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Tag: BUHARI

  • C&S leader to Buhari: Be ruthless in fighting corruption

    The Supreme Head, Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria, Prophet Solomon Adegboyega Alao, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari “to be ruthless in fighting corruption”.

    He noted that corruption has eaten deep into all the facets of the society and it is only a president that is ready to fight it with iron hands that can succeed in curbing the trend.

    The clergyman spoke to newsmen at the weekend during the retreat of the National Council of Prophets and Prophetesses of the Church held at Seraph Land, kilometer 40, Lagos/Ibadan expressway, Maba, Ogun State.

    Prophet Alao said corruption is ungodly and urged all God-fearing Nigerians to support the President in fighting the hydra-headed monster.

  • Buhari greets APC chair Oshiomole at 67

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on the occasion of his 67th birthday.

    Buhari hailed the former Edo State governor for providing purposeful, courageous and tenacious leadership.

    The President was quoted by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, as saying that Comrade Oshiomhole, after many years of serving as a labour leader, brought a new dynamism into the collective effort to make democracy and development more inclusive in the country, recognising his vibrant relationship with Nigerian workers and ordinary people.

    As the Chairman of APC, the President believed the strides recorded in the last elections across the country clearly testify to Oshiomhole’s visionary and vibrant leadership.

  • Onnoghen’s resignation: Buhari is vindicated, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Friday that the resignation of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen has vindicated the action of the President and the stand of the party who earlier called for his resignation.

    Justice Onnoghen’s resignation is coming few hours after the National Judicial Council reportedly recommended to the President Muhammadu Buhari to retire him with full benefits.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu told newsmen in his office that the resignation of the suspended CJN would have been the first step for him to take when it became obvious that he made a mistake of not properly declaring his assets as required by law.

    He said with the CJN standing trial for none declaration of assets and the previous trial of the Senate President for the same purpose, it is gradually becoming clear to public office holders that there is nobody above the law in the country.

    Onilu said a time is coming when a President who misbehaves will also be docked for wrong doing, stressing that all those who criticised the President for obeying the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal will now realise that their action was not in their interest of the country.

    Onilu said: “The issue we have in this country is that, many people, especially those who have been part of the impunity of the past are struggling badly to adjust to the reality of rule of law. That is the major issue we are facing in this country.

    “There are so many struggles to allow the past. It is not good enough for us as a country to allow it go. All of us must rise and face the future; a future of promise and a future of change, so that we can move to the ‘Next Level’.

    “When this happened, the PDP and some of their allies in the Civil Societies read the barometer of politics and we do know that, until we rise above sentiments, no matter what part of the divide you find yourself, we must realise that this as an issue that has to do with our country. That is the only way we can progress.

    “We knew right from the beginning that what the allegations against the former Chief Justice of Nigeria were too serious to be swept under the carpet and we know that the President does not act on frivolities.

    “He must have done his background checks and must have gotten good information to have taken the action he took especially when there was basis for the action that can be legally proven.

    “Those lawyers, so-called Senior Advocate of Nigeria who had over the years dip their hands along with some of these judicial officers into the till of this country, continued to lampoon the President, lampoon the APC and blaming this government that is doing its best to right several of the wrongs that we have been used to.

    “We were actually the one trying to deepen democracy and this party rose in the defense of the President because we understand what the President was doing and that he meant well, and we know the real purpose that drives his actions.

    “Now, events have proven the President right. Events have proven the party, APC right. Events have proven those Nigerians who believe Nigeria first and any other things after – events have proven them right.

    “We all can only be hiding behind one finger, otherwise we knew Nigerians, reasonable Nigerians knew from the word go that those allegations were not cooked up and if they were real, the next thing for the CJN to have done was to have stepped aside. If he had done that, the question of, he wouldn’t be the only one, why he should not have arisen? There is nowhere in the world where judgment is passed on every sinner at once.

    “It is not every armed robber you can catch the same day. And even some you know, the slow pace of justice may not catch up with them immediately, but we must continue to see evidence that we are moving towards that sanity and that we are making progressive efforts and sending strong signals to people who think this country must continue as long as they are comfortable and the rest of Nigerians are suffering. We must send that signal to them that it is not going to be business as usual.

    Read Also: Suspended CJN, Onnoghen resigns

    “Now, you have seen the head of National Assembly, Senate President in the dock. Now, you have seen the CJN in the dock. So, one day, we will see a President that will also misbehaves, in the dock which now shows that nobody is above the law and that we are all equal before the law.

    “So, anybody who finds himself in any position should now begin to look closely at his own actions knowing fully well that today may protect him but tomorrow may expose him.”

    Also reacting to the development, the Buhari Media organisation the failure of Justice Walter Onnoghen (suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) to declare his assets and thus breaching the Code of Conduct expected from Judicial Officers, among several other malfeasances and breach of the Money Laundering Act, are too grave to be treated with kids gloves.

    In statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, its Coordinator and Secretary respectively, noted that the offences that are being prosecuted and that have been petitioned against Justice Walter Onnoghen have tainted the sanctity of the judiciary and are not matters to be played with or treated with levity.

    “Justice Walter Onnoghen is alleged to have out rightly failed to

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  • 2019 election: Tribunal orders service of another petition on Buhari

    The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has ordered that President Muhammadu Buhari be served a petition, challenging his victory, through the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A three-man panel of the tribunal, led by Justice Abdu Aboki, gave the order on Friday in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and its presidential candidate, Pastor Aminchi Habu.

    The tribunal ordered that copies of all the processes filed by the petitioners be served on President Buhari through the APC’s National Legal Adviser at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

    Read Also: Buhari salutes Oshiohmole for building strong, unified party

    Petitioner’s lawyer, Aliyu Lemu, while arguing the motion, told the tribunal that the bailiff had problem serving President Buhari in his office.

    He said it was necessary that the President, who is listed as the second respondent be served through substituted means so that their petition could be heard within the stipulated 180 days.

    The petitioners are, in the petition, praying the tribunal to invalidate the 2019 presidential election.

    They also want the tribunal to order a rerun, for omitting the name of its party’s presidential candidate from the ballot papers used in conducting the election.

     

     

  • Tribunal orders PDM to serve Buhari petition through APC

    The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has permitted the candidate of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Mr Aminchi Habu to serve his petition on President Muhammadu Buhari through his party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

    Habu is challenging the declaration of Buhari as the winner of the Feb. 23 presidential on the grounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) excluded the name of his party from the ballot paper.

    Justice Abdul Aboki, who headed the three-man panel of justices of the Court of Appeal of the Tribunal made the order allowing substituted service in a ruling on an exparte application brought by the petitioners.

    Counsel to the petitioners, Mr Aliyu Lemu said the ex parte application arose due to his inability to effect personal service of the petition and other processes on the president because of security and protocol surrounding his office.

    The petition has the president, INEC and the APC as respondents.

    Habu and his party want the tribunal to, among other prayers, declare the victory of Buhari and the APC at the Feb. 23 presidential election null and void.

    He said this was based on the grounds that the name of his party and logo were unlawfully omitted from the ballot papers by INEC thereby denying him the opportunity of contesting in the election.

    He claimed that he and his party had spent a lot of money on campaigns and they felt cheated by INEC.

    He prayed the court to declare that he was validly nominated by his party but unlawfully excluded by INEC from the election into the office of president.

    In his statement on oath, Habu said that he purchased the presidential form of PDM at the rate of N5 million after which he visited the 36 states of the federation to seek the support of party members.

    He said after he emerged winner of the primaries, PDM forwarded his name to INEC, adding that INEC without any lawful cause wrongfully excluded his name, his party and logo from the ballot paper.

    He said they were also excluded from all other electoral materials and documents used for the Feb. 23 presidential election.

    Read Also: Buhari salutes Oshiohmole for building strong, unified party

    He claimed that by unlawfully and wrongfully excluding them, INEC caused immeasurable losses in resources and electoral fortunes.

    Justice Aboki, in his ruling, said that the panel had carefully considered the ex parte application and had resolved that it would be in the interest of justice if the application was granted.

    He consequently ordered that the petition and other processes be served on Buhari through the office of the National Legal Adviser of the APC at it’s National Headquarters, 40 Blantyre Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II, Abuja.

  • Photos: Buhari arrives Jordan for World Economic Forum

    President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived city of Amman, Jordan, to participate in the Annual Middle East and North Africa Conference (World Economic Forum).

    This was made known by the Government of Nigeria via its verified Twitter handle.

  • Buhari keeping promises, says presidency

    •Says governance didn’t suffer during campaign election

    Despite his busy campaign schedules to all the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory leading to his winning the presidential election of February 23, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his governance would not take the back seat or suffer.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, listed the achievements and actions of the government during the campaign and election periods.

    He highlighted the areas touched by the President during the period.

    On minimum wage, he said that the President on January 9, 2019, inaugurated the Presidential Technical Advisory Committee on the Implementation of the National Minimum Wage (PTAC), with a mandate to advise the Federal Government on how best to fund, in a sustained manner, the additional costs of implementing the imminent increase in the National Minimum Wage.

    According to him, the Committee, chaired by Mr. Bismarck Rewane, submitted its report on Monday, March 25, 2019.

    Also in January 2019, he said, President Buhari submitted a National Minimum Wage Amendment Bill to the National Assembly for passage, following the approval of the National Council of State. The Bill is now awaiting presidential assent.

    On financing government, he said that the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiatives (SRGI) programme of the Federal Government was launched on January 23, 2019  by Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, in Abuja.

    SRGI, he said, is built on three (3) main planks including achieve sustainability in revenue generation, identify new and enhance the enforcement of existing revenue streams and achieve cohesion in the revenue ecosystem (people and tools).

    The Steering Committee of the SRGI, with membership drawn from all the major revenue-generating agencies, Adesina said, held its inaugural meeting on February 12, 2019.

    On financing infrastructure, he said that President Buhari signed the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, Executive Order 007 of 2019 on January 25, 2019.

    Through this Scheme, he said, companies that are willing and able to spend their own funds on constructing roads to their factories or farms, will recover their construction costs by paying reduced taxes, over a period of time.

    In the first phase, he said,19 Eligible Road Projects are to be undertaken by 6 leading manufacturing and construction firms, in 11 States, and in each of Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, as follows:

    “The Companies: Dangote Industries Limited; Lafarge Africa Plc; Unilever Nigeria Plc; Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc; Nigeria LNG Limited; and China Road and Bridge Corporation Nigeria Limited.

    “The Roads: a) Construction of Ashaka-Bajoga Highway in Gombe State; b) Reconstruction of Dikwa-Gambaru-Ngala Road in Borno State; c) Reconstruction of Bama-Banki Road in Borno State; d) Rehabilitation of Sharada Road in Kano State; e) Rehabilitation of Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway / Bypass, in Kaduna State; f) Reconstruction of Birnin Gwari Expressway – Road in Kaduna State; g) Reconstruction of Birnin Gwari – Dansadau Road in Kaduna State;

    Other roads include “h) Reconstruction of Makurdi-Yandev-Gboko Road in Benue State; i) Reconstruction of Zone Roundabout-House of Assembly Road in Benue State; j) Reconstruction of Obajana-Kabba Road in Kogi State; k) Reconstruction of Ekuku-Idoma-Obehira Road in Kogi State; l) Construction of Adavi-Eba-Ikuehi-Obeiba-Obokore Road in Kogi State; m) Rehabilitation of Lokoja-Ganaja Road in Kogi State; n) Ofeme Community Road Network and Bridges in Abia State; o) Rehabilitation of Obele-Ilaro-Papalanto-Shagamu Road in Ogun State; p) Reconstruction of Sokoto Road in Ogun State; q) Reconstruction of Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Road in Lagos State; r) Construction of Bodo-Bonny Road & Bridges across Opobo Channel in Rivers State; and s) Rehabilitation of Benin City – Asaba Road in Edo State.

    On consumer protection, Adesina said that President Buhari assented to the new Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), Nigeria’s first unified and comprehensive Competition legislation on January 30, 2019.

    He said that the new Act establishes the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), to replace the Consumer Protection Council.

    “The goal of the FCCPA is to foster a business environment in which markets are competitive and the rights of consumers are protected.

    “The functions of the FCCPC include the review and approval of mergers and acquisitions, to ensure that they do not have anti-competitive effects in the relevant market.

    On special economic zones, he said President Buhari presided over the signing ceremony for a Partnership between the Nigeria Special Economic Zones Investment Company (NSEZCo) and Strategic Investment Partners on February 8, 2019:

    The ceremony, he said, also marked the full operationalization of the NSEZCo.

    He also said that the Project MINE – Made In Nigeria For Exports – is the Buhari Administration’s Special Economic Zones programme that seeks to boost manufacturing’s share of GDP to 20%, generating $30bn in annual export earnings; and creating 1.5 million new jobs, all by 2025.

    “A new company, the Nigeria Special Economic Zones Investment Company (NSEZCo) has been incorporated as the delivery vehicle for Project-MINE.

    “NSEZCo is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) jointly owned by Government of Nigeria (Ministry of Finance) and a group of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), including the Africa Export Import Bank, Africa Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority.

    “NSEZCo will mobilize public and private sector funding to develop world-class export-oriented industrial zones in Nigeria, offering advanced infrastructure and facilities at competitive costs.

    “The projects in the pilot phase include Enyimba Economic City, Funtua Cotton Cluster and Lekki Model Industrial Park. Infrastructure upgrade work is also ongoing in the brownfield Calabar and Kano Free Trade Zones, for which the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the award of contracts in excess of N19.45 billion.

    “NSEZCo will be working with a range of local and international partners – anchor tenants, development advisers and consultants to deliver on this project.” he added

    On healthcare, he said, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the NSIA – LUTH advanced cancer treatment centre located in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos on February 9, 2019.

    Structured under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement between the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA and the LUTH, he said, the project is a US$11 million investment for the rehabilitation, equipping and operation of an existing cancer center co-located in LUTH, which will provide advanced radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment services.

    He said “The PPP is executed as a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT). The NSIA owns the center 100% today and but full ownership is expected to revert to LUTH after 10 years of operations.

    “The upgraded facility will run as a joint venture between NSIA Healthcare Development and Investment Company (“NHDIC”) and LUTH.

    “The centre is the first of three projects with the other two, NSIA-AKTH (Kano) and NSIA-FMCU (Umuahia) Diagnostic Centers, scheduled for commissioning in the first half of 2019.” he stated

    On the ease of doing business, the Presidential Aide said that the government on March 1, 2019, commenced National Action Plan 4.0, which will run from March 1 to April 29, 2019.

    “This was accompanied by the launch, on March 15, 2019, of the reportgov.ngWebsite and App to enable the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) / Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) obtain feedback from citizens.

    “PEBEC/EBES have also launched, in addition to ongoing stakeholder engagements across the public sector and organised private sector, the Business Made Easycampaign to communicate the reforms

    “NAP 4.0 will run from the 1st of March to the 29th of April, 2019. It aims to deepen the reforms delivered over the past 3 years and drive institutionalization.”

    According to him, NAP 4.0 will focus on initiatives such as: enforcing compliance with SLAs across all indicators/focus areas,

    driving the passage of the CAM Bill 2018 for improved, effectiveness of company law in Nigeria, enhancing efficiency in the small claims court, and

    enhancing the application and approval system for visas on arrival.

    Over 140 reforms, he noted, have been implemented in the past 3 years to make doing business in Nigeria easier.

    The reforms, he said, included: “Online reservation of a business name within 4 hours, Registration of a new company with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) within 24 hours, Automatic generation of Tax Identification Number (TIN) after completion of registration, Creation of National Collateral Registry (NCR) to support the use of movable assets (SMEs can now use movable assets as collateral for loans such as motor vehicles, machinery, inventory, even jewelry).”

    Others are “Passage of the Credit Bureau Act 2017, Small Claims Courts established in Lagos and Kano for cost-effective and fast resolution of debt recovery disputes involving small claims of up to N5,000,000, Filing and payment of federal taxes online available; E-platform accessible to all classes of taxpayers, Removal of the Infrastructure Development Charge (IDC) for 2-floor warehouse construction permits applications in Lagos State, Implementation of 24/7 operations in Apapa Port, Simplified visa-on-arrival process; application done online and issued within 48hrs.”

    Adesina disclosed some reforms that will be delivered in 2019 to include “The new Company and Allied Matters (CAM) Bill, which seeks to repeal and replace the existing CAM Act

    “Establishment of a National Trading Platform for Nigeria’s Ports: a unified digital platform through which all imports and exports happen.” he said

    On micro-pension, Adesina said President Buhari launched a new Pension Scheme that allows the self-employed and persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation on March 28, 2019.

    “It is a voluntary, self-saving scheme available only to those not currently participating in the existing mandatory Contributory Pension Scheme.

    “To formally flag off commencement of the Scheme, President Buhari supervised the registration of Sagir Shawai, a Motor Tricycle operator in the FCT, and presented his enrolment certificate to him.” he said

    On infrastructure, Adesina said that for the first time in Nigeria’s recent history, election season did not halt or negatively affect on-going Federal Government construction projects across the country.

    The various projects (Road, Rail and Power) currently proceeding on schedule, he said, included: “Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Project (160km)

    Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway (375km)

    Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway

    Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Road (220km)

    Lagos-Sagamu-Ibadan Expressway (130km)

    Others are “Kano-Maiduguri Highway Second Niger Bridge (11.9km)

    Afam Fast Power Plant (240MW)

    Zungeru Power Plant (700MW)

    Bodo-Bonny Bridges and Road (38km).”

    He said that Energizing Economies and Energizing Education programmes is taking clean and sustainable electricity to markets and University campuses across the country.

    In February 2019, he said that Nigeria formally launched its first ever on-grid solar power project, in Torankawa community in Yabo LGA of Sokoto State.

    “The solar plant provides uninterrupted electricity supply to 350 households in the community. For about five years before the completion of this project the community was cut off from the grid.”

    On the citizens’ portal, he said that the Buhari Administration has also launched a Citizen’s Portal on Infrastructure, to showcase the Government’s investments in infrastructure across the country.

    On the economic indices, he said “The National Bureau of Statistics released figures for Q4 2018 economic growth: 2.38 percent; and for the Full Year 2018: 1.93 percent – more than double the Full Year 2017 growth rate of 0.82 percent.

    “This growth in Q4 2018, as well as for the Full Year, owed a great deal to the performance of the non-oil sector. The non-oil sector grew at 2.7% in Q4 2018 versus 1.14% in the oil sector.

    “The non-oil sector recorded its strongest growth since the Q4 2015. (The non-oil sector also grew by 2% in Full Year 2018, considerably better than its 0.47% growth in the whole of 2017).

    The services sector, which accounts for 53.62% of GDP, registered its strongest growth performance in 11 quarters.

    39 out of 46 economic activities recorded growth

    “There has been a sustained accretion to External Reserves from $23.81 billion in September 2016 to $44 billion as of end-March, 2019.

    “Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in the month of March 2019 stood at 57.4 index points, indicating expansion in the manufacturing sector for the 24th consecutive month.

    “Inflation Rate has been trending downwards from 18.55% as at December 2016 to 15.37% in December 2017, 11.44% in December 2018 (below the ERGP target of 12.42% for 2018) and further to 11.31% in February 2019.

    “Total FX Turnover at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) from launch in April 2017 to March 2019 = US$105.9 billion.” he added

     

     

  • Buhari attends World Economic Forum in Jordan

    President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja Thursday for Amman to honour an invitation by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan to participate in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa holding at the Dead Sea, Jordan.

    President Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, will deliver an address at the opening of the plenary alongside King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres.

    He will also join world economic leaders in an informal gathering at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre.

    The Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with some world leaders on the sidelines of the Forum.

    Buhari is billed to depart Amman Sunday for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the ninth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting, April 8-10, 2019.

    Invited by His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rachid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Nigerian President as Guest of Honour, will deliver the keynote address under the theme, “Mapping the Future of Foreign Direct Investment: Enriching World Economies through Digital Globalization.”

    Read Also: Just before Buhari’s ‘tough decisions’

    According to the organisers, the meeting is “the largest gathering of corporate leaders, policymakers, businessmen, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics and experts showcasing up-to-date information, strategies and knowledge on attracting FDI.”

    The meeting also seeks to explore investment opportunities in more than 140 countries, connect businesses and countries willing to engage in sustainable partnerships with investors.

    President Buhari will be accompanied on both trips by Governors Abubakar Badaru, Abiola Ajimobi and Yahaya Bello of Jigawa, Oyo and Kogi States respectively.

    Others on the entourage include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (rtd), and other top government officials.

  • Ondo APC to Olanusi: behave like a statesman

    The Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) on Thursday denied the allegation by former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi that President Muhammadu Buhari lost in Ondo state due to the anti-party activities of the leadership of the ruling party.

    Olanusi at a forum of the Concerned APC leaders in Akure, the state capital on Tuesday accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of compromising the election because of the NWC’s decision to endorse the three incumbent Senators as automatic candidates, which prompted his alleged sponsoring of opposition Action Alliance(AA) candidates.

    A statement by APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro said the former deputy governor has never been on the same page with the party leadership in the state, stressing that he is not competent to comment on the affairs of the party in the state.

    Besides, the party faulted the claim that the governor allegedly diverted the fund disbursed to Ondo state by the national leadership of the party for the 2019 general election and financed AA candidates in the state.

    It said” With these statements, Olanusi’s group had brought to fore their secret apathy against Akeredolu who refused to do their biddings. We should be reminded that Olanusi claimed huge amount from the present APC-led government in Ondo State to offset his accumulated salary arrears over his removal from office by the previous administration.

    Read Also: ‘How Buhari lost in Ondo’

    “He refused to acknowledge the governor’s quick response to his plight, rather, he countered the effort with contempt. When he demanded for more money and was denied, he became dissatisfied and turned himself into a critic of the APC’s government,he claimed to be its Board of Trustees (BoT) member at the national level.

    ” We have it on record that he is planning ahead of the 2020 to present an unpopular governorship candidate for election in the state,but he doesn’t have to heat up the polity over such clandestine moves that will die on arrival”

    The statement emphasised that the party leadership in the state would not succumb to the group’s cheap blackmail and lies flying around.

    It said “We are advising Olanusi and his group to desist from constituting themselves as enemies of the party they claimed to belong.The former deputy governor particularly should behave as a true statesman and member, APC’s Trustee.

  • ‘How Buhari lost in Ondo’

    Stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state regarded as ‘estranged’ member on Wednesday met in Akure, the Ondo state capital under the leadership of the former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.

    At a well-attended meeting, the runner-up of the APC 2016 primary election, Segun Abraham was in attendance with other stakeholders including the lawmaker representing Akure North/South federal constituency, Afe Olowookere, pioneer APC chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, Chiefs Felix Ayegbusi, M.A Akeju, Adewale Omojuwa and Gboyega Adedipe.

    Others were Pius Omolola, Mrs Yetunde Ogundipe, Mrs Kehinde Adeniran, Kunle Eko-Davies, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, Gani Muhammed and other party elders from across the state.

    Olanusi, who is a member, APC Board of Trustees (BOT) of mandated each representative from the 18 local government areas to appraise the last Presidential/National Assembly in their respective areas,in which their major complaints were anti-party activities and lack of funds to mobilise voters.

    The former deputy governor decried the level of anti-party activities of some members of the party in the state which according to him caused the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari in the state with some Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates in the state.

    Olanusi said prior to the election, the group had adequately alerted the national leadership of the party on the alleged compromise of the party leadership in the state.

    He alleged that the APC leadership worked against the party because their anointed candidates failed to clinch the party tickets for the National Assembly elections.

    Olanusi alleged that leadership of the party in the state directed many APC supporters especially top government officials to mobilise for the candidates of the opposition Action Alliance (AA).

    He however enthused that If Buhari had won the presidential election in Ondo state, the ‘anti-APC forces’ would have claimed the credit despite working against the party in the state.

    The BoT member said” We had envisaged this problem in Ondo state, and that is why we cried to the National leadership of the party on the anti-party activities of some leaders of the party before the election.

    Read Also: Buhari condemns killing of Kolade Johnson by SARS

    “But they failed to listen to us, and didn’t recognise our voice then, for me, I am for the growth and unity of the party. We shall progress, we will not allow those enemies of the party who have no fear of God and respect for elders to come back and rule us again.

    The APC former chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, noted that funds disbursed to Ondo state by National leadership of the party for 2019 general elections were diverted.

    Kekemeke, insisted that APC leadership in the state financed the AA in the state, urging its national leadership to intervene on the affairs of the party in the state ahead of next year governorship election.

    The 2016 runner-up, Abraham who came to the state for the first time after the controversial primary election said his ‘stolen mandate’ was retrievable.

    According to him,” I am not desperate to become governor, but my interest is to salvage the state from inept governance and move it to the desired level for future sake”.

    Abraham said since his case was still pending in court, he would not comment, but however appreciated the leaders of concerned APC group in the state and their numerous supporters for their steadfastness and love for him.

    He predicted victory at the end of the day, urging them to remain resolute and resilient for the development of the sunshine state.