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Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari will do Nigeria good —Pastor Bakare

    Buhari will do Nigeria good —Pastor Bakare

    The General Overseer  of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has described Gen Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progresives Congress presidential candidate as a man of intergrity who will do the country proud if elected in the March 28 election.

    He spoke yesterday at the annual lenten talk/choral renditions and breaking of fast programme organised by the Island Club.

    The cleric who was the guest speaker of the event, spoke on the topic: The Origin of Lent and God’s Chosen Fast.

    Speaking, he said, “ Buhari is a man of integrity. I worked with him and found out that he is a man of integrity. I have no doubt that he will do us a lot of good if he is elected. The last time I took APC was when I was in the primary school. If APC will cure our headache so be it,” he said.

    He took exceptions to being addressed as a politician, saying: “I am not a politician nor am I a card carrying member of any political party. I am a nation building.

    “May the one that God has chosen win the election. Whoever loses the election is not a loser.  If President Jonathan loses, he should accept it and see himself as a constitutional change agent.”

    He enjoined the electorates to avoid being used for electoral violence adding “ if you want to die because of any  politicians, you must know that children of politicians won’t die for you or your children.”

    Quoting from the book of prophet Isaiah 58:6-12, tasked Christians to “eschew self- imposed, man made religious fast and abide by the prophecy of Isaiah which encapsulates God’s chosen fast.”

  • Buhari’s first 100 days in office

    Buhari’s first 100 days in office

    SIR: It is a tradition that leaders of countries from around the world do celebrate their first 100 days in office. The first 100 days of a new leader of a country is crucial and determines how his administration will be. In Nigeria, the first 100 days of Mohamadu Buhari, if elected, will be celebrated by Nigerians.

    In my opinion, the following will likely be among the first major effects of Buhari’s first 100 days in office.First, after his swearing-in on may 29 if he emerged victorious in the March 28 election, petroleum, kerosene and other oil products will stabilise and be abundant in the market. This is because the scarcity of the products is deliberate and unnecessary. Also, filing station owners will be afraid to close their stations for no reason as they are aware that Buhari was once a petroleum minister and he is well conversant with the nature of the market.

    Secondly, general availability of products and service will manifest in his first 100 days. From network services, power providers, civil service, marketers and retailers etc, God willing, everything will start to be doing well as they all fear Buhari because of his anti-corruption stand.

    Thirdly, there will be relative currency stability, security and discipline. This is due to the fact that, most of the corrupt government officials and business tycoons will run into exile or quickly jettison their corrupt practices. Corruption is directly related to security. Most of the money budgeted for security in Nigeria is mis-used by corrupt government officials. Of course, the naira will stabilise against the Dollar relatively.

    Fourthly, respect for the office of the President, other official government positions and confidence in governance will greatly increase. This is because Buhari is courageous and will not tolerate controversy and corruption.

    Lastly, Nigeria’s image and the respect for Nigerians will be redeemed. The world will respect Nigeria because it has good leaders voted in by the people. The world will respect Nigerians for their maturity, peaceful and legal change of a corrupt government. That will be in the first 100 days.

    That will not be the only thing to happen God willing. Among some other things to happen are: There will be no office of the first lady, no extravagant spendings in Aso Villa; unity and trust among Nigerians will start to increase, and there will be no claim and counter claim by different government officials and agencies. I can’t wait to see Nigeria change.

     

    • Comrade Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari,

    jariabdubaqi@gmail.com

  • Lagos women root for Buhari presidency

    Lagos women root for Buhari presidency

    A cross section of women in Lagos have resolved to mobilise support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on March 28.

    The women, who cut across  ethnic groups made the pledge at a town hall meeting organised by Pro-climate Federation for Buhari/Osibajo Presidency 2015 in Surulere. They promised to embark on door to door campaign to ensure the victory of the APC at the elections.

    The Convener, Women’s Pro-Climate Federation, Mrs Ekaette Sanusi, said Buhari  and Osinbajo would rescue the country, strengthen the economy and the naira that has depreciated beyond imagination.

    Sanusi urged the women to regard March 28 as a call to elect Gen. Buhari and Osibanjo as President and Vice President. “We will be on national duty to elect credible leaders that would strengthen the economy, guarantee security of lives and property, provide stable power supply, quality education, affordable houses, healthcare and transportation,” she said.

    According to her, Nigerians would vote for integrity, probity, accountability, transparency, job creation, strong economy, massive investment in agriculture, resuscitation of the manufacturing sector and provision of infrastructure.

    One of the guest speakers, Mr Gbemi Jaiyebo, advised the people to regard the election of Buhari and Osinbajo as a guarantee for the future of children. According to him, the present leadership have no plan for the children of the poor.

    Jaiyebo said the Jonathan administration is an embodiment of corruption; adding that it spends public funds recklessly at the expense of the suffering masses. He said what Nigerians need now is a visionary and disciplined leader, which Buhari/Osinbajo ticket represents.

    The representative of Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, the APC vice presidential candidate’s wife, Mrs Tolu Ogunlaja, said Nigerians should hold their destiny in their hands by collecting their permanent voter’s cards and vote for the APC for positive change in the country.

    She advised women to protect their votes by staying at the polling centre after casting their votes to listen to the result of the election to be announced by the presiding officer.

    Another guest, Mr Bolade Agbolamagbe, recalled that Buhari came to power in 1983 to rescue the country from the abyss of corruption but was not allowed to implement his programmes. He said, his regime instilled discipline in public and private life; strengthened the naira and re-ordered the nation’s priority.

    Agbolamagbe said God has preserved Buhari’s life for the sake of the suffering masses so that he can rescue the country. He said President Jonathan is confused and incompetent to lead this country and urged Nigerians to vote him out of office on March 28.

    The Leader of Arewa Youth Community, Malam Muhammed Sani said the March 28 poll will offer Nigerians the opportunity to change their destiny and liberate themselves from the clutches of corrupt leaders.

  • Why I shunned debate with Jonathan, by Buhari

    Why I shunned debate with Jonathan, by Buhari

    PRESS freedom is guranteed, should Gen. Muhammadu Buhari win the March 28 presidential election.

    But there will be no debate with President Goodluck Jonathan, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate said yesterday.

    Gen. Buhari said also that change revolution without firing a shot was imminent in the country.

    Buhari, who spoke at an interactive session with members of the Newspaper  Proprietors Association of Nigeria( NPAN) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors( NGE) in Abuja, restated his stand against a debate with President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said there was nothing to debate after 16 years of misrule, especially what he described as the six years of bad governance under Jonathan.

    He said: “To be fair to me and Mr. President, after 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and six years of his time, is there anything to debate?

    “Very seriously, you know the condition we are in; we are all experiencing it, no matter who you are. So, what should I debate there?”

    On the general election, Buhari said the shift on February 14 was unnecessary.

    He said INEC made it clear that it was prepared for the elections.

    He gave insights into what INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega told the Council of State meeting and how the military differed.

    He said Nigerians were waiting to see whether  or not the military would have rid Adamawa, Borno and Yobe of Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said: “I will give you the latest. When INEC submitted a comprehensive document on February 14th election to the Council of State, a number of us made comments. INEC did a good job and they put it on record because after submitting a document, you cannot withdraw it.

    “They submitted a document on what they had been doing since 2011, including training of personnel, acquiring election materials and how they were distributing them; and how they secured them.

    “They even said they were ready to conduct the election because they had achieved about 60 per cent distribution of the voter cards. In the previous elections, it had never been better than 45 per cent. But they were prepared.

    “Somehow, the military told them they cannot guarantee their security. Then six weeks were given and for Nigerians, those six weeks were within the perimeter allowed for the election. So, INEC said they should be allowed to give the military six weeks.”

    Gen. Buhari said Nigerians had been watching the military on how it would secure the remaining local government areas before the polls.

    He added: “The reasons given have exposed the inefficiency of the leadership because there were only 14 local government areas in the hands of Boko Haram. These were 10 in Borno, two in Yobe and two in Adamawa.

    “If Nigerian military cannot secure 14 local government areas in six years, how can they do it in six weeks. We are watching. We have only about 10 days to go in the six weeks. Let us see. In spite of the help of our generous neighbors, let us see whether the remaining LGAs can be secured. (Continued on Page 2)

  • Buhari favoured to win, says Na’abba

    Buhari favoured to win, says Na’abba

    A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Umar Ghali Na’abba, formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, barely 48 hours after dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said the country needed change, stressing that the momentum favoured the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to win.

    Na’abba added that he decided to join the APC to help to grow the momentum for change.

    He spoke while addressing APC leaders at a session at the party’s national secretariat to welcome him into the fold.

    His words: “I believe that most of you must have read or heard about my communication to my former party – the PDP. The total sum of my communication was that I have decided to leave the party, having being a member for the past 16 years with a brief interregnum of about one year.

    “I believe that more than any time in the history of this country, this country needs a change, particularly at the top. In the last 16 years, there has been misrule in this country. Nigerians are being misruled by successive presidents of the PDP. Some of us fought over these tendencies to no success.

    “I believe that the momentum today is in favour of the APC to change this country and we must never allow the momentum to go down. It is in that quest, that I feel that having resigned from the PDP, I must join the APC so that I can help grow that momentum.

    “It is quite remarkable that since I left the PDP, I have been receiving calls and messages of encouragement from across Nigeria. This is to show that APC is a national party and not what they use to regard it as a religious and sectional party. People from all corners of this country have called me, including former members of the House of Representatives, who are in the APC.

    “My pledge today is to work with you and the presidential candidate of the party while trying to consolidate on the gains made so far.”

    Na’abba expressed confidence that the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will win at the polls on March 28.

    He added: I believe that in General Buhari, we have a messiah and I also believe that democracy is about consultations. You must consult, accept and be patient. Patience is the only thing in life that when you do, you will never regret. So, let us be patient; let us be steadfast. Let me thank members of the Working Committee and other elders of the party for arranging to receive me.

    “ It is very remarkable that a convention was held and a free and fair election was conducted in which Gen. Buhari emerged as the presidential candidate of the party and I am a witness to how popular Gen. Buhari is, not just in the North, but all over the country.

    “I am happy that he is going to be the next president of this country and when he becomes the next president of Nigeria, it is our desire that he continues to be a national leader and not a sectional leader.” Nigerians, Na’abba said, have come a long way, adding that the nation could not continue to be ruled on the basis of divisiveness.

    He gave insights into why he decided to join political leaders of like minds in APC.

    The former Speaker of the House of Representatives said: “When I and other senior members of the party left the PDP between 2005 and 2007, a lot of things happened that we thought were undemocratic and we had to leave the party. Eventually, some of us returned after the late President Umaru Yar’Adua made certain promises to effect change in the party, which never happened.

    “We thought that we could cohabit within the party and it is a sad commentary on that party that today, majority of not only the founding fathers, but founding members have left the party, and many of them are on this high table. Our elder and father, Alhaji Ishiaku Ibrahim, is a founding member of the party, a member of the Board of Trustees and Chief Audu Ogbeh, who was a former chairman of the party. We also have some of my colleagues here and others who we could not invite due to the constraint of time.

    “It is barely two weeks to elections and it is important that I come here and be received so that we will go and continue to work towards the success of the party.” (Continued on Page 2)

  • Presidential election: Opinion poll places Buhari ahead of Jonathan

    AN opinion poll conducted by Alliance for Credible Election (ACE) on the rescheduled presidential election has placed the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Presenting the pre-election poll report yesterday, ACE said it was conducted through telephone interviews with 1,000 randomly selected Nigerians between February 23 and 27, 2015.

    Abdulwahab Ekehide, who presented the report, said Buhari got 44 per cent, while Jonathan got 36 per cent from the poll.

    “Respondents were asked which candidate they plan to vote for in the 2015 presidential elections, 44 per cent said Gen. Buhari, 36 per cent said President Jonathan and 19 per cent refused to give an answer to the question, while one per cent was undecided.

    “Across the geo-political zones, the highest proportion of respondents planning to vote for Gen. Buhari were in the Northwest, (56 per cent) and the lowest proportion in the Southeast (31 per cent).

    “For President Jonathan, the highest proportion was in the Southeast (57 per cent) and the lowest in the Northwest (25 per cent),” he said.

    Fielding questions from reporters, chairman of the occasion and Chairman, Partner for Electoral Reforms, Ezenwa Nwagwu, said: “All our engagements with electoral process is to improve and develop the nation.”

    On the use of 1,000 randomly selected Nigerians, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that over 52 million voters were with the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), Nwagwu said: “Size does not have anything to do with the outcome.”

    He argued that the outcome of the poll would motivate the political parties to do more and work harder to improve their chances.

     

     

  • Buhari meets Arewa community, others tomorrow

    THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen Muhammadu Buhari, his running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and leaders of the party are due in Lagos tomorrow.

    They are to meet with the various interest groups, including the Arewa community, market women, artisans and other  stakeholders.

    Speaking on the visit last night, the Lagos State Coordinator of the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation, James Abiodun Faleke, described the meetings as part of nationwide consultations with the party’s candidates.

    Faleke, who is a member of the House of Representatives, added that  all the APC candidates in Lagos will attend the meetings.

    According to him, Gen Buhari will hold a Town Hall meeting with artisans at the  Blue Roof, Lagos Television (LTV 8) by 10am and meet with the women group at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, by 1pm.

    Faleke said the APC candidates will meet with members of the Arewa Community at the Agege Township Stadium by 5pm.

     

  • Buhari in outing with Atiku, rules out debate with Jonathan

    Contrary to rumours of a split in the opposition, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress( APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,  ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and top leaders of the party met with media executives in Abuja.

    At the session, Buhari ruled out any presidential debate with President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said there is nothing to debate after 16 years of misrule, especially the six years of bad governance under Jonathan.
    Buhari, who spoke at an interactive session with members of the Newspaper  Proprietors Association of Nigeria( NPAN) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors( NGE) in Abuja, said there was no basis for poll shift on February 14.

    He said: “To be fair to me and Mr. President, after 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and six years of his time, is there anything to debate about?

    “Very seriously, you know the condition we are in, we are all experiencing it, no matter who you are. So, what should I debate there?”

    On the general election, Buhari said the poll shift on February 14 was unnecessary.

    He said INEC made it clear that it was prepared for the general election.

    He gave insights into what INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega told the Council of State meeting and how the military differed.

    He said Nigerians were waiting to see whether  or not the military would have rid Adamawa, Borno and Yobe of Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said: “I will give you the latest. When INEC submitted a comprehensive document on February 14th election to the Council of State, a number of us made comments. INEC did a good job and they put it on record because after submitting a document, you cannot withdraw it.

    “They submitted a document on what they had been doing since 2011 including training of personnel, acquiring election materials and how they have been distributing them; and how they secured them.
    “They even said they were ready to conduct the election because they have achieved about 60 per cent distribution of the voters cards. In the previous elections, it had never been better than 45 per cent. But they were prepared.

    “Somehow, the military told them they cannot guarantee their security. Then six weeks were given and for Nigerians, those six weeks were within the perimeter allowed for the election. So, INEC said they should be allowed to give the military six weeks.”

    Buhari said Nigerians had been watching the military on how it will secure the remaining LGAs before the poll.

    He added: “The reasons given have exposed the inefficiency of the leadership because there were only 14 local government areas in the hands of Boko Haram. These were 10 in Borno, two in Yobe and two in Adamawa.

    “If Nigerian military cannot secure 14 LGAs in six years, how can they do it in six weeks. We are watching. We have only about 10 days to go in the six weeks. Let us see. In spite of the help of our generous neighbors, let us see whether the remaining LGAs can be secured.
    “So, those in favour of presidential debate have a lot to do to convince me to do it.”

    But the presence of Atiku at the session added flavour as it dispelled rumours of cracks in APC following a meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the ex-Vice President.

    Clad in a white Kaftan, Atiku, who sat on the high table with Buhari, was all smiles.

    A close aide said: “What happened was that Jonathan in his desperation visited Atiku at odd hours to seek his assistance to win the poll. There was no way the former VP can snub the nation’s leader. He only listened to him.

    “But the ex-VP will not back out of his support for Buhari. His presence at this briefing us a message that the game is up for Jonathan. Has he forgotten how he disgraced Atiku at the Eagle Square to secured the presidential ticket?”

  • Buhari: I won’t tamper with press freedom

    Buhari: I won’t tamper with press freedom

     
    The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday said he will not tamper with press freedom if elected as a President on March 28.

    He also said a change revolution is imminent in the country without firing a shot.

    Buhari, who gave the assurance at an interactive session with members of the Newspaper  Proprietors Association of Nigeria( NPAN) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors ( NGE) in Abuja restated that he will not engage in a debate with President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said: “I want to give you my full assurances that in this democratic dispensation, I will ensure that the Nigerian constitution is upheld. This includes respect for the media, respect for the right to free expression and freedom of speech. Page 1 of 2 any of you are aware of Decree 4 of 1984, which was heavily criticised.

    “I have said elsewhere that I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. Dictatorship goes with military rule as do edicts such as Decree 4.

    “However, I am a former–former, note the emphasis on the word ‘former’–military ruler and now a converted democrat, who is ready to operate under democratic norms.

    “I am not only subjecting myself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time, but even after being elected, I will continue to promote the consolidation of democracy in our great country, Nigeria, by guaranteeing that the media’s freedom is not compromised in any way.

    “I give you my full assurances that the Nigerian media will be free under our APC government.”

    He urged media owners and Editors to shun hate reports and slanderous political rhetorics.

    He said: “I also want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to use your media outlets in shaping positive public discourse and eschew hate speech mongering and slanderous political rhetorics which heat up the polity for the sake of peace and stability of our dear nation.

    “There are two specific reasons why I have invited you here today. The first is to use the opportunity to say a special thank you to the Nigerian media for the role you have played in advancing our country’s democracy thus far, and especially for being a platform through which Nigerians’ cry for change was articulated all around the world.

    “On newspaper pages, TV screens and radio waves, the alarming depth of corruption and impunity in our country, the terrifying level of insecurity, and the grim state of our economy were kept constantly before the world’s eyes, making it impossible for the current government to doctor the truth, despite their meanest efforts.

    “I urge you not to relent in your role as watchdogs, to continue to be the voice of the people. The health of Nigeria’s democracy rests partly on you. Without a robust and thriving media, the masses would have no voice.

    “The electorate would also not have sufficient information to make sound decisions, such as deciding to vote out a clueless government and vote in CHANGE.”

    Buhari restated that change revolution is imminent in the country without firing a shot.

    He added: “Our country is on the verge of something new. The tide has turned and the world can sense the wave of change that is about to flood this nation. In less than two weeks, the Nigerian electorate will head to the polls to make their voices heard. “Through the ballot, without a single shot fired, a change revolution will likely take place.”

    After his speech, Buhari responded to questions from some publishers and editors at the session.
    But it was not without drama when the President of NPAN, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, asked Buhari if he was ready to apologize to two journalists who were jailed in 1984 under Decree 4.

    Immediately after Obaigbena asked the question, the Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Organization, Governor Rotimi Amaechi said: “Gen. Buhari had already answered that question by saying he cannot change the past but he can change present and the future.”

    Those at the session were the President of NPAN, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Deputy President of NPAN, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, the Publisher of Vanguard Press Limited, Sir, Sam Amuka Pemu, a former President of NPAN, Ray Ekpu; the Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda Isaiah, the representative of THE Guardian Publisher, Toke Ibru, the Managing Director/ Editor-In-Chief of Champion Newspaper, Mrs. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa;  the Publisher of Peoples Daily, Mallam Wada Maida; the Publisher of Blueprint Newspaper, Alh. Idris Mohammed; a former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Gbenga Adefaye; the Managing Director/ Editor-In- Chief of New Telegraph, Mr. Eric Osagie; the Chairman of Liberty Radio, Tijjani Ramalan; the Chairman of Silverbird  Television, Ben Murray Bruce; and the representative of the publisher of THE NATION, Yusuf Alli among others.

  • Benue killings: Bloodshed can’t solve problems, says Buhari

    Benue killings: Bloodshed can’t solve problems, says Buhari

    The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has deplored the frequent resort to violence to deal with perceived grievances by the people.

    Reacting to the incident at Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, where dozens, mainly women and children, were killed by suspected herdsmen, the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that the resort to violence in whatever form was not acceptable and justifiable, no matter the grievances.

    The Director of Media and Publicity of APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu, quoted Gen. Buhari as saying he was deeply saddened that the cordial relationships that existed between and among the people have been replaced by intolerance and hate.

    According to the statement, leadership is the key to dealing with frequent communal clashes between the Fulani and Benue communities over disputes about farmlands and grazing lands.

    Shehu said political leaders should build trust among the people as the basis for dialogue, adding that “if the people can no longer listen to their leaders, such crises may persist and make life more miserable for the people.”

    Condoling with the families of the victims, APCPCO urged politicians, regardless of partisan divide, to unite and speak with one voice “over these embarrassing incidents.”

    According to Shehu, the interested parties should recognise the rights of one another and make compromises for peace.

    He advised Nigerians to stop killing one another when they face the challenges of insecurity, unemployment, hunger, disease and poor governance caused by corruption and other manifestations of bad leadership.