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Tag: Olusegun Obasanjo

  • Breaking: Obasanjo to Buhari: go home peacefully

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday urged Nigerians to appreciate President Muhammad Buhari for the little he has done in the last three years and eight months and allow him to go home peacefully.

    Obasanjo added that Nigerians should also summon the courage to tell themselves the country deserves better at this critical time than what Buhari is capable of offering.

    The elder statesman who made this known while addressing the press at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, also declared that the nation “needs a man with better physical and mental soundness, with an active mind and intellect” to pilot its affairs.

    I a text titled “Points For Concern & Action,” the former Head of States warned that “another Abacha era is here” in Nigeria, citing the misuse of security institutions to fight all critics and opponents of the President, ostensibly to derail the fledging democracy as reason for his submission.

    He noted that he too is being threatened, stressing that Buhari has succeeded in deceiving Nigerians.
    According to him, “Nigerians that are being intimidated, persecuted or threatened by Buhari administration must trust in God and stand firm.”

  • ‘Atiku’s only plan is to hand over Nigeria’s assets to friends, cronies’

    The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) on Saturday alleged that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar does not have any concrete plan to better the lot of Nigerians, but to sell the nation’s remaining assets to friends and cronies.

    The Organisation recalled how as Vice President to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar presided over the sale of several national assets in questionable transactions that did not benefit Nigerians in any way.

    In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the group said Nigerians must be wary of presidential candidates who say they have no problem selling national assets to their friends and cronies just like he did as Vice President and chairman of National Council on Privatisation (NCP) between 1999 and 2007.

    The group said the promise by the PDP candidate to sell the NNPC was yet another proof that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential candidate have no plan for the good of the country.

    “We certainly were not shocked to hear the PDP Presidential candidate deliver what clearly sums up the Atiku Plan-unbridled sale of national assets.

    “It was clear from the stunned look on the faces of the cream of Nigeria’s business community present at the occasion that an Atiku Presidency would only be for the benefit of friends as well as cronies of the PDP Presidential candidate.

    “We had in the course of an earlier statement dropped hints about promissory transactions that the former Vice President had sealed on national assets including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    “And now that he has with his own mouth confirmed his plan, it is clear that Atiku Abubakar and national assets are two entities that should not be allowed to come together”.

    Read Also: INEC clears Buhari, Atiku, Ezekwesili, Okotie, others

    The group said it is also public knowledge that many people lost their jobs in the questionable deals, saying “some of the highly prized assets that were sold at ridiculous prices include Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) whose sale had been the subject of a litigation between two foreign firms since the 2004 bid process won by the US-based BFI group.

    “Nigeria is on record to have lost billions of naira to that intractable transaction that is now before the Supreme Court because of the obvious lack of transparency.

    “Daily Times was also sold in questionable circumstances and its assets stripped just like that of Nigeria Airways without any real benefit to the Nigerian state, apart from unpaid benefits to the former staff.”

    “There is also INTELS which Nigerians now know is partly owned by Atiku Abubakar which was granted concession to run the Onne Port and manage the Pilotage at Apapa Ports on the former Vice President’s watch”.

     

  • Expert backs Atiku on privatization of NNPC

    Mr Momoh Aliyu, a financial expert and Managing Director of Cyber1 Systems Network International, has backed decision by PDP’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to privatise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    Aliyu made his position known while reacting to statement credited to Atiku on his proposed plan to privatise the NNPC if elected president.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP’s flag bearer on Wednesday said that he would privatise the NNPC if elected, describing the state-owned oil firm as a “mafia organisation’’.

    Atiku, who spoke at an interactive session with the business community in Lagos, said that he would take the step even if doing so would cost him his life.

    He explained that he sold the idea to former President Olusegun Obasanjo whom he worked with as a deputy between 1999 and 2007.

    According to him, the former president did not approve of it but he is convinced that NNPC will run better if not managed by the government.

    The expert said that the privatisation of NNPC was long overdue but, however, doubted the integrity of Atiku in spearheading such process.

    According to him, a country with population projected to double by 2050, and presently has many Nigerians that are unemployed should only focus on productivity.

    Nigeria’s population is presently estimated at 180 million.

    Aliyu said the only panacea to productivity and job creation was to privatise and diversify the nation’s economy.

    Read Also: NNPC to crash cooking gas price

    He said that the government would find it difficult to diversify conveniently because of its policies on public service which were critical to key sectors of the economy.

    Aliyu suggested that NNPC should be a regulatory body and not a commercial body.

    “Now, this is a problem of personal integrity.

    “Atiku who spare headed the sales of some national assets during Obasanjo’s regime as vice president, how successful was the exercise under his watch.’’

    The managing director noted that direct appointment of the head of Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) by the presidency was hindering independent decision and transparency in the system.

    This he said would give room for any president in power to directly influence contract and sales bidding for their favourites.

    NAN

  • Yoruba youths apologies to Nigerians over Obasanjo’s recent outbursts,

    As reactions continue to trail the recent statement by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the state of the nation, the Council of Progressive Yoruba Youths has apologized to Nigerians.
    The youth group said the latest missive in circulation entitled “Points For Concern And Action by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo” was off-point and should be discarded in its entirety.
    Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Tuesday, the National President of the group, Kola Salawu, said Nigerians needed to forgive Obasanjo for the eight years he wasted as a civilian president and for the wrong path he set the nation on.
    Salawu said the Yoruba race was deeply ashamed that a so called elder from its ethnic stock decided to remain in a muddy gutter by penning such nauseating content.
    He lamented that Obasanjo sowed the seed for extremism that birthed terrorism. He backed this up by ensuring that the military was emasculated and unable to respond to the threat he has created.
    The youth leader said, “In Yoruba land, we take pride in answering our names. Only a bastard will deny his name. In practical terms this translates into us standing by our decisions and actions, irrespective of what outcomes they produced. Where the outcomes are good our head swell with the accompanying accolades; where the results of our actions are undesirable, we accept responsibility with honour and explore how to make amends so that we remain an integral part of the society. Of course, in the ancient past, where the failing is too grievous and involves a king that remained recalcitrant the relevant powers will have to present hi, with an empty calabash.
    “This is a level of honour Obasanjo has never possessed and is incapable of learning. Had he such honour he would have accepted that the current insecurity he ranted is the outcome of his misrule that is only now yielding fruits. The poverty that makes it possible for terrorists, militants and separatists to gain new recruits was first instituted under his watch as president. The extremism that the nation today grapple with first surfaced under him with some states declaring Sharia rule, which was the incentive that made terrorists started demanding nationwide strict implementation Sharia.
    “In the entire eight years he held office, Obasanjo was in mortal fear of being overthrown because of the unpopularity of his government. His solution to this was to destroy the military in the belief that there would be no way to plot a coup against him if there is no virile military. In addition to embarking on massive sacks and purge that deprived the military establishment of crucial institutional memory, he also ensured that the military inventory was depleted without replenishment or procurement to make sure that the military was incapacitated.

    Read Also:APC youths to Buhari: continue your good works

    “The destruction of the military armory at Ikeja Cantonment about this time of the year in 2002 has now been confirmed to be part of Obasanjo’s desperation to de-tooth the military. A military plane crash that killed a dozen generals under Obasanjo’s watch in 2006 is equally put down to part of his obsession to gelatinize the military. He seemed to have succeeded with it.
    “The taint on the military from Obasanjo’s directives for troops to disregard rules of engagement in Odi and Zak-Ibiam remains an obstacle to the military. Even when their recent and ongoing operations meet the global standards for the rules of engagement, the stain from the Obasanjo years remains a perspective from which the military is perceived. This affects the ability of the military to procure arms when they need it and the same tyrant under whose watch this happened is today playing the saint.
    “In essence, Obasanjo sowed the seed for extremism that birthed terrorism. He backed this up by ensuring that the military was emasculated and unable to respond to the threat he has created. What has saved Nigeria from Obasanjo’s evil intent was the timely turnaround being witnessed under President Buhari, who has high regards for institutional memory in the military.
    “The whole of Nigeria became his enemy and he has never lost on any perceived opportunity to exact vengeance on all citizens. May we refresh our memory that Obasanjo reportedly trained 1000 killer snipers abroad with the intention of using them to assassinate those who stand in the way of his ambition. These snipers formed part of the pioneer team of killers that have remained loose in the country till date.
    “The outcome of that election produced Mallam Umaru Yar’Adua as president and it was a matter of months before Obasanjo started wishing him dead because he turned out not to be the stooge that Obasanjo expected. Yar’Adua’s demise paved way for Goodluck Jonathan, whom Obasanjo did much to mislead and abandoned after he incurred the anger of Nigerians pleasing the former President. If Obasanjo thought he would have a pliant President Buhari following his opposition of Jonathan he was in for a rude shock.
    “If Obasanjo supported Yar’Adua and later disowned him over ill health, supported Jonathan and later disowned him for consulting others and supported Buhari and now disowning him for not bending to his wishes, then maybe it is not these president that something is wrong with. The problem is Obasanjo. He feigns support for successive presidents in the hope of being able to use them as puppets and continue as a life president while they act as the symbolic leaders. Such deviousness is not the Yoruba way because it is without honour.
    “We do not want to go into the past of an Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), whom Obasanjo convinced Nigerians to be a very corrupt person. The same person God will not forgive him for forgiving. He has turned around to tell Nigerians that this is the same person to vote in the hope of acquiring a new puppet. A Yoruba elder will not be caught doing such, it amounts to being incitement, which is unbecoming of anyone that has become a grandfather.
    “We apologize for the eight wasted years of Obasanjo as a civilian president and for the wrong path he set the country on, which we are now all trying to correct. We apologize for his callous thinking that had projected that Buhari would die in office. We apologize for the unbecoming tantrum he has been throwing for not having his way as a puppet master of successive presidents. We apologize to you all Nigerians because what Obasanjo is does not reflect who the Yoruba are.”

  • Protest rocks Lagos over Obasanjo’s alleged plan to install interim govt

    A pro-democracy group on Thursday staged a massive rally in Lagos State against the alleged plot by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to install an interim government.
    The protest was led by the Coalition for Defence of Democracy in Nigeria (CDDN).
    According to the group there is a credible intelligence that Obasanjo political allies where hell bent on making the country ungovernable.
    CDDN, therefore, called on the Federal Government drop its tolerant attitude and put the pressure on Obasanjo to immediately call off all the attacks that are planned against the interests of Nigeria
    Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Rachel Okpara, Executive Director of CDDN, appealed to the international community to call Obasanjo, Atiku and other incendiary members of the opposition to order before they sink the nation.
    Her words, “We are telling the world that there is a credible intelligence that a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the one that hatched the plan to destroy the country in conjunction with his political allies. It was for this reason that Obasanjo released his so called “POINTS FOR CONCERN AND ACTION,” a document that has now been confirmed as intended to incite Nigerians as a precursor to the orgy of violence that his co-planners will unleash on the country.

    Read Also:Tinubu: Obasanjo seeks return to power

    “We are also asserting that more than the emergence of an interim government that the federal government refers to, Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar who is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and other opposition elements have their sight on an outright coup to overthrow Nigeria’s democracy. It is for this reason that Obasanjo returned to his vomit after vowing that God will never forgive him if he ever supported Atiku.
    “CDDN is not going to adopt the tolerant indifference that the Federal Government is showing to a threat of this magnitude, which with all certainty will throw the nation into chaos. The Federal Government might be worried about being described as clamping down on dissent and the opposition but we have no such political tightrope balancing to do. We see things from the perspective of the immediate and long term impact on citizens. The safety of Nigerians is superior to whatever offices could be won or lost by officials of the federal government.
    “He has the links to Boko Haram, Terwase Akwaza (Gana), the miscreants in Kano and the Nigerien mercenaries; he should be persuaded to reel them in so that Nigeria is not plunged into crisis. The federal government omitted to mention them but we are aware that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), a designated terror organization and militants in the Niger-Delta have been contacted by a particular running mate to a presidential candidate to carry out the destabilization in the south-east and south-south.
    “CNND hereby puts the groups that have been contracted to carry out these attacks on notice. The will of Nigerians towers above their capacity for evil and the supremacy of the Nigerian state and its capacity to respond to the threat they pose is not in doubt. They have the obvious option of backing down and calling their assigned mission off now before it is too late because Nigerians will support the government to unleash the full strength of the state against these threats even if it means embarking on emergency conscription to defeat evil.
    “We appeal to the international community to call Obasanjo, Atiku and other incendiary members of the opposition to order. They should be held responsible since they are the ones that have propping up the groups and individuals named in the planned attacks. The international must make it clear to these elements that any contraption that emerges from truncation of Nigeria’s democracy will not be accepted. They should prevail on Obasanjo and his ilk to desist from the plot to throw Nigeria into chaos.”

  • 2019: Adewale hails Obasanjo, canvasses for Protection of south west votes

    A chieftain and former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Otunba Segun Adewale, popularly called Aeroland, has hailed the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his exemplary leadership concerning the State of the Nation.
    Adewale said that Chief Obasanjo’s letter “Point of Concern and Action” came at the right time,  because he has been echoing in the same direction, the need for all stakeholders to be vigilant, and ensure that our nascent democracy is not truncated by those who are hell bent on staying in power at all cost.
    He stressed further that, the biggest threat are those who do not care about our constitution anymore but only care about “Regime Protection”, advising that Nigerians must remain resolute by voting for a candidate that can get the country working again.
    Adewale however reiterated on his earlier call, that South West votes will determine who will emerge as the next President of the country, according to him,  he said both Atiku and Buhari will slug it out in the North, while South South and South East are the area of strength for PDP, but the total number of votes in that area will be complimented by what South West can add.
    He said, PDP must work very hard to secure the bloc votes that the South West will produce. Adewale noted some factors that may militate against this victory, that if wrong people are engaged to coordinate the region, there will be big trouble for the party.
    Adewale made this known to Newsmen at the Muritala Muhammed Airport on his way out of Lagos for a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday Morning.
    According to him, he believes that the chances of the former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is very bright but must ensure that he work with people who truly wants him to emerge at the polls.
    He said for instance in Lagos, a lot of the people running and forming a circle around Alhaji Atiku from the State, have not lifted a finger to add anything to Atiku’s electoral fortune or campaign, adding that many of them lacks the political sagacity to use their influence to affect his electoral fortune.
    It is not a news that Nigerians have rejected APC, their only hope is to rig the election shamelessly, and our party must be ready to prevent it by looking for trusted and capable hands with committed party members who are ready to man or protect all the polling Units and collation centres in the region.

    Read Also:Olusegun Obasanjo: Ideas, politics and the love for country II

    PDP have always won convincingly in South West but our polling agents are too porous, the elections are rigged right from polling units to collation centers with  intimidation and forceful declaration of fake result, outright refusal or allowing PDP voters to even vote in some of the polling units.
    He stressed further that the 2019 election is a very peculiar election year in Nigeria’s history, noting that, the campaign emphasis must be on securing votes rather than extensive campaigns or spending too much money and time on the nationwide tour, getting people who can secure our votes in various state should be out paramount task, Adewale Said.
    Adewale said if Atiku truly wants to win convincingly in South West, he must assemble young and smart “Hard Working Team” with proven electoral track record and not the regular old and tired brigades who won’t event step outside their doors on the election day. It is one thing to be a leader and another thing is to be a responsible leader, how do you categorize some of them that on the election day, when our PDP members have issues, the so called leaders won’t do anything while some of them will deliberately switch off their mobile phones.
    He said that the party must take a cue from the recently concluded Ekiti and Osun election, he posited that all hands must be on deck if indeed the party want a resounding victory in 2019. Adewale said that Nigerians will vote for PDP massively, we must play our own role to secured Atiku Victory by looking for a minimum of 100 strong, vibrant and honest people from each ward throughout the South West to man our polling units
    The PDP Chieftain said that, it is obvious that some of the so called leaders from the region are running from pillar to post just to be named State Coordinators but cannot stake their personal finance to kick off campaign but waiting for the “Atiku’s Money”, the same set of people have their strong links and family members benefiting immensely from Buhari’s government, how do we expect such people to work with all their strength to ensure that Atiku emerge from the region?  Adewale asked.
    According to him, both Atiku and Buhari will share Northern votes, South East and South South are for PDP but South West is the battle ground and as such, credible people must be chosen to man all the States in the region. Adewale said that Lagos, out of the about 85m registered voters declared by the INEC, has over 5 million voters spread across the 20 local government and 37 LCDAs created by the State government, it is a peculiar State that needs men who can navigate it despite the structure of the ruling APC.
    I am speaking from experience because I know how APC rig elections recklessly. In 2007 when I first contested, the ruling party got a wind of my popularity, they connived with INEC and removed my party’s logo from Ballot paper. In 2011, I won convincingly same INEC declared a fake result in favor of Olamilekan Yayi.
    They used the same pattern in 2015 when i won in 7 out of 10 Local governments, APC in connivance with INEC delayed results from 3 local governments,  when they knew the summed up of the figures from the 7 LGS where I won, they suddenly released outrageously rigged results from the delayed 3 LGs.
    Evidence of the real results were presented in court, but the presiding judge at that time claimed that the file was stolen from his office and no effort was made to investigate the theft of the sensitive tribunal documents.
    Adewale, said to guide against APC’s planned manipulation of results, serious plans must be put in place by the PDP,  he said it will be difficult to achieve good outing if the party continues to enthrust it’s political plans in the hands of those who are PDP in the morning and APC members at night.

  • FG arraigns Okupe over alleged N702m fraud

    Former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe was on Monday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja 59-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Okupe, who was spokesman to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, is charged with “money laundering and criminal diversion of funds” to the tune of N702million.

    He was arraigned, with two companies, Value Trust Investment Limited and Abrahams Telecoms Limited before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.

    One of the counts reads: “That you, Dr. Doyin Okupe, being the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan from July 2012 to May 2015, and being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, and a signatory to the bank account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd, on or about the 3rd October, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly took possession or control of the sum of N35 million, transferred to the account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria purporting to be for special services when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity.”

    Read Also: Kano court strikes out suit against PDP guber candidate

    Okupe pleaded not guilty when the charge was read by an official of the court, following which the prosecution lawyer, Ibrahim Audu, asked for a date for the commencement of trial.
    Defence lawyer, Tolu Babaleiye argued the bail application he filed, dated December 17, 2018.

    Babaleiye urged the court to admit the defendant to bail on self recognizance and that he will not jump bail as he is well known.

    Responding, Audu argued that the defendant was given administrative bail after he volunteered his statement thereafter, he was nowhere to be found until December 2018 in Lagos.

    He added that there was nothing substantial in the defendant’s affidavit. He added that there is nothing to show that the medical certificate is authentic and nothing to show it meets the requirements of the evidence act as it was electronically generated.

    Audu said: “The court should exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously based on materials supplied before the court.”

    He urged the court to take into consideration, “the gravity of the punishment in the event of conviction on the charges brought against the defendant”.

    After listening to both lawyers, Justice Ojukwu granted bail to Okupe at N100 million with one surety in the same amount.

    Justice Ojukwu said: “The surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, and must depose to an affidavit of means, must have landed properties which must also be within the jurisdiction of the court.

    The surety must submit to the court tax clearance papers from 2016 to 2018, also have recent passport photograph. The surety and defendant must deposit their international passport to the court. The documents are to be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar Litigation of the court.”
    The judge adjourned to February 27, 28 and March 6, 2019 for trial.

  • Protesters shutdown Abuja, accuse Obasanjo of plotting to sabotage Nigeria

    The international community and the Federal Government of Nigeria have been urged to question former president, Olusegun Obasanjo on his alleged plot to destabilize the country.

    The Concerned Nigerian Masses, which made this call, said Obasanjo should also be put under house arrest ahead of the general elections.

    The group said it has followed the events in the political atmosphere in Nigeria with keen interest especially as it concerns the presidential elections in Nigeria and is therefore of the opinion that urgent and proactive steps need to be taken to arrest the plot by some agents of darkness towards plunging the country into a crisis of phenomenal proportion.

    A speech delivered by Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi on behalf of Concerned Nigerian Masses on a protest march from the Unity Fountain Abuja to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, warned that if urgent steps were not taken, Nigeria might go up in flames.

    According to Ogenyi, “Without mincing words, the Concerned Nigerian Masses have it on good authority that an individual who claims to be an Elder statesman have concluded plans in cahoots with other equally unscrupulous elements to cause mayhem in the country before and after the general elections.

    ‘The Honourable Minister of Information revealed this much and we are 100% in agreement with position because it tallies with the actionable intelligence at our disposal on how armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents have been mobilized to engage in massive attacks and other acts of violence in several states across the country to suit their self-serving destabilizing the country.

    “The Concerned Nigerian Masses frowns at such displays by people that are supposed to work for the unity of Nigeria, but instead they have opted to go the devil’s way by plotting and scheming to make the country ungovernable and unstable all in an attempt to truncate our nascent democracy.

    “The Concerned Nigerian Masses, therefore, wishes to use this medium to inform the international community and by extension the federal government the Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo is the arrowhead of the destabilization plot in Nigeria, having seen that he might not get his way this time around.

    “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has activated his network of marauding foot soldiers to ensure the smooth implementation of this evil agenda using unconventional means that would not be traced to him or any of his associates in the states they have so decided on.

    Read Also: Obasanjo and the power withdrawal syndrome

     

    “We are consequently concerned because it is the masses that would be at the receiving end of this evil agenda because Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his cohorts have built high fences in their abodes and had scores of security agents at their disposal that protects them whereas the common man and woman on the street is at the mercy of the whims and caprices of these agents of humanity.

    ‘Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has perfected the evil plot to run simultaneously across Nigeria.

    “In the form of assassinations, widespread kidnappings, ethnic and religious incitements, attacks on churches and mosques, detonation of bombs in public places such as markets and motor parks that have a large concentration of people, as well as the destruction of farms and the rustling of cattle to instigate the farmers/herders conflict and many other nefarious activities.

    “The Concerned Nigerian Masses have indeed decided that enough is enough for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as the intelligence at our disposal indicates the coming of Armageddon in Nigeria if the federal government and the international community does not take urgent steps to thwart the move by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “We are consequently calling on the United States of America to declare Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as an enemy of Nigeria and humanity. We call on the international community as well to hold him solely responsible for any untoward incident that would lead to loss of lives in Nigeria before, during and after the general elections.

    “Worthy of mention that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has also activated, as part of the recruitment of mercenaries from some francophone countries to carry out coordinated attacks in some states in North West Nigeria, as well as some politicians from the zone. These mercenaries are present in Nigeria at the moment, and they are busy plotting on how best to carry out their evil agenda.

    “The world must know that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo wants to destroy Nigeria seeing that he can no longer have his way in issues of national concern. And this is evident in his numerous failed attempt to hoodwink the general public into supporting a particular candidate who has signed a pact with him.

    “This is a clarion call as well as an SOS to the relevant organs in the international community to act as a matter of necessity to question the ignoble Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who has pretended to be the messiah that Nigeria needs in the critical point of our existence.

    “The Concerned Nigerian Masses desire that our nascent democracy is protected from enemies of humanity like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The time to act is now to forestall the impending disaster waiting to happen in Nigeria.”

  • Buhari set for victory, says Salvador

    Head, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential  Campaign Support Group (Southwest) Alhaji Moshood Salvador has said President Muhammadu Buhari will win next month election.

    Salvador who spoke on Saturday at  APC rally, Maryland, Lagos said the votes from the Northwest and Southwest was fully  guaranteed to the President.

    He added that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar campaign to restructure the country was not genuine.

    He said the party lacked the capacity to implement such programme.

    Salvador explained that the country’s political configuration made it impossible, stressing all sections must be involved to restructure the country.

    He advised those playing the restructuring card ahead of the election, to stop being mischievous.

    He said: “The PDP knows that restructuring of the country is the agenda of the Southern Nigeria. The party knows that the only way restructuring can gain dominance is to ask the old men in the south to talk about it.

    “What have these old men been doing this while? Some of them joined politics when they were 27 years old and are now in their 90s. Why has it been impossible for them to restructure over the years and is it now they are over ninety, they can achieve it?

    “Restructuring we agreed is a southern agenda. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was there for eight years, he did not restructure because he knew the truth that it is not feasible. Jonathan was there, he never talk of restructuring. He only talked of derivation because it benefitted his own region alone.

    “How comes the Yoruba are championing restructuring because it is almost impossible. We are under a democratic administration, and it is always a game of number, even when you want to go to referendum, the National Assembly has to be set aside. But is the National Assembly ready to be set aside? So, restructuring is not possible under the dispensation.

    Salvador said the alternative was for states to come together for economic gains, where they can channel their resources and make direct economic investment instead of looking up to federal handouts.

    According to him, since restructuring was not a northern agenda, the issue would always be defeated through popular votes.

    He noted that the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar would later come up with excuses why he could not restructure because of the inherent challenges.

    Read Also: Buhari, IGP meet in Aso Villa

    “The record of the PVC we have shows that the Southwest has 14 million voters, the Southeast 7 million and the South-south 7 million voters. Then go to the North which does not have restructuring as its agenda; Northwest has 18.9 million votes, Northeast 12 million and North central has 10 million votes.

    “All these put together show that the north will defeat the south on the restructuring agenda, so it is not within the power of Atiku to say he would restructure or north but the constitution has to be followed to achieve it.”

    The APC chieftain promised to completely defeat the PDP in Lagos, stressing the party was no longer in existence in the state.

    “The last vestiges of the PDP had been removed when I dumped the party with millions of my supporters. In the last election, APC polled 794,000 votes while PDP 620,000 votes. The trend will change in the coming election.

    “To prove to the PDP that I have the grassroots power, the political power in Lagos, this time APC will poll more than one million votes while the PDP will score less than six hundred thousand votes,” he said.

    Speaking at the event Senator Anthony Adefuye urged party members to move from house to house to canvass for votes. He said victory for President Muhammadu Buhari would provide opportunity for the Southwest to reassert itself for future election.

    He advised party members to forget whatever acrimony that came up in the selection of candidates being presented for the elections.

    “Some people may have been offended during the primary that is not enough to revolt against the APC’s candidates. Let vote them first and we can later resolve whatever issues we have later.

    “There is no doubt the APC led administration in Lagos has performed remarkably. We have stand firm with Babatunde Sanwo- Olu, we have to support the senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidate, state house of assembly candidates in the election.”

     

     

  • ‘Nigeria can’t be entrusted to Atiku’

    A foremost ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and National Coordinator of Buhari Awareness and Voters’ Guard, Engr. Kailani Muhammad has said that, Nigeria cannot be entrusted in the hands of former Vice President and PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    He said, Atiku unlike President Muhammadu Buhari, has a lot of corruption allegations and indictments hanging on his neck.

    Muhammad, a Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), who addressed newsmen at his Kaduna office, stated categorically that, Atiku cannot be trusted with the economy of Nigeria.

    While arguing that, there is no alternative to APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential race, Muhammad said that, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, has several cases of financial misconduct allegations levelled against him while he was the vice president between 1999 and 2007.

    According to the APC chieftain, “while most Nigerians across board see Buhari as reliable and predictable, many doubt Atiku’s credentials because it has enmeshed in so many fraudulent allegations for a long period of time.”

    Highlighting Buhari’s achievement upon why he should be reelected for a second term, he said, “in the three and a half years in the saddle, despite the challenges, Buhari has impacted on all partied the country through construction if 25 major roads and infrastructure in all the six geo-political zones – through the N100 billion Sukuk Bond issued in 2017.

    “For his foresight, the railway will soon be fully operational. Very soon, the Mambilla hydro power plant will generate 5,000 MW electricity. The Anchor Borrowers Scheme has made hundreds of peasant farmers to become millionaires overnight.

    “Nigeria’s economy is back on the path of growth, after the recession of 2016-17 (1.95 percent growth in Q1 2018), as the agriculture and solid minerals sector maintained consistent growth through the recession. External reserves rose to $47.5 billion, the highest in five years.

    Read Also: Miyetti Allah’s faction rejects Atiku

    “N2.7 billion spent on infrastructure in 2016 and 2017 fiscal years, an unprecedented allocation in Nigeria’s recent history. 14 moribund blending plants revitalised under the presidential fertilizer initiative (PFI), with a total production capacity of 2.3 million of MT of NPK fertilizer.”

    He continued, “Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (PIDF) in March 2018, invested  $10 million to establish a world-class cancer treatment centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and another $5million each in the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital  and the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, to establish modern diagnostic centres, expected to have been completed by now.”

    On Atiku he said, “$16 billion entrusted in Atiku’s care for the upgrade of power supply infrastructure disappeared into thin air and in 2007, the Senate pannel, chaired by Victoria Ndoma-Egba and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicted Atiku for diverting $145 million meant for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to various bank accounts linked to him between 1999 and 2006.

    “He was indicted by firmer Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro panel for sharing $74 million proceeds of the famous Halliburton bribe scandal to other top officials of the corrupt administration in which he served.

    “Atiku collected N100 million from former Governor if Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, being state’s ecological funds. When Darius cinfessed, former President Olusegun Obasanjo refunded his portion but Atiku held in to his till today and working freely while Dariye is cooling off in jail,” he alleged.

    He concluded by saying, “President Muhammadu Buhari has done exceedingly well and he is the only choice for 2019 that has the capacity and sincerity of purpose to salvage Nigeria from the brink of collapse.”