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Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari jets out to UK, to address CHATAM House

    Buhari jets out to UK, to address CHATAM House

    The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is to address the Royal Institute of International Affair, Chatham House, in London during his short visit to the United Kingdom.

    A statement issued by the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation said that Buhari who left Abuja for UK on Thursday on a short working visit is expected to hold meetings with key members of the British political establishment and interact with some global institutions with stakeholder interest in the affairs of Nigeria.

    The organisation also said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu that it has evidence that a top management staff of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is behind the hate campaigns against its presidential candidate and his family aired in the recent documentary by African Independent Television and Nigeria Television Authority.

    Shehu said the campaign office has confirmed that the agency was the sponsor of all the dirty campaigns against the APC presidential candidate on AIT, NTA and several other media platforms.

    While saying that the action contravenes the NIMASA Act, the Public Service Regulations, and the Independent National Electoral Commission Act 2010 as amended, among others, the APC decried the situation where a government agency uses public funds to sponsor a campaign of calumny against its candidate, which it said is not only illegal, but should also be condemned.

    He said that the action should be investigated by the Joint Committees of the National Assembly on Marine Transportation, stressing that if these claims were found to be true, disciplinary action should be taken against the agency and its leadership.

    The statement said: “It is a well known fact that the Director General of the Agency, Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi was President Goodluck Jonathan’s and a well-known ex-militant’s errand boy.

    “He was appointed there for the sole aim of satisfying an ex-militant’s camp, an assignment he has carried out well to the satisfaction of those who put him there through the award of a concessionaire phantom PPP project.

    “Under this contract, a certain company, (Global West Vessels Specialists Ltd) was handed the legal responsibility of the Nigerian Navy of protecting the Nation’s Waterway and NIMASA’s Maritime Security function to the surprise of all industry observers and yet fail woefully in offering the necessary protection for the theft of Nigerian Crude Oil, which has only increased since then among other sea related crimes.”

     

  • Buhari: Facts and fallacies

    SIR: Of all the lies being peddled by the PDP to blotch the personality of General Muhammadu Buhari, labelling him a religious bigot is most particularly damning and fraudulent. At the slightest opportunity, the PDP and its cronies resort to the religious card as part of the ploy to present him in bad light. What the PDP promoter of the lies are yet to tell Nigerians is how a man who ruled the nation as a military dictator and didn’t Islamize the country would do same as a civilian president, with all the democratic checks and balances in place.

    The truth of the matter is that Gen Buhari is a practicing Muslim and there is actually nothing wrong with this. The Nigerian constitution permits every Nigerian to practice the religion that he/she believes in and in the way he chooses to. President Jonathan has been hopping from one church to the other across the country. He was once in Jerusalem with some Christian leaders and a few Christian members of his cabinet and party. He is actually free to do this as guaranteed by the constitution of the country. But then, why is General Buhari being unnecessarily vilified for his faith?

    Till date, no one could actually lay claim to any instance when the General has acted in ways that hinder others from practicing their religion. As it is often said, opinions are free but facts are sacred. When General Buhari took over as the military Head of State in 1984, out of the 19 military governors, he appointed, 11 of them were Christians. The record is there for whoever cares to corroborate.

    The fear of the PDP as expressed by President Jonathan that Buhari would send some Nigerians to jail for corruption as soon as he becomes the president is no surprise. His government courts corruption, and deserve nobody’s sympathy. Corrupt public officers and their accomplices belong nowhere but jail houses. However, the truth is that under democracy, and the rule of law, due-process will be guiding principle. If the General, like any rational leader, is going to fight corruption, he would have to do that within the confines of the law. Nigeria is not a banana republic. The constitution remains the guiding document of faith in the country. It is true Dr. Jonathan has been treating this sacred document with impunity, and believes this would be the same under Buhari.

    What the country needs presently is a leader with the anti-corruption stance of General Buhari. Our major problem has been the mismanagement of our resources by a crop of visionless and selfish leaders. At the last count, the Jonathan administration could not account for over $100bn! Corruption remains the bane of the country and any leader who can tackle corruption headlong could actually move the nation to the Promised Land. What we have now is a government that has turned corruption and deception into instruments of governance. The end results are the several woes that have befallen the country. When sane and patriotic economic analysts in the country were cautioning our leaders about an impending economic woe, the all-knowing economic managers in Abuja simply shrugged it off as the ranting of ants. However, Nigerians now know better as a regime of austerity measures have been forced down our throats.

    For the PDP, corruption is a way of life. Fuel subsidy rip-off linking sons of ex-PDP  chairmen, the Halliburton scam, the pension scam, the national identity card scam, the electricity scam, the NPA corruption scandal, to mention just a few are some of the complex corruption cases through which the PDP has thrown the country into a mess.

    What stands Buhari apart is the very element that is lacking in the current crop of leadership we have in this nation today – INTEGRITY!

     

    • Lateef Raji

    Lagos

     

  • Huge crowds receive Buhari in Maiduguri

    •Shehu seeks action against Boko Haram

    Thousands of residents poured onto the streets of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday to receive Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate accompanied by his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was in the city, which houses almost one million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from parts of the state under the control of Boko Haram, to launch his campaign for the March 28 presidential poll.

    The crowd was so huge and affectionate that the APC team, which also included National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Campaign Director-General Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Mr. Audu Ogbe, Senator Lawal Sha’aibu, Alhaji Umar Faruk Aliyu, Senator Hadi Sirika, APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni,  Gen. Lawan Dambazau  and Hadiza Bala Usman, could not speak at the rally.

    At the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Ibn Umar El- Kanemi, the traditional ruler urged Gen. Buhari to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency, if elected.

    The Shehu said the destroyed communities by Boko Haram in the Northeast should be built to give a new lease of life to the victims of insurgents and their families.

    He said the federal projects that have been abandoned, such as the Biu Dam Water Project, the Lake Chad Basin oil exploration and the connection of Borno State to the National Power grid should be revived.

    He advised the presidential candidate to ensure violence-free campaigns and elections.

    Gen. Buhari assured the Shehu of his unflinching support and assistance in returning the state to peace and the resuscitation of the federal projects and establishments.

    He pledged to tackle insecurity and improve on agricultural production, revive the oil industry and create job opportunities for unemployed youths, who have graduated and cannot find jobs, if elected.

    “I was here in 1975 as governor of the defunct North-East State. I’m happy that I received a befitting welcome.  If elected, I will focus on tackling the persistent insecurity affecting Northeast. The damage has been done, but if the APC government is elected, all towns under Boko Haram control will be liberated and rebuilt. It is unfortunate that commercial activities were paralysed.

    “In the past, hundreds of trailers loaded with goods took off from Maiduguri to various neighbouring countries, but now the reverse is the situation. Boko Haram’s ideology contradicts Islamic principle. Islam does not allow senseless killings of innocent people. It is unfortunate that innocent persons are being killed in mosques, churches and their houses.  God willing, if the APC is elected, we will restore confidence in governance and stamp out corruption,” Buhari said.

    At the Ramat Square, venue of the grand rally, the crowd overwhelmed security operatives and brought the rally to an abrupt end.

    It took the convoy of the candidate more than an hour from the Maiduguri International Airport to arrive at the Ramat Square.

    The APC candidate had to abort all efforts at addressing the crowd, who kept shouting “Sai Buhari”.

    Thousands of party supporters, mostly youths, lined major roads as early as 7a.m. to catch a glimpse of the APC standard-bearer.

    Vehicles were forced to move at snail’s speed after Buhari arrived at the state capital, as supporters occupied the roads in celebration.

    The equipment of a television station transmitting the event live were vandalised.

    One of the crew members said: “Our transmission wires were cut. We lost some of our equipment, but I thank God that we came out of that place in one piece.”

    In an attempt to control the surging crowd of supporters, the military resorted to brutality, beating up supporters attempting to invade the VIP stand.

    In a show of anger, some supporters threw  footwears at security operatives.

    There was stampede in and outside the Ramat   Square. There was heavy shelling of RPG in front of the square, as a measure to control the crowd. Two people were taken out, gasping for breath.

  • Elder statesmen seek Jonathan, Buhari meeting

    Elder statesmen seek Jonathan, Buhari meeting

    Strong indications emerged yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan may meet his political arch-rival, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on a neutral ground for another round of talks on how to manage the outcome of the March 28 presidential poll.

    The plan is allegedly being packaged by some leaders of thought and elder statesmen.

    Details are being worked out, it was learnt.

    Some of the issues on the agenda are acceptance of the results of the poll and making Gen. Buhari to allay fears of President Jonathan if the PDP is defeated.

    A highly-placed source said: “I think the two leaders are being consulted by those behind the meeting to seek their consent and in order to determine the venue.

    “If there are issues they might want to be on the agenda, they can add ahead of the meeting.

    “We expect a heart-to-heart discussion because Nigeria is greater than anybody.”

    The list of those behind the initiative was kept under wraps yesterday.

    A source, who is privy to the proposed meeting, said: “We are aware of plans to facilitate a meeting between Jonathan and Gen. Buhari to allay some fears including alleged plans to try and jail the President if he loses the election.

    “The modalities are being worked out. Those behind it want the two leaders to have frank talks on how to manage the outcome of the general election.

    “In fact, there is a plan to hold the meeting abroad with only one of the facilitators at the proposed session to reduce influence on the candidates.

    “One of the objectives of the proposed meeting is to avoid plunging the nation into a deeper crisis.”

    Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday alleged that the President was afraid of being sent to jail by the APC presidential candidate, Buhari, if PDP is defeated.

    Obasanjo said: I believe the President’s fear is not leaving office per se, because he and I have had occasions to talk about this both seriously and jovially. “I believe President would want an opportunity to disengage peacefully and have a nice, decent and a glorious exit, I believe the President’s fear is, particularly, motivated by those who he see as Gen Buhari as his likely successor.

    “I believe those people would have been telling him that Buhari is a hard man, he would fight corruption and you may end up in jail if not in grave. I believe people must have told him all sorts of things and he is not the only one, there are other people who may be afraid of Buhari. But why?”

  • Buhari pledges to run lean govt

    Buhari pledges to run lean govt

    •APC campaign flays Fed Govt on N76b botched CCTV

    The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari, has assured that his government will cut out wastages and run a lean as well as efficient administration.

    The envisaged administration, the presidential candidate said, would enable funds to be made available for “capital and development projects to assure prosperity for all Nigerians.”

    A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), Mallam Garba Shehu, said an APC presidency would deepen a viable free market economy in the country, stressing that businesses would enjoy marked differences in the environment for undertaking their activities.

    The statement said citizens in business, foreign investors and young entrepreneurs under the APC presidency will enjoy equal incentives and friendly business and investment climate.

    “It is envisaged that this will help them to participate and engage in productive economic and entrepreneurial activities geared towards the resuscitation and revamping of the nation’s economy and its capacity to generate millions of direct and indirect job opportunities for our teeming citizens,” the statement said.

    According to Shehu, APC’s national economic policy will support and insist on diligent implementation of the yearly budgets to guarantee accountability and transparency in public resources management.

    “Gen. Buhari recognises and appreciates that the world has changed with market-based economy being the norm in an increasingly competitive global village. He knows for a fact that no nation can exist in solitude and ignore the global trend; not even Russia and China, let alone Nigeria.

    “Make no mistake about it, the Buhari/Osinbajo government will run a market based economy; but with clear and unambiguous regulatory framework and effective enforcement mechanism with zero-tolerance for corruption,” the statement indicated.

    He added that in line with the party’s manifesto, an APC government will implement custom and import duties that support the prosperity of both indigenous and foreign investors and industrial development in the interest of job creation and the enhancement of citizens’ purchasing power.

    He said: “We shall liberalise government’s incentives to the business community and ensure that few business interests do not enjoy undue advantages against majority of our entrepreneurs to the detriment of the national economic prosperity.”

    On corruption, the campaign organisation said that the envisaged Buhari government would draw a line and look forward, stressing: “We shall plug all loopholes of wastages of our commonwealth and discourage money guzzling ventures, particularly in the oil sector, electric power and pension.

    “The essence is to conserve resources for the massive infrastructural renewal needed to drive our economic and social system and generate massive employment for our jobless masses.”

    In another development, the APCPCO said the failure of the government to deliver on the $470 million (N76 billion) National Public Security Communications System Project in Abuja was an indication that the government was not serious about fighting insecurity in the country.

    The organisation said the project, otherwise known as the CCTV Camera Project, which was supposed to help Nigeria shore-up its security, had remained shrouded in mystery, wastage and embezzlement of scarce national resources.

    Lamenting the shoddy and inadequate delivery on the project which was designed to cover Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Bayelsa, Kaduna and Kano in its pilot phase, the APC Campaign queried the “sincerity of the Federal Government in its battle against insecurity and corruption, when it could not deliver on a project that was supposed to use technology, which President Jonathan lately has a passion for, to make our cities safer like is the practise in other countries.

    “It is heartbreaking that in an era that we are confronted by huge security challenges, especially as it relates to the insurgency, the Jonathan administration has failed woefully to deliver on the safe cities’ project after billions of our scarce resources have been spent, wasted or stolen on these phantom projects that have not added any value to the nation’s security asset.”

    He said it was bewildering that the PDP-led government failed to report on the status of the Abuja CCTV Camera Project even after the House of Representatives ordered probe and countless petitions to the anti-graft agency.

    “The PDP-led government owes Nigerians an explanation on the status of this project. This project must not go the way of several others, as it is too central to our security architecture to let some greedy persons to undermine it,” Shehu said.

  • Don’t turn Nigeria into a police state, Buhari’s supporters warn

    ‘Jonathan must abide by May 29 date’ 

    Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, under the auspices of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), have warned the Federal Government against attempts to turn the country into a police state.

    In a statement by its spokesman, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe in Abuja yesterday, the BSO said it was alarmed by the mass deployment of security agents around the country, saying this had raised questions about the effectiveness of government to secure the nation against insurgents and acts of political violence.

    In the statement entitled: “Nigeria must not become a police state”, the group said that the deployment of troops around leaders of the APC and a statement credited to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Mbu Joseph Mbu were part of efforts by the government to turn the state into a police state.

    The statement reads: “Events in the last few weeks on the political scene are beginning to raise concerns about attempts by the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in collusion with national security institutions, to turn Nigerian into a police state.

    “Reports of mass deployment of police, army and other security forces around the country by the PDP-led administration have continued to raise questions about the effectiveness of government in providing security against insurgency and anticipated acts of political violence in the general elections.

    “The Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, gave a hint of what could be described as government’s hysteria about the APC fast-moving wind of change across Nigeria and the ostensible plan to checkmate it with the deployment of police crack teams around the country.”

    It added: “Today, Nigerians are made to watch the increasing build-up of the army around major streets of towns and cities under the pretext of providing security. It is, however, coming to light that rather than carrying out what ought to be routine security duties, these military personnel are detailed to intimidate leaders of the opposition party, particularly the APC.

    “How does one explain the military build-up around the residences of the leaders of the APC in Lagos and Abuja as well as a reported attack on the personal residence of the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in Abuja by yet to be identified persons. Are these not clear signals of the making of a police state in Nigeria?

    “Shortly after the postponement of the elections that was meant to take place on February 14, 2015, the PDP government deployed troops in a number of towns and cities, such as Kaduna, Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Ibadan, where the APC sentiment is known to be strong. Reports from across these states show that the soldiers have been carrying out “stop and search” operations, thereby making life inconvenient for the people.

    “The danger in this is that members of the opposition are believed to be the target of these “stop and search” operations in continuation of the plot to intimidate supporters of the party.

    “Clearly, these anti-democratic tendencies on the part of the PDP and its agents represent very serious threat to the survival of participatory democracy and freedom of choice as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

    “It is important to draw some lessons from a similar situation that happened in Côte d’Ivoire under the disgraced President Laurent Gbagbo in the year 2011. President Gbagbo against the popular wish of the people of Côte d’Ivoire plotted to stay in power using both the army and police to terrorise the opposition even when the people have rejected him.

    “It took the intervention of the international community for Gbagbo to respect the wish of his people who had elected Alassan Quattara as their new president that year.

    “Today, Gbagbo is standing trial in the International Criminal Court of Justice for mass murder of political opponents and human right abuses against his own people. That is the fate that awaits political despots who try to impose themselves on the people through the manipulation of the electoral processes.

    “It would therefore be very unfortunate if President Jonathan, who ironically played a significant role in resolving the Ivoirian crisis, fails to learn from that experience.

    “The popular wish of Nigerians in electing the government of their choice freely to provide the desired positive change against his divisive, corrupt and lacklustre leadership should be seen as sacrosanct”.

    The group, in another statement, also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to walk his talk on his promise to hand over if defeated at the rescheduled presidential polls.

    According to the group which is rooting for the election of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presidential election, “the moment of history beckons on President Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government in the realm of integrity to keep faith with his promise to allow Nigerians a new political deal.”

    The president had assured Nigerians that 2015 elections shall hold within the remaining constitutionally available window and would also be free and fair.

    Jonathan also promised that he was ready to abide by whatsoever the outcome.

  • Borno declares today holiday for Buhari

    The Borno State Government has declared today a work-free day for the visit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

    In a statement in Maiduguri, the state capital, by the Secretary to Borno State Government (SSG), Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, the government said the public holiday would enable the residents to give Gen. Buhari a rousing welcome for his rally.

    The statement reads: “The Borno State Government has declared Monday a work-free day. It is to enable the people of the state welcome the APC presidential candidate, General Buhari, who will arrive in Maiduguri on a campaign visit on Monday.”

    The statement urged APC supporters to troop out to welcome the important visitor.

    “Governor Kashim Shettima has urged Borno State residents to come out en masse to welcome Gen. Buhari, who is ‘the people’s general’.”

    Borno State APC has been preparing for Gen. Buhari’s visit.

    The billboards of the “people’s general” and those of his running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, and Governor Shettima, have been mounted at major entry points into the state capital.

  • APC France drums support for Buhari

    APC France drums support for Buhari

    The French chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is drumming support for the party’s presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking at a rally, its coordinator, Mrs. Ibifuro Thompson Tatua, charged Nigerians resident in France to mobilise support from their base for Buhari’s candidature at the general elections.

    Tatua noted that the anger and bitterness of Nigerians in recent years have grown so deep that the nation cannot endure another four years of hardship any longer.

    She therefore, called on Nigerians home and abroad to rise to the challenge by voting for the APC presidential candidates and other candidates of the party during the polls.

    She said: “Back home, the people’s anger has become deep and bitter. They are not comfortable with the prevailing deficit in the nation’s body polity. They are against the ruling party because of its ineptitude.

    “To majority of Nigerians, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a failure and any vote for the party in the general election is a mandate for poverty, bad policies, insecurity, infrastructural decay and destruction of the nation’s economy.” She pointed out.

    Tatua noted that the most effective way Nigerians can show their resentment against the government in power is to vote in General Buhari. She added that the APC presidential candidate represents all that is needed to entrench good governance in the country

    Tafua added: “The only approved way of Nigerians expressing their resentment against the atrocious activities of the PDP is to vote for the APC presidential candidate and all other APC candidates.

    “Why should Nigerians vote for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari? Gen. Buhari represents change, commitment, transparency and focused leadership. He is an honest and sincere leader of genuine integrity. He is a man of great ideas, dreams and abilities.”

    The coordinator said victory for Buhari at next month’s general elections will not only aid the country in regaining her place on global stage, but will also help in bringing an end to the myriad of challenges confronting the nation. “Buhari will make Nigeria gain her place on global stage. He will provide security for lives and property for our citizenry.He will provide electricity and health facilities,” she said.

  • Buhari: It’s harsh to judge me by the past

    Buhari: It’s harsh to judge me by the past

    Former Head of State and presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari fielded questions from the CNN International Correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, on his vision, insecurity in the Northeast, polls shift and other issues. Excerpts:

    What is your reaction to the delay in the elections by six weeks, and President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise that the military will make inroad in the area of security of the Northeast in six weeks?

    My reaction is that of disappointment because the presentation made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was that they were ready to conduct the election on the dates they fixed a year ago, and for them to be forced virtually by the military, which said that they cannot guarantee the safety of INEC staff, which made the commission to concede to the demand of additional six weeks. But, since six weeks is within the time stipulated by the constitution, we had to advise our supporters to remain calm, resolute and obey the law.

    You are a former military General, and you ruled the country briefly. Why is it that the Nigerian military today cannot take on Boko Haram and has failed to combat that terrorist organisation?

    The issue was made much clear when the National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing after soldiers granted interviews to foreign media about being sent to the fronts without proper weapons. The National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing by  inviting all the Service Chiefs to come and explain why weapons were not procured and sent to the soldiers under competent leadership. But, the hearing was scuttled. This shows misapplication or misappropriation of resources provided by the government. It also explains why the Nigerian military has been unable to defeat Boko Haram.

    You recently got a huge endorsement from a former ally of President Jonathan; former President Olusegun Obasanjo. How do you react to that and what will that do to your campaign?

    It will certainly bring more supporters to us and more confidence again to us and those who were sitting on the fence before now because General Obasanjo is highly respected and as far as the Nigerian nation is concern, there is no serious issue that can be discussed without people seeking for his opinion and listening to it.

    The headlines around the world are that the Nigerian presidential election is a contest between a failed president and former dictator, and you are the former dictator. Some people say that you expelled 700,000 migrants years back, thinking that it would create jobs; that you banned political meetings and free speech; that you detained thousands of people; set up secret tribunals; executed people for crimes that were not capital offences. Have you changed or are these what the Nigerian people should look forward to if you win the election?

    All those things you mentioned with a degree of accuracy were what actually happened, but they were under a military administration. When the military under my leadership came on board, we suspended those aspects of the constitution that we felt would make it difficult for us to operate under the circumstance we found ourselves. But, I think I would be judged harshly as an individual by what happened during that military administration, or to extend what happened under a military administration to a democratic system.

    Now that you say that you are a democrat, what do you think you can do to combat Boko Haram and the galloping corruption in your country?

    We know how Boko Haram started. Certainly, the Nigerian military has built a reputation for effectiveness, but it is a great embarrassment to the country that the military has not been able to secure Nigeria’s territory, losing 14 out of 774 local governments. I believe that it will not be difficult for an APC government to deal with Boko Haram because we know that the Nigerian military is competent. What we will do is to make sure the funds voted for equipment and training are properly utilized.

    On corruption, there are complains by many people in your country over massive corruption. Can you face up against that? Are you committed to rooting out corruption?

    We have to because there are serious citizens of our country who said that “unless Nigeria kills corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.” And this was best illustrated by the hearings conducted by the National Assembly on the pension fund, power sector and petroleum industry, on which the country depends on for about 90 per cent of its external revenue. The National Assembly conducted the hearings here in Abuja and the six geo-political zones of the country. They sent their recommendation to the executive,  but it has been there collecting dust in the last 18 months.

  • PDP GOVS IN FRESH PLOT TO STOP BUHARI

    PDP GOVS IN FRESH PLOT TO STOP BUHARI

    FOLLOWING likely loss of cases against the eligibility of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, some governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met  on Thursday night on how to push for criminal charges against the former Head of State.

    The governors were  yesterday in Abuja frantically  looking for evidence against  Buhari to stop him from contesting the  March 28 presidential election.

     Some people , it was learnt, might be instigated by the governors to write a petition to the IGP , Suleiman Abba urging him to look into allegations of forgery and perjury against Buhari.

    The PDP had said that Buhari claimed to INEC that his West Africa School Certificate was with the military authorities but that with the latter denying  that it had the certificate, Buhari has committed perjury. The governors, it was further learnt, may also ask the IGP to  revisit the PTF report .

    Buhari headed the PTF, an intervention agency set up by the regime of late Head of State General Sani Abacha . Former President Olusegun Obasanjo later investigated the agency, but found nothing against Buhari. Last month, Obasanjo gave the APC candidate a clean bill while running the PTF.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the affected governors were uncomfortable that legal advice had pointed to likely loss of all cases against Buhari’s eligibility.

    It was learnt that the affected governors had a session in Abuja on Thursday night on how to “stop Buhari” at all cost.

    They were said to be disappointed that “presumption of innocence” is heavily in favour of Buhari.

    A reliable source said: “Some PDP governors and some forces against Buhari have received in-depth legal advice, indicating that all the suits against Buhari are mere academic exercises.

    “These governors, who met in Abuja on Thursday, have become frustrated. They are looking for any shred of evidence to level criminal charges against Buhari.

    “They have realized that without concrete facts and evidence, they cannot get any fiat to prosecute Buhari and stop him from contesting.”

    Another source said: “The governors and some forces are plotting to cook up frivolous allegations which they will present in a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to enable the police investigate Buhari.

    “You can see that these forces are working on Plan B to disqualify Buhari to scuttle the rescheduled general elections.

    “They know that there is no way they can disqualify Buhari without creating crisis nationwide.”

    As at press time, it was gathered that no petition has been submitted to the police.

     A police source said: “If there are issues against Buhari, we have to subject these to thorough investigation which cannot be conducted overnight.

    “And investigation of any kind takes time.”

    But a reliable source in the APC said going by legal precedents, those behind eligibility suits against Buhari are wasting their time.

    The source said: “Whatever plot they are planning, we will rise to the challenge. It is just unfortunate that they want to win election through the backdoor.

    “They are just afraid of going to the poll with Buhari. We know that since they postponed the elections, they must be working on some mischief.

    “Going by the security siege on APC leaders and telephone bugging, they are building up a new plot.

    “If you look at Section 131 of the 1999 Constitution, Buhari is eminently qualified to contest the presidential election.”

    Section 131 says: “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if (a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of forty (40) years; (c )he is a member of a political party; and (d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its  equivalent.

    “In  Section 318, School Certificate or equivalent means (a) a Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent, or Grade II Teacher’s Certificate, the City and Guilds Certificate; or (b) education up to Secondary School Certificate level; or

    “(c) Primary Six School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent and (i) service in the public or private sector in the Federation in any capacity acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) for a minimum of  10 years; and

    “(ii) attendance at courses and training in such institutions as may be acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for periods totalling up to a minimum of one year, and

     “(iii) the ability to read, write, understand and communicate in the English Language to the satisfaction of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC); and

    “(d) Any other qualification acceptable by the INEC.”

    PDP governors in the north are uncomfortable with Buhari in the race. Their fear is that they may not realise their second term or senatorial ambition with the general in the race.