The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • We’re tackling shortage of resources with prudence – Buhari

    We’re tackling shortage of resources with prudence – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said that commitment to transparency and accountability is serving the government in good stead, despite severe shortage of resources in the country.

    He spoke at the State House, Abuja, while receiving the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director and Under Secretary General of the United Nations, Prof Babatunde Osotimehin.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said: “It has been a very difficult year for Nigeria. Before we came to office, petroleum sold for about $100 per barrel. Then it crashed to $37, and now oscillates between $40 and $45 per barrel.

    “Suddenly, we’re a poor country, but commitment to transparency and accountability is not making people know that there is severe shortage,” he added.

    He urged UNFPA to bear with Nigeria in any area the country could not live up to its responsibilities at the moment.

    The President pointed out that exploding population and different cultural practices in the country is providing fertile ground for research to organizations like UNFPA.

    Buhari thanked the UN agency for its commitment to saving lives in Nigeria, particularly of women and children.

    On food security, President Buhari said reports from the North-East of the country were encouraging, as people were returning to their farmlands, with the guarantee of relative security.

    Prof Osotimehin, a former Minister of Health in Nigeria, said UNFPA was determined to promote health care facilities across the country, noting that reduction of maternal mortality was doable, if the country paid more attention to access to health facilities, and human resources to run them.

    He also encouraged Nigeria to commit to providing resources for health care, on a rollover basis, pledging that the UN would work with the country to provide humanitarian assistance not only in the North-East, “but even extended to the Lake Chad basin.”

  • Photos: Soyinka visits Buhari

    Photos: Soyinka visits Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari receives Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka at the State House
    President Muhammadu Buhari receives Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka at the State House

     

    Soyinka

  • Buhari, Soyinka meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Soyinka meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Soyinka, who was accompanied by Yemi Ogunbiyi, spent about one hour at the State House.

    He declined to speak in details on the purpose of his visit to the President.

    He dismissed the newsmen that laid ambush for him as he made his way out of the President’s office with the explanation that he discussed general and international issues with the President.

    But he promised to address a press conference later.

  • Buhari swears in Special Advisers, permanent secretary

    Buhari swears in Special Advisers, permanent secretary

    President Muhammadu Buhari has administered oaths on four Special Advisers and one permanent secretary at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    They include the Special Adviser on Social Investment, Mrs. Maryam Uwais; Special Adviser on Political Matter, Senator Babafemi Ojudu; Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu; Special Adviser on Planning, Tijani Abdullahi; and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Rafiu Enikanolaye.

    While Abdullahi was assigned to the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Uwais, Ojudu and Dipeolu were deployed to the Office of the Vice President.

    The brief ceremony, which took place before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, was presided by President Buhari.

  • Urhobo leaders back Buhari on NDDC appointment

    Urhobo leaders back Buhari on NDDC appointment

    The Urhobo ethnic group in Delta has backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Mr. Samuel Adjenakevwe Adjogbe as Executive Director Project (EDP) on the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Leaders of the ethnic gave the backing during walk organized by the Elders and leaders of Urhobo nation led by Olorogun Christopher Ominimini Obiuwevbi and other Urhobo leaders in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state to drum support for Adjogbe.

    They described the nominee as an “illustrious Urhobo son and a technocrat,” adding that the nomination put the right pegs in the right holes.

    Other Urhobo leaders who attended the rally included Olorogun Felix Ekure, APC chairman in the council and Chairman Hostcom, Urhobo Nation, Olorogun Comrade Efe Okuvwerie.

    They appealed to those opposing ADjogbe’s nomination, particularly their Itsekiri counterparts, to sheathe their swords.

    They said he Itsekiri ethnic nationality has benefitted more in terms of appointments into OMPADEC which metamorphosed into NDDC and the current NDDC.

    Olorogun Ominimini remarked that the Urhobos had never opposed the appointment of any Itsekiri son or daughter into any position at the state or national level.

    He said, “We urge the Itsekiris to embrace and give support to this nomination so that both ethnic groups can continue to enjoy the existing peaceful coexistence amongst them.”

    Speaking in the same vein Ekure described Adjogbe as “the right peg in the right hole because of his wealth of experience and antecedents.”

    The Urhobo leaders appealed to their Itsekiri counterparts to accept the nomination in good faith and support their neighbours in the spirit of good neighbourliness and patriotism.

  • Exhuming ex-governors’ cases

    Exhuming ex-governors’ cases

    It’s in order; but there should be no sacred cows in the anti-corruption war

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s government appears poised to expand its war against high profile corruption beyond what is commonly called  Dasukigate. According to a report, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reopen already investigated corruption cases against 31 former governors. The AGF also reportedly asked that file copies of the cases be duplicated and copies sent to his office within 14 days.

    We support the government’s effort to prosecute every crime and to recover assets stolen from our country, and we hope the AGF’s request is geared towards that mission. But we also note with concern that the effort in the past few months, characterised by excitable media attention, has not yielded much result. Many of the cases against high profile officials in the last government are barely off the starting block, despite the high hopes in the new Administration of Criminal Justice Act. So, we hope the newest effort to dredge up the old corruption scandals will not merely end up in more media attention and drama, with little to show at the end of the day.

    We are also mindful of the fact that credibility challenges are already sniffing at the anti-corruption campaign, with some serving high-profile officials, like the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, linked to allegations of corruption still in government. There is even the allegation that their names have been surreptitiously removed from the list of those being investigated and who may soon be charged for diversion of funds meant for arms purchase, while they were all in charge. So, the public can legitimately ask, whether a government which cannot treat a fresh wound, can cure leprosy?

    For, while it is in our common interest to see that those who abused public trust pay for their crime, the AGF and agencies under him must be seen not to treat some people as sacred cows. In his letter to the anti-corruption agencies, the AGF reportedly defined high profile cases as those “involving alleged misconduct amounting to economic sabotage; involving complex financial transactions or property movement; involving any of the suspects, who is a politician, a public officer or judicial officer; and where the subject matter involves government or corruption of its official or involves the abuse of office.”

    The names of the former governors attached to the memo of the AGF fit into the above definition just as the two officials in the present administration that we mentioned earlier. Some of the governors, despite cases of alleged corrupt practices pending against them in courts, have even gone ahead to occupy more sensitive positions, as elected or appointed officials, and unless the cases against them are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, their fortunes may continue to rise, from the ashes of corruption.

    According to the report, the list of former governors to be further investigated include the current senate president, Bukola Saraki, who is a former governor of Kwara State; senate minority leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio; the factional chairman of Peoples Democratic Party and former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff. Also on the list are former governors Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Saminu Turaki (Jigawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Joshua Dariye (Plateau); Ahmed Yerima (Zamfara); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

    Other names on the list include Ikedi Ohakim (Imo); Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom); Achike Udenwa (Imo); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); Jolly Nyame (Taraba); Boni Haruna (Adamawa); George Akume (Benue); Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo); Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto); Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo); Usman Dakingari (Kebbi); Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi); Peter Odili (Rivers), and Lucky Igbinedion (Edo). The case of Dr. Odili will be interesting to follow, considering that he was reported to have secured a strange perpetual injunction from a high court, against further prosecution, by some of these anti-corruption agencies.

    So, while we support the anti-corruption drive to strike as far as it can, we also urge the AGF to bring in greater efficiency to the cases already in court. We note of course the involvement of the Presidential Advisory Council headed by Professor Itse Sagay, in fashioning out a comprehensive prosecution manual, to help the on-going anti-corruption war. Perhaps, their support and direction may help change the tide against the inefficiencies noticeable among the prosecutors.

    As stated by Professor Sagay in an interview, the option of plea bargain can be guardedly used to help achieve quicker result and save scarce state resources. This may be very useful in some of these resurrected old cases, with all the challenges that may arise from the delay in investigation and prosecution.

  • Rio Olympics: President Buhari commends dream team

    Rio Olympics: President Buhari commends dream team

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the performance of Nigeria’s under-23 male football team against their Japanese opponents at the ongoing 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The president made the commendation in a message to the Team Nigeria contingent on Friday from Abuja, signed by his Senior Special Assistant on (SSA) Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

    It said Buhari expressed the hope that the football team’s victory would serve as “an inspiration to the entire contingent of the grand show Nigerians expect from our athletes’’.

    In the message, President Buhari also expressed optimism that the country’s team would put up an impressive showing to delight fellow countrymen.

    “On behalf of the government and people of our great country, I wish to express my support to our athletes who have arrived in Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games.

    “I am particularly delighted by the outcome of the football match early this morning, in which our football team defeated their Japanese counterparts.

    “The sweetness of the victory comes from the fact that it came against all odds.

    “Our team overcame several challenges to put up a sterling performance. This is a good beginning,’’ he said in the message.

    President Buhari also praised the resilience, hard work and patriotism the athletes had put into their preparations.

    He stated that he was aware of the personal sacrifices they made while preparing for the Games.

    “I am already aware that you have made personal sacrifices in your journey to the Olympic Games.

    “The motivation comes from strong discipline and the love of the nation.”

    “As you embark on the search for honours for the nation, I seize this opportunity to assure our Olympians that you have my support and those of all Nigerians.

    “Go! Win and return with laurels, I wish you the best,” the President added.

  • Buhari seeks more economic engagement with Italy

    Buhari seeks more economic engagement with Italy

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday called for more intensive trade and economic engagement between Nigeria and Italy.

    He made the call during a courtesy call by Mr. Paolo Gentiloni, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation at the State House, Abuja.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the connection between Nigeria and Italy as very strong.

    He however urged that efforts should be made to make it stronger and more secure.

    Buhari commended the resilience of Italian businesses in Nigeria and expressed happiness that new businesses were in line to be set up in the country.

    He also commended Italian support for the government in tackling the humanitarian situation in the Northeast and the training they are giving to Nigerian policemen.

    Mr. Gentiloni, who was accompanied by the Italian Minister of State for Interior, Mr. Domenico Manzione, announced his government’s Ten Million Dollars humanitarian assistance to the Lake Chad region countries in addition to what they are already doing, which is within the framework of the European Union.

    He said that the visit of the business group and his delegation was a fulfillment of the promise made by Mr. Matteo Renzi, the Italian Prime Minister, during his visit in February, towards strengthening relations with Nigeria politically and economically.

  • World will forget us if we balkanize Nigeria — Jonathan

    World will forget us if we balkanize Nigeria — Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the world will forget Nigeria if its citizens allow the country to be balkanized.

    Jonathan said this on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents shortly after his brief meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said he had always stood for a united Nigeria not because of its oil wealth, but because of the greatness of its human resource and the uniqueness of its diversity.

    The former President said he was not the only one suing for peace in the Niger Delta and in other parts of the country as all the traditional rulers, elders and opinion leaders of the Ijaw ethnic nationality are with him.

    “You see, it is not just about me, but all the traditional rulers, elders and opinion leaders of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

    “We have been in touch to see that peace reigns in the country because those of you, who were here when I was here, followed my thoughts.

    “The emphasis is that we need a united Nigeria and I always emphasise that Nigeria is great.

    “We are great because of our size, the human resources that we have, the diversity we have, and so, if we balkanize the country into small components, we will all be forgotten by the world.

    “And without peace, you can never reap development anywhere in the world.

    “So, we are all working collectively to see that these issues are resolved,’’ he said.

    On the fight against corruption by the Buhari administration, Jonathan declined to comment, saying that most of the cases of alleged corruption were in court.

    “There are too many cases that are in court and it will not be fair for me to comment.

    “I have always said that at the appropriate time, when most of these things have been resolved, we will (talk),’’ he said.

    Jonathan, who is leading the AU election monitoring team to Zambia, said he was at the Presidential Villa to brief Buhari on the activities of the team.

    He said: “I came to brief Mr President on some of my engagements in the immediate past and of course, the future.

    “Of course you are aware that I would be leading the AU election monitoring team to Zambia; normally you (need to) properly brief the President.

    “So, I came to brief the President on some of my external engagements; it is a tradition.’’

    The former president further said that he is a regular caller to the Villa, having served as the country’s President at a point in time.

    “One key thing is that having been the head of a government – a former president – you become a statesman.

    “That is the privilege you have, but every privilege has its own corresponding responsibilities.

    “And when you become a statesman, normally you brief the sitting president on most of your international engagements that have to do with public speaking and some other international assignments.

    “Even when I was here, the former presidents used to do what I have come to do.

    “I have been coming, but in most cases we used to meet at night.

    “That is why you don’t see me,” Jonathan explained.

  • Nigeria’s future can no longer depend on oil revenue- Fashola

    Nigeria’s future can no longer depend on oil revenue- Fashola

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has said that Nigeria could no longer build its future on oil revenue following the fall in global price of oil.

    The minister spoke on Hard Talk, a weekly programme on British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored by our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He stated that Nigeria failed to spend oil money wisely by building infrastructure despite making huge profits from oil in the past.

    The minister specifically blamed the last administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to save profits made from the sale of oil.

    ‎Nigeria, he said, is now facing the consequences of global downturn in oil price resulting from making “regrettable choices.”

    Fashola explained that although Nigeria had made bad choices on how oil money was spent in the past, the present administration, he said, was ready to change that by focusing on taxation as a source of revenue.

    He said: “As I have argued, at the time when there was a lot of prosperity, there was money to spend, we made some now regrettable choices.

    ‎“No nation is immune from what is happening now and people who are better able to weather the storm are perhaps those who invested wisely in educational assets, in security assets, in transportational  assets, power generational assets but it does not make them immune. So it is like preparing for winter really.

    “It is evolving in an era where there is a global economic downturn and there will be local consequences. ‎We did not spend on investments particularly on infrastructure and therefore we consumed all our extraordinary income.

    ‎“You can’t plan a future around extraordinary income that you don’t control the circles. This budget will be driven by resources from taxation and any serious government, any forward looking government like this government must understand that the boom that comes from commodity prices really is extraordinary income.

    “We may have made some very poor choices over the time about how we spent that money (oil money), this administration has a focus now that we will deal with our funding issues first from taxation, corporate taxation.

    “No country survives on her own investment but every country thrives first on the investment of her people and as first Nigerians are responding and investing on that economy ‎I think that we will turn this corner.

    “There is a global downward trend. National growth projections are been revised downward and in this downward global times, there will be diverse local consequences. Ours is not different‎. We are not under

    Performing. We are facing a turbulent time, difficult time but we will navigate. We will come through and I see that happening within a shorter time than a longer time.”

    Speaking on the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East, the minister said that president Muhammadu Buhari had done well in restoring peace to the region.

    Fashola, who debunked claims that thousands of children were dying daily of malnutrition in the region, noted that Buhari had ordered the release of food to the region.

    He said: “Again I have issues with those numbers. They are people who are displaced but to the point to make also is that there is progress now in the north-east.

    “The president has fulfilled his mandate to taking control of the security challenges of the north-east.

    “In terms of restoring order to the north-east I believe the evidence that speaks today, people beginning to trade today on the streets of Borno, and Damarturu, in Yobe.

    ‎“In the last three to four months the president himself ordered release of food support from our strategic reserves of agriculture. So we are mindful of the problems.

    “Construction going on in Adamawa that I am aware of.  Roads being built means that order has return. Securing law and order is the first leg to being able to provide for those child, to put them back, to relocate families back to their homes. It is already happening as a result of government taking responsibility, states and civil society organization.

    ‎Fashola also said Buhari was winning the war against corruption, adding that Nigerians now believe that there is consequences for stealing public funds.

    “The people of Nigeria believe that the president has walked his talk in terms of corruption. Now how many people you ultimately see in jail ‎is one thing and I think that the point must be made and very clearly too that there are many interests here involved.

    “The interest to see people convicted the interest to recover, and the interest to ensure that it won’t happen again. And all of these are going on simultaneously and that people believe that there will be consequences for their actions,” he added.