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Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Buhari Leaves Daura for Abuja after APC congress

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday departed Daura in Katsina State for Abuja after participating in Saturday’s APC ward congress.

    The News men reports, the President voted at his Sarkin Yara `A’ ward, Daura.

    The news men reports that the president’s helicopter, marked NAF-540, took off from the Daura helipad at 9:25 am for Abuja.

    Read Also: How Buhari’s men plan to checkmate Saraki, Dogara, others

    The president was seen off at the departure point by the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk, top party officials and several well-wishers.

    Unconfirmed sources however, the news men that president Buhari, was expected to make a stop-over in Katsina to commiserate with the family of the late Chief Imam of Katsina, Malam Muhammad Lawal, who died on Sunday at the age of 95.

    NAN

  • Ward Congress: Ambode commends party members

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has commended the peaceful process members of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) conducted its ward congresses across the state.

    The governor, who participated in the exercise at his Ward A6 in Epe Local Government Area, said the party had displayed high level of maturity in the conduct of party activities.

    He added that members of the party who turned out in large number to exercise their civil responsibility had shown that the APC is a cohesive party.

    He said: “All our great party members in Ward A6, you have done well for turning out in this number to be part of the APC ward congresses. I want to use this medium to thank you all for the orderliness and peaceful way you conducted yourself.

    “We are members of the same family and that is why we are doing it in line with our constitution.

    The party agreed that it is either we do election or we vote by way of consensus. And that what we have done peacefully today.

    “I want to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our members across the state that performed this electoral process across the 337wards in the state .

    We know that the APC can get stronger if there is always peace and consensus among all our members. Like in Epe division, elections have been conducted peacefully in all other divisions. This is the most beautiful ward in Lagos State presently.

    I commend all our newly elected officials. We are very lucky to have observers from INEC who have just witnessed the process of the ward congress here.

    Chief Lanre Razak speaking on the ward congress, said APC was a disciplined party,where rules are followed.

    “Some people expect that we would have crisis riddled congress but you can see for yourself that the whole process is peaceful.

    ‘The APC has showed that it is the party to emulate. Again there is no party that is devoid of crisis. We have a good crisis management mechanism in place.

    “Our national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been given an assignment to reconcile the party, I have every confidence that he will achieve the task given to him by President Muhammadu Buhari.

  • 2019: My re-election bid not for personal gain – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday in Daura, Katsina State, said the driving force for seeking public office should be to serve the people, and see their lives improved, not for frivolity or personal ambition.

    Speaking at the All Progressives Party’s (APC) Ward Congress held at Bayagida Model Primary School, President Buhari said the passion to serve and see real changes in the lives of Nigerians informed his choice to join partisan politics in the first place, and inspired him to contest elections in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.

    He said that his decision to seek a second term in office was borne out of a deep passion to serve Nigerians, and not for personal gains.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President Buhari noted that his administration had already started the process of ensuring fairness, justice and equity, in spite of challenges, and would work hard to consolidate on the gains.

    He said “I am not in politics for fun, frivolity or to amass wealth, I have always been driven by a deep sense of commitment to make a difference to the lives of our people.

    “After my retirement from the army, or forceful retirement, I sat back and watched as events unfolded on the political turf, and realised the country needed an intervention for fairness, justice and inclusion of Nigerians in the issues that affect their lives,’’ he said.

    The President called for patience, maturity and orderliness as the 2019 elections’ calendar begins to unfold, urging political parties, candidates and the electorate to put the country first and always remember that victory ultimately belongs to God.

    “After going to the court so many times to challenge results of elections in 2003, 2007 and  2011,  and going up to the Supreme Court, I concluded that ultimately it is God who determines who will win elections, and in 2015 I got here,’’ he added.

    In his remarks, the Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari, said the process of electing the leaders of the party at the ward level was hitch-free, orderly and based on the constitution of the APC.

    “What we have here are our leaders that were chosen based on consensus and we are happy that it reflects the will of the people and the APC constitution. We followed the process to also ensure that there is affirmation,’’ he said.

    The Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Ward Congress, who is also the Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq urged the party leaders to remain loyal and live up to expectations.

  • Buhari has managed Nigerian economy better than predecessors- Ajimobi

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has stated that no other president in the country has managed the nation’s economy better than President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The governor spoke  in Ibadan on Friday evening while receiving members of the National Congress Committee of APC at the Government House.

    The committee led by Alhaji Musa Aliyu were in the state for the ward congress of the APC scheduled to hold on Saturday.

    “I read Economics and Finance, and there is no economic theory that we have not read. The most important part of all the economic theory is leadership.

    “And Nigeria is lucky to have that leadership. There is no president in Nigeria that has ever managed the economy like Buhari,” he said.

    Ajimobi, who described the APC as the greatest party in Africa, said Buhari was the most credible president that Nigeria has ever produced.

    “I was in one of Buhari’s delegation to London and when he was asked to speak he said ‘I have no money to distribute. All I have been selling is my integrity,” he said.

    The governor said that Buhari has been able to maintain that integrity till date

    “Politics is just a game that if God plays it, some people will abuse Him no matter the performance. I use to tell the president anytime I meet him not to worry people is abusing him.

    “I told him that people abused Prophet Muhammed and Jesus Christ, who are godsend not to talk of us ordinary human beings. That is why God has created the world a binary one,” he said.

    Ajimobi promised that the congress committee would not be influenced, assuring them of their support.

    Earlier, Aliyu said the committee was in Ibadan on a national assignment of the party, which he said the committee would do satisfactorily.

    He said that the party was known for internal democracy, adding such was the cardinal principle preached by Buhari, the leader of the party.

    “We intend to work closely with the local chapters in achieving the desired success, so that the party will come out strongly,” he said.

    The committee had Hon Usman Ibrahim, Hon Mohammed Ibrahim, Hadjia Halima Jabiru and Mrs Fola Olasehinde.

    Also in attendance were Chief Akin Oke, Oyo State APC Chairman and some House of Representative members from Oyo State.

    NAN

  • Buhari in Daura for APC ward congress

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday left Abuja to his hometown, Daura, Katsina State in order to participate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congress slated for Saturday.

    The presidential jet conveying him from Abuja touched down at Umaru Musa Ya’Adua Airport, Katsina around 4:30 pm.

    He was immediately conveyed in a police chopper to Daura.

    Buhari had returned to Nigeria on Thursday night from his official visit to the United States.

    Before arriving in Nigeria, Buhari had a ‘technical stop-over,’ in London, United Kingdom.

  • Impeaching Buhari not in the interest of Nigeria – Gowon

    Former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) ‎has warned that impeaching President Muhammadu Buhari would not be in the interest of Nigeria.

    Gowon, who addressed the Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly in Abuja on Thursday, said it’s too early for Nigeria to start impeaching democratically elected presidents.

    The former Head of State’s warning is coming at a time the Senate was considering an impeachment motion against President Muhammadu Buhari over the purchase of $496 million Tucano aircraft from the United States, without legislative approval.

    Urging unity among the diverse ethic, religious and socio-economic groups, particularly in the North, Gowon said impeaching any president at this point in the nation’s history would not serve any useful purpose.

    Gowon said, “It will be too early in the day to start impeaching presidents in Nigeria‎, otherwise, there will be no president that will not get impeached because of these interest groups.

    “We need to come together as a people – Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders Forum and this forum. The three must come together or else, we will end up dividing our interests thereby polarising the North.

    “So it is a question of unity of the people in the North which is very important‎. The interest of the North is the interest of the nation”.

    Responding, the chairman of the Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, said his group has constituted sub committees on North’s unity, elections, security and restructuring.

    Yakasai added that his group painstakingly studies the reports of its various sub committees, with the view to taking the necessary actions that would engender peace and unity among the various political stakeholders in the region.

    According to him, the main objective of the group was to bring together Northerners of good standing for the purpose of arresting drifts in the region.

    He also harped on the urgent need for the various stakeholders to strive to rebuild confidence among the people of the North, irrespective differences in ethnic and religious backgrounds.

    Also speaking at the meeting, a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed assured that the group would all that is required to ensure unity of purpose among the diverse groups in the region.

    Others at the meeting were a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Abba Gana; a former Speaker Present at the event were, former Speaker of the ‎House of Representatives, Umar Ghali N’aba; two former senators -Joseph Waku and Paul Wampana

    Others are a former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu; two former Women Affairs Minister, Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina.

  • Why Buhari stopped over in London – Presidency

    The Presidency on Thursday gave reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari stopped over in London after his official visit to the United States.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said that there is a limit to the distance the President’s smaller plane can cover.

    He explained that the Presidents big jet has gone for repairs.

    He said “The big jet is under repair. It has been taken for major repairs. So the President is using a small plane and there is a limit to the distance the small plane can cover.

    “So the technical stopover I talked about is that the journey from US to Abuja is broken into two.

    “Technical stopover is that the plane stops at a point, refuel, do some checks and then proceed on the journey.

    “This is very normal. There is nothing unusual about it. In any case, they are already on their way back home.

    “It is a routine thing. The plane can do Abuja-Washington, that’s about 12 hours and the maximum the plane can fly is 12 hours, 40 minutes. But you don’t need to push it to the edge.” he said

  • Lagos APC has no preferred candidate for national chairman, says Olusi

    The Lagos State Chapter of the APC said on Wednesday that it had no preferred candidate for the party’s national chairmanship position.

    A member of the chapter’s Elder’s Forum, Mr Tajudeen Olusi, made the statement in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos.

    He said the chapter had not settled for anyone yet, pointing out however, that the chapter was watching developments keenly before taking a position.

    Olusi said that leadership quality, ability to unite the party, among other qualities were what the chapter would be looking at in supporting a candidate during the national convention of the party, slated for June.

    “We don’t have a chairmanship candidate yet. We are studying the whole scenario carefully. We will take a position at the appropriate time.

    “However, we will support only the best candidate. A candidate who will unite the party and galvanise it to greater heights.

    “A candidate with the right leadership qualities to solve challenges and give everyone a sense of belonging. That is the kind of candidate we will back, “he said.

    On speculations that a former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, was being tacitly supported by the chapter for chairman, Olusi gave no definite response.

    “On that, when we get to the bridge, we shall know how to cross it,” the party chieftain stated.

    He said that the party was stepping up arrangements to hold ward, council and state congresses, assuring that the exercise would be free and fair.

    Read Also: APC lifts 260 indigent members

    The National Working Committee of the APC had fixed the national convention of the party for June after back-pedaling on tenure elongation for all its executives.

    The decision to allow congresses, followed appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari, who had described the extension as a breach of the party’s constitution.

    Oshiomhole, who is also a former labour leader, was recently endorsed by the South South zone of the party for the chairmanship position.

    The incumbent, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who is from the same state as Oshiomhole has not made any pronouncement on whether he would be seeking re-election.

    Apart from the two men, who have been in public glare, no other prominent member of the party has indicated interest in the chairmanship race.

    NAN

  • Buhari to visit Jigawa May 7

    President Muhammadu Buhari is to pay a one-day official visit to Jigawa on May 7, Gov. Muhammad Badaru, has said.

    Badaru, who made the disclosure while interacting with journalists in Dutse on Tuesday, said during the visit, the President was expected to commission some projects.

    He said the state government had made arrangements to give President Buhari a rousing welcome to the state.

    The governor explained that the `August visitor’ will inaugurate some roads and water projects within and outside the state capital during the visit.

    According to him, the President will also flag-off the operations of the state social committee which was recently established by law.

    Badaru stated that under the law, each of the 287 polling units across the state will receive a token of between N50, 000, and N100, 000, monthly as stipends to rehabilitate critical infrastructure including health care, education and other facilities in the area.

    The governor said the President will also inaugurate the revived dairy products processing company in Birnin Kudu as well as commission the newly constructed 80 health care facilities.

    He said facilities were put in place by the state government in line with the Federal Government’s policy of providing at least one health care facility in each political ward of the country.

    Badaru, therefore, urged residents of the state to come out enmasse to give Buhari a rousing welcome.

    NAN

     

  • Buhari orders recruitment of 6,000 policemen

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the recruitment of 6,000 additional policemen as part of fresh measures to address the nation’s security challenges including the farmers/herdsmen clashes across the country.

    The President made this known in a special interview session with Voice of America, Hausa service, in Washington, United States on Tuesday morning.

    President Buhari, who is in the U.S. on the invitation of the American President Donald Trump, revealed that additional security measures were being put in place to check cases of insecurity in Nigeria.

    “We will put in place more measures to check insecurity in the country including increasing the number of policemen and train them.

    “I have approved the recruitment of 6,000 policemen by the police authorities and I directed that those recruited must come from all the 776 local government areas of the federation.

    “Even if it means recruiting one person each from the 776 they should do that instead of going to motor parks, railway stations or market for the recruitment exercise.

    “I gave (Police authorities) them this directive,’’ he said.

    The president, who expressed reservation on the call for the establishment of state police as being advocated by state governors, said Nigerians must abide by constitutional provision in regard to the matter.

    It would be recalled that the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari, had in February said creation of state police would help in addressing spate of insecurity in the country.

    Yari, who is also the Zamfara State Governor, said this at the end of a two-day summit organised by the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Review of Current Security Infrastructure in Nigeria.

    He said: “Today we have reiterated the position of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    “And the position of the security summit we held in August, that there is a need for the state police; we can say it is the only answer.”

    However, President Buhari maintained that the creation of state police would not augur well for the finances of the states, adding that some of them were finding it difficult to meet their financial obligations to workers and other state needs.

    “We must carefully look at the position of the nation’s constitution on the issue of state police before we take final decision on the matter if the constitution allows state police so be it.

    “But don’t forget that many times the Federal Government gave out what we referred to as bail out to state governments for payment of workers’ salaries. How many states can pay salary promptly? and you want to add more financial burden to the states.

    “It is not proper to employ a person, train him on how to handle weapons and then refuse to pay him – you can imagine what would happen in such situation,’’ he said.

    On his purported comment on youth while in London, President Buhari dismissed the report, saying that the media only preferred to interpret and report what they like instead of concentrating on developmental journalism.

    He said: “You know Nigeria’s population is now between 180 and 190 million and 60 per cent of this population is youth that is 30 years down ward.

    “You know in the North most youths are uneducated or school dropouts. If not because we had good harvests in the last two farming seasons the situation would have been deteriorated.

    “These youths even if they travel out of the North for greener pasture they hardly make it economically because what they earn as income cannot afford them to meet their basic needs or return home.

    “All these explanations I made, they refused to highlight them in their report and you know the media in Nigeria in most cases only do what they like.

    “For instance the nation’s achievements in the agricultural sector where millions of Nigerians benefitted financially were left unreported by the media.

    “Even when the Minister of Information and Culture wanted to reply that abusive letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, I had wanted Lai not to reply the letter but I said I should allow him to highlight the achievements of our administration.’’

    President Buhari also used the opportunity to debunk the insinuation that Christians were being killed by herdsmen.

    He said that clashes between farmers and herdsmen had been in existence for the past years, saying that Nigerian herdsmen were not in the habit of carrying dangerous weapons while moving their animals around the country.

    On what he does during his leisure time, President Buhari said he hardly listened to music but rather always obeyed his doctors’ advice on the need to eat and have enough rest.

    NAN