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Tag: BUHARI

  • 2019: Bauchi APC adopts Buhari, Abubakar

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State has adopted President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of the state as its presidential and gubernatorial candidates respectively for the 2019 general elections.

    Mr Abubakar Al-Saddique, Press Secretary to the Governor, said in a statement in Bauchi on Friday, that the party took the decision at its stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday at the Government House, Bauchi.

    Al-Sadique said the meeting also reaffirmed the party’s earlier decision to adopt indirect primaries for the election of its candidates for the 2019 poll.

    “The decision becomes necessary in view of the massive infrastructural development and stability in the nation and in Bauchi State.

    “There is improved security and prudent management of resources that have been witnessed under these great leaders,” he stated.

    He quoted the stakeholders as saying that the APC government had initiated policies that had touched the life of the common man hence the adoption of the president and the governor.

    Read Also: Protests in Ondo over ‘imposition’ of candidates

    He said the people of Bauchi state were satisfied with the commitment of the president and the governor to combating insurgency and other criminal activities.

    Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Audu Katagum, has advised all those seeking elective positions in the state to reach out to the electorate who will take the final decision on their ambition.

    “Gov. Abubakar has not anointed candidates and I want to warn all of you against vote buying.

    “The party is working out ways of checking electoral fraud during the conduct of the primaries,’’ Katagum said.

  • We’ll give Nigerian students in Malaysia proper attention – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja assured the Malaysian government that issues relating to the documentation and welfare of Nigerian students in the country will be properly handled to avoid hitches during their stay.

    He made the remark while receiving Letters of Credence from High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria, Mrs Gloria Corina Peter Tiwet, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    President Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said he has instructed the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure full compliance of students with all the requirements for studying abroad, including visas, before departure.

    He said “I have given instructions to the Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign affairs to resolve all the problems related to Nigerians studying in Malaysia.

    “We want to ensure that students don’t get stranded while pursuing their education abroad, especially on issues that have to do with their visas and documentation,’’ he said.

    The President also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of the Republic of North Korea, Mr Jon Tong Chol and High Commissioner of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Wendell Vincent Carlton De Landro.

    He told the Ambassador of the Republic of North Korea that the recent opening of discussions between the country and America, and South Korea, was very encouraging to the ongoing peace efforts across the globe.

    He said “We have observed with keen interest the technological developments in North Korea, and really congratulate you for the innovation.

    “The meeting between North Korea and America received a lot of international publicity and we are all encouraged on the efforts towards global peace,’’ he added.

    The President assured the High Commissioner of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago that the bilateral relations with the country will be improved, especially in the shared interest of petroleum exploration.

    In her remarks, Mrs Peter Tiwet said the process of improving relationship in trade, training and education with Nigeria had already started, promising that all outstanding issues will be resolved.

    Mr Tong Chol and Carlton De Landro assured the President that they will work hard to strengthen relations with Nigeria.

  • Buhari hiding under democracy to hold on to power – Atiku

    Former vice presidential and Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has expressed reservations over President Muhammadu Buhari’s willingness to hand over to any other person, come 2019.

    Atiku however said that should the candidate of the PDP win the presidential election, Pesident Buhari would be forced to do the needful, by respecting the will of the people.

    He said that his fears were borne out of the response credited to President Buhari, back in 1984, ‘that his then military government has no plan for transition to civil rule’.

    The former vice president stated this on Thursday in Lokoja, Kogi State, during his campaign train to meet with the delegates of his party from Kogi.

    He said that the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari lack the capacity to wriggle the country out of economic downturn.

    He described he president’s knowledge of the economy as archaic and lacking in ability to respond to the present realities.

    He said that if elected, he will work assiduously to revamp the economy through giving incentives to both local and foreign investors.

    He lamented the state of the present economy, which according to him, has worsened the livelihood of Nigerians.

    He said that as part of his strategy for economic recovery, he will accelerate massive investment in rail and water transportation.

    Read Also: Why President Buhari must be re-elected, by Borno APC aspirant

    According to him: “If we must rebuild Nigeria, we must give priority to rail transportation. It will keep articulated vehicles off our roads, which will enable them to last longer and remove all the potholes dotting our roads across the country.

    “God has endowed us with the abundance of waterways, but we could not maximise them. In those days, while I was growing up, we used to have steamers all the way from Lagos through Lokoja, up to the far north of Adamawa State. We have not been maintaining them. If we come on board, we will definitely open them up, so that we can also have efficient water transportation.

    On the perceived enmity between him and his former boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he said there was no serious issues between them, just as he promised to present his nomination form for blessings.

  • Why President Buhari must be re-elected, by Borno APC aspirant 

    The re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 Presidential election would ensure the permanent return of peace to Borno State and the North East region, a governorship aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) from Borno has said.

     

    Mamman Idris, after the submission of his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja yesterday, said the re-election of President Buhari would bring the needed peace necessary for the economic revival of the region.

     

    Idris said: “We have to build on the success of Mr. President on  the degradation of Boko Haram due to the leadership drive of President Buhari. It is our  believe that if Mr. President is re-elected for the second term, Boko Haram will be completely eliminated and the peace that Borno used to enjoy will be restored.

     

    “Invariably, the booming economy that Borno used to enjoy will be also restored. So it is our prayers and wish that Mr. President is re-elected so that he can compete the good job he started in Borno and the Northeast region”.

     

    Idris, who expressed gratitude to Northern Borno elders for supporting the aspiration of the Southern Borno for the governorship seat noted that the gesture has dispelled insinuation of marginalization and the quest of the State for decentralization of political power.

     

    Idris, from Southern Borno enjoyed the support of Northern Borno, who purchased the Nomination and Expression of Interest form for him.

     

    He said: “I am overwhelmed and humbled by this gesture whereby my Northern Borno elder were the ones that procure the Nomination form me, from Southern Borno.

     

    “In reality, Southern Borno has not produced a governor whereas both North and Central Borno have produced governors three times. So, this show of solidarity is significant in the history of our State because it has never happened before.

     

    “This show of solidarity has placed on us a responsibility to have an all-inclusive government. We cannot afford to do otherwise because so much faith has been imposed on us by the majority that has shown us this huge level of support”.

     

    The aspirant said with a 180-page road-map for his governorship tenure, return and sustenance of peace, as well as revival of Borno economy through agriculture and industries would be his priority, “We have to ensure that the people return to the land for agriculture.

     

    “The people have suffered from years of insurgency that displaced them, so we have to implement the road-map to the letter so that the people can return to the land, get back their dignity, reintegrate them, sustain peace and reconstruct Borno.

     

    “People come from far an near, even outside the country to come and trade in Borno, but insurgency disrupted everything, so we have to deliberately plan and execute policies that will bring back Borno,” Idris added.

  • Don’t return undertakers to power, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged Nigerians not to allow those who plundered the nation’s commonwealth between 1999 and 2015 return to power.

    There was a mild drama at the NEC Hall of the APC National Secretariat, Abuja, where he submitted his nomination form.

    The drama was created by the insistence of APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole that President Buhari should pay N100 before collecting his party’s digital membership card.

    Oshiomhole also told the President that the party now has over 15.6 million members across the country.

    President Buhari, who expressed appreciation to those who contributed money to buy the form for him, assured all that if given the mandate and reelected next year, he will continue to serve the country to the best of his ability.

    He said: “I am here in person among friends and colleagues to put my name forward to my party, the APC seeking nomination to contest the presidential election next year 2019.

    “Fellow party members, I am taking this step with all humility, sense of responsibility and unquestionable desire to serve and protect the interest of all Nigerians.

    “I am very grateful to those dozens of organisations who have teamed up and contributed funds to purchase these forms. I assure them and rest of Nigerians that if nominated, and if elected, I shall continue to serve you to the best of my abilities.

    “Let me today appeal to party members not to be complacent but to prepare, strategise and win 2019 elections. We must not allow those who brought the country to its knees from 1999 to 2015 to come and take us back.”

    Oshiomhole told the President that within the last two months, the party leadership digitalised the party’s membership register and came up with a digital membership card which cannot easily be forged.

    He said as at the last count, the party’s membership strength across the country stood at 15.6 million, adding that the register had been done in such a way that anybody could verify the membership of any party member within the confines of his room.

    Oshiomhole said: “We want to present to you some of the efforts we have been making since our assumption of office. We promised to activate the membership data, update it and register more members because our party is a mass movement and to be able talk about the size of our party, we need to have evidence that can be verified by all members.

    “We have taken advantage of modern technology to produce what we think is the best or the first in Nigeria. As at last week when they started printing the membership register, we now have about 15.6 million registered APC members across the country.

    “The system has been designed in such a way that from the comfort of any member’s sitting room, you can crosscheck your membership and membership of any one you want to verify without any effort.”

    Read also: Ekiti must grow beyond stomach infrastructure, says Buhari

    Presenting the membership card to the President, the party chair said: “Mr. President, this is your card, which I am proud to say cannot be easily forged or duplicated or printed by road side printers. We are very proud of this achievement because it fits into our mantra of change. We now have a digital membership register.

    “The card will expire December 31, 2023. It is our belief that by then, technology would have improved and we will be able to improve on the card. You have to pay N100 to acquire this because we have to pay for it.

    “For the purpose of a direct primary, every member coming to vote will show his membership card which must correspond with the details on the register before he can vote. We decided display these openly so that people will know that we have basis to conduct direct primary based on a membership register.

    “Before I am misunderstood or misquoted, it goes to say that in spite of the fact that we have this credible membership register, it does not in any way modify or change the decision of NEC regarding the flexibility that was agreed to.

    “At the NWC, we try to give practical expression as transparently as possible so that the party will not only be the largest, it will be smartest, the most democratic and the most cohesive.”

    The President arrived at the APC secretariat at exactly 3.44pm. A crowd of supporters was shouting: Sai Baba.

  • Photos: Buhari presides over FEC meeting

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja.

  • APC: Heavy security at secretariat as Buhari submit forms

    There is heavy presence of security operatives at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) as President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to submit his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms today.

    Visitors, including aspirants, journalists as well as workers and party chieftains, including Chief Segun Oni and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Idi Hong are having a hard time accessing the Secretariat.

    Many were prevented from the usual easy access to the secretariat.

    Read Also: 2019: Buhari to submit nomination form Wednesday

    A Sports Utility Vehivle (SUV) with the insignia of the Deputy Governor of Borno’s was also prevented from entering the compound.

    Plain-clothed security personnel, complemented by armed police mobile units were at both entrances of 40, Blantyre street leading to the secretariat.

    Though the time of arrival of the President at the Secretariat is unclear, the President is expected to arrive at the secretariat, party supporters and loyalists who were prevented from gaining access to the secretariat gate were seeing singing and entertaining guests.

  • 2019: Buhari to submit nomination form Wednesday

    Barring last minute change, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to submit his nomination form for the 2019 Presidential election today, Wednesday 12th September, 2018.

    He would submit the form at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat in Abuja by 3.30pm.

    The President had on Tuesday received the nomination form from the group, Nigeria Consolidation Ambassador Network (NCAN), that bought the form for him.

  • Defectors selfish, paperweight politicians, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday had harsh words for those who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They are selfish and weakest members who could not align with the vision of his administration, he said.

    Buhari spoke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday while accepting the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the 2019 presidential election on APC’s platform.

    The APC had earlier pegged its presidential nomination fee at N55 million but later reduced it to N45 million.

    The form was bought and presented to the President by a political group – the Nigerian Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN).

    In July, the ruling party suffered a gale of defections involving three governors and dozens of federal lawmakers, including Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    The governors are: Samuel Ortom (Benue), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).

    President Buhari, who was referring to the defections that engulfed the party in recent times, said those who left the party could not place national interest above their selfish interests in – line with the objectives of his administration.

    The President, who highlighted the achievements of his administration in the past three years, said corruption had been fighting back from both within and outside the administration.

    He said: “These achievements over the past three years had not been easy. Corruption has been fighting back from both within and outside but we held our ground.

    “Today, I’m pleased to say the weakest amongst us, those whose selfish expectations did not align with our patriotic zeal, have exited our party.

    “We are now a party of strong and patriotic individuals who are ready, willing and able to continue on this journey of building, secured, self- sufficient and corruption-free Nigeria.

    “I am honoured today to receive this nomination form which your members from all over the country contributed to buy.

    “It is a gesture from an association of patriotic Nigerians, which I was made to believe comprises over three million members which believed in our principle of bringing positive things to Nigeria,’’ he said.

    Buhari, who expressed gratitude for being honoured by the NCAN, said that his vision to rescue the nation began in 2002.

    Reliving his political history, he said his decision to contest for the presidential seat in 2007, was informed by the nation’s hopeless state in 2006.

    He said the selfish interest of elected leaders superseded national interest.

    President Buhari, however, condemned the way and manner the 2007 general election was handled, saying the result was a disgrace to the nation.

    He thanked the leadership and members of NCAN, who contributed their resources to buy the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.

    He listed his achievements to include completed rail project and new ones under construction, government support for farmers, including the rehabilitation of fertiliser plants, introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which he said has reduced stealing in public service as well as provision of jobs and cash for the most vulnerable Nigerians.

    In his opening remarks, NCAN’s Deputy Chairman Chuckwuemeka Nwajiuba said the group that bought the Expression of Interest Form for the President was made up of three million Nigerians, some of who contributed as little as N68 to purchase the form after “a triple A assessment of the performance of President Buhari.”

    He stated that the group was convinced to buy the form because of the President’s commitments to the fight against corruption, the fight against terrorism and the rejuvenation of the economy.

    The Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi confirmed that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians pool resources for Buhari’s nomination form.

    Amaechi, who is also Transportation minister, spoke to State House correspondents shortly after the forms were presented to Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

    The minister said the gesture showed that the APC was ready for the 2019 election.

    He said: “This is a group of persons; some people paid less than N1 million; some paid N50, 000; it is a group of hundreds of thousands of people that came together to buy form for the president.

    “I do not see any law we have broken by that. Not one person bought the form for Mr President; not one person brought the money; not two persons; not three; what we saw from their database is hundreds of thousands of persons that raised the money.

    “You can see the huge delegation that came; it is an indication that we are prepared for the election. The President has put the first step forward to show that he wants to run for the second time for the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’

    APC’s National Secretary Mai Mala Buni said even in advanced democracies, once the National Executive Committee (NEC) of a party passed a vote of confidence on the president, nobody would contest with him.

    According to Buni, NEC is the highest organ of the party to take decisions where every interest is represented.

    “Buni said: “So, NEC of APC has passed vote of confidence on Mr President; that means every APC member endorsed Mr President.

    “It is a democracy, we are not saying nobody should come out and contest but the President has right of first refusal.’’

    NCAN’s Board of Trustees Chairman Farouk Aliyu told reporters in an interview that the forms were purchased with contributions from across the country.

    He said the group was excited that Buhari accepted the forms, adding that members would go back to their localities and work towards Buhari’s re-election.

  • Buhari leads delegation to 73rd UN General Assembly

    President Muhammadu Buhari will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, said yesterday.

    The 73rd UNGA will begin September 18 at the UN Headquarters in New York and the General Debate will hold from September 25 to October 1.

    Speaking in Abuja at a news conference on the 73rd UNGA, Onyeama said Buhari  would use the opportunity to assert Nigeria’s position on global issues.

    He said: “It is an opportunity for him to assert Nigeria’s position globally and to put forward our ideas and our vision going forward as a global community.

    “The President will address the 73rd Session of the High-Level General Debate of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on September 25.

    “He will deliver Nigeria’s National Statement on the first day of the general debate of the General Assembly high-level events.”

    The President has been placed as the number 20 on the list of the speakers out of the 193 world leaders that would address the Assembly.

    He would deliver the address to the Assembly on the first day between 8.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. (between 1am and 2am local time).

    Onyeama said the theme for this year’s UNGA is: “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: Global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable development.”

    According to him, the President will be leading Nigeria delegation with the numbers of Ministers and heads of agencies and permanent secretary to the event.

    “Of course, this is the global meeting of heads of state in the world. It is extremely important and it is a rare opportunity for Nigeria as a country to engage with the other countries of the world.” he said.

    Onyeama said the 73rd UNGA will avail Nigeria and other UN member states the opportunity to engage, interface and share best practices toward reaching common understanding and consensus on key issues of global significance.

    According to him, the President will hold bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary-General, some African and other world leaders, as well as few strategic partners during this period.

    He said: “Nigeria’s expected outcome at the 73rd UNGA should be to achieve a well-planned, synchronised and successful participation of Nigeria at the 73rd Session, under the guidance of Mr. President.

    “It will be weighed against the back drop of externalisation of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives through effective engagement.”