The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari commissions 62 new officers into Air Force

    •Warns against being used by disgruntled elements

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commissioned 62 (eight females and 44 males) Pilot Officers and Flight Lieutenant of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) 65 Regular Course into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

    The President, who was represented by Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, at the ceremony held in NAF base, Kaduna was elated that, for the first time in recent past, NAF regular cadets in their final year are given basic specialist training in their various allotted Air Force specialties.

    According to him, the addition of the 62 cadets into the NAF would further strengthen the personnel need of the force in its responsibility of protection of Nigerian territorial integrity.

    He told the newly commissioned officers to know the limits of their freedom of association and expression and not allow themselves to be used by some disgruntled elements in the society to compromise national security or to act in anyway capable of denting the image of NAF.

    He said, “you must not succumb to any inducement or acts that would cause disaffection amongst fellow members of the Armed Forces as well as protecting Nigerian constitution while remaining absolutely loyal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “You are graduating at a time when our dear country is grappling with security challenges especially those posed by Boko Haram and militancy in the Niger Delta.

    “There are also emerging national security threats such as herders/farmers clashes and banditry which the government is dealing with decisively.

    “You must be aware that you are expected to secure lives and property by ensuring that every Nigerian lives in peace and is free to pursue his or her legitimate aspiration”, he told the cadets including one Togolese.

    The CoAS however reassured President Buhari of NAF unalloyed loyalty and total commitment to his administration’s aspiration for a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.

     

  • 2019: Hurdles before Buhari, Atiku

    With the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidates of All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party respectively, Nigeria’s 2019 election promises to be a tough contest. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on some of the hurdles the two leading contestants are likely to face and some of the things that may go for them

    EVEN before the political parties concluded their presidential primaries late last week, concerned observers have speculated on the likely texture and outcome of the 2019 elections. They however agreed the race would be mainly between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    While some contended that it would be a walkover for APC and its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, no matter who the PDP would produce as its candidate, others said it would all depend on how the PDP arrived at the choice of its presidential candidate. The fear was that if the process is flawed and gives birth to a candidate that is not generally acceptable to the aspirants, the party would implode, leaving a weakened opposition that would not be a match to the ruling party.

    But with the election of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential Candidate of PDP last Sunday and the reported wide acceptance of the process that led to his emergence, especially the support so far given to him by the key stakeholders, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the picture of the 2019 Presidential Election seems clearer.

    Experience

    As the two leading presidential contenders in the forthcoming presidential election prepare for the election, none would boast of confronting a neophyte in the game. The two are well experienced.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of APC, is a sitting president. Aside the fact that he fought gallantly and defeated a sitting president in 2015 elections, he had contested severally for the position before the 2015 success. For example, he unsuccessfully contested for the plum seat in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 general elections. Before then, Buhari, a retired army general, was a Military Head of State between 31 December 1983 and 27 August 1985.

    Alhaji Atiku, who worked in the Nigeria Customs Service for 20 years, rising to become the Deputy Director, as the second highest position in the Service was then known, is equally experienced. He was an elected Vice-President of Nigeria on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) between1999 and 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    A disciple and heir of late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua’s political machinery, his active partisan political career dates back to 1991, when he first ran for the office of governor in the then Gongola State (now Adamawa and Taraba states). In 1993 elections, he ran for a presidential ticket and placed third after Chief MKO Abiola and Amb. Babagana Kingibe in the Social Democratic Party’s primary election.

    He was however elected the Governor of Adamawa State in 1998, but as fate would have it, while he was still the Governor-Elect, he was chosen by the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as running mate. The two went on to win elections in February 1999, thus making him Nigeria’s second democratically elected vice president. Since he left office in 2007, Atiku has remained very active in the country’s political theatre.

    “Talking about experience, it is not certain any of the two candidates would be dismissed with a wave of the hand. I think they are both experienced enough. That is why this race should not be taken for granted by any of the candidates. In political parlance, it would be right to say it would be a grand clash of two warlords, a serious two-horse race,” said Dr. Israel Magbisa, a political analyst.

    Image battle

    Though the two candidates are already brandishing their past records as the reasons they believe they should be preferred for the top job, it has been noted that common Nigerians’ assessment or interpretation of the character traits of the two leaders may also prove to be tricky.

    Considered for example as Mr. Integrity, a reputation that unarguably boosted his popularity rating in 2015 and earned him massive votes across the country, President Buhari will again depend largely on this virtue and the people’s assessment of him in this regard to win votes in 2019.

    Dr. Magbisa explains that for Mr. President, the issue of integrity is today both a great asset and the litmus test he has to pass to win in 2019. “The question today is whether Mr. President, in the last three years of his administration, has proved his admirers and common Nigerians right that he is indeed Mr. Integrity as he purports or as his supporters said he is. That is what will determine whether he would still get the overwhelming votes he got in 2015. You will agree with me that over the years, so much have happened and so the handlers of Buhari will need to do more than just announce repeatedly that he is incorruptible. What is important now is how far his actions as the president have proven to the people that he is fair minded, honest and honourable in all instances. ”

    Another issue Buhari may have to contend with, according to Magbisa, is the way he is perceived, especially by average Southeasterners or south-southerners, most of who have been made to believe that he is sectional. “Recall that Buhari’s political opponents used that claim to effectively blackmail him in the 2015 elections. They said he is an Igbo hater. That impression affected his performance in that part of the country. So, for the forthcoming 2019 elections, the performance of Buhari in the Southeast and South-south will most likely depend, to a very large extent, on how far he has worked to debunk that allegation and change that impression,” he said.

    On Atiku, Magbisa is also critical on the image battle. As he puts it, “for PDP’s candidate, this is the very issue he must tackle if he hopes to win the votes of commoners across the country. There is no doubt that opponents of Atiku have continued to portray him as part of the corrupt elite that wrecked the country even though he is yet to be convicted for any crime. It would be recalled that the closest he has come to be linked to a corrupt case was the William Jefferson incidence in the United States. Atiku’s name had in that case come up in the trial of a former US congressman indicted over some felonies involving bribery in Nigeria. Though his supporters say he was never been tried over the matter or any other corruption case, close observers said Atiku must however convince Nigerians that the image of corruption, which his opponents have consistently tried to hang on his neck, is not true. His electoral fortunes, it seems, depends, to a very large extent on how far he is able to convince Nigerians that he is cleaner than his political opponents may try to portray him. This is even so because his opponent in the race, President Buhari, has continued to make anti-corruption the anchor of his campaigns.

    Hunger in the land

    Perhaps because of the harsh realities of today, most of the contenders in the 2019 presidential election have made management of economy a major campaign topic. The Nation investigation shows that in fact, most voters are eager to see which of the presidential candidates and political parties are willing and capable of ending the hunger in the land.

    It is on record that one of President Buhari’s most advertised achievement is that his administration was able to navigate the country out of recession. On the surface, this should constitute an advantage for Buhari and APC, but reports that the hunger in the land has persisted and that the country seems headed towards another recession constitute major challenges for Buhari.

    According to Bamidele Fadehun, “this is another factor that may pose as a hurdle for Atiku and PDP. This is so because APC’s government under Buhari has paid great emphasis on agriculture, a policy aimed at ending hunger. It is therefore incumbent on Atiku to prove that he has something better to offer.”

    Fadehun told The Nation that notwithstanding these personalized hurdles; the two leading presidential candidates are contesting on strong platforms, national enough to win the 2019 polls. “APC and PDP are well established political parties today, but as an incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari seems to enjoy more advantages. So, Atiku has more points to prove, if he hopes to dislodge the current president,” Fadehun said.

  • Buhari meets aggrieved APC Reps

    To ensure peace in the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday summoned aggrieved APC members of the House of Representatives to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The closed doors meeting lasted for about one and half hours.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Musa Soba, representing Soba constituency in Kaduna state, said they were summoned by the President to present their complaints arising from the conduct of the APC primaries.

    According to him, over 70 of them were denied the opportunity to re-contest for their seats in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

    He said that they have appealed to the President to use his good office to intervene in what they described as impunity being exhibited by some state governors and APC leadership in the affected states, which denied them tickets to contest for the election.

    He lamented undue exclusion and lack of transparency in the primaries conducted by the APC, and urged the president to remedy the situation before it was too late.

    Hussaini Kangiwa, a member of the House of Representatives from Kebbi state, who also spoke to State House correspondents after the meeting allegedly accused Sen. Adamu Alieru of hijacking APC structure in the state.

    Kangiwa, who was an aspirant for Kebbi North Senatorial District also accused senator and the APC leadership in the state of nepotism in the selection of candidates for the 2019 national assembly elections.

    The lawmaker warned that the APC risked losing Kebbi to the opposition party if the president failed to intervene to save the party from imminent collapse in the state.

  • Buhari to religious leaders: Shun partisan politics or lose respect

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday called on religious leaders in the country to eschew partisan politics in order not to lose their status and public respect.
    He made the call while speaking at the Interfaith Initiative for Peace Conference in Abuja.
    The President urged religious leaders to play the roles they had played in 2015 that saw a peaceful election.
    “I appeal to them to eschew partisan politics and appeal to their respective members to read the manifesto of each political party, discuss and pray for God’s guidance before casting their votes.
    “Religious leaders should not be seen to involve themselves in partisan politics or political controversies. Otherwise they risk losing their status and public respect.”
    He commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan and the Co-Initiators of the Interfaith who he said have continued to work for peace and peaceful coexistence as faithful Muslims and Christians.
    He also expressed appreciation to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Reverend Justin Welby for accepting to be the keynote speaker at the Conference.
    He said “Primary Elections are over, it is my hope that all who feel aggrieved would put the stability of our country first before their political ambitions and accept the decision of their political parties or seek resolution through party reconciliation mechanisms or the law courts.
    “Very soon, political campaigns will commence leading to Elections in February next year. It is my hope and prayer that we will even perform better at the polling stations and see to a peaceful completion of the entire process without resorting to negative use of religion and ethnicity.”
    Continuing, he said, “On their part, traditional rulers are also requested to enlighten their subjects, encourage them to ask questions and seek clarifications before going out to vote.
    “As your President, I will request that you encourage your subjects to come out and exercise their voting rights as responsible citizens. To all of us politicians, I ask that we discharge our political responsibilities with integrity, bearing in mind that we will one day give an account to God, the Almighty.
    “I am proud to say that our country has moved on, the era of free money, lack of transparency and accountability is over! We deserve continuity; we deserve a better future for the coming generations. I sincerely hope 2019 will move us closer to these goals and so I look forward to a peaceful, fair and credible elections come 2019.”

  • Atiku’s hour cometh?

    In the run up to the 2015 presidential elections, I wrote a column on this space titled ‘Buhari’s hour cometh?’ Everything just appeared to be working in the direction of a predictable victory for the taciturn and aloof General from Daura. Here was a man who had sought the country’s highest position on three previous occasions – 2003, 2007 and 2011 – with nothing to show for it. It did not matter that he was widely admired for his asceticism, frugality and simple outlook on life while enjoying a cult following among the masses of northern Nigeria. For the first time, however, Buhari had a broad based political platform in the emergent All Progressives Congress (APC) that also equipped him to win sufficient support particularly in the South West and middle Belt geo-political zones that enabled him to defeat an incumbent at the centre in the 2015 elections.

    With the emergence of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, it is pertinent to wonder if his much awaited political hour has finally come for the former Customs officer turned mega businessman and politician from Adamawa State. For one, the 12 other aspirants the Turaki defeated in the   PDP intra-party elections appear to have united in support of his candidacy at least for now. That was how other defeated presidential aspirants in the historic APC National Convention of 2014 accepted Buhari’s candidacy, refrained from quitting the party and with some even working assiduously for his victory in the general election. Incidentally, President Goodluck Jonathan who later lost the election had been returned unopposed as PDP presidential candidate at a time when Buhari had to face competitive intra-party contest within the APC.

    Of course, one cannot read too much into such coincidences because the APC, from all indications, appears to have rallied behind Buhari’s candidacy despite the seeming monarchical coronation that characterized his unanimous affirmation as presidential candidate at the APC’s non-elective national convention.  However, it is not out of place to ponder if indeed Atiku’s hour of glory may be at hand given the support he his garnering from unusual quarters. For instance, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has endorsed Atiku’s presidential bid presumably because of his new found love for restructuring of the polity.  This has long been a cherished desire of the Afenifere leaders.

    In the same vein, Atiku has been aggressively courting South-East, South-South and Middle-Belt political leaders and groups.  Even then, will these zones particularly in the South want to risk electing an Atiku who will most likely have the possibility of spending two terms of eight years in office compared to Buhari, who if he wins next year, will be entitled to only one more constitutional term of four years? I ask this question in the light of the unwritten and informal zoning formula that has characterized political competition especially at the presidential level in this dispensation. Atiku has reportedly promised to spend only one term in office if he emerges as President next year. Do most people believe him? I don’t think so. Yes in picking Mr. Peter Obi from the South East as his runningmate, Atiku has shown that he means business.

    No less significant, is the endorsement that Atiku has received from his former boss and implacable foe – the unforgiving and pugnacious former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo in characterisc exhibition of self –righteousness, claimed to have forgiven Atiku for his many sins because the latter has apologized to him and demonstrated contriteness and mortification for his alleged iniquities. If Obasanjo had all along claimed at diverse fora that his former Deputy had sinned against God and Nigeria, can he now just casually bestow the benediction of forgiveness on the PDP candidate presumably on behalf of God and the rest of us?

    Some analysts have claimed that Obasanjo has only minuscule electoral value. They miss the point.    The former President’s political influence far exceeds his electoral value. This was the pithy point made by Chief Obafemi Awolowo when Chef MKO Abiola quit the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic causing seismic political tremors despite his scanty following in the South West at the time.   It is better to have Obasanjo at your ringside when engaging in electoral or political battle. But even then, it is not impossible that he may yet meet his waterloo at the hands of the tactically astute military turned political strategist from Daura.

    Again, the question: ‘Is Atiku’s hour of electoral glorification at hand?’ The eloquent and often prescient convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare is seemingly non committal even though clinical in his analysis. In his words: “It is not going to be an Eaglet versus an eagle but an eagle versus eagle: an old eagle versus new eagle and probably both of them old eagles”. Continuing, the fiery cleric surmised “I can’t say Atiku will win or lose. You see, I am not advocating for him. Among all the PDP aspirants, who contested the party’s ticket with him, he is perhaps the most cosmopolitan; he is a Wazobia man… He has been a businessman with business acumen and he has exposure. But you see, that is not what qualifies you to win. A lot comes into play; so, again, I cannot say whether he will win or lose”.

    Ordinarily, in my view the next election ought to be a straight walk over for the ruling APC. No candidate on the platform of the PDP should stand even a tenth of a chance against President Muhammadu Buhari. The havoc wrought by the PDP in its 16 year-rule of the locusts that virtually brought the nation to its knees is still all too fresh in the national consciousness. Unfortunately, the ruling APC has committed too many unforced errors thus making it possible for the PDP to even dream of coming to power again so soon at the centre after the horrendous bleeding of the national treasury that took place under its watch.

    Luckily for the APC, Atiku seems to be couching his political communication in terms of Nigerians wanting the PDP back in power. Nothing could be further from the truth.  To have even a fighting chance of giving Buhari a run for his money, Atiku must, in my view, sell his personal qualities, attributes and achievements while de-emphasizing his mortally damaged party platform.  If he must refer to his party at all, Atiku’s bold message to Nigerians must be one of being committed to supporting the institution of  genuine reforms within the PDP and more meaningfully re-branding the party and enthroning a new and higher moral ethos as well as ethical standards within the party.

    But does Atiku possess the moral integrity and character to project himself as a moral change agent both within the PDP and as leader of Nigeria if elected next year? Most of his adversaries will vehemently answer this question in the negative. For some inexplicable reason, the toga of alleged corruption hung on Atiku has appeared to stick. I find this baffling because to the best of my knowledge, Atiku remains unindicted by any court of law within or outside Nigeria for any acts of corruption. There have been reports of alleged financial infractions in the United States that make it impossible for Atiku to travel to that country. The US government has, however, maintained a studied silence on the matter thus leaving it at the level of unproven and unproductive speculation.

    Against a candidate like Buhari, there is no way Atiku can dodge responding fully to the integrity question. For despite his all too obvious flaws, millions of Nigerians still admire Buhari’s obvious disdain for materialism and ostentation in a clime where the criminal plunder of public resources is the pastime of the political /business elite. However, if Buhari does not move fast to distance himself from some of his closest aides and inner kitchen cabinet who have hidden under the banner of his integrity to commit all manner of atrocities as epitomized, for instance, by the scandalous Rasheed Maina affair, the still unexplained cash haul at Ikoyi, or open defiance of court judgements and violations of the rule of law, for instance, he may unwittingly aid the fruition next year of Atiku’s hour.

    For now, it is my view that Buhari has done well enough, scoring a slightly above average performance to merit re-election next year. If that happens, someone may likely describe Atiku someday as another ‘best President Nigeria never had’! I wish both Buhari and Atiku best of luck. But the next few months will be crucial.

     

     

     

     

  • Buhari mourns Usman Abubakar

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his deep condolences to the Abubakar family over the death of Engineer Usman Abubakar, Chairman of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).

    President Buhari, who was represented at the burial of his close associate on Friday at the National Mosque in Abuja by his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and a number of presidency officials, said he would personally miss the wise counsel of Engineer Usman.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also described the deceased as a well-educated and dignified gentleman.

    Read Also: Buhari receives 2018 Hajj report

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, the government and people of Katsina State following the irreparable loss of this selfless and patriotic Nigerian,” he said.

    The President prayed to Allah to grant him Jannatul Firdaus.

  • Buhari receives 2018 Hajj report

    *Plans Hajj Saving Scheme to increase participation

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received the 2018 Hajj report at the State House, Abuja.

    The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, briefed the President after the jumaat prayer.

    Speaking with State House correspondents, after the meeting, he said “I briefed Mr president on the outcome of 2018 Hajj which was recently concluded and Mr President was very happy with the outcome of the Hajj.

    “He particularly commended Nigerian pilgrims for behaving excellently during the Hajj and he urged and directed that the commission should do everything humanly possible sustain the tempo and the successes recorded and also commence preparations for the 2019 Hajj in earnest. We should try to sustain the tempo of the successes recorded.

    “I briefed Mr President about the turn out of the pilgrims and we all appreciate the reasons and what ought to be done in future to make sure that Nigeria fills up its quota.

    “And part of the measures to be taken will be the introduction of the Hajj Saving Scheme programme which will enable pilgrims who want to pay over a long period of time to start paying by installments.

    Read Also: APC must resolve all crisis or lose 2019 elections

    “And all regulatory framework to ensure the success of the Hajj Saving Scheme will be put in place and government will do the needful for the take off of the scheme in due course.” he said

    According to him, one of the main challenge faced was the medical fitness of some of the pilgrims.

    He said “In some states, you see people who apparently are aged and don’t have accompanying relations to support them.

    “We are not saying no to the registration of aged people but they should have an accompanying relation who should give them all the support they should require to perform the hajj in the best manner.

    “To address this, we are going to strengthen our education and enlightenment programme and also the medical screening aspect of it will be strengthened.

    “We will consolidate the gains we have recorded with the concert of the national medical team to make sure that this is achieved in subsequent Hajj.” he said.

  • I’m under pressure to leave APC – Yari

    *Insists primaries held in Zamfara

    *Says it’s a huge joke to nominate Zamfara Gov candidate from Abuja

     

    Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, on Friday said that he has been under intense pressure to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) with his supporters.

    Yari, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

    He also handed over the results of the primaries conducted in the state to the President after the Jumaat prayer.

    He promised that despite the pressure from his people to dump the APC, he will remain with the party and fight against any injustice.

    According to him, his supporters were aggrieved over the turn out of events following the party leadership’s refusal to acknowledge the primaries conducted last week in the state.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also barred the APC from fielding any candidates for the 2019 poll in Zamfara for not conducting primary elections in the state.

    He explained that the development has caused frustration among his supporters.

    The governor also warned the national leadership of the party not to present any list that did not emanate from the primaries conducted before the expiration of the deadline for the primaries in the state.

    Reacting to reports of his purported romance with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on the social media, Yari, who was flanked by the Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, said, “I don’t know whether that is a joke or otherwise.

    Read Also: Anambra Flood: IDPs camps record 17 births in three weeks

    “But for me, if you check my history since 1998, APP, and 2002 when Buhari joined ANPP, and 2015 APC, no time that I shifted from one party to another. That is not in my culture. So, the issue of leaving the party is not true.

    “But some other people are sending rumour through the social media. I have seen my picture with the PDP and other parties. Yes, I cannot deny pressure from the people that we should leave APC but what I told them is that what we are looking for is just justice.

    “We conducted election and we want to see what the result is going to look. But I think for any body to come under the national secretariat and say he is going to nominate a candidate, I think, it is a very huge joke.” he said

    The Zamfara State Governor wondered why the INEC could claim that there were no primaries in the state when the government agencies including the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the electoral umpire was at hand to monitor the process in the state.

    He said though there were some hitches in some places in the state that made the committee to postpone primary elections in the affected areas, the process he said was concluded the next day.

    He said, “There were hitches somewhere but we decided to suspend the area there were problems until the following day. So, the following day, we continued and we concluded the election by the people nominated by that committee to conduct election but the committee ran away and refused to collate the results.

    “So, what we did was that we filed the results and kept it under the watch of those people and waited to see what was going to happen. The second committee waited 32 hours to the closing, we thought the committee will hasten and come up with modalities for the election.

    “But committee wasted about 18 hours discussing about how the modalities were going to be. So, when we realised that, we were actually advised by the supervisory agency that is INEC and other agencies there that the best thing to do as the people had voted and since it was 7am was to start counting.

    “When they finished, they released the materials and we adopted the numbers. Already, we had produced our own set of forms for the national Assembly which we have done and then, when we concluded, I didn’t see members of the committee until one and half hours to the time.

    “Then, when they came I asked them what they came for, they said they came for reconciliation and I said which reconciliation? People can not reconcile over a month and you are trying to reconcile in an hour. Then, I realised that there was a game that was being played so that we can run out of time.” he said

    According to him, the national body of APC had other crude ways to produce candidates contrary to section 87 of the Electoral Act that the party must follow a process before producing any candidate.

    “Therefore, the most important is that we conducted election on the 3rd and 4th of October and all agencies, INEC, Civil Defence, Police, and DSS were there and they signed for us and the report was written by the REC that elections were conducted.

    “Unfortunately, for the INEC to say that there was no election, we don’t know where they got their information but we believe they have a report directly from their representative there that election was held in Zamfara state, so, it depends on what they want to do.

    “But, in any way, we were advised when the chairman of the committee came out and said there was no election in Zamfara state, we realised it was going to be a litigation issue. We quickly rushed to court, we filed a case and the case is coming up next week.

    “So, I think that is the only saving grace for the party and INEC for court of competent jurisdiction to give judgement on Zamfara matter that there was election.” he stated.

  • Group drum support for Buhari

    The Buhari Osibanjo Mandate Group, one of the several support groups working for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigerians must support the President to lead the country to what they called the promise land devoid of money politics.

    National Coordinator of the group, Prince Europe Martins said at a news conference in Abuja that Nigerians must be careful and not hand over the country too desperate politicians who spend billions of naira to secure nomination as Presidential candidate, saying “what do you expect if such a person is voted in to govern this country”.

    He asked Nigerians too select the best among the Presidential candidates who has the interest of the nation at heart and not those who are desperate for power, but lack the integrity to govern a country like Nigeria.

    He called on all Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari administration in his drive to ensure infrastructural development in the country.

    Countries all over the world, including China and Dubai are able to succeed because of their ability to put in place proper infrastructure and it is on record that none of them was able to do this within four years. The good news for Nigeria is that President Buhari has started putting together proper infrastructure for the country.

    According to him, Nigeria had the largest number of abandoned projects before the coming of the Buhari’s government, stressing that the current government has started completing those project because of his believe that they are important to the overall development of the country.

    While commending the government for the take off of the Mambilla Hydro power project, Prince Martins reminded Nigerians of how the previous governments wasted 16 billion dollars on power project without anything too show for it while the Buhari government has raised power generation too about 7000 megawatts.

    Read Also: Obasanjo, Atiku and 2019 calculations

    He said that the social intervention programmes of he government are not popular because they are targeted at the poor and not the rich.
    Also speaking at the event, leader of the South East Forum, Chief Ansleem Njoku said every sensible Igboman with the interest of the people at heart know that a Buhari second term Presidency is the only guarantee for an Igboman presidency in 2013.

    He pledged that the south east would give the President an overwhelming support because he is the only president has genuinely addressed the marginalisation of the Igboman nation through infrastructural development and the payment of pension too retired Biafran soldiers.

    He challenge other political parties too an open debate regarding the provision of infrastructure for the South East, saying “they should come out and tell us what they have been able to do for the South East over the years despite our support and we will show them what President Buhari has been able to do for the South East in just three and half years despite not voting for him in 2015”
    Sent from Samsung tablet.

  • Gang up ’ll fail, says Buhari as Obasanjo endorses Atiku

    They’ll lose together, says Presidency

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday endorsed his one-time deputy, Atiku Abubakar, for president — after scorning him relentlessly as unfit for the job.

    But in a swift reaction, the Presidency described it as a gang up that won’t stand.

    On his Twitter handle, presidential spokesman Femi Adesina tweeted: “The harder they come, the harder they fall. 2019 presidential election on my mind.”

    In a statement, the Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Obasanjo and Atiku would lose together in next year’s election.

    At his sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo, who had in the past vowed never to back Atiku, yesterday made a U’ turn and tipped the Turaki Adamawa for the top job.

    He said he had forgiven Atiku.

    Atiku, who picked the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) presidential ticket at its convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Sunday, was in Abeokuta to seek Obasanjo’s blessing for next year’s election.

    He went with Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church (aka Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, Sokoto Catholic Diocese Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi.

    Others in his entourage were PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel and former Deputy National Chairman of PDP Bode George.

    Lagos lawyer Chief Ayo Adebanjo led his faction of the Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere, to the meeting. It was the second time in 48 hours that he was leading the group to Obasanjo’s home.

    Obasanjo, who once said “God will not forgive me if I support Atiku” explained that the former vice president “has rediscovered and repositioned himself”.

    He and Atiku, he said, had reviewed what went wrong between them, adding that his former stand on Atiku was not personal but based on what he had done against the PDP and the country.

    Obasanjo had accused Atiku of corruption and disloyalty.

    The elder statesman, however, said Atiku had apologised and “I have forgiven him”.

    He said: “From what transpired in the last couple of hours, you have shown remorse, you have asked for forgiveness and you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons

    “ You have also promised to mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable.

    “Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a Christian who asks for God’s forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on a daily basis, I forgive and I sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is right and it will be well with you.

    “Obviously, you have mended fences with the party and fully reconciled with the party.

    “ That’s why today, you are the presidential candidate of the party.”

    Obasanjo advised Atiku to appreciate all that the PDP had done for him, imploring him to work with all other presidential aspirants as a campaign team.

    The former president noted that there were still national and international fences for Atiku to mend.

    “ I am convinced that if you continue with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders of goodwill, with remorse and contrite heart, the rest of the coast within and outside the country can be cleared.

    “And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do.

    “I am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary, and by putting lessons learned by you to work, you will get the understanding, cooperation, support and mandate of Nigerians.

    “ With Nigerians voting for you, it will mean that you secure their forgiveness and regain their confidence.

    “It will be with the hope or assurance of a Paul on the road to Damascus Conversion. After all, change and conversion are of man and I believe that with a contrite heart, change is possible in everybody’s life and situation.

    Obasanjo noted that among all PDP presidential aspirants, Atiku possessed the widest and greatest exposure, experience, outreach and possibly the best machinery for seeing the “tough and likely dirty campaign ahead” through.

    He claimed that Atiku has a better understanding of the economy than others.

    “You surely understand the economy better and you have business experience, which can make your administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs.

    “You have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can translate to better management of foreign affairs.

    “You are more accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country in many ways.

    “As Pastor Bakare, one-time running mate of the incumbent President said, ‘You are a Wazobia man.’

    ”And that should help you in confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism.

    ”As you know, along the road to where you are today, many leaders and ordinary people cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard.  On your behalf, I thank them all.  May their coast continue to be expanded.

    ”And when you become Nigerian President which, Insha-Allah, you will be, remember what we did together in government – we ran an administration by Nigerians for all Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship or kith and kin.

    “Although some time and ground have been lost, you should endeavour to start from where we stopped and recover some lost ground, if not time.

    Please uphold truth, integrity, principles, morality and fight corruption, crimes and insurgency.

    “ The fundamental law of the land, our constitution must be scrupulously defended. I make one demand and one demand on you today, I need you to say before God and man that you will always remain irrevocably committed to upholding all the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the whole country will remain your single indivisible constituency.

    ”Constitutionalism, popular participation and inclusiveness are pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three-and-a-half years. They will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility, oneness and faith in the survival of all against none.

    ”The fundamentals for our development, economic growth and progress are hard and soft infrastructure.  Remember to always give adequate places in your administration to our youth and women.

    “All the authorities involved with the preparations, all processes and conduct of the election must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible.

    ”Once again, congratulations and I wish you well.  My distinguished brothers and leaders of goodwill, thank you for making this happen.  I will now count on you to encourage all hands to be on deck to take Nigeria to the level God has created it to be – autopilot level. God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.”

    Obasanjo advised Atiku to run an inclusive government where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship or kith and kin like they both did between 1999 and 2007

    In his opening remarks, Atiku described the meeting as historic for him, Obasanjo and Nigeria.

    He reiterated that he could not have become relevant without the training and tutelage from Obasanjo’s leadership.

    Atiku, who described the day as one of the happiest days in his life, said it was time for well-meaning Nigerians to come together for the repositioning of the country on the path of unity and prosperity.

    He pledged to dedicate and commit his tenure, if elected as president, to the continuation of the Olusegun Obasanjo- led administration.