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Tag: Kwankwaso

  • Asian-African Chamber of Commerce honours Sani-Bello, Okiro, Kwankwaso, others

    The induction of the African executives of the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACCI) will be coming up on December 8, at the NECA House, Ikeja Central Business District,Lagos.

    Some eminent Nigerians will also be honoured on the day.

    Speaking to newsmen in Abuja , the Vice President of the AACCI, Dr. High Prince Leye Babalola, stressed the need for the Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), NACCIMA and Small and Medium Scale Association of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to have bilateral agreements with the AACCI because of the rapid increase in the business between African Pacific and Asian countries had jumped from 2.8 billion dollars in 1990 to about 300 billion dollars in 2018 and “it is expected to surpass 1.5 trillion dollars by 2020”.

    Also speaking at the press briefing, Mr. Tunde Osho, a representative of the University of Entrepreneurship and Technology (UET), State of Delaware, United States, announced that eminent Nigerians that had distinguished themselves in the fields of security, business, governance, engineering and so on would be honoured.

    Dignitaries to be honoured include Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State; Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State; Sir (Dr.) Mike Okiro, former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and former Inspector General of Police; Senator Theordore  Orji, former governor of Abia State;  Prince Adetokunbo Kayode SAN; among others.

  • Kwankwaso: I’ll defeat Buhari if I get PDP ticket

    Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwasohas declared that he will “easily beat President Muhamadu Buhari” if given his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to face the APC candidate in 2019.

    Kwankwaso, who spoke in Jos yesterday, during a consultation visit to the North-Central state, said he had the electoral value to wrestle power from the APC.

    “I come from a state which has the highest number of voters that can sway an election in my favour.

    ”If I pick the PDP ticket, I will be the next president of this nation.

    ”I have the hunger to save Nigeria from its current troubles. I have my plan to make Nigeria a better country for all.

    ”I have massive support from the North West and will get even more supporters if given the ticket,” he said.

    The aspirant promised to run an all-inclusive government, a leadership virtue he accused the APC administration of lacking.

    “A key solution to Nigeria’s problems is a participatory government that will ward off mutual suspicion and distrust. It will address the gap in communication which is largely responsible for farmer/herder clashes, religious violence and ethnic crisis in the country,” he said.

    Kwankwaso accused the current government of failing to eradicate hunger and unemployment, and regretted that there were no jobs for the youths.

    Kwankwaso promised to pay special attention to infrastructure, security and education, if elected, and promised to build roads and bridges to ease movements.

    “Free education will be my priority just like it was in Kano. As governor, I sponsored more than 1000 students to the best schools in Nigeria and abroad; I want to replicate that, if elected.”

    Mr Damishi Sango, State Chairman of the party, in a remark, described the aspirant as a leader with the interest of the masses at heart.

    Sango assured Kwankwaso of Plateau delegates’ support at the national convention, and commended him for running a decent campaign

  • Why Kwankwaso visited Kano

    Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso on Monday sneaked into the ancient city of Kano where he addressed his supporters at his Milla Road residence in Kano metropolis.

    The former Governor had recently endorsed his son in-law, Abba Kabir Yusuf as his choice for 2019 governorship seat, an action that irked some of his followers.

    However, Kwankwaso appealed to his followers to remain calm.

    “I’m in Kano to see you and say thank you for the brotherhood and progressive unity we enjoy as Kwankwasiyya members. Certainly we will sit and talk on vital issues affecting us”.

    He explained that his choice of Abba Kabir Yusuf was necessary because most of his projects including the famous Kano Kofar Nassarawa flyover were designed and executed by Yusuf.

    “Today most of the projects being executed by Ganduje are not durable and of low standard while huge amount of money was being spent on them.

    “But our projects which mostly were designed and executed by Abba Kabir Yusuf are today standing firm in Kano,” he said.

    Kwankwaso, who spent only one hour in Kano, told his supporters who thronged his house that he was willing to sit with them and iron things out.

    “If not for the fact that I’m busy and rushing to go back to Abuja for the Presidential screening going on right now, I would have loved to sit and discuss vital issues with you,” he said.

    He promised to return in the next few weeks to resolve some of the issues on the forthcoming elections in 2019.

    Even though many of his supporters were not aware of his arrival in Kano, his house was filled to capacity.

    NAN reports that among his top supporters at the venue were the former Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Yunusa Dangwani, Abba Kabir Yusuf, a former Commissioner of Works as well as Aminu Abdulsalam, his former commissioner of State Affairs.

  • Kwankwaso pacifies aggrieved Kwankwassiyya members

    Former Kano state Governor, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso on Monday made spirited efforts to pacify aggrieved members of the Kwankwasiyya movement over his choice of his son in-law, Abba Kabir Yusuf as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2019 election.

    Kwankwaso’s insistence that the former Commissioner for Works and Housing to be the PDP’s gubernatorial flag sparked off protest among the Kwankwassiyya group as many of the group’s chieftains vehemently opposed the decision.

    Speaking with some of his supporters who gathered at his Miller Road residence,  Kwankwaso urged them to remain calm and committed to the progress of the Kwankwassiyya Movement and the success of the PDP in the forthcoming  general elections.

    According to him, there was need for them to bury their hatchets and make sacrifice for the interest of the Kwankwassiyya Movement and PDP in the state.

    He added that, “I am in Kano to see you and say thank you for the brotherhood and progressive unity we enjoy as kwankwasiyya members. Certainly, we will sit and talk on vital issues affecting us. We will continue with consultations and discussions.

    “Today, the PDP screening of presidential aspirants is on-going in Abuja. I have been receiving several calls from our supporters. I thank God that we are all here together exchanging pleasantries.

    “Today most projects being executed by Ganduje are not durable. They are of low standard, even as heavy amount of money was spent on them. You are aware that our projects which were designed and executed by Abba Kabir Yusuf are today standing firm in Kano.”

    Kwankwaso who spent just one hour in Kano added that “if not that I am very busy and rushing to go back to Abuja for the presidential screening going on right now, I would have loved to sit and discuss vital issues with you, but I promise to come back and have a special sessions with you.”

  • Kwankwaso: Restructuring will speed up Nigeria’s development

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Senator  Rabiu Kwankwaso, said  yesterday that Nigeria stands to undergo  accelerated development if it is restructured.

    Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, expressed the view in Lagos while addressing party delegates at the PDP secretariat in continuation of his tour of state chapters to seek support for his aspiration.

    He said restructuring would strengthen the various federating units to reach their potential to promote the country’s prosperity.

    Kwankwaso said he was a strong advocate of restructuring and would speed up the development of the country, if elected president.

    “There have been agitations for restructuring in the South West and other parts of the country,” he said.

    “Let me assure you that I am for anything that would promote the country’s progress.

    “I am for anything that would deliver democratic dividends. I support restructuring and I am going to implement it, if elected,”

    The aspirant said the All Progressives Congress (APC) had failed in the delivery of its electoral promises to Nigerians.

    He said the ruling party had not been able to address security and economic challenges, among other problems facing the country.

    Kwankwaso said the PDP would provide the kind of impactful leadership needed to reposition the country, if elected.

    He said he had the capacity, experience and passion to turn the country around.

    The aspirant appealed to Lagos delegates to vote for him at the convention.

    He said apart from having the capacity to deliver, he was the only aspirant with the wide support needed to defeat the APC.

    On why he left the PDP in 2014 to join the APC, Kwankwaso said he did so because of the problems in the PDP then.

    He said he was back because of the new spirit in the PDP, and that it was the only party that could move the country forward.

    “When we left the PDP, we thought it was the worst party due to the crisis then.

    “Now, the party has been repositioned and we are back.

    “We have since realised that the PDP is 1000 times better than the APC.

    “We are back in the PDP to join forces with our great party men to ensure we defeat the failed APC in 2019,” he said.

  • Kwankwaso: I will support consensus candidate

    Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has promised to support whoever the party presents as its consensus candidate.

    Kwankwaso, who addressed a crowd in Minna yesterday, said any decision taken by the party would be the best for it.

    He, however, did not say if he would step down for any of the other candidates.

    “If there is need for a consensus, I will accept the decision. I will stand by any amicable resolution on the process of who will become the party’s flag bearer,” he said.

    Kwankwaso explained that he joined the PDP to change the change, especially as the change they sought in 2015 did not materialise.

    He said: “We sought for change in 2015, but the change we brought in 2015 was a mistake, that is why we want to change the change because the change brought hunger, killings, under development, poverty and unemployment.”

    He pledged that if elected, he would address and stop the killings, kidnapping and poverty in the land.

  • I’ll stand by consensus candidate – Kwankwaso

    A Presidential Aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has said that he would stand by any consensus candidate agreed upon by the party.

    Addressing his mammoth crowd of supporters in Minna on Wednesday, Kwankwaso said he believed that any decision taken by the party would be the best for the party.

    He however did not state if he was going to step down for any of the other candidates “if there is need for consensus, I will accept the decision. I will stand by any amicable resolution on the process of who will emerge as the flagbearer of the party. ”

    The Presidential Aspirant explained that he joined the PDP to change the change especially as the change they sought in 2015 did not materialize.

    “We sought for change in 2015 but the change we brought in 2015 was a mistake that is why we want to change the change because the change brought along hunger, killings, under development, poverty and unemployment. ”

    Read Also: My aspiration has nothing to do with Tinubu – Sanwo-Olu

    He then pledged that if elected, he would address and stop the killings, kidnapping and poverty in the land.

    Kwankwaso urged the PDP to accept the kwankwasiya supporters with open arms and create a open space for them to participate actively in the party.

    He told his supporters to be law abiding before, during and after the elections assuring them that he will not disappoint them when elected as the President.

  • Saraki condemns denial of Kwankwaso to use Eagle Square

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday condemned alleged last minute cancellation of the approval granted to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to use the Eagle Square, Abuja for his presidential declaration

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, Saraki said: “Eagle Square belongs to all Nigerians. The cancellation sends a wrong message about the tolerance level in our politics.

    “The refusal to allow Senator Kwankwaso use the Eagle Square for his presidential declaration, despite an earlier approval, sends a wrong message about our democracy, particularly the tolerance level in our politics.

    “That square belongs to all Nigerians because it was built with public funds. We hope this is not what we will be seeing as we approach the 2019 general election.”

     

     

  • Kwankwaso pledges paradigm shift at declaration

    Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso yesterday in Abuja declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Addressing a large crowd of supporters at the Chida Hotel venue of the event, he bemoaned what he described as collective disillusionment, disappointment and the pervasive air of hopelessness “in our country.”

    Kwankwaso said: “I stand on my honour to offer a paradigm shift in leadership. There is no gainsaying that all is not well with the polity. It is also clear that the same mindset that created and escalated the problems cannot be used in resolving the ongoing crises in our nationhood and national development.

    “I offer positive change. Change has again become inevitable. To live is to witness changes because change is an inseparable part of living. In May 2019, the narrative of helplessness, buck-passing, division, poverty, insecurity and hopelessness must change for a new dawn of confidence in building a one well restructured Nigeria.

    “I assure you that while I do not have the prophetic power to predict the future, we certainly have in us the ability to create the future that we want.”

    He promised to offer a value based leadership anchored on national ethics, discipline, integrity, dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance, self- reliance and patriotism.

    “I will provide a leadership where everybody is free and equal; where Nigerians see themselves as Nigerians first and as Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, ljaw, lbibio, Fulani, etc.

    “Where citizens are self-assured and self-assertive; where they are confident and competent, where they want to do what is right no matter whose ox is gored. I want to lead a Nigeria where people are educated and exposed beyond the confines of their tribe, religion, linguistic group or place of birth.

    “l want to lead a Nigeria where citizens respect their leaders and leaders lead and forge a team to promote and protect the interest of all Nigerians.

    “I want to lead a Nigeria where all are comfortable anywhere and on any positive issue, can compete fairly with their peers without favour or discrimination. That is the kind of Nigeria we envision. We will abandon the failed relics of the past. We have all it takes to make Nigeria good and made for all,” Kwakwaso added.

    The former Kano governor decried what he described as the constant misuse of security apparatus and called for an immediate stop to it.

    He harped on the need to strengthen all democratic institutions in the country and promised to create an all-inclusive mechanism for effective intelligence gathering that involved all stakeholders if elected.

    The lawmaker observed that the nation’s security agencies were overstretched, ill equipped, unmotivated and deprived, saying they could not give maximum performance under the circumstance.

    He said: “We shall motivate all affected communities; the military and the police to put an end to all killings. There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for killings by Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen, crop farmers, kidnappers, human traffickers and abductors. We will provide an atmosphere where there will be security, safety, serenity and sanity.”

    The presidential aspirant decried what he called weak economic performance, due to tight economic policies and failed institutional supervision.

    He identified tight monetary rates, exchange rate fluctuations, inflation and unemployment to be the dominant factors hindering the growth and survival of businesses.

    “Therefore, our focus shall be on sound economic policies that will ensure a new regime of exchange rate stability, low interest rates and reduction in the country’s rising burden of domestic and foreign loans.

    “In the past three years, poverty and unemployment have become more visible, challenging Nigeria’s economic prosperity. Existing policies and economic programmes for alleviating the poverty incidence in the country have obviously failed.

    “Our non-negotiable goal will, therefore, be the eradication of poverty through sustainable wealth creation and a coordinated and effective micro small and medium enterprises development.

    “We shall promote policies that boost our foreign reserves and lower interest rate to ensure that the unsustainable debt treadmill profile is tamed.

    “Locally, we shall diversify the economy through industrialisation and manufacturing, aggressive promotion of agribusiness; and develop the mining sector and entrepreneurship to make us self-sufficient and export oriented. The oil and gas sector must cease to be a verifiable source of corruption and inefficiency”.

     

     

     

     

     

  • I regret supporting Buhari, says Kwankwaso

    Former Kano State Governor Abiu Musa Kwankwaso has said he and others who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014, to support President Muhammadu Buhari against then President Goodluck Jonathan, are regretting their action.

    Kwankwaso, a presidential aspirant, who was in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on a consultation visit to PDP members, condemned President Buhari’s approach to “reviving the economy”.

    The senator condemned the poor state of infrastructure in the Southeast, saying the anomaly could only be corrected by a change of government at the centre next year.

    He hoped that the PDP would form the government at the centre and in many states.

    Kwankwaso said Nigerians were fed up with the All Progressives Congress (APC), “and will be happy seeing PDP return to power.”

    “From North to South, the citizens are looking for a government that will not place emphasis on religion, ethnicity and culture, but national development. The PDP government shall bring development, create platforms and provide jobs for Nigerians.

    “I have been in Southeast in the last few days. The state of infrastructure in this region is incredible. It is either that the government lacks the capacity to improve the economy or something. Electricity is important in this country. The people need a government that will be just and provide employment for teeming young Nigerians,” he said.

    Elder statesman and PDP Board of Trustee (BoT) member Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu described Kwankwaso as a good material for the president.

    He urged Nigerians to join PDP to “vote out a government that has failed the country.”

    State PDP Chairman Charles Ezekwem, represented by his Deputy, Martin Ejiogu, said the Igbo would only vote for a presidential candidate that would restructure the country and create an additional state in the region.