.S. For us, this visit is really a non-event, considering the issues involved in the forthcoming election. However, we have bad news for those who think this is a momentous event for Atiku Abubakar: the visit was nothing but a downright catastrophe because rather than dispel the fact of indictments hanging over his head, it further confirms and reinforces those facts for the following reasons:

    “The visit had all the trappings of a fugitive sneaking into America under a ‘special diplomatic waiver’. For the candidate of the major opposition party in Nigeria, it is an absolute disaster that the visit was not announced ahead of time in Nigeria, with his programmes and itinerary clearly spelt out, the decent and customary minimum standard of such visits. This culminated in his close aides issuing conflicting statements about the visit when he was already on his way there. In fact, one of them called Paul Ibe actually spoke to the Press that his principal was nowhere near America! Such was the secrecy of the planning and execution of that visit.

    “It is shameful that a presidential candidate of a major opposition party in Africa’s most populous country would visit America, and the international press was kept in the dark: There was NO SINGLE press conference with the array of international media and correspondents required for such ‘high-profile’ visit. Atiku knows he has no moral stamina to withstand the avalanche of hard questions bordering on his sordid past in America. In fact, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar claims he visited the Voice of America (VOA) but only did two carefully-packaged interviews with the Hausa service and the English to Africa programme – platforms that have always been available to him back home.

    “How strange! In fact, both the Twitter handle (@VOANews) and official website of VOA did not mention any such visit of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to their station. For news hounds, you would agree with us that such an ‘important personality’ cannot walk into a news premises without reporters swooping on him. Whatever he went to do in the premises of the VOA must have been a carefully-arranged private visit for the photo-ops, which was intended to scam Nigerians. What more evidence do we need of a “sneak-in-sneak-out” arrangement than this?.

    “For a candidate who claims he wants to “get Nigeria working again” (a meaningless phrase) to sneak into America without meeting major players in private businesses is a curiosity and an indication that we are dealing with a candidate with a dodgy and questionable character. He claims he went to the U.S Chamber of Commerce, which is supposed to be a business federation.

    “Again, the Twitter handle (@USChamber) and the website of the organisation make no mention of the visit of such an ‘important personality’ to them. Maybe their famous American lobbyist on a salary of N9million per month can help them ‘do something’ about this after this press statement.

    “It is also an anomaly that the candidate of the major opposition party in Nigeria sneaked into America and did not meet large sections of political leaders of similar ideologies and persuasions towards which he claims to be inclined. For all his claim to be going to America to meet “U.S Government officials”, he only succeeded in meeting a certain “Congressman Smith”, who is the equivalent of a member of the House of Representatives in Nigeria.

    “You would agree with us that as dignified and respected as the office of a member of the House of Representatives is, an important personality cannot come to Nigeria on an official visit and claim he has met the ‘Nigerian government officials’ after he pays a private visit to that member. For all we know, the Congressman Smith may just be a private friend of Dr. Bukola Saraki or Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. That reminds us of Atiku’s famous legislator friend he threw under the bus, Williams Jefferson, who taught us how to hide laundered money ( which was meant for Atiku Abubakar) in the deep freezer when the cops came knocking on his door!” he said

    He said that it was very obvious now that the American trip was a desperate trip for photo-ops.

    He added: “Throughout the trip, Atiku Abubakar looked cagey, frightened and on edge. We note the close support always provided by Senate President Bukola Saraki like a comforting guardian angel.

    “The visit and arrangements smack of things local yahoo yahoo boys do to scam their victims. It is utterly disgusting and puerile that it has been brought into a serious political contest.

    “Rather than being the highpoint of his campaign, the American visit is indeed the lowest watermark of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign. It was a political and P.R disaster. The statements he released from there only to the Nigerian Press back home that he intends to alienate other countries and do business with the U.S is actually the antithesis to our policy of non-alignment.

    “For the information of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his handlers, Nigerians know that Nigeria is already working again for everyone and not for a few. As confirmed by him in a town-hall meeting a few days before his disastrous trip to the U.S, he said he wants to “get Nigeria working again” only for few of his friends who he claims he wants to make rich.

    “If he cannot get them rich now from his private businesses, it is obvious that he is referring to the use of public funds to make his friends rich. Nigerians should judge for themselves whether this is the type of President they want.

    “Finally, whoever advised Atiku Abubakar to undertake that trip to America just destroyed his entire campaign and exposed him for who he is – a questionable character who has continued to leave huge questions over his suitability for the highest office of the land and as such cannot be trusted by the Nigerian people.” he stated

  • Hold me responsible for commitments I made, Atiku tells entertainers

    Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has said that the creative industry is critical in creating jobs for the economy.

    Atiku stated this at a recent engagement with some members of the Creative industry in Lagos.

    The former Vice President, who has continuously reiterated his passion for youths and job creation said that the industry has the capacity to employ more youths.

    “This industry is a rapidly growing industry and it is virtually driven by young men and women which means it reflects the ingenuity of millions of young Nigerians. Our focus is on youths. Through the various presentations,  I have come to realise that the creative industry is a multi-billion industry which can contribute to our national economy and create millions of jobs. I am totally committed to supporting the industry to make it a big supplier of jobs,” he said.

    At the forum which was attended by musicians, filmmakers actors, producers and theatre practitioners, stakeholders presented their demands to the presidential candidate who was in the company of his running mate, Peter Obi and the Director-General of his Campaign, Bukola Saraki.

    Some of their agitations include the non-implementation of the Copyright Levy, infrastructure deficit and non-appointment of stakeholders into agencies concerned  with the industry.

    “We are very much interested in having some of our colleagues appointed into certain offices so that we can take part in the policy making of the country,” said Norbert Ajaegbu, a lawyer and copyright activist

    “We have highly intellectual persons among us in this industry. Most of the regulatory bodies in the film industry at the National level are headed by individuals who are not in the film industry, we want some of our intellects to be appointed.”

    Ajaegbu also called for an executive bill that will bind the industry together, making reference to the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria (MOPPICON) bill which is yet to see the light of the day.

    Also speaking, Founder of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Peace Anyiam-Osigwe called for an enabling environment for the creative industry.

    “We have been doing a lot for Nigeria. Nollywood is an example of the ‘I-Can-Do spirit of Nigeria. The Creative industry be it the music, film or fashion was started by us and for us. Not the government. We need policies, give us the enabling environment to continue what we have done for Nigeria. Give us the policies, give us tax deductions that will attract filmmakers to Nigeria. We have beautiful locations. Go to Bayelsa, we have the longest coastline. All the post offices around the world, convert them to viewing centres for the creative industry,” she demanded.

    Having listened to the various presentations, Atiku promised to do their bidding.

    “I have also listened to some of the requests, and I am also committed to appointing industry professionals. We have the various government parastatals that have regulatory power of your industry such as the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the National Film and Video Censor Board, it will be headed by somebody from the industry.”

    He continued: “If we want to promote this industry, we have to make sure that they have access to funding either from the government or private sector because this funding can be refunded.  This is an industry that has the capacity to make billions of dollars in the economy. I also agree that government should support tax incentives if they really want to grow and they need to grow so that they can supply as many jobs as possible. That incentive is necessary. We will also see to the  implementation of legislatures and working with the private sector to ensure that some of the international film schools can be effectively managed.

    “I am committed to providing enabling environment to promote this industry because if you read our economy plan you will find that creating jobs is our top priority and I have come to realise that this industry is one of the topmost to achieve that. Moreso, your jobs will capture the right segment of our population, the youths…You can hold me responsible for all the commitments I made.”

    He further tasked the filmmakers in the gathering to make a short film that will encourage Nigerians to vote in the upcoming elections.

  • Look beyond 2019, Bakare tells Buhari, Atiku, others

    The Presiding Pastor, Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has urged presidential candidates to look beyond the 2019 elections and place the interest of the nation above their political interests.

    Bakare, who is also the Convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), gave the advice in Lagos on Sunday while delivering the 2019 State of the Nation Address in his church.

    He urged all the candidates not to see the 2019 election as a do-or-die affair or consider winning it as the only means of impacting positively on nation-building and good governance.

    The SNG convener said Nigeria was losing with the winner-takes-all politics, adding that he believed all candidates could work together in a team after the polls for the common agenda of building a better Nigeria.

    “Our country needs a uniting force that can rally our diverse strengths around a common narrative, towards a common objective, to achieve a common vision – The Nigeria of Our Dreams.

    “After all is said and done, may Nigeria win, no matter who wins or loses in this year’s elections. After the elections, we have a nation to build together.

    “I am reminded of the words of Anwar al-Sadat, ‘There can be hope only for a society which acts as one big family, not as many separate ones’.

    “With our zero-sum game and winner-takes-all politics, we could be losing the ideas, the brilliance, and all the strengths required to build a nation.

    “But when, beyond the elections, the Buharis, the Atikus, the Moghalus, the Ezekwesilis, the Durotoyes, the Sowores and the likes come together to minimise our weaknesses and maximise our strengths, as one political family, with one agenda – nationhood, we can shape a new nation beyond 2019,“ he said.

    Bakare said restructuring was a precondition for the progress of the country, advising that candidates could form what he called, ‘Team Restructuring’ to address the country’s challenges after the elections.

    He said the array of brilliant candidates paraded by some of the political parties was a good development for the nation’s democracy.

    Bakare said with candidates like Mrs Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Prof. Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), voters had great choices to select from.

    The SNG convener added that President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubabakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had also made promises for a better Nigeria and that it was left for the electorate to make their choice.

    He, however, said he was disappointed by the way people in both APC and PDP had made the journey of Abubakar a big issue.

    Read also: Why Atiku cannot be trusted – Presidency

    Bakare said the issue of who could or could not travel to America had little or no relevance to governance and the nation’s development.

    The SNG convener urged politicians to face the real campaign issues and stop distracting Nigerians with things that could not better their lots.

    On the insurgency war, Bakare said the recent setbacks recorded by the country were more of declining patriotism among the troops more than other reasons.

    He said the declining patriotism was also demonstrated by other Nigerians on a daily basis, because of little hope in the country.

    Bakare urged leaders to deliver the country of everyone’s dream to change this mindset and attitude.

    “On the resurgence of terrorists activities, the president, the National Security Council, the Ministry of Defence, the Army Headquarters, and the National Assembly Committees on Defence must re-examine the defence architecture, especially the human resource factor, and address every anomaly in the interest of the vulnerable, rather than the powerful.

    “Failure to do this could undo the gains of the war on terror. The soldiers, on their part, must approach the call of duty with civility and courage; with civility because the reports and allegations of human rights violations by the military are repugnant and unbecoming of the distinguished profession.

    “Their code of conduct must be influenced by the words of Proverbs 14:31 (MSG): ‘You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you’re kind to the poor, you honor God’.

    “ In addition, we enjoin them to continue to act with courage, because, in the words of General George S. Patton: ‘Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men’.

    “To our soldiers in the theatre of war, you carry the weight of the hopes of a generation on your shoulders. May God replenish your resolve and reward your courageous resilience.

    “For those who have died in combat, we owe these heroic patriots the eternal duty of ensuring that they did not die in vain.

    “Not only does the government owe their families adequate welfare packages and the assurance of a decent future, we, the people of Nigeria, for whose sake they laid down their lives, must become soldiers in our own right; we must become soldiers for good governance.

    “At crucial moments such as the coming elections, responsible choices must become our weapons in the theatre of citizen engagement, and credible leadership must become our banner of victory.

    “We owe the memories of these soldiers a well-governed nation, a nation that is worth their sacrifice, because good governance is the soil upon which patriotism is nurtured, and a nation that is worth dying for must be worth living in,” he said.

    Bakare said the church would continue to be involved in engagements to reshape the country and awaken its consciousness for a better tomorrow. (NAN)

  • Action Alliance denies endorsing Atiku, adopts Buhari

    The national chairman of Action Alliance (AA),  Dr. Tunde Anifowose-Kelani, has dismissed claims that his party has adopted the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic  Party (PDP) for the forthcoming presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,  as its preferred presidential candidate. Anifowose-Kelani, who made his party’s position known in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan at the weekend, said at no time did AA consider adopting Atiku as its presidential  candidate.

    The party chairman who  was apparently reacting to a statement  credited to  a group within the party that Atiku had been adopted, said that his party  will work for Buharis’s emergence. “Let me use this opportunity to tell our party members and Nigerians in general that Action Alliance is in full support of President Mohammadu Buhari and we have resolved to work for him. Our resolve to support Buhari is borne out of our conviction that he has what it takes to move Nigeria to the next level.

    “He is a patriot and a committed leader who has passion for the growth and development of Nigeria. Through his various programmes and policies in the last four years, particularly his anti-corruption fight, huge sums  of money had been recovered; there is ?improvement in power supply across the county; the school feeding programme and infrastructural revolution among several others, has put him high and above other presidential candidates, ” he said.

    Anifowoshe-Kelani? therefore called on Nigerians to disregard claims that the party was in support of Atiku, urging them to troop out en masse and vote for President Buhari in the February 16th presidential election. “A vote for Buhari is a vote for continuity, progress, development, economic emancipation, poverty alleviation and better life for Nigerians,” the party chairman said.

  • Buhari, Atiku absent at Presidential Debate

    President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that  his  “busy and hectic official” engagements were responsible for his inability to show up at the presidential debate in Abuja.

    Buhari, in a statement by the spokesman for his campaign organisation, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), said he had taken full advantage of  several other opportunities to ” interact with the Nigerian people directly by different organisations.”

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was also invited to the debate pulled out at the last minute, leaving  only Kingsley Moghalu of Young Progressive Party, YPP, Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN and, Fela Durotoye, Alliance for New Nigeria.

    Atiku cited the president’s absence for his own decision to back out.

    Keyamo, in the statement said: “Firstly, out of several opportunities afforded our candidate to interact with the Nigerian people directly by different organisations, our presidential candidate has taken full advantage of another town-hall meeting organised by another group which held on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. He was also joined at that town-hall meeting by our Vice-Presidential candidate who is also the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Nigerians from all walks of life who were physically present and through on-line platforms asked uncensored questions which were adequately answered. It was also transmitted live by various broadcast networks in Nigeria.

    “In addition, the busy and hectic official and campaign schedules of Mr. President clashed with this programme. Today, Mr. President commissioned the Baro Inland Water Port in Niger State and campaigned in Niger and Plateau States where his time was over-stretched by the tumultuous and mammoth crowds in both States, (as seen by Nigerians on live television) and only returned to Abuja late this evening.

    “Whilst we thank the organisers for the invitation, we want to assure Nigerians that we shall continue to hold these debate groups and Nigerians in high esteem which our candidate has demonstrated during past election debates when he honoured similar invitations. Nigerians will also recall that a few weeks ago, our Vice-Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, also attended the debate organized by the same organisations.

    “Lastly, we note the statement of the candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who actually came for the event and left the venue when he did not see Mr. President, who is our candidate. According to him, he would not want to “attack” Mr. President in his absence.

    “It should now be obvious to Nigerians that for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, this election is all about attacking the person and programmes of Mr. President and not about proffering their own solutions to the problems they created during their sixteen years of misrule, maladministration and looting of the nation’s resources. When they cannot see President Buhari to attack, the content of their campaign becomes hollow, empty and “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”. Now that Atiku Abubakar had a unique opportunity to explain to Nigerians his own vision and mission without a President Buhari in the picture, he ran away. Afterall, he has his own eight years of crass and grand corruption as Vice President to defend before the Nigerian people.

    “On February 16, 2019 we urge Nigerians to demonstrate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, through their votes, how empty indeed their campaign has always been and to vote massively for President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN who have started the rebuilding process of our great nation.”

    Atiku, on his part, said: “We came here for a presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar cannot challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies.

    “After all, you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. I do not believe in attacking a man who is NOT here to defend himself.

    “As a leader and former vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow candidates and the moderator for the APC presidential candidate’s absence in this debate. His non-appearance is a slight on ALL of us and our democracy.

    “Secondly, with all due respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu and to the moderator, Mark Sugar and with apologies to all Nigerians here and at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret that I will not be able to go on with this debate due to President Buhari’s absence.

    “I however challenge President Buhari to choose a date and time for a debate where he will be present and I will be there, hopefully with the other candidates as well.”

    Speaking with newsmen outside the venue of the debate, Atiku said, “I am walking out because I expected to come and defend with Mr. President.

    “The President has been in office for the past three and half years. He is not here to defend that record. So who am I going to debate with. If he is on his way, when he comes, I will come back.

    “In any case, I will have an opportunity to address Nigerians because there are other interviews in the plan. I came back from the US to participate in this debate but the President is not here”.

    The Senate President and Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr Bukola Saraki, who accompanied Atiku to the venue of the debate also said:

    “We have always made it clear to the organizers that our candidate is ready to debate with the President. When we were told in Washington DC that the debate will take place, we thought the President will be here. Our candidate is ready to debate with the President anytime he is ready”

    During the debate, Dr. Ezekwesili said she was not surprised that Buhari and Atiku were not present.

    She said: “I think it is time for us to acknowledge that there is a political class that needs to give way from our politics. If the two dominant parties care about the people, they would have come to give their ideas on how they will fix Nigeria.

    “We showed up for this debate not because we are new entrants into politics but because we believe that it is time for a new kind of governance.”

    Durotoye said: “this has been consistent for over the last 20 years. We have had 20 years of ruler ship and rulers do not explain to their subjects what it is that they are going to do.

    “It is time to be free, we have had 58 years of independence but not 58 years of freedom and it is time to be free from this bad coin that has two sides that were supposed to be represented here.”

    Moghalu said: “There are two reasons why they are not here.One is that they believe that the people of Nigeria have no choice; that you will always come back to them. They believe that you cannot move away from them that they have boxed you. We have been in bondage for far too long and it is time to send them a message.

    “The second reason why they are not here is because they cannot stand here to answer questions. They belong to the old class of recycled politicians who want to come to power with a sense entitlement but not a record of performance. They want to come to power with a sense of money and power but not a record of service to Nigerians.”

     

  •  Atiku insists on debate with Buhari

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is still eager to debate with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Atiku was at the venue of the presidential debate only to discover that President Buhari did not show up.

    A statement Saturday night by spokesman for the PDP Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Atiku had cut short his trip to the United States and arrived in the country for the purpose of joining the scheduled debate.

    The statement said: “Atiku Abubakar insists on debating directly with President Buhari and is still ready to meet him anywhere and any time for the debate.

    READ ALSO: Breaking: Buhari stays away from presidential debate as Atiku backs out

    Quoting Atiku, the statement further said: “I cut short my trip to the United States and returned to Nigeria because I know that majority of Nigerians want to listen to me at the debate.

    “However, I have come to the venue of the debate, I have waited until the beginning of the debate and I cannot find the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari, for whom I have returned from my trip to debate.

    “I insist that I will debate President Buhari any day, any time and anywhere, including the Aso Rock Villa”.

    The PDP Presidential Campaign Organization lamented an elected President and a Commander-in-Chief could shy away from a debate at a time Nigerians expect him to give account of his stewardship in office.

  • Breaking: Buhari stays away from presidential debate as Atiku backs out

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has backed out of the ongoing presidential debate.

    Atiku, who was one of the five presidential candidates billed to participate in the debate, arrived the Transcorp Hilton Hotel venue of the event to learn that President Muhammadu Buhari, who was also scheduled to take part in the exercise failed to show up.

    Explaining why he decided to back out of the exercise, Atiku said:  “We came here for a presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar cannot challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies.

    READ ALSO: Let’s debate your achievements in 16 years, Amaechi challenges PDP

    “After all, you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. I do not believe in attacking a man who is NOT here to defend himself.

    “As a leader and former vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow candidates and the moderator for the APC presidential candidate’s absence in this exercise. His non-appearance is a slight on ALL of us and our democracy.

    “Secondly, with all due respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu and to the moderator, Mark Sugar and with apologies to all Nigerians here and at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret that I will not be able to go on with this exercise due to President Buhari’s absence.

    “I however challenge President Buhari to choose a date and time for a debate where he will be present and I will be there, hopefully with the other candidates as well.

    “Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

     

     

     

     

  • 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.”

  • How Atiku secured American visa, by BMO

    The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) on Friday told of how specially recruited and heavily paid American lobbyists facilitated the US trip of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    But it said the trip would not remove the fact that Atiku was indicted by a congressional report that named him in a money laundering case.

    “The former Vice President’s eventual entry into the country after a 12-year travel ban cannot negate the US Congressional report that named him in one of four notorious cases of money laundering in the world,” the BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke.

    It added: “The2010 report titled ‘Keeping foreign corruption out of the US’ clearly linked the convicted American Congressman Williams Jefferson to Atiku Abubakar who was described as ‘a high-ranking official in Nigeria’s executive branch who had a spouse in Potomac, Maryland’ in a bribery scheme meant to influence business contracts with African countries

    “It also noted that Atiku’s fourth wife Jennifer Douglas Abubakar helped her husband bring over $40m in suspect funds into the US including at least $1.7m in bribe payments from Siemens AG, a German corporation, and over $38m from little known offshore corporations.

    Read Also: Why Atiku travelled to USA – Obi

    “Jefferson and Siemens who were technically the former Vice President’s co-conspirators in the deal were convicted and Jefferson went to jail while his sealed indictment had been intact since 2010.

    “It is a fact that the US President Donald Trump with his ‘America First’ mantra has not been too comfortable with Africa’s booming relations with China with Nigeria as arrowhead and may be willing to do business with anyone that will boost his country’s interest even to the detriment of their own country.

    “The world has seen how Trump had been reluctant to take a hard-line stance against Saudi Arabia over ‘Kashoggi murder’ because of his close business link with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman”, it said

    The group said it was not surprised by the visit as it had revealed in November last year that the PDP and its Presidential candidate had secured the services of Brian Ballard, a US lobbyist with close links to President Donald Trump, to facilitate the entry visa for millions of dollars.

    “We said back then that even if Trump’s friend convinced the US authorities to clear the path for Atiku to finally enter the US, it won’t clear the former Vice President of the corruption scandals that have over the years stuck to him.”