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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • Buhari: Cleric seeks Nigerians’ prayer

    Buhari: Cleric seeks Nigerians’ prayer

    Bishop Martins Uzoukwu, the Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese, on Sunday urged Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion or political differences to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari to steer Nigeria to greatness.

    Uzoukwu said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna shortly after Sunday service that praying for the president was necessary in view of the myriads of problems in the country.

    “I specifically pray for our President to return back home safely to administer the affairs of our great country, we should all seek divine intervention in our nation’s socioeconomic and political activities.”

    The bishop stressed that Nigerians must shun sentiments and support the government to move Nigeria out of its present predicament, adding that the prayers of all Nigerians is necessary in this respect.

    He also called on Nigerians to always wish their leaders well, to enable them implement policies that would be beneficial to all.

    Uzoukwu commanded President Buhari for demonstrating the political will in ending the senseless killings of Nigerians by the insurgents in the north east.

    He said that Nigerians must assist the government and security agencies to tackle other crisis situations in Nigeria, in order to ensure peace, progress and political stability of the nation.

  • CJN’s appointment: SAN commends Buhari’s cautious approach

    CJN’s appointment: SAN commends Buhari’s cautious approach

    …Says delay in Onnoghen’s confirmation could result in chaos

     

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sebastine Hon has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s cautious approach to the appointment of a substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

    Hon commended the position taken on the issue by the acting CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen and the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PLACAC), Prof Itse Sagay (SAN).

    Justice Onnoghen had, in a statement on Thursday, appealed to those criticising President Buhari over his perceived delay in appointing him (Onnoghne) in substantive capacity to allow the President the free hand to operate.

    Sagay has also aired similar view in his recent comments on the issue of the appointment of a substantive CJN.

    In a statement Friday, Hon assured President Buhari that Onnoghen’s appointment in substantive capacity was the best way the President could secure the buy-in of the Judiciary and ensure the success of his various reform initiatives and anti-corruption fight.

    Part of the statement reads: “I am personally delighted and I also commend the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, for his timely reaction to the delay in the President forwarding his name to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    “Honourable Justice Onnoghen has, from that reaction, proved he is worthy of occupying that high seat. By shrugging off the apparent pressure on him to utter those words, Justice Onnoghen has shown that he is a nationalistic personality and is also ready and willing to shoulder the responsibility of assuming the headship of the nation’s third arm of government.

    “I hereby encourage, if not plead, with Mr. President to forward Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation. Whatever reforms the President intends for the Judiciary will not be hindered but will be enhanced if our dear President does this.

    “The reason is plain enough: it is when and only when the Judiciary willingly keys into those reforms that the said reforms will see the light of the day. I am dead serious on this!
    Finally, I also commend the reaction of respected Presidential aide, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN to the issue.

    “The learned Professor’s views reflect a most genuine inner mind of a critical stakeholder to clean the Augean Stable of the Judiciary. Prof. Sagay has a very rich resume as a no-nonesense anti-corruption crusader; hence his views on such issues should never be treated lightly.

    “However, I also, with humility, ask that he should again look at the watertight procedure spelt out in the Constitution for the appointment and removal from office of judicial officers. Such appointment and removal must involve the National Judicial Council (NJC); and it is only the cooperation rather than the coercion of the NJC that will achieve the desired result.

    “Mr. President’s anti-graft war is on course, but he needs the two other arms of government, especially the Judiciary, to achieve this. Also, far-reaching reforms like the anti-corruption war are best achieved over time and not necessarily instantaneously.

    “Mr. President should please send Justice Onnoghen’s name for confirmation as the CJN, to save an avoidable constitutional crisis in the Judiciary,” Hon said.

  • Senate Leader briefs Osinbajo on 2017 Budget

    Senate Leader briefs Osinbajo on 2017 Budget

    ..Says opposition Senators cooperating with Buhari

    The new Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, on Monday met with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the State House and briefed him on the progress made so far by the Upper Chamber in the consideration of the 2017 Appropriation bill at the National Assembly.

    According to him, Senators on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition parties are unanimous in their support for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the closed door meeting.

    He said: “I’m here to meet the Acting President to brief him on what the Senate is doing on the Appropriation Bill 2017. You know we have suspended plenaries for three weeks. The idea is to have ample time to focus on the appropriation bill. The committees will start to work from this week meeting the MDAs on the budget defence that they need to do.

    “Secondly, you know that the Acting President is an APC Acting President of this our administration. As a new Senate Leader, it is also important that I come here to this office to tell the Acting President and our administration that the APC caucus in the Senate is now a united caucus.

    “We are ready as a caucus to support our administration; we are also ready as a Senate, that is both the APC and the minority parties, to work for the betterment of Nigerians. Our colleagues in the opposition have always been supportive and being there for the Senate to function.” he added

    The whole development, he said, is to ensure that the government delivers on its campaign promises to Nigerians with the executive and the legislature working hand in hand.

    “So that our campaign promises become real and available to all Nigerians for the betterment of the country,” he said

  • Igbos should forget presidency in 2019 – Okorocha 

    Igbos should forget presidency in 2019 – Okorocha 

     Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Monday urged his people in the South East geopolitical zone to forget producing the next President of Nigeria in the year 2019.
    He made the remark while speaking with State House correspondents after meeting Acting President Yemi Osinbajo along with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    According to him, all Nigerians should support President Muhammadu Buhari for four or eight years tenure in line with the zoning arrangement.
    He said: “What I do know is that Ndiigbo should talk about the presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari. I think we should support this government. President Muhammadu Buhari has a tenure to work for, four years or eight years according to the zoning arrangement and everybody should follow the zoning although I am not an advocate of zoning.
    He maintained that the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party is strong in the South East.
    He added: “We are trying to rebuild the party and redefine leadership so there will be no confusion. As to whether the APC in the South East is in disarray as the case has always been, we want to have a united party in the South East.
    “We are hopeful from all discussions that about two governors will be joining us in the South East to strengthen the party. Right now, we have agreed that Senator Ken Nnamani should take a lead of the party in the South East to enable us have a common understanding along with other leaders like Chief Jim Nwobodo.”
    On the denial that three governors in the South-East will join APC, he said: “I don’t think it is true, but if it is true it is probably because it is not time. It could be because I spoke when they were not yet ready.”
    Also speaking on the insinuations that he (Rochas) is not worth to be the political leader that the South East should follow, he said: “Leadership is not in question, we have agreed that Ken Nnamdi should lead. So, it is not about Rochas Okorocha, I am a governor.”
  • Ajimobi urges prayer for Buhari, others 

    Ajimobi urges prayer for Buhari, others 

    Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has advised citizens of the country to continue to pray for the well-being of President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders in other levels of government instead of peddling unfounded rumours about them.

    The governor gave the advice in an interview with journalists while dispelling the rumour on the president’s alleged ill-health shortly on his return from an official trip to Abuja.

    Ajimobi said that he was in Abuja for a scheduled meeting with World Bank officials, stressing that no governor was invited to any imaginary meeting to discuss the health status of the country’s leader as being speculated.

    Ajimobi said, “There is no iota of truth in the rumour making the rounds that governors were summoned to Abuja for an emergency meeting to discuss the health status of our dear President. We should desist from circulating callous insinuations aimed at denting the image of prominent citizens.

    “Instead of peddling unfounded rumours, I will advise Nigerians to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders, including governors, because their well-being is tied to the well-being of the people.

    “The rigours of governance require that leaders take time off to relax and recoup for the daunting challenges ahead of them. We should be fair to our leaders, because they are also human beings with feelings.

    “It is pertinent to state here that the President only went for a break and to use the opportunity to undergo routine medical check-up. To the best of my knowledge he was not even admitted into any hospital for any ailment.

    “There is nothing wrong with the President taking some time off to rest and meet with some people abroad unofficially. I’m reaffirming the fact that our President is hale and hearty.”

    Recalling the negative comments that trailed his recent interaction with the protesting students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, in the social media, the governor said it was high time the medium was regulated to forestall its abuse for the good of all.

    Acknowledging the importance of the new media for social mobilization and creation of awareness on development issues, policies and other positive intents, he said the medium was also being abused by some individuals.

    Ajimobi said, “The social media is a veritable platform to disseminate developmental ideas, policies, mobilization for good intent as well as for entertainment, but some people would always hijack good innovations to destroy the peace and harmony of the country.

    “The social media was recently used by the fifth columnists to do a smear campaign against me when they doctored the video where I was conversing with the LAUTECH students on the impasse between them and their management.

    “Something drastic must be done before those who have good intentions for the people will be running away from politics just because they would fear some people would be somewhere lurking to unleash the social media on them for imaginary reasons.”

  • Why north can’t produce another CJN, by NBA VP

    Why north can’t produce another CJN, by NBA VP

    Second Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr. Monday Ubani has warned President Muhammadu Buhari of the danger of appointing the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) from the northern part of the country.

    This, he said, could further alienate Justices of the Supreme Court (JSC) of southern origin.

    Ubani, who spoke Monday during the newspaper headlines analysis show of Radio Continental FM, Lagos, observed that the CJN had been appointed from the north for 29 years consecutively and that the next in rank to Onnoghen is Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad from Bauchi State.

    Last November 10, Buhari named Justice Walter Onnoghen, who is the most senior JSC, as acting CJN following the retirement of Justice Mahmud Mohammed at the statutory age of 70.

    This followed Onnoghen’s recommendation for the post by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    However, the president has not forwarded Onnoghen’s name to the National Assembly for confirmation as required by the constitution, meaning his three-month tenure expires on February 10.

    Ubani urged Buhari to confirm Onnoghen, 66, as, according to him, the president had not complained that the jurist was unqualified.

    He said: “For 29 years, the CJN emerged from a particular region. It was all on merit, nobody had an issue with it.

    “It eventually came to the point of a southerner producing the CJN and for the first time you now put him in an incapacity that raises eyebrows. Why? After the National Judicial Council has even gone ahead and cleared him and all that.

    “Mr President, send his name to the Senate for confirmation or ratification and you said no. Okay, now, nobody has heard any reason why his name has not been sent. So, the next thing we’ll hear when his time expires is for you now to go and say, ‘Oh! There is a reason why this man, (was not confirmed) and you’ll now go ahead and put a northerner again. How do you think people from other regions will feel?

    “No matter how right you are, and I agree with the issue of merit, but how do you now think that only one region will always be on merit, is more qualified than every other person when you have others also who are there? I want you all to think. Onnoghen met all the criteria, in fact he passed a rigorous process more than any other CJN.”

    The former chairman of the Ikeja NBA said Buhari’s appointment of the CJN should follow the federal character principle and the southerner so appointed should be selected on merit, otherwise feathers would be ruffled.

    He said: “No matter how altruistic his intentions are, meanings will be read and I’ll tell you this, collateral damage would have been done to his presidency, even for the next two or three years remaining and then for his next aspiration to be the president of this country.

    “Please let him not cause collateral damage to himself and also to the northerners. We love this country and want it to be united.”

  • NYSC: Kogi charges corps members to embrace change mantra

    • Recieve 2,220 Batch “B” members
    Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, yesterday received the 2017 Batch “B” Stream II National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to the state.
    Out of the total registered number of 2,220 corps members, 1,215 are males and 1,005 females.
    He called on them to key into the change mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, saying that the future holds much for them as the future leaders.
    Represented by the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Comrade Gabriel Arume Adaji, he admonished them not to relent in contributing in the building of a strong and virile country that will be the envy of others.
    He assured them of the hospitality of the people of the state, just as he enjoined them to feel free, as they go about in the discharge of their duties during the course of their mandatory one year national service.
    The state NYSC coordinator, Mrs Dorothy Nwatarali said they have proven to be highly disciplined and hardworking.
    She added: “I had the privilege of interacting with many of these corps members… they have begun to see for themselves at first hand, the hospitality of the people of Kogi State”.
  • Osinbajo presides over FEC meeting

    Osinbajo presides over FEC meeting

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in his capacity as Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had last Thursday proceeded on medical vacation and communicated to the National Assembly, paving way for Osinbajo to be acting President in his absence.

    The FEC meeting, which started around 10:02 a. m had a sizeable number of cabinet members in attendance.

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

  • EFCC: Senate gets Buhari’s renomination of Magu

    EFCC: Senate gets Buhari’s renomination of Magu

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday represented Ibrahim Magu for confirmation as chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Senate president Bukola Saraki read Buhari’s letter on the floor of the Senate.

    Buhari also declined Senate’s request for sack of the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF)

  • African Union: FG intensifies Nigeria’s campaign

    African Union: FG intensifies Nigeria’s campaign

    The Federal Government says it is intensifying campaign for Ms Fatima Mohammed, the Nigeria/ECOWAS’ candidate for African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security.

    Amb. Enikanolaye, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated this in a statement made available to Newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

    Enikanolaye said that Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, the special envoy appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari was leading Nigeria’s delegation in the campaign to African countries.

    He said that the delegation, which was in Ethiopia on Monday, was received by the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu.

    Gebeyehu, he said, promised to convey President Buhari’s request to his Prime Minister and was optimistic of a favourable response.

    He said the delegation was also received by the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza in Bujumbura on Wednesday.

    Nkurunziza, according to him, indicated that Burundi also has a candidate for the same position, but expressed his readiness to support Nigeria’s candidate if the election goes into the second round.

    The president also expressed his admiration for Nigeria and President Buhari’s constructive role in peace, security and development of the African continent.

    Enikanolaye said Onyeama was currently on his way to Angola where he is scheduled to meet with the Angolan President on the issue.