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Tag: Olusegun Obasanjo

  • 2019: Oshiomhole challenges Atiku to sue Obasanjo over credibility

    The national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Thursday in Kano, challenged the integrity of Atiku to rule Nigeria, asking him to rather sue his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, for libel after querying his credibility.

    Oshiomhole insisted that until Atiku was able to redeem his image through a law court, he will remain unfit to seek the support of Nigerians to be  President of this country.

    ”If Obasanjo says that Atiku is corrupt, but  because of his hatred against President Buhari, he is ready to forgive Atiku, does that cleanse Atiku from corruption? No…..

    Read Also: Drama as Buhari counters Oshiomhole on Imo guber

    The only way Atiku can clean his name is to  go to court. If Atiku did not sue Obsanjo for libel, that means everything that was said about him was correct. And if it is correct, then, he is not the right candidate to rule Nigeria

    Again, Mr President, you said you are going to lift 50,000 persons from poverty and you are doing it but they say you are slow, but when Atiku promised to empower 7,million people, they have already thrown 14 million people out of their jobs. All the textile companies in Sharada and Bompai in Kano, Gaskiya textile is dead, all the factories in these areas, who killed them? It is PDP, Obasanjo as Vice President. How can he now say he is going to give our jobs when presided over Industrial obituaries in Kano, Lagos and every other places in Nigeria.

  • General vs General

    President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Tuesday displayed part of the military trainings they underwent during their military days.

    They showed to all in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa that they didn’t simply pick the title ‘General’ on the streets or bought it with money, but worked hard for it.

    Part of the military training they received was not to let the enemy or opponent know their true feelings, ideas and plans at all times.

    So, like other soldiers, they were trained in the art of deception, concealment, and misinformation or disinformation.

    While deception in warfare have dated back to early history with great emphasis on tactics, in modern times, military deception has developed as a fully fledged doctrine.

    Misinformation and visual deception were also said to have been employed during World War I, which gained greater prominence during the World War II.

    World history also showed that the Allies executed one of the largest deceptions in military history, Operation Bodyguard, which helped them to achieve full tactical surprise in the buildup to the 1944 invasion of Normandy.

    So over the years, soldiers worldwide have been applying  military deceptions in attempts to mislead enemy forces.

    They engaged methods including creating or amplifying an artificial fog of war via psychological operations, information warfare, visual deception among other methods.

    Tactical deception is engaged when an individual is able to use an “honest” act from his normal repertoire in a different context to mislead familiar individuals.

    Strategic deception is an attempt to deceive an adversary, including possible spill-over effects of misleading the public at home, and the populace of one’s allies and friends.

    Any enemy that falls for the deception will lose confidence when it is revealed and may hesitate when confronted with the truth.

    So to stay top of the game, any good soldier must be skillful in deception, concealment and misinformation.

    Despite leaving the military few years back as Generals, Buhari and Obasanjo were still able to bury their emotions and feelings before the commencement of the National Council of State meeting last Tuesday.

    Like the saying goes, ‘old soldier never dies’, they pushed aside their hostilities as if nothing was at stake.

    Staring at one another in smiles, they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries before the meeting started.

    Photographers and cameramen in the hall didn’t waste any time to capture the moment as they clicked away.

    But many political watchers however believed that the smiles were just for the cameras as great hostilities were deeply buried behind the smiles.

    Especially, when the meeting was just two days after Obasanjo released his second time-bomb letter criticising Buhari.

    Obasanjo, in the 16-page letter, two days earlier, accused Buhari of plot to rig the February Presidential election and also claimed that Buhari was already behaving like the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    The letter had stated in parts “Today, another Abacha Era is here. The security institutions are being misused to fight all critics and opponents of Buhari and to derail our fledgling democracy.

    “EFCC, Police, and Code of Conduct Tribunal are also being equally misused to deal with those Buhari sees as enemies for criticising him or as those who may not do his bidding in manipulating the election results.

     

    ”I  am concerned as a democrat who believes that with faithful and diligent practice of democracy, we can overcome most of our political problems and move steadfastly and surefootedly on the course of stability, unity of purpose, socio-economic growth and progress for all.

    “Democracy becomes a sham if elections are carried out by people who should be impartial and neutral umpires, but who show no integrity, acting with blatant partiality, duplicity and imbecility.

    ”For all Democrats and those carrying out the process of elections, there must be the red line that must not be crossed in tactics and practices of democracy.

    ”I personally have serious doubt about the present INEC’s integrity, impartiality and competence to conduct a fair, free and credible election. From what we saw and knew about Osun State gubernatorial election, what was conclusive was declared inconclusive despite all advice to the contrary.

    ”The unnecessary rerun, if viewed as a test-run for a larger general election, would lead people to expect incidences of deliberately contrived, broken or non-working voting machines or card readers, confusion of voters as to their voting stations, inadequate supply of voting materials to designated places, long line to discourage voters and turning blind eyes to favour the blue-eye political party of INEC because the Commission’s hands will be tied to enable hatchet men and women to perform their unwholesome assignment.

    “The transmission and collation of results are subject to interference, manipulation and meddling.  If the INEC’s favourite political party wins with all the above infractions, the result will be conclusively declared and if not, there will be a ‘rerun’, the result of which is known before it is carried out”. He stated

    Buhari’s media handlers also replied Obasanjo swiftly in a statement the same Sunday.

    It stated “The sixteen-page letter the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari and released this afternoon is the last push by desperate politicians who can’t handle the President politically and have resorted to subterfuge.

    “Our first message to the former President is that he needs a good doctor for good treatment and to say to him, “Get well soon.”

    “As repeatedly said of him, since Chief Obasanjo left office in 1979, he never let every succeeding leader of the country function freely, and this included the one he personally handpicked against all known rules drawn up by the party that put him in the office of the President.

    “But Chief Obasanjo is jealous because President Buhari has more esteem than him and the sooner he learns to respect him the better.

    “It is a notorious fact that in dealing with any leader that he failed to control, he resorted to these puerile attacks. As the grand patron, more correctly the grandfather of corruption as described by the National Assembly, Chief Obasanjo released today’s letter purely for the reason of rescuing his thriving corruption establishment.

    “The elections starting in February will be free and fair as promised the nation and the international community by President Buhari.

    “What Chief Obasanjo and his co-travellers in the PDP should expect is that from the outcome, we will teach them a political lesson that they will never forget. This margin will be much bigger than we had in 2015.

    “Claims that President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have embarked on the president’s “self- succession project, by recruiting collation officers who are already awarding results based on their projects to actualise the perpetuation agenda, in which the people will not matter and the votes will not count” is not only utterly false, but a copious note from the book on the failed third term agenda of President Obasanjo.

    “A leader who took USD 16 billion “upfront” to supply electric power yet failed to add a single megawatt to the national grid and to date, there is no trace of the money is jittery that he will be called to account. He is a coward.

    “Nigerians looked up to him as a role model and a ray of hope to ethical and clean leadership until President Yar’Adua called him out to explain what happened to the sixteen billion dollars of taxpayer’s money. It is clear that with him sitting on top of the heap of corruption, he is no different from the crowd he leads.

    “This language of his 16-page letter, likening President Buhari to General Sani Abacha, a man he dreaded and the one who jailed him under military laws is most unfitting from a former President of Nigeria.

    “We are unable to get the words to describe a 90-year old liar, except to say that by the publication of this tissue of lies against the President, he Obasanjo, not the President will fall from everyone’s esteem.” it stated

    It is really hoped that the increasing political tension in the country will recede in the days ahead.

  • The flip-flop Obasanjo letters

    It is hardly of any value to discuss former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s misuse of his privileged access to top levels of government in Nigeria. As a former president of Nigeria and one who  has had the rare fortune of occupying that exaulted office twice, Obasanjo is one of those Nigerians for who protocol will stretch and bend to facilitate their request to engage a sitting head of state.

    Unfortunately, Obasanjo has treated that exclusive privilege with complete disregard, choosing instead to play to the gallery with open letters to the Nigerian leadership. The objectives of those letters are instantly obvious by their content and language as designed to ridicule the government and harass it into a line of action that meets or advances the course of Obasanjo’s personal desires.

    The current such letter aimed at the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari fits the frame. It is aimed at harassing the government off its course of redeeming Nigeria from the lurch in which the nation found itself from the 18 years of misrule by Obasanjo’s party and the advances that have been recorded in managing them by Buhari and for which the nation apparently wants to reward him with a second term in office in the February election.

    Obasanjo’s strategy is to whip up negative sentiments against President Buhari and his party with a mixture of lies and issues and challenges that are traditional to Nigeria but making them look as if they were created by this administration. All the while that he masks as the voice of the commoner and deceitfully echoes his irritation from the ranks of the proverbial “popular side”, Obasanjo is actually a self-seeking egomaniac.

    He thinks and worries only for himself and feels that the only good things in this life are the things he wants or approves of. Nigerians should hold their breath until he orders otherwise and the government indeed should be operating from the stolen library at Otta.  Obasanjo has never supported anything unless it suits him personally and he stands up for nobody. While the entire nation fought against the annulment of the June 1993 presidential election that would have had Moshood Abiola as president, Obasonjo maintained a cynical salience.

    That was at a time when his voice was required and in fairness, was weighty enough to have, in addition to the efforts from across the world, forced Ibrahim Babangida’s hand in the matter. People traveled from across Nigeria to Otta to urge Obasanjo to speak up in support of June 12 but he refused. His reason was no other than that Obasanjo was jealous of Abiola’s national profile and was disdainful of another Egba man becoming Commander in Chief in Nigeria and thus equaling his personal achievement.

    History played a joke on those who fought for June 12 as Obasanjo turned out to become the biggest beneficiary of the struggle, being voted into office as president in an election that was driven by the spirit of June 12. You can now understand why he was so vehemently opposed to the celebration of June 12 as a special date in Nigeria’s political history. It is the same attitude he holds towards Wole Soyinka but is always wary of the professor’s ability to bite back.

    Obasanjo’s selfishness and exploitation of the near naivety of the uninformed Nigerian was also in full display in his dealing with General Sanni Abacha regime. Obasanjo endeded up in prison under Abacha after earning a reputation as an Abacha critic and that powered the sympathy that returned him to Aso Rock as president but that is only part of the story. The question is why Obasanjo fell out with Abacha and became a later day pro-democracy advocate.

    It is fact that until Chief Ernest Shonekan was announced Chairman of the Interim National Government (ING) on August 27, 1993, Obasanjo was supportive of the Abacha regime. Again the truth is that Obasanjo was one of the architects of the ING and supported the Abacha government because he expected to be the head of the ING. While the prospect lasted, Abacha was a saint but the moment Obasanjo was excluded and Shonekan got the job, Obasanjo flipped on Abacha and became a critic in typical selfish fashion.

    Obasanjo took Shonekan’s appointment as a personal insult because not only was he ignored, another Egba man was appointed. The uninformed public ignorantly took Obasanjo’s umbrage against Abacha as action in national interest wrongly assuming that he was part of the struggle for the return of democracy. It will be interesting to have former President Goodluck Jonathan speak publicly about what set Obasanjo against him.

    Again we know that Obasanjo was close to the Jonathan Administration at the beginning. Recall President Jonathan’s visit and the trip to the palace of the Ooni of Ife with Obasanjo and the several tales that went with it.  However as the days went, Jonathan tried to detach himself from the apron strings of Obasanjo and quickly earned his ire and several letters in bad taste.

    Obasanjo’s 13th letter as it has come to be known, should actually be ignored and should not become of any concern to President Buhari.  Nigerians should know by now that it is no more than as indication that Buhari is not taking his orders from Obasanjo. Nothing in Obasanjo’s letter can erode the established image of an achiever and man of integrity that the first term in office has established in the mind of millions of Nigerians. Our people have become smarter than to be deceived by self-seeking propagandists masquerading as their saviours.

    • Oladapo is a public commentator.

  • Good governance hinges on transparent elections, say Obasanjo, others

    African cannot attain good governance without credible and transparent elections, according to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a book presented in Lagos on Tuesday.

    The book: Democracy works, is co-authored by Greg Mills, Obasanjo, Jeffrey Herbts and Tendai Biti, with forward by former Liberia president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

    According to the authors, the issue of economic and social development in Africa and other parts of the world hinges very much on governance.

    In turn, good governance is predicated, among other key factors, on credible elections, all of which the authors said impact on the core of democracy.

    The first multi-country launch of the 266-page book of eight chapters took place in Ghana on Monday.

    Obasanjo, who gave the welcome remarks at the Ghana event, could not attend the Lagos launch because he was attending the Council of State meeting in Abuja.

    A retired diplomat, Ambassador Adebola Labiran, who stood in for the former President’s representative, said the book is the follow-up of an earlier work by Mills and Obasanjo entitled: Making Africa Work.

    Labiran said some of the issues raised in the book connect with major conclusions of the High-Level meeting on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Elections in Africa organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation’s Centre for Human Security and Dialogue.

    The conclusions are: “In deciding technologies to use or introduce for the election process, African countries should take into consideration the socio-cultural, political and infrastructural contexts in which ICT will be deployed; the costs and the benefits of use of technology on the integrity of the electoral process; nature and type of technology required; and sustainability and security of the chosen technology.

    “ICT in the election process should be introduced early to enable the electoral bodies demonstrate their capacity to follow laid-down standard operating procedures and policies for acquisition and implementation of the systems such as procurement, testing, signoffs, audit and training.

    “Enough time should be allocated to ICT-based activities such as voter verification and issuance of voter cards and printing of registers. These activities when done on the eleventh hour are prone to avoidable mistakes which might generate unnecessary tension and problems.

    “Election Management Bodies should overcome the challenge of delay in the final collation of results by fully implementing the use of electronic collation within the necessary time and legal frameworks to ensure early and comprehensive release of results. This will minimise the risk of manipulation into the system and tampering with the results.”

    According to Labiran, one major problem of Africa’s architecture, which he said the authors addressed, is demography.

    The authors, he said, noted that since 1960, almost all African countries have grown their populations.

    For example, Nigeria which at independence had a population of about 45million is now about 200 million.

    The authors say by 2050, Africa’s population would have doubled to about two billion, while Nigeria’s population is projected to double by about 400 million.

    Mills, a South African, said the book shows “very conclusively” that the better the democratic system in Africa, the higher the rates of development and growth.

    “The real question for Africans is: How do you improve your democracy? How do you build the sort of institutions that are required to make democracies function better and lift their standards?

    “The book goes through a range of African and international case studies to understand how transitions from one system of government to another stick, how they can be consolidated and how democratic practices can be improved,” he said.

     

  • More knocks for Obasanjo as Yoruba leaders urge caution

    Some Yoruba leaders of thought under the aegis of Yoruba Patriots’ Movement, on Tuesday berated the former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent attack on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The group who expressed disappointment on the outburst of Chief Obasanjo stoutly rose in defence of president Muhammadu Buhari.

    The National Coordinator, Yoruba Patriots’ Movement, Chief Oladosu Ladipo, said the comments of the former President were unbecoming of a statesman.

    They were of the view that the unsubstantiated allegations against the president have “reduced his (Obasanjo’s) value both politically and intellectually”.

    Wondering about the alleged inconsistency of the ex-president, Chief Oladipo who was flanked by the National Treasurer who doubles as the Lagos state Chairman of YPM, Dr Wale Omole and the National Secretary, Otunba Niyi Dada during his 72ndbirthday anniversary which held at his residence in Ibadan, said the aspersions had further waned the integrity of the former president.

    Chief Oladipo said, “Two things I see, making a U-turn or somersaulting in the broad daylight has reduced his value both politically and intellectually. It has reduced his integrity; reduced all his virtues and has put him as somebody whose words cannot be relied upon and who cannot mentor the up and coming generations. In fact, he is double-mouthed”.

    “Two, the history of 1999-2007 is still with some of us; the facts between Obasanjo and Atiku. I mean facts that cannot be debunked. So, I want to leave that aside for now. The other one is that democracy involves propaganda and propaganda involves truth, half-truth, total falsehood and blatant lies. I can describe the things he is saying as total falsehood, mere propaganda. Can a good Statesman make propaganda? Shagari died at the age of 93; did you hear him say anything like this? What he is doing is propaganda for post-election riot, which can be an inducement for the military to take over, and military cannot take over in Nigeria again.”

    Dr Omole who read a prepared statement to journalists said, “Those of us with genuine intention shall support these great leaders to take Nigeria to the next level. The national looters of yesterday should please go to sleep and give development a chance. We call on smaller parties to merge with APC which is now a mega party. I want to advise Nigerians not to take Chief Obasanjo serious.

    The elders described the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as a great man following the footsteps of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    “Awolowo is also back to life in the person of Asiwaju of Yorubaland. For the youths who did not know Chief Obafemi Awolowo, once you know Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. You have known Awolowo. Chief Awolowo and Tinubu remain the greatest tacticians in the history of Nigeria”, Oladipo said.

    “Consistency is very important. Look at America politics, if you have said something, many years after, they will play it back to you. Obasanjo’s book on Atiku is very recent and very current and has he made another edition to counter all those things he said about Atiku? That goes to the root of character. And before you can take whatever anybody says with a grain of salt, you have to look at its traits of character overtime, consistency from the family to the ward, to the local government, hometown, tribe and then to the nation”.

    “Obasanjo is a father of the nation, but if I were him, I will behave like a father. Danjuma is supporting political parties, have you seen or heard him making such a statement that cannot be substantiated or nearly causing chaos? The fact that you had the privilege of being the Head of State or President does not mean you are the wisest. It doesn’t mean that you are the best”, the elders said.

    “Sometimes, the opportunity comes for a nation to develop, many a time the people scuttle the chance and lose that opportunity. But, opportunity always comes and goes. We lost the golden opportunities when Gen. Muritala Mohammed who came on board with clear agenda was prematurely terminated in 1976. We equally lost that chance when the great sage, Chief Obafemi  Awolowo, the man with rare intelligence and vision was prevented from ruling Nigeria. He did not lose, Nigeria lost. Nigeria missed it again when Chief MKO Abiola’s life was prematurely terminated.

    Read Also: Presidency to Obasanjo: get well soon

    “If these great leaders had been allowed to lead the nation when the opportunities presented them, certainly Nigeria would not be where it is today. We would have long been out of woods. If perhaps Buhari-Idiagbon military regime had not been cut short by the military coup of August 1985, Nigeria would have been taken to a higher ground of development because the duo of Buhari and Idiagbon were burning with passion and vision. They were ready to serve. They abhorred corruption.

    “Today, we are lucky to have Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo. It is another opportunity for Nigeria to develop. We should not waste this opportunity else it becomes a curse on our nation. Nigeria should have learnt its lesson by now. Therefore, members of Yoruba Patriotic Movement have thrown our unflinching support for Buhari-Osibajo and APC.

    “With this political tactician in support of Buhari and Osinbajo the nation will witness development and growth. The trio will return Nigeria to the path of progress.  There will be jobs for the youths. Things will turn around for better for Nigerians at home and abroad.  Those of us with genuine intentions shall support these great leaders to take Nigeria to the next level. The national looters of yesterday should please go to sleep and give development a chance. It is on this premises that we, in YPM, call Nigerian youths to support this administration”, they said.

  • Buhari, Obasanjo eyeball to eyeball in the Villa

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday made an unexpected appearance at the seat of power for the National Council of State meeting.

    Even as he was one of the former Presidents who were supposed to be part of the meeting, many thought that his Sunday’s 16-page letter attacking the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, will discourage him from attending the meeting.

    But against all odds, Obasanjo at exactly 10.51 am entered the Council Chamber venue of the meeting scheduled to start by 11 am

    His presence immediately drew the attention of those waiting in the hall for the meeting to start.

    Some of those in the hall standing or sitting on his path to the former Presidents’ seats greeted him. He stood severally to exchange pleasantries with them.

    By his seat, he also exchanged pleasantries with former Head of Interim National Government, Ernest Shonekan, who was already seated.

    He sat down momentarily and again stood up and walked back towards the entrance to greet some of those in the hall including former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

    Read Also: How Buhari plans to rig elections, by Obasanjo

    Obasanjo was still discussing when it was announced for everyone to settle down as the President was making his way in.

    He was not quick enough to get to his seat when Buhari entered the Council chamber.

    Buhari immediately went straight to exchange pleasantries with Shonekan, who was still seated and then Abdulsalami, who walked to him.

    By the time he finished with Abdulsalami, Obasanjo was close to him.

    So standing eyeball to eyeball and smiling, they greeted and shook hands to the admiration of those in the hall.

    The President returned to his seat and called for the rendition of the National anthem.

    After the national anthem, the President asked Obasanjo to say the Christian prayer, which he did.

  • Buhari, Obasanjo, Jonathan, others meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with members of the National Council of State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting started at 11.a.m prompt at the Council Chamber.

    The meeting comprises of past presidents and heads of state, Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN), leadership of the National Assembly, state governors among others.

    Those at the meeting on Tuesday included former Head of Interim National Government, Ernest Shonekan, Olusegun Obasanjo, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan.

    As soon as he arrived at the Council chamber, Buhari went round to have a handshake with some of the past leaders including Obasanjo.

    Obasanjo also offered the opening Christian prayer while Mohammed Uwais said the Muslim prayer.

    One minute silence was observed in honour of former President Shehu Shagari, and late CJNs Aloysius Katsina Alu and Idris Kutigi

    Former Heads of State Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and former CJN Mariam Muktar sent apologises for their absence at the meeting.

    Others at the meeting on Tuesday the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former CJN Mohammed Uwais.

    State governors at the meeting included Osun, Kebbi, Zamfara Plateau, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Borno, Ogun, Ekiti, and Kogi.

    Deputy State governors at the meeting included Bauchi Deputy, Kaduna Deputy, and Rivers Deputy,

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello and Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige.

    Read Also: End ASUU strike now: Buhari orders Ngige

    Without listing the details of the agenda during the opening session, the Secretary to the Government of the Federations, Boss Mustapha said that the meeting will discuss five-point agenda.

    But issues expected to be considered at the meeting included the National minimum wage, and confirmation of the appointment of the acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

    The forthcoming general elections and security of the nation are also expected to engage the attention of the Council of State.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • Abiola’s son, others testify on Buhari’s strides

    Jamiu Abiola, a son to late Chief MKO Abiola, has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for “benefitting on his father’s blood” but neglecting to recognise his contribution to Nigeria’ democracy.

    MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election that was annulled, died fighting for his mandate while Obasanjo was elected President in 1999 upon the country’s return to democracy.

    The deceased son spoke on Sunday in Abuja at an event tagged “Testimonies of Change”, designed to showcase the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the event, organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, witnessed personal testimonies by beneficiaries of government programmes.

    Abiola, who was among the testifiers, said for over two decades, Nigerians gave mandate to his father who he was “denied and killed”, the family suffered emotional and psychological torture.

    He said his mother, Kudirat Abiola, who also fought for his father’s mandate, was also killed in the process leaving seven children behind.

    Jamiu said that Obasanjo benefitted from the democracy struggle by his late father and mother when he was elected as Executive President in 1999.

    He said in spite of coming from the same region and state as his late father and mother, Obasanjo declined to recognise their contribution to the enthronement of democracy.

    He, therefore, commended President Muhammad Buhari, who after over two decades, recognised his father and declared June 12, national Democracy Day.

    “What President Buhari has done, despite not being a Yoruba man, has ended the emotional and psychological trauma my family has gone through all these years,” he said.

    Jamiu also testified to Buhari’s giant strides in reaching out to the poor people and improving on infrastructure like power, roads, rails.

    He said June 12 which his parents paid the supreme sacrifice for, was about the poor and the masses and Buhari had become a replica of the mantra.

    He said Buhari deserved a second term, therefore Nigerians should come out to vote for him in the forthcoming election.

    Another testifier, who represented the 564 hitherto abandoned pensioners of the Aladja Steel Rolling Mills in Delta, described the President as “God sent”.

    Quoting from the Holy Bible, Proverb 29: 2, he said, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn”.

    The testifiers said that for decades of previous administrations, they had wallowed in abject poverty and suffered but the Buhari administration wiped away their tears by paying the pensions owed them for decades.

    The representative of the ex-workers of the Nigeria Airways, liquidated in 2004, said 800 of their members died waiting for their pensions.

    He said Buhari promised to pay them in 2015 and had fulfilled his promise, thereby bringing succour, life and hope to them.

    The testifier disclosed that the ex-Nigeria Airways workers would organise solidarity rally in support of Buhari’s reelection in Lagos and Kano.

    Mrs Regina, who had been frying Akara (beans cake) in Nyanyan, a suburb of FCT for 30 years, said she benefitted from the Federal Government’s Traders Money programme.

    She said it was the first time any government had supported her petty trade and commended the Buhari administration for the intervention.

    The elderly woman spoke in Igbo language with her son, a graduate of University of Benin, who interpreted in English.

    The woman disclosed that she trained her three children to university level with her trade and urged the administration to provide employment for them.

    Mr Livinus Okoh, the Chairman of Rice Growers Farmers Association in Ebonyi, said the Anchor Borrower Programme of the administration recorded tremendous achievements on local production of the staples towards self-sufficiency.

    He declared the support of rice farmers nationwide for the re-election of the president.

    Mr Aruwawa Johnson from Warri said “opposition must stay clear of Buhari’s reelection” because Nigerians are behind him.

    Johnson said the completed rail project in Aladja in Delta to Itakpe in Kogi had impacted positively on the lives of the people who were predominantly farmers.

    Monarchs, including Oba of Sao, Bamidele Alabi, Oba of Jebba, Abdulkadir Adebara and the Baale of Bodesaadu, Bolakale Yusuff, all in Kwara, commended the Buhari government for the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road.

    They said that the road had taken many lives and goods in carnage when it was abandoned by previous administrations.

    They thanked the President for coming to the rescue of their people and the road users.

    Mrs Oloyede, and Wasiu Oriade, beneficiaries of Bank of Industry social welfare scheme; Dike Charles, Abubakar Haruna, Aliyu Hassan and Olalekan Ayodele who are NPOWER beneficiaries in various vocations,  testified to the success of government programmed through its intervention.

     

  • We are not under pressure to rig – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is not under pressure to rig forthcoming elections.

    The electoral umpire also assured that its cooperation with security agencies will lead to a pleasant voting experience for Nigerians.

    The reaction came following allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), would not be transparent in the forthcoming elections.

    Reacting to the allegations during a visit to the Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu at the Force headquarters, the INEC Boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said: “This is to be expected in an election year when people make all sorts of insinuations but I want to tell you that we as a Commission have never been under any pressure to do what is wrong.

    “We will never compromise our integrity to do what the law says that we shouldn’t and for the 2019 general elections, I want to assure and reassure Nigerians that votes and nothing but votes will count. With the level of cooperation from the security agencies, I want to assure you that Nigerians will have a pleasant voting experience in 2019.”

    Speaking on the need for collaboration with the Police, he said: “We agreed to a new partnership that will lead to the protection of the electoral process in Nigeria such that votes and only votes will count in 2019. There are two institutions that the nation looks forward to in conducting the election; INEC and the Nigeria Police Force.

    “The professionalism and neutrality of both institutions is what Nigerians are looking forward to. Nigeria achieved free, fair, credible election in 2015, now is the time to show the world that what we achieved in 2015 was not a fluke. So, 2019 must be the affirmation of the maturity of the Nigerian democracy.

    “The responsibility of the police is to safeguard INEC officials and Nigerians. The Police have no candidate in the elections. INEC is not a political party, we have no candidate in the elections, so our responsibility is to safeguard the processes such that what Nigerians vote for is what determines who wins the election. So, there is need for us to work very closely at all level during the election. There is need for professionalism and we must turn a new leaf.”

    He also said the 2019 election has the largest number of candidates with over 23,000 candidates competing for 1558 positions.

    Giving details of the number of candidates in order for the Force to make adequate deployment, the INEC Boss said: “We have the largest number of political parties contesting for the 2019 elections. We have the largest number of registered voters participating in the elections and we have the largest number of constituencies in which elections will be conducted. So, we have to safeguard the processes no matter how long it takes.

    “For the presidential election, we have 73 candidates contesting for one position. For the governorship, we have in 29 states for which we have 1068 candidates competing, we have 1094 candidates competing for 109 senatorial seats, we have over 4600 candidates competing for 360 federal constituencies. We have over 14,600 candidates competing for 991 state constituencies, while in the FCT where local government elections will be conducted, there are 808 candidates competing for 68 positions making a total of over 23,000 candidates competing for 1558 positions in 2019. So, this gives you an idea of what we are up to in 2019.”

    He also urged the police to prosecute electoral offenders. “We need to find a way to respond to emergencies because emergencies will arise on the field and there must be a very clear part by which we can continue to work together and Nigerians expect that the violators of our laws must never go scot free in 2019.

    “Arrests were made in the past but prosecutions were not done speedily. The more we prosecute working together with the police, the less our work because prosecution also deters potential breakers of the law.

    Speaking on the essence of the meeting, the Ag. IGP Adamu said: “It was organised for us to know what is expected of us before, during and after the election because the election must be free, fair and credible and police officers must be seen to be neutral and give every party level playing field to do what they are supposed to do.”

    Adamu also disclosed that the Force has identified some flashpoints adding that it might commence the arrest of those who appear to pose threat to the conduct of a free and credible election.

    On the allegations that some governors are recruiting thugs ahead of the election, he said: “We are warning the thugs that if they are recruited, they should desist from it but if they decide to engage themself and work for any politician to create mayhem, we will not allow them. We are already in the field monitoring these group of people and if they don’t stop, we will take on them before the election. We will arrest them and prosecute them before the election.”

    Adamu while assuring that the elections would be free and fair stated that a two-week capacity building training has commenced for officers in the 12 zonal headquarters as part of preparations for the elections.

    He said: “A capacity building training on democratic policing and elections security management for police officers is currently on-going. The training is designed to hold across the 12 Police Zonal Headquarters starting from today 21st January 2018 to 8th February, 2018.

    “I assure the nation and the international community that the Nigeria Police Force shall coordinate effectively with other complementary security agencies, and collaborate efficiently with the leadership of the INEC in guaranteeing a safe and secure space for the citizens to freely exercise their electoral franchise.”

  • Obasanjo’s allegation: We’re not under pressure to rig, says INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is not under pressure to rig forthcoming elections.

    The electoral umpire also assured that its cooperation with security agencies will lead to a pleasant voting experience for Nigerians.

    The reaction came following allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), would not be transparent in the forthcoming elections.

    Reacting to the allegations during a visit to the Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu at the Force headquarters, the INEC Boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said: “This is to be expected in an election year when people make all sorts of insinuations but I want to tell you that we as a Commission have never been under any pressure to do what is wrong.

    Read Also: INEC concerned over unclaimed PVCs

    “We will never compromise our integrity to do what the law says that we shouldn’t and for the 2019 general elections, I want to assure and reassure Nigerians that votes and nothing but votes will count.

    “With this level of cooperation from the security agencies, I want to assure you that Nigerians will have a pleasant voting experience in 2019.“