The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Biya

  • Cameroonian leader Biya, Babangida congratulate Buhari

    President Paul Biya of Cameroon and former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election and wished him success in his second term.

    Biya  in a congratulatory message said: ‘‘On the occasion of your re-election to the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as declared by the Electoral Commission of your country, I am very pleased to extend to you my sincere and warm congratulations.’’

    Buhari’s  Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted Biya as also saying: ‘I am already looking forward to working more closely with you to the continued promotion of the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and Cameroon and to meeting together the major challenges of our two countries, especially those related to stability and security.’’

    For his part, Babangida asked Buhari not only to heal the wounds from the election, but also to restructure the country and introduce ‘creative measures’ to tackle the economy.

    He said: “I have observed that, the electioneering campaign was very strenuous and the contest very keen. That despite the turbulent terrain of politics, the President submitted and subjected himself to this process. Indeed is a clear testimony that he believes in the democratic process and ideals.

    “The newly elected president should heal the wounds of the heated campaign exchanges by embracing those who contested alongside with him. The President must resist the temptation to see them as enemies; not even opponents, but fellow compatriots who merely disagreed with him on how best to move our country forward.

    “Now that the President has won his re-election bid, he should confront with renewed vigour the most urgent problem confronting Nigeria: ‘insecurity of lives and property’.

    “The Boko Haram insurgency remains a threat to many Nigerians, particularly in the Northeast sub region, while the twin evils of kidnapping and armed robbery/armed banditry remain a major national menace. The president must pay priority attention to these security issues.

    “The economy of the country must also occupy the president’s urgent attention. There is the need to be more creative in formulating policies that will improve the nation’s economy, create employment opportunities and give hope to our teaming youths.

    “The President may wish to heed to the yearnings of reasonable Nigerians for restructuring and seek all constitutional means to devolve some powers presently exercised by the Federal Government to the other tiers of government.”

    Babangida also hailed Buhari’s main challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, saying: “I was not surprised that even though he lost the most exotic position of the land, his doggedness and pattern of support cut across ethnic, religious and regional lines that earned him the second position of the last Presidential election.

    “I call on the former Vice –President Atiku Abubakar to close ranks and work with the winner of the election in an objective and constructive manner so that democracy will continue to thrive in our country at this crucial period of renaissance.

    “I urged him also to endeavour and prevail on his admirers to eschew bitterness and violence. They must be prevailed upon to understand that politics is a game in which there must be only one winner.”

     

  • Biya, 85 wins Cameroon’s presidential election again

    Eighty-five-year-old Paul Biya has been declared winner of the October 7 presidential election by the Cameroon’s Constitutional Council.

    Biya won the poll with 71.28% of the votes cast beating eight other candidates to extend his 36-year rule of the Central African country to 2025.

    Opposition leader, Prof Maurice Kamto who had earlier declared himself winner of the polls came second with 14.23% of the total votes.

    Cabral Libii, one of the youngest candidates at the election emerged third with 6.28% of the votes while Joshua Osih, a candidate for the leading opposition party, Social Democratic Front (SDF) come in the fourth with 3.35% — the worst tally the party has ever registered at a presidential vote since 1992.

    It was the first time the party fielded a different candidate for a presidential seat other than the party’s chair.

    The other candidates individually scored less than 2% in an election marred by low voter turnout in the country’s two predominantly English-speaking regions.

    “The election was free, fair, credible and transparent in spite of the security challenges in the Northwest and Southwest regions”, said Justice Clement Atangana, the President of Constitutional Council.

    Last week, the council rejected opposition claims that the poll had been marred by fraud and rigging.

    No appeal or other legal remedy is allowed against the verdict of the Constitutional Council, thus the president-elect will be sworn-in by November 7 according to the law.

    Biya, now to serve 7th term has been in power since 1982 and is Africa’s second longest serving leader.

     

    NAN

  • We’ll be ruthless with Boko Haram, vows Cameroun’s Biya

    We’ll be ruthless with Boko Haram, vows Cameroun’s Biya

    PRESIDENT Paul Biya of Cameroon has vowed to be ruthless with Boko Haram insurgents and put an end to their existence.
    Biya said the ruthlessness “will end only with the ultimate defeat” of the terror sect which he label a barbaric organisation.
    He spoke at the army headquarters in the capital Yaounde last Friday, during a ceremony organised in tribute to four officers who died in a 22 January helicopter crash in the town of Tchofo located in Cameron’s extreme north.
    “Our profound sadness today must not lead us to dejection or renunciation; on the contrary, it must reinforce our determination to continue the struggle against an unscrupulous enemy,” he said.
    The Cameroonian leader said the event organised to mourn the soldiers enveloped the entire nation and also qualified as a tribute to all those who died for the safety and stability of the country.
    He described the crash as a “heartbreaking and irreparable loss,” which occurred during a defense mission.
    He said the blood of the brave soldiers, who had fallen in the field of honor while answering the call to duty, should mean something to all their compatriots.
    “It challenges us and invites us all, from East to West and from North to South, to reawaken our civic and patriotic verve to unite more around these three colors that we have chosen in solidarity and sovereignty, to merge in this unitary star engraved in the center of our national flag, which is a strong symbol of faith and unity. Let’s be one, let’s stay together,” President Biya said.
    The four soldiers were posthumously promoted.
    Brigadier General Jacob Kodji was made division general, Colonel Alphonse Nkameni promoted to Brigadier General, while lieutenants Aurelien Tchinda and Basile Souloukna were promoted to the rank of captain.

  • Nigeria will abide with ICJ’s decision on Bakassi – Buhari

    Nigeria will abide with ICJ’s decision on Bakassi – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured his Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya and his people to put their mind at rest on the allegation that Nigeria was still accessing hydrocarbon from the oil rich Bakkassi Penunsula despite the judgment of the International Court of Justice, (ICJ) that ceded the region to the Central African nation.

    Buhari gave the assurance at a joint press briefing which followed the signing of bilateral agreements between the two countries.

    According to him, a committee has been set up with members from both countries to deliberate on the matter.

    While the report of the committee was being awaited, President Buhari said Cameroun needed not to worry as Nigeria would not go contrary to the ICJ decision.

    He said: “On this issue, I will like the government and people of Cameroun to keep their minds at peace. Nigeria, we are an internationally respectful and abiding nation. Somehow there was a crisis between the two nations on Bakassi Penisula over the hydrocarbon exploitation. This issue is being dealt with by the International Court of Justice.

    “The technical part of the extent of international interest forms the second part of your question. On maritime resources, there is a committee of experts comprising Cameroun and Nigeria sides. I cannot fully answer that question until after the report of this committee gets to us and when they submit the report, I expect that with a few of us that are still around, we shall sit together and see what is the best way for the two countries. So, feel secured and be at peace.”

    Reacting to a question on why Cameroun was allegedly harbouring suspected terrorists who ran to the country for safety, Biya denied the allegation and said it was unfounded.

    According to him, Cameroun was committed to ending insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.

    He said: “Yes I have had of this information. I heard it in New York during conferences that Cameroon serves as basis for Boko Haram but what can Cameroun benefit from that? Is it the ideologies? Are we going to benefit from finances? No. It was just bad press. Cameroon remains focused and committed to the fight against Boko Haram.”