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Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari battling cheats to protect poor, says Keyamo

    Spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation Festus Keyamo (SAN) yesterday said the president is confronting the wheelers and dealers of the Nigerian society to protect the poor.

    He said those at the receiving end of the President’s actions are behind the blackmails and the fake news to discredit his government.

    Keyamo spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, while delivering a lecture organised by the Kwara state chapter of the Buhari/Osinbajo Project 2019.

    He added that President Buhari had taken the bullets from the rich to protect the poor in the last three years of his administration and urged the people to reciprocate the gesture.

    Keyamo said: “Some elements have accused us of not fulfilling our promises of making ‘Nigeria heaven on earth.’

    “But the ultimate end of any struggle is to establish a system that will make a deliberate effort to confront the wheelers and dealers of the society; to protect the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. I can tell you that there is no government in the history of this country since 1960 that has compensated the poor, the vulnerable in the last three years than this government.

    “There is no government that has gone after recovering what belongs to you with serious-mindedness more than this government in the last three years. I am sure you were all living witnesses to the humongous amount of money recovered in pit latrines, wardrobes, in villages, water tanks and even graveyards. Whilst this was going on, the blackmails, the fake new were so intense. What Buhari has done in the last three years was to take the bullet from the rich in order to protect the poor.

    “Previous governments sold our people out for political correctness. But Buhari refused. For six months they refused to pass the budget. He was looking at them, they were looking at him.

    “When they were tired, the same bad eggs who left us in this state were the champions of those forces. So you have a President who has fought for you, why can’t you fight for him. This is the time he needs you more to fight for him.  It is reciprocal and that is why we must remind ourselves today why we must stand firmly behind him.”

    Keyamo described those that defected as self-serving and having no interest in the masses.

    “Most of those bad eggs that left us complained of inclusiveness.

    “Inclusiveness is a euphemism for sharing formula. And that was the system of governance that was established before 2015; before President Buhari came on board.

    “Those bad eggs that have left us, rather than accept that we should invest money on infrastructure they would rather the money is shared among themselves, the system we had before 2015 was the one that denied physical infrastructure in this country.

  • Buhari protecting the poor, says Keyamo

    Spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation Festus Keyamo (SAN) said yesterday that the President was confronting wheelers and dealers of the society, to protect the poor, weak and vulnerable.

    He said this has given rise to blackmails and fake news to discredit the Federal Government.

    Keyamo, who spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a lecture organised by the state chapter of the Buhari/Osinbajo Project

    2019, said the President had taken the bullets from the rich to protect the poor in the last three years, urging the people to reciprocate the gesture next year by re-electing him.

    He added: “Some elements have accused us of not fulfilling our promises of making ‘Nigeria heaven on earth.’

    But the ultimate of any struggle is to establish a system that will make an effort to confront the wheelers and dealers of the society. To protect the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. I can tell you that there is no government in the history of this country since 1960 that has compensated the poor, the vulnerable in the last three years than this government.

    “There is no government that has gone after recovering what belongs to you with serious-mindedness more than this government in the last three years. I am sure you were all living witnesses to the humongous amount of money recovered in pit latrines, wardrobes, in villages, water tanks and even graveyards. While this was going on, the blackmails, the fake news were so intense. What Buhari has done in the last three years was to take the bullet from the rich in order to protect the poor.

    “Previous governments sold our people out for political correctness. But Buhari refused. For six months they refused to pass the budget. He was looking at them, they were looking at him.

    “When they were tired, the same bad eggs, who left us in this state, were the champions of those forces. So you have a President who has fought for you, why can’t you fight for him. This is the time he needs you more to fight for him. It is reciprocal and that is why we must remind ourselves today why we must stand firmly behind him.”

     

  • LP to deliver 16m votes to Buhari

    The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Mike Omotoso, said yesterday that  the party would deliver about 16 million votes to President Muhammadu Buhari in next year’s presidential election.

    Omotoso, the 2015 governorship candidate of the party in Kwara State, spoke in Ilorin at the launch of canvassers for President Buhari’s re-election.

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed had hinted that the President’s re-lection would be boosted by no less than 16 million votes through the administration’s feeding programme for school pupils.

    The LP chairman said the party was discussing with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He added that the party would deliver workers’ votes to the President.

    Omotoso said: “No man is God. This is the time to bail our people out of political bondage.

    “However, our terms with APC must align with the ideals of the workers, as the party is that of the downtrodden and the masses.”

    The Interim Caretaker Chairman of APC, Bashir Bolarinwa, urged members to support Mohammed, as he is the leader of the party in the state.

    He said: “With that we will capture power from a hegemony that has over the years held us hostage.

    “We must not allow ourselves to be deceived by the blackmails and lies against President Buhari.

    Prophets are not respected in their homes. What happened in 1985 when he was overthrown must not happen in 2019.”

     

     

  • 2019: Labour Party pledges 16m votes for Buhari

    National Chairman of the Labour Party Dr Mike Omotoso on Thursday said the party will deliver about 16 million votes to President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections.
    Dr Omotoso, 2015 governorship candidate of the party said this on Thursday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at the launch of canvassers for President Buhari’s reelection in next year presidential election.
    Earlier, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed hinted that the president’s reelection would be boosted by no less than 16 million votes through the administration’s feeding programme for school pupils.
    The Labour Party chairman said the party was on discussion with the All progressives Congress (APC).
    He added that the time to salvage the time from one man’s rule is now, assuring that the party would deliver workers’ votes to the president.
    He added that “no man is God. This is the time to bail our people out of the political bondage.”
    “However, our terms with APC must align with the ideals of the workers, as the party is that of the downtrodden and the masses,” he said.
    Also speaking interim Caretaker chair of APC in the state Hon Bashir Bolarinwa urged all to sincerely queue behind Alhaji Lai Mohammed as he is the current leader of the party in the state.
    He added that “with that we capture power from a hegemony that had over the years held us hostage.
    “We must not allowed ourselves to be deceived by the blackmails and lies against President Muhammadu Buhari against his reelection.
    Prophets are not respected in their homes. What happened in 1985 when he was overthrown must not happen in 2019.”

  • Buhari forecloses former DSS boss Daura’s return

    Despite pressure from some forces, including members of his kitchen cabinet, President Muhammadu Buhari has foreclosed the reinstatement of sacked Department of State Services (DSS) Director-General Lawal Daura, The Nation has learnt.

    Some of the lobbyists, it was learnt, trailed the President to London to mount pressure for the reversal of Daura’s sack. He was relieved of his duties by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo

    Those against the ex-security chief’s return argued that his sack saved the nation’s democracy and boosted the Buhari administration’s democratic credentials.

    The battle has since shifted to the Presidency, over the search for a new Director-General.

    Some favour the retention of the office in the North. Many want acting DG Mathew Seiyefa to be confirmed to prove a point that the President has a national outlook.

    The argument for Seiyefa is borne out of his having less than one year to retire. He has spent 34 years in service.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The forces pushing for Daura’s reinstatement have lost the battle because the President has foreclosed his return.

    “The President has no plans to bring back Daura under any guise. He believes this administration is one and will not overrule his deputy. He is a man of discipline and not an ethnic bigot.

    “What happened is that some ministers, a few kitchen cabinet members and influential people close to the President sneaked into London to meet with Buhari to overturn Daura’s sack.

    “They alleged that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo sacked Daura before informing the President who was on vacation, said the source, who added:

    “They were not aware that the President and the Vice President had discussed the fate of Daura and some security chiefs at least two weeks before the President proceeded on vacation in London. The two leaders had agreed on the need to effect a few changes.

    “Osinbajo acted in line with the template set by his boss and acted appropriately.”

    It was leaent that while in London, “a former Head of State and a minister in the kitchen cabinet advised the President to ignore these influential forces pushing for Daura’s return in view of the democratic mileage the administration scored with his removal after the unauthprised invasion of the National Assembly by hooded DSS operatives.

    “The ex-Head of State warned on the diplomatic and international implications of reinstating Daura. The Minister also minced no words in confronting those who wanted the ex-DG back in office.”

    A source in government also gave insights into Daura’s removal.

    The source said “while it is true that the Vice President sacked Daura before informing the President, it was in line with the earlier decision by the two leaders to tinker with the security apparatchik.

    “There was a template which the President would have worked on after the vacation which Osinbajo implemented. Osinbajo informed the President of the action he took and the President endorsed it because the Presidency is one.”

    “So, when Daura acted against democratic norms, he was invited to the Presidential Villa by the Acting President. While seated in a part of Osinbajo’s office, waiting to see the VP, his removal.

    “He was then escorted out of the back exit of the VP’s wing to a safe house for debriefing. There were no altercations in any manner between the VP and Daura.”

    On the sucession matter, a security source said: “It is either the retention of Seiyefa or appointment of a new person as the substantive DG. For Seiyefa, who has less than a year left in service, this is the second time, he will be closer to clinching the job.”

    Seiyefa  In 2010, he lost to former DG Ita Ekpenyong, who was said to have been preferred by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Some “forces” are said to be pushing for a northern candidate to succeed Daura, but others in the kitchen cabinet have made a strong case for Seiyefa to prove a point that Buhari has a national character contrary to the accusation by some politicians that he is an ethnic bigot.

    “ Seiyefa and three other Deputy Directors-General in the DSS are eminently qualified for the job. But Seiyefa is the most senior and for a service where hierarchy matters, he is first among equals,” the source said, noting however that “if Buhari goes out of the service to pick a new DG, it might lead to his exit and that of other three Deputy Directors-General”.

  • Buhari hails security men

    President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to emulate the two security men, who returned a handbag filled with valuables forgotten at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by an American returnee.

    Such conduct, he said, reflected the new Nigeria all desired.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, reads: “A Lagos-based doctor, Banji Oyegbami, met a family returning from America at the airport on August 18. In the process of loading their luggage into the car of their host, the handbag of the returnee’s wife fell, unknown to anyone.

    “It was not till 90 minutes later that an officer of Halogen Securities, on duty at the airport, called the couple, to come for the retrieved bag.

    “When the bag was eventually collected, the contents, including a handsome amount of American dollars, phone, wrist watch and other valuables were found intact.

    “The couple offered a generous gift, but Messrs. Francis Emepueaku and Achi Daniel declined, saying they were merely performing their duties.”

    According to him, President Buhari believed that despite the scoffing of a minority number, Nigeria was on the road to a new dawn.

    The President said: “Honesty remains the best policy. We must exhibit such behaviour in whatever position we find ourselves, whether high or low.

  • 2019: Delta Ijaw unite to deliver state for APC, Buhari

    Ijaw leaders in the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have expressed their resolve to pull their resources together to deliver the state to the party for the second term victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in next year’s general elections.

    This was part of the resolutions in the communiqué issued at the end of an enlarged meeting of the party at the Ugborikoko, Warri home of Ijaw APC leader, George Timinimi.

    The meeting was attended by many Ijaw chieftains and APC members from Warri South-West, Patani, Bomadi, Burutu, Warri North and Warri South local government areas.

    The communiqué was signed by Timinimi and other party leaders, including Sir Theodore Ezonfade, Denbo Dembofa Oweikpodor, Ebikabowei Victor, Alphonsus Feh, Chief Micheal Johnny, Comrade Collins Eselemo, as well as APC Ijaw local government chairmen and 53 others.

    They agreed that Ijaw leaders would work for the re-election of President Buhari because of his unique achievements in the last three years.

    They named former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva; the Minister of State for Agricultural and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Authority and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, as national leaders of the Ijaw in the APC.

    Communique said: “The Ijaw in Delta State APC pledge their total and unalloyed support for the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election due to his administration’s monumental achievements in infrastructural development, economic stability, people-oriented programmes for the vast majority of the less privileged and the giant strides achieved in his anti-corruption crusade.

    “The Ijaw in Delta State APC have affirmed that henceforth, George U. Timinimi is their leader. This is premised on our collective desire to be focused as a people with coordinated leadership to deliver the dividends of democracy to our area.

    “The Ijaw in Delta State APC hereby affirm that Chief Sylva, Senator Lokpobiri, and Dr Peterside are the leaders of the APC in Ijaw land. We, therefore, pledge our support and loyalty to the trio as we partner with them to liberate the entire Ijaw nation from the shackles of the opposition.”

  • Buhari to fund treatment of visually- impaired corps member

    President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to fund the treatment of a 28-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Okenala Ahmed, who is visually-impaired.

    Ahmed, a graduate of Insurance from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, is serving in Daura, Katsina State.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Ahmed was among the corps members who visited President Buhari on Tuesday in Daura, as part of activities to mark Eid-el-Kabir.

    He said: “In the course of the President’s interaction with corps members, the Corps Liaison Officer (CLO), Jibrin Ishak, appealed for assistance for the physically-challenged member.

    “According to the CLO, the indigent corps member, who is from Offa, Kwara State, had contemplated redeployment from Katsina State due to his health.

    “President Buhari will undertake the cost of treatment of Ahmed, who is an Economics teacher at Government Day Senior Secondary School, Daura.”

  • Buhari laying foundation for better future, says Tinubu

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has described the President Muhammadu Buhari administration as foundation for re-engineering and reinvigorating the economy for a better future.

    Making the remark in Lagos yesterday during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Tinubu noted that a strong foundation mattered in nation building.

    According to him, building such foundation required patience, perseverance and commitment as it often presented difficulties for the people.

    He said: “Economic development and the future of the youth are crucial in the growth of any nation and we are taking care of that.

    “You have to re-grow the economy, re-engineer it from bottom-up, during that process, it is always very difficult for ordinary people.

    “They bear the brunt of the economic difficulties because they are in the lower cadre of the society.

    “You can only use and depend on what you have and if you manage to use resources carefully, yes, you end up enjoying a multiple development in the country and that is why I always emphasise that foundation matters.

    “Foundation is crucially important. I have listened to the people. I have been in contact with them at the grassroots.

    “Even this house is not spared too, from demands from the poor and the needy, but without re-growing the economy, re-tooling, re-engineering the economy, we will not have anything.

    “We ate the seed of growth for breakfast. Therefore, there is nothing for lunch or dinner. Nothing to harvest… that is what we talk about looters.

    “But it will not take a magical touch to bring it to reality. It takes patience and perseverance. Three years is not enough time to for retouching, redevelopment and re-engineering the country.

    “There is a lot of hope, there is a lot of expectation, but when the treasury was empty, when the salaries were outstanding, when the quality of life is low, what will you do?

    “We have oil, they didn’t save money and we have not diversified the economy. We have eaten our dinner for breakfast, nothing in the kitchen.

    “There is no magic about it. It takes dedication, commitment and perseverance.

    “Yes, we might not be communicating effectively with the people but we are working to make things better.”

    Tinubu noted that the country needs a focused and determined leader like Buhari to gradually re-engineer the economy for the benefit of all.

    The former Lagos State governor said: “Nigerians adopted democracy and we are going to live through this democratic government.

    “We need a President Buhari to retool and re-engineer, that is what he is doing in the economy and he is doing it gradually, otherwise we don’t want it to fall apart again.

    “Continuity, perseverance, and endurance, those are what we need. Our determination is progress for the country and for the people. We can’t go back.

    “I am very proud of what I have done in Lagos to be where it is. We were meticulous, dedicated and focused and we lifted the spirits of our people and that is why it is important for Nigerians to be focused now.”

    Tinubu urged Nigerians to make sacrifices, endure, tolerate and forgive one another in the spirit of the Eid-el-Kabir festival.

    “When you pray for forgiveness, you must be able to give forgiveness if you think you deserve forgiveness. Can you ask God to give you what you cannot give to another fellow human being? That is simple,” Tinubu said.

  • Dickson: Buhari phoned me from UK on my mum’s death

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson yesterday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for calling him on telephone from the United Kingdom during his vacation to commiserate with him and his family on the death of his mother, Gold Coast Dickson.

    Madam Dickson died on August 8 at the MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, Texas, United States.

    The governor also appreciated the Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo for also calling him on telephone to condole with him.

    Dickson, in a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, hailed Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former leaders for commiserating with him and his family.

    He said the President, although he was in the United Kingdom at the time of her death, called and commiserated with him and his family.

    “Let me, on behalf of my family and government of Bayelsa State, express our deep appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari, who took time off his vacation in the United Kingdom to call to condole with me and offer prayers for my mother and family.

    “Similarly, I thank the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who also called me to commiserate with us in our moment of grief”.

    Dickson paid glowing tributes to his late mother, describing her as an integral part of his journey in life.

    The governor, in his brief remarks  during a solemn service organised by the government at the Governor’s Lodge in Yenagoa to commiserate with him, said his mum, popularly known as Mama Gogo, was more than just a mother.

    “My mother has been an integral part of my journey. She was not just my mother. She was my elder sister, she was my rock, my counselor, my guardian angel and because of her subtle style, people might not know the level of her influence.”

    He explained his mother complained of leg pain in January, which was discovered at Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre to be cancer.

    The governor also applauded former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for not just calling him but also writing formal letters to condole with him and his family.

    He said: “I was humbled by the outpour of concern and love shown to me by my colleagues and brother governors, who spared precious time out of their busy schedules to commiserate with my family and I. I am also grateful to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for identifying with us in our most trying period.

    “I specially thank the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Senate President Professor Ike Ekweremadu, the leadership of the National Assembly and all federal lawmakers and former leadership of the National Assembly for commiserating with us.

    “The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Working Committee (NWC), ably led by Prince Uche Secondus, mourned with us, for which we are highly appreciative.

    “I equally appreciate the concern, prayers and support of many former governors, deputy governors, friends and political associates who continue to stand by us.

    He thanked the state for the outpouring of genuine grief and called for prayers for the family, especially during this period.

    The governor added: “I want to sincerely thank the leadership of other political parties for setting aside partisan affiliation and interest to identify with us in our grief.

    “I cannot forget the outpour of condolences and support of all presidential aspirants of our party who stood by the Dickson family”.

    He listed the presidential aspirants: Atiku; Governor of Gombe State Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo; Sokoto State Governor Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and former Governor of Kaduna State and Caretaker Committee Chairman of PDP Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

    Others are former Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Sule Lamido; ex-Governor of Sokoto State Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Kano State Governor Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, and ex-Minister of Special Duties  Saminu Turaki.

    He said: “I am not oblivious of the support, care and prayers of the government and people of Bayelsa State, monarchs and senior citizens of the Ijaw nation for the Dickson family.

    “I cannot end the appreciation without thanking captains of industry, corporate Nigeria, civil society, the media, Nigeria Bar Association, churches and faith-based organisations for their support and prayers.

    “Our appreciation also goes to the doctors who did their best to give support, care and treatment to our mother before her passing. We thank the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, Texas, United States, for treating and taking good care of Mama.

    “We also appreciate the management and staff of the Bayelsa State Diagnostic Centre, Yenagoa, where Mama Gogo was first diagnosed of cancer and for giving care to her before she was referred abroad for further treatment and management”.