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Tag: Buhari’s administration

  • Buhari’s administration, the best since 1999, says APC chieftain

    The Managing Director of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna, has described President Muhammadu Buharias the best since Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999.

    Gwamna who made this known to Reporters in Kano, said the anti-corruption campaign of the current administration was an indication to the fact that the president was committed to building a better Nigeria.

    He said President Buhari’s efforts in addressing the key challenges hindering the growth of the country were commendable, especially at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had plundered Nigeria’s economy, making governance difficult to run.

    The APC chieftain noted that the administration has addressed the fundamental challenges, adding that the previous administration had entrenched corruption into the Nigerian system.

    Gwamna said: “The government has done well in key areas such as fighting corruption, addressing the power sector challenges and empowering the youth and elderly in our society through social investments programmes.

    “The gains of this administration within the last nearly four years by President Buhari is commendable and I award it as the best administration, Nigerians ever had, since we returned to democracy in 1999.

    “The major challenge that if ignored will continue to hamper the growth and development of Nigeria, is corruption. Fighting corruption is a landmark achievement because it ensures that money meant for governance is not diverted.

    “Good governance is difficult in a society where there is corruption this is why the president has made it a priority issue to be addressed unlike the previous PDP-led administration that entrenched corruption into our society.

    “Corruption has been our major challenge and by fighting it, the current administration is protecting the future that is why our external reserve has risen to nearly 43 billion dollars.

    “An administration that has empowered over 500,000 youths with N30, 000 monthly, given thousands of old persons N5,000 monthly stipends, paid pensions arrears to those who were abandoned by the PDP government, deserves commendations.”

    Gwamna said the reforms in the power sector in the last three years, which has added 3000MW to the national grid is encouraging, adding that Nigeria would have resolved the challenge of power if the PDP administration had done what the APC is doing which would have given 16,000MW in their 16 years.

    The APC chieftain advised youths to vote APC in Gombe State, to give good governance a definition in the state, against the abysmally poor performance of the PDP in the last seven years. He said Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya is credible and qualified enough to deliver the goods.

    He charged Nigerians to vote based on the dividends of democracy as delivered by the current administration, adding, ‘‘If we return the APC into power, President Buhari will consolidate on the gains on ground.

    “I also advise voters to vote their conscience as many politicians from opposition parties have earmarked money to buy votes before and during elections,” he added.

  • Senate sabotaging Buhari’s administration, says Senator

    •’Why senate leadership is after me, by Adamu

    A senator yesterday accused the Senate of sabotaging the Muhammadu Buhari administration with its actions, despite the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) having majority of the members.

    Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West) claimed that his opposition to some of the Senate’s actions was responsible for his being singled out for punishment and attacks by his colleagues. He warned that any move to suspend him for his views would be illegal.

    The septuagenarian senator, a two-term Nasarawa State Governor, made his position known in a statement yesterday.

    He said: “Our party, the  APC, has the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, yet we hold the executive prisoner of politics that are unhealthy for the polity.

    “It is such a terrible irony that we sabotage our own government by refusing to do our part in support of the executive.

    “Appointments requiring Senate approval are held up. The consequence is that the public has nicknamed the President and his administration go-slow”.

    Adamu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, also said his opposition to the amendment of the Electoral Act, which reordered election sequence, was another reason he was being attacked in the Senate.

    The lawmaker said he strongly believed that senators needed to retrace their steps and reconsider their stand as legislators on matters of public interest.

    He added: “The people gave us the mandate as a party to deliver. With our control of the executive and the National Assembly, there is no reason why the government cannot acquit itself and fulfill the yearnings of the people.

    “Perhaps, while we are consumed with sabotaging the administration and stabbing one another in the back, we forget that in less than a year from now, we shall be required to seek the people’s revalidation of our mandate to sit in these hallowed chambers. What shall we tell them?”

    The statement partly reads: “The public is aware that I have been the subject of vilifications by both the leadership and my distinguished colleagues in the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the past three weeks or so. Various attempts have been made, and are still being made to impugn my integrity and question my support for the leadership of the Senate and my loyalty to the Senate.

    “I have thus far refrained from a press war in defence of myself because I am fully aware that a press warfare resolves nothing. In all wars, including a press war, the truth suffers; the public becomes less informed and more confused about the facts and the issues at stake. I have taken some necessary steps within the confines of the Senate to defend myself and re-assure my distinguished colleagues that I remain unshaken in my commitment and faithful to my oath as a legislator on whom the constitution imposes the burden of making laws for the good governance of our dear country.

    “Inherent in that important constitutional duty is the promotion of peace driven by cordial and mutually beneficial relations between the executive and the legislative arms of government. In my humble view, a strained relationship between the two arms of government would result in the proverbial case of two elephants fighting and trampling the grass under their heavy feet. In this case, unless the executive and the legislature act in tandem, good governance would become unattainable. And, of course, the welfare of the people would suffer grievously.

    “I am now forced to respond to some of the barefaced lies and the nasty allegations against me because the public has the right to know the facts. My objective is to properly educate the public on my ‘crime’ or ‘crimes.’ It is important for the public to know that I have committed no crime against the Senate and/or its leadership. I have done nothing to bring the revered upper legislative house to ridicule intentionally or inadvertently. My only crime that is considered heinous by the leadership of the senate, is this:

    “I stood up on the floor of the Senate in a raucous plenary session to caution against the increasing show of disrespect to the person and the office of the President of the Federal Republic. I feared that this was becoming a pattern. I thought this was against the culture of the legislature and we needed to pull back in order to maintain mutual respect between the executive and the legislature. The national assembly is the second arm of this administration. We cannot undermine the executive without undermining the government of which we are a part.

    “I did not think this was a crime but it turned out I was wrong. To show their displeasure with my stand, my colleagues acted in a manner as to impugn my integrity. First, there was the tendentious story put out in a press statement from the senate to the effect that I had been unceremoniously removed as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum and that Senator Wamakko had replaced me. I did not bother to respond to the concocted lies because the forum has a system of changing its leadership. Its affairs are not conducted in press statements emanating from strange and unauthorised persons.

    “But since then, there has been a consistent barrage of calumny heaped on my person and my integrity as a ranking senator of the Federal Republic. Part of my crime is my stand on the amendment to the electoral act. In that controversial amendment, the Senate seeks to change the order of elections decided by the electoral umpire, INEC, for the 2019 general elections.  I and some of my colleagues were opposed to this amendment on the grounds that it is not the duty of the Senate to determine the order of elections. It had never been part of the Electoral Act and there is no need to deny the commission the right to do its duty as it deems fit. Happily, I am not alone in taking this stand. At least…..of my colleagues are opposed to it too. We addressed a press conference to that effect. Our intention was not to insult the Senate but to register our principled stand on a matter that concerns all Nigerians.

    “I believe we need to retrace our steps and reconsider our stand as legislators on matters of public interest. Our party, APC, has the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, yet we hold the executive prisoner of politics that are unhealthy for the polity. It is such a terrible irony that we sabotage our own government by refusing to do our part in support of the executive. Appointments requiring senate approval are held up. The consequence is that the public has nicknamed the president and his administration go-slow.”

     

     

  • Anti-graft war not politicised – Lawmaker

    Anti-graft war not politicised – Lawmaker

    A lawmaker representing Akure North/South Federal Constituency, Mr Afe Olowookere has faulted the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu administration was targeted at its members.

    He attributed the endemic nature of corruption in Nigeria to obsolete laws where corrupt people had always taken advantage of these laws to escape justice.

    Olowookere spoke at the flag-off of construction of the Community Town Hall at Emiloro in Akure South local government area of Ondo state.

    He assured that the eighth National Assembly would do everything within its power to get rid of these laws to fortify the fight against the menace.

    His words;”So far, I’ve not seen how this anti-graft war has been politicised. PDP members are protesting that the probe is targeted at them. But my question is since 1999, which party had been ruling us at the centre?

    “If the federal government is probing activities at the centre, which party will be affected? Is it not PDP. The probe has not been extended to the states where other parties are involved in governance at that level.

    Olowookere emphasised that the crusade was not targeted at any particular party saying “As a member of the National Assembly, I support it and I am going to encourage my colleagues to do everything necessary to support it.”

    He lamented the lack of confidence and trust in Nigerian politicians, urging the political class to do something about it by fulfilling promises made during electioneering.‎

    According to him; “during my electioneering campaign, I could realise that people have lost faith. They have lost confidence and trust in politicians.

    “They don’t believe us again. When you get to any community and say you will do this or that, the people will just express pessimism.”

  • Anyaoku says Buhari’s administration on promising path

    Anyaoku says Buhari’s administration on promising path

    Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Sir Shridath Ramphal  has described the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as promising.

    The envoy spoke with State House reporters after meeting  with Buhari at the Presidential Villa,  Abuja.

    “It is a great pleasure and great honour to be back in Abuja again, especially at the start of a new and hopeful, very promising regime. I feel very happy, it’s like coming back home,” Ramphal said.

    According to him, the way the Buhari administration came on board with an agenda gave him the confidence that the President was on the right track.

     

    He said: “The boost is a plus to democracy not only in Nigeria but around the world, certainly in Africa. And it is important to the whole of the developing world that Nigeria should succeed, and that is my message to the President.”

    The former Commonwealth scribe noted that there will always be challenges in administration.

    Ramphal said the challenges came in different forms as leaders dealt with different persons.

    “But, it is the basic challenge to the development, the basic challenge to democracy, the basic challenge to freedom in Africa as a whole.

    “The challenges have been there; we have to struggle to be united against challenges,” he advised.

    He, however, declined to comment on the problems in Nigeria, saying, “it will be presumptuous for me to attempt to define them.

    “What I do know is that from Nigeria this continent and the rest of the developing world expect leadership and we are confident that we will find that.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ramphal spoke well of the Nigerian scribe of the same organisation, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

    He said, “I was formerly Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, succeeded by my good friend, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and together, we helped to steer the Commonwealth with the help of Nigeria to some of its most glorious achievements.”