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Tag: Paris Club

  • AGF to court: Fed Govt has no record of how states spent N388b Paris Club refund

    AGF to court: Fed Govt has no record of how states spent N388b Paris Club refund

    Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris has told a Federal High Court in Lagos that the Federal Government has no record of spending of N388.304 billion London Paris Club Loan refund by 35 states.

    Idris stated this before Justice Muslim Hassan on Friday while responding to the suit filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government.

    Justice Hassan had in June ruled that SERAP could proceed with the legal challenge to unravel how the 35 states spent the Paris Club loan refund. The court had also granted leave to the organisation that it was important for the authorities “to come and tell us how they spent our money”.

    SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus directing and/or compelling the government to publish details of spending of N388.304 billion London Paris Club Loan refunds allegedly diverted and mismanaged by 35 states”.

    Although the money was to be used by the states to pay overdue pensioners’ entitlements and workers’ salaries, Idris, in his defence, told the court that the spending “is protected by professional privilege, and therefore confidential”.

    The AGF said: “The relationship between the Accountant-General and the 35 states is professional and confidential. It is a fiduciary one akin to that between a bank and its customer and allied professionals. On that score, record of the spending of N388.304 billion London Paris Club Loan refund by the 35 states is exempted from publication, assuming the Federal Government has the information sought by SERAP.

    “The Accountant General does not have custody or possession of the information or record relating to the spending of N388.304 billion London Paris Club Loan refund by 35 states, which the government gave them. The Accountant General did not release the funds to the states.”

    He, therefore, urged the court to decline the request of the organisation for an order of mandamus.

    But SERAP argued that due to non-payment of overdue pensions and salaries of workers by the states, citizens have continued to languish in untold hardship and poverty.

    The organisation contended that there was a compelling public interest in knowing how exactly the Paris Club loan refund were spent by the 35 states.

    It noted that there was also no professional relationship or privilege between the Accountant General and the 35 states as to warrant any duty of confidentiality on the part of the Accountant General.

    According to SERAP, “There must be transparency and accountability in the spending of the refunds, in line with the principle of Open Government Partnership (OGP) to which Nigeria is a signatory. In addition, section 15(5) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) provides that the state shall abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power. Citizens must be able to access the performance of government, and this depends on access to record about spending of the refund by the 35 states.

    “Assuming without conceding that the Accountant General does not have record of spending of N388.304 billion London Paris Club Loan refund by the 35 states, nothing stops the Accountant General from working with other agencies/ministries to release information on the spending, especially being the Chief Accounting Officer of the Federation, and constitutionally charged with the overall responsibility of keeping and managing all the receipts and payments of the Federal Government.

    “The Accountant General cannot, therefore, say he is unaware of the spending of the refunds by the states. Otherwise, this would mean that the Accountant General is lacking in his duty as Chief Accounting Officer of the Federation.”

    The Federal Government released N388.304 billion of the N522.74 billion to 35 states as refund of over-deductions on London-Paris Club loans.

  • Tell Nigerians Maina’s whereabouts, Labour Party tells FG

    Tell Nigerians Maina’s whereabouts, Labour Party tells FG

    The Labour Party (LP ) has said that the federal government should accept its complicity in the questionable recall of former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, saying the government should tell Nigerians his whereabouts.

    The party said since the government recalled and reinstated in, they must know where he is at the moment and should therefore arrest and prosecute him on allegations of corruption leveled against him.

    Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, National Chairman of the Party, Dr Mike Omotoso, said “You will recall that Maina was sacked by the last administration and placed on Wanted List. We are calling on the federal government to arrest and prosecute Maina if they know where he is. Since they were the ones that brought him back and reinstated him, they should also bring him out now, arrest and prosecute him”.

    He said the recall of Maina was an embarrassment to the country and made mockery of the anti corruption crusade of the Buhari administration.

    Also speaking, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Everett Ifendu accused the former national chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam of continued impersonation, saying he had since been suspended following serious allegations levelled against him by the party’s governorship candidate in Anambra.

    “We want to correct some misconceptions about our party. There is no leadership tussle in our party. Our National Chairman is Dr Mike Omotoso”, said Ifendu.

    According to her, the party had filed a formal complaint with the police who are currently investigating the disappearance of party property including a vehicle.

    The party lamented the inability of many governments to pay salaries of workers despite the bail out from their  federal government and the Paris Club refund, describing the trend as anti-people and a modern form of slavery.

    It however urged the federal government to launch an investigation into how the states governments utilized the budget support fund as well as the Paris Club Refund given them by the federal government, aside their federal allocation and internally generated revenue.

  • Paris Club refund without end

    •It is time to cut the apron string to the centre

    President Muhammadu Buhari may be a man of few words, but, when governors visited him to demand the payment of a final tranche of the Paris Club refund; he had some harsh words for them. He told them that governments exist to take care of their people and ensure that they live comfortably, observing that this is not the case in most of the states. The workers deserve their wages, the President said. Many state governments are still owing civil servants’ salaries in spite of bailout funds they have got from the Federal Government.

    However, we agree with the governors that, the money, being a refund of over-deduction for external debt service between 1995 and 2002, the Federal Government has no business warehousing it. It should be returned to the owner states. The states had made demand in view of mounting pressures to meet the needs of the people. Public infrastructure require urgent intervention in addition to the workers’ salaries that remain unpaid for upward of eight months in some states. In Kogi, the worst in this respect, some workers and pensioners are owed about 15 months arrears.

    It is unfortunate that public finance has become such a burden that governors rely almost entirely on handouts from the centre to meet their obligations to citizens. The feeding bottle federalism that stands the logic of Professor K. C. Wheare who propounded the theory on the head is simply unsustainable for a plural society like Nigeria. It must be urgently revisited if Nigeria is to pull through with the demands of the moment and frightening crisis of expectation. Taxes from the states, the Value Added Tax, receipts from mining are all paid into the federation account, to be shared along the line of a pernicious formula that allocates more than half to the Federal Government.

    Consequently, roads, postal services, agriculture, secondary education, primary healthcare, among others, are items over which the government at the centre aggrandises legislative and supervisory power. This is unsustainable and is a cause for rumblings in the land. This must be attended to now. It breeds inefficiency, ineffectiveness, corruption and poverty.

    As we have argued many times, we support the advocacy for the Federal Government to shed weight, devolve power to the federating units and realise the need to have state governments retain control over resources in their states. Unless the states see this big picture and collectively insist on it, bailouts, refunds and other forms of handouts will fall short of the requirement of building a new Nigeria.

    Twice, the President Buhari government has shared out the refunds due states from the excess payments to the London and Paris clubs, as well as other multilateral agencies, with the first tranche amounting to N522 billion, and the second, N243 billion. Yet, the states are still in bad shape, yelling for more. Yet, it is not an inexhaustible source. The one they are clamouring for, the third tranche is the final. It is a mere N200billion. If the N765 billion already collected could not perform the magic, why would they think their cash flow problem could be straightened with this?

    Nigerian leaders at the state and federal levels have failed over the years to rejuvenate the governance structure in such a way that it would deliver dividend to the people. This is the moment for that. The states should begin to find ingenious ways of generating funds to promote growth and development. In Lagos, the only really successful state in this respect, financial engineering ensured survival when the Obasanjo administration seized funds due the state. Since then, the state has proved that critical thinking is required to remain stable at any time. It is difficult to imagine what would happen if the price of crude oil were to slump to $20. It is time to face reality.

  • Senate fumes over Paris Club refund to states

    Senate fumes over Paris Club refund to states

    The Senate will next week consider how the Paris Club refund doled out to state governments was approved.

    President Muhammadu Buhari gave part of the Paris Club refund to governors to assist them to offset mounting salary arrears and to meet up with other obligations.

    The Senate resolution followed an observation by Senator Samuel Anyanwu that the upper chamber should look into the legality of the fund.

    Anyanwu (PDP Imo East) sought to know who gave approval for the distribution of the Paris Club refund since the National Assembly was not consulted before the disbursement of the fund to states.

    Anyanwu said: “I am worried about the Paris club refund. Governors are asking for more fund. Where is this money coming from? The Senate has not given any approval for the disbursement of any such fund. Who gave approval for the bail out fund and where is the money from?.

    “I heard the President scolding them the other day. The President was asking them how they sleep at night even when they do not pay salaries. They have received billions of naira. I feel worried. Even the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has told the President to stop giving bail out to governors.

    “If you look at the front page of newspapers, you will see the issue there. This is the problem. If my colleagues will allow me, I want to bring this as a motion at our next legislative day. I so submit.”

    Senate President Bukola Saraki sought the leave of the Senate to authorise that a proper motion be brought on the issue.

    Saraki said: “Senator Samuel Anyanwu has spoken. Is it the wish of our colleagues that this motion be brought at another legislative day.”

    The approval was unanimous.

    President Buhari in 2015, a few weeks after he assumed office, approved bailout funds to states to settle salary arrears.

    In late 2016 and early 2017, President Buhari approved the disbursement of N760.17 billion in two tranches of N243.79 billion each to the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory as Paris Club refund.

    On Tuesday, governors met with the President to demand the release of the outstanding Paris club refund by November to enable them include it in their 2018 budget plan.

  • Buhari frowns at states’ inability to pay workers

    Buhari frowns at states’ inability to pay workers

    President Muhammadu Buhari is concerned about the growing agitation in states over unpaid salaries and allowances, in spite of interventions by the Federal Government.

    The President spoke when he received a group of governors led by Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman Abdul’Aziz Yari at the State House in Abuja.

    Governors on the delegation are Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom, Southsouth); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara, Northcentral); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo, Southwest); Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi, Northwest); Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi Northeast) and Ebonyi Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe, who stood in for the Southeast.

    The Federal Government on May 4 released details of the N243.795 billion second tranche of the Paris Club refund to states.

    Buhari said the plight of workers in the states needed attention urgently as many could barely survive.

    “How can anyone go to bed and sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months.

    “I actually wonder how the workers feed their families, pay their rent and even pay school fees for their children,” he said.

    President Buhari  told the governors that two of the three-pronged focus of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) – to secure the country and fight corruption – had received some commendable reviews by the people.

    He noted that the challenge in payment of salaries in states had taken a toll on the people.

    President Buhari said the Federal Government and state executives would need to work closely to ameliorate the situation of workers.

    Buhari added: “God has been merciful in hearing the prayers of his servants, so the rainy season has been good; you can ask the Kebbi State governor on this, and our enormous food importation bill has gone down.”

    The President said he had instructed all government agencies to comply with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to ensure more transparency and prudence in accounting for revenue and sharing of entitlements with states.

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    A breakdown of the second tranche payment is as follows: Abia got N5.72 billion; Adamawa, N6.11 billion; Akwa Ibom, N10 billion; Anambra, N6.12 billion; Bauchi, N6.88 billion; Bayelsa, N10 billion; Benue, N6.85 billion; and Borno N7.34 billion.

    Cross River got N6.08 billion, Delta, N10 billion; Ebonyi, N4.51 billion; Edo, N6.09 billion; Ekiti, N4.77 billion; Enugu, N5.36 billion; Gombe, N4.47 billion; Imo, N7 billion; Jigawa, N7.11 billion; and Kaduna, N7.72 billion.

    Kano got N10 billion, Katsina, N8.2 billion; Kebbi, N5.98 billion; Kogi, N6.03 billion; Kwara, N5.12 billion; Lagos, N8.37 billion; Nasarawa, N4.55 billion; Niger, N7.2 billion; and Ogun, N5.7 billion.

    The others are Ondo, N7 billion; Osun, N6.3 billion; Oyo, N7.9 billion; Plateau, N5.64 billion; Rivers, N10 billion; Sokoto, N6.44 billion; Taraba, N5.61 billion; Yobe, N5.41 billion; Zamfara, N5.44 billion; and the Federal Capital Territory, N684 million.

    The refund is in respect of over-deductions on Paris Club, London Club Loans and Multilateral debts between 1995 and 2002.

    Chairman of the Forum and Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari said the various interventions by the Federal Government, which included the bailouts, were judiciously utilised by the states.

    He said the governors inherited backlog of unpaid salaries and huge debts.

    “We are concerned with the situation in our states, and we are trying our best to manage the resources,” he said.

    Yari noted that the bailout funds, and part of the fallout from the London-Paris Club that had been received by the states were properly expended to alleviate the plight of workers, but more had to be done.

    The NGF chairman praised the President’s efforts in improving the economy.

    He promised that the states would continue working with the Federal Government to improve the livelihood of workers and all Nigerians.

    Yari, however, insisted on the Federal Government paying the balance of the refund to states.

    He said: “We are here on behalf of the 36 states governors and this is a result of the collective decision to see the President after the National Economic Council meeting last month.

    “We are here to thank Mr President for his concerns about the state economy and … giving us several support ranging from bailout, restructuring our debt, London- Paris Club exit payment. We also told him that we think that  it was because of the decision he has  taken, in which many Nigerians are accusing him, this is the reason why we got out of recession. You know that the 200 million citizens residing in Nigeria are residing in respective states.

    “This support is going down to them, when you are taking the indices from the grassroots. We thanked the President for that and at the same time, as a father,  we said to him ‘Mr President you remember that in 2016, we presented to   you the numbers of London and Paris exit funds which we agreed, and you directed we be paid 50% and 50% open reconciliation.

    ‘Reconciliation is on since 2016. We are hoping that both DMO, Ministry of Finance, AGF and our consultants are concluding this reconciliation by November.

    “Therefore, we want to crave your indulgence so that we can factor the numbers in our 2018 budget so that we can use it for projects and other recurrent spending, according to the specification given by our respective House of Assembly and that’s why we are here.

    “Mr President was prompt being that he has a representative in the National Economic Council, that is the Vice President and Minister of Finance is away. We are going to work with the numbers when he returns from his trip. We are going to follow up this meeting with him so that we can conclude on what is going to be done next,” Yari said.

     

  • Governors demand payment of Paris club refund balance

    Governors demand payment of Paris club refund balance

    Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), led by its Chairman and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz  Yari, on Tuesday  urged President Muhammadu Buhari to release the balance of their Paris exit refund balance in order to  capture it in their respective 2018 appropriation bills.

    A delegation of the 36 state governors were represented by one governor each from the geo-political zones.

    In the delegation are governors of Akwa-Ibom state Emmanuel Udom (S/south); Kwara, Abdulfatah Ahmed (N/Central); Rotimi Akeredolu (S/West); Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu (N/West); Bauchi, Mohammed Abubakar (N/East) and Ebonyi Deputy governor, Kelechi Igwe, who stood in for the S/East.

    On their mission to the President, Yari said “We are here on behalf of the 36 states governors and this is a result of the  collective decision to see the President after the National Economic Council meeting last month.

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    “We are here to thank Mr President for his concerns about the state economy and situation by giving us several support ranging from bail out,restructuring our debt, London- paris club exit payment. We also told  him that we think that  it was because of his  decision he has  taken, in which many Nigerians are accusing him, this is the reason why we got out of recession. You know that the 200 million citizens residing in Nigeria are residing in respective  states.

    “These support is going down to them, when you are taking the indices from the grassroots. We thanked the president for that and at the same time,as a father,  we said to him ‘Mr President you remember that in 2016, we presented to   you the numbers of London and Paris exit funds which we agreed, and you directed we be paid 50% and 50% open reconciliation.

    “Reconciliation is on since 2016, we are hoping that both DMO, ministry of finance, AGF and our consultants are concluding this reconciliation by November.

    “So therefore we want to crave your indulgence so that we can  factor the numbers in our 2018 budget so that we can use it for projects and other recurrent spending according to the specification given by our respective House of Assemblies and that’s why we are here.

    “Mr President was prompt being that he has a representative in the National Economic Council that is the Vice President and Minister of Finance is away. We are going to work with the numbers  when he returns from his trip. We are going to follow up this meeting with him so that we can conclude  on what is going to be done next,” he stressed.” he said

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  • Okowa probes Paris Club refund spending

    Okowa probes Paris Club refund spending

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has directed the Auditor-General of the state to constitute a panel to audit the usage of the state’s share of the Paris Club refund.

    Okowa gave the directive in Asaba while declaring open a two-day Annual Audit Forum for Stakeholders organised by the state in conjunction with the State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) project.

    The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Chief David Edevbie, said the audit was necessary to ensure accountability and transparency.

    He described the theme of the workshop, “Emerging Trends in Transparent and Accountable Conduct of Government Business: The Imperative of Accurate Book Keeping,’’ as timely.

    He urged auditors in the state to examine the challenges of public financial management, particularly as it related to their roles.

    Okowa charged them to remain committed to the tenets of their profession and be “goalkeepers” who must not be persuaded or induced to indulge in inexplicable practices.

    “Owing to the national economic recession, government at all levels is facing a severe financial challenge which calls for discipline, efficient planning and prudent management of public finances.

    “This workshop will help in providing realistic solution for proper book keeping and financial management especially in the public sector.

    “There is no doubt that the financial management system in the country is weak because of the existence of certain enchants which create a variety of loopholes for inappropriate practices.

    “As a state, we see public sector financial management as an essential part of good governance which has helped in the elimination of wastage as well as blocking of leakages.

    “We have also ensured that public expenditure is kept within revenue limit, placing emphasis on judicious spending as well as reducing costs,” Okowa said.

    Earlier, the auditor-general, Mr Chukwudi Amudo, commended the governor for his support for the growth of the audit institution in the state.

    Amudo said that the workshop, the second in the series, was aimed at building upon the maiden one.

  • Bail-out/Paris club refund: 10 salary defaulting states

    Bail-out/Paris club refund: 10 salary defaulting states

    TEN states have misspent the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund, according to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  and are owing salaries of workers.

    The states are as follows:

    Imo

    Paying workers’ salaries in percentage and has not declared utilisation of the bailout fund and Paris Club refund.

    Paid 40 percent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress.

    Bayelsa

    Owing between five to 10 months arrears.

    Ondo is owing between four and six,

    Ekiti (five to eight),

    Benue (five to eight)

    Kogi Worst case scenario.

    Three categories of workers in Kogi ; 40 per cent that are being paid up to date: 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 16 months and another 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 21 months.

     Osun

    Paying in percentage, but is up to date.

    Ebonyi,

    Unilaterally, without discussion with the union tried to reduce the salaries by certain percentage and have also not made available records of utilisation of the Paris Club refund.

     

    Zamfara

    Only state that has not implemented the minimum wage and all attempt (including agreements they have signed) to get them to make available records of utilisation of those funds have failed.

    Abia which has a problem with the parastatals.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba, who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in Abuja, said six of the 10 states were in a terrible situation, pointing out that the congress had directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months salaries to declare an industrial action

    The NLC President ssaid:  “As I speak to you, both Zamfara and Benue are on strike and I am aware that Kogi has issued a notice, which is in conformity with the decision we took at our last NEC meeting that any state with liability of more than three months should start an action and we will be there to support them.”

  • Adamawa civil servants are free of corruption

    Adamawa civil servants are free of corruption

    Gov. Muhammadu Bindow of Adamawa has commended civil servants in the state for eschewing corruption and providing exemplary leadership worthy of emulation.

    The governor gave the commendation in Yola on Tuesday while declaring open one-day sensitisation workshop on work ethics for the state civil servants.

    He said, ‘’Since I assumed office, there has not been a case of civil servant brought before me in connection with corruption related cases.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bindow was elected the governor of the state two years ago.

    “Adamawa civil servants are free of corruption, I can testify to that and in fact, they are among the best to deal with in the country in terms of transparency.’’

    He said that the state government, through Paris club loan refund, had spent billions of naira on the settlement of salary and pension arrears of workers.

    The governor urged the civil servants to pray for him to enable him deliver more dividend of democracy to the people.

    Earlier, Dr Louis Mandama, the state Head of Civil Service said the workshop was organised to improve work ethics of the civil servants in the state.

    The participants include permanent secretaries, directors and heads of departments.

  • Buhari to governors: no excuse on workers’ pay

    Buhari to governors: no excuse on workers’ pay

    • There are Nigerians who haven’t been paid for six months, says President
    • Governors got yesterday a subtle rebuke from the President.
    • He urged them to ensure payment of salaries to workers and pension to retirees.

    The Federal Government has released N760.17 billion in two tranches of the Paris Club loan refund to states for outstanding salaries and pensions but some governors are believed to have spent the cash on other things.

    President Muhammadu Buhari told traditional rulers at a meeting in Abuja that he was “living with the problems of this country day-by-day, and mostly those of the ordinary people”.

    “There are Nigerians that haven’t been paid for six months; there are Nigerians that have not been paid their retirement benefits for years.

    “I’m appealing to the governors (that was why we voted money; we borrowed money), please make sure anybody under you, pay them because most of them depend on that salary to pay rent, school fees,’’ he said.

    He stressed that the mismanagement of the national revenue over the years was responsible for the economic challenges facing the nation.

    Buhari promised to pursue programmes and projects that would better the lot of Nigerians. Nigeria, he said, should use its huge population to advantage.

    The President spoke also on security, saying all hands were on deck to secure the country.

    On unity, he said: “We know our limitations, we have to continue to strengthen our constitution, to strengthen the resolve of our people to live together, work together.

    On agriculture and this year’s planting season, Buhari said: “We are lucky this year than last year and this year the rainy season is good. If it were not good I must confide in you that I was considering which country to run to.

    “But God answered the prayers of many Nigerians. The rainy season last year was good and this year, with the report I’m getting, it is good. We thank God for that; otherwise, there would have been a lot of problems in this country.”

    Members of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria were led to the meeting by Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar III, who thanked God for bringing the President back in sound health. He urged the President to tighten his belt and take on the mantle of leadership.

    He said with a monarch from each of the gropolitical zone assuring Buhari of their support, the President should take their comments as honest and the tonic he needed to work hard for the nation.

    He said: “We will continue to preach peace and stability, justice, transparency and accountability and anti-corruption.”

    One traditional ruler each from the six goe-political zones spoke at the meeting.

    For the Southwest, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwunsi, thanked God for the President’s safe return and for restoring him to good  health. Buhari was away in London for medical reasons. He spent 103 days.

    He said: “From the Southwest, we thank God for your life and we pledge  to support you from our communities because we are closer to our people. We will continue to preach to our people that we should continue to foster peace in our country. We will continue to caution our youths against hate speeches.

    “We cannot leave the development of the country all to the government but we have to work hand in hand. We assure you that we will support all your initiatives.”

    For the Northwest the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said the traditional rulers identified with Buhari’s commitment to national security.

    For the Southsouth, the Jaja of Opobo said: “We express our commitment to your programmes.

    “We know there is tension here and there, but as traditional rulers, we don’t eat politics. The economy has to be fixed. Coming from the region that produces the mainstay of the economy, even though the country will soon diversify the economy, before we diversify let’s protect the one that we still have.

    “We are pleased to work for peace and stability of the region so that we can all see the benefits of the commodity.”

    For Northcentral, the Gbom Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba Gyang, also thanked God for  bringing the President back to celebrate Sallah with fellow Nigerians.

    He said: “The issues of health and security are not issues to play politics with, but issues in which we should put heads together so that the country can progress.

    “We commend your efforts on security and agriculture.

    “Few days ago, just when we thought peace had returned to the plateau up, it was truncated with the attack on Ancha village in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, leading to 20 deaths.”

    Gyang praised the President for ordering the security agencies to fish out those responsible for the attacks.

    Speaking for the Southeast, South East Traditional Council Chairman Eberechi Dick  said: “Our hearts are full of joy that you are back. You shook our hands when you came in and that shows you believe in one Nigeria. We prayed for you and you are back. We prayed for you because your agenda for Nigeria is good.

    “As your children, when we cry, it is for you to ask us to stop crying, that you will fix whatever is making us cry like the bad roads.”

    Speaking for the Northeast, the Lamido Adamawa, said Nigerians were happy to have the President back to the country hale and hearty.

    “God brought you back to Nigeria and we are all very happy. We will continue to pray for God to strengthen you more and give you the courage to continue to do more for the country,” he said.