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Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • APC is on course, says Obasanjo

    APC is on course, says Obasanjo

    •Meets Buhari, Akande, Tinubu, APC governors

    •Proclaims self political father of all

    •We’re not wooing him, Tinubu explains mission to ex-president

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) got a rare endorsement yesterday from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    He hailed the party as being on course in enhancing democracy in the country.

    He said, “As an opposition you are enhancing democracy, you are at home, you are welcome to being at home,” Chief Obasanjo told a high power delegation of the APC at a meeting at his Abeokuta residence, last night.

    On the APC train were the party’s national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, former military leader, General Muhammadu Buhari, APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) as well as the interim national publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Senator Bukola Saraki, former Governor of Borno State, Alimodu Sheriff and Chief Bob Effiong.

    However, Obasanjo advised his guests to play “politics without rancour, without bitterness, with decency, that has Nigeria at heart.”

    He described himself as an ‘incurable optimist about Nigeria.’

    “I am totally committed to Nigeria and nothing will divert me from that commitment,” he said.

    He said he was honoured by the visit to “come and present your party and tell me the objectives. But let me start somewhere. I am a card carrying member of the PDP but the politics I play traverses Nigeria, Africa and world in that order. I am a democrat and one of the essential ingredients of democracy is opposition, a democracy that has no opposition built into it is not a democracy.

    “In whichever party for whatever office that a person contested or aspired in Nigeria since 1999 such a person young or old man or woman can claim to be my political child and I can claim to be by virtue of political office I have held I can also claim to be political father.”

    Chief Akande who led the visiting team said they were in Abeokuta to introduce APC, its leaders and governors among others to Obasanjo.

    Akande also said the party was in support of the 18 – page open letter the former president recently wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that he (Obasanjo) acted in the best interest of the country.

    Also speaking, Tinubu told their host: “You have come out of tribulation and held the highest position in this country. We are here because of your courage .Nobody can claim that he has information more than you. You have surmounted a number of crises.

    “Nigeria is divided (now), more than before, to realise a stable Nigeria we want to encourage you to continue to speak the truth. We’re resolved and determined to rescue Nigeria, we want you as navigator.”

    Governor Okorocha who spoke for the Progressives Governors said many of them passed through him politically and that the task to rescue Nigeria from its challenges is not only for the benefit of upcoming generations but also a task that must be accomplished.

    The APC delegation started arriving Obasanjo’s mansion on Segun Osoba Hill – Top at about 5.23pm when a convoy of three jeeps carrying Chief Femi Fani – Kayode and former anti – graft Czar, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, came in.

    They were followed at 5:50pm by a convoy of over a dozen vehicles including buses. In the convoy were most of the governors, Chief Akande and Asiwaju Tinubu.

    General Mohammadu Buhari, followed six minutes later.

    Governor Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) drove in at 5.59 with ex-FCT minister, Mallam Nasir El – Rufai on the passenger seat with Governors Ajimobi and Amosun trailing them

    The APC leaders had arrived Abeokuta at around noon and met with Governor Amosun, at the Government House, Isale – Igbein, Abeokuta, strategising before proceeding to see Chief Obasanjo who had earlier in the day flown to Akure to commiserate with the chiefs and people of the town on the recent passing away of the Deji of Akure, Oba Adeniyi Adesida.

    Chief Obasanjo and the APC delegation emerged from their meeting at 7pm for a photo session with newsmen.

    The meeting ended at about 8pm with Asiwaju Tinubu telling reporters that the APC visit was not to woo Obasanjo but one borne out of “patriotism, dedication and commitment to Nigeria.”

    Tinubu said: “It is to be able to set Nigeria on the right path and for all men of goodwill to come together to rescue Nigeria. It is not a matter of wooing (him), an elder statesman.

    “Yes, he is a very unique person in his own way based upon the experience of life, tribulations one way or the other, he saw power, tribulations and then back to power. If you want to grasp the life of this man from zero to grace, zero again and then to grace. And then you will see what you get in such a person.

    “And you will need that wisdom not necessarily to join our partisan politics, but just to draw from the experience of an elder statesman.”

  • APC calls for probe of massive thefts, corruption

    APC calls for probe of massive thefts, corruption

    Party warns against plot to unseat five governors

    The Opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday urged the National Assembly to launch a probe into “constitutional violations” by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    The party said the lawmakers should act in consonance with the dictates of the constitution “to save our nation from falling off a fiscal cliff caused by excessive theft and corruption”.

    The APC, in a communique signed by its Interim National Chair Chief Bisi Akande after the 7th regular meeting of its Interim National Executive Committee (NEC), followed up its call on Sunday for Jonathan’s impeachment.

    Yesterday’s meeting was attended by Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano), who defected last month along with three of their colleagues from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

    Governors of Adamawa, Sokoto and Kwara states, who also defected to the party, were represented at the meeting.

    Also there was the leader of the New PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

    Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Dr. Ogbononanya Onu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff also attended the meeting.

    The APC alleged gross abuse of the ecological funds “through its selective and unjust disbursement to only non-APC states”. Such states – 16 in all – were recently given N2billion each – secretly.

    It also noted the “revelation of the diversion of revenues that ought to have been paid into the Federal Account running into trillions of naira”. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has said about $49billion of such cash, which should have been remitted to the Federation Account by the Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were unremitted. The NNPC has disagreed.

    The APC also alleged that “other budget amounts for parastatals , pensions and the fuel subsidy that ought to have been properly accounted for are similarly plundered with impunity”.

    Sanusi raised the allegation in a letter to the President, saying NNPC failed to remit $49.8b into the Federation Account.

    About N500 billion that should have been remitted to the SURE-P – a government interventionist agency – has also been declared un-remitted.

    The ministry of Finance has also denied that the money is “missing”.

    The APC said the “serial failure” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct successful by-elections in some states – Imo, Delta and Jigawa- as well as the governorship election in Anambra State, had raised doubts about INEC’s capability to conduct a credible election in 2015.

    It spoke about intimidation of its members in Abia State and the impunity in Rivers State, which it said could plunge the country into political turmoil.

    “Sadly, in the course of the meeting, the APC learnt that another deadly attack was perpetrated against the Rivers Government House where the office of the Deputy Governor was partly destroyed. This and other acts of impunity clearly show the PDP, its agents and governments to be lawless. The APC warns that these acts demonstrate clearly that this government is anti-people, dictatorial and would go to any length to plunge the country into chaos.

    “The APC is concerned with the situation in Rivers State. This display of impunity and the Faustian bargain between the police commissioner and a handful of rebel legislators has gone on for a full year. It must stop. Now is the time for all men and women of goodwill to speak up against the assault on an elected government and violations of the right of Rivers citizens. The international community is hereby put on notice that Nigeria’s democratic journey unravels and Rivers State might be the lightening torch for Nigeria’s descent into impunity.

    “We wish to re-state that whatever touches one APC state affects the entire party. Our party will therefore not stand idly by and watch democracy desecrated in Rivers State or elsewhere in the country for that matter.”

    The APC also warned that it would not accept “the deliberate disenfranchisement of large swathes of our citizenry”, vowing to fight to defend the right of every eligible Nigerian voter to vote.

    “We also want to alert the Federal Government that any attempt to extend the state of emergency without any justification will be resisted by every lawful and constitutional means”, the party said, adding:

    “President Jonathan should, therefore, live up to his responsibilities by ensuring that every part of Nigeria is safe enough for elections, as our citizens expect nothing less.”

    The APC had earlier alerted the nation of what it described as the strategy of the Jonathan administration to depopulate areas it has strong following and suppress voter turnout in the Northern and Southwest states through deliberate exacerbation of insecurity.

    “We suspect that wittingly or unwittingly the recent declaration of INEC that elections are not likely to take place in states under state of emergency is in furtherance of this agenda,” it added.

    The communiqué said touched on what it described as an attempt to remove the five governors who defeated to it. It said: “The APC has noted with concern the threats of the PDP to procure a pliant judge to declare the seats of the G-5 governors vacant in spite of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Atiku in 2007.

    “It is of note that several times governors, including legislators from other parties have defected from the ANPP and PPA to the PDP even when their former parties were not factionalised without any consequence. The APC hereby warns the PDP to desist from words and deeds of impunity that threaten our stability and democracy.

    “ We also hope that the judiciary will not be a party to the deliberate promotion of lawlessness and impunity in our country. APC will give its governors and lawmakers the necessary support in defence of their rights and freedoms of association.”

  • 2015: I have not anointed any candidate, says Buhari

    2015: I have not anointed any candidate, says Buhari

    Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Kano cautioned some members of the party said to be dropping his name to desist forthwith.

    He declared that he has not anointed any one for elective office in 2015 as being claimed in some quarters.

    Farouk Adamu, a former lawmaker from Jigawa State who represented him at a one-day sensitization workshop organized by APC Forum for Equity and Justice, in Kano, said: “I am one of the closest associates of General Muhammadu Buhari. The General has not anointed anybody.”

    Buhari, however, urged members of the APC in Kano to come together and form a formidable team that would be able to win convincingly in Kano in the 2015 elections.

    He described the APC as a fusion of different interests, parties and not about Buhari or anybody.

    ” Buhari’s candidate is the people’s candidate and whatever emerges from the party whether at the Presidential or state level or at any other level is Buhari’s candidate,” Adamu said.

    He said the forum was organized to unify the three main parties- CPC, ANPP and ACN- that fused into the APC.

    Alhaji Salihu Lukeman, who represented APC governors, said that all APC members in Kano are regarded with high esteem and advised them to shun rancour that could cause disaffection among them.

    Among dignitaries that graced the occasion were the APC leader in the State and former Minister of Labour, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Ali, Senator Mohammed Mohammed from Bauchi State, former Kaduna State governor, Col Jafaru Isa (rtd), former Kano Deputy governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, Barau Jibril, Kawu Sumaila and other party stalwarts in the state.

     

     

     

  • Anambra poll: Why we protested, by Buhari

    Anambra poll: Why we protested, by Buhari

    Former military ruler, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, says the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) marched on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday to underscore the need for justice for all Nigerians.

    The march, according to him, was also to drive home the point to those in charge to be courageous to punish those who made mistakes in the November 16 Anambra Governorship Election.

    Buhari who spoke during a reception in honour of Oluwaseyi Tinubu, son of a National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in Abuja, said that although he was advised against participating in the protest, he ignored the advice because he was on a familiar ground..

    The gathering was organized to mark the call to the Nigerian Bar of the younger Tinubu.

    The ex-Head of State said that was the third time he would participate in such a protest against electoral malpractice.

    He said he was happy that the Nigerian elite are just realizing that Nigeria is in trouble if it could not conduct free and fair elections.

    Buhari said: “What we did on Thursday to get into that bolekaja (lorry), which I believe would not cost much even if it was smashed by the police or the military, was to ensure justice. We wanted to ensure that those who made mistakes are properly punished, those who have not made mistakes are freed and they resume their lives.

    “It was a very shrewd decision to get such an old vehicle and pack us inside it. I was advised by some of my colleagues not to be there. Maybe they thought the police would shoot us and I believe the police were much wiser, that shooting would not have stopped us. We congratulate them for showing some restraints.

    “But those who advised me not to go, I knew they were sincere. I did not tell them that I would not take their advice. But I did not take their advice because if they reflected this was the third time I was out like that.”

    He recalled the first occasion when the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was tear-gassed.

    “I think it must be a toxic one and he had respiratory problem and he never recovered. The late Okadigbo never recovered. I consulted the party (the defunct ANPP) and we wanted to go to court but the family said no and they left it to God. We left it to God.

    “The second time if you could recall, myself, the late Chukwuemeka Odumegu-Ojukwu, Tunde Braithwaite and a few of them were tear-gassed here in Abuja. So this is the third time I was out.

    “So, those who advised me showed a lot of fear but I said well this is a well known ground for me, I will go again. So I went and I got off lightly. ”

    Turning to the guest of honour, Buhari said: “You have taken a profession where what we believe in social justice, your profession is a leader – the law – to make sure that those who made mistakes are properly punished, those who have not made mistakes are freed and they resume their lives.

    “From now, whatever you do or say, once they mention Bola Tinubu you are exposed. So you have to be watching your back all the time that you must not only keep the honour of the profession but the honour of your family and the background.”

    A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, who also took part in the rally, said the action was taken to make Nigeria better.

    Governor Raji Fasola of Lagos State said the responsibility of being a lawyer requires a lot of discipline.

    He said: “From today you have become our noble and learned friend no matter how old we are but it comes with a lot of responsibilities. The responsibility to continue to remain noble and the responsibility to also continue to remain learned. It is going to continue to require a lot of discipline and it is not discipline that would be imposed by mummy and daddy. That is easy discipline. It is going to come now from discipline that is most difficult to impose – self discipline.

    “Those were the words with which I was called to the Bar 25 years ago and those are words that I have found useful. I will lend them to you again tonight hoping that you will pass them on in about 25 years.”

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said: ” “You are from a noble family but you have just joined a noble profession. You are from a noble family what you have done is to continue to carry the torch – the torchbearer of a family that is noble. Sustain the good name of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who I am sure you know is a leader in this country worthy of his name.”

    Oluwaseyi, who was overwhelmed with tears while thanking all the guests, was later joined by his mother, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

    The occasion was attended by the crème-de-la-crème of the society including the National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande; the National Secretary of APC, Alhaji Tijani Tumsah; a former Minister of FCT, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Taiwo Adeoluwa; Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Alhaji Mutiu Are, a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State.

    Others are Mr. Wale Edun; Senator Gbenga Obadara; Senator Domingo Obende; a former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye; the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Mr. Jimi Lawal; Olusegun Gboyega, Prince Olusegun Bada, and Dare Art Alade, among others.

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  • I have no anointed candidate – Buhari

    A former military Head of State, retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has said that he has no anointed candidate for any political position in the country.

    Buhari, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), said this on Saturday in Kano at a sensitisation workshop, organised by the Kano APC Forum for Peace and Equity.

    The former head of state said that he had no candidate and urged anybody who wanted to aspire to any post to feel free to do so.

    ‘’Buhari has not anointed anybody as a candidate, so whoever people want is his candidate.

    ‘’Whoever emerges for the party as the people’s candidate at the local, state or presidential level is Buhari’s candidate. So Buhari’s candidate is the people’s candidate,’’ he said.

    According to him, the APC as a party is not concerned about Buhari as a person or anybody but about the future of Nigeria and Nigerians.

    He urged members of the parties which merged to close ranks so as to ensure the success of the APC in future elections.

    Buhari was represented by a former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Faruk Aliyu.

    Earlier, the former governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who was also represented, stressed the importance of unity among the APC’s members.

    ‘’ APC has a history of unity because it came into being following the decision of three parties to merge.’’

    Also speaking, the chairman of the forum, Alhaji Umar El-Yakub, urged the party’s leaders to avoid politics of hate, deceit and selfish interest in order to achieve its objectives.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that five of the seven governors in the splinter group of the People’s Democratic Party formally announced their merger with the APC on Tuesday. (NAN)

  • Jubilation in Adamawa

    Jubilation in Adamawa

     

    There was jubilation in Adamawa State as news filtered in that Governor Murtala Nyako and four other PDP governors had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Many people took to the streets in Yola, the state capital and in the 21 local government headquarters.

    Those jubilating were chanting the names of former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, seen as the arrowheads of the APC.

    They were saying a new dawn had been heralded and chanting slogans like ‘’death to PDP.’’

    One Governor Nyako supporter said: “With this development, the PDP has been buried, we are tired of impunity.’’

    Also corroborating, Hajiya Larai, a woman leader in Yola said

    “ it’s well glaring that the new re-alignment has pushed the PDP to the unfamiliar territory of being a weaker and weakened political force in the country,’’ she observed.

    The APC National Vice Chairman, northeastern zone, Alhaji Umar Duhu, said the two parties agreed “to work together in order to rescue the fledgling democracy of the nation.”

    He added: “Today I’m one of the happiest chieftains of the APC in Nigeria and in Adamawa state in particular”

    However the Bamanga Tukur faction in the state wants Nigerians to tarry awhile to see what the new APC merger would bring to the table.

    The factional secretary Mr.A.T Shehu described the defectors as “drowning men in a sinking ship.’’

     

  • Jonathan, Gowon: Danjuma is ‘Field Marshal’ of Africa

    Jonathan, Gowon: Danjuma is ‘Field Marshal’ of Africa

    FORMER Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister, Retired General Theophilus Danjuma, is now the ‘Field Marshal’ of Africa, President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of States, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd.) said yesterday.

    Jonathan and Gowon spoke in Donga, Taraba State, where Danjuma was conferred with the traditional title of ‘Gam Gbaro’ Donga.

    A Gam Gbaro in Chamba language means a War Field Marshal.

    Jonathan and Gowon said Danjuma is not only a Field Marshal of Donga but also of Africa.

    “The civil war is now over, but TY Danjuma is a Field Marshal to deal with the war against poverty, social ills and health problems,” Gowon said.

    Gowon jocularly said that with the Field Marshal title, Danjuma has become his senior in rank.

    President Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of State for the Niger Delta Affairs, Darius Dickson Ishaku, said Danjuma’s “valuable advice”, which has most times helped in steering the affairs of the country, makes him the Gam Gbaro of Africa.

    He said: “General TY Danjuma is a forthright and frank person, sometimes uncomfortably frank.

    “I admire him because his philanthropy is quite amazing. He has retired but he is not tired.

    “He has made more achievements during his retirement era than when he was in the army. He is Gam Gbaro of Africa.”

    Danjuma, in his early military career, served in Congo as Company Commander with the United Nations Forces in 1961 and 1962.

    He also served as Company Commander with the Nigerian Army contingent to Tanzania I964. Upon return from Staff College, he was posted to Nsukka front of the Nigerian civil war where he commanded the brigade that overran the Biafra capital, Enugu in October 1967.

    Danjuma was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3RD Infantry Division in 1971 and Chief of Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs in 1975 to 1979.

    Gowon said Danjuma was one of his young brave soldiers whose courage helped the government of Nigeria during the civil war.

    According to him: “Danjuma’s spectacular victory in Nsukka-Enugu front with his Textbook Operation and leap flogging from one village to another in Enugu in October 1967 gave the government the courage and filips.”

    The Gara Donga, His Royal Highness Dr. Danjuma Banyonga, who decorated Danjuma in Chamba cultural regalia and conferred on him the chieftaincy title, described him as a “well disciplined and gallant soldier”.

    “Despite all his achievements and several positions of authority, he never oppressed his subordinates,” the monarch said.

    Gara Donga said they honoured Danjuma because of his achievements in the Army during his retirement as Minister of Defence and his philanthropy to the poor.

    “Despite his successful businesses, he remains humble and selflessly committed to health as socioeconomic development of the nation, assisting the less-privileged irrespective of tribe and religion.

    “He is a frank and uncompromising person in all his dealings,” Banyonga said.

    Other dignitaries at the occasion included former head of states, General Muhammadu Buhari; former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana; Senator Emmanuel Bwacha(Taraba South) Real Admiral Akin Aduwo; former Taraba State Governor, Rev. Jolly Nyame; former Minister of Commerce, Idris Waziri and former Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Obadiah Ando.

    Danjuma, in his response, said the occasion was unique because the traditional title conferred on him was an international title as the Chamba people are unique and found in Togo, Ghana and Cameroon.

    “I was able to achieve as a commander in the army because I had an excellent Commander- In- Chief in person of Gen. Yakubu Gowon who kept the Armed Forces and Nigeria together,” he stated.

  • No regrets making Fashola Lagos governor, says Tinubu

    A former Governor of Lagos State, Chief Bola Tinubu, said on Thursday that he had no regrets pushing for Mr Babatunde Fashola as his successor in 2007.

    “When I was pushing for him to become governor in 2007, they said that he could not do anything.

    “Today, I am vindicated. Thank you for not disappointing me and Lagosians and for not putting me to shame,’’ he told thousands of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) supporters in Lagos at the party’s convention.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 4, 691 delegates from the 36 states and Abuja converged on Onikan Stadium on Lagos Island for the event.

    Tinubu said:` `You (Fashola) have actualised our vision and dreams. We are proud of your performance.’’

    He also commended some political leaders, including retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 elections, for their efforts in deepening the country’s democracy.

    Tinubu also named former governors of Kano State and Ogun, Ibrahim Sekarau and Chief Olusegun Osoba, respectively,  as among those helping to deepen the nation’s democracy.

    On the merger of four parties into All Progressive Congress (APC), Tinubu said the initiative was to bring about the necessary change in the polity.

    “We demand a change in the governance of the country. Nigeria must be a prosperous, safe and secure nation.

    “The challenges facing us as a nation – insecurity, kidnapping, mass poverty, unemployment and poor wages – must be addressed.

    The ACN national leader said Thursday’s convention would be the last to be held by the party.

    “This is not a sad ending for us in ACN, but the beginning of a new beginning into the merger.’’

    Tinubu called on leaders to shun their parochial interests and partisanship for national interests.

    Earlier, the Chairman, Convention Committee, Sen. Lawal Suaibu, said history was being made in Nigeria’s democratic experience with the merger of the parties.

    NAN reports that Buhari, Shekarau, Malam Nuhu Ribadu,  who was ACN’s presidential candidate in 2011 poll;  Chief Audu Ogbe, Chief Tom Ikimi and former Imo governor, Achike Udenwa, were among dignitaries at the convention, which ratified the party’s new name – APC.

    Others include Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, governors of Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Edo, National Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change, Prince Tony Momoh, senators and House of Representatives members.

    NAN reports that the ACN, CPC, All Nigeria Peoples’ Party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance, have agreed to come together under APC.

  • Buhari’s presence at Centenary flag off impressed me – Jonathan

    Buhari’s presence at Centenary flag off impressed me – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday said that the attendance of former Head-of-State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) along with other dignitaries at the flag off of the Nigeria’s centenary celebration last Monday really impressed him.

    He recalled that the idea of celebrating the nation’s centenary in a big way had attracted a lot of negative statements with many wondering while celebrating among crisis.

    Sighting Buhari in the gathering, he said, informed his decision of  asking the former leader to join him in lightening the centenary torch.

    “When the celebration was packaged and that day when I got there, I was impressed myself especially when I saw the former heads-of-state including General Buhari.

    “He came that day and that was why I said the two of us should light the unity torch and I think it was something nice,” Jonathan stated.

    According to him, the way the flag off was packaged showed that Nigerians needed to celebrate.

    “Initially, when we came up with the idea of celebrating our centenary, there were so many negative statements in the media. There were many Nigerians questioning why we have to be celebrating amidst crisis. They claimed that our unity has never brought development.

    “But finally, when the celebration was packaged and that day when I got there, I was impressed myself,” he stated.

    He said that the flag off and Super Eagles’ victory at the just-concluded African Cup of Nations showed that God had a purpose for Nigeria.

    “So the colourful flag off of the centenary with the victory of the Super Eagles, though I am not a soothsayer, but there are certain things that are directed by the will of God and I believe God has a purpose for this country.

    “I believe that purpose will come through and I believe collectively, we shall succeed,” he stated.

  • Centenary Celebration Flag-off

    Centenary Celebration Flag-off