The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari on God as architect of Nigeria

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has consistently subscribed to the religious interpretation of the formation of Nigeria. No one, it seems, can disabuse his mind. It is fully made up. Many analysts hold the British responsible for the creation of Nigeria, especially after the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates in 1914. But in a deeply religious society, there are admittedly not many analysts who will say the British acted in isolation. They had to be prompted by seen and unseen forces. Perhaps. Flowing from this, when the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 climaxed European competition for territory and trade in Africa, the inevitable result could also be attributed to God. If it makes the president happy, this point should be conceded to him.

    Now, the problem is not whether this religious interpretation of colonialism and formation of states is wrong or right; the problem is how easily these same interpreters deny the God factor in the collapse or balkanisation of empires, states and countries. Speaking while receiving the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, William Kumuyi, in Abuja on October 1, President Buhari had used the opportunity of the visit to reiterate his God explanation once more. Said he: “God did not make a mistake when he created over 250 different ethnic groups and decided to put them in a place called Nigeria. We must appreciate God for bringing us together. He knows what he was doing. He didn’t make a mistake.”

    Let it then be accepted that God did not make a mistake. Good. But the same Nigeria had for more than a century experimented with diverse political arrangements, some of them partially colonial, others regional, and yet others pseudo-federal, and still others unitary. Since Nigeria did not start with the present political arrangement after amalgamation, why must it remain stuck with it, especially when it is unstable and unfit for purpose? When the president spoke of the God factor, he was in effect suggesting that no one should question God. Yes, God will not be questioned, but who says advocating other arrangements is ungodly?

    Nigeria will not always remain the way it is. Indeed, no country remains the same forever, no matter how mighty and powerful the country is or how repressive its rulers. Nigeria’s political structure will still change, either within its present territorial construct or outside of it, balkanised peacefully or sundered forcefully. And yes, God will still be behind it, and won’t make a mistake. If He did not make a mistake in breaking up the Babylonian, Grecian, Medes/Persian, and Roman Empires, He wouldn’t also make mistake in rearranging Nigeria or breaking it up. Rulers should stop second-guessing God and blackmailing aggrieved populace. They should stop attributing their laziness in addressing and redressing Nigeria’s structural problems to God.

  • Buhari reassures on Leah Sharibu’s release

    •Commissions 365 officers into armed forces

    President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured his administration will soon secure the release of Dapchi girl, Leah Sharibu who has been in Boko Haram captivity since February 19.

    He added his administration was committed to ensuring all Nigerians in captivity by Boko Haram terrorists regain freedom.

    Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Passing Out Parade of the 365 cadets of 65 Regular Course Nigerian Army and 66 Regular Course Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna, Buhari assured that peace and stability of Nigeria will continue to be the utmost priority of his administration.

    According to him: “We are committed to ensuring the release of all the women and men held in captivity.

    “Few days ago, Mr President spoke personally to the anguished mother of Leah Sharibu; Christian girl who is the only left as part of the Dapchi girls still in Boko Haram captivity.

    “Mr President assured her mother that she would be returned home safe. And that commitment Mr President has made not just to her mother but to also all the girls and all the young men who are still in Boko Haram captivity today.

    “All over the Northeast, our people are been provided with a chance to begin the urgent task of rebuilding their lives and lively hood.”

    The President also commended the resilience of the Nigerian Armed Forces for the giant stride recorded so far in the fight against insurgency.

    “The ongoing military stabilisation operation in the Northeast will continue until full normalcy is restored,” he maintained.

    Buhari also pledged his administration will continue to demonstrate zero tolerance for crimes and criminality.

    He charged the graduating cadets to prepare to face the task ahead of them.

     

  • APC affirms Buhari as Presidential Candidate

    The All Progressives Congress (APC)  has endorsed the nomination of President Muhamadu Buhari as the Presidential candidate of the party for the 2019 general election.

    About 7000 delegates from across the 36 states and the FCT participated in the exercise which took place at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

    The exercise which was initially scheduled to begin at 2.00pm, was rescheduled to 6.00pm and later 8.00pm.
    However,  it was a hectic time for delegates finding their way into the square as the security personnel initially locked the gates, creating a long line of desperate delegates wishing to find their way into the square.

    A lot of journalists were trapped outside the square for a long time as non accredited delegates and sponsored supporters from states struggle to find their way in.

    Outside the square,  traders had a field day doing brisk business, while fake copies of the APC constitution was on sale to unsuspecting delegates in the name of amended constitution.

    Senator representing Kaduna Central,  Senator Shehu Sani told The Nation that the support given to the President across the country is a vote of confidence on his ability to pull the nation out of the wood.

    He expressed confidence that despite the challenges facing the party,  the President has the overwhelming support to win the 2019 general election.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President in Political matters, Hon.  Gideon Zamani praised  efforts of the President at rebuilding the country,  pointing out that the overwhelming endorsement of the President by Nigerians was a vote of confidence on his leadership.

    Zamani told The Nation at the convention ground that President Buhari has,  in the last three and half years been able to stabilised the Nigerian economy,  creating an enabling environment for Nigerians to engage in meaningful business.

    He gave example of the Anchor borrower program which he said has transformed the agricultural sector,  turning Nigerian farmers into multi millionaires.

    He said Nigerians will not regret giving the President a second opportunity to consolidate on the programmes which he has started adding that his reelection will give him the opportunity to consolidate the anti corruption crusade.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,  National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives,  Yusuf Lasun, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, former Chairman,  Chief John Odigie Onegin, former Senatw President, Ken Nnamani, state governors, former governors Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ibrahim Shekarau among others attended the convention.

  • Sen. Yarima, Anyim keep mum after meeting with Buhari

    Sen. Ahmed Sani-Yarima of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Zamfara West, on Friday in Abuja, met behind closed door with President Muhammadu Buhari at Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The Senator, who is serving his third term at the National Assembly, declined comment on the outcome of the meeting.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, gathered that the senator updated the president on security and political developments in Zamfara.

    NAN observed that prior to the meeting between the president and Sani-Yarima, Sen. Kabiru Marafa, representing Zamfara Central, had held similar meeting with President Buhari.

    Marafa, had told State House correspondents that he updated President Buhari on the failed APC governorship primary in Zamfara, and alleged that the state governor, Abdul aziz Yari, had lost the support of people of the state.

    He described as “illegal and irresponsible’’ the action of the governor after the announcement of the cancellation of the primary by the Prof. Abubakar Faki-led APC Zamfara Governorship Primaries Committee.

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had also dissolved the party executives at all levels in Zamfara, and fixed Oct. 6 and 7 for the conduct of fresh governorship, senatorial and house of representatives primaries in the state.

    Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC acting National Publicity in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said by the decision, all supposed party factions in Zamfara stands dissolved.

    He added that the APC NWC-inaugurated committee for Zamfara are to conduct the Governorship and Legislative primaries in the State.

    He stressed that the Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari and the dissolved state executives should not interfere in the primary elections.

    Meanwhile, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Pius Anyim, who also met with President Buhari at the presidential villa, declined comment on the outcome of the closed door meeting.(NAN)

  • Buhari to teachers: Be agents of positive change

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday charged teachers to be positive change agents in the growth and development of the country.

    The president, who said that Nigerian children were pillars of strength as well as drivers of economic growth, charged teachers to be positive influence to students.

    Buhari stated these at this year’s World Teachers Day in Abuja with theme “The right to education means the right to qualified teacher.”

    Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, the president stated that despite the teaching profession was faced with various challenges such as low wages, low self esteem and lack of professional and in-service training, government was committed to the course of teaching profession.

    He said frantic efforts were being made by the Federal Government to improve teacher education for skills acquisition, through teachers continued professional development.

    Buhari said: “Having ascertained that education is a right, teachers have important role to play to adequately prepare the young for their roles in the society, in order to achieve the set national objectives.

    “You will agree with me that a qualified teacher is crucial in the educational system, that is why it is important to ensure every teacher is academically and professionally qualified.

    “In many countries, the quality of education has been eroded due to acute shortage of trained and qualified teachers.”

    Read Also: Teachers’ Day: NUT holds special prayers for end to Plateau killings

    He said that to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 4 (SDG4) by 2030, the Federal Ministry of Education had developed a Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP) Education for Change (2016 to 2019).

    The plan, the president explained, was a roadmap to guide its efforts toward effective implementation and the achievement of the SDG4 and other related education targets of the SDG agenda.

    He called for the professionalisation of teachers while urging teachers to obtain their professional license from the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) as the deadline is December 2019.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said that research findings had consistently shown that the most important factor that influenced students’ learning outcomes was the presence of the teacher.

    Adamu said the effectiveness of the teacher in their commitment to the teaching profession was key to the development of a child.

    He said the ministry had developed the strategy with respect to teacher education, capacity building and professional development.

    The minister also said that the ministry was also working toward improving the capacity of teachers, attracting the best brains to the profession and providing the nation with the required skilled human capital.

    Adamu called on all teachers to work with the government at all levels to move education forward.

    Also, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Sonny Echono, said the present administration had been encouraging and reward good behaviour and contributions to nation building in the teaching profession.

    He said school administrators and schools, at basic and secondary levels under the President’s Teachers and School Excellence Award, had been recognised for their effective performances.

    Mr Adaramola Femi- Patrick of Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro, Ogun, was presented with the overall best teacher award. He went home with a Sonata car.

    Also, the overall best school administrator went to Mrs Grace Ezenwa of Anambra, while Doherty Memorial Grammar School, Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti state got a bus as the overall best school.

  • Buhari meets Anyim, Uduaghan, Marafa in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, former Governor of Delta State and senatorial candidate in the 2019 election, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan at the State House Abuja.

    Also meeting with the President after the Friday jumat service at the State House mosque is Senator Kabiru Marafa who is a governorship aspirant in Zamfara State.

    The three came separately and were still at the President’s office at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details Later…

  • Buhari, Aregbesola, Oyetola meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with the outgoing Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

    He arrived the President’s office along with the governor-elect, Gboyega Oyetola.

    Oyetola emerged the winner of the governorship election in Osun State after rerun election that followed the September 22nd election in the state.

    Read Also: Buhari greets Bishop Olaleye at 60

    The meeting with the President started around 12 noon.

    It was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details Later…

  • Buhari, nine APC governors meet in Aso Villa over primaries

    •We’re looking for way out of crises, says Okorocha

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met behind closed doors with nine governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    After the meeting, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said the APC governors were looking for a way out of the party’s crises resulting from the party’s primaries.

    Besides Okorocha, the others governors that met with the President included Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Sani Bello (Niger).

    Also at the meeting are Simon Lalong (Plateau), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa).

    Most of the governors have issues with the primaries held in their states.

    Some of them were not happy about the NWC’s decision on the primaries in their respective states.

    Some of the governors were not comfortable with the party’s decision to offer automatic tickets to some lawmakers, who remained loyal to the party when some others defected to the opposition.

    The governors were, however, led out of the President’s office after about two hours’ meeting by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

    Kyari followed them to the entrance, where they entered their vehicles.

    He also drove in his vehicle and followed the governors as they moved out from the administration gate.

    But before the governors entered their vehicles, Okorocha spoke briefly to State House correspondents on the purpose of the meeting.

    The governor said the meeting deliberated on various crises emanating from the conduct of the party’s primaries across the country.

    He said the meeting also deliberated on the screening of aspirants for the 2019 general elections by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

    “We came to review the various crises characterising our primaries with a view to finding solution to them. So, we are looking for a way out in this regard.

    “We are going to find solution to the problems; our party believes in justice, equity and fairness.

  • Fighting corruption in Nigeria non-negotiable, says Buhari

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday told former South African President Thabo Mbeki that for his administration, fighting corruption is non-negotiable.

    Mbeki, who heads the African Union High Level Panel on Illicit Flows from Africa, was at the Villa to give the President, who is the present Champion of AU Anti-Corruption Campaign, some critical updates.

    In a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, the President said: “We must fight corruption frontally, because it’s one of the reasons we got elected.

    “We campaigned on three fundamental issues; security, reviving the economy and fight against corruption. It’s the reason we got elected, and we can’t afford to let our people down.”

    Noting that the government was making progress on the anti-corruption war, “and not just talking,” the President said he was very pleased with the assignment the former South African President was carrying out for the African continent.

    He said when Africa is vigorous with the war against corruption, “we will eventually appeal to the conscience of the rest of the world”.

    Mbeki said corruption was an African challenge that must be responded to, “as development challenges can only be met through the check of illicit financial flows”.

    He said he was delighted that Buhari touches on the issue in most of his speeches, with the most recent being at the United Nations General Assembly last week.

  • Buhari, nine APC governors meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with nine governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The governors that met with the President included Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rochas Okorocha (Imo).

    Other are Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Sani Bello (Niger).

    Also at the meeting are Simon Lalong (Plateau), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa).

    Most of the governors have issues with the primaries held in their states.

    They were led out of the President’s office after about two hours’ meeting by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

    Kyari followed them to the entrance where they entered their vehicles.

    Read Also: NJC recommends dismissal of two judges

    He also drove in his vehicle and followed the governors as they moved out from the administration gate.

    But before the governors entered their vehicles, Okorocha spoke briefly to State House correspondents on the purpose of the meeting.

    He said: “We came to review the various crises characterizing our primaries especially the APC with a view to finding solution.

    “So, we are looking for a way out in this regard. We are going to find solution, our party believes in justice, equity and fairness.

    “We are requesting that let the right thing be done and let everyone contest the elections,” he said.