President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday could not attend the Friday jumaat prayer in the Presidential Villa, Abuja
That was the first time he would not attend the jumaat prayers while around in the Presidential Villa.
Buhari had arrived from vacation in the early hours of Friday from the United Kingdom.
Many Muslim faithfuls had turned up for the jumaat prayer.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has expressed delight over President Muhammadu Buhari’s successful medical trip to London.
It said Buhari’s return has vindicated its claim that the President was not terminally ill as being portrayed in some quarters opposed to the anti-corruption war of the APC-led Federal Government.
It also expressed appreciation to Nigerians who offered prayers and good will in the quick recovery of the President.
In a press statement in Ado-Ekiti on Friday by Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party also apologised to Nigerians on the role played by Governor Ayodele Fayose in making himself the “prophet of death” while the President was abroad tending to his health.
“We have been vindicated in our claim that Fayose was a mere attention-seeker in his relentless death wishes and several social media news items he promoted suggesting that President Buhari was terminally ill on death-bed.
“With the President’s safe return after failure of Fayose’s evil wish primarily propelled by his serial crimes against the law of the nation, the governor has been put to shame with Buhari’s arrival hale and hearty on Friday.
“We also commend the Presidency and the President for not dignifying Fayose with a response when he cynically requested Buhari to call him to prove that he was alive,” Olatunbosun said.
I deign to begin this article by making oblique reference to your well-researched piece published in The Nation, February 26th, 2017 with the title: ‘Vehicles import ban: It’s business as usual.’ That piece, to say the least, was very informative and deserves commendation. That said, I wish to state here that a careful perusal of the different policy pronouncements of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the last 18 months shows that nothing much has really changed in the way government works, especially if one takes a very dispassionate look at the policy matrix of government in terms of its objective purpose.
For the avoidance of doubt and confusion, a few examples would suffice here. Take the recent ban on the importation of vehicles through the land borders announced on 5th December 2016 and whose implementation began 1st January 2017, that policy has clearly shown that this government lacks tact and diplomacy.
I daresay that the outright ban of vehicles through the borders is not just a kneel-jerk approach to issues but does appears to be a hand-wriggling gesture by a government utterly confused about how to handle a less complex problem at hand.
Clearly, rather than rely on executive fiat or brute force as the case may be, a more holistic approach which recognises the unintended consequences of state policies should be readily adopted.
If anything, the Pareto Optimum Principle clearly states that no policy(s) of government, however well-meaning, should be injurious to the socio-economic, physical and psychological wellbeing of the people to whom such a policy(s) was intended in the first place.
This latest ban, from all appearances, is clearly at variance with the principles and letters of the Pareto Optimum Principle.
However, before I go any further, at this juncture, I wager that it would be most appropriate to take a short historical excursion into what actually led to the new policy regime banning vehicle import across the land borders.
The last administration, it may be recalled had initiated a new automotive policy that raised the duty paid on imported vehicles from 20 percent to 70 percent, covering 35 percent duty and 35 percent levy, effective from 2014.
The policy was aimed at discouraging importation and increase patronage for locally assembled cars. It may however interest you to note that that policy from all intent and purpose has been totally counterproductive, to say the least. The reason been that the policy favours just a few at the detriment of the vast majority, whose livelihoods and businesses depend solely on import, especially car dealers who buy between 5-10 cars, make small margin and continue the cycle.
From available information, the famous Vaswani brothers, owners of Stallion Group, appears to be one of the few that may have benefitted from Jonathan’s National Automotive Industry Development Plan as it flooded the market with imports well ahead of the takeoff of the policy, which in itself is undue advantage.
This is particularly troubling because the federal government is being denied the opportunity to earn revenue as a result of the waiver which the policy offers, albeit overtly, just as the local capacity for growth is equally being defeated. And this should not be.
With a few exceptions, most of the so-called vehicle assembly plants across the country exist only in name. For instance, PAN Nigeria Limited, the leading manufacturer of automobiles in Nigeria, assembling Peugeot vehicles incorporated in 1972 has an installed capacity to produce 90,000 cars per annum in three shifts with ample space for future expansion and can generate direct employment for over 5000 people.
Today, the plant has a capacity to produce 250 vehicles a day, assembling two models Peugeot 301 (with four variants) and 508 (two variants). They make significant contributions to the industrial sector by the company’s heavy reliance on a large pool of local content in both material and human respects for the production of vehicles – all built and maintained to the highest international standards in automobile manufacturing. The PAN model is a good one to follow but unfortunately that has not been so with many of the assembling plants.
Investigations revealed that some of the assembling companies camouflaged under the processes and import almost a readymade vehicle that may not necessarily require engaging the kind of manpower the government wishes they would engage in the first place. Aside been a loss of revenue for the Federal government as they may not get what would have been accrued to them as taxes and levies, it appears a disservice, deception to Nigerians.
Of what benefit then is the less than 10% importation levy on the completely knocked down parts (CKD) and the semi knocked down parts (SKD) given as rebate for these companies to provide jobs for Nigerians, particularly the youth? While not making a case for importers of readymade vehicles who import and paid 70% on their imported vehicles, it is feared that this imbalance may not bring anything positive to the Nigerian economy both in the short term and on the long run.
While the government has a right to make policy pronouncements as it deems fit this should however be done with a human face and not selectively as to give the impression that such policy(s) is to favour some people ab initio.
Going forward, what the government needs to do therefore is to first consider tinkering with the subsisting automotive policy and weigh in on it because the policy as it is presently implemented is a disincentive to business both in the short, medium to long term.
More than that, there is a serious need for the reorientation of the officers and men of the Nigerian Customs Service, who are expected to enforce most of these policies in question. They are human after all and hence can be malleable as past experience has shown.
Whatever efforts being made can easily be jeopardized if the moral laxity of these law enforcement agents are not factored into the measures being taken.
Methinks that if the federal government takes a step further and scrap the high import duty regime imposed on vehicles by the administration of President Jonathan in 2013 and return the import duties on vehicles to 20 percent from the prohibitive 70 percent tariff imposed by the former administration, the reversal will serve as an incentive for Nigerians to import legitimately through the seaports and make appropriate payments to government. This will boost revenue collection by the Customs and also lead to the return of lost jobs at the affected ports.
Timothy, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja
People of Katsina trooped out to the streets on Friday to celebrate the safe return of the President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigeria after a medical trip to the United Kingdom.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the residents staged a procession in several vehicles round major streets of the ancient city thanking Allah for the president’s safe arrival.
Some of the residents carried posters of the President while others had placards with inscriptions “Oyoyo Baba”, “Sai Baba Buhari”.
One of the residents, Amiru Lukman told NAN that the show of jubilation was in solidarity with them and to display their love for the President, who hails from Daura in Katsina State.
Lukman solicited for continued prayers to Allah to give the President good health and ability to discharge his duties more effectively.
He commended Nigerians for their support and prayers during the President’s stay in London.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday told guests that he could not recall ever being sick from his youth.
He said, “I couldn’t recall being so sick since I was a young man, including the military with its ups and downs. I Found out that technology is going so
fast that if you have a lot of confidence you better keep it because you need it.
He also said he couldn’t recall when last he had blood transfusion, “I couldn’t recall honestly I can say in my seventy years that i had blood transfusions, or go to the laboratories, and so on and so forth, but I am very pleased that we, when I say we I mean the government and the people all over are trying to keep with technology.
“I couldn’t remember this drug that Nigerians take so much, very common. I think one of our terrible thing is self drug administration. We have to trust our doctors more and trust ourselves more bearcat I visited they only take drugs when it is absolutely necessary. They don’t just swallow
everything .
Having said that I am pleased that I am back, I am pleased that the Vice President enjoyed this break and he has to do much more this time around.
President Muhammadu Buhari who arrived the country Friday has said the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will continue to work while he takes his rest.
Buhari who disclosed this at his first meeting with Osinbajo and other ministers in Aso Rock said he deliberately came back towards the weekend.
Below is Buhari’s speech.
“I am pleased that I am back, I am pleased that the Vice President enjoyed this break and he has to do much more this time around. Youth and intellect is squarely behind him, age and purely military experience is behind me. Continue to do the work, Nigeria will continue whether we are here or not and my single most important advise is take education of everybody under your responsibility very seriously, your children our relatives, our constituencies, education education education. We must do more on education.”
He added; “I am deeply grateful to all Nigerians Muslims and Christians alike who have prayed and continue to pray for my good health. This is a testimony that inspite of the hardship being experienced Nigerians support the government in its efforts to tackle our country’s challenges.
“The best way me to pay you all is to rededicate myself to serving you, protecting your interest and keeping your trust. I thank you very much. I feel much better now.
“All I will need is to do further follow ups within some weeks.
“Rather than sending delegations to Abuja to welcome me, May I appeal to our people to continue to pray for the country’s unity, progress and prosperity. I thank you very much and may God bless our country.
“There is a remarkable difference between what happened now and what happened last year.
“When it was getting to Christmas I told the Vice President, I know he has got a church therefore he has to go home. I said ok let us do it turn by
turn, you go for Christmas and the New Year and when you come back I will go.
“He said yes. I suspected he didn’t go home, when he came back, I said ok it will be my turn in some months time. This time around I said we better do the same, I
didn’t know he had the same principles, but for me I feel that I was a little more tired than I probably was in last eighteen months. Whatever the
case , I am very grateful that Nigerians are appreciative of what all of us are doing as a group. I am very pleased with them.
“I am cost conscious and I think the VP knows about the expenditure. So please if you were clever enough reroute your way, say on your official
duties either from US back to Nigeria.
“If was a battle please don’t be too upset. I am very conscious of the economy. I have rested as much as humanly possible, I have received I think the best of treatment I could receive.”
Kano residents on Friday expressed gratitude to God for the safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari to the country.
NAN reports that President Buhari’s Aircraft landed at the Kaduna Air Force base at about 7:40am on Friday after spending over a month in the UK.
Some of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they were happy that the President returned to the country safely and in good health.
“I heard the news of his return and since then I have been very happy, because Buhari meant well for our country,” a resident Lawal Garba said.
Another resident, Mukhtar Dahiru-Rigachikun said he had no words to express his happiness on the safe return of President Buhari.
“I have no words to express my happiness and gratitude to God for bringing him back to the country safety and in good health.
The only thing I want to add is that Nigerians should thank God for returning him safely and those wishing him dead should desist from such wishful thinking,” he said.
He urged Nigerians irrespective of religious and political inclination to continue to pray for the sustenance of peace and unity in the country.
Even the diehard cynics know that Buhari has done well in tackling the security challenges which bedeviled the country especially in the Northeast region,” he said.
Also commenting, Malam Bala Confirm expressed happiness on the safe return of the President and advised Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for Buhari and his administration.
Malam Jalaluddeen, a civil servant, expressed the hope that the President would continue with the good works he had started especially the fight against corruption and insurgency.
“Even though the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has done well in his absence but they will now put heads together to move the country forward,” he added.
A pressure group, People’s Alliance Front (PAF) sponsored by Great Leadership Advocacy Organisation has been inaugurated in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
The group said its aim is to mobilise the citizens, especially the youths, to lead a mass movement that will achieve social and political transformation.
There was a session during the event when members of the group went into prayers, interceding on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari who is on medical vacation in London.
Speaking at the event, the national leader of the group, Ikechukwu Apugo said that time has passed when youths of the country sat at home to criticise any government in power without giving a helping hand through suggestions.
Apugo said that the platform being launched is an inclusive one formed to bring social and politically conscious Nigerians together to achieve progress and development irrespective of party affiliations.
He said, “Our objective and belief is the need to achieve transformational leadership through citizen engagement which will in turn add substantial value to people’s lives as well as improve service delivery”.
“We also aim to engage and educate Nigeria citizens towards participating in their civic and social responsibilities and mobilise support for funds and aids for indigents as well as victims of natural disaster and refugees”.
Apugo said that the group is open to all members from all walks of life irrespective of political, religion or ethnic inclination, adding that they have made tremendous in road by drawing new members in all the six geopolitical zone of the country, “Especially in both the Southeast and Northeast zones”.
The PAF national leader said that the group is an avenue where people are given the voice to say what they government of the day is not doing right or doing right without being insulting.
He said, “PAF which we are inaugurated is to become the people’s voice with the aim of making Nigeria great again and it is not a political party but a pressure group that encompasses every unit of the country”.
“We have inaugurated the Southeast zone of the group this is the reason behind all the states in the zone being here for the inauguration and the zonal inauguration will be done in all the remaining five zones of the country”.
“It is a mass movement of like-minded persons committed to the development of our nation, a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and cross-political initiative that fosters good governance, service delivery, accountability and humanitarianism”.
“In PAF, we believe that citizens play a pivotal role in complementing the efforts of governments at all levels, hence the need for everyone to contribute their quota towards the growth and development of every aspect of our national life”.
“The core of our objective and believe is the need to achieve transformational leadership through citizen engagement which will in turn add substantial value to people’s lives as well as improve service delivery”.
“I call on all who want to see our country soar to greatness again to join us in PAF as leadership is not the exclusive reserve of the privileged, all hands must be on deck to make our country great again”.
“That is the reason behind our prayers for our leaders at all levels, especially our President Muhammadu Buhari, it is our prayer that God will restore his health and give him wisdom to turn the fortunes of the country around.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the late former governor of the defunct Western Region, retired Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, as a true patriot.
A statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina in Abuja, said Buhari stated this in a telephone call from London to the son of the late general and former governor of Ekiti State, Niyi Adebayo.
Adesina said the President lamented that “Nigeria will surely miss the uncommon patriotism and nationalism which Gen. Adebayo typified’’.
The President also commiserated with the people of Ekiti State and the entire Yoruba race.
He noted that the late octogenarian while standing firmly for the unity of the country, also fought for the interest of his people as the President of the Yoruba Council of Elders.
President Buhari prayed that Almighty God would console the Adebayo family and grant the soul of the departed elder statesman eternal rest.
According to the statement, while thanking President Buhari for the call and commiserations, Niyi Adebayo also wished the President good health.
The former military governor of defunct Western Region, Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, died in Lagos on Wednesday on the eve of his 89th birthday.
Family sources said he suddenly took ill at his GRA Ikeja, Lagos home and he was taken to the hospital where he died shortly after.
Adebayo was born in 1928 in Iyin Ekiti, near Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State.
He attended All Saints School, Iyin-Ekiti, and later attended Eko Boys High School and Christ’s School Ado Ekiti.
He joined the West African Frontier Force in 1948 as a regiment signaler and later completed the Officer Cadet Training Course in Teshie, Ghana from 1950 to 1952.
He was commissioned as an officer in the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) as the 23rd West African military officer with number WA23 and 7th Nigerian military officer with number N7 after completing the War Office Cadet Training in Eaton Hall, England.
He later attended the Staff College course in Camberley (Surrey) in 1960 and the prestigious Imperial Defence College, London in late 1965 where he was the only African officer.
He was a Military governor, Western Nigeria from 1966 to1971.
The new leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, Tuesday, said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was genuinely committed and willing to work for the interests of the Niger Delta region.
The council led by Eric Omare said the youths in the region were elated at the recent directive by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that International Oil Companies (IOCs) should relocate their headquarters to Niger Delta.
The IYC in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Mr. Henry Iyalla, commended the Acting President for the directive and said it was one of the demands it presented to the Presidency in 2016.
Iyalla said: “We hail the acting President for conceding to our demand. This move shows that the Muhamadu Buhari-led Federal Government is responsive, dedicated, and willing to work in the interest of the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria as a whole.
“Furthermore, we wish to assure the IOC’s of the cooperation of host communities and our commitment to ensure a safe, secure, and conducive atmosphere for a smooth running of their operations.
“Moving forward, we enjoin the Federal Government and the IOC’s to as a matter of necessity involve the IYC in its plans and arrangements towards the implementation of this exercise to enable us render our valued contribution in decisions been made to ensure all parties are satisfied during the exercise.
“We are committed to seeing the realization of this in the shortest possible time and enjoin the IOC’s to work within a time frame acceptable to the IYC”.