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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • Buhari urges APC supporters to embark on door-to-door campaign

    President Muhammadu Buhari, has urged members of All Progressives Congress (APC) Women and Youths Presidential Campaign Team (PCT) to embark on a door-to-door campaign for the success of the party in the coming general elections.

    The president gave the charge on Thursday while inaugurating the campaign team at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said “ In carrying out this assignment, I expect from members of this team the same loyalty and support which you exhibited in 2015.

    “Let us remind Nigerians about our plans, our good work and achievements: Tell the people why they should give us another four years’’.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PCT  comprises of politicians, artistes, APC grassroots mobilisers, captains of industries, entertainers, retired senior military and police officers.

    The campaign team chaired by the wife of the president Mrs Aisha Buhari, is expected to engage in massive campaign to ensure the re-election of Buhari/Osinbajo in the presidential election.

    Buhari called on the APC supporters to redouble their efforts towards victory for the party in the coming general election.

    “ I call on you to redouble your efforts and re-elect us in February, so that you can witness the next level of change.

    “ To all Nigerians, I appreciate your love and support. I hope you will renew the mandate you overwhelmingly gave us in 2015.

    Read also: Buhari commiserates with victims of Makurdi fire incident

    “Please do not be distracted, our country is on course, I am very pleased to inaugurate the Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Team.

    “I charge you to reach out to all Nigerians door-to-door and remind them why we need another four years.

    “ I am happy to tell you that we have made numerous landmark achievements.

    “The change remains unshaken and continues until we return Nigeria on track to assume its rightful place among the comity of nations,’’ he said.

    He said the campaign team was constituted to support the existing APC Presidential Campaign Council, which he chaired.

    He underscored the importance of women and youths in electioneering campaign, urging them to remain steadfast in the task of consolidating the gains recorded by the APC administration.

    “ My association with you has been for very long and is characterised by loyalty to the cause of change.

    “This shows the importance with which we view the role of women and youths as the backbone of the Nigerian electorate.

    “As such, they should be the drivers of our campaign; more so, they are the major direct and indirect beneficiaries of our social investment programmes,’’ he said.

    The president expressed determination to lay a solid and sustainable foundation for a better future for a generation of Nigerians.

    “ Our dream is to sustain CHANGE so that all systemic distortions can be corrected and we can enjoy the fruits of being Nigerians under the banner of freedom.

    “ It is also our hope that our unborn children will inherit a better nation,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Buhari commiserates with victims of Makurdi fire incident

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his deep sympathy with the victims of Wadata Market fire incident in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Tuesday.

    Reacting to the fire disaster, President Buhari said he was greatly saddened by the unfortunate incident.

    According to the President, “regardless of our status in life, we are bound by our common humanity and, therefore, I share the pains of the victims with a sincere sense of sympathy and empathy.”

    Read also: New Year fire razes Makurdi market

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also prayed to God “to replenish their losses and multiply their blessings as they try to pick up their lives once again from the ashes of economic ruins.”

    He commended the immediate response of the state government, led by Governor Ortom in trying to bring relief to the victims.

  • DG VON to Ndigbo: Add to Buhari’s 12m-vote bank

    The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Chief Osita Okechukwu, has urged Ndigbo ( Igbos) to add millions of vote to President Muhammadu Buhari’s 12 million vote-bank.

    “Ndigbo should strive to give President Buhari nothing less than five million block votes, that is a reasonable target for a performing President,” Okechukwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday.

    The VON boss made the call while reacting to the statement by ex-President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.at Nenwi during the weekend

    Obasanjo was qouted to have said that “it is dangerous for Ndigbo to take All Progressives Congress (APC) government serious over the promise of 2023 Nigeria president of Igbo extraction’’.

    Okechukwu, who is an ardent supporter of Buhari for over 20 years running, advised Obasanjo to give Ndigbo a break, adding that `since it is clear that 2023 is the turn of Ndigbo.”

    “Let me thank our elder statesman, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, for first and most importantly urging Nigerians to give Ndigbo a chance,” he said.

    VON boss also commended the ex-,president for recognising the fact that out of the three major ethnic nationalities only Ndigbo had not occupied Aso Presidential Villa.

    “This being the case, he should give us a break; 2023 is our turn to produce a president, for equity, natural justice and good conscience hinted by Obasanjo is to our advantage.

    “The only reinforcement Ndigbo needs to compliment this immeasurable equity, natural justice and good conscience is to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

    “Voting massively for Buhari will elicit support from his followership of over 12 million voting Nigerians.

    • “Buhari I know will not embark on 3rd Term like Obasanjo. The truism is that Buhari’s remaining four years post-2019 is cast in constitutional stone.

    ” This is unlike Atiku’s own which is at best a pledge, hence creates fluid 8 years for Obi and by extension Ndigbo.

    “How come he didn’t handpick Obi to be Vice President in 2007, after embarking on the 3rd term wild goose chase, when he hurriedly settled for former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “He should give us a break and not distract us.”

    On the impression that Buhari doesn’t like Ndigbo, Okechukwu said that it was an erroneous impression, stoked by ethnic merchants and vile propagandists.

    “Remember that Buhari chose two of our brothers.as vice presidential candidates, Dr Chuba Okadigbo and Edwin Umezoke in 2003 and 2007 respectively.

    “And if Ndigbo had voted for him in any of the two elections, he could have won.

    ” This is because Buhari had a treasured Vote-Bank of over 12 million votes, reflected in all his presidential elections – 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015,’’ he said.

    “Let’s not allow our Yoruba brothers to beat Ndigbo to it again, this is what Obasanjo’s distraction is meant to achieve.

    ” This is so, especially when we remember that the Yorubas brought to the table, the critical votes which supplemented Buhari’s vote-bank in the immediate past presidential election.’’(NAN)

  • It’s all politics

    Unnecessary brickbats over Osinbajo’s statement on Yoruba presidency in 2023

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s comment during the house-to-house campaign in Oyo, Oyo State, on December 22, has generated controversy which could easily pass for storm in a teacup. What did Osinbajo say? The vice president, who also seized the opportunity of his visit to the ancient town to have a 45-minute closed-door meeting with the Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, said that the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in next year’s presidential election was crucial to the south western part of the country as it would guarantee the geo-political region’s clinching of the presidency in 2023.

    According to the vice president, “Yoruba have a lot to contribute to Nigeria for the 2019 elections. It is for us, Yoruba; if you understand, it is for us. We are not looking at 2019, but 2023. If we don’t get it now, it may take some time again,” Osinbajo said. For me, this is political talk, and it should be expected, especially in a season when politics is very much in the air. Truth is; Nigeria’s presidency is not something that someone could wish into existence.

    The plank of the critics’ argument is that Vice President Osinbajo’s assertion in Oyo contradicted President Muhammadu Buhari’s message through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, assuring the south easterners of handing over to them in 2023 if he could get their support for his reelection bid next year.

    The major criticisms came from the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; the Igbo pan-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, among others.

    Of course, when a man of Osinbajo’s stature opens his mouth, especially on an issue as contentious as the country’s presidency, there will always be brickbats and the reactions will expectedly depend on the side of the fence that the critics belong to. It is therefore not surprising that even Afenifere has taken up Osinbajo on the matter, despite the fact that the vice president is one of its own. That is the nature of politics in Yorubaland. There has been no love lost between the group and the Buhari government and it therefore should not surprise anyone that the group is not on the same page with the government over sundry issues, including especially restructuring that the group believes the Muhammadu Buhari government, under which Osinbajo is vice president, does not believe in.

    Afenifere also seized the opportunity to specifically pick holes in the ‘Trader Moni’ scheme, one of the social investment programmes of the Federal Government, which provides an opportunity for petty traders to take between N10,000 to N50,000 loan, collateral and interest-free. By this arrangement, all the encumbrances encountered in securing bank loans are either eliminated or minimised. But a segment of the Nigerian elite has mocked this scheme, saying that N10,000 is too small to do any meaningful trading. The response of the beneficiaries nationwide has however proved such critics wrong. It has shown that many of us just sit in our respective comfort zones and assume that the way money rolls in for us is the same way it does for every other Nigerian.

    I remember a few years back, (I think in  early 2000), a report claimed that there were some Nigerians who never at a time had up to N5,000! We would be deceiving ourselves if we assume that was a long time ago. As a matter of fact, things have gone progressively worse since then. And one cannot blame the Buhari administration for this; at best, we could blame it for not having the expected magic wand to turn things around within three years. There is no doubt that small as the N10,000 ‘Trader Moni’ seems, it is appreciated by many of its beneficiaries. Trading is in categories; just as traders. Even some of the big traders today will tell you they started small. Anyway, let me stop here on this because it is not a piece dedicated to ‘Trader Moni’ but the country’s presidency in 2023 that the vice president wants for his geo-political zone.

    Ohanaeze, on its part, completely missed the point almost as usual, in reacting to Osinbajo’s comment when, instead of making its case for the southeast, it resorted to threats and curses as if these are the essentials needed for the Igbo or any part of the country for that matter, to clinch the presidency. Its spokesman, Uche Achi-Okpaga, said in an interview that Nigeria would continue to wallow in abject socio-political, economic and developmental blindness until an Igbo man becomes the President. And that anything done in Nigeria without the active cooperation and participation of the lgbo would always crumble.

    Ohanaeze was right in listing some of the people from the region that have done creditably well in their respective public offices. While some of the claims are true, the fact is; it is not only in the southeast that we have such distinguished Nigerians. They are all over the country. According to Ohanaeze, “The Igbo are the descendants of King David, the man after God’s heart. Anything you do in Nigeria without the active cooperation and participation of the lgbo would always crumble as exemplified in the present administration of PMB. The Igbo are to Nigeria what Israel is to the world today.

    “Take my word today, until an Igbo man leads, Nigeria will continue to wallow in abject socio-political, economic and developmental blindness”. How does the southeast think this kind of disposition can advance its cause? Isn’t it a way to further alienate the region and pushing it farther from its dream presidency? Anyway, if things are as Ohanaeze claimed, and if Ohanaeze believes in the God factor that it said Osinbajo and the Buhari presidency do not take into reckoning, then clinching the presidency should have been a walk-over for the region all these years; in which case it won’t have to use curses and threats as a bridge to its dream world.

    Perhaps most laughable is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was sacked about four years ago; which has naturally joined the fray. Kassim Afegbua, one of PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council spokespersons, said “giving out two promises has exposed the insincerity and dubious intention of the Buhari-led Federal Government with the people of the South-East and South-West geopolitical zones with empty promises of bequeathing power to the two zones at the same time in 2023. “This is why Nigerians cannot take the APC and the Buhari Presidency’s seriously any longer as we prepare for the 2019 elections.” The PDP easily forgot how it deceived its presidential aspirants in 2015 by collecting money for nomination forms from them when it knew there was no vacancy, and that the ticket had been duly reserved for the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, among some of its numerous sins. A case of the kettle calling the pot black? The party conveniently forgot how ‘papa’ deceived the presidential (PDP) aspirants in its own fold in 2015. Such is life!

    I sympathise with the south east geo-political zone which has not had a shot at the presidency for about five decades. But, the point must be made; that the country’s presidency is not something to be handed over to any geopolitical zone on a platter. Any zone that wants it must crave it. It must work assiduously towards getting it rather than wait for others to place it on its laps. Part of the problem of the region, as some observers have noted, is that even if the south east was asked to produce a presidential candidate, it would hardly do so in unison. So, the Igbo must first be ready to convene a family meeting where they will agree on a consensus and marketable presidential candidate that they can now market to the rest of the country.

    While one could pardon those of the critics with genuine criticism, after all we are in a democratic era and democracy permits plurality of opinions or beliefs, there are also others who would not see anything good in whatever the vice president says or had said. Even when mum is the word from him; some people would still say he ought to have said something, if only to make political points. I can imagine how Afenifere, for instance, would have descended on the vice president if he had said the Yoruba should not take part in the 2023 presidential race for whatever reason. Already, the group has accused the vice president of failing to identify with most of the important things the Yoruba race sees as dear to it.

    Without doubt I agree with critics who believe that Prof. Osinbajo is the country’s vice president, and should therefore be seen to be putting on a national cap; but he is first and foremost a Yoruba before being a Nigerian and then vice president. Indeed, it was on the basis of his geopolitical zone that he was even nominated and eventually elected as vice president, as the position was strategically zoned by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the south west. Although zoning is alien to the Nigerian constitution when it comes to elective offices, it has become a useful instrument that political parties use in balancing the power equation among the country’s various ethnic nationalities.

    At any rate, democracy is only still evolving in the country. We therefore cannot compare it with advanced countries where democracy has grown over the centuries. For me, therefore, there is nothing inherently wrong in the vice president advancing the interest of his geo-political zone in the context that he did. It’s all politics. And, as Hans J, Morgenthau said: “ all politics is a struggle for power”.

  • Fake news of the year: BUHARI’s ‘DOUBLE’

    It all started like the usual hysterical rumour that pervades the media space, particularly the strident and ubiquitous social media.

    The purveyors of the rumour had gone to town, claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari had died in a London hospital during the course of treatment. According to the “report”, Buhari “died” on September 19, 2017 and was “buried” in Saudi Arabia the next day. And here comes the champion of the fable -Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the chief promoter of the secessionist Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB). Kanu elevated his new found pet project to a calling, more or less.

    The separatist IPOB leader still has a subsisting treason case hanging over his head. He was whisked to court from detention, following his arrest after weeks of attrition by the security agencies. The long and short of it is that the Federal High Court in Abuja had granted Kanu bail, with two prominent fellow Igbo public office holders as sureties. And phew! Kanu fled. There was a flurry of political blisters following his disappearance until he announced his presence in Israel a few weeks ago.

    Since then, he has become more vigorous in his “Buhari has died” campaign. Deploying every available social media platform around himself, Kanu has continued to insist that the Nigerian President had died. According to him, the man presently sitting pretty on the seat of power in the Presidential Villa, is one “Jubril” from Sudan. And the hot “news” ignited fire in the social media. The stories come in different flavours, depending on the tale bearers’ preferences.

    One of the versions said it was a Nigerian envoy in Sudan that discovered Jibrin as President Buhari’s look-alike in far away Sudan. The said envoy purportedly introduced Jubril to the Nigerian authorities to serve as ‘body double’ for the President. And that a few months after Jubril had adjusted to his new role, he was knifed to death by agents of the federal authorities. The report did not state where and when the “slain” envoy was buried. As if charged by some unseen forces, Kanu vowed to petition the American President, Donald Trump, over the role he claimed an ambassador played in the Jubril saga. Kanu accused the envoy of helping to package an impostor, purporting to be President Buhari, to meet with President Trump. That was the slant the fugitive IPOB leader gave to the historic meeting between the Nigerian President and his American counterpart some months back. Obviously, he had to invent some story to fill the gap created between the living Buhari and the “dead” one.

    As far fetched as the story sounds, it continued to gain traction in the restless social media. In a few days, documentary “evidence” and “proofs” of medical laboratory tests purportedly carried out on the President at the London Bridge Hospital emerged. On a caricature of the hospital’s letterhead was a long list of ailments, which they claimed afflicted President Buhari, leading to his “death”. The number of degenerative ailments, including sickle cell disorders, listed on the laboratory “test result” sheet, which they claimed plagued the President, was enough to kill anyone ten times over. Then followed by a “death certificate” purportedly issues by the National Population Commission (NPC). Embossed with the Nigerian Coat of Arms, the invented piece of paper registered “Muhammadu Buhari” as dead.

    The authors stated on the trash piece of printed paper that the death occurred on September 19, 2017. Then came the foreign version of the tale, told by a controversial British parliamentarian, Eric Joyce. The lawmaker had claimed in many posts that Nigerians were not being told the truth about the whereabouts of their President. According to him, Buhari was being kept away from the people he governed over. In one of his several tweets, Joyce had stated: He wrote via his official tweeter handle, @ericjoyce; “Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, was last seen by people other than his own staff in early May.“

    According to his staff, he handed over ‘co-ordinating power’ to his Vice President and headed to London for medical treatment. Shortly beforehand, he had returned from around two months in London, also apparently receiving medical treatment there. “His staff now say that he will soon return to Nigeria, but he may then return shortly thereafter to London for more medical treatment. “For three weeks, the presidency has failed to prove any evidence that Mr Buhari is still with us. “There has been no detail at all about Mr Buhari’s condition. “Photographs, obviously historical ones, depicting Mr Buhari apparently in rude health have been provided to media outlets in Nigeria.

    “Some Nigerian outlets have provided largely nonsensical quotes from ‘inside’ the London High Commission where they claim Mr Buhari is recuperating. “Nigeria is a vibrant, growing and increasingly powerful democracy; the transition of power between Mr Buhari and his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan was exemplary – indeed it was of historical importance for the whole of Africa.

    “There is only one course of action for a democracy when a President becomes ill or dies; officials must brief the public on the medical condition of the president and if it does not seem that he is likely to be able to continue in the role then power must pass formally to the Vice President. “The present state of play is having the effect of suggesting that nothing has changed in Nigeria and actually this is not correct. Things have changed and Nigerian democracy is all the better for it. “There is a contested politics now – but that cuts both ways and the APC must not now resort to the ‘old ways’ that party was created to consign to the past.

    “There are only a small number of alternatives in respect of the present scenario. First, Mr Buhari is recuperating and will resume his role. “If this is the case, then why is he not presenting himself on camera to his people? Second, Mr Buhari has passed on. “However, no death certificate appears to have been issued.” But having maintained a respectable silence over the rumour, President Buhari finally opened up on the matter during his official trip to Poland early December. Buhari had said: ”A lot of people hoped that I died during my ill health. It is real me… I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday and I will still go strong”.

    The President’s spokespersons rubbed the message in through every available social media platform that the man in Aso Villa is indeed Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But the flame refused to go out and the faggot kept oozing smoke. It took a satire written by Prof. Olatunji Dare in his column in The Nation to stoke an unintended fire on the saga. The presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Dr David Oyedepo, quite innocuously took the satire literally. The respected bishop, who is known for his passion about Nigeria and out of a deep concern, raised prayer points asking for divine intervention to free the nation from modern slavery. However, due to the backlash that followed, Prof. Dare had to subsequently clarify that what he wrote was all a “bold” satire.

    Read also: Our nightmare: Niger communities under siege from Zamfara bandits cry out

    This still did not deter  the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which also got a kick from the fun. At its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on December 3, the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, also made some light comments about the so-called ‘Jubril’. Atiku had declared at the meeting that he was willing to tackle Buhari in public debate ahead of the 2019 presidential election. A voice from the animated crowd of party faithful had jeeringly said “Jubril must go”, asking if Atiku meant to debate with Jubril. “Which Jubril? Is it the one in Sudan or the one in Abuja?”, Atiku had sniggered back.

    Of course, more benign versions of the tail are woven around modern day exploits in medical technology. In one of the stories, the President had had all his blood drained and replaced with fresh blood from a young able-bodied person(s). That, according to the tale bearers, explained his present healthy and youthful look that belies his advanced age of 76. Others said while in the London hospital, Buhari did organ transplant surgery where his vital internal organs were replaced with strong and healthy ones from donors. That, they also claimed, has been responsible for his ability to move around and even travel outside the country for official engagements.

    Yet another version says the President underwent plastic surgery, citing his new found agility and relatively younger looks as “proof”. The grand mischief appears to have provided the gullible, the credulous and the fickle-minded segments of the public a large morsel to chew. But hard as the eccentric purveyors of the bizarre narrative may try, ‘Jubril’ will continue to remain a hard sell. It’s dead cat.

  • System, not me, responsible for slow anti-graft war – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday blamed the democratic system for the seemingly slow pace of the anti-corruption war.

    The system, he reiterated, is responsible for the slow progress of the war not he.

    The President spoke in Abuja when he received the Federal Capital Territory community on Christmas homage at his official residence.

    “Fighting Corruption, yes, we are slow because the system is slow.

    “It’s not Baba that is slow but it is the system so I am going by this system and I hope we will make it,” he said

    The President stressed: “I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (democracy) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country.

    “We are doing to do the roads, revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at our disposal.”

    He said he will embark on aggressive reelection campaign soonest based on the three issues that got him elected in 2015.

    These issues anti-corruption war, tackling insecurity and improving the economy, according to him, are still relevant today.

    The campaign, he said, will start by visits to each of the six geo-political zones of the country.

    According to him: “The party nominated me and I will contest. We are watching the Independent National Electoral Commission very seriously and we are going out very soon we will go from geo-political zone to geo-political zone to remind the people of our promises in 2015; three fundamental things, security, because you have to secure the country before you can govern it and talking about what we have done regarding securing the country, the people of the North-east know better.

    “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant. On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, said the FCT community was happy with the performance of President Buhari in office and pledged to support him massively for another term of office.

    He said “We pray that God Almighty to continue to grant you good health, strength, capacity, ability and patience to continue to lead us to the Promised Land.

    “On behalf of the FCT we appreciate you for the good works you are doing for the territory, just last week you commissioned for us a new airport terminal and so many road projects that are going on in Abuja and we feel highly delighted to be hosting you here and it’s my honour on behalf of the FCT community I want to assure you that we are solidly behind you and by the grace of God we look forward to you spending another four years in the state house so that you can truly make Abuja the city of our dream because we want Abuja to be among the 20 best cities in the world in the next few years to come and I think that is possible.”

    Primate of the Anglican Communion, Nigeria Reverend Nicholas Okoh congratulated the President for overcoming his health challenges and said all citizens of the country are grateful to God for that.

    The cleric noted the spirit of unity among followers of different religions in the Federal capital Territory is exemplary and should be replicated in all parts of the country.

    He said religious leaders will continue to work for peace and harmony in order to sustain peace in the country.

    The delegation comprised religious leaders and traditional rulers as well as top functionaries of the Federal capital Territory administration.

  • Why we are slow in fighting corruption, by Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is slow in fighting corruption because the system is slow.

    The president said this when he received the Federal Capital Territory community, who paid him Christmas homage at his official residence on Tuesday in Abuja.

    President Buhari, who apparently was reacting to those allegedly accusing his administration of being too slow in tackling the nation’s challenges, including `endemic corruption’ in the society, said:  “It’s not Baba (Buhari) that is slow but it is the system.

    “So, I am going by this system and I hope we will make it.”

    The president announced that he would soon embark on aggressive campaign for the 2019 Presidential Election, saying that the campaign would start with visits to each of the six geo-political zones of the country.

    According to him, the three areas of focus with which he campaigned in 2015 are still very relevant today, adding that he will continue to focus on the fight against corruption, tackling insecurity and improving the economy.

    “We are watching the Independent National Electoral Commission very seriously and we are going out very soon; we will go from geo-political zone to geo-political zone, to remind the people of our promises in 2015.

    “These three fundamental things include security, because you have to secure the country before you can govern it and talking about what we have done regarding securing the country, the people of the North-east know better.

    “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant.

    “On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture, and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    “The third thing with which we will campaign is the issue of corruption.

    “I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (Democracy,) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country.”

    He reiterated the determination of his administration to continue to repair the roads and revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at its disposal.

    The President, who thanked the FCT community for the visit, urged people in leadership positions to always do the right things so as not to betray the confidence reposed on them.

    Earlier, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory  Muhammed Bello expressed satisfaction with the achievements of the Buhari administration in the last three and half years.

    He said inhabitants of the FCT had resolved to reward the president over his recorded achievements with massive votes during the forthcoming general elections in 2019.

    The minister said: “We pray that God almighty continues to grant you good health, strength, capacity, ability and patience to continue to lead us to the Promise Land.

    “On behalf of the FCT, we appreciate you for the good works you are doing for the territory.

    “Just last week you commissioned for us a new airport terminal and so many road projects that are ongoing in Abuja.

    “We feel highly delighted to be hosting you here and it’s my honour on behalf of the FCT community.

    ”I want to assure you that we are solidly behind you and by the grace of God we look forward to you spending another four years in the State House so that you can truly make Abuja the city of our dream.

    “This is because we want Abuja to be among the 20 best cities in the world in the next few years to come and I think that is possible.’’

    The Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Archbishop  Nicholas Okoh, congratulated the president for overcoming his health challenges.

    According to him, the spirit of unity among followers of different religions in the Federal capital Territory is exemplary and should be replicated in all parts of the country.

    He gave assurance that religious leaders across the country would continue to work for  harmony, to sustain peace in the country. (NAN)

  • Buhari is honest, says leader of Qadiriyya sect in Africa

    The Leader of Qadiriyya Sect in Africa, Sheikh Qaribullah Nasir-Kabara has described President Muhammadu Buhari as an honest leader with listening ears.

    The sect leader made the declaration during the sect’s annual Maulud celebration held in  Kano.

    Nasiru-Kabara said President Buhari also has deep interest of the country at heart and should be emulated by all those that wish Nigeria well.

    He recalled that during a recent visit to the presidential villa by leaders of the sect, their request for some projects from the government were responded to quickly.

    “This could only be possible when you have a leader with determination and commitment to uplift the living standard of the people.”

    He canvassed support for the President in his efforts to reposition Nigeria on the path of growth and development.

    The president, who was represented at the event by the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), Dr Abdullahi Baffa-Bichi, reaffirmed his commitment towards moving the country forward.

    He advised the electorate to vote wisely by electing people with credibility and integrity at all levels during the forthcoming 2019 general elections

    The President also explained that the electorate have a crucial role to play in the fight against corruption and bad governance by electing credible people to lead them.

    He said his administration has done a lot in correcting the wrongs of the past and would do more if given another mandate in 2019.

    Buhari also reiterated that his mission was to reassemble Nigeria to return to the glorious days which would be the pride of every citizen.

    “Although, this is not a political gathering, but kindly allow me to intimate you on our policy thrust and our commitment to make this country great.

    “We are indebted to serve you diligently and make our country grow in prosperity for a better living and you should also help us in this regard by making sure that only credible people get elected,” said the president.

    Buhari pointed out that corruption is the major impediment to Nigeria’s growth, but assured that with the efforts put in place by his administration, the country had taken the path of development.

    He said that this could be consolidated if Nigerians renew their mandate to the administration.

    The President commended the late leader of the Qadiriyya sect, Sheikh Nasiru-Kabara whom he described as a reformer and scholar whose work in religious propagation has no equal.

    He explained that the late leader has dedicated all his life in the service of the Almighty through the promotion of religious understanding, peace, unity and tranquility among the people.

    According to him, Nigeria was blessed with good and righteous people such as Sheikh Kabara and urged the followers not to deviate from his principles of respect, scholarship and fear of God.

    On his part, Baffa-Bichi, the TETfund boss promised to publish all works of the late leader of the sect that were not published before his death, as part of his contribution to sustaining scholarship and religious education.(NAN)

  • Can 2019 budget deliver socioeconomic dividends?

    It is the considered opinion of many experts drawn from different sectors that the proposed N8.83 trillion 2019 budget as presented to the lower and upper chambers of the National Assembly for approval by President Muhammadu Buhari will bode well for the economy, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

    s the 2018 budget circle grinds to an end, Nigerians across the divide are anxious to see what next year’s budget holds in terms of opportunities, which is why a lot of people have raised their voices above the din.

    In retrospect, not a few Nigerians are persuaded that the 2018 budget achieved the desired end judging by the many hiccups that heralded the passage of the fiscal policy of the outgoing year.

    Budget 2019

    President Muhammadu Buhari who last Wednesday formally presented the 2019 budget to joint session of the two chambers proposed a total of N8.83 trillion.

    Budget parameters

    Details of the proposed budget showed that it was based on crude oil benchmark price of $60 per barrel of oil and 2.3 million barrels per day. The budget is further predicated on an exchange rate of N305 to $1, a real Gross Domestic Growth of 3.01 per cent and inflation rate of 9.98 per cent.

    The proposed budget shows that about a quarter of the sum (N2.14 trillion) will be used for debt servicing while capital expenditure is expected to gulp N2.031 trillion.

    Further breakdown presented by the president shows that proposed recurrent expenditure is N4.04 trillion, statutory transfer is N492.36 billion, there is a sinking fund of N120 billion, while capital expenditure is N2.031 trillion.

    Comparative analysis of 2018/2019 budget

    The 2019 budget is about N27 billion lower than the 2018 budget of N9.1 trillion. A breakdown of the budget shows that although there is a marginal increase from 3.95 per cent in 2018 (that is N340.456 billion, out of the total budget of N8.612 trillion) to 4.1 per cent in 2019 (that is N365.77 billion, out of total budget of N8.83 trillion), the money falls short of the sector’s huge requirements. The sum is however close to the 4.15 per cent appropriated in 2017.

    A cursory view of the budget proposal shows that some key sectors such as Works, Power and Housing was allocated the highest earnings at N408.3 billion followed by Transportation with N194.24 billion and Defence, N158.12 billion.

    Besides, Agriculture got N80.29 billion; Water Resources, N73.58 billion; Industry, Trade and Investment, N61.07 billion; Health, N50.15 billion; Education, N47.29 billion; Interior, N47.40 billion; Niger Delta, N39.40 billion; and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, N31.97 billion respectively.

    On health, the Federal Government failed to meet the recommendation of the 2001 Abuja Declaration that at least 15 per cent of yearly national budget should be set aside for the sector.

    A further breakdown shows that the president proposed a recurrent expenditure of N315.62 billion and N50.15 billion for capital projects for the ministry of health in its 2019 appropriation bill. This is about a 46.274 billion increase from last year’s recurrent expenditure, which was N269.346 billion. There was however a shortfall in capital expenditure from N71.11 billion in 2018 to 50.15 billion in 2019.

    Another positive to the proposed budget is the inclusion of the one per cent Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) earmarked for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

    The budget is also touted as little compared to the previous fiscal policy considering the overtly ambitious projections of the federal government.

    Mixed reactions trail 2019 budget proposal

    Apparently wary of the performance of the previous budget, a lot of stakeholders have expressed concern that the 2019 budget need to address a lot of grey areas.

    Firing the first salvo, the Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Muda Yusuf in a statement made available to The Nation while noting that the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) statistic released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the Nigerian economy grew by 1.81% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2018 amongst others, he observed that  this performance is lower than the LCCI, IMF and Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) growth forecasts of 3.5&, 2.1% and 4.1% respectively for 2018.

    While citing data from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), he said the recent oil price is already below 2019-2021 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2019 budget benchmark of $60p/bl.

    “The declining global oil price will likely distort FG’s economic projections for 2019 as well as impact adversely on its MTEF if the trend is not reversed.”

    Regrettably, the LCCI boss said, “With little progress realized from the ongoing effort by the government to diversify revenue sources, we are constrained to use oil price as the baseline for our 2019 projections. According to estimates by Capital Economics analysts, every $10-per-barrel fall in oil prices boosts incomes by about 0.5 to 0.7% of gross domestic product in major emerging market oil importers. The same discount will cause a 3-5% decline of GDP in most of the Gulf economies, and a slowdown of 1.5-2% of GDP in Russia and Nigeria on an annualised basis.

    “Given the challenging economic conditions, key policy reforms would be imperative to support and sustain macroeconomic stability. These include, among others, a foreign exchange management framework that reflects the market fundamentals, the acceleration of the economic diversification agenda, normalisation of Lagos ports environment, the oil and gas sector reform, especially the petroleum industry bill; better debt management strategy to ease the burden of debt service, reduction in the cost of governance at all levels;  improvements in the domestic revenue (particularly independent revenue) to reduce volatilities of government revenues.”

    Echoing similar sentiments, Prof. Uche Uwalaka of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, while analysing the budget as presented by President Buhari, the don who spoke at television magazine programme monitored by our correspondent faulted the $60 oil benchmark, saying it is overly ambitious.

    “Even Russia is using $40 per barrel as oil benchmark.  Oil price is around $57-58 and would still tumble down. It is really surprising that we are still going ahead with the $60. That is why I feel $60 per barrel is a little on the high side.”

    In the view of the chief executive officer of Financial Derivatives Limited, Bismarck Rewane, the $1 billion provision for subsidy is unconvincing, stressing that the allocation would hardly be enough to offset the yearly subsidy on fuel thus raising the possibility of a supplementary budget.

    The managing director of Cowry Asset Management Limited, Johnson Chukwu, on his part, said the projected revenue from crude oil, based on production and price, was cause for worry.

    “I think the oil price benchmark is too optimistic. We have never reached 2.3 million barrels per day production in the last four years. And now, the oil cartel has cut production level. If you cannot achieve your revenue projection, it becomes difficult to carry out capital expenditure plans. We would surely overshoot our deficit projections again and as usual, we would borrow more.”

    In the view of Gabriel Ikese, a public affairs commentator, “Presenting the 2019 budget proposals in December should not be an excuse to delay the passing of the bill within reasonable time. 2017 and 2018 budgets were presented November, fairly reasonable time frame but still lingered for over 5 months at the National Assembly.”

    Members of the legislature, he stressed, “should be patriotic enough to put aside personal interests and frivolous allegations from any quarters for the overriding national interest in passing the budget expeditiously. With commitment and adequate capacity, the budget can be passed in 30 working days.”

    The 2019 budget proposal should be expeditiously considered and passed in record time as a test of integrity and attestation of a responsible legislature. This would change the negative perception of lawmakers and the hallowed institution of the National Assembly.

    While citing Sergius Ogun, a lawmaker representing Esan North/East Constituency,  who said on National Television that the Nigerian Financial Intelligent Unit (NFIU) bill was passed in eight working days when the Egmont Group suspended Nigeria and threatened expulsion from the group over lack of autonomy, he therefore said there is no reason the 2019 budget bill will not be accorded with such attention and speed.

    Also speaking in an interview with The Nation, Sola Fijabi, Managing Director/CEO, Brookes and Blakes, a media relations company with expertise in the emerging economies, said the sign at the macroeconomic level hardly shows any promising except in the microeconomic levels.

    Light at the end of the tunnel

    It is however instructive to note that the ongoing 2018 fiscal spending plan has recorded 30 per cent of capital budget (mainly infrastructure) implementation.

    The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, made the disclosure last Tuesday while providing insight into details of the N8.83 trillion budget.

    He also revealed that N820 billion was released last week for the implementation of the capital component of the 2018 plan.

    Udoma said, in line with the federal government’s reviewed Economic Recovery and Growth plan (ERGP), priority areas have been identified for attention under the plan. These would require over N1.3 trillion of the proposed N2.03 trillion capital vote for the period under review.

    Setting agenda for government

    In an article entitled, ‘Where is budget 2019’ by Henry Boyo, renowned economist while taking a retrospective look, recalled that the 2018 budget received Presidential assent as late as June 2018; i.e. over seven months after the National Assembly received the appropriation bill on November 7, 2017.

    While noting that “The consolidated annual budgets have steadily risen from $8.2bn (N705.036bn @ $1=N85.98) in 2000 to well over $31bn between 2011-14, the social welfare of our people may have only been marginally impacted; incidentally, the claim of marginal improvement is, however, not supported by a Washington based Economic think-tank, in the Brookings Institute’s recent report, which identified Nigeria as the World’s Poverty Capital, where the number of people who earn below $2/day increase by up to six persons every minute! Indeed, despite public expectation that the present Administration would tilt the consolidated budget, in favour of relatively larger capital budgets, so as to fast track rapid development, regrettably however, recurrent expenditure, such as wages/salaries and general consumables, have remained largely closer to 70% of total budget.”

    Notably, however, in the absence of such a definitive Act that makes it mandatory for the National Assembly to receive the Appropriation bill before, say, 30th June every year, there may be no end to the extended delays that impede implementation of annual fiscal plans; in this event, there would be no reprieve, either, from the increasing challenge to rising unemployment, poverty reduction or indeed, to any significantly improved social welfare for more Nigerians.

    “Instructively, if the arms of government remain loyal to the established Medium Term Expenditure Framework, (MTEF), which derives from the umbrella of the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP), is strictly complied with, the process of budget preparation and assent will certainly become facilitated so that implementation would properly commence as from the 1st of January of each Fiscal Year to achieve the progressive goals of government!”

  • 2019: Atiku shouldn’t be too desperate – Ojikutu

    The presidential candidate of All the Progressives Congress, APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, has been described as the best option for Nigeria in 2019. Making this assertion in an interview in Lagos, a former deputy governor of the state, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, urged Nigerians to support President Buhari for a second term, adding that there is no better alternative to the APC candidate as we speak. She also urged former vice president, Abubakar Atiku, against being too desperate to replace Buhari. Ojikutu also spoke on other national issues. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports. Excerpts:

    Restructuring has become a subject of debate among different individuals, groups and organisations in the country with differed opinions on it, what’s your stand on it?

    I believe in restructuring. But it should be done in a way that it will not lead to disintegration of Nigeria.

    There has been too much struggle for the control of power at the centre, but with restructuring there will be devolution of power and a return to true practice of federalism which in turn will help to diffuse tension.

    It was military intervention that led to the introduction of the unitary system of government which we are practising now but with genuine restructuring the nation will return to true practice of federalism as it was being done in the First Republic before military intervention which disrupted the system that was already in practice.

    During the First Republic, everything was going on very well with the parliamentary system of government we were running. Cost of governance was not too expensive like what is happening to us now that we are running presidential system of government. What elected public officers including members of the National Assembly are earning today is too much. What are they doing or what kind of work are they doing to be collecting such jumbo pay?

    The salaries and allowances they are collecting is stupendous, it can’t be justified. Elected public officers are being overpaid. But once there can be a drastic cut in salaries and allowances of these people, inflation will come down.

    There is bitter struggle for political power because of this jumbo pay politicians are collecting as salaries and allowances. What are these people even doing? I mean the so-called lawmakers who are supposed to be representatives of the people?

    They are doing nothing as we don’t feel their impact in the locality or in the community. We don’t see them at all. I’m residing in Eti-Osa local government area of Lagos State but I don’t see or feel the impacts of my so-called representatives. How many lives have these representatives touched? It is only when elections are approaching that you see them erecting bill boards all over the place. If they empower anybody at all, may be it is only a few of their acolytes they empower.

    The way Nigerians are seeking political power at all cost and by all means is frightening. It is this their acts of desperation that eventually lead to do-or-die politics. Nigerian politicians should realise that ultimate power belongs to God. It is also God that is the owner of our souls and lives. Not only that, it is also Almighty Allah that determines who to give power to. For all these politicians who are boasting, struggling and making permutations about 2019, they should remember that Allah is the owner of our souls and it is only Allah that knows what will happen within the next second, hours or days, who among these politicians who will live to 2019 or what will happen tomorrow. Only Allah knows who will live to 2019 or beyond. He is the owner of our souls; we should all have the fear of Allah.

    It is a shame that despite all these desperation for political power and jumbo pay that our leaders are earning that Nigeria today can’t boast of one standard hospital that is world class. All our hospitals are in shambles.

    It is a shame that with all the billionaires that we have, and also with all the billions of naira that have been illegally acquired through stolen oil money that Nigeria can’t boast of a standard hospital.

    Why can’t all those who have illegally amassed the nation’s oil wealth money come together and build a world class hospital? This is one of those that I expect those that have illicitly enriched themselves with the nation’s oil allocations to have done. These people have the money and wealth but yet they have all refused to do the needful. I believe that the time has come when we should all put on our thinking caps and think of how Nigeria can become a great nation.

    Of recent you have been canvassing the setting up of a Truth, Restitution and Recovery Commission, what’s this commission all about?

    From all indications, the gang up against President Buhari is because people are afraid that what they have looted will be exposed by his administration, and that he may be ruthless with them as 2019 is fast approaching.

    So the intense drive to get Buhari out of office has become deeply intense. This is even not limited to the people at the top but also include civil servants and every other person that has collaborated in destroying Nigeria. All these people don’t want Buhari to be there come 2019. So what I’m proposing is that we should set up this commission, and this commission should be fashioned after the Truth Reconciliation Commission in South Africa where those people that did wrong during the apartheid period came out to confess to their evil deeds, and made restitution.

    In the same line, people who stole Nigeria money and are afraid that they may be caught, and don’t want to be caught, jailed and be shamed will come to that commission and be given immunity from prosecution after they have coughed out what they have looted.

    Membership of the commission should cut across all divides; it should be all-embracing. An eminent Nigerian should head the commission. Aside that, I’m also proposing that we should have an economic team that will be made up of pure professionals that will be saddled with turning round our economy. If we continue with this way we are going there will continue to be tension and anxiety over the economy.

    There has been a lot of anxiety as 2019 is fast approaching, what is your take on the presidential contenders?

    It is not desirable that President Buhari should hand over this country to those who will loot this nation.

    It is not that Buhari is 100 percent but with Buhari we can see a silver lining for Nigeria.

    Those people whose hands are tainted don’t want Buhari back in 2019. But some of these people can’t come out openly to say so.

    If this kind of commission can be set up, then the 2019 general elections will be less of a do-or-die affair.

    I know that PDP presidential candidate and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is desperate to become president at all costs, but Atiku should realise that it is not a do-or-die affair.

    Atiku should not be desperate. Then if at all he wants to become president of Nigeria, Nigerians should have a belief that he has turned a new leaf. Right now most Nigerians believe that Atiku is tainted.

    Right now, Atiku is not the man for the job unless we want Nigeria to be classified as a nation of thieves. Atiku is even regarded as a wanted person in another country. Is it such kind of person you want to become president of Nigeria? It is one of the reasons why I’m proposing this commission. I’m not in PDP or APC. I’m not a member of any political party but I believe in Buhari.

    But I also wonder at some of the things happening under Buhari’s administration. I wonder whether he is the one condoning some of these things. I remember there was a time during Jonathan’s period as president when it was reported that the newspapers Jonathan was reading were different from the ones Nigerians were reading. I hope this is not what is happening now.
We still have the time for this commission to be set up to take care from the way things are now, I don’t see any of these people who have been perceived as looters going away quietly. They are desperate to get power across the divide.

    Some people are ready to take over power at all cost in 2019. I have great fear over 2019. We have to pray very well that it should not be bloody.

    Any right thinking Nigerian should be afraid of what 2019 general elections portend for Nigeria.

    On your reservations about Atiku Abubakar, some Nigerians are saying that it has only been cases of allegations and no proof of corruption yet against him, what’s your take on that?

    Let Atiku come out and tell Nigerians how he became stupendously rich. So far he has not done that, but this is the time for him to do it. He should explain to Nigerians why he can’t travel to the United States of America. Then how did he become a billionaire after retiring as a Customs officer? Did he get bank loan?

    People are alleging that Atiku sold Nigeria off during the privatisation era when he was the nation’s vice-president.

    Most of the nation’s companies were sold to people who couldn’t manage them when Atiku supervised the privatisation exercise. Some of these companies were sold off when they still had funds and were still viable. The facts are there as to what happened during the privatisation under Atiku’s watch. All these are in public domain. There are so many of these companies, and this is why many people believe that Nigeria is not safe if Atiku becomes the president.

    Under Atiku’s watch, Eleme Petrochemical Industry was sold off. It was also under his watch that Nigeria Fertilizer Company, NAFCON, was sold off.

    Aluminium Smeltering Company, NICON Hilton, Sunti Sugar Limited, Nigeria Machine Tools Limited Osogbo, Bacita Sugar Company, some of these companies if they are still being run by the government would have provided a lot of jobs for the unemployed. Some of these companies are dead. This is why I get annoyed when some people claim that it is under Buhari that many Nigerians are out of jobs. This is not being fair; the problem has long started before Buhari came on board. The rot has been there. It has been building up over the years.

    Under this commission I’m proposing, we should also list all Nigerian companies and projects that could have make Nigeria great but which were grounded. Who are the officers responsible? Who are the architects of the problems of these companies?

    Everybody involved should come forward and release whatever is in their hands.

    Although I also have my reservations about ways some things are going under Buhari’s administration. But he is still far better to lead Nigeria. The way some retired Nigerian public officials live when they travel outside the country, how they spend money you wonder whether they were once salary earners or whether they were retired civil servants. We need to address some of these issues in order to save this country.