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Tag: PRESIDENCY

  • Presidency eyes steady growth despite weak Q3 report

    Presidency eyes steady growth despite weak Q3 report

    The Presidency yesterday expressed optimism that the economy was on steady growth despite the third quarter (Q3) report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which showed a further contraction in growth.

    It said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was consistent in its resolve to find economic stability in the country.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Office of The Vice President, Laolu Akande, re-affirmed the growth following the latest NBS report, saying the consistent growth in the agric and solid mineral sectors would cushion the effects and boost the economy.

    Noting that the vandalism of oil assets in the Niger Delta by militants also affected oil production output, he said  hopes were high with ongoing negotiations with leaders in the region.

    He said: “The Q3  GDP figures released by the NBS revealed a consistent growth in agric and solid mineral sectors, indicating the success of the Buhari administration’s economic policies even though overall economy is still in recession.

    “The over-riding impact of the oil and gas sector, where vandalism and sabotage of critical installations negatively affected production output, explains the persistence of the recession, as the non-oil economy posted a very slight growth.

    “Efforts to resolve the Niger Delta situation are however continuing as the Federal Government has opened several channels of communication with all relevant groups in the Niger Delta. Also, urgent fiscal and monetary measures to spur the economy back to overall positive territory are certainly in the offing including those targeting manufacturing.”

    He admitted that the country was still in recession.

    “The Q3 results just released by the NBS show that the Nigerian economy is still in recession. Growth in GDP fell by -2.24 per cent in the Q3 as compared to the decline of -2.07per cent experienced in Q2.

    “The slight deterioration in national economic performance owes largely to the continued poor performance of the oil and gas sector which worsened to -22.01per cent in Q3 as compared to -17.48 per cent in Q2 of 2016.

     

  • Buhari won’t be alone in 2019, says Presidency

    Buhari won’t be alone in 2019, says Presidency

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, yesterday dismissed suggestions that the masses will desert President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
    A former Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) member, Alhaji Buba Galadima, had claimed that the President would be abandoned by the people in 2019.
    In a statement issued in Abuja, Shehu described the suggestion as unfounded and utterly ridiculous.
    He said the ordinary Nigerians were the backbone of Buhari’s mandate and the only reason he ran for the office was to protect them against the rapacious merchants of corruption, who have held Nigeria back for decades.
    He said Galadima’s calculation and prediction were utterly confused and misleading.
    The masses, he said, were solidly behind Buhari because he was not stealing their money and their future.
    He stressed that the President’s enormous goodwill remains ever strong because the people were convinced the President was acting in their best interest, despite the temporary unintended consequences of reforms.
    He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is far from isolation. He enjoys a very strategic relationship with ordinary Nigerians. This relationship is as solid as the proverbial rock. If Buba Galadima thinks that because he has no role and no job in this government that means president is isolated, he is putting himself up to ridicule.”
    He said Galadima could not speak for the masses as far as their steadfast loyalty to Buhari was concerned.
    Acknowledging that Galadima was entitled to advance his own political agenda, Shehu said Galadima didn’t have the right to decide for ordinary voters.
    He noted that Buba Galadima’s disagreement with Buhari was based on principle.
    He explained that Buhari was committed to a level-playing field and would not want anyone to link his name to injustice.
    The presidential media aide said Galadima’s disagreement with Buhari started in 2011, when a group within the party orchestrated an organisational mess by which the CPC embarked on the imposition and substitution of candidates for cash payments at the expense of those duly and democratically elected.
    He said Buhari was embarrassed by the incidents and complaints about the imposition and substitution of candidates, adding that he, as a democrat, would not suppress the will of the people to please selfish interests.
    “Consequently, he dispensed with the services, such as they are, of Buba Galadima; ran and won the 2015 elections without them. Let Buba Galadima go to his constituency, stand for election and see what will happen to him,” he said.

  • Chibok girls: Presidency, Military deny payment of $21m for ransom

    Chibok girls: Presidency, Military deny payment of $21m for ransom

    The Presidency yesterday denied the alleged payment of $21million to Boko Haram leadership for the release of 21 Chibok girls.

    It said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had no such money to pay as ransom.

    The presidency said negotiations for the release of more Chibok girls, possibly all the rest, were in progress.

    The military high command also strongly denied paying any ransom.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, faulted some reports that the ransom cash was being used by Boko Haram insurgents to buy arms to launch fresh attacks on the country.

    The statement said: “Over the past few days, some newspaper reports  ascribing the recent terrorist attacks in Borno State to the government’s negotiation of the release of 21 Chibok girls, with a particular report alleging the exchange of US$21 million for the girls are false and should be disregarded by members of the public. This loose talk is journalism at its most irresponsible and it’s most dismaying.

    “As a responsible government that is run on the basis of the constitution and budgets duly appropriated by the National Assembly, we have no such money under any allocation to pay out this outrageous sum of money as ransom.

    “Beyond the call of journalism, the newspaper making this charge has a national duty to point how and where this money was paid, and to supply leads as to where the “powerful weapons” were bought by the terrorists.”

    The statement said the girls regained freedom in line with the campaign pledge of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The statement added: “From the inception of President Buhari’s administration, the media, local and international groups, have persistently pressured the government to do everything possible to facilitate the release of the Chibok girls.”

    The presidency however appealed to the media not to relent in their support for the military.

    It said: “May I humbly, once again appeal to the Nigerian media to continue their unflinching support to the military and other security agencies as they fight to free our country from terrorism.”

    In a statement in Abuja, the Defence Headquarters also said it has become worrisome that some sections of the media have continued to undermine national security by insisting a ransom was paid to Boko Haram.

    Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. General Rabe Abubakar said the story carried by a national newspaper (not The Nation) is unsubstantiated, false and a deliberate campaign against the military. He said the report that the ransom paid is being used by Boko Haram to further carry out attacks is capable of undermining national security.

    The DHQ however warns: “The DHQ wishes to once more remind the media to be cautious of such reports which has serious implication on national security and to further add that, as partners in progress, the media also has a stake in the ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace in the North East and the country in general.”

     

     

  • Presidency hails Nigerian doctor’s surgical feat on unborn baby in U.S.

    Presidency hails Nigerian doctor’s surgical feat on unborn baby in U.S.

    The Federal Government has congratulated a United States (U.S)-based Nigerian surgeon, Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, on his feat in carrying out a successful operation on an unborn baby with tumour in her mother’s womb.

    Olutoye and his surgeon partner, Dr. Darrell Cass of Texas Children’s Hospital, carried out an operation on a foetus at 23 weeks.

    The baby, Lynlee Hope, who suffered from a tumour known as Sacrococcygeal Teratoma, was removed from her mother’s womb, operated on and returned back.

    She healed and continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this in a statement to felicitate with Olutoye on behalf of the President and people of Nigeria.

    Olutoye is Co-Director of the Texas Children’s Fetal Center and fetal surgery team member, as well as a general paediatric surgeon in USA.

    Olutoye received his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1988 and his PhD in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996.

     

  • Herdsmen: Fayose raises alarm as Presidency urges calm

    Herdsmen: Fayose raises alarm as Presidency urges calm

    THE Presidency yesterday appealed to cattle owners and Ekiti people to seek a common ground in finding a solution to the festering row between herdsmen and farmers.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi  Ojudu, made the appeal yesterday when he met with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

    At the meeting, MACBAN spokesman Baba Othman Ngelzarma said his group was not opposed to the new Ekiti grazing law but rejects a situation where Governor Ayo Fayose deliberately leads the constant attacks and killings of their cows.

    He said his group may stop the supply of cattle and goats to Ekiti State.

    “We are in support of the law stopping grazing from 6pm to 6am but oppose a situation where armed men shoot and kill our cattles during the day.

    Ojudu thanked the association for the meeting.

    He said in a democracy every opportunity for dialogue should be explored.

    The special adviser said the symbiotic relationship between the herdsmen and the people should be explored.

    Governor Ayo Fayose has alerted communities to the threat by MACBAN.

    MACBAN, in a statement at the weekend, claimed that the Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (EGEM) on October 21, killed five cows.

    Ngelzarma urged the Federal Government to intervene “before this macabre incident develops into a feud involving our members and the Ekiti State government”.

    At a briefing at the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, Fayose dismissed MACBAN’s claim that five cows were killed on Friday.

    He said the cows are alive and in the government’s custody.

    The governor accused the Federal Government of backing the herdsmen to attack communities.

    Fayose said: “Four days after this threat was issued, the Federal Government is yet to act.

    “The silence of the Federal Government has  further confirmed the insinuation that there is a plot to support the herdsmen to invade some boundary towns and villages in Ekiti State.”

    The governor continued: “I am therefore using this opportunity to put Ekiti people, especially residents of boundary towns, on red alert. Ekiti people must be prepared to defend their land against these Philistines, whose attributes and characters are extremism, violence, bloodshed and destruction.”

    The governor said: “Why didn’t Miyetti Allah warn its members when they were killing Nigerians and destroying farmlands?

    “Are their cows more important than human lives?

    “To us in Ekiti, 5000 cows cannot be equated to human beings who are being killed daily by herdsmen across the country.

    “MACBAN should know that cattle farmers are not different from other farmers.

    “If they want to rear cows in Ekiti, they should do so in accordance with the laws of the state.

    “After all, law prohibiting sale and consumption of alcohol was made in Kano State and the law is being enforced while Sharia Law made in some states in the North is also being enforced.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Bill that was signed into law on August 29 remains in force.

    “MACBAN should tell its members to comply with this law by seeking from the government designated land for grazing, which the government is always willing to give.

    “It is strange that the association kept silent when its members killed two people and injured several others in Oke-Ako in Ekiti State.”

     

  • Presidency insists judges must step down for trial

    Presidency insists judges must step down for trial

    Why DSS won’t give NJC evidence
    NJC to act before CJN’s exit
    Council bars judges from taking gifts

    The Presidency is insisting that two Supreme Court Justices and four others must step aside ahead of their trial for alleged corruption, it was learnt last night.

    It also faulted Chief Justice Mahmud Mohammed’s claim that the Judiciary had issues with the Department of State Services (DSS), not the Federal Government.

    It was also learnt that the DSS refused to release the evidence against the judges under probe to the National Judicial Council (NJC) in order not to prejudice their trial.

    Those under investigation by the DSS are two Supreme Court Justices -Justice Sylvester Ngwuta and Justice Inyang Okoro; the suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, who was picked up in Sokoto; Justice Adeniyi Ademola (Federal High Court); the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike;  Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court;  Justice Muazu Pindiga (Gombe State High Court);  Justice Bashir Sukola and  Justice Ladan Manir, from the Kaduna State High Court.

    Of the nine judges, the NJC has recommended sanctions for Justice Tsamiya; Justice. Umezulike and Justice Kabiru Auta.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) is investigating six judges of the Federal High Court. They are: Justices Mohammed Nasir Yunusa; Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa; Musa Haruna Kurya; Agbadu James Fishim; Uwani Abba Aji; and Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.

    But the NJC has refused to suspend six of the judges because, according to the Judicial agency, the DSS is yet to submit petitions and evidence against them.

    The government however said the judges must step aside to clear their names instead of facing trial while on the bench.

    A top government source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The government has made its position known to the CJN. On why the judges should step aside ahead of their trial. The government will not yield ground on this.

    “If we go ahead to arraign them in court, the same CJN and NJC will accuse the government of desecrating the Judiciary. The right step now is to allow the judges to face trial and clear the allegations against them.

    “It is unfortunate that what the CJN told the government on how to handle the case of the judges was different from the statement he issued.

    “We are suspecting that the CJN might be under pressure from his colleagues or he wants to leave the fate of the judges to his successor.

    “He cannot rationalise by making a distinction between the Federal Government and the DSS. The government was in support of the sting operations of the security agency. So, the DSS did not act unilaterally.

    “We will not take up issues with the CJN because the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA), some former Supreme Court Justices and the Body of Benchers have supported the position of the government that the judges should step aside.”

    The source added: “Some of the judges in their letters to the CJN admitted having huge cash at home as if their houses are banks. In some jurisdictions, no judge can have up to $5,000 dollars at hand.

    “We have a case of a judge who had never withdrawn a kobo from his salary account. How does he feed? Yet, the CJN was put into confidence on some of these issues at a meeting with some government officials. In what other way can the government respect the Judiciary?

    It was learnt at the weekend that the NJC might meet this week or before the November 10 exit date of the CJN on the petitions against some judges.

    It was gathered that the NJC session scheduled for Saturday was suddenly shifted following pressure from some quarters.

    A member of the NJC said: “Yes, our meeting was postponed at the last minute because of certain circumstances. We are hopeful that we may meet this week, depending on the disposition of the CJN.

    “What is however clear is that we will hold a meeting before the exit date of the CJN. We have to take a decision on some petitions against some judges before the council. One of the petitions is a high profile one.

    “It is also statutory that we meet to bid the CJN a farewell and ratify some recommendations on some judges.”

    It was gathered that the DSS refused to release evidence against the embattled judges to the NJC in order not to lay all the cards on the table before their trial.

    The DSS suspects that there is no way the judges will not be privy to the evidence against them and they may begin to frustrate their trial with preliminary objection.

    The agency prefers encounters with the judges in court instead of the NJC, which is a disciplinary body.

    A security source said: “With the suspicious manner the  NJC threw away some cases/ petitions  against some judges, the DSS cannot take such a risk to make all its evidence available to the body.

    “Take the case of a judge who was implicated in a N500million bribery, the Petition Review Committee of the NJC cleared him. This is a judge who admitted on tape to have collected bribe.

    “It took some persistence by a petitioner before the NJC could accept to sanction the Chief Judge of Enugu State. He was retired after about four petitions against him.

    “Another judge accused of demanding N200million was retired by the NJC when the law is explicit on what should be done.

    “To give evidence to NJC will amount to prejudging the judges. The DSS conducted sting operations in some judges’ quarters; it believes the law should take its course through trial.

    “Once the evidence are made available to the NJC, the trial of the judges will suffer a setback from the outset because they will know what the government has against them.”

  • Presidency hands over aircraft to NAF

    Presidency hands over aircraft to NAF

    The fight against insurgency in the Northeast received a boost yesterday after the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) took delivery of two Augusta Westland 101 Helicopters from the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).

    The handing over of the helicopters was part of the promise of President Muhammadu Buhari to reduce the cost of maintaining the PAF through the sale and redeployment of some aircrafts. It is also to improve the capacity of the military in tackling insurgency in the Northeast and the Niger Delta.

    The two Augusta 101 and 102 aircraft are executive helicopters designed for the transportation of the President, the Vice-President and other top government functionaries.

    The aircraft are also fitted with ballistic defence capabilities and defensive aid suites.

    In 2015, two aircrafts AW109 helicopter and King Air Beechcraft were released to the NAF shortly after the inauguration of President Buhari.

    The handing over event, which held at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was witnessed by Minister of Defence Gen. Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt General Tukur Buratai and National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj. Gen.  Babagana Monguno among other senior officers.

    Gen. Dan-Ali, who handed over the aircraft, said it is in line with President Buhari’s ‘Change Begins With Me’ agenda.

    Receiving the aircraft, Air Marshal Abubakar said the gesture by the presidency is a reflection of the administration’ continuous resolve to boost the capabilities of the NAF.

    While thanking the President, he said the NAF remains encourage to focus on the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North east and militancy in the Niger Delta.

    He said the one of the aircraft would be reconfigured and deployed as an Air Ambulance which will be fitted with Trauma Unit while the second one would be configured as a troop carrier.

    National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. Monguno said the handing over is a fulfilment of Mr. President’s promise to reduce cost on the amount expended on the PAF through downsizing.

    He said: “Additionally, Mr. President has given approval for the sale of one out of the 2x Falcons 7X and the Hawker 4000 aircraft operated by the Fleet. A Committee for the sale of both aircraft is already sitting and will soon complete their assignment.”

    He said the President appreciates the need to enhance the airlift capacity of the NAF to strengthen the efforts of the ongoing campaign against insurgency.

    The handing over ceremony was conducted by the NSA, the Minister of Defence and CAS. Documents relating to the aircraft were signed and handed over to the CAS.

    Immediately, the NAF crew led by Air Commodore Segun Philip moved to the two aircraft and inspected them.

    “ We are dressed in flying suits because we are in a hurry to test the helicopters, “ the CAS said. In less than two minutes, the engines roared while the dignitaries conducted an inspection of the aircraft.

    The Commander, 101 PAF, Air Commodore Sadique Keita said contracts for the two aircrafts were signed in 2013 while the first arrived Nigeria on October 20, 2014 and the second was delivered on May 21 2015.

    He described the aircrafts as “very versatile for both

  • Judges’ arrest was attack on corruption, not judiciary, says Presidency

    The Presidency on Sunday night maintained that the arrest of some justices and judges across the country by the Department of State Security (DSS) was an attack on corruption and not on judiciary.

    DSS at the weekend had recovered N93.5 million, $530,087 and £25,970 from three of the justices and judges in its custody.

    There was public outrage against the method adopted by the DSS as many viewed the move as anti-democracy.

    But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, said that the President reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary as the third arm of government.

    To this end, he said that the President will not do anything to undermine the judiciary’s independence.

    According to him, President Buhari remained a committed democrat in words and in actions and will not take any action in violation of the constitution.

    The statement reads in parts: “The recent surgical operation against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution.

    “In a robust democracy such as ours, there is bound to be a plurality of opinions on any given issue, but there is a convergence of views that the country has a corruption problem that needs to be corrected.

    “But reports by a section of the media are giving us cause for concern.

    “In undertaking the task of reporting, the media should be careful about the fault lines they open. It is wrong to present this incident as a confrontation between the executive and judicial arms of government.”

    He said that the Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.

    To suggest that the government is acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner, he said, is to breach the interest of the state.

  • Presidency hails Henry Okah’s conviction by Supreme Court

    Presidency hails Henry Okah’s conviction by Supreme Court

    • ‘South Africa enduring partner against terrorism’

    The Presidency yesterday praised the South African Supreme Court of Appeal’s decision of October 3 confirming the conviction of Henry Okah to twenty years (20) in prison.

    The court had found Okah guilty on two out of the six-counts charges relating to the Warri bombings preferred against him.

    The court also upheld the 12-year sentence for his role in the Abuja bombing.

    The convictions upheld are those in respect of the Warri bombing, relating to Okah’s providing finance and equipment without which the bombing would not have been executed.

    A presidential source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Nigerian government had written “a measured letter” to the South Africa, hailing the judicial decision as a big step forward towards removing terrorism from the continent.

    “South Africa has projected itself an enduring partner to Nigeria in the war against terrorism.

    “When African countries act jointly against terrorism, they send out clear and unambiguous signals that there is no more a place for terrorism on our continent,” the source stated

    The court held that Okah provided more than N2 million to three individuals for the purpose of acquiring vehicles and explosives used in the Warri bombing.

    On the Abuja bombing, the court upheld that Okah conspired, planned and instructed people in relation to its execution while he was in South Africa.

    The court therefore held that exemption clause on extra-territorial application could not apply as Okah orchestrated the Abuja bombing while in South African territory.

    The Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, by this judgment has effectively reduced the 12-year sentence for Warri bombing to 8 years but maintained the 12-year sentence for the Abuja bombing.

    It makes the conviction period 20 years as against the 24- year ruling by a lower Court.

    The presidency source said that the latest judgment is a victory for the fight against terrorism in all its form and shape.

    It said this should be hailed by all well meaning Nigerians and citizens of the world.

    “The South African authorities are therefore urged to ensure that Okah is made to face the full wrath of the law for his acts of international terrorism.

    “The scourge of terrorism as perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorists and the so-called “Niger Delta Avengers or militants” has led to the death of several Nigerians and the monumental destruction of national assets,” the source added.

    Okah, who was granted Permanent Residency in South Africa in 2007, was arrested in Johannesburg on 2nd October, 2010.

    The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed the presidency viewed the conviction positively as serious signal in cleansing Nigeria of terrorism.

     

  • No vendetta against past leaders – Presidency

    The Presidency on Friday denied allegations that the allowances due to a former President have been stopped and his bank accounts frozen.

    The allegations were made by demonstrators in Bayelsa State on Thursday.

    A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, said the claims were patently untrue.

    He said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has already confirmed that the former President and other past leaders were paid their allowances up to the second quarter of this year.

    According to him, the third quarter allowances for the past leaders will be paid as soon as the SGF gets remittances from the Ministry of Finance.

    The statement reads: “Also, the story of account closure is false. It is not known to the investigation agencies.

    “The National Security Adviser to the President is not aware of this bank account closure; the DG SSS is unaware of it, the EFCC is unaware and the IG of Police is not in the know.

    “With all of these agencies not being involved, how then could a thing like that happen? In a dream perhaps!

    “To put it starkly, we believe there is a clear motive for the demonstration that is different from that which was being canvassed.”

    The Presidency believed that the protest was a premeditated attempt to blame President Muhammadu Buhari for something he knew nothing about.

    “These claims are false and poorly sourced to present a picture of vendetta, and they should be disregarded by well-meaning members of the public.

    “President Buhari remains committed to the ideals of justice and fairness to all irrespective of creed, religion and political leanings. His administration will not engage in vendetta,” the statement added.