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Tag: BUHARI

  • I will eliminate corruption in Nigeria – Buhari

    I will eliminate corruption in Nigeria – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday insisted that his administration will leave no stone unturned in the bid to eliminate corruption in Nigeria.

    He made the remark in Johannesburg when he met Nigerians residing in South Africa.

    The President also promised to implement the cardinal policies of his administration in order to move the country forward.

    He said: “Government is determined to secure the country, manage the economy, create employment and fight corruption. Some articulate writers have said if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. This APC administration intends to kill corruption in Nigeria. We will do our best, I assure you”

    Buhari said leaders of the G-7 have expressed commitment to helping Nigeria tackle insecurity and develop its oil and gas sectors.

    “We are getting the facts and logistic requirements together,” he assured,

    He urged Nigerians resident in South Africa to be good ambassadors of the country, stressing that Nigerian and South African leaders will soon meet to discuss several issues bordering on their relationship.

    “Those of you who have the opportunity to come here and represent us, make sure that you are representing Nigeria, you are all ambassadors of Nigeria. This means a lot of patience, restraint, self respect and pride. You must have all these,” the President stated.

    According to him, those accusing him of locking them up have no case as himself was locked up for three and half years when he was deposed as Head of State.

    He said: “But I assure you that after being in the military for 25 years, and getting to the highest rank and becoming head of state and under unusual circumstances. As head of state I went straight to detention for three and half years, so those who are accusing me of locking them up, I too have been locked up, so what.”

     

    He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 1999 messed up Nigeria, adding that was the reason Nigerians decided to vote for him.

    He said: “They remember me more as chairman of PTF than as a former head of state, than a governor or a minister of petroleum. Despite the fact that it was during my time that I signed the contract for Warri refinery, Kaduna refinery, more than 3,500 pipelines and more than 20 depot. We got the tankers off the road, we saved lives, we saved fuel, we save the road itself. But from 1999 till date PDP has messed it up. That is why Nigerians decided to vote me.

    “Despite the fact that they say money is working from primaries to my election is a proof that Nigerians know what they want once they make up their minds. You can give them the money, some refuse to take it, some took it and said it is our money and they do exactly what they wanted to do.

    “So why did I join partisan politics in spite of that? When I went home people knew that I have no money, I thought they will leave me alone, but they didn’t they were coming to me asking me to do this and do that. And I found that the only way I could do it is by joining partisan politics. And maybe if I speak even if I’m not a member at any level, people will listen to me.

    “The second that happened that finally convinced me to join partisan politics was what happened to Soviet Union. You know the Soviet Union was an empire in the 20th century and it collapsed without a shot being fired. Everybody went home, there was confusion. Now there are 18 countries out of the old Soviet Union.  They were more advanced than the western countries in science because they wanted to go to space specifically in 1957, and they had more nuclear war heads and delivering system than Warsaw.”

     

     

  • Expert to Buhari: Focus on energy, fuel, transportation

    Expert to Buhari: Focus on energy, fuel, transportation

    In order to create a viable economy that will attract growth and create jobs, President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to focus on energy, oil and gas as well as transportation sectors.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba, gave the advice while speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria in Lagos.

    Describing the three sectors as enablers that would ultimately impact on other sectors, Teriba said no meaningful development can take place unless there was a cargo rail system in place.

    He called on the government to liberalise the transportation sector so as to allow for partnerships and other investors, just as he emphasised the need for Nigeria to start refining its own crude.

    According to the economist, only six of the 46 sectors of the economy were huge, just as he noted the need for a clear sense of priority in order for change to become a reality.

    Teriba said unless there is an effective and efficient cargo rail system in place, manufacturers will forever find it difficult to make impact and agriculture will remain uncompetitive.

    He urged the government to take the same steps it took in deregulating the telecommunication sector in 2001, which eventually brought the sector among the big six from the lowest.

    He also advised the government to remove the fiscal autonomy of the revenue generating agencies in order to block leakages and achieve fiscal adequacy.

    He lamented that while the government was broke, its agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were rich.

     

  • Buhari promises to implement government’s cardinal policies

    Buhari promises to implement government’s cardinal policies

    President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to implement the cardinal policies of  his administration  in order to move the country forward.

    Buhari made the pledge in Johannesburg, South Africa, when he met Nigerians resident in South Africa.

    He said government was determined to secure the country, improve the economy and eliminate corruption.

    ‘’ Government is determined to secure the country, manage the economy, create employment and fight corruption.

    ‘’ Some articulate writers have said if we do not kill corruption in Nigeria, corruption will kill Nigeria.

    ‘’ This APC administration intends to kill corruption in Nigeria. We will do our best, I assure you,’’ Buhari said.

    The presidents said the G7 leaders had expressed commitment to helping Nigeria tackle insecurity as well as develop its oil and gas sectors.

    ‘’ We are getting the facts and logistics requirements together,’’ he said.

    He also said the leaders of the Lake Chad Basin Commission had set up a military command headquarters in Chad with a Nigerian general heading it.

    Buhari, however, urged Nigerians resident in South Africa to be good ambassadors of the country.

    ‘’ Those of you who have the opportunity to come here and represent us, make sure that you are representing Nigeria, you are all ambassadors of Nigeria.

    ‘’ This means a lot of patience, restraint and self respect and pride. You must have all these,’’ he said.

    According to Buhari, Nigerian and South African leaders will soon meet to discuss several issues bordering on their relationship.

    The Consul General of Nigeria in South Africa, Amb. Uche Ajulu-Okeke, said shops and other property worth millions of Rand belonging to Nigerians were lost during the recent xenophobic attacks.

    She also said 143 Nigerians were killed in South Africa between 2011 and 2014, adding that another 81 were in Johannesburg prison.

    ‘’ Out of this 81 Nigerians, 21 have been convicted,’’ she said.

    The President of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, congratulated the president on his election and inauguration.

    “ Your victory is victory over poverty, hunger and signals hope for the common man,’’ he said.

    He urged the president to facilitate compensation for Nigerians affected by the xenophobic attacks.

  • Kwankwaso: Saraki-PDP alliance is threat to Buhari

    Kwankwaso: Saraki-PDP alliance is threat to Buhari

    ‘There was conspiracy against Tinubu by some APC leaders’

    A KEY member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has seen danger in Senate President Bukola Saraki’s alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    It is dangerous for President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso said yesterday.

    In his view, the political romance will create inhibitions for the Buhari administration .

    Dr. Saraki was elected Senate President on June 9 after he rejected the APC’s choice, Ahmed Lawan and struck a deal with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The pact produced Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.

    To Kwankwaso, this happened because the APC leadership missed some vital steps and gave ample opportunity to Saraki’s group, which used it effectively.

    He described Ekweremadu’s election as “unacceptable” to APC.

    Ekweremadu has linked his election to the integration of the Southeast, but to the former Kano State Governor, that is “sheer rubbish.”

    Kwankwaso in an interview in Abuja, said: “To the best of my knowledge, the Saraki group is yet to reach out to the Unity Forum of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator George Akume.”

    He said although APC was divided, it is not too late to correct things.

    Kwankwaso said Saraki became the President of the Senate because of some factors including conspiracy against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the failure of the APC leadership to act on time, the plot by G-5/G-7 members who were interested in seeing one of them occupy a position; and some groups who believed that Saraki had given them so many things and it was pay-back time.

    Kwankwaso said: “On the issue of what went wrong, I think there were so many things having to do with time. This election had to do with time. We had so many weeks before the election to address this issue. This is not the time to say I told you or I told them, but many of us tried to tell our leaders to do the right thing at the right time.

    “I think the party missed the crucial opportunity to address this challenge. I think time was crucial of which the party missed some important steps and therefore things went wrong. I told you the party missed some vital steps and gave an ample opportunity to Bukola Saraki’s group and they used it effectively and took all the advantages that had to do with the mistakes of our leaders.”

    Kwankwaso said some forces in APC also contributed to the “sad” development in the Senate, especially those who conspired against Tinubu.

    His words: “I am aware that members of the G-5/G-7 group were interested in seeing one of us occupying one of the strategic positions. I am also aware that there are some people in the party who believed Tinubu had taken so many things and it was time to take a break. They had a perception that Tinubu was trying to take it all. There are other groups that believed that Saraki had given them so many things and they had to pay him back. Many senators believed that they were supported by Saraki.”

    Kwankwaso raised the alarm that the PDP will use the opportunity of the alliance with Saraki to create hurdles for Buhari.

    He said:  “You see, first of all, the President will face a lot of irritations in the sense that these people must be very angry with themselves, they must be very angry with Nigerians and, therefore, will do everything possible to put all sorts of hurdles on the way of Mr. President. That is obvious.

    “I can always read their mind. I was one of them, I was part of them, I was part of the party but we had to leave the party because of this attitude. So, in some of the books that I read, especially Islamic books,  there are things that we call Sadaqatuljariya (doing charitable deeds like building schools, hospital, throughout your life) and you will be getting reward and even after you die.

    “These sorts of mistakes are what we call Musibatuljariya. It is so bad and it is a bad thing that will continue to occur until the system goes to end because they have their own agenda to tackle the APC, to tackle the APC government, they are angry with themselves, they are angry with the people and Nigeria because they feel Nigeria belongs to them and they wanted to take everything and Nigerians rejected them.”

    On the feeling of President Buhari, he said there was no way he would be a happy man with the development in the Senate.

    He said:  “I think the position of Buhari was that the party should handle it. I don’t think he wants to put his fingers there. I am not sure his fingers are in it but what I know is that I am not sure if he is happy that members of our party could not be loyal to it. They could not go by the dictates of the party. I am not sure if Buhari is a happy man even though he did not put his fingers but he was expecting that members of his party will be loyal to the party.

    “ I don’t know his mindset, I have not seen him since the election but I am sure that he cannot be a happy man with his party, where he is the national leader, has set up position and some members decided to go against it to the extent of bringing people who should not be in those positions.”

    The former governor was concerned that Saraki is neck deep in the alliance with the PDP, adding that the development might make reconciliation challenging.

    He said: “I believe the party is doing something that will bring back the members together and have good understanding but what complicated the whole situation now is that more than 50% of Saraki is in PDP, if you take the condition of the position of the Senate President. I don’t know which percentage he will give and, therefore, it becomes more difficult.

    “And the implication of this  now is that very soon, the leadership of the Senate will start Tambuwalising the party and, of course, the government as we have seen in 2011.”

    Saraki has said he will not return to the PDP.

    Kwankwaso admitted that Saraki’s election has divided the party.

    “I think the party, unfortunately, is divided but it is not too late to correct many things but the party should take certain steps to ensure that such things will never happen again in the party and I am one of those who advised or tried to advise my brother, Saraki that he should not go too far with that ambition under this circumstance.

    “At this level and his level, people should be more careful and cautious in what they do and what they don’t do and especially that the situation is even worst than the case of Tambuwal during the House of Representatives election of principal officers in 2011.

    “Of course, Tambuwal’s case was a case of going out of zoning but all the positions went to members of the party. But this time around, because of the ambition of our members, I think they went and connived with people who are not only opponents of the party but enemies of the party to fight the party after the people of this country have discarded these people.

    “And now because of ambition, these people were made in a way relevant and I don’t think that is the best way to go. Members of the party should have certain limitations, they should know when to start and when to stop and I think this is going too far in romancing members of the PDP.

    “As far as we are concerned, PDP was dead until recently when this ambition brought certain people to do what they should not do in democracy and party politics and how they are just about to create unnecessary life for them to the extent that some of them are servicing again and making all sorts of statements.”

    Kwankwaso faulted Ekweremadu’s election and his assumption that the slot was meant to integrate the Southeast.

    He said: “Just yesterday, I was reading, I don’t know whether it is true or not, that Ike Ekweremadu was talking rubbish, nonsense. It is like they have reasons to speak again and I think it is because of the mistakes of our members. I believe that at the end of the day, the party and members must get a way of coming together and behave well, I think that is the only way we can make progress.”

    “I don’t think I should be in a hurry to say that he should resign but all I know is that many things have gone wrong to the extent that the party has to put its acts together to make sure that things that are done in that way are stopped and from there, we will build the party again.

    “It (Deputy President of the Senate) does not belong to them. I have been in PDP from 1999 until 2014 or so. You see, it was unthinkable in PDP for you to allow any other party to take any of those positions. They have done it five times and they never allowed any member of any party to go near those positions, so I think it was unfair and not correct and they took it shamelessly and I am sure our party will look at it and take what belongs to our party back.

    “Maybe there are ways APC can accommodate the Southeast by way of appointment but certainly, we have not seen PDP in the five times that they had reasons to select leaders in the National Assembly, they never considered other parties in terms of giving them position but I am sure that our party had it in mind that it will carry the Southeast but not in the position of the Senate President.

    “The Senate has Deputy Senate President; that position does not belong to the PDP and that is the mistake Ekweremadu is making. Now he said he was elected deputy Senate president, yet he reduced himself to a zone and a tribe, which is not good enough.

    “We are not saying he should step down or stay; what I am saying is that what they have taken does not belong to them and all those who supported him and his party to get it have made a big mistake for themselves, the party and indeed for the country and they should be ashamed of themselves.”

    Asked of the way out, Kwankwaso asked the APC leadership to enforce discipline.

    He added: “I don’t know, the party must be doing its own bit but if I were the national chairman, I would either write to these members individually a letter of displeasure or call them and tell them because there has to be discipline.

    “It does not matter whether you are 10 or 20 or even 1,000, whatever your number is in a party, as long as there is no discipline, definitely there will be problem. I am one of the senior senators by any standard in this country but because of the consideration of the fact that Buhari is from the Northwest, of course not from Kano, you are not seeing me going round to say I want this position or that position.

    “I have president in my zone and I have to be considerate in the sense that other zones should get it. It is not like you will come by all means and you must take it whether it favours the zoning, the party or not. So, all these things must be respected by the party and the members.

    On the likelihood of the Saraki reaching out to Lawan’s Unity Forum for reconciliation, Kwankwaso said: “I think it is good to have reconciliation but I am not aware of it, nobody informed me.

    “I am just watching the development and, in fact, on that very day immediately after the so called election, I had to travel to Paris to receive an award . . . I learnt that some members were sworn in; well I will wait till they come back from their break.”

  • ‘I don’t see Buhari leaving former corrupt public office holders going scot-free’

    ‘I don’t see Buhari leaving former corrupt public office holders going scot-free’

    Elder Femi Olaore is a U.K qualified chartered accountant and an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Oyo State. In this interview with BISI OLADELE, he gives an insight into what Nigerians should expect from the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Your party just won a second term in office in Oyo State and is starting on a challenging note with workers’ strike. Do you see your government overcoming the challenges that lie ahead both at the state and federal levels?

    First let me start from the state level. For the first time in the history of Oyo State, we have a phlegmatic active governor who has shown that hard work is the magic to achievement. What you are seeing now is not occasioned by the inability to pay salaries but we are all aware that in last six months, allocation to most of the states controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dwindled. Imagine a state used to be given over N6 billion,  now getting a meagre N1.3billion. This has caused a cumulative setback for the past six months and they cannot pay their workers. That is what they are facing now. When allocation is returned to normal, all these arrears will be paid. I don’t see that much as a challenge to someone who has been able to manage public finances in the past.

    The problem is even more in the federal level as the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is inheriting debt of several billions in naira, the states are broke, power sector is going moribund, economy is shrinking while the labour unions are complaining. What hope do you want to raise for Nigerians about the incoming governor and Mr President?

    First I want to say that the problems you have defined are not mountains.  Now that we have somebody who prides himself as ‘Mr. Integrity’ as Nigerian president: a man that keep to his word, a man who is concerned about the people, who shares the pains of the masses and who has offered himself to address this problems, we should be rest assured that Nigeria is on the verge of greatness. I believe that one of the major issues that President Buhari will be bringing on to pilot the affairs of our country is high level of personal discipline.

    For someone who has been Head of State and can only boast of a million Naira in his bank account and just two houses, there is no more for us to know that we are in for a good time. He is incomparable to others who have held similar positions.This is the kind of man the country needs at this stage. Nothing can distract him. Those who are going to work with him, I am sure, are going to be persons of impeccable character. That is why I am very convinced that surrounding himself with the right people will be the first thing we should expect. He is such a principled person that he is unlikely to be intimidated  by names that are not backed by achievements. He is not likely to recycle those who have been in power for long. He will not be persuaded by religious or ethnic sentiments. He stated clearly that confidence, uprightness  and steadfastness in party affairs are some of the cardinal criteria anybody who would work with him must possess apart from the fact that they are going to be properly screened for him to know those who truly have the interest of the people at heart.

    Nigerians hold the view that President Buhari is not a typical politician but surrounded by politicians through which he won the election. They see him as a man of his own and so Nigerians forsee a lot of crisis withing the APC. Do you share this belief?

    I do not subscribe to that because I am aware of the many sacrifices that the majority of the so-called politicians made before we had this change of affairs. They contributed greatly to Buhari’s emergence as president. That must be clear. To President Buhari, he must be fair to everybody, no matter their financial contributions. Buhari has learnt over time to adjust himself to the dictates of the people so that the hopes of people will not be dashed. What Buhari will do is using his rich broad nature to cut across those various groups that have good materials or that may not be able to be at the forefront of putting the campaign materials resources together. He is not likely to fetch those who are likely to work with him on the basis of those who come around or donated resources for his election. I remember as a member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011 when Buhari gave an instruction not to take anything above a million naira donation from anybody so as to not be tied to them in discharging our duties. So far, so good, he has made it clear to most of those who surrounded him that they have done it for the goodwill of Nigeria; that they have done to show that, yes, this country matters to them. So he owes them nothing in terms of payback by giving them any post that is juicy. No, he has made it clear to them right from the onset. If you want to help, do it as your contribution. People like the former governor of Adamawa, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha have done so much.  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also done so much. Yes, they even had to forgo their personal ambitions. So they know what it takes; they will not want to truncate their efforts because they know that people see them as a coperative team. So there is no likelihood of crisis that cannot be solved. Though there will be challenges of working together for the first time, but because they share common identity, it is going to bring them together to move Nigeria forward.

    Because of the voting pattern in the last election, particularly the presidential election, there is fear among the people, especially from the South South and South Eastern parts of Nigeria that Buhari will exclude them. Is the fear misplaced?

    I want to reassure my brothers from the South East and South South that Buhari will not exclude them. He must not forget his background and anyone who has come close to all the forces would not do that.  As they come they merge everybody together. And as somebody who rose to the rank of general before leaving the army, no section that offers itself for good use will be left out.  But even if you come from his doorsteps to sabotage efforts to revive the country, he is not going to take it lighty. He is not going to give position or engage the person that will affect the turnaround of the economy. Despite all these, he is not likely going to do what you call a revenge mission on them. No! In fact he was the first to reassure the Catholic Bishop of South South and South East that anyone who is confident enough is welcome despite the fact that they did not vote for him. Like I said earlier, he is a man of few words. Every bit of the word he says echoes deep down inside of him. So he can never renege on them. He will include them. They will have good positions but they must be prepared to deliver, they must be prepared to subscribe to service integrity.

    This is not a situation where you will get a  ministerial slot with money. It will not be business as usual this time around. So even if they have so much, you have to put in so much in order to perform as expected. He will be waiting to see them deliver as Nigerians and not just as somebody from the East or from any minority group, wherever they find themselves.

    The APC has promised not to focus on probing outdone leaders. But many Nigerians believe that such a decision would not help President Buhari’s anti-corruption image. Do you share this view?

    I want to come from the standpoint from the work involved in all these probes and resources. President Buhari is not known for wastages. In fact, he is a very conservative leader. The average probe takes about four to six weeks to complete and it involves so many investigations with  volumes of books produced. By the time you now spend N200 million on probe, what would be left to address the infrastructural decay? He will take his time and start from the problem at hand. When people  are being probed, they start causing a lot of questions and to the system it will add to the problem. So what he will focus on will be centred around what has been done in the past. Let’s see the recommendations; let’s see if we can actualize them so that the money that has been spent is not spent again the second or third time. Any area that has been touched in the past and has made significant impact may not need to be touched soon but later?. This is to suggest that no area of the economy is forgotten and that corruption is not tolerated in any area. But he will not go out and start  this from day one.  ?It will be not be good to begin his administration with probe. He should rather look at the reports of the probes done since the last 16 years and set up a panel and reinvite those involved for clarifications.  But I don’t see Buhari closing his eyes on corrupt officials who have milked the nation dry.

    What word do you have for the good people of Nigeria as President Buhari takes the reins of power?

    The beginning of Buhari’s administration signals the rebirth of Nigeria. For instance, let me start with Oyo State. It is not just that Ajimobi broke the jinx, he would do much better even better  in the second term than his first term. Ajimobi will do more because he is very eager and gunning for a lot of achievements and he has not even done one tenth of his potentials.  He is going to surprise people. That is one thing people of Oyo State should look forward to. Across the nation, the security situation will continue to improve.

    They have  already pushed Boko Haram to some point now; they will not be allowed to resurface again. Insecurity  is a major threat that kept away investors but once they see that there is security in the land, then foreign investors would come. In terms of job creation that is a cardinal point for this current government. There are different business policies to enhance  the country’s economy and ensure that the industries come back to life with people coming to help. And at the federal level, the signs are very clear. The moment this government goes into action, we are going to see aggressive action to bring the power situation into normality. By December this year, production of power will be more stable that at least you will be able to see a pattern of power. There will be nothing called baby factory because in almost all the states now we have baby factories and nothing has been done to them. Nigerians are being taken abroad for hard labour which result to death at tmes. So those are the things I want to offer as cheers to the people that this time around we have a government that has the political will to back the decision they bring.

  • Will Buhari set up cabinet of talents?

    Will Buhari set up cabinet of talents?

    President Muhammadu Buhari is expected soon to send the list of ministerial nominees to the Senate for consideration. Many factors will determine the choice of the  ministers and special advisers. Many Nigerians believe that the pedigree, competence and character of the President’s team will shape the focus and direction of governance in the next four years, writes Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU.

    Questions abound on the proposed ministerial nominations by President Muhammadu Buhari: will the selection unleash fresh crisis on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) like the contest for the Senate President and the Speaker of House of Representatives? Will the list meet popular expectations? Will the President set up a cabinet of talents? Will the team be able to fix Nigeria?

    To many observers, the President’s team will determine the character of his government. Apart from constitutional provisions, which stipulate that each state should be represented in the Federal Executive Council (FCE), many factors will be taken to the consideration as the President assembles his team. These include experience, competence, professionalism, integrity, past record of probity and commitment to the vision of the President and the APC to transform the country.

    However, according to party sources, partisan considerations cannot also be ruled out. “If geo-political considerations are taken care of, the composition of the ruling party will also be a big factor. The APC is made up of the defunct ACN, new PDP, CPC, ANPP and a section of APGA. There will the need to balance all the factors. I think the President must consult widely,” said senator from the Southwest, who added: “Judging by the nature of Nigeria, I mean the peculiar influence of ethnicity and religion, it is not a decision that can be made without sensitivity.”

    The emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki from the Northcentral as the Senate President and Hon. Yakubu Dogara from the Northeast as the Speaker of the House of Representatives may have also alter the zoning of positions. The implication is that the President, Senate President and Speaker are from the North. Therefore, the South may expect to benefit from appointments into other critical offices.

    According to the constitution, the President is expected to respect the geographical spread as dictated by the number of states. But, he is not at liberty to nominate only politicians for the positions. In 1999, when President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed the reins, many technocrats made the list. Some of them had no link with the ruling party. His successors-the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan-also appointed some technocrats as ministers. Prominent among them were Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chief Kola Jamodu, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Remi Babalola, Olusegun Aganga and Mr. Oloruntoba. But, legal luminary Chief Niyi Akintola cautioned against over-reliance on technocrats, who he described as the bailiffs of the western world committed to the collection of rents for the Paris Club, warning that it could be disastrous. “Technocrats should be made ministers in special ministries and their total number in the cabinet should not be more than five per cent,” he said.

    The cabinet composition, many Nigerians have suggested, should reflect the genuine intention of the administration to maintain a clean break from the past. The challenges are overwhelming: the poor economy, failed budgets, insecurity, energy crisis, bad roads, rot in the aviation sector, soaring unemployment and corruption stare the beleaguered nation in the face.  Cries of despondency are on the increase. The country is at a standstill and the future appears bleak. “The President knows the problem and he knows the people who can fix Nigeria,” said prominent politician Alhaji Balarabe Musa. “I will not comment until he makes the nominations,” he added.

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Ebenezer Babatope, who described Buhari as a focussed leader, prayed that God should give him the wisdom to identify competent people for the portfolios. He said: “The choice of who becomes what in the Buhari Administration is the responsibility of Buhari and the APC. I am not in the same party with him. He will be circumspect. I hope Buhari will select those who will love Nigeria and promote the peace and prosperity of the country.”

    In the opinion of the APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun,  there is no scarcity of competent people in the ruling party. The party parade heavy weight and credible politicians across the six geo-political zones. Many of them are competent professionals, he said, assuring that the President will tap from these vast talents.

    But, a party chieftain from the Southeast, Hon. Uche Onyeagucha, warned against recycling ministers, saying that it could be disastrous for the nation. “Those who have served in previous regimes should take a break,” he advised. Also, he said while the President is expected to pick ministers from each state of the federation, he should select the best from each state.

    Onyeagucha, a former member of the House of Representatives, highlighted the challenges that will face the next Federal Executive Council. He said the next council of ministers should be able to build confidence and attract investment, adding that the first step is to exploit the potentials at home, in West Africa sub-region and Africa, before looking at the world. The former legislator said the cabinet should be people’s focused, deliver the dividends of democracy and live to expectation in character and implementation of policies and programmes, especially in the energy sector and job creation. “These are the two areas where Nigerians need miracles,” he added.

    Onyeagucha said Nigerians may not be patient with the administration because they have suffered from long years of decay. “The ministers to be appointed must be practically responsive and proactive; people who can respond to local and international events rapidly as they unfold. They must reach out to the world to bring to Nigeria what is good and practicable within the limits of time,” he added.

    Third Republic Senator Tony Adefuye, who shared the views expressed by Onyeagucha, urged the President to consult stakeholders before making nominations. He said there is the feeling in the APC that the windows of consultations have not been widely opened, advising the President to discuss with party leaders before taking actions.

    Adefuye, an APC chieftain from Lagos State, advised the President to appoint good people into the Federal Executive Council. If the wrong person is appointed, he said it could dent the image of the administration and derail its vision for  a better tomorrow. In fact, the eminent politician said if wrong persons are selected, they will later be thrown out of the team. “I hope he will consult with all the leadership before the nominations to avoid confusion and break down of confidence,” he said.

    Adefuye also said that the nominations should reflect what he described as the components of Nigeria, adding that there must be need for balancing. He said the fact that the President, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are from the North makes balancing compelling. He said the South must be considered for more top appointments in the spirit of equity and justice. “The appointments should not be lopsided to avoid the repeat of what happened at the National Assembly. There is the need for equilibrium,” he stressed.

    Akintola agreed that the lopsided distribution of appointment could generate nasty thoughts in the federation. He charged the President to demonstrate national outlook like Obasanjo, who ensured equity in the distribution of federal appointments. He said when a particular section is benefitting from appointments to the exclusion of other sections, there will be the fear of domination and marginalisation. “We need true Nigerians who believe the country, not a sectional agenda,” he emphasised.

    Also, Akintola said the President must not make a mistake of over-reliance on technocrats, who he described as elements without the grassroots appeal. “I don’t belong to the school of thought that technocrats should dominate the cabinet. Most of them do not have value. They lack the connection with the grassroots. They came to operate voodoo economy. We want a cabinet that will boost productive activities to generate employment and the people will in turn pay taxes.

    “We don’t want a cabinet that will pile up money and later, inflation will catch up with them. We have tested the technocrats and they have failed us,” he added.

    The legal luminary warned against what he described as importation of ministers, stressing that “the states where there are problems today in the country are ruled by imported governors.”

    Akintola, who is a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said while the ministers can consider professionals for the ministries of justice and information, other patriotic Nigerians can fill other non-technical portfolios. He explained that while a technocrat is required to man the ministry of justice, the minister should be able to relate appropriately with the bar and the judiciary. He also said the minister of information should connect well with the media, adding that he should be conversant with the political arithmetic of Nigeria.

    The legal luminary urged Buhari to learn from the mistakes of the party, recalling that, under the Jonathan Administration, the so-called technocrats could not deliver under the former President because they were far from the people. “Some of them were a disaster. Social illiterates should not be ministers. Somebody who lacks a national outlook should not be the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF). Look at the embarrassment suffered by former President Goodluck Jonathan. He visited the Southwest. A traditional ruler said the Southwest was marginalised. He tendered the proofs. The President said the list of appointment was compiled by the SGF. We need people who understand the Nigerian structure, Political and social illiterates are unfit. Ministers should be able to connect very well.”

    Akintola also warned against nominations by godfathers. He said if godfathers succeed in imposing ministers on the President, they will only be loyal to their godfathers, and not to the President and the country. “The ministers must have the national outlook,” he maintained.

     

  • Why Buhari’s ministerial list is delayed – Oyegun

    Why Buhari’s ministerial list is delayed – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said that the Ministerial list of President Muhammadu Buhari is being delayed because the President is conducting a thorough check on the background of those he wants to appoint into his government.

    Oyegun told newsmen at the party secretariat that the appointment of Ministers was the prerogative of the President, adding that the party was interested in the ability of the people he is appointing to bring about ideas that will help achieve his set objectives and deliver on what he want.

    The APC Chairman said the President is open to picking people from all works of life as Ministers especially if those people subscribe passionately to his agenda to move the country forward, whether they are members of the party or not.

    He said: “There is absolutely no dispute between the party and the president. We agreed that we shall use all manner of people: politicians, technocrats, all manner of people, even if not politicians, who can deliver and who subscribe passionately to the agenda of the president, to move this country forward, irrespective of where the people come from; irrespective of whether the person is a card-carrying members of the party.

    “What is important is the qualification of the person and the ability of the person to deliver on the ideas of Mr. President. What we are interested in is the ability of the people to bring up the ideas that will help Mr. President achieve the set objectives and the ability to deliver on what the President wants.

    “Secondly, this is an executive function and the President has the right to consult as widely as possible. This means he might pick people within the party and people outside the party.

    “It is a prerogative the President should exercise and we cannot question that. We are quite happy about the way he is proceeding”.

  • Nigerians task Buhari on export promotion, foreign investment

    Nigerians task Buhari on export promotion, foreign investment

    Some Abuja residents have urged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to pursue a foreign policy that would ensure that Nigeria’s foreign mission do more to promote Nigeria’s export potential.

    They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the foreign policy should also encourage direct foreign investment.

    According to them, the foreign policy thrust should also focus on achieving debt rescheduling with a view to building a stronger national economy.

    Mr. Alfred Nkemmefuna, a civil servant, said present administration should embark on a foreign policy that would not only increase resources in Nigeria but reduce poverty nationwide.

    He said the Federal Government should come up with a policy that would promote export, and attract investment from abroad.

    Mr. Olufemi Babatunde said the Federal Government should partner with friendly countries to ensure that hard drugs and other goods inimical to the nation’s and image wellbeing did not find their way into Nigeria.

    Mr. Dimas Isuwa, a civil servant, said the new administration should continue to make Africa the centre of Nigeria’s foreign policy.

    “Charity begins at home. Any Nigerian foreign policy that does take this into consideration will fall short of expectations of Nigerians”, he said.

    He called on the National Assembly to, through relevant legislative instruments; ensure that Buhari allowed his Foreign Affairs Minister to be truly in charge of foreign relations.

    Another respondent who pleaded anonymity urged Buhari to appoint a competent, brilliant and visionary person to run the ministry of foreign affairs.
    He said Nigeria should take a cue from many countries where career diplomats were in charge of the ministries of foreign affairs.

  • Buhari considers balance in SGF choice

    Buhari considers balance in SGF choice

    Three All Progressives Congress (APC) chiefs and a seasoned bureaucrat are in the race for Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

    President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to make up his mind  on who gets the job. Besides, he is battling to stave off pressure.

    Those either interested or being strongly recommended   for the SGF  are ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi (South-South), ex-Governor Ogbonnaya Onu (South-East), APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun (Edo) and a former occupant of the office, Amb. Babagana Kingibe.

    There is a bureaucrat from the North-East whose name was not immediately known yesterday.

    There are three issues Buhari is trying to resolve:

    •should the SGF go to the Northeast or the Southeouth/Southeast?

    •should he be a cosmopolitan young element or an experienced bureaucrat? and

    •how to avoid the “way and manner in which a former SGF turned the office into an ethnic enclave and destroyed the ethos of the civil service”.

    The former SGF reportedly politicised appointments, resulting in a situation whereby two people were given letters for an office.

    The President is said to be concerned about geopolitical balance in appointments.

    The power sharing in the Executive and the Legislature so far has shown that only the South-South is yet to be accommodated.

    The breakdown is as follows: President (North-West); Vice-President (South-West); President of the Senate (North-Central); Deputy President of the Senate (South-East); the Speaker of the House of Representatives (North-East); the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (South-West).

    But it was gathered that Buhari does not want to subject the appointment of the SGF to Federal Character Principle because of what a source described as “the sensitive nature of the office”.

    A highly-placed source in the Presidency said: “The delay in appointing the SGF is borne out of the fact that the President has left it open for the consideration of many eligible Nigerians irrespective of geopolitical zones.

    “Those recommended for SGF  are ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi(South-South), ex-Governor Ogbonnaya Onu(South-East), the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun(Edo); and a former occupant of the office, Amb. Babagana Kingibe, who is a long-time personal friend of Buhari.

    “Apart from playing a crucial role as the engine room of Buhari’s campaign, some forces in the Presidency believe Amaechi combines youthful age advantage and political experience to occupy the office.

    “The only fear of Buhari in Amaechi is youthful exuberance, temperament and a down-to-heart attitude which may not be ideal for a technical and diplomatic assignment.

    “But pro-Amaechi forces in the presidency pointed to Amaechi’s calmness, composure and successful coordination of the Presidential Campaign as signs of his readiness for the job.

    “They also said having staked his integrity and life on the line for Buhari, only the SGF is befitting for Amaechi than a ministerial job.

    “Amaechi’s dimension is a major challenge for Buhari. I think the same forces against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are working hard to sideline the ex-governor of Rivers State because of his closeness to Buhari.”

    It was learnt that Onu appears the man to beat because of his reserved nature, academic excellence, especially having bagged First Class from the University of Lagos, and his cosmopolitan outlook.

    A former governor said: “You cannot see Onu’s credentials without being intimidated. In all the schools he attended, he came tops.

    “The challenge however is that with the South-East occupying the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate, the zone might not get the SGF again. You can see the danger of being slow in taking decision.”

    Although Oyegun is highly experienced as a former Federal Permanent Secretary, the popular thinking is that he is incompetent as shown in the way in which he handled the crisis in the National Assembly. “This has created a setback for him,” a source said.

    “As a matter of fact, Buhari wants Oyegun to remain in the party. I think they had issues when they were in ANPP and Buhari is favourably disposed to retaining Oyegun in the APC secretariat.

    “There is also anger in the party on how the NWC failed to be decisive on the sharing of positions in the National Assembly. It was a litmus test which will work against him in becoming the SGF.”

    It was gathered that if Buhari has his way, he would not waste time in appointing Amb. Babagana Kingibe, whom he had courted since their days in the former seat of power, Dodan Barracks in Lagos.

    It was learnt that when anti-Kingibe forces came to Buhari recently to de-market the former SGF, the President said: “Kingibe contributed immensely to my campaign. contrary to what you think.”

    “I think age and geopolitical balance are working against Kingibe. But he will certainly play a role in Buhari’s administration.

    “This is why another bureaucrat from the North-East is being considered too.”

  • EITI chair to meet Buhari on NEITI report

    EITI chair to meet Buhari on NEITI report

    The Chair of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Clare Short, will arrive in Nigeria today on a tree-day working visit.

    While in Nigeria, the EITI chief is expected to hold consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari on the implementation of reports of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) as well as the proposed reforms in the oil, gas and mining sectors.

    The meeting is also expected to provide the international chair the opportunity to brief the president on the importance of integrating the EITI principles in his economic policy agenda as obtainable in resource rich countries globally.

    NEITI Director of Communications Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji said this in a statement yesterday.

    According to the statement, the visit of Short to Nigeria is seen as a global endorsement of Buhari’s commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability, which are consistent with EITI principles.

    The statement noted that the President had listed the implementation of the findings and recommendations of NEITI Audit Reports as a priority within his administration’s 100 days in office.

    NEITI reports have publicly disclosed several cases of mismanagement, underpayment of taxes, royalties, under-assessment and other lapses resulting in billions of dollars revenue loss to the Federation.