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Tag: BUHARI

  • Saraki to meet Buhari over ‘IGP’s plot to implicate him’

    The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki is expected to meet President Muhammadu Buhari to inform him about an alleged plot by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to implicate him.

    Saraki will lead the leadership of the upper legislative chamber to meet with President Buhari over the alleged plot.

    The Senate president had raised the alarm on the floor of the Senate over a plot by the IGP to implicate him using ‘coerced’ cultists.

    “My Distinguished colleagues, there is an issue which I need to bring to your attention very urgently. Last night, my State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed revealed to me an information at his disposal that a group of suspects who had been in police cells for several weeks for cultism and whose investigation had been concluded with prosecution about to commence under the State law based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Ministry of Justice were ordered to be transferred to Abuja this morning.

    “ According to the information available to the Governor, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim directed the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State to immediately transfer the men to the Force Headquarters.

    “The plan, as the Governor was made to understand is that, under duress, the suspects would be made to alter the statements they already made in Ilorin. They will then be made to implicate the Kwara State Government, and in particular, myself, in their new statement.

    “This plot is part of the strategy by the IGP Idris to settle scores over the declaration by this honourable Chamber that he is not qualified and competent to hold any public office, within and outside the country and that he is an enemy of Nigerian democracy based on his usual disrespectful conduct towards lawful authorities.

    “”In my own view, this plot is an act of desperation, blackmail, intimidation, abuse of office and crude tactics aimed at turning our country into a Police State where top officials cannot be made to obey the law, follow due process and subject themselves to constituted authorities.

    “I want to bring this dangerous development to the attention of all of you my colleagues, the entire country and the international community so that you can be aware of the level of impunity in our country and the danger it constitute to our democracy,” the President of the Senate said.

    Saraki explained that he was bringing the issue to the attention of his colleagues to let them know the gravity of the situation.

    “I know the gravity of the issue that is why I am bringing it to your attention and to continue to let our colleagues and the world know presently the danger we are going with and the levels of the rascality that is going on with some of these actions.

    “I have brought it to your attention and we must continue to play our own role in doing what we believe in the course of our duty.

    “It is very unfortunate but that it the information I have as of now,” the President of the Senate said.

    Read Also: Senate, Saraki fail in bid to stay judgment voiding Omo-Agege’s suspension

    The Senate resolved that the Senate President should lead a delegation to relay the concerns raised on the floor by Saraki. The delegation would consist of the Senate President, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan; the Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye; and the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    Other members of the delegation would included Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Sam Anyanwu, Senator Aliyu Wammako, Senator Fatima Raji Rasaki, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

    NAN

  • 2019: Buhari will win, says Ajomale

    The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Otunba Oladele Ajomale, speaks on the cold war between the Presidency and the National Assembly. He examines President Muhammadu Buhari’s chances in next year’s election, preparations for APC’s convention, the endorsement of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term and other partisan issues. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN reports.

    What is responsible for the endorsement of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term?

    I am not surprised by the growing demand by the people of Lagos State for the re-election of Governor Ambode, because he has delivered beyond expectations in the last three years. Every local government has been turned into a factory site. How he has been doing all this I don’t know. He has introduced new technology at bus terminals, the first of its kind in Africa. The rate at which people are endorsing him is unprecedented; it is obvious; everybody is happy and satisfied. There is no opposition for his re-election.

    I can assure you that he will do better in his second term. You can see the development going on in Epe and Badagry; the upgrading of facilities in the state university, public schools and state hospitals. All those projects being executed are meant to turn Lagos into a smart city. There is also the plan to ensure 24-hour power supply in the state, by increasing power genation. He must be given the opportunity to complete all these projects. After Ambode’s eight-year tenure Lagos will become a world standard city.

    Do you think Buhari will win in 2019?

    I see him winning. No matter the imagination of our opponents, the chances of President Buhari are very bright. We are banking on the votes of the common Nigerians, not the elite that won’t come out to vote. Those asking Buhari not to re-contest ruled this country for eight years as civilian president and three years as military Head of State.

    But, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders are boasting that they will take over Lagos State in 2019. What is your reaction?

    The PDP has never been a threat to the APC in Lagos. Since 1999, they have been boasting of taking over power in the state. How can they take over Lagos when we are in power? When the PDP was in power at the centre for 16 years, they failed to win in Lagos. Even in 2003 when other states in the Southwest were taken over by the PDP, Lagos didn’t fall. It is day-dreaming for the PDP to be talking of taking over Lagos now.

    We are happy and comfortable with the loyalty of the people to the APC in Lagos State. The strength of our party lies in the fulfilment of promises right from the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Anyway, we are not taking them for granted. We are working hard to double what we promised the electorates. I don’t know what magic wand Bode George and his colleagues would apply to win Lagos. To me, it is wishful thinking. Is it now that most of their leaders are in the APC that they would take over Lagos? It is not possible.

    What is responsible for the narrow margin win in Lagos by the APC in the 2015  poll?

    It was due to influence of money. We have heard the revelations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the $2.5 billion meant for buying arms and ammunition to fight terrorists in the Northeast were doled out to PDP bigwigs for 2015 general elections. You will also recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan relocated to Lagos seven weeks before the election, bribing Tom, Dick and Harry, Christian and Muslim clerics as well in order to win the election. Besides, Ifeanyi Uba, a businessman and confidant of Jonathan brought trailer loads of rice to bribe people of Lagos to ensure PDP victory at all costs. When men of God saw money, they jumped at it and started making false prophetic statements.

    No opposition party can survive the on-slaught that the APC experienced in Lagos State in 2015. If not for the resilience of Bola Tinubu and other leaders, the story would have been different. Even if we had won with only one vote, it was a sweet victory. We didn’t have money to fight the PDP; billions of naira was available to them; we just managed the little resources we had. It was the confidence and loyalty of the people that worked in our favour and this will continue to be there for the APC.

    Why the low turn-out of voters in Lagos in 2015?

    People thought their votes won’t count, given the slush funds deployed to Lagos by the PDP. They lost confidence in the electoral process. That apart, the big men living in Ikoyi and Victoria Island consider the day of election as public holiday. They don’t come out to perform their civic responsibility, instead they will sleep. Ironically, they will be the first to criticise government policies. Why not join people in electing their leaders? If you refuse to vote, you will get the type of government you deserve. You can’t be a good Nigerian when you shirk your responsibility.

    Most of these big men don’t have Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). When a disciplined party emerges, they turn ardent critics. They should keep quiet because when we need them they were not there. When they see government doing something good, they will go on television to pull it down.

    The APC National Executive Committee had over ruled the NWC over tenure elongation. How are you preparing for the congresses?

    There was no quest for tenure elongation. I am the Chairman of the states’ APC chairmen. There was never a time we called for tenure elongation.  Considering the time factor, we suggested that a caretaker committee should handle the affairs of the party for one year to forestall disputes and litigations that might likely follow the result of congresses and convention. We made this suggestion against the backdrop of the PDP 2014 congresses and convention that threw the party into turmoil.

    However, the APC had resolved the issue amicably. With maturity, both sides were able to resolve the issue. I am sure the process will go on smoothly. I have the confidence that the congresses and the convention will be rancour -free. Members of the APC will unite and win the 2019 elections.

    Can’t the APC use the same wisdom to reconcile the Executive and the Legislature at the centre to ensure party cohesion?

    It is too late. We should wait for another National Assembly. We shall get it right in the next dispensation. There won’t be animosity. The right people would be placed in the right place.

    The cold war has been on for long. Can you imagine that the APC controls both chambers in the National Assembly, yet government bills and policies don’t sail through. The intervention of the leaders will be desirable, so that the party can curtail the excesses of the legislature. What is happening in the National Assembly is diversionary. Let’s allow sleeping dogs to lie.

    Do you think all is well with the party now?

    I don’t think we have solved all the problems. There are those who failed in their plan to destroy the APC. They didn’t succeed and we know they are still plotting to destabilise the party. But, God is on the side of the APC.

    The loyalty of many of the APC members in the National Assembly is suspect. What they are doing is one leg in and another leg out. Their souls are no longer in the APC. At the time when the heat became unbearable for them in their former party (PDP), we embraced them and treated them equally with the founding members of the APC.  They had thought that the issue of tenure elongation for the NWC members would lead to implosion, so that they will have an excuse to leave the APC and join the new political movement they have been romancing with.

    They should go and let us know how many people remain in the APC. When Atiku Abubakar quit the party, heaven didn’t fall. Their exit will be good riddance to bad rubbish.

     

  • We’ll make Nigerians’ lives better, says Buhari

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his administration will not disappoint Nigerians.

    According to the President, everything possible was being done to ameliorate their hardship.

    Buhari spoke during an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Dutse as part of activities of his two-day working visit to Jigawa State.

    He said he was aware of hardship faced by people as a result of the economic crunch and hike in prices of essential commodities.

    The President said the Federal Government has stopped the importation of rice to encourage local production and empower farmers.

    He thanked the government and people of Jigawa for their warm reception and support to his administration.

    Also at a dinner held in his honour, Buhari said the nation’s economy was steadily improving, as he urged Nigerians to remain optimistic as the future of the country is bright.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President called on Nigerians to continue to support his administration’s well thought-out economic policies.

    He said: “The future is bright for Nigeria, as the economy has taken a turn for the better, our foreign reserves are almost twice the level we met, boosting investor confidence and stabilising the Naira, and inflation has declined consecutively for more than a year.

    “The Federal government released over N1 trillion for capital projects in 2016 and N1.5 trillion in 2017 – figures that are unprecedented in Nigeria’s history,” the President said.

    The President listed the Shuwarin overpass and Dutse-Shuwarin-Kiyawa portion of the Kano-Maiduguri expressway as well as the Dutse-Laraba highway extension as part of areas in which Jigawa State has benefited from the Federal Government’s commitment to infrastructural rejuvenation.

    He hailed the governor for emulating his administration’s commitment to infrastructure growth despite severely limited resources available to the state.

    The President also lauded the state government for subscribing to the Federal Government’s renewable energy master plan by having the largest solar power investment portfolio in the country – the 330 megawatts joint solar power development station situated in Gwiwa Local Government.

    Hailing the success of the Federal Government’s Social Intervention Programme in Jigawa State, the President urged states that are yet to access the over N500 billion budgeted for the scheme due to “its stringent eligibility guidelines” to fully take advantage of the programme.

    Jigawa State Governor Muhammad Badaru reminded the people that Buhari had been doing his best, adding that the country’s economy was in a mess when he (Buhari) took over.

    Badaru said as part of his contribution, the state government would continue to embark on projects that would impact positively on the lives of the people.

     

  • nPDP members leaving APC won’t reduce Buhari’s votes in 2019 – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai on Tuesday said that the threat by the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) members to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) won’t have any negative impact on President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire to win the Presidential election next year.
    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    The Governor said “I don’t agree and I want to go back to 2003. What are we talking about? Who are these new PDP people that are threatening? This is Kwara, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Rivers but I don’t think Amaechi is part of them.
    “So let’s take these four states, go back to 2003 and check. Buhari then under ANPP won in all these four states. Go back to 2007, Buhari won  in these four states. Even when Shakarau was running as a presidential candidate in 2011, Buhari defeated him in Kano.
    “And, I have no doubt in my mind that even if the people threatening to leave, leave, it will have absolutely no impact on the presidential elections, the president will win Sokoto, Kwara and Adamawa easily.

    Read Also: Ignore Baraje’s nPDP threat, Kwara APC urges Buhari

    “Kano is already in the bag, I mean if you saw the crowd that welcome the president without the former governor Kwanasho, Kano has always been the president’s base.
    “To me that is not the issue, the issue is that they have written, they have expressed grievances, some of the grievances are legitimate and should be looked into. But to threaten to leave the party is neither here nor there.
    “If they are honest with themselves they know that President Buhari  will win those states with or without them. But if you have a grievance, we are a party and politics is a game of addition not subtraction, so we don’t want to loose anyone.
    “So, I think those the letters were addressed to ought to study it and look into what is reasonably possible to accommodate them because politics as I said is a game of addition.” he said
    Asked why he deployed electronic voting in his state for the APC Ward congresses, he said “I didn’t come about it, it was the chairman of the state independent electoral commission, Dr. Saratu Dikko Audu, who was my chemistry teacher in the university that proposed the idea of electronic voting. Because, she felt that since we used the card reader in the 2015 elections, the next logical step is to connect the card reader to an electronic voting system and we supported it.
    “They went on a study tour to Brazil, India to study their own voting systems and they finally ended up with a manufacturer in China. The same  manufacturer that manufactured the card reader, designed and manufactured the electronic voting machines for us.
    “The independent electoral commission of Kaduna State, brought in 300 of the machines and spent some months going round the state, market places, people’s homes to test the use of the machines to show that ordinary people can use it. It cost us a lot of money, the entire election cost us in the region of N4 billion.
    “But, mind you with the electronic voting now we don’t need ballot paper, so we saved N1.7 billion in ballot papers alone. And, these machines can be used for three or four more elections because they can last for 10 years, all we need is to upgrade the software to add more parties and so on.
    “So, we believe that overall is good value for money and it has worked very well. What we are very happy about is that ordinary people could use it, the interface was friendly, simply and you can finish voting for the chairman and chancellor in less than 15 seconds.” he said
    On what difference it made in terms of credibility, he said that it gave people the confidence that their votes mattered.
    He added “And for many people that didn’t even want to go out to vote in the elections, curiosity of the electronic voting machines brought them out. It made a lot of difference because the electronic voting machine has a record of how many people have voted and once the time for voting closes, it closes and you cannot take it and add more votes.
    “Of course human factors intervened, some people abducted the presiding officers with the machines and engaged in multiple voting. Some people tried to change the results and of course we are still doing manual collection.
    “But the data in the electronic voting machine can still be used to discredit some of those changes during the tribunal process. And in areas where there were gross abuses in some of the wards and local governments, SIKON has decided that they will be by-elections.
    “One of the problems that led to the human factor problems that I mentioned, was because INEC denied us the use of the Card reader. When we were designing the machine, we had the option of integrating the card reader, so that you come with your voters card, put in your voters card biometrically confirmed that it is your card and then the machine will open for you to vote.
    “But we thought that that will be too complicated since people are used to being accredited separately, it is better we take INEC’s card reader for accreditation and then our machine for voting. But a week to the election, INEC said they are not going to give us the card reader. The reasons they gave to me were not acceptable.
    “I called the chairman and I tried to persuade him to make it available to us but we didn’t get the card reader. I am hoping, I have spoken to him again, that for the bye-elections, the two local governments and the other wards, we are going to get the card reader so that the human link that is subject to abuse would be eliminated and hen you cannot change anything.
    “If you change anything the card reader will expose the number of those accredited and that number must tally with the number of people that voted, otherwise the result gets automatically cancelled. So we are working on that.
    “So I have just seen Mr. President, I have briefed him on this and he has expressed his pleasure at the way and manner as a party in Kaduna, we are allowed free and fair elections. The president believes in free, fair and credible elections and he said it doesn’t matter if you loose some local governments, what is important is for the elections to be free and fair.
    “This is an APC government, it is a government of fairness and justice and he was very happy with the way we conducted the elections with Kaduna so far.” he said
    He disagreed with the claims in some quarters that the electoral law does not support electronic.
    He said “I don’t agree with that. There is an amendment to the Electoral Act that President Jonathan signed a few days before he left office which legitimize the use of the card reader and other electronic systems for voting. So, in my view the current Electoral Act has provision for the electoral voting.
    “But, that is not even what we used in Kaduna. In Kaduna, we enacted our own electoral law that made provision for the for electronic voting machine and card reader, everything was totally legitimized and passed by our State House of Assembly and I think every state can do the same. But, I also believe that the current legal framework allows for it.” he said
    He recommend the use of electronic voting to at the Federal, State government levels and everyone.
    “I have already offered to my colleagues state governors that are yet to conduct local government  elections that they can come to Kaduna and we can give them the machines on mutually acceptable terms.
    “All you will need is to change the software, it will have the logo of the state and the number of parties active in the state and the number of parties active in the state and they can use it. It is easy.
    “At federal level I will recommend it as well because with the card reader and the electronic voting machine, the era of rigging elections is almost over and I think that is when people will have confidence in the process and will come out enmass to vote for their leaders.
    “Having said that, I know we have been working on this for about one year before we got to where we are. Although it is possible for INEC to do it, it will be logistically difficult. But nothing stops them from trying if the resources are available. Because, the machines have already been manufactured, the designs are there, you only need to place the orders to the Chinese and I’m sure they will deliver them in no time.
    “But, you need some months to go round and do some advocacy, to show people how to use it. I think it may be possible to use it in the next elections but I am not INEC. INEC has better appreciation of their logistics challenges I can only give my own opinion about what I think. But, it is something that I highly recommend for adoption through out the country.” he stated

  • I won’t allow anybody to cheat Nigerians – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday said he would not cheat or allow anybody to cheat Nigerians.

    The President stated this shortly after lunching the social intervention programme initiated by Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar, in Dutse.

    Buhari is currently on a two-day working visit to the state.

    Read Also: I will not disappoint Nigerians– Buhari

    He said: “We are fully aware of the present hardship in the country. You are always in our mind. Our thinking, plans and determination always are on how to make your lives better, comfortable and happy.

    “I will not cheat or betray you. We will not allow anybody to cheat you in all circumstances no matter what. Our hope is to positively improve the lives of Nigerians.

    “We are interested in your betterment. We are not in power to cheat you and we will never allow any one to cheat or deceive you Nigerians, either from us or outside.”

     

     

  • Nigeria’s agricultural revolution on course – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday in Auyo, Jigawa State, Nigeria’s agricultural revolution is real and on course.

    He spoke at an event marking the commencement of the rehabilitation and expansion of the 6,000-hectare Hadejia Valley irrigation project in the state.

    President Buhari, according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also assured Nigerians that his administration would sustain the positive momentum in the sector by implementing the right policies and providing the needed financial resources for people-oriented projects.

    The President, who is in Jigawa State for a two-day working visit, expressed delight that the Federal Government’s economic diversification and inclusive growth programmes were yielding positive results, particularly in key food-producing states.

    He applauded the World Bank’s assistance to the project, which when completed would increase water availability for all-season farming in the state and beyond.

    Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Water Resources,  Suleiman Adamu, said works on the Phase One of the project which started during the administration of ex- President Shehu Shagari and received funding under the Petroleum Special Trust Fund had suffered frequent abandonment due to lack of funds.

    Adamu said with N9.6 billion allocated under the $495 million World Bank-assisted Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project in five different irrigation locations in Nigeria, the project would be completed by 2021.

    ‘‘By the time the project is finished in three years, there would be about 6,000 hectares of farmland and the Jigawa State Government also plans to key into the project that will benefit over 25,000 farmers,’’ the minister said.

     

     

  • We have done more with less resources in three years – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday his administration is delivering on promises with clear-cut targets, prudent management of resources and a deliberate policy to plug wastage and pilfering of government resources.

    The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said the President stated this at the palace of the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi, in Dutse, Jigawa.

    President Buhari said the problems of initial dwindling oil prices did not discourage the government from setting targets for lofty developmental projects and achieving more in three years than the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party’s misrule.

    According to him, the growing support the administration currently enjoys can be attributed to the understanding of Nigerians of the unpleasant realities it inherited and the efforts to reposition the economy despite “what the opposition keeps sponsoring in the press.”

    President Buhari directed the Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman Adamu, to work with the Jigawa State Government to alleviate the challenge of water scarcity in the state capital, following a complaint by the Emir of Dutse.

    On arrival in Jigawa, the President began his engagements at Auyo, near Hadejia, where he inaugurated the expansion of an irrigation scheme and paid a visit to the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje.

    The President, who was received by a tumultuous crowd, thanked the Emir of Hadejia and his people for always supporting him even when he was an opposition candidate.

    NAN

  • Ex-PDP leaders to Buhari: shun ultimatum for talks

    Another group of ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, who joined the coalition that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014, yesterday slammed those who claimed that the group was marginalised.

    Last week, a one-time acting chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, led a group to submit a letter to the APC leadership.

    The group claimed that the Buhari administration and the party leadership had neglected its members, despite their contributions to the APC’s success in the 2015 elections.

    The letter, signed by former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, gave the APC leadership seven days to invite them to a meeting on the issues they raised. The ultimatum expires today.

    Another group of ex-PDP members in the APC yesterday challenged the Baraje group to state where a meeting was held that mandated them to write the letter to the party leadership.

    Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Chief Theodore Georgewill and House of Representatives member Abdulmumin Jibrin, in their letter, said Baraje had no mandate or the moral right to write and be making requests on behalf of the group.

    According to them, members of the so-called nPDP had been taken care of in appointments. They described the Baraje group’s letter as self-serving and a personal agenda, adding that the unseen hands behind the letter could be seen from the signatories.

    They also faulted Oyinlola’s role since he had left the party to become the coordinator of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition of Nigeria Movement (CNM) when he signed the letter.

    The Adamu group insisted that should the party leadership or President Muhammadu Buhari call the Baraje group to a meeting, their group should also be invited as critical stakeholders.

    Read also: APC congresses, nPDP and prophecies foretold

    The Adamu group listed the positions being occupied by the former nPDP members, including Senate President, House Speaker, governors, senators, ministers and heads of government agencies. They wondered what else they expected from the Buhari administration.

    Copies of the letter were sent to President Buhari and APC stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Reads partly:

    “We received with great shock and embarrassment the news that a former acting chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje led four others to deliver a letter they claimed was on behalf of the nPDP which is defunct and has long dissolved into the APC during the 2013 merger.

    “In the letter, Baraje stated that we members of the then nPDP group are being marginalised, maltreated and witch hunted in the APC and requested for an urgent meeting with the party and Mr President within one week.

    “As members of the then nPDP, we are aware that the last meeting that was held by the group was in 2014. Since then, no meeting has been called. Where did Alhaji Baraje and Olagunsoye Oyinlola obtain the alleged resolution to write the said letter? When and where was the meeting held? Who are those that attended the meeting?

    “We ordinarily would have ignored such a joke, but it is a dangerous joke taken too far. How can you explain that one of the two signatories to the letter, Olagunsoye Oyinlola has since left the APC for the African Democratic Congress (ADP) after going on AWOL to the Obasanjo Coalition for Nigeria. Yet same person is asking to meet the APC leadership to address grievances? This clearly shows the sinister motive behind the letter which is not far from destabilising the party at this most critical time.

    “In any case, the letter is full of contradictions, false assertions, misrepresentations, distortion of history and facts and in many instances outright lies.

    “We as initiators and founding members of the defunct nPDP therefore wish to condemn and disassociate ourselves from the letter and apologise for the obvious embarrassment the letter have caused to our party and government.

    “We wish to reaffirm our support and confidence in the party and Mr President and we do not in any way feel marginalised or maltreated as we are clearly in the league of the biggest beneficiaries of the party.”

    They added that “While the Muhammadu Buhari- led CPC got the president, the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu- led ACN got the Vice President. We the nPDP as we then were eventually got the combination of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives though under somewhat questionable circumstances.

    “All of these offices control enormous amount of patronage and instruments of reward. It is strange that we did not see any qualms when the Senate President and Speaker dispensed about 200 appointments, including committee chairmen, without asking for nomination from Mr President, Vice President, the APC as a party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as party leader, Baba Akande, pioneer national chairman and a host of others. Is that not marginalisation?

    “If we the nPDP did not view that as marginalisation, then we do not have the moral justification to accuse the President if he appoints his ministers without seeking for our nominees. All the key stake holders of the nPDP were accommodated as follows

    “Senator Bukola Saraki – Senator and Senate President, Hon Yakubu Dogara – member of House and Speaker House of Representatives, Senator Abdullahi Adamu- Senator and Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Adamu Aliero- Senator and Chairman Senate Commitee on Customs, Senator Magatakarda Wamakko- Senator and Chairman Senate Committee on Education, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso- Senator and Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning and Senator Danjuma Goje- Senator and Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation.

    Others include Senator Abdulaziz Nyako- Senator and chairman Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Uchendu- Senator and vice chairman, Governor Aminu Tambuwal- Governor Sokoto State, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje- Governor, Kano State, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed – Governor, Kwara State, Senator Jibrilla Bindow- Governor, Adamawa State, Senator A Bagudu- Governor, Kebbi State, Alh Kawu Baraje- Board chairman.

    The letter said that many other members of the nPDP became senators, members of the House of Representatives and occupy many other positions too numerous to mention.

    The group said: “The only key members that were left with nothing are Governor Rotimi Amechi and Hon Dakuku Peterside who lost the Rivers State gubernatorial election and were promptly accommodated by Mr President. While Rotimi Amechi was appointed Minister of transport, Peterside became the DG NIMASA.

    “The case is the same at the party level. All the party officials promoted by key nPDP stake holders are still holding their positions in the party. How can we then complain of marginalisation by the party?

    “A simple fact sheet is as follows: Senator Danjuma Goje- National Youth leader, Senator Wamako/ Governor Aminu Tambuwal- National vice chairman North west, Alh Inuwa Abdulkadir, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso- National Treasurer, Alh Bala Gwargwarwa, Senator Bukola Saraki/ Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, Governor Rotimi Amechi- National vice chairman   South south, Governor Bindow- National vice chairman Northeast, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Senator Abdullahi Adamu- National Vice chairman Northcentral, Hon Zakari Ede.”

  • Buhari: we’ve done more with less resources in three years

    President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday his administration is delivering on promises made with clear-cut targets.

    He added it was also prudently managing resources through a deliberate policy to plug wastages.

    Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Dutse, Jigawa State, Alhaji  Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi, during a two-day visit, Buhari said the odds of initial dwindling oil prices did not discourage the government from setting targets for projects and achieving more in three years than the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) misrule.

    He said the growing support the administration enjoys could be attributed to the understanding of Nigerians of the unpleasant realities it inherited, and the efforts to reposition the economy in spite of “what the opposition keeps sponsoring in the press”.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, directed the Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman Adamu, to work with the Jigawa State to alleviate the challenge of water scarcity in the state capital.

    The directive followed a complaint by the Emir of Dutse.

    On arrival in Jigawa State, the President began his engagements at Auyo, near Hadejia, where he inaugurated the expansion of an irrigation scheme and visited the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje.

    Buhari, who was received by a tumultuous crowd, thanked the Emir of Hadejia and his people for always supporting him, even when he was an opposition candidate.

    He said his visit to Hadejia was more of homecoming, promising to give more attention to the needs of the people in the Emirate.

    The Emir of Dutse hailed the Federal Government for its efforts in addressing the challenges of corruption, terrorism and drug abuse.

    The traditional ruler requested that the Date Palm Research Centre in Dutse, under the National Oil Palm Research Institute, be moved to the Federal University.

    He explaimed that the research centre would be more relevant and functional in the university.

    Both emirs held special prayers for the President and his administration.

  • Buhari launches N9b irrigation project in Jigawa

    President Muhammadu Buhari has launched the N9 billion Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme (HVIS) rehabilitation project in Auyo Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

    The President is on a two-day visit to the state.

    The project will be executed under the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) programme, which is supported by the World Bank.

    TRIMING is the special intervention programme of the Federal Government to promote sustainable development of irrigated agriculture.

    The contract was awarded to CGC-YSEJ Joint Ventures in 2018, to execute the rehabilitation of gravity irrigation area, involving about 5,346 hectares, and expansion of about 778 hectares, as well as rehabilitation of the barrage.

    It has a three-year completion period and the key components include rehabilitation of Hadejia Barrage and Headworks, with 26.2km embankment and water storage capacity of 11.4 million cubic metres.

    It also involves rehabilitation of the 30km Feeder Canal and North Main Canal; expansion of the 32.8km South Main Canal and rehabilitation of the Main Drain and Drainage Buffer.

    The project, which was initiated about 1981 and 1982, was later abandoned due to poor funding.