The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Oshiomhole meets APC leaders in Edo

    .. Says no intention to rig elections

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Party (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, says the party will not allow thuggery and ballot box snatching during the general elections.

    Oshiomhole stated this on Thursday in Benin while briefing newsmen after he met behind closed doors with leaders of the party from the 18 local government areas of Edo.

    He also said that the party had no intention to rig the elections.

    “We had a special meeting; we met as APC family to reaffirm our commitment to ensure we do what is expected of us as leaders to mobilize the people of Edo to vote for APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “In Edo, we are used to one man, one vote; so, we will not allow thuggery and ballot box snatching,’’ he said

    Read Also: INEC working for PDP, says Oshiomhole

    Oshiomhole said Buhari had demonstrated that “he is a trusted and honest leader and therefore, deserved a second term to complete his development agenda’’ in the country.

    “We have promised to give Buhari a second term and based on the track records of APC governments in Edo, I believe Buhari will win,” he said.

    Also speaking, Gov. Godwin Obaseki said his administration recorded successes within a short time because of the support he got from the president.

    “Edo is an APC State and there is no doubt about it.

    “The Buhari led administration has been supportive to us and granted all our requests; he has assured that he will do more for us,’’ the governor said.

    Obaseki assured that the people of the state would vote for APC, expressing confidence that the state would deliver one million votes to Buhari.

  • Imo AA insists on voting Buhari

    The Imo state chapter of the Action Alliance (AA) has insisted on voting for President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday’s Presidential election irrespective of the position of the national leadership of the party.

    At a press briefing in Owerri, the AA State Chairman, Anthony Ahaneku, said that there was no justifiable reason for the party in Imo state not to support Buhari’s reelection.

    According to him: “The Imo state chapter of the Action Alliance was quoted wrongly in the media.We are supporting Buhari for the rescheduled Presidential polls.

    “The Imo state chapter of the Action Alliance in conjunction with other well-meaning Imo people will deliver no fewer than one million votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in Imo state on Saturday.”

    He added:  “We are not apologetic about our support for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Apart from being a man of integrity, Buhari has proved that if reelected he will fix Nigeria and make it a country of good people and not corrupt politicians.”

    He noted as part of measures to ensure President Buhari wins in the state, all the members of the party in the 27 LGAs of the state have been mobilised and directed to vote massively for him.

    Reaf

    “We have mobilized our chairmen and members in the 27 LGAs of the state to come out en mass and vote for Buhari.

    “The President will win and it will be better for the political future of the Igbo man,” he stressed.

    The AA chairman added: “Every right thinking Igbo man would be supporting the reelection bid of the President,” adding the President had shown enough commitment that he would hand over power to an Igbo man 2023.

  • Propaganda against Buhari absurd, untrue- Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described as absurd, the lies, propaganda and accusations against President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Osinbajo said on Wednesday night while responding to questions at an Interactive Session and Engagement held at Muson Centre, Lagos on Wednesday night.

    The interactive session tagged: “Unveiling The Truth”, organised by young Christian group, had some Christian leaders in attendance.

    Participants used the occasion to ask plenty of questions bothering on insecurity, economy, blaming of past administrations, social welfare for the unemployed, corruption, and timing of TraderMoni.

    Other questions bothered on Next Level slogan, farmer/herders crisis, lopsided federal appointments, Islamisation, Buhari’s commitment to addressing critical issues in the country among others.

    Responding, Osinbajo said that President Buhari was committed to addressing the problems facing the country such as security, economy and fixing critical infrastructure and fair treatment of all sections.

    He said Buhari is addressing farmer/herders crises and has no intention at all to Islamise the country.

    “President Muhammadu is possibly one of the most committed people I have ever met. He is committed to seeing that resources of this country are used for this country.

    “In general terms, we find that there is fairness in the distribution of appointments. Many of the accusations against Buhari are not true.

    “Sometimes, people listen to propaganda and if we look at the facts, things are totally different. On Islamisation, first of all, it is untrue, it is propaganda.

    “Anybody who complains that President Buhari is propagating Islamic agenda, how is that possible?

    “A lot of these are just propaganda. Never listen to these. Many of these are absurd, they are deliberate propaganda. They come from the same source. Don’t believe them. Let’s be fair,” Osinbajo said.

    The vice president, who urged Nigerians not to fear or doubt the good intention of the President, advised Nigerians to stop spreading rumours about things that never happened.

    Osinbajo noted that the major cause of farmer/herder crisis remains pasture and water which the government has made concerted efforts to address.

    On accusations of lopsided federal appointments, Osinbajo said that the Southeast with five states has five ministers more than some regions with higher number of states.

    On TraderMoni, he said that the National Assembly does not need to approve money for it as it is a programme of the Bank of Industry meant to lift many Nigerians out of poverty.

    On the timing of implementation of the National Social Investment Programme, Osinbajo said it kicked off after the budgetary allocation was passed by the National Assembly in 2016.

    According to him, the party never promised N5,000 monthly stipends for the unemployed but for the vulnerable which is ongoing.

    He said the NSIP has engaged so many youths in its N-Power programme and government has the plan to increase the number to 1.5 million young Nigerians in the Next Level out of 1.7 million people churned out of tertiary institutions every year.

    On criminality, the vice president said that the way forward is local policing and intelligence as well as immediate arrest and prosecution of criminals in the country.

    On security, he said that the country has made significant progress and moved forward from what the situation was before the 2015 general elections.

    The vice president said that the APC Next Level slogan centres on job creation, power, making credit more available to entrepreneurs, agriculture, infrastructure and others.

    The vice president urged Christian leaders to jettison thinking about any Islamic agenda and Islamisation, saying many Christians are in the cabinet of President Buhari.

    He said that the media should desist from spreading rumours, decrying fake news about Buhari being another person from Sudan.

    Addressing the accusation that the present administration often blames previous administrations, Osinbajo said that the country can not move forward without considering the past.

    According to him, corruption remains the bane of national growth and development. He said most of the woes confronting Nigerians were caused by wastefulness of past governments.

    The highlight of the interaction were high praise led by choir and power-packed prayer for the country and general elections led by Bishop Wale Oke.

    The participants prayed for God’s mercies on the country and God’s protection on the vice president especially from the recent helicopter crash.

  • FG redeploys 12 permanent secretaries

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the redeployment of 12 permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

    The redeployment was announced in a statement signed by Mrs Olawumi Ogunmosunle, Director Communication, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The Circular conveying the redeployment was signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita.

    The list of the redeployed Permanent Secretaries and their portfolio are as follows:

    Mrs Odusote Abimbola, who was formally in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, was redeployed to Ministry of Environment.

    Mr Istifanus Fuktur was redeployed from Police Service Commission to Ministry of Communication while Mr William Alo, who was formally in Special Duties Office (OSGF), was redeployed to Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    She said that Mrs Ekaro Chukumuebodo, who was formally in Federal Civil Service Commission, would move to Ministry of Water Resources.

    Read Also: Fayemi names new Education Secretaries

    Ogunmosunle listed the portfoils of the following permanent secretaries who were awaiting posting.

    “Dr Bukar Wadinga, Common Services Office, OHCSF, Mr Kyari Dikwa, Special Duties Office (FMF), Mrs Ajani Olor, Service Policies and Strategies Office, OHCSF.

    “Mr Umakhihe Afolabi, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mr Mbaeri Nnamdi, Police Service Commission, Mr Babatunde Lawal, Cabinet Affairs Office, OSGF.

    “Engr. Festus Daudu, Special Duties Office, OSGF, Mr Abel Enitan, Federal Civil Service Commission,”

    She said the handing and taking-over processes should be completed on or before Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, except the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning whose take over would be on March 29.

    NAN

     

  • Buhari will get 80 percent votes, Enang boasts

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will win Saturday’s presidential election with about 80 percent of the votes.

    He spoke with State House correspondents in Abuja as he based his verdict on the achievements of President Buhari’s administration; the vigorous campaigns of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC); and the president’s fair treatment of all parts of the country.

    He said “From the campaigns on the field, all the fillers we had, the support we had from the East, the West, the South, the North and all parts of Nigeria and the words of the president, the capacity of the campaign team and campaign machinery, the intellectual and intelligent words, words that hold and convince Nigerians that President Buhari is the best person to go for a second term as president.

    “This makes us confident and I am sure that in every state of the federation, President Buhari was able to show what he has done for that state.

    “In every state of the federation the president showed that he was not partial, that he is not in any manner tilted against one state of the country or favoring another part of the country.  He has shown that he is president for all and exclusively for none.”  he said

    The presidential aide said that President Buhari has identified with all, including the poor, the rich, the disabled and even those who could be called the low of the society.

    “With this, we are sure that we will win the election and the APC will come up with the majority of the members of the House of Representatives, great majority in the Senate and President Buhari of the APC will be declared as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    Senator Enang said that President Buhari has exhibited the character of a true democrat by not interfering in the work of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    Read Also: Buhari swears-in eight permanent secretaries

    He said that the president and the electoral body were not “working in tandem to postpone the election.”

    On whether there should be sanctions for the INEC for postponing the elections despite the long period it had to prepare and the support given to it by the President, Enang said the best that could be done was to move forward and let the elections be conducted.

    “The best we can do is to make sure that we consciously give maximum support to the INEC.

    “The best we can do is speak less of hard words against them and give them comfort so that all Nigerians, the international community and the product of the election will be taken as the best decision. So, we will not talk of sanctions now.“

    Enang also said that all international protocols concerning diplomatic relations must be respected by all.

    “There is what we call diplomatic protocol and when you are in a country, you are subject to the laws of that country.

    “There are limitations and red lines, which you must not cross.  When you cross the red lines in diplomacy, you are capable of being declared persona non-grata.

    “But Nigeria has not gotten to that stage and that is why it is issuing simple reminders as to what is the best international practice in diplomacy.”

    Dismissing allegations that the Resident Electoral Commission in Akwa Ibom State could be working in the interest of the government of the state, Enang said it did not matter and would not affect the outcome of the election.

    “Knowing that we will the election, I had occasion to say that even if it were Secondus, chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that conducts election in Akwa Ibom State as REC, APC will win the election.

    “As we are confident that we will win the election, we will speak less of the electoral body.

    “If we want to concentrate on that we will lose focus because what the opposition intends to do is to make us go after some issues while they prepare to attack with all kinds of things,” Senator Enang said.

  • Buhari’s directive against ballot snatchers patriotic, says ex- Speaker

    A former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Femi Bamisile, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to security operatives to deal ruthlessly with ballot snatchers.

    The directive, he said, is not defective but patriotic.

    The chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) said the comment has proven the Buhari-led administration had no plan to rig the February 23 rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He argued the President is committed to credible electoral process, saying Buhari remains allergic to any acts capable of undermining the country nascent democracy.

    The House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti South Federal constituency II predicted Buhari and other candidates of the party would win in Ekiti by 80 percent on Saturday.

    Bamisile, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday while interacting with journalists, said: “The President didn’t give a shooting order the way former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave a shoot at sight order against OPC when he was President.

    “President Buhari only said those who snatched ballots will have themselves to blame. So, I stand hundred percent behind him on this order.

    Read Also: Buhari warns ballot box snatchers

    “We are not in the 19th century when things were absurd. It is a barbaric act for anyone to snatch ballot boxes.

    “If anyone loses his life while attempting to snatch ballot boxes, he should have himself to blame.

    “Nigerians should see elections as a process that will come and go and the nation will remain.”

    He added: “Why is the PDP afraid? If you are not a thief and they say if you steal you go to jail, why are you bothered if you are not a thief?”

    He promised if elected, he would join the vanguard of those federal legislators that will make laws for the good governance of the nation, which on the long run will have positive impacts on the citizens.

    Bamisile said his utmost priority for the masses in his constituents would be bursary and scholarship awards to students and provision of solar- driven ICT library to aid learning and research.

    He added that provision of employment for youths and empowerment for women groups to alleviate poverty in the state would be given premium.

    Speaking on the allegation some Resident Electoral Commissioners had been bribed and ready to compromise for PDP, Bamisile said the leadership of the commission may not be the problem but those around him.

    “There are so many bad eggs in INEC but the way I see Prof Yakubu, isn’t a bad person.

    “But as a leader, he must watch those around him who could undermine credible electoral process by their conducts.

    “But to make the job easier for INEC, politicians need to be more civil, patriotic and realize that the game is temporary, it doesn’t last forever.”

  • Buhari greets Oba Tejuoso at 81

    President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his best wishes to His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, Karunwi III, on the special occasion of his 81st birthday.

    The President joined Oba Tejusoso’s family, friends and well-wishers in thanking God for preserving the life of the monarch, who has been on the throne of his ancestors for three decades.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President saluted the tremendous efforts and contributions of the Osile Oke-Ona Egba to the advancement of his community and the nation, particularly his passion to help the downtrodden and the underprivileged in the society.

    Read Also: Buhari, Atiku: who will Nigerians choose?

    As a successful businessman and traditional ruler, President Buhari believed the Oba’s lifetime of positive achievements are an inspiration to many Nigerians on the values of hard work, perseverance, service to community and humanity.

    He wished the octogenarian good health and happiness and prayed God Almighty to grant him more years to celebrate a stable and prosperous Nigeria.

  • Buhari deserves praise for warning ballot box snatchers, says SAN

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Jibrin Okutepa has said President Muhammadu Buhari deserves praise rather than condemnation for warning ballot box snatchers.

    The President’s statement that ballot box snatchers risk death has divided opinions but Okutepa said Buhari’s could not be faulted.

    To him, only those who plan to use thugs to snatch ballot boxes will condemn the President.

    “If you think that those who snatch ballot boxes to rig election shouldn’t pay, then tell them not to rig this election.

    “Why should you encourage people to rig election? Send your children to snatch ballot boxes and not somebody’s children. If you don’t want to die, don’t rig election.

    Read Also: I’ll vote if I’m alive – Obasanjo

    “The warning of the President should attract commendations rather than condemnations.

    “If I have my way, those issuing statements condemning the warnings should be asked to tell us whether they have concluded plans to use thugs to snatch ballot boxes.

    “Those who encourage ballot box snatchers are anti-democratic forces. There must be consequences for ballot boxes snatching, period,” Oketepa said.

    In response to Okutepa’s statement posted on his Facebook wall, a commentator, Monyei Friday, said: “You have missed the point. No sane lawyer with all his knowledge of the law will support extra judicial killing for ballot box snatching.

    “Can you seriously say that there are no existing laws for such electoral infractions, and for crying out loud, have we elevated ballot box snatching to a capital offence?”

    Replying, Okutepa said: “Please, we sometimes take things out of context. Do you know that warning is timely?

    “Do you think those snatching ballot boxes will be doing so with kid gloves?

    “They are trained thugs who can kill to do so. Don’t give me this utopian law in very lawless society like ours.”

  • ‘Despite setback, Buhari will win Bayelsa’

    A member of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Council,  Mr. Preye Aganaba, has said that despite a setback caused by the postponement of elections, President Muhammadu Buhari will win Bayelsa State in the rescheduled elections.

    Anganaba, who is a founding member of the APC, said people in Bayelsa had seen a remarkable difference between the 16 years of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the three years of Buhari in the state.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, he said the only appreciation voters in the state would give to Buhari was to come out en masse on Saturday and vote for him.

    “President Buhari has shown so much love to Bayelsa state. The APC administration of President Buhari has done more for Bayelsans in three and a half years compared with 16 years of the PDP”, he said.

    He noted that the present APC-led Federal Government was executing numerous road, housing and water projects; building ICT centre sand initiating youth development programmes amongst others.

    Aganaba described the appointment of Prof. Nelson Brambaifa as the acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as one of the best things to happen to Bayelsa saying the state was already filling the impact of the position.

    Read Also: Buhari, govs, service chiefs meet in Aso Rock

    He said the rescheduled election was an opportunity for Bayelsans to say thank you by voting overwhelmingly for President Buhari and the APC.

    He insisted that it was time the state aligned with the government at the centre predicting that the APC would coast to victory on Saturday.

    Aganaba, who is a critical member of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO)  in Bayelsa lashed out at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the postponement of the polls, describing the commission’s conduct as “unfortunate, unprofessional and tactless.”

    He urged the APC supporters in the state and across the nation not to be discouraged by the shift in the polls by one week but to come out en masse to vote Buhari and other candidates of the party.

    He boasted that if election should hold any day, the APC would trounce the other parties.

    He said: “The numbers favour us. If the elections hold today, the APC will have a resounding victory at the presidential, governorship and National Assembly polls.

    “But in order for this to happen, all members of the party must be committed and resolute in delivering their polling units come Febuary 23 and March 9 respectively.

    “The mission here is to ensure we deliver our  polling units for the APC.”

    He said Buhari supporters in the state  intensified strategies to deliver massive votes for the President  in the state and all APC candidates in the elections.

    The APC leader said he and other supporters were engaging in a series of meetings with the various wards and the agents of different polling  units, strategising  on how to deliver massive votes for the President.

     

     

  • INEC officials colluding with Gov Emmanuel, Akpabio alleges

    Former Akwa Ibom Governor Senator Godswill Akpabio has alleged some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were colluding with Governor Udom Emmanuel to compromise the forthcoming elections.

    He accused some of the INEC officials of being not completely independent, alleging they have been compromised by Governor Emmanuel.

    Akpabio told newsmen in Abuja the governor has deployed huge sums to entice voters and electoral officials.

    The former governor alleged Emmanuel has no single project to show and has consistently told the people that there is no money in the state, even after collecting refunds spent to construct federal roads by his government.

    He, however, expressed confidence President Muhammadu Buhari will emerge victorious in Saturday’s rescheduled presidential elections.

    The former Senate Minority Leader said: “You know that INEC is an Independent body but some of its officials are not totally Independent.

    “In some states, we have noticed some unholy alliances with the government in power in those states.

    “For example, in a place like Akwa Ibom, we have seen the body language of the government, which clearly shows that they will not be able to conduct free and fair elections, giving all the parties, particularly the APC, a level playing field.

    “This is very easy for you to see and from the body language of people they have recruited to run the affairs, including the ad hoc staff and other support staff for the election.

    “This can be seen from the body language and the kind of things that the trainees are being told. What the National Chairman observes about opposition against APC does exist.”

    He went on: “There are two things happening in my state. One is a lot of fake news coming from the opposition and secondly, is massive deployment of funds to buy people.

    “James Hardley Chase said in one of his books that fear is the key that opens the wallet of the rich.

    “He told the people that there was no money to do project and so, there is nothing on the ground in the state.

    “They have not been able to commission a single project. All the big me that come to my state, they take the churches to pray.

    “When former President Obasanjo came, they took him to church to pray but when they go to other states, they commission projects but nothing to commission in my state.

    “So, now that people are clamouring for change, money is now flowing all over the state. Fear opens the wallet of the rich that is what is happening to the opposition in my state.

    “You can only rig election in a place where you are popular. Today, the APC is all over Akwa Ibom state.

    “80-90 percent of the people are APC. So, when you go to rig election and you don’t succeed, you bring anarchy.”

    On the chances of Buhari, he said: “Nigerians know the difference between apples and oranges. The reality is that this President has done very well considering the fact he took us out of recession.

    “He met many projects on ground and is completing them such as the railway lines. He has invested in massive infrastructure never seen before.

    “I have been a governor and I know that federal budget usually contain 70 and sometimes 80 percent of recurrent expenditure and sometimes, what is left is less than 20 percent for capital projects.

    “But this President has been able to block the loopholes in the system and free more money for developmental purposes.

    “The TSA is a major innovation and as you know, some ministries were operating more than 50 accounts.

    “Today, we have been able to mobilise those funds into one account and over 30 percent of the budget now goes for capital projects. Nigerians are clamouring for infrastructural change and better educational facilities.”