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Tag: BUHARI

  • Economic saboteurs had no love for Nigeria – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said those who mismanaged Nigeria’s economy in the past, through fraudulent electricity projects and misuse of revenue earnings from oil, had no love for the country.

    The president stated this when he received members of the Buhari Support Organisations (BSO) led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    President Buhari urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and ensure that only ‘‘people of conscience are in-charge of governance at all levels’’, as the nation prepared for general elections in 2019.

    He said: ‘‘I challenge anybody to check from Europe, America and Asia; between 1999 and 2014, Nigeria was producing 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day at an average cost of 100 dollars per barrel and it went up to 143 dollars.

    ‘‘When we came it collapsed to between 37 and 38 dollars and later was oscillating between 40 and 50 dollars.

    ‘‘I went to the CBN Governor, with my cap in my hand, and asked if we had savings. He told me we had only debts, no savings. Some of the roads were not repaired since the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) days.

    ‘‘I don’t care the opinion you have about Abacha but I agreed to work with him and we constructed roads from Abuja to Port Harcourt, Benin to Onitsha and so on. We also touched education and health institutions.

    ‘‘One of the former Heads of State was bragging that he spent more than 15 billion dollars on power in Nigeria. Where is the power?’’ the President said.

    On the mismanagement of the economy by previous administrations, President Buhari noted that the perpetrators lacked imagination and plans for the development of the nation.

    ‘‘Sometimes, I wonder about those who can afford to send their children abroad for studies and yet continue to sabotage the economy, I wonder what kind of Nigeria they want their children to return to and work. There is a lot of lack of imagination.

    ‘‘If you are working for the country, then you shouldn’t be misappropriating and misapplying public funds the way people did,’’ he said.

    The President noted that under his watch, the 2016 and 2017 budgets recorded the highest appropriation and releases in capital projects, with over N2.8 trillion disbursements in two years.

    The President urged Nigerians to reject those bent on dividing the country along religious and ethnic lines, warning that “they do not mean well for the country.

    ‘‘I have said severally that we do not have any other country than Nigeria and we will remain here and salvage it together.

    ‘‘We have nothing to regret. Absolutely nothing. God has given Nigeria everything. We are rich in human and material resources. Let us keep on praying to God to put people of conscience in-charge at all levels.’’

    On the activities of the support group, President Buhari apologised for not rallying them before announcing his intention to seek re-election in 2019 during a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress on April 9, 2018.

    He thanked members of the group for their resolute support to him as a Presidential candidate in 2015 and all through his term in office, adding that their voluntary sacrifices were an indication of their trust and belief in the great future of the country.

    In his remarks, Ali said the group and majority of Nigerians are passionate about a second-term for President Buhari because of his integrity, honesty, love and patriotism.

    He noted that President Buhari had entrenched fiscal discipline and prudent management of resources, improved the nation’s security and delivered on his promise to revamp agriculture, as a major revenue earner for the country.

  • FG saved N120bn from ghost workers – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday the Federal Government has saved over N120 billion from the elimination of ghost workers in the public service.

    He said the government also saved N108 billion from bank charges following the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    Speaking at the conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award on 15 Nigerians including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, the President said programmes put in place by the current administration has started to yield fruits as shown in the decline inflation rate to 12.5 percent as at May 14.

    He said the recession witnessed by Nigeria in 2016 was due to over dependence on single commodity and unprecedented looting of the nation’s treasury.

    According to him, the current challenge before the government is how to sustain the recovery and ensure growth.

    He said: “As you are already aware, our country, recently witnessed a tough economic period of recession due mainly to over dependence on a single export commodity as well as the unprecedented looting of the treasury. With our determined efforts, we were able to exit recession. The challenge before us now is how to sustain the recovery and ensure growth.

    “The Economic Recovery and Growth plan (ERGP) of this administration targets 7% growth rate by 2020, driven by strong non- oil sector growth in agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, information technology and services.

    “Our aim is to change our narratives from an import- dependent, consumption- driven and undiversified economy to a producing nation where we grow what we eat and consume what we make. Our effort in this regard is beginning to pay off as most indices by which an economy could be measured are looking bright.

    “Our foreign reserve has risen to $47 billion as at April 9, 2018 as against $29.6 billion in May 2015. The inflation rate had dropped to 12.5% as at May 14 2018, making it the 15th consecutive month of fall. The implementation of the Treasury Single Account (ISA) has stopped the pilfering of the Treasury.

    “Some N108 billion has been saved from bank charges. Over N120 billion has also been saved from the elimination of ghost workers in the public service. We have also made steady progress in our diversification programme especially in agriculture and mining.”

     

  • Saraki vs IGP: Senate delegation meets Buhari at Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari is meeting with 10-man senate delegation raised to address the ongoing impasse between the Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Inspector-General of Police over a criminal case involving some suspected cultists.

    NAN reports that members of the senate delegation included former governors of Nasarawa (Abdullahi Adamu), Gombe (Danjuma Goje) and Akwa Ibom, Mr Godswill Akpabio.

    NAN observed that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Mr Ita Enang also accompanied the senators to the meeting with the president.

    It would be recalled that the Senate had on May 9 passed vote of no confidence on the IGP, describing him as “enemy of democracy’’ over his failure to honour its invitations twice.

    Read Also: Senate panel, Omo-Agege trade words over appearance at sitting

    Idris, however, asked the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations), Joseph Habila to represent at the senate.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday also accused the IGP of plotting to implicate him and Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara in a murder case involving some suspected cultists.

    The Senate on Thursday raised a 10-man panel to meet with President Buhari over the allegation leveled against the IGP by Saraki.

  • Power: Obasanjo did not achieve much with $16bn project – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday declared that former President Olusegun Obasanjo  has questions to answer over the spending of $16 billion on power project during his administration.
    Buhari spoke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja while receiving the Buhari Support Organization led by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Ahmeed Ali.
    Although Buhari did not mention Obasanjo’s name, he asked “where was the power after a former president claimed to have spent $16 billion on the project?.”
     “I have to repeat what I want the public to know here. Some of you may not have heard it. Either there is no power in your place or even in the television.
    “I said and I challenge anybody to check from Europe, Asia and America. Between 1999 and 2014, Nigeria was getting 2.1 million barrels per day and average cost of 100 American dollars per barrel. It went up to $143.
    “So Nigeria was earning 2.1 million times 100 time 16 years seven days a week. When we came, it collapsed to $37-38 and it was oscillating between 40 and 54 sometimes. I went to the Governor of Central Bank, thank goodness I did not sack him, he is still there. I went with my cap in my hand and say oya. He said there was no savings, only debt.
    “And you know more than I do the condition of the roads and some of them were not repaired since PTF days. No matter what opinion you have about Abacha, I agreed to work with him and the PTF road we did from here to Port harcourt, to Onitsha, to Benin and so on.
    “On top of other things in the institution, education, medical care and so on. You know the rail was killed and one of the former Heads of State between that time was bragging that he spent more than 16 billion American dollars not Naira on power. Where is the power? Where is the power?
    “And now we have to pay the debts and this year and last year’s  budget I took to the National Assembly was the highest in capital projects: More than 1.3 trillion Naira. Let anybody come and confront me publicly in the National Assembly. What have they been doing? Some of them have been there for 10 years. What have they been doing?
    “So really this country luckily for me I said it about eight years that we have no other country than Nigeria, we should remain here and salvage it together no matter what you have outside.
    “Now we get some of the people with houses here and may be in Abuja or somewhere in America and Europe, they swear, some of them to God that it doesn’t belong to them. But we traced their accounts, through the banks, through their companies, it is their own. But they say it’s not their own. This is a terrible time and the people are saying what are we doing? Why can’t you lock them up?
    “And again I went on by telling them.  I said when I was in uniform, younger and rather ruthless, I got from the President downward, I locked them up in Kirikiri. I said you’re guilty except you prove yourselves innocent.
    “I myself was locked up and those who misappropriated public funds were given back what they have taken away. Who did anything about it? Then I decided to come and put Agbada. I tried one, two, three four times. God agreed. And the third time I came and met a statesman outside the Supreme Court. My Chief lawyer was Mike Ahamba, Roman Catholic and Ibo man.
    “He had witnessed in the box and asked the panel of judges that they should check on certain constituencies in certain states to bring us our register so that we can prove that the people that voted there were the people INEC submitted.
    “They say ah we shall do it. They said no, you must write it. They wrote it. Whether to send to NEC or INEC refused them but when they came to give judgment, this issue was not raised.
    “Another Ibo man, a Roman Catholic, he said that this is what happened. He was among the panel of the judges, he wrote a minority report in my favour. So, why this question of religion and ethnicity and so on. People are worshiping the dollars, the Sterling not to even talk of the Naira.
    “He wrote a minority reports saying this is what we have decided. But the President of that court was my classmate for six years in secondary school; he is from my own state. So, please, we have nothing to regret. Absolutely nothing. Since we all believe that God works in our hearts, not in our talking. God help us, God help our children and grandchildren. We will try as much as we can to work and bring this country to it senses.
    “God has given Nigeria everything; we are rich in human and material resources. Let us keep praying to God that He should put people of conscience in charge at all levels.
    “Sometimes I wonder those who can afford to educate their children  go overseas and train, America, Europe, Asia and so on. I wonder what kind of Nigerians they want their children to come and work with.
    “I think there a lot of lack of imagination. Because if you’re fighting for the country, then you shouldn’t be misappropriating or misapplying the fund the way people do, ” he stated.
    While thanking the support group, he noted that nobody is paying them for what they have been doing.
    “It is because from the bottom of your hearts; you exposed yourselves by identifying with me through opposition to success and after the success you can only get satisfaction through voluntary and understandable way of believing in issues you do. You are only expecting your return from God and you are looking for the future of the country-your children and grand children,” Buhari said.
    The House of Representatives had in 2008 described $16 billion spent on power by Obasanjo’s government as colossal waste, blaming it on “poor budget planning and a lack of proper oversight by relevant bodies.”
    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project had also in 2016 urged the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to immediately appoint an independent counsel to investigate allegations of corruption in the spending of $16 billion on electricity by Obasanjo’s government.

     

  • PDP Accuses Buhari of tyranny witch-hunt

  • ‘Only formidable opposition can defeat Buhari’

    The former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, has said only a formidable opposition can defeat President Muhammadu Buhari next year.

    He spoke at the review of his book, titled: Against the Run of Play.

    The event was held at Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP).

    Addressing a gathering of academics and other professionals, Adeniyi identified fragmented opposition as the most important factor that made incumbent candidates win elections all over the world.

    He said President Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 election because the opposition parties formed a strong force against him and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Adeniyi said such development was rare in other countries, but noted that it is required to defeat any incumbent.

    He said he was yet to see a formidable opposition that could defeat Buhari, adding that All Progressives Congress (APC) was solidly on ground.

    Adeniyi  said: “I don’t expect anything different in 2019 elections. I expect that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will perform better than it did in 2015. I also expect that whoever wants to be president, either the incumbent or challenger, should challenge the process and at the end of the day, we’ll see what happens.

    “The challenge for the opposition is that they have to get their acts together. I keep saying, by the end of 2012 for instance, we already knew who was going to challenge Jonathan in 2015. You can’t say the same thing today. And you need a cohesive opposition to defeat an incumbent. Right now, if you are asked who will be the next candidate, you can mention many names, but you are not sure. And for me, there are only two parties right now; there may be others in future, but now it’s either APC or PDP. All these Red Card, Third Force, and all those things… all that they help is the incumbent because the incumbent has the support base. It is the opposition that is being divided along all these lines.”

    Asked if the campaign for Nigerians to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) can help the opposition, he said: “Yes, it can play a part, but what I think is that Buhari’s biggest challenger today, is ‘go and get your PVC.’ That is not a candidate. Yes. People will get their PVC, but who are they voting for? It’s also important. I like the awareness, I like the consciousness, people are ready to go out and vote, but it also matters who they are voting for and the platform and what those people are bringing to the table. I know that in 2015, there were people who voted, not for Buhari but just against Jonathan. We may end up with the same situation.”

  • PDP to Buhari: Respond to issues raised by APC’s member

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly respond to issues raised by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Timi Frank.

    Frank had in a letter to the President accused the administration of humongous corruption, intimidation of citizens, erosion of freedom, constitutional breaches and persecution of citizens under the guise of the fight against corruption.

    A statement issued by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the allegations made by Frank were too weighty for President Buhari to ignore.

    The party described Frank’s action as patriotic, bold, courageous and in the interest of the nation.

    The statement said: “We therefore urge other democrats and public-spirited persons in the APC to speak out for our nation and take the bold step of withdrawing from the APC and rallying with other well-meaning Nigerians in the repositioned PDP.

    “We implore them to come and join hands with other democrats, who are daily working on the modality to rescue the soul of our nation from the stranglehold of the APC and the Buhari Presidency.

    “Finally, the PDP cautions the APC to stop the unwarranted attack against Timi Frank and others who boldly state the truth, particularly as the current tide of our nation requires the support of patriots, who will rise above partisan sentiments.”

  • Buhari didn’t give CAN N25 million, says Presidency

    •’Only PDP govt could give CAN such amount’

    THE Presidency last night denied the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) N25 million for transportation when the body visited the State House, Abuja.

    Speaking with The Nation on telephone, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu vowed that Buhari could never give such amount away.

    He challenged those peddling the rumour to cross check their facts as such money could have been given to CAN under the past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Presidency.

    He said: “Which Presidency gave CAN N25 million? If anybody tells you that President Buhari gave CAN N25 million, will you believe it?

    “Which Presidency are they talking about, is it under APC or under PDP? Let them go and check.

    “No, no,  it cannot be under Buhari. It cannot be. Not under Buhari. Buhari cannot do that kind of thing. It will not happen.”

    According to media reports, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) is accusing the leadership of CAN of corruption and abuse of office, claiming that the leadership collected N25 million from the Presidency during a visit to Buhari.

    In a memo, titled: ‘NCEF protests: Is NEC of CAN guilty of negligence?’ and signed by the Chairman, Elder Solomon Asemota, SAN, called on the National Executive Council, NEC, to investigate alleged high-handedness of the CAN President.

    According to the memo, NEC should immediately convene an emergency meeting to consider the issues raised and set up the process for investigation of CAN President Rev. (Dr.) Samson Olasupo and his suspension until the allegations have been investigated and he is cleared of wrongdoing.

    The memo urged the NEC to ensure that the investigation looks into the activities of other CAN officials on whose heads allegations of wrongdoing and misconduct hang.

    The Christian elders argued that it has the statutory right to “make its position public to Nigerian Christians and alert them that, if Christianity is destroyed in Nigeria or Christians continue to get slaughtered, the present NEC of CAN should be held responsible”.

    Ayokunle had dismissed the allegations.

     

     

     

  • 2019: PDP will reverse Buhari’s achievements if it wins, says Presidency

    The Presidency has warned that the People Democratic Party (PDP) will reverse the achievements President Mohammadu Buhari led All Progressive Congress (APC) government has made since coming into office if it wins the 2019 presidential election.

    The Presidency in an article by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity Garba Shehu, said what the PDP means and cost of the “Changing the Change,” is that they will mostly reverse the gains the present administration has brought the country.

    He also said the removal of Buhari will result in the return of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), to the old order where they were kept as a toys, or bulldogs which teeth had been removed and assets collected returned to corrupt individuals.

    “The real meaning and cost of the “Changing the Change,” is that if they win the next election, they will not take us back to where we were in 2015, they will mostly reverse the progress the APC has brought to the nation. The main reason for the defeat of the PDP in 2015 was corruption. The present administration at the centre led by President Muhammadu Buhari has so far presented a corrupt-free image of itself. It has also succeeded in abolishing grand corruption at the top and as attested to by the American President, Donald Trump. The government has significantly brought down the level of corruption in the whole country. It has, however, warned over and again that corruption was fighting back”. he said.

    “Many who are discerning would have read this from President Buhari’s speech when he inaugurated the impressive new headquarters building of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) a week ago. He narrated how and why he was overthrown as a military Head of State in the 80s”.

    “In that speech, he said not only was he kicked out because he fought corruption, the ones who took power freed all those that he had jailed, and whatever they stole was returned to them. He took their place in prison and stayed there without trial for 36 months, until that day when a journalist in Benin, now in Edo, broke the story that he had lost his mother. That was when he was allowed to go home”.

    “The real difference between the PDP and the current APC administration is that although they mouthed a flood of rhetoric against corruption, in fact rightfully lay the claim of founding the institutions now in the forefront of fighting corruption as a government, the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, they had intended to keep them as toys, or bulldogs which teeth had been removed. No, they never intended that the war against corruption would be taken this far.

    “To change the change would mean that the teeth of the bulldog will be removed. It would then only bark but not bite.

    “In this country, politics is often considered as synonym of corruption. The previous government came under huge criticism for scandals like that discovered in arms procurements in the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA which transformed itself into a major source of funding of the PDP; NNPC crude oil thefts, broadband spectrum licensing scandal, oil subsidy scam and so many others but the present government has not faced any such corruption allegations”.

    “Although he said he was unafraid and would not bend, the President’s concern, and fear on the part of many is that if a corrupt leader takes over, it will be happy days all over again for former Oil Minister Diezani Allison-Maduekwe who has so far forfeited USD 153 million, N23.4 billion, and USD 4m and USD 5m in separate accounts. “Change the Change” would mean she will get the money back. So would the former Managing Director of the maritime agency, NIMASA get back GBP 578,080 seized from him and the Ikoyi apartment owners have back their USD43.4m; N23m and GBP 27,800”.

    “There are many today who take for granted the declared victory over the Boko Haram terrorists, forgetting the reign of the bomber who made it almost impossible for regular attendance in markets, Churches and Mosques in many of our cities, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”.

    “But again, as we have seen from the heist in the national security establishment, even Boko Haram was an industry from which money was scooped. Boko Haram was the hallmark of a flourishing business of corruption. The beneficiaries won’t like that the security threat is eliminated. Yes, for them, “Changing the Change” is an opportunity for a resumption of business as usual, ” Garba Shehu stated.

     

  • Buhari congratulates Falana on 60th birthday

    President Muham-madu Buhari yesterday saluted erudite lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) on his 60th birthday.

    Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, joined family members, friends and professional colleagues of the cerebral lawyer in celebrating the milestone.

    The president noted with delight that Falana’s career as a lawyer had been marked with honours and awards for forthrightness and advocacy for the good of every Nigerian.

    He therefore commended his sense of patriotism over the years, and his advisory roles to leaders, institutions and governments, especially on the value of good governance.

    The President believed that Falana’s antecedents had been most exemplary and commendable in advocating for a better life for the poor and underprivileged.

    He prayed that the Almighty God would grant the human rights lawyer longer life, good health and more wisdom to keep serving the country.