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Tag: Femi Adesina

  • PDP shedding crocodile tears over Plateau killings – Presidency

    The Presidency said on Thursday last weekend’s killings in Plateau State had been used to play irresponsible politics, particularly by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The PDP has declared seven days of mourning over the killings.

    A statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, said: “These are dolorous times that call for deep introspection on how cheap human lives have become and the proffering of actionable ideas on how to get out of the bind. But the PDP would rather dance on the graves of the dead, playing cheap, infantile politics.

    “The comatose and prostrate party is declaring seven days of mourning, during which flags in its offices would be flown at half-mast nationwide. But unknown to the party, those flags had been forcefully lowered since its 2015 loss at the polls, and may remain so for a long time to come, because Nigerians are politically discerning, and cannot be hoodwinked by cheap antics.

    “A quick checklist of some savage and brutal killings in Nigeria during PDP rule, between 1999 and 2015, for which no national mourning was declared:

    “November 20, 1999, Odi, in Bayelsa State, was invaded on orders of a PDP President. About 2,500 people killed. No national mourning.

    “Between February and May, 2000, about 5,000 people were killed during riots over Sharia law in different parts of the North. No national mourning.

    “In 2001, hundreds of people, including the old, infirm, women and children were killed in Zaki Biam. No crocodile tears.

    “Between September 7-12, 2001, Jos, Plateau State, erupted in internecine killings. Between 500 and 1,000 people were killed. Flags were not flown at half -mast.

    “In February, 2004, at least 975 people were killed in Yelwa-Shendam, Plateau State. No mourning by the then ruling PDP.

    “Between November 28 and 29, 2008, Jos was in flames again, with 381 deaths.  No mourning.

    “In 2010, 992 people killed in Jos. Mum was the word.

    “In 2014 alone, according to Global Terrorism Index, at least 1,229 people were killed in the Middle Belt. No mourning.”

    Boko Haram killings in PDP years, he said, were over 10,000 while PDP flags were still fluttering proudly in the sky.

    He added: “Those who take pleasure in twisting statements from the Presidency may claim we are saying that many more people were killed under PDP than under President Muhammadu Buhari. It would be unconscionable to do so.

    “The intendment of this statement is to show that wanton killings had been with us for awhile; this government is working towards enduring solutions; and should be given the opportunity to do so.

    “Even a single soul is precious, and no man should take a life, which he cannot create. But when tragic situations as had happened in Plateau State occur, such should never be used to play crude politics. Those who wont to do so should have change of hearts, or lose their very humanity.”

     

     

  • PDP shedding crocodile tears over Plateau killings – Presidency

    The Presidency on Thursday said that the sad and unfortunate killings in Plateau State over the weekend is been used to play irresponsible politics, particularly by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The PDP has declared seven days of mourning.over the killings.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said “These are dolorous times that call for deep introspection on how cheap human lives have become, and the proffering of actionable ideas on how to get out of the bind. But the PDP would rather dance on the graves of the dead, playing cheap, infantile politics.

    “The comatose and prostrate party is declaring seven days of mourning, during which flags in its offices would be flown at half mast nationwide. But unknown to the party, those flags had been forcefully lowered since its 2015 loss at the polls, and may remain so for a long time to come, because Nigerians are politically discerning, and cannot be hoodwinked by cheap antics.

    “A quick checklist of some savage and brutal killings in Nigeria during PDP rule, between 1999 and 2015, for which no national mourning was declared:

    “November 20, 1999. Odi, in Bayelsa State, was invaded on orders of a PDP President. About 2,500 people killed. No national mourning.

    “Between February and May, 2000, about 5,000 people were killed during riots over Sharia law in different parts of the North. No national mourning.

    “In 2001, hundreds of people, including the old, infirm, women and children were killed in Zaki Biam. No crocodile tears.

    “Between September 7-12, 2001, Jos, Plateau State, erupted in internecine killings. Between 500 and 1,000 people were killed. Flags were not flown at half mast.

    “In February, 2004, at least 975 people were killed in Yelwa-Shendam, Plateau State. No mourning by the then ruling PDP.

    “Between November 28 and 29, 2008, Jos was in flames again, with 381 deaths. No mourning.

    “In 2010, 992 people killed in Jos. Mum was the word.

    Read Also: Plateau Killings: Residents on guard against attack

    “In 2014 alone, according to Global Terrorism Index, at least 1,229 people were killed in the Middle Belt. No mourning.” he said

    Boko Haram killings in PDP years, he said, were over 10,000 while PDP flags were still fluttering proudly in the sky.

    He added “Those who take pleasure in twisting statements from the Presidency may claim we are saying that many more people were killed under PDP than under President Muhammadu Buhari. It would be unconscionable to do so.

    “The intendment of this statement is to show that wanton killings had been with us for awhile; this government is working towards enduring solutions; and should be given the opportunity to do so.

    “Even a single soul is precious, and no man should take a life, which he cannot create. But when tragic situations as had happened in Plateau State occur, such should never be used to play crude politics. Those who wont to do so should have change of hearts, or lose their very humanity.” he said.

  • Buhari to Nigerians in diaspora: You won’t lose

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that anything done for the good of the country will be ultimately rewarded, and redound to the good of those behind it.

    He spoke on Monday at the State House while receiving three groups made of Nigerians in the diaspora, and some professionals hitherto based abroad, but who have returned home in recent times.

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, stated: “You have been working quietly, supporting the government physically and materially, and you are doing it for your own country. Head or tail, you won’t lose. Please continue to do your best for the country.”

    Speaking on behalf of Diaspora Alliance Group, Mr Ade Omole, said the organization was a think-tank in the United Kingdom, which formulates policies to help Nigeria.

    He said that they currently have recommendations to help the country in the areas of agriculture, youth empowerment, community development, and education.

    “We also educate people in the diaspora on the good work the Buhari administration is doing for Nigeria. You are rebuilding the country. We supported you in 2015, and we will also support you in 2019,” Omole said.

    Read Also:Nigerians dying, getting poorer under Buhari – Secondus

    Dr Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, speaking on behalf of returnee professionals from the diaspora, said they were excited and willing to contribute to national development.

    “Our main goal now is investing in Nigeria. We are planning a Nigeria-Diaspora Summit on Investment soon. We are quite pleased with infrastructural development round the country. We want to attract people in diaspora to bring their money, and invest here,” she said.

    Dr Salihu-Dasuki, who spoke on behalf of young people in the diaspora, lauded President Buhari for signing the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill into law, assuring that young people would soon begin to utilize the legislation.

    On his part, Dr Charles Cudjoe, unfolded how all Nigerians can have access to health care through minimal deductions from the credit on their cell phones, which would be deposited in a health bank in their favour. Such savings would then be accessed whenever they needed medical attention.

    President Buhari said the health initiative was very interesting, adding that “policies on health and education for the people are also dear to us.”

  • Presidency affirms signing of 2018 Budget Wednesday

    …dismisses report on FEC

     

    The Presidency has affirmed that Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2018 Appropriation Bill into law on Wednesday at 12p.m.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, affirmed this in a in statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The presidential aide had on June 13 disclosed that the president would sign the 2018 budget this week.

    He had said: “The position on the 2018 budget is that it will be signed next week. You will be told the specific date.

    “But one thing we are sure of is that the budget will be signed next week.’’

    The senate increased the 2018 budget from N8.612 trillion earlier proposed to N9.12 trillion.

    Read Also: Budget mess

    The senate also increased the crude oil benchmark for the budget from 45 dollars per barrel to 50.5 dollars per barrel.

    Meanwhile, Adesina has dismissed the media report that the Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) was cancelled due to the scheduled signing of the budget by the president.

    According to him, the FEC meeting will not hold due to the Eid-el-Fitr holidays last Friday and Monday which affected preparation of council’s memoranda.

  • FEC okays N185 billion for 14 roads 

    …2018 Budget to be signed next week

     

     

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N185 billion for the rehabilitation, construction and repairs of 14 roads across the country.

    The Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He also said that arrangement has been finalized to sign the 2018 Appropriation Bill into law by President Buhari next week.

    Read Also:FEC okays N1.6b for 68 anti-smuggling vehicles

    According to the Attorney General of the Federation, Malami Abubakar, Nigeria will soon get another repatriation of $500 million.

    He said that FEC also approved N500 million for lawyers who represented the Federal Government and succeeded in recovering N330 billion from MTN.

    The Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, said that FEC approved construction of phase 2 of the industrial training fund centre in Abuja at a cost N6.5 billion.

    Details Later…

  • Why I stopped Adesina from replying Obasanjo’s letter – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday night he stopped his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, from replying former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter against his administration because of Adesina’s age.

    The President stated this when members of Buhari Support Organisation visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari said the second reason why he considered it unnecessary to reply the letter was that he and Obasanjo were from the same (military) constituency.

    He, however, noted that Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who eventually replied the letter, did a good job.

    He observed that the minister’s reply showed Nigerians the realities on ground when the present administration assumed office in 2015 and its ongoing efforts to revive the inherited damaged economy.

    The President said: “I really appreciate how you choose this time during Ramadan to come from across the country to congratulate me for what we were able to do.

    “We were constraint to explain our position when the former head of state wrote a letter; Adesina was agitated and wanted to immediately reply; I stopped him for two reasons; first, he was much younger than me and Gen. Obasanjo.

    “Secondly, I am from the same constituent with Gen. Obasanjo. So, I wouldn’t know how it will affect him if I allow him to go wild or to go public. But when Lai Mohammed came, I said he shouldn’t and he insisted. He disobeyed me.

    “He said I must allow him to talk; then, of course, being a professionally information person, I listened to him and asked him what are you going to say.

    “He said he was going to remind Nigerians where we found ourselves when we came in as a government, where we are now, what we have done in between with the resources available to us.

    “And I understand he did a good job because a number of people rang me and said Lai Mohammed has done a good job because I went public in several times.

    “I said it is on record and I challenged anybody to check from Europe, United States and Asia that between 1999 and 2014, the 16 years of previous administration there was an average of 2.1 million per day of crude oil at the average cost of $100 per barrel.”

    The President said he deliberately refused to replace the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, when he took over the mantle of leadership of the country because he wanted to give him the opportunity to salvage the economy from its terrible condition.

    NAN

  • Buhari to broadcast on Tuesday 

    President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 7a.m as part of activities to commemorate the 2018 Democracy Day celebrations.

    This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

    Read Also:2019: NBC warns broadcasting stations over political campaigns, hate speeches

    “Television and radio stations are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast,” he said.

  • We remain committed to stability of West Africa, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja said his administration will continue to work with ECOWAS countries to ensure stability in the sub-region as cross-border crimes pose more challenges to people and governments.

    “ECOWAS is doing its best, and as you know, Nigeria is fully involved in the process of restoring stability in Guinea Bissau,’’ President Buhari told the Ambassador of Guinea Bissau, Mr Henrique Andriano Da Silva, at the State House after receiving his Letter of Credence.

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said the relationship between Nigeria and Guinea Bissau had always been healthy, noting that as the country regains its stability there would be more room for improvement.

    President Buhari, who also received the Letter of Credence from the Ambassador of Thailand, Mr Wattana Kunwongse, said Nigeria and Thailand had a lot to share in the ongoing effort to diversify the economy, with focus on the agricultural sector.

    “Our relationship has been very long and very commendable. We appreciate the help we get in agriculture from Thailand and we will keep working together,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, the Ambassador of Guinea Bissau said his country remains grateful for all the support it received from Nigeria during the prolonged political crisis.

    “We are very grateful for your commitment to ensure peace in Guinea Bissau and your soldiers have been in our country to ensure stability,’’ the Ambassador said.

    The Ambassador of Thailand said Nigeria’s position as a “regional power’’ puts it in the spotlight for the recovery and stability of Africa.

    “Under your leadership and guidance, we believe the economy will recover and the entire country will be strengthened,’’ he said.

  • Beware of fake statements ascribed to Buhari, Presidency warns

    The Presidency on Wednesday alerted the public to be aware of a new dimension in the orchestrated plot to diminish the stature of President Muhammadu Buhari before millions of Nigerians who love and adore their President.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, accused of a pernicious twisting and misinterpretation of the words of the President by mischievous elements, adding that “perhaps they can earn him opprobrium and infamy.”

    “When they see that the gambit is not achieving the desired results, they have now gone into utter fabrication of apocryphal statements, which they purvey through the social media.

    “An example is a fictive portion of the February 2015 lecture by the then Candidate Buhari at Chatham House, London. This is what is circulating now on social media:” he said

    Quoting what was credited to the President in the social media; he said “What is the difference between me and those who elected us to represent them, absolutely nothing. Why should Nigerian President not fly with other Nigerian public? Why do I need to embark on a foreign trip as a President with a huge crowd with public funds? Why do I need to go for a medical trip abroad if we cannot make our hospital (sic) functional? Why do we need to send our children to school abroad if we cannot developed (sic) our university (sic) to compete with the foreign ones?”

    He pointed out that the Chatham House lecture of 2015 is in the public domain.

    He said “The full text was published by many Nigerian newspapers, and is still available in their libraries and various websites. The concoction by haters and agents of disunity is not part of the text of the lecture at all.

    “The morbid minds that created the falsehood simply want to de-market and demean the President, having seen that defeating him in a free and fair electoral contest is a tall order. Therefore, they desire to instigate the electorate against him by creating statements that never existed, and attributing such to him.

    “We are, however, glad that millions of Nigerians, young and old, are smart enough to see through the machinations. The dubious people will not succeed, as President Buhari’s reputation has been built over time, and sustained for decades. That is why he is widely acclaimed for integrity, transparency, honour, and accountability, both home and abroad. Negative minds can never erode or corrode this.

    “Bitter emotions stunt the soul and defile the mind. Those behind it will find out, eventually, that they are the ones swallowing poison, and expecting another person to die. They will realize the folly of their actions, to their own grief.”

    He urged decent Nigerians to be wary of the fare they consume hook, line and sinker, particularly on social media.

    “President Buhari is actuated by nothing else than love for motherland. He is poised to build a country which all Nigerians can proudly call their own. Noxious minds can still have a change of heart.” he said

  • Buhari commends Adenuga for creating jobs in Nigerians

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Chief Michael Adenuga who turns 65 on Sunday and commended his deep sense of loyalty and patriotism by investing in sectors that have created jobs for many Nigerians.

    The president gave the commendation in a congratulatory message addressed to Adenuga which was issued by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday.

    President Buhari noted that Adenuga had added strong value in the provision of effective services that make life easier and more comfortable for many in the country, and across the African continent.

    The President therefore joined family, friends and the business community in congratulating the business magnate, philanthropist and one of Nigeria’s most renowned entrepreneurs.

    He observed that Adenuga rose from a modest background, defied many odds, and realized his dream of setting up and grooming successful companies in the oil and gas, banking and telecom sectors.

    Read Also: Buhari, NASS and unlawful use of $469m ECA funds

    President Buhari stated that apart from creating jobs through entrepreneurship, Adenuga’s contribution to the development of sports and the entertainment industry had remained remarkable.

    He said these sectors of the economy had continued to provide lifelines for many, and inspiring ingenuity and creativity.

    The President believed that Adenuga’s exploration and encouragement of youth entrepreneurship in the country would always be remembered, while his penchant for helping the less privileged through scholarships and healthcare financing deserves more commendations.

    He prayed that the almighty God would grant the Otunba of Ijebu land longer life, good health and more wisdom to continue serving the country and humanity.

    NAN