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Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • APC will win C/River in 2019 — Owan-Enoh

    A lawmaker representing Cross River Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Sen. John Owan-Enoh, has reiterated his confidence that the All Progressive Congress (APC) would win the 2019 general elections in the state.

    The senator restated this on Monday in Akpabuyo, Calabar South Local Government Area, while addressing supporters on the sidelines of his Local Government tour and consultations in view of his governorship aspiration.

    He told party supporters that APC in Cross River has been repositioned and better placed to win the governorship, legislative positions and also deliver votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

    According to him, Cross River is in dire need of change in leadership, adding that the choice of the party to present a popular and acceptable candidate was very crucial.

    “I am here today to present myself before you and to seek your support during the primaries.

    “As a party, we must present a well accepted and popular candidate that can deliver Cross River at the polls in 2019.

    “We must unite across board to ensure that the party emerge victorious and take over Cross River in 2019,” he said.

    Mr Maurice Effiwat, the Director General of Owan-Enoh Campaign Organisation, appealed to all party supporters to desist from creating division within the party.

    Effiwat explained that the party needed a United outing in other to take over power from the Peoples Democratic Party in the state in 2019.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Owan-Enoh also visited Odukpani Local Government Area of the state, where he equally solicited for support for his gubernatorial ambition.

  • Kemi Adeosun’s resignation, salute to honour, integrity – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun for taking the part of honour and resigning her appointment when it became obvious that NYSC exemption certificate was not genuine.
    The party said Adeosun’s resignation was a clear indication of the fact that under the Buhari led government of integrity and transparency in the conduct of public affairs, no officer of government with a modicum of questionable conduct or integrity should stay in office.
    In a statement signed by the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the party describe her action as actions of honour, strength of character and integrity.
    The statement reads: “the resignation of Mrs. Kemi Adeosun as Minister of Finance and acceptance of same by President Muhammadu Buhari are actions of honour, strength of character and integrity.
    “The news that the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) exemption certificate tendered by the former finance minister was not genuine have been well-reported in the media.
    “Like all responsive and responsible governments concerned about the truth and due process, the federal government undertook diligent investigation of the allegation. Now that the report of the investigation is out, the right thing has been done. The honorable minister has taken the path of honour and resigned. We congratulate Mrs. Adeosun for her action.
    “In President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of integrity and transparency in the conduct of public affairs, no officer of government with a modicum of questionable conduct or integrity should stay in office.
    “In past PDP-led administrations, the country was held down by corrupt and irresponsible public officers who refused to honour invitations of the National Assembly; closed down national airports against perceived political adversaries; bought luxurious bullet-proof vehicles with public funds at inflated prices; locked out National Assembly members, forcing federal lawmakers to climb high barricades in order to assess the legislative chamber.
    “It was these acts of corruption, impunity, irresponsibility and executive rascality that made Nigerians vote in the President Buhari administration in 2015, with its Change mantra to put a stop to such undemocratic practices.
    “We wish Mrs. Adeosun every success in her future endeavors and join President Buhari in appreciating her immense contributions to the stability of the Nigerian economy in the past three and half years.”

  • Delta: Emerhor Challenges Omo-Agege to Direct APC Primary

    Delta’s All Progressives’ Congress (APC) leadership tussle may be gaining momentum, as leader of the party in the state, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, has set out a challenge to Delta Central Senator, Barr. Ovie Omo-Agege, to contest for the party’s senatorial ticket through a direct primary.

    This was revealed in a statement issued to media aide to Olorogun Emerhor, Mr. Abraham Orotomah, on Saturday.The statement also accused the incumbent senator of verbally assaulting Urhobo elders and chiefs for persuading and buying the party’s chieftain, Emerhor, the senatorial ticket to enable him contest come 2019.

    Wondering when Omo-Agege became a diehard supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, given his association with former president Goodluck Jonathan, it penned Omo-Agege as playing a “con game” by calling his political superior “anti-Buhari”, assuring that Emerhor’s bid to wrest the senate seat from him will not waver.

    Further noting the Senator’s role in fast-tracking the programmes of the president, the statement said this however does not make him sole supporter of the APC in the state.

    Parts of the statement read thus: “Today, Omo-Agege has the fawning temerity to describe Olorogun Emerhor and the growing sea of Mr. President’s supporters in Delta as anti Buhari, simply because he thinks this is how to hoodwink Abuja and get an automatic ticket back to the Red Chamber.

    “But it would not work because President Buhari and his team are far more sophisticated and politically discerning than Omo-Agege and his ilk.

    Read Also: ‘Okowa has done well in Itsekiri land, Delta’

    “Olorogun Emerhor hereby challenges Senator Omo-Agege to a contest for the APC senatorial ticket through a free and fair direct primary. Let Senator Omo-Agege avail himself of this opportunity to prove that he can win in a transparent internal democratic contest within the party, rather than run around Abuja seeking an automatic ticket through indirect primaries.

    “Olorogun Emerhor is not moved by threats of fire and fury. Omo-Agege should reserve that, if he may, for our common foe, PDP, who Olorogun Emerhor prays Omo-Agege is truly interested in dislodging from Delta State, given his previous relationship with them as SSG and executive assistant to a PDP governor.

    “For now, it will suffice for Senator Omo-Agege to climb down from his arrogant high horse and test his acceptance with Delta Central APC followers in the upcoming senatorial direct primaries”, the statement said.

  • Why Buhari must be re-elected – Borno APC aspirant

    The re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 Presidential election would ensure the permanent return of peace to Borno State and the North East region, a governorship aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) from Borno has said.

    Mamman Idris, after the submission of his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, said the re-election of President Buhari would bring the needed peace necessary for the economic revival of the region.

    Idris said: “We have to build on the success of Mr. President on  the degradation of Boko Haram due to the leadership drive of President Buhari. It is our  believe that if Mr. President is re-elected for the second term, Boko Haram will be completely eliminated and the peace that Borno used to enjoy will be restored.

    “Invariably, the booming economy that Borno used to enjoy will be also restored. So it is our prayers and wish that Mr. President is re-elected so that he can compete the good job he started in Borno and the Northeast region”.

    Idris, who expressed gratitude to Northern Borno elders for supporting the aspiration of the Southern Borno for the governorship seat noted that the gesture has dispelled insinuation of marginalization and the quest of the State for decentralization of political power.

    Idris, from Southern Borno enjoyed the support of Northern Borno, who purchased the Nomination and Expression of Interest form for him.

    Read Also: Buhari pushes for ECOWAS single currency

    He said: “I am overwhelmed and humbled by this gesture whereby my Northern Borno elder were the ones that procure the Nomination form me, from Southern Borno.

    “In reality, Southern Borno has not produced a governor whereas both North and Central Borno have produced governors three times. So, this show of solidarity is significant in the history of our State because it has never happened before.

    “This show of solidarity has placed on us a responsibility to have an all-inclusive government. We cannot afford to do otherwise because so much faith has been imposed on us by the majority that has shown us this huge level of support”.

    The aspirant said with a 180-page road-map for his governorship tenure, return and sustenance of peace, as well as revival of Borno economy through agriculture and industries would be his priority, “We have to ensure that the people return to the land for agriculture.

    “The people have suffered from years of insurgency that displaced them, so we have to implement the road-map to the letter so that the people can return to the land, get back their dignity, reintegrate them, sustain peace and reconstruct Borno.

    “People come from far an near, even outside the country to come and trade in Borno, but insurgency disrupted everything, so we have to deliberately plan and execute policies that will bring back Borno,” Idris added.

  • Masari tasks NHIS on advocacy campaign in Katsina

    The Katsina state governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, on Saturday tasked the management of National Health Insurance Scheme-NHIS to carry out aggressive advocacy campaign to create the needed awareness level of its activities and for the people to understand its programme properly.

    Alhaji Masari who was speaking when he received the Executive secretary of the scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf during a courtesy call at government house, said the scheme, laudable as it is, could be misunderstood by the people as insurance affects the sensibilities of Muslims in general.

    The governor was however happy with the performance of a staff of NHIS who volunteered to educate people from some communities in Danja local government area, on the advantages of the scheme, which he said encouraged acceptance and participation.

    He said’’ the state government in collaboration with the state house of assembly, state chapter of Nigeria labor Congress NLC, Medical and Health Workers Union and others, to closely come up with a bill for an Agency to replicate NHIS in the state’’.

    ‘’ The new agency will no doubt reduce problems of seeking for donations for patients to buy drugs prescribed for them by Doctors in clinics and hospitals’’.

    Earlier in a remark, the Executive secretary of NHIS, Professor Usman Yusuf said the National Health Bill has been assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari. He added that the bill had provided for one percent of realizable federal revenue to be expended on the health sector.

    Read Also:  Masari calls for more NHIS enlightenment

    Of the amount, he said five percent is secondary, forty five percent for primary healthcare while fifty percent is for the NHIS, stressing that although the scheme had been characterized by failures in the past, everything is being done to turn round the fortunes of NHIS.

    Professor Yusuf said he was part of the restoration agenda setting of the Masari led government even before the 2015 general elections and expressed happiness that the governor had started implementing the agenda in the renovated and upgraded hospitals across the state.

    He assured that before leaving Katsina, he will meet with relevant stakeholders to ensure the passage of the bill that would help the state to benefit from NHIS programmes.

    He announced the opening of a new zonal NHIS office in Kano to take care of Kano, Jigawa and Katsina States.

  • No faction in Bakassi APC, says Ita-Giwa

    Political leader of the Bakassi people of Cross River State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, says there is no faction in the party in the local government.

    Speaking during the commissioning of the chapter secretariat as well as the inauguration of the chapter and ward executives of the party in Bakassi local government area, Ita-Giwa said the party was united to help President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed, so as to help resettle the people once and for all.

    Her words, “We also had to emphasize that Bakassi is not in any faction. In all the years of our doing elections in the party, we have never had parallel structures or factions. Yes, we do have misunderstandings, but we always come around, reconcile and come together because of the paramount interest, which are the people of Bakassi; but not to the extent of having two parallel structures. I don’t believe in that. I am too old to believe in parallel structures or factions. Bakassi is neutral. I am focused on APC winning elections. My mind is connected to Buhari winning the election so that they can come and resettle Bakassi.

    “We are a peculiar local government. We are not like every local government in Nigeria. We are a local government with very profound problems, that up till now, how many years ago that we were ceded without a referendum, we are still homeless, still in refugee camps, having babies and dying in camps. Until now we have not been relocated to where we call our home. To where is conducive to our way and style of living and means of livelihood. Up till now, Nigeria has continued to trample on the people of Bakassi and we are saying that enough is enough. We came to APC so we can help solidify APC and when we do that and the president wins election; the president would be able to resettle the Bakassi people very well.

    Read Also: Ita-Giwa condemns Senate invasion

    “We are qualified to vote as Nigerians. We went to Dayspring on our own without the support of government and got our voters’ cards to be able to vote as Nigerians. Even then, they still went to court to question the legality of that process and we thank God that INEC stood their grounds and won the case. Today Dayspring is an area where you are qualified to vote and be voted for. Under no circumstance should people continue to refer to Bakassi in numbers. We are not numbers. We have names. All the ten wards have names. We have identities.

    “We have our land, Dayspring. Let them take us there. We don’t need resettlement camps. We need to go to our natural place of abode so people have their traditional, political and religious lives as the case may be. That is why we are here to make that case, which is that they should leave us out of your faction issue. We have issues that are more profound than political factions.”

  • Minimum Wage: Workers must smile before 2019 elections – Ngige

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, says the Buhari administration is a labour friendly government, which is determined to put smiles on the faces of Nigerian workers before 2019 elections.

    Ngige stated this when he alongside the Chairman of the National Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee, Ms Amma Pepple, addressed State House correspondents on the outcome of their closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ngige and Pepple had briefed the president on the progress so far made by the Pepple’s committee, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

    According to the minister, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, will on Sept. 18, preside over the meeting of the Economic Management Team, which will be solely dedicated to the contentious issue of minimum wage.

    He said: “Next week we have an economic management team meeting on Tuesday, specially dedicated to the issue of national minimum wage to be chaired by the Vice President.

    “For anybody to say that this government is stalling or playing games will be uncharitable, because, we have done what we are supposed to do.

    “We have the interest of workers at heart, we have not retrenched anybody, there is no embargo on employment, there is no embargo on promotions, we are paying backlog of promotional arrears, we are backing backlog of transfers and repatriation and the rest of them and we are giving them houses under FISH and the rest of them.

    “So this government is a labour friendly government and we must put smiles on their faces before the next election; we are labour activists we don’t want to turn our backs on them.’’

    Pepple, a onetime Head of Service of the Federation, told the correspondents that the committee would submit its report on or before Sept. 30.

    Read Also: Ngige faults Labour on new pay

    She, however, maintained that the committee needed a definite figure from the government.

    According to her, everything is on course but we need a definite figure from the government and of course we have to carry the states along.

    “So, we need those figures so that we can conclude on the figures to include in our report.

    “At least, I expect our report to be ready this month. We are submitting our report to Mr President this month.

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had on Wednesday issued a two-week ultimatum to government to conclude all negotiations on the national minimum wage or risk industrial action.

    But, while reacting to the threat by the organised labour, Ngige accused them of blackmailing the government.

     

    NAN

  • Buhari promises new textile investments for South East

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja expressed optimism that new investment commitments coming into Nigeria’s textile sector, of which Aba is a major beneficiary, will be actualized within the shortest possible time.

    He gave the assurance while receiving traditional rulers from Abia State led by His Royal Majesty, Dr. Isaac Ikonne, Enyi 1 of Aba.

    The President also assured the monarchs that the issue of unstable electricity and other basic infrastructure in Ariaria market, a major trading hub in West and Central Africa, would soon be a thing of the past.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to rapidly industrialize the country through projects that promote import substitution.

    The President said the investments in the textile industry would create thousands of jobs for youths in Aba.

    He said ‘‘Just last week, I was in China to attend the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation. During that visit, I personally met with executives of one of the largest cotton and garment companies in the world who will soon establish operations in Aba.

    ‘‘This is following a joint effort of attracting this investor by both the Federal and Abia State Government.

    ‘‘The proposed investment will create thousands of jobs for the vibrant and creative youths in Aba.

    ‘‘I am very excited about this project. I have directed the Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to ensure this investment is actualised within the shortest possible time,’’ the President told the visiting royal majesty and his entourage.

    On Ariaria market, the President recounted that during his visit to Aba in 2015 as a presidential candidate, he was warmly received and walked through parts of the market where he observed the lack of electricity and other basic infrastructure for its over 40,000 shops.

    Read Also: Buhari promises new textile investments for South East

    ‘‘As a government, we issued a presidential mandate to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Rural Electrification Agency to energise the market.

    ‘‘In June 2018, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission granted an electricity generation licence as well as a distribution licence for the market. This will enable the generation and distribution of 9.5 Megawatts of electricity within the market.

    ‘‘The project is moving smoothly and I have been assured the market will be fully electrified soon. We are working closely with the State Government, Local Government, Traditional Rulers, Market Associations and the community on this project to ensure this goal is actualised by the end of the year,’’ he said.

    On security, the President reiterated that the APC-led government would continue to do its best to maintain the sovereign integrity of Nigeria while protecting the livelihoods of its hardworking and honest citizens.

    He also underscored the need for elder statesmen, leaders, parents and patriots to continue to guide youths on the path of peace and prosperity while eschewing hateful and divisionary rhetoric.

    ‘‘We must not shy away from this responsibility. We only have one Nigeria. And we must ensure we hand over a better Nigeria to the next generation,’’ he said.

    Eze Ikonne lauded the President for successes recorded so far since he assumed office in 2015, particularly in the fight against corruption, agricultural revolution, infrastructure development and security.

    On infrastructure development in the South East, His Majesty said: ‘‘ Mr President, I thank you for the massive federal roads rehabilitation going on in the South- East; like the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt expressway, Port Harcourt-Elele-Owerri road, Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

    ‘‘These roads were death traps for 16 years before you came into office, but today they are wearing new solid looks, though not completed but relief is already there with the level of work done so far.’’

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Mac Wabara, a former Managing Director of the defunct Hallmark Bank, who was among the delegation, described President Buhari as a courageous and a decisive man who is committed to the growth and development of this nation.

    He said, “For six decades our people have been working in line with our founding fathers. In that respects our successes have been limited by lack of political will, lack of political stability and unity among the various constituencies making up Nigeria.

    “In the life of great nation, challenging times like this produce men of courage, men of capacity, men who are committed to nation building and in Mr. President we have a man like that. He is courageous, decisive and he is committed to the growth and development of this nation.

    “We are glad to note that following his trip to China, the biggest cotton producing company is going to establish in Aba, Abia State. These are the works of Mr. President and I believe we can take that to the bank. So, we are happy that Mr. President has his eyes not only on Abia but on the whole of Nigeria.”

  • Aregbesola’s wife to market women: Vote for Oyetola

    The Osun first lady, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, has called on market women to cast their votes for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 22 Osun governorship elections, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.

    The wife of Osun State governor, who led hundreds of women to major markets in Osogbo, Olorunda, Irepodun and Orolu federal constituency, assured that the APC candidate will be fair to women if elected.

    She advised the market women to vote for Oyetola so that he could consolidate on the achievements of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    According to her, the legacies of the Rauf Aregbesola administration would be destroyed if the opposition should take over the power in the state.

    Speaking, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ayedade/Ayedire/Isokan federal constituency, Hon. Ayo Omidiran, appealed to market women who are yet to collect their Permanent Votes Cards (PVCs) to make sure that they collect it before the election.

    She commended the market women for the role they played in ensuring the re-election of Governor Aregbesola, urging them to go out enmasse and vote for APC in the September 22 poll.

    Omidiran, who also recalled the support of the APC-led federal government to the market women, stated that the ongoing distribution of N10,000 to 30,000 petty traders in Osun State was a promise kept by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Read Also: I vouch for Oyetola’s competence – Aregbesola

    She noted that Governor Aregbesola has in no small way supported market women through the promotion of small scale businesses.

    She recalled that the state government has given interest free loan to market women, saying that Aregbesola’s administration has given adequate recognition to market women than any other government.

    On the entourage of Mrs Aregbesola is the wife of the APC gubernatorial candidate, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Alhaja Lateefat Giwa, Osun APC women leader, Alhaja Kudirat Fabokunde, among others.

  • Buhari commiserates with Ralph Obioha over passing away of wife

    President Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to the family of Chief Ralph Obioha over the passing of his wife, Lady Ego Beatrice Obioha, who will be laid to final rest on Saturday 15th September, 2018.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, joined professional colleagues of the late accountant, her community members, women associations and friends in mourning the matriarch of the Obioha family.

    He encouraged her children to uphold the legacies of love, kindness and honesty their mother left behind.

    Read Also: ‘Buhari’s re-election will restore peace’

    Recalling Lady Obioha’s strong support for her husband as he journeyed into the onerous task of promoting democratic governance in Nigeria, the President believed she translated her love for the family into national service, especially in making so many sacrifices after her husband went on exile.

    President Buhari prayed that the Almighty God will accept the soul of the departed large-hearted mother and manager, and comfort the family she left behind.