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Tag: atiku

  • We can’t return to Egypt again, Tinubu tells PDP

    …. says Saraki sold APC mandate for pot of pottage

     

    Former Lagos state governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that Nigerians must not allow the nation to return to part of destruction and retrogression which the People Democratic Party (PDP) led government subjected it to for 16 years but aim to move forward in building a nation that every citizen will be proud of.

    Tinubu who spoke at a National, consultative forum organised by the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups in Abuja accused the Atiku Campaign Organisation and the People Democratic Party of trying to blackmail the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police with the accusation of plots to rig the 2019 elections because “they knew that they will not win”.

    Read Also:2019 poll: Why Buhari must continue, by Tinubu

    He also accused Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki of using the mandate of the APC to negotiate and give lifeline to the opposition, saying “he left the PDP, joined us, got elected, got our mandate, our majority and sold it for a pot of pottage. God is honest, Saraki is not”.

    The former Lagos state governor also recalled how the rigging machineries of the PDP almost denied him his re-election in 2003 when INEC published what he described as fake results of the governorship election in Lagos state on its website, saying it took the then Resident Electoral Commissioner’s courage to insist that what was published was not the real results for his election to be validated.

    He said: “Come February, we will re-elect Buhari. It is not easy to put together a National Committee, but we are in the same family. As free minded people, you are all free to be doing other things this morning, but you are here because you have the vision and the determination that Nigeria must continue the foundation and the progress of the future.

    “Working together to re-elect Buhari is a task that must be achieved. Why are they complaining? Buhari is too busy to exchange words with them because he is building foundation of a prosperous Nigeria that will magnify the economy and provide employment for everyone regardless of the status in the society.

    “A fervent man like him will not have time for the nonsense being thrown at him. I give you one message for them and there will be many such messages. Their candidate who is supposed to beat Buhari has been in our party and many other parties. He has more party members to build a house.

    “All you have to do is to go out there and tell him that a house built on cards will be collapsed with a single stroke of broom. He said they are reformed, but reformed what? Reformed PDP. No. Tell them as you go out that we accept the admission of guilty that they were vagabond before and now being reformed.

    “But they have not served enough probation. You can only be reformed if you are an ex-convict, a drug addict or a political prostitute. It is because Buhari has not temperament and no tolerance for corruption, he is vigorously ridding the nation of blemish and looting, a bad reputation.

    “I can see them celebrating the visa. What a shame? Yet you want to lead this country with the most vibrant economy in Africa? Why should we allow them?

    They ran this country from 1999 till 2015. They were planning for 60 years of doing nothing, lack of direction and concern for the citizens.

    “Are we still in this nation where visionary leadership is required? If yes, then they are not competent and not qualified to be leading Nigeria again and say they want to come back to government. If they left our schools in such dilapidated condition, left out hospitals without Medicare, they don’t deserve to come back.

    “They say we should not talk about their past anymore because they are ashamed of it, but we cannot go without talking about it because a nation has no history if there are no reference. If you give me an application for Employment which is the application of Atiku Abubakar, I must look at what you have done before, you experience.

    “We have to look at Halliburton and why they left Nigeria. Go and ask those questions. They spent 16 billion dollars of NEPA money and what they give us is darkness and when they knew that we were kicking them out, they shared the company through irregularities called privatization which I called personalization of the wealth of Nigeria.

    “We won’t allow that to happen again and I will recommend that we Campaign on that. We should find a way to technically dissolve those companies they shared among themselves. There is no way you can industrialize a nation without providing electricity.

    “So many industries in Kaduna, Ikeja and other parts of the country. What were they doing for 16 years? That is why we believe that President Buhari is the best person to lead us and got him elected in 2015.

    “They said he will die, but he did not die and is back hale and healthy and when they saw seriousness on his part, they now said he was cloned. That is because they know so much about forgery. I am glad he told them he is real. They exist to lie.

    “Take their new found Jehovah Witness, former President Obasanjo. After they disgraced the office of the President, fighting in public and abusing each other, telling us how they stole money and dancing naked in the market square, Obasanjo said he has spoken to God never to allow Atiku to become President.

    “Which God is he now talking to, to say Atiku should be President? I believe he is not telling the truth and not to the God we know. He is just talking to himself.

    We have sacrificed too much under the PDP and we cannot go back.

    “People must ask you why you belong to this support group. Tell them that you are members of a very committed rescue mission that started in 2015. I remember how things were. So, remind them of what happened because they can’t shut us up.

    “They had the best opportunity for prosperity, but they are now complaining. They were there for 16 years and never added one barrel capacity to the refineries in Nigeria. They didn’t even pay counterpart funding for our rail, electricity and we cannot industrialist a nation without the power source.

    “I stand before you as a very proud individual. When I introduced Independent power generation to fire the industries at Ikeja industrial estate, they killed it because there was bribe under the table.

    “Imagine what Buhari is doing today in rail and in feeding our children which creates opportunity for the farmers, it creates small scale business for those cooking the food and a lot of people involved are doing better and we are battling poverty with the best weapon which is education.

    “They are busy changing parties and that is why they are confused. Atiku is now PDP Aladdin. He is going to create 14 million jobs and I say how? They will turn Atlantic into fuel to crash the prices without the refineries working and the population is expanding and people must move around. He just talks of crashing the prices of fuel. They are lying again because a leopard cannot change its skin.

    “They had 16 billion of unprecedented resources and yet, they didn’t bring power to Nigeria. They invested that money in their personal industries. They bought turbines from General Electric and did it add one pipe line to bring gas to the plant.

    “They can say anything now about Buhari. I agree with Okonjo Iweala that it is difficult to fight corruption. The agents of destruction are there fighting us, but we will win with strong determination.

    “Don’t let them sweep things under the carpet that when we came in as a government, before then they had too much resources in their hands, but Buhari funded states to pay salaries. In that period, 27 states were unable to pay salaries as at May 2015. The states and local economy would have collapsed long time ago.

    “If PDP members truly love this country, those should humbly step aside and allow Buhari continue with the work of addressing the ills in our nation. However, since they seem to obstruct and remain focus as applicants, we say no job for them.

    “No matter what they say, don’t listen to them, don’t kind them. What they want is to continue to distract with the talk of rigging because they know that they are losing. They want to blackmail INEC and the police. I remember my own election for my second term.

    “On the website of INEC, they announced a funny result, but a woman of great character who was the State Resident Electoral Commissioner said no, the result she got from the field are the valid results and not the fake ones published and upheld our election. They know they cannot win.

    “That is why all the noise from either Saraki, a man who used our mandate to negotiate and give lifeline to the opposition. Leadership is about character. How can he now ask us to vote for PDP. he left the PDP, joined us, got elected, got our mandate, our majority and sold it for a lot of portage. God is honest, Saraki is not.

    “They talk about farmers and herders clashes. If they are honest, they should know that it also happened during their time, but they have no way of thinking; they have no capacity to convert tragedy into economic prosperity. We have the capacity in this country to do irrigation and utilize our water resources, to create pastures and ranches so that we can convert those miseries, that tragedy to opportunity for our people. Livestock is economy.

    “It is not about intellectual talent alone. There are so many unrewarded talents across the world. It is about character, determination, the love of a country and our commitment to nation building. That is what PDP is opposed to and APC is determined to continue as a progressive entity and the man to lead the nation on that part is President Buhari. Tell Nigerians that after Moses crossed the Red Sea, he is not going to return to Egypt.”

     

  • PDP chieftains seek Northwest votes for Atiku

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign kicked off yesterday in Sokoto, with the opposition party promising to rescue Nigeria from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Chieftains of the opposition party, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus were at the rally.

    Addressing the crowd of supporters from the Northwest, they took turns to list what they described as the many failures of the APC and concluded that their party was on a rescue mission.

    Secondus said that President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC had failed the people “woefully” and that the APC-led administration cannot rig the election with security operatives.

    According to him, the PDP has chosen a credible and experienced candidate in former Vice President Atiku Abuabakar and his running mate, Peter Obi, to lead the rescue mission.

    Read also: Atiku’s Sokoto rally hitch-free – Police

    Secondus, who doubles as the chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, said the performance records of the duo of Atiku and Obi reassured that Nigerians will be in good hands after next year’s election.

    “Atiku has what it takes to turn the economy around, create jobs for our teeming youths and unite the country,” Secondus said, claiming that Nigerians had turned their back on the APC-led administration.

    The PDP chair cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies not to undermine the country by attempting to rig the elections.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan said Atiku and Obi would show Nigeria the way forward and urged the people of the Northwest to join the PDP in showing the way forward.

    Jonathan said: “From 1999 till date, we have seen four presidents – from Obasanjo to Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua, to myself and the current President (Buhari). You have seen how the various presidents and the various parties have worked, and one thing is very clear, PDP is still the number one party.

    “There is something that all of us see as human beings. Everybody, everyday must eat; and if you cannot eat well, then you are not happy. PDP is the only party that can make sure that all of us eat very well in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.

    “Let us not make mistakes, those of us who are adults, old enough to vote, if we vote wrongly, our children and grandchildren will not forgive us.

    “Today, our country has a lot of challenges and we have looked at all the presidential candidates; all of them are good people. We have known them, credible people, but among all, we have seen that it’s only Atiku that can deliver.

    “If you have a football match, you go with your first eleven, you don’t manage. If you have a wrestling or boxing tournament, you go with your best. You don’t manage.

    “Atiku is experienced enough. He has demonstrated clearly in his personal life and his business life, that he has the capacity to bring this country to one, and make sure that our economy grows so that all of us will have something to eat.”

    Saraki, who is the Director-General of the Campaign, urged the people of the Northwest to lead the way in what he described as the mission to rescue Nigeria.

    Declaring the Northwest a PDP zone, Saraki bemoaned the deteriorating socio economic situation in the country, saying: “There is no security, there is no food, there is hunger.

    “Atiku is the man that can fight insecurity, hunger and unite Nigerians. It is about food and security. We will vote Atiku. He understands it; he knows how to create jobs. He knows how to unite Nigerians. We have tried Buhari and he has failed.”

    Dogara said Nigerians should be grateful for democracy that provides them the opportunity to make changes whenever things go wrong.

    He said he and some other Nigerians fought for change in 2015, but had since realised that the change was not forthcoming, hence his decision and others to dump the APC for PDP.

    Dogara said: “Democracy always offers us the opportunity to correct ourselves. We had speeches dealing with our convictions in 2015 when some of us left PDP to say we wanted to associate with change.

    “So, we have a wonderful opportunity today to revisit those issues of 2015. We will be deceiving you to say that this election is between Atiku Abubakar and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The election is not between them. The election is about you, women, young people and every Nigerian citizen who is suffering untold hardship today on account of lack of good leadership.

    “So, we want to review a lot of things. For instance, is your life better now than in 2015? Is security better now than it was in 2015? Are we more united as Nigerians than we were in 2015?

    “These are the things that are on the ballot paper. It is not a contest between Atiku and Buhari; rather it is between APC and all Nigerians.”

  • Atiku seeks emergency on military funding

    PEOPLE’S Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abukakar has called for national mourning over the reported killing by bandits of about 50 policemen in Zamfara State at the weekend.

    A statement yesterday by Atiku’s media office conveyed his regrets and expressed pain to see those who have dedicated their lives to securing the country being senselessly cut down in their prime.

    This came as a pro-democracy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), asked the National Assembly to pass a legislative framework, which will make funding of the defence sector as a first line charge to ensure efficient and effective roles by the military to stabilise national security.

    HURIWA has also canvassed the creation of what it calls ‘War budgets’ and the time line for what national security objectives that must be achieved by a particular set of service chiefs and a specified tenure so other competent professional and combat tested and trusted military Generals are appointed to replace the serving military chiefs so the counter terror war does not become a commercially viable sector to be used by them for personal aggrandisement.

    Coming so soon after the heavy losses sustained by the Army at the hands of Boko Haram in Metele, Borno State, this new casualty figure is a red flag that calls for immediate and decisive action on the part of the leadership of Nigeria.

    “As such, Atiku Abukakar calls for a state of emergency to be declared not in Borno or Zamfara, but in financing the military and security services,” the statement said.

    The PDP presidential candidate called for an immediate allocation of $1 billion for arming and training the military, police and other security agencies as well as providing improved service conditions for the officers and men at the frontlines of the war on terror and criminality.

    He called for a comprehensive insurance programme for all officers and men of the military and security services such that if they are injured and killed in service, their families would receive sums equal to 10 years’ salary and allowances.

    According to him, the emergency on security funding should allow families of soldiers and policemen killed in service to be allowed to remain in their official quarters for as long as it’s reasonably possible for them to get alternative accommodation and that a special agency be set up to help them in that process.

    The former Vice President also called for a comprehensive probe into the disbursements of the $1 billion special security budget that was allegedly withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account by the current administration in January of 2018 for the procurement of military hardware.

    He noted that the nation is not getting value for money as there has not been a commensurate improvement in the weaponry and conditions of service of troops since that withdrawal was made.

  • 2019 poll: Atiku meets Wike ahead of campaign kick off

    Ahead of the opening of his campaign today, Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) presidential candidate  Atiku Abubakar yesterday met with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who resigned as the Southsouth co-ordinator of the campaign.

    Atiku was begging Wike, assuring the governor that he will henceforth be involved in key campaign decisions.

    The governor said he had no grouses against Atiku, but the leadership of the PDP which was trying to sideline him.

    Wike may today rescind his decision to resign as the Southsouth Coordinator of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.

    Wike has ruled out leaving PDP, said a cabinet source.

    Atiku may also reconcile  the leadership of the party and Wike on issues raised by the governor.

    But Atiku’s Special Assistant, Public Communications, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said: “The PCC is intact; there is no cause for alarm.”

    He insisted that the purported resignation of Wike was “speculative”.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, confirmed the meeting. He said: “Atiku and Wike met on Sunday (yesterday) in Abuja and they had fruitful and frank discussions. We are good to go with our campaign as from Monday (today).

    “The governor used the opportunity to list his grouses against the leadership of PDP, especially the emerging trend of marginalising him in key decisions connected with the campaign.

    “At the session, Atiku promised to address the challenges identified by Wike and he also assured him that he will facilitate a reconciliation with the party hierarchy.

    “Atiku implored him to withdraw his purported resignation by putting the nation, 2019 poll battle and the interest of the party above other interests.

    “Based in the soothing words from Atiku, the governor may today rescind his decision to resign as the party’s Southsouth coordinator.”

    An executive council source in Rivers State, who spoke in confidence, said: “I have not been able to link up with the governor today but one thing is certain, Governor Nyesom Wike will not leave PDP no matter how rough the situation is.”

    “The so-called deepening face-off between Atiku and Wike should be regarded as  a mere cliche,  figment of the imagination of the writers of such fiction, because there is nothing as such.

    “ Governor Wike’s purported resignation as Southsouth PDP Presidential campaign co-ordinator is still in the realm of speculation.

    “Wike is a solid and unshakable PDP leader. His contributions to the survival and sustenance of the party to become the formidable force it is today have been unsurpassed.

    “As a total party man,  his first priority in the 2019 election is to secure Rivers state for the PDP and he knows that with the Presidential election coming first, all hands must be on deck and no stone must be left unturned to ensure that the bandwagon effect of a PDP presidential election victory will flow into his own governorship election in March.

    “However, should the speculation of his resignation as a regional campaign coordinator have any real meaning, then Governor Wike must have very good and impeccable reasons for his decision which must be in the overall interest of the party.”

  • Knocks, kudos for Buhari, Atiku manifestos

    As Nigerians warm up for next year’s presidential election, the manifestos of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress(APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, are in the public domain. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN spoke to some Nigerians who bared their minds on the contents of the two campaign documents.

    The 2019 presidential election will be a straight fight between President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The manifestos of the two gladiators have become subject of public discourse.

    The President unveiled a campaign document titled: ‘Next Level’. Also the PDP presidential candidate released a document dubbed: ‘Let’s get Nigeria working again’. The two documents have elicited different reactions.

    The Next Level document gave insights in Buhari’s new economic drive with employment as a major thrust. The highlights include: the Engagement of one million N-Power graduates; Skill up  10 million Nigerians under a voucher system in partnership with the private sector; Anchor Borrowers Scheme to support input and jobs to one million farmers; Livestock transformation plan to create 1.5 million jobs and Agriculture Mechanisation Policy  to create five million jobs.

    They also include the provision of $500 million innovation fund to tech and creative sector to create 500,000 jobs; to train 200,000 youths for outsourcing market in technology, services and entertainment. The document stated that “soft loans of up to one million naira to small traders, artisans (carpenters, tailors, mechanics, hairdressers, barbers, plumbers, vulcanisers etc) and commercial drivers (taxis, keke and motorcycles.” Next Level will also take current number of 2.3 million traders, farmers, artisans under Trader Moni, Market Moni and Farmer Moni  schemes to 10 million Nigerians under the People Moni Scheme.

    The President also promised to increase power generation to 11,000 megawatts. The document pledged a minimum of 1,000 MW new generation increment per year; power distribution to get to get to 7,000 MW under distribution expansion programme.

    On security, President Buhari indicated plans to decentralise funding of police operations and foster true community policing by implementing direct transfer of funding to police divisions.  He also promised to execute the second phase of the farmer-herder and national livestock to end the decades-long conflict between farmers and herders.

    Atiku, in his campaign document promised to build a broad based, dynamic and competitive economy with a GDP of US900 Billion by 2025. “By 2025, we shall increase the flow of direct foreign investment to a minimum of 2.5 per cent of our GDP working towards achieving the lowest corporate income tax rate in Africa.

    Atiku also plans to accelerate investment to double our infrastructure stock to approximately 50 per cent of GDP by 2025 and 70 per cent by 2030; achieve a sustained increase in manufacturing output from nine per cent to 30 per cent of GDP by 2025; reduce the sector’s dependence on imported raw materials; achieve a diversified production structure with more processing of domestic raw materials.

    On electricity, Atiku said power sector reform will be a critical policy priority. By 2025, Nigeria shall make giant strides in diversifying its sources of power and delivering up to 20,000 MW. He has plan “to privatise all government refineries to competent off-takers with mandates to produce agreed levels of refined output; issue new licenses for Greenfield investment in crude oil refining and allied activities”.

    Atiku promised to develop 5,000 km of roads by 2025 through PPPs and community interventions; construct up to 5,000 km of modern railways through privatisation and public investments.

    The former vice president promised to restructure the country within six months in office if elected.

    Explaining why the APC chose ‘Next Level’ slogan for its 2019 campaign, Buhari said “we have worked hard to fulfil our promises and why the road may have been difficult, over the last three and a half years, we have laid the foundations for a strong, stable and prosperous country for the majority of our people”.

    He said: “Foundational work is not often visible, neither is it glamorous –but it is vital to achieving the kind of country we desire. Judging by the prior depth of decay, deterioration and disrepair that Nigeria had sunk into, we are certain that the past few years have put us in good steadto trudge on the Next Level of building an even stronger nation for our people.”

    But, the presidential candidate of Peoples Trust Party (PTP), Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, dismissed the Buhari and Atiku documents. He said the documents are not grassroots-based.

    According to him, the Buhari administration has failed to provide the expected leadership to drive growth, security of lives and property as well as economic prosperity and business growth for the people.

    Hashim claimed that over 80 million Nigerians live under acute poverty. “There are people who have been living on government pay since they are barely 23 years old. They drive cars they did not buy with their money. They take free money. They do not know how to create money. They do not know what the grassroots are feeling, that is why when they were unveiling their policy document, they sat down in the Presidential Villa, they did not go to the grassroots.

    “We know the policy of the APC. The policy of APC is poverty forever. So you cannot believe any policy document from them because after four years, what have they got to show?

    As for for the PDP, he said “we already know what their policy document is. It is corruption, corruption, corruption; selling of government property at cheap prices to themselves. That is their policy document.

    But, the PDP has argued that the policy document articulated by its candidate embodies the collective mindset, yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians in their quest for new leadership and better life.

    The party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan said “the Atiku Abubakar  policy document is a product of very wide, painstaking and productive consultations with Nigerians from all walks of life, critical stakeholders and development partners in key sectors, in the overall determination to chart a new course for our nation.

    “The policy document foretells a new dawn as it articulates practical solutions and answers to themyriad of economic, social and political challenges facing our nation and sets out all-inclusive templates for national rejuvenation , cohesion, protection of human rights and democratic tenets , wealth creation, transparency and elimination of corruption in governance.”

    Ologbodiyan said: “In line with the PDP’s people-based manifesto, the Atiku Abubakar policy document places utmost priority on the people by focusing chiefly on their yearnings for job creation, infrastructural development, poverty eradication, human capital development, inclusiveness and national unity”.

    Public Affairs analyst, Dr Ken Mbadiwe said from the remarks of the president at the unveiling of his campaign document-Next Level, Nigerians are in the best position to appraise the administration.

    He said: “Though I have not read the documents but from the statements made by the president during its launching, I get the impression that the regime used the first tenure to record some successes in addressing the challenges bedevilling the nation for some level of socio-economic development which the president considered as laying of foundation needed for sustainable socio-economic performances.

    “Since Nigerians have witnessed the performance of the regime in so far as laying of the foundation is concerned amid limited resources, Nigerians are in the best position to make fair and realistic assessment of the progress against plans, and as to whether the regime has laid foundation strong enough for its next level for which it canvasses electoral mandate needed to continue after first tenure.

    “Though the regime has some shortcomings, I believe it has tried in delivering on its campaign promises and should be allowed to address the next level of challenges.”

    According to Mbadiwe, the Buhari administration has restored transparency in governance. It has implemented a responsible and transparent fiscal plan for the challenging economic times that saw the country doing more with lesser oil revenues.

    He said the grand scale corruption perpetrated by the highest office in the land has been nipped in the bud by the Buhari administration through the introduction of Treasury Single Account which has made it more difficult for ministries and departments and agencies to indulge in corrupt practices.

    The National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, faulted Atiku’s promise to create 10 million jobs when he could not do anything as Vice to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Oshiomhole said: “If you are going to create 10 million jobs , how come that when you were in government and you produced a SEED document where you promised to create seven million jobs, by the time when that government was out , we had lost Michelin, Dunlop closed down, textile industries closed down, we witnessed unprecedented industrial obituary and factories were closing one after the other.”

    The APC leader urged the electorate to take Atiku to task over his plan to sell off government refiniries. He said a presidential candidate seeking power to serve the interest of the populace would never contemplate selling refineries, which are major source of revenue for the country. This is another plan by the PDP to sell oil refineries to their members at cheap prices as they did with public enterprises in their 16 years misrule. Nigerians should reject PDP at the polls. The party doesn’t mean well for the people.

    A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), described the campaign manual of President Buhari as a “complete disaster”.

    Agbakoba said the president’s campaign document has no “conceptual overhang”. He noted that the Atiku’s document addresses national needs.

    He said: “Buhari’s document is a handout; it is not a political document. It has no conceptual overhang. The one for Atiku is 80 per cent. It’s got the right stuff in it. It needs more work but it’s a working document. It’s something I can live with. I see nice things there. It’s a conceptual framework that creates microeconomic stability. It’s got all the nice indicesin it. On evaluation, it is clear that the economic blue print unveiled by Atiku addresses national needs than Buhari’s economic plans.”

  • 2019: Olawepo-Hashim in neck and neck against Buhari, Atiku, says social media data

    OF the 73 presidential candidates for 2019 race, three are neck and neck in social media engagements by Nigerians, new social media data have indicated.

    According to the data, distilled from Facebook in particular, in the last 72 hours, the trio of Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Atiku of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of the People’s Trust (PT) are in the frontline in that order.

    The data revealed a new development in the race as Olawepo-Hashim has surpassed other third force contenders to emerge the closest challenger to Buhari and Atiku.

    The news came as Action Democratic Party (ADP) presidential candidate Mathias Baba Tsado yesterday suspended his ambition to support Olawepo-Hashim.

    Tsado said he decided to sacrifice his personal ambition due to his strong conviction for the PT candidate.

    Speaking during a briefing in Abuja, he described the gesture as a milestone and a new agenda for the country.

    Olawepo-Hashim, in his remarks, said he had been in discussion with 20 political parties, who have already pledged to work together to beat the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that the parties will be made public soon.

    The other 70 candidates were far behind the three leading candidates, especially on Facebook engagements where the bulk of Nigerians voters are known to be actively involved.

    Facebook was used for the rating as it represents a diversity of active voters across the occupational and professional lines.

    Facebook’s geographical spread and acceptability also make it a good tool.

    While Buhari and Atiku are leading, their engagement figures have been going down in the last few hours.

    Olawepo-Hashim’s figure is, however, on the rise while other third force candidates are far below the top contenders in the rating.

    Specifically, the likes of Oby Ezekwezili, Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye and others recorded very low engagements from Nigerian Facebook users, which measure how voters interact with candidates on their personal campaign pages.

    Segun Asaolu of Public Opinion poll, affiliated with NOI polls, said the use of data from Facebook added a level of credibility to the rating ,adding “on Facebook, you have the real voters-artisans as well as professionals.

  • Anxiety as ex-militant leaders regroup for Atiku

    Former leaders of the disbanded Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) are mobilising for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

    It was gathered this is brewing tension among power brokers in the party, especially from the North.

    The mobilisation is said to be coordinated by an influential former top public officer from Niger Delta, who led a multi-billion agency.

    He recently dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for PDP, and could likely be chosen as the Niger Delta liaison officer of PDP Presidential Campaign Council.

    It was not clear whether leader of the disbanded MEND, Government Ekpomupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, was part of the deal.

    But sources said top commanders of the defunct MEND, popularly referred to as the “Big Five” – Ateke Tom (a traditional ruler in Rivers State), Farrah Dagogo, Victor Ben (Boyloaf), Joshua Macaiver and Bigbopere Ajube (Shoot at Sight) – were deeply involved.

    A source close to PDP Presidential Campaign Council said meetings had been held in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Abuja to seal the deal for Atiku’s election.

    He said: “We are on top of the situation in Niger Delta because ex-agitators from the region, especially those we call the big five, are solidly behind our presidential candidate.

    “Although they had their initial reservations about Atiku because of his role in the ouster of their kinsman, Goodluck Jonathan, they finally agreed to work for him after certain concessions were made in terms of their continued involvement in the surveillance of oil installations. Recall that the arrangement was stopped by the current government so they are not happy with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “What we intend to do is to possibly make some minor adjustments as regards the security approach in Niger Delta.

    ‘’But as we speak, not everyone, particularly those leaders from the North, are comfortable these ex-warlords are about returning to a renewed era of influence and profligacy that pervaded the Jonathan Presidency’’, the source said.

     

  • Fed Govt stoking crises in states with security agencies, say Atiku, Clark, Emmanuel

    PEOPLE’S Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, former Federal Commissioner for Information Chief Edwin Clark and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel have expressed concern over the increasing use of security agencies by the Federal Government to allegedly stoke crises in some states to intimidate opponents.

    They spoke at the meeting of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the umbrella body of traditional rulers, leaders and stakeholders of Niger-Delta states at the weekend in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    Abubakar and Clark specifically mentioned Akwa Ibom and Rivers, Bayelsa, Ekiti and Osun as some of the affected states .

    The former Vice President, represented by his running mate, Dr. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said while addressing PANDEF members at Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, that the Federal Government was using security agencies to abet and aid what is wrong.

    He listed Akwa Ibom and Rivers as states being used as guinea pigs, adding: “And nobody is talking, when you talk, you become an enemy.”

    He also said there was nothing on ground in Niger Delta region where the resources of the country were derived, promising that if elected, his administration will focus on turning things around and ensuring that the country is governed by the rule of law.

    Abubakar said: “Niger Delta is where the resources are and when you travel around, you are not able to see anything on ground. In this country, you must insist and there is no reason in being fearful. We are committed to building a better Nigeria and unify Nigeria. We will focus on turning things for the better.”

    The PDP presidential candidate, who reaffirmed his commitment to restructure the country if voted into power come 2019, maintained that restructuring the country was the only way to go to ensure rapid and sustainable growth.

    “I am only joining to say that we need true federalism and we need it urgently; it will make Nigeria work. There is no country in the world that things are working as it is working in Nigeria. We must tell our leaders the truth and we must demand that they do the right thing,” he stated.

    Emmanuel, in his comments, said: “We want the country to have true federalism so that we will not have all these problems we are having. If we have a state police, it will be more law-abiding.

    “They are using this restructuring to intimidate us in the Niger Delta. Everything is about politics and when this 2019 comes and goes, what will we do again? Everything is on partisanship. It should not be. Even though they have sounded the drum of war, this state is still the most peaceful one in the country.”

    Clark frowned at what he described as increasing trend of desecrating the national institutions, particularly the Army and Police by using them for political gains.

  • Youths urged to vote for Atiku in 2019

    Nigerian youths have been urged to use all medium, online or on the street to canvass support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    The call was made by the Youths for Atiku, (YOFA), a youth group of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO) .

    “The youth have a huge part to play in the upcoming elections. Majority of the voting population are youths, ” the spokesperson of the group, Ms Beauty Yahawah stated in a press release.

    “In the incumbent and some previous governments, what you will find are members of platforms and councils, government officials and executives, all elderly and with no one bringing fresh and current ideas to the table. In the populace, you would often find youths who are very bright, having good, impressive qualifications, languishing in poverty with no hope. You would find our vibrant youth looking for any avenue to leave the country forever, in search of a better life.

    “The youth are the nucleus of any society, any economy and any forward-moving government. Atiku has shown and proven that he will not leave the youth abandoned. It is a known fact that when he was Vice President of this country, he made sure that a healthy percentage of government officials under him were youths.”

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    Yahawah reassured Nigerian youths of Atiku’s promise to give youths 40% of his cabinet, adding that Atiku has also outlined how he will solve the number one problem of Nigerian youths which is job creation, by outlining a policy to create at least 2.5 million jobs per year, and to lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty within two years.

    “The cry of most Nigerian youths is that there is rampant unemployment in the country, and no opportunities to make a way for themselves. Atiku’s primary goal is to tackle these problems. Atiku hears your cries, and has come to change the narrative. Nigerian Youths are brilliant and deserve the opportunity to thrive in their respective fields. They deserve the opportunity to make a positive impact in their communities and in their country. Youth abandonment is very dangerous and we have seen just how detrimental it can be in a society, with rampant crime and all manner of illegal activity.

    “Lets Get Nigeria Working Again” project by ensuring they vote him, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, for President of our great nation in February 2019. A vote for Atiku is a vote for a safe Nigeria, jobs, opportunities and youth development.“

  • Atiku goes to America

    It ordinarily would not qualify as news, but even a flight into space would not generate as much fuss as has the story that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is about to secure a visa to the United States of America. Indeed, the development, which remains yet in the realm of speculation, has polarised the country into two camps as the supporters of the former Vice President are rolling out the drums while his opponents are quaking and kicking. For the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, it is the fulfillment of a life time dream in same manner as his recent reconciliation with his erstwhile boss, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Former Ogun State governor and Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, had set the tone for the controversy when he announced on Channels Television about one month ago that the hope of Atiku securing a US visa after years of fruitless search for same was on the rise. Officials of the United States, he said, had hinted that the former vice president could now secure a US visa if he applied for one. “I can also confirm to you that in the last few days, there have been signals from the American officials that he (Atiku) should indeed come forward so he can be granted visa. So between you and I, all the issues are perception,” Daniel had told his interlocutor.

    Atiku himself has at various times voiced his frustration over his inability to secure a visa to the US amid public mockery that he was banned from entering the country following allegations of corrupt practices levelled against him in the aftermath of a US congressional report that probed his numerous international financial dealings. Former US Congressman, William Jefferson, who was jailed in the US for his involvement in various bribery deals, was said to have told an American investor, Lori Mordy, that he would need to give Atiku, who was then the Vice President, the sum of $500,000 “as a motivating factor” to make sure that Mordy’s company and one other obtained contracts in Nigeria.

    Apparently following from the foregoing, the authorities of the US have been hesitant in granting Atiku entry into the country. But that seems about to change with recent hints of a visa in the offing for the presidential candidate. This, however, is not music in the ears of the ruling APC. The party is miffed that the turn of events is a product of alleged intense lobbying by former President Obasanjo who had previously described the conduct of Atiku while he was vice president as something that fell below the expectations of honest people.

    In a statement issued by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, last month, the party said it had credible information that Obasanjo had started lobbying the US government to issue Atiku an entry visa.

    Nabena said. “We have come across credible reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has made moves to secure United States entry visa for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, whose candidacy he endorsed on Thursday. It is learnt that the former President, who during and after leaving office insisted on Atiku’s unsuitability to govern Nigeria based on his knowledge of the latter’s extensive corrupt practices while he served as Vice President, is lobbying US authorities to withdraw the ban reportedly placed on Atiku from entering the United States following a 2005 $500,000 bribery scandal that involved Atiku, his fourth wife, Jennifer and former United States Congressman, William Jefferson,” the statement said.

    Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, advised the US against granting visa to Atiku, saying that doing so at this point in time could give the impression that the US Government is favouring the PDP presidential candidate over others in the forthcoming 2019 poll.

    Mohammed said: “As you all will be aware, for more than 12 years, there has been a congressional bi-partisan investigation of corruption against certain individuals which had made it difficult for the former Vice President to secure a US visa. I am sure you will all recall the Jefferson case and what they called the cold $90,000 in the fridge. This is not the making of this administration, it has been ongoing. Our position is that if the former VP already has a US visa, we have no problem about it. What we warn the US Government against is not to give the impression that it is endorsing one particular candidate over the other. That is what is going to happen if, for instance, the former VP is granted a visa.”

    Be it as it may, Atiku securing a visa to the US, whether by crook or by hook, is a victory worth celebrating, considering the pall his inability to do so for more than a decade has cast on his integrity. But getting an American visa is just half victory. To come out whole, he must get Obasanjo to retract all that he has said about his (Atiku’s) integrity. The retractions must also be done in a manner that would convince right thinking Nigerians that they are not coming as an after-thought.

    All said, concerned Nigerians must be alarmed that a former vice president who is now seeking the chance to take charge of our collective destiny was linked to a scandal resulting in a travel ban from a country as strategic as the US.