The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Court says cost of Buhari’s London treatment his personal affair

    Says it is exempted from disclosure under S14(1)(a) of FoI Act

    Group pledges to appeal

     

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that information regarding the cost of President Muhammadu Buhari’s London treatment was his personal affairs, which could only be disclosed with his consent.

    Justice John Tsoho, in a judgment on Tuesday, said the information fall within the items exempted from disclosure under Section 14(1(b) of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

    The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1142/2017 filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative (ASRADI), led by  Adeolu Oyinlola.

    ASRADI had, in the suit, with the Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, the CBN and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants, accused the CBN and its governor of refusing to honour its FoI request contained in a letter of October 19, 2017 for information on the amount released for Buhari’s medical treatment in London and the amount paid on behalf of the Nigerian government as parking fees for keeping the presidential aircraft and crew in the UK while the President’s treatment lasted.

    The group had urged the court to declare that the respondents’ refusal to provide it with the information “amounts to a wrongful denial of information and is a flagrant violation of the provisions of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011.”

    The applicant also sought an order compelling the respondents to furnish it with the information and a further order, mandating the CBN and its governor to pay the plaintiff N10million in damages “for the wilful refusal of the 1st and 2nd respondents to release information in respect of the applicant’s letter dated 19th Ocober 2017.”

    The plaintiff argued that that it was within the responsibilities of the CBN and its governor to provide the requested information because they “are responsible for all foreign currency transactions of the Nigerian government or transactions involving the Federal Government of Nigeria and foreign institutions as it concerns transfer of money outside the shores of Nigeria.”

    Read Also: Why Buhari stopped over in London, by Presidency

    However, Justice Tsoho did not make any pronouncement on whether or not the plaintiff’s request for information on the cost of keeping the presidential aircraft in a London airport for over 100 days was also exempted under the FoI Act.

    The judge was of the view that issues about the cost of President Buhari’s treatment were personal to him and could not be disclosed to the public without his consent as provided under Section 14(1(b) of the FoI Act.

    Section 14(1) reads: “Subject to subsection (2), a public institution must deny an application for information that contains personal information and information exempted under this subsection includes: (b):  personnel files and personal information maintained with respect to employees, appointees or elected officials of any public institution or applicants for such positions.

    Sub-section 2 of Section 14 reads: “A public institution shall disclose any information that contains personal information if: (a) the individual to whom it relates consents to the disclosure; or (b) the information is publicly available”

    Justice Tsoho also said the CBN and its governor could not be said to have refused the request made by the plaintiff under the FoI Act, as claimed by ASRADI, because the 1st and 2nd defendant (CBN and its governor) transferred the plaintiff’s letter of request to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, in accordance with the provision of Section 5(1) of the FoI Act.

    The judge said the 1st and 2nd defendants could not then be blamed for the plaintiff’s failure to follow up on their request when the CBN and its governor said the letter had been forwarded to the office of the President’s Chief of Staff.

    He refused to grant the plaintiff’s prayer for N10 damages; on the grounds that it did not prove that it incurred damages.

    The judge said the suit was without merit and struck it out.

    Earlier, while ruling on the objection raised by the AGF, the judge held that the office of the AGF was not a necessary party to the suit because no cause of action was raised against it.

    Reacting to the judgment, Oyinlola said: “We intend to go on appeal to determine how our demand for accountability regarding public resources spent, constitutes a personal affair of the President. We did not ask for his medical records. It is a preposterous judgment.

  • Nigeria safe, secure for tourism – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja declared that Nigeria is safe and secure for tourism, citing improved security and country’s burgeoning economy.

    He made the remark while receiving Mr Zurab Pololikashvili, the Secretary-General of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, it would have been inconceivable to host an international tourism conference in Abuja four years ago, because of security concerns.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said ‘‘I am pleased that the country is now sufficiently safe and secure, and the message should go out to the world for all tourists and business travellers. The first thing tourists look out for is security and I am happy we have it now.

    ‘‘Minister Lai Mohammed has been trying to convince the world that Nigeria is safe and has great potentials for tourism and investment.

    “I am glad that you and your team have come here to see things for yourself,’’ the President told the UN tourism chief, who is in Abuja for the 61st UNWTO Commission for Africa (CAF) conference.” he stated

    Read Also: Senators, Reps threaten Buhari with impeachment

    Highlighting the nexus between tourism and sustainable development, the President said Nigeria would not be left behind in ensuring that communities and businesses benefit from tourism development.

    In his remarks, Pololikashvili commended Nigeria for the successful hosting of the conference which brings together African Ministers of Tourism, principal executives of the global tourism body and other stakeholders in the tourism sector.

    The UN tourism chief told the President Nigeria had huge potential to develop the tourism sector considering its large economy.

    ‘‘We can do it in Nigeria, we can create, convert Nigeria to the main tourist destination in Africa. There is a huge potential here. Culture, nature, food you have everything here.

    ‘‘You are investing in agriculture, improving seamless travel through visa-on-arrival programme, reforming the economy and doing so much on security. Nigeria is safe,’’ Pololikashvili said.

    Also speaking, the Information and Culture Minister said 166 delegates, including 26 tourism ministers from Africa are attending the UN tourism conference, holding from June 4 to June 6 in Abuja.

  • Not too young to run or Too old to run

    The number of youths in world has not been ascertain, but United Nation estimation put it as being at the highest number of the world population.

    Half of the global population is under 30, and yet 73% of countries restrict young people from running for office, even though they are allowed to vote.

    Around the world, campaigns are underway to promote the rights of young people running for public office by seeking to lower the legal age of candidacy, and bring it into line with the age at which you can vote.

    Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the “Not Too Young To Run” bill into law.

    The new law is aimed at relaxing some of the stringent and discriminatory provisions of the constitution.

    The bill seeks to alter the Section 65, 106, 131, 177 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) to reduce the age qualification for the office of the President from 40 years to 30 years; Governor 35 to 30, Senate 35 to 30, House of Representatives 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly 30 to 25. The Bill also seeks to mainstream independent candidacy into Nigeria’s electoral process.

    Read Also: Buhari to sign “Not Too Young to Run” Bill into law

    In a brief remark after he signed the bill, Mr Buhari told his audience comprising representatives of young persons from the 36 states and Abuja that “You can aspire for President but Please postpone your campaign till after 2019 election.”

    Based on the foregoing, the writer bares his thought as regards the aforementioned bill that can best be described as a “tricky game of politics”.

    The “Not Too Young To Run” bill is a very good initiative if it is strictly based on the interest of the masses and not a political game to seek votes from the younger generation during the 2019 election.

    Recall that the President said the younger generation should drop plans of contesting in the 2019 election.

    The question now begging for answers is this, why would Mr Buhari signed a bill when he knows it won’t take full effect until after the 2019 election?

    This shows that there is more to the bill than what many think it is, considering the post comment of Mr President after the bill was passed into law.

    Bearing in mind that the expectation of the teeming population of Nigerian youths is far beyond a child’s play but the government includes them in its programme policies because the youths are not only the leaders of tomorrow that we think them to be but the leaders of today as well.

    It is obvious that the political gestures of Mr President is aimed at adopting the youths as leaders of tomorrow if not, why would he have denied them access from conducting in the 2019 election without stating out in clear terms why he made that derogatory statement.

    In summary, the government would have been fair enough to implement another bill that restricts the oldies (above 70 years of age) from contesting in any electoral process. Thus, there should be provision for “Too Old To Run” bill then there can be said that there is synergy in the President’s speech.

  • Buhari breaks Ramadan fast with governors at Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday evening broke the Ramadan fast with state governors under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his official residence at Aso Rock, Abuja.

    The “Iftar” with the governors, unlike the previous ones, held with leadership of the National Assembly, judiciary and others, was not open to full media coverage.

    Read Also: Ambode, deputy to Muslims: continue good deeds after Ramadan

    However, the official photographer to the President and cameraman from Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) were allowed to the venue of the event.

    Traditional rulers across the country will also be hosted by the President this week.

    NAN

  • ‘FG should feed pupils attending low-cost schools too’

    As the Federal Government makes plans to extend the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) from 24 to 36 states of the country, President of the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Mrs Esther Dada, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to provide mid-day meals to children attending low-cost private schools, which the association caters for.

    This was as she called for single-digit government loans to support the group’s initiative to provide tablets to children from low-income backgrounds.

    Speaking on Monday at a press conference ahead of the group’s 2018 congress holding on Friday, Mrs Dada said by educating children from the lower-rung of the socio-economic ladder, AFED was helping the government reduce the number of out-of-school children and given the low fees they pay, they should benefit from the meals.

    Read Also: Council gives free maths books to pupils

    “The Federal Government must also understand that children in low cost schools are there due to inadequate government facilities in some of (the public) schools in such locations where our low-fee schools are prominent and therefore educational right and privileges should be extended to children in low-fee private schools such as we have in public schools.  And these privileges should include free feeding programme through the Home Grown feeding project of the federal government,” she said.

    Regarding the tablet project, Mrs Dada said AFED had found from a pilot project supported by DFID that ICT could boost learning and working with partners to provide tablets to children from low-income homes to purchase tablets and therefore sought single-digit loans to implement the project.

    “In AFED, we are leveraging on the broad partnership network and its prospects to deliver in the next three years a tablet with preloaded textbooks, workbook, exercises and continuous assessment for every child in the basic education class.  This quest might seem huge but with our collective will, it is surmountable as efforts has commenced in the right direction.

    “We therefore wish to call on the Federal Government led by His Excellencey, President Muhammadu Buhari to institute as a matter of urgent national importance special fund from where operators can access affordable loans to support this laudable project.  You will agree with me that there are no low interest loans anywhere except with the intervention of the Federal Government,” he said.

  • Why 2018 Budget is yet to be assented – Udoma

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to carry out a thorough review of the 2018 budget has led to the delay in signing the Appropriation Bill, recently passed by the National Assembly.

    The National Assembly had raised the budget to N9,120, 334,988,225 from the N8.6 trillion presented by President Muhammadu Buhari, showing an increase of N508 billion.

    Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, spoke at the Presidential Villa after meeting with President Buhari on Monday.

    Buhari had on Nov. 7, 2017 presented the N8.6 trillion “Budget of Consolidation”, to a joint session of the National Assembly.

    According to Udoma, “The President is currently reviewing the budget and as you know, we have a minimum window of 30 days”

    Read Also: Buhari yet to receive 2018 Budget – Udoma

    On when the budget will be signed, he said” the President is currently reviewing it and as soon as he is through, he will sign it. That is what l can tell you for now”

    After six months delay, the National Assembly finally passed the N9.120 trillion and fiscal deficit of N1.955 trillion or 1.73 percent to GDP.

    The amount represents an increase of N580 billion above the N8.612 trillion proposal submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the joint session of the National Assembly on the 7th November, 2017.

    The 2018 appropriation bill, the largest in the nation’s history, was premised on key revenue assumptions of oil price benchmark of $51 (an increase of $6 above the $45 proposed by the Presidency); but retains 2.3 million barrels per day and exchange rate of N305/$1USD.

  • Water Resources Bill may renew hostilities in Niger Delta – IYC

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has said the Water Resources Executive Bill currently on the floor of the National Assembly (NASS), is capable of renewing hostilities between the federal government and people of the Niger Delta region.

    Speaking at a press conference centred on the state of the nation in Warri, Delta state on Saturday, Oweilaemi, described the bill as another “neo-colonisation” ploy of the president Muhammadu Buhari-led administration against the oil-rich region.

    Stating that the group will do all within its powers to resist the bill, he called on the NASS to either reject it “out rightly or, remove the clauses that seek to control the surface and groundwater resources including river beds and banks.”

    The Ijaw youths’ president further stated that issues relating to water resources management be left under the control of state governments.

    “On the water resources executive Bill currently in the NASS, the position of IYC is that the said Bill is another neo-colonisation agenda by the Federal Government to annihilate and subjugate the destinies of the Niger Delta people thereby subjecting the people to eternal colony. We reject the Bill in its entirety as it will only end up causing disaffection between the Niger Delta people and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “We have perused the spirits and letters of the said Bill clause by clause. There is nothing in the proposed law that will benefit the Niger Delta people. This is a clear departure from the sacred constitutional requirements of enacting laws which are for the public good, public morality and public safety. A Bill that is designed to divest the people of natural resources in their domains cannot bring peace and good governance to the people.

    Read Also: Niger Delta communities to Buhari: probe JTF activities

    “IYC therefore is of the view that the National Assembly should as a matter of public good and for the sake of our corporate coexistence reject the Bill. The management of the water resources should be left with the states. We on our own part will do everything humanly position within the ambit of the law to resist the passage of the Bill. We do not want a repeat of history in the region. This is a surreptitious means to reintroduce the butch cattle colony. Niger Delta people will resist it even with the last drop of our blood,” Oweilaemi said.

    Remarking on the staggering compliance of the sit-at-home order of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), he re-echoed calls for the implementation of fiscal federalism and resource control.

    Other issues the IYC harped on was the quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, with its initial 10% equity share for oil communities and the relocation of oil multinationals’, including Shell Petroleum Development Company, corporate headquarters to the Niger Delta.

  • Why I am challenging Buhari-Female Presidential Aspirant

    A female Presidential aspirant, on the platform of Alliance for a New Nigeria, Dr. Elishama Rosemary Ideh has said that she was challenging President Muhammadu Buhari for the number one seat in the country because of her belief that the country needed a new direction and vibrant leadership.

    She said the current challenges facing the country was as a result of prolonged crisis of Leadership and dysfunction in governance arising from a weak and non-existent institutions in the country.

    Dr. Ideh who is the first woman to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari for the nation’s number seat said at a news conference that the current challenges can also be attributed to what she described as a flawed constitutional framework that allows the powerful to get away with serious breaches and the demands of basic decency, while punishing the weak and victimizing the innocent.

    According to her, the crisis of Leadership and a dysfunction in governance that cannot be allowed to continue any longer if the nation is to survive or succeed, saying “our young people can no longer wait, driven as they are by the fear that the tomorrow they were promised yesterday has already come and gone”

    Read Also: How I’ll restore NANS’ glory by presidential aspirant

    She said further that today, Nigeria need a different kind of leadership. A leader who combine integrity with intelligence and a deep and vast understanding of the implications of the 21st global political economy and Nigeria’s place in the global competitive index.

    She said “Nigeria needs a leader who combined a no nonsense strength of character and the moral authority to get things done in an efficient and timely manner, with the compassion of a mother for her children as well as for the weak and the down trodden in our society.

    “At this critical point in her journey, Nigeria needs a leader whose own personal life journey in the service of God and man is capable of inspiring a generation of Nigerians to imbibe habits and carry out actions of distinction”.

    She said further that she has seen faces of Nigeria’s past, present and future, added that she has strived to reach for workable solutions to problems and challenges peculiar to the time and place of each her engagement.

    “I am a firm believer of the values, vision and mission of this great party, and I’m committed to the actualization of its ideology and its innovative roadmap for the regeneration of Nigeria and the creation of the material and social wealth that will secure the present welfare and future security of Nigerians living today and generations yet unborn.”

    Elishama promised to reform the country’s revenue generation and allocation structure, including federal tax regimes if given opportunity as president of Nigeria.

    “My administration is determined, from the very first day of our assumption of office, to work towards reducing the cost and simplifying the processes and procedures of doing business anywhere in Nigeria, so that local and foreign investors to thrive.

    “We will work together to ensure fair remuneration in terms of wages, welfare packages and retirement benefits within the limits of our means. Periodic wage increase will be carried out, not on sentiment, emotional or even humanitarian ground but always according to our production capacity and corresponding revenues,” she promised.

  • Breaking: I will not seek second term – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun has finally broken his prolonged silence on his future as the National Chairman of the APC, saying he has decided to step aside and not re-contest the position at the forth coming national, convention.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had openly endorsed the immediate past governor of Edo State and Chief Oyegun’s kinsman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for the National chairmanship position.

    He told newsmen Friday night at his residence that it was his personal conviction not to seek re-election, but will always be available to serve the party, adding that it was in the best interest of the party for him not to seek another term in office.

    Oyegun said even though he had desired to re-contest the position he has decided that in the interest of the party, he will not be seeking reelection and has therefore decided to withdraw from the race.

    He said “I have taken this decision without prejudice to my commitment to the party in helping to solve some of the subsisting and emerging difficult issues and my ability to continue to provide necessary leadership.

    “However, I believe that the party faces difficult days ahead and all critical stakeholders in its leadership would be required to bind together for a common purpose. Therefore, the less contentious our national convention is the better for the party.

    “I have always sought to be part of solving the problem of APC. I do not intend to be part of the problems for APC to solve. It is for this reason I hereby declare that I will not be seeking re-election as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “However, I will continue to perform my functions as the National Chairman of the party till my tenure officially ends on Monday the 25th of June when. New set of party executives will be inaugurated.”

    Read Also: Oyegun: Fayose lacks decorum

    Oyegun said the decision to have the present Executive remain in office in an interim capacity was to avoid going into the 2019 elections as a divided house, saying “with the 2019 general elections looming on the horizon, some of us consider it to be in the best interest of the party to go into the elections as a united fighting force, rather than one that was potentially weakened by internal conflict arising from competitive congresses.

    “It was for this reason that we canvassed and obtained the NEC decision of February 27 asking all executives of the party to continue in office in acting capacity for another period of twelve months.”

    He said that it was within his constitutional right to seek another term in office, believing that his experience and familiarity with some of the most important issues that must be at the top of the political agenda which put him in the best position to lead the party into another election.

    He acknowledged the fact the even without declaring his interest to seek another term, several top stakeholders of the party at all levels began to rally round him, saying “I believe that these loyal party men and women instinctively choose to support me, because they recognized what was in the best interest of the party at that point in time.

    “Quite fundamentally, they were demonstrating their love and commitment for the party, realizing that perhaps, what was needed most at this point in time in our history as a political party is experience and stability.

    “We have conducted the congresses in all the 36 states and the FCT, we have set a date for the national convention. Now that the convention committee has invited interested aspirants to obtain forms to contest into the various national positions, it has become necessary for me to state my position.

    “I have consulted widely with my family, friends and associates. Even though i had the desire to re-contest as the National Chairman of the party, I have decided that it is ultimately in the best interest of the party for me to withdraw from the race.”

  • Ghana angry with Jonathan over Nigeria mockery speech

    Says he should not sow seeds of discord’ between PMB, Akuffo-Addo

     

    The authorities in Ghana are angry with former President  Goodluck Jonathan for linking President Nana Akuffo-Addo with an alleged mockery of Nigeria.

    They have dismissed as untrue claims by Jonathan last weekend in Ado Ekiti that Akuffo-Addo  recently mocked the poor state of security in Nigeria and the weak status of the naira.

    The former president who spoke at the inauguration of the Ado Ekiti flyover said things have deteriorated so much in the country that it has lost its respect in Africa.

    But responding to the statement on Friday, Ghana’s High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Rashid Bawa said Jonathan “took the words of President Akufo-Addo completely out of context.”

    He said: “Indeed , in the speech delivered by President Akufo-Addo at the Oxford African Conference, one of the instances used by former President Goodluck Jonathan, these are the exact words of President Akufo-Addo:

    ‘For most of you in the audience today, it is probably before your time, but in the late 1970s up to the mid- 1980s, as a result of the discovery of considerable petroleum deposits, Nigeria was booming. It was the place to be. We Ghanaians, who were going through very difficult times then, would arrive at Heathrow Airport, and be herded into a cage to be subjected to the full third degree by Immigration , and we would look on as our Nigerian cousins would be waved through, with a ‘welcome sir’ and a ‘welcome madam’ .

    ‘The newspaper headlines in this country were full of Nigerians leaving or forgetting bundles of money in taxis and telephone booths. Nigerians were the preferred tenants for those who had apartments to let. You could stop by any Thomas Cook shop on any High Street in this country and buy or sell Naira, the Nigerian currency, and you could do the same in New York, and I suspect in many other Western country cities.

    Read Also: Ghana denies reports of Ebola outbreak

    ‘I do not need to spell out today’s reality to anyone in this audience. I cite this just to make the point that the “the outside world” is well able to tell that there are separate sovereign nations on the African continent. But, when the news is not good, then Africa is treated as one entity.’

    Bawa also took exception to Jonathan’s reference to Akufo-Addo’s purported disposition towards cattle-rearing.

    His words: “the other alleged remark that ‘Ghana is not Nigeria where cattle can roam about anyhow’ has never been made by President Akufo-Addo; that is not his way of speaking.

    “President Akufo-Addo , in many of the speeches he has made in Nigeria and elsewhere , since becoming President of Ghana , has described Nigeria as ‘a country I describe as my second home in the world’ , and will never use Nigeria to make negative examples, as the former President Goodluck Jonathan sought to portray.

    “President Akufo-Addo enjoys a very good relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari , as he has with many other Nigerian leaders; Ghana and Nigeria are like siblings, and it would be most inappropriate, because of politics, for anyone, regardless of his or her status in society, to try to sow seeds of discord amongst the leadership and peoples of our two countries.”