The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • Buhari hails Nigeria’s progress in World Bank’s ranking

    Buhari hails Nigeria’s progress in World Bank’s ranking

    President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed most heartily the phenomenal improvement of Nigeria on the World Bank’s Doing Business latest rankings released on Tuesday.

    Besides moving up 24 places in the rankings, Nigeria is also reported by the World Bank to be among the Top Ten Reformers globally.

    The President, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, congratulated all Nigerians on this very significant step forward which symbolizes the real success achieved by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, (PEBEC), the National Assembly and State Governments in making it easy for people to register their businesses speedily, obtain licenses and approvals from government agencies without unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks.

    According to President Buhari, “it also reflects our efforts to make it easy for foreign business visitors to obtain visa on arrival, pass through our airports and do their businesses with ease and speed.”

    He particularly commended PEDEC chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, for a job well done, stressing that he looks forward to even greater achievements for the nation.

     

  • ‘It is difficult to remove PDP members in Buhari’s government’

    ‘It is difficult to remove PDP members in Buhari’s government’

    A Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, on Tuesday said it would be difficult for President Muhammadu Buhari to remove members of Peoples Democratic Party members who are serving in his government overnight.

    She spoke at the 2nd annual international conference on Tuesday in Abuja with the theme focusing on institutions: A panacea for sustainable development.

    The event was organized by the Progressive Solidarity Forum in collaboration with National Orientation Agency.

    She corroborated claims by Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Services, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd) who said that the change agenda of Buhari government had been hijacked by members of PDP who defected to the All Progressives Congress.

    She said more than 50 percent of PDP members are in the Buhari government serving in the presidency, judiciary and law enforcement agencies.

    According to her, these members are serving their personal interest instead of that of President Buhari government.

    Mrs Onochie said: “That brings me to those who are in this government to serve themselves. Those Col. (rtd) Hammed Ali, the CG Customs called PDP. He said that there is about 50 percent of them in this government.

    “But I say no they are more than 50 percent. They are everywhere. They are in the presidency, the national assembly. You can find them in the judiciary, they are in the law enforcement agency.

    “They serve their personal interest. They encourage unsuspecting youths, our youths to be their foot soldiers on the social media to abuse and curse people while their own children are sipping tea in England or America or elsewhere. They are a poor example to our youngsters on the social media.

    “You just don’t go and change all the agencies. That is not how it works. If you have to change the whole civil service, the whole police, the whole market women, you change the whole children in the school.

    She said Nigerians must come together to fight corruption before it kills the nation.

    “Corruption is everywhere. All of us must come together and join hands with this president to kill corruption before corruption kills our nation.

    “Our youth population is in need of good role models. They were born into corruption,” she said.

    Earlier in his remarks, Grand Patron and Founder of the organization, Dr Ibrahim Emokpaire, said Nigeria needs a strong institution to fight corruption.

    According to him, the federal government needs to focus on creating a robust and dynamic institution to accelerate development on a sustainable basis.

    “Focusing on functioning institutions remains the most pragmatic enduring legacies, of the short stint of a progressive party in the governance of Nigeria,” he said.

  • Buhari, Governors attend APC NEC meeting, Atiku absent

    Buhari, Governors attend APC NEC meeting, Atiku absent

    The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked off at about 2.30 pm on Tuesday with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yomi Osinbajo and about 21 state governors in attendance.

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who was expected at the meeting was absent, but sources close to him said he was out of the country.

    However, neither the President nor the party chairman made any opening remarks before journalists were asked to leave the hall for the actual meeting to commence.

    Governors Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) and Nasir elRufai (Kaduna).

    Others are Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).

    The senators present at the meeting include Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, Senate Minority Whip, Francis Alimikhena, Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Binta Garba, Andy Ubah, Magnus Abbe, Dino Melaye, Ahmed Sani Yerima, Gbenga Ashafa and Barnabas Gemade.

    From the House of Representatives came Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila, Majority Whip, Ado Dogowa among others.

    Pioneer National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello and Special Adviser to the Vice President on Political Matter, Babafemi Ojodu were also in attendance.

    Before the meeting, a mild drama played out at the entrance to the AOC secretariat as the presidential guard on duty insisted that the governors will be dropped at the gate, while they walk into the secretariat.

    Security aides attached to Governor Yahaya Bello who was the first to arrive the secretariat for the meeting engaged in a shouting match which almost resulted in fisticuffs.

    Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulaziz Yari was furious that his colleagues were asked to walk into the secretariat, insisting that they be allowed to be driven in, while the cars are taken out later, but the head of the security team told him that “it will not work that way”.

  • AGF regrets sorry state of nation’s prisons

    AGF regrets sorry state of nation’s prisons

    The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) has regretted the sorry state of affairs in the nation’s prisons.

    Malami noted that, not only are the prisons overcrowded with mostly awaiting trial inmates, they are without the necessary facilities.

    He argued that the condition in which inmates were kept in the nation’s prisons is not only a violation of required international standard, it violate the rights of the inmates.

    Malami spoke in Abuja Tuesday while inaugurating a stakeholders’ committee to oversee the implementation of the Federal Executive Council’s directive to fast track the decongestion of prisons.

    He said: “The current state of our prisons is unfortunately very alarming. There is no gainsaying that the facilities are vastly overcrowded with inmates and the environment mostly not conducive, therefore defeating the primary purpose of the prisons as primarily reformation centres.

    “As a matter of fact, the state of our prisons directly touches on the fundamental human rights of these inmates and constitutes a violation of those rights.

    “It is particularly worrisome that about 70 per cent of the inmates in Nigerian prisons are awaiting trial. This is rather embarrassing and an indictment of the national justice system.

    “This situation contradicts international standards, including those provided in the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) that provides for limited use of pre-trial detention only when certain conditions are present,” Malami said.

    He noted that past efforts at decongesting the nation’s prisons have not been particularly successful, a development that informed the new initiative.

    The AGF said the role of the committee will include coming up with an effective strategy in the form of a road map and comprehensive action plan to ensure that permanent gains were achieved in the task of reforming and decongesting the nation’s correctional institutions.

    Some of the measures to be adopted include the creation of a case management system to integrate existing prison information systems in some parts of the country, and review of cases of inmates awaiting trial for up to five years and of inmates eligible for prerogative of mercy periodically.

    Other measures, Malami said; include the application of the provisions of Part 44, sections 453, 460 and 468 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) on no-custodial sentencing, and liaising with the National Assembly on the need for the prompt passage of the Nigeria Prison and Correctional Services Bill.

    Malami also stressed the need for collaboration with Chief Judges of the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on ways to fast track prison decongestion, and working with states’ Attorneys-General to develop necessary prison decongestion policy.

    The committee’s Chairman and Chief Judge of the High Court of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello assured that his committee would do a thorough job.

    Justice Bello noted that states were reluctant to adopt the ACJA, a development partially responsible for delay in the administration of criminal cases and prison congestion.

    He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to encourage state Governors to adopt the ACJA as a way of ensure prompt handling of criminal cases and elimination of congestion in prisons.

  • APC caucus passes vote of confidence on party leadership

    APC caucus passes vote of confidence on party leadership

    The leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday night, passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the party.

    This was disclosed to State House reporters by Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari at the end of a caucus meeting of the party presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, the meeting also reinforced the unity, commitment and strength of all members of the party.

    “This meeting shows our unity in the party, shows our strength and our commitment to the party and to Nigerians,’’.

    Also Sen. Bukar Abba-Ibrahim said that the outcome of the meeting dismissed the speculation that it was convened to remove the leadership of the APC.

    He said: “You remember, you saw it in some of the newspapers. That our crises had deepened, APC is going to break, there is a plan to kick out our national chairman – none of these things happened.

    “It is a big family reunion and we are all happy and this party is going to dominate the Nigerian political space for a very long time to come. I don’t want to predict any number of years.’’

    Mr John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s National Chairman, described the caucus as `very fantastic’, adding that the party would be stronger after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Those who attended the meeting included Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, cabinet ministers and presidential aides.

    Governors of Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Jigawa, Benue, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Kebbi, Nasarawa as well as deputy governors of Kwara and Yobe states also attended the meeting.

    Members of the National Assembly including Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso and Adamu Alieru as well as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha also attended the caucus which lasted for over three hours.

  • APC Caucus passes vote of confidence on leadership

    APC Caucus passes vote of confidence on leadership

    Chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday night, passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the party.

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara made this known at the end of a caucus of the party which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said that the meeting also reinforced the unity, commitment and strength of all members of the party.

    “This meeting shows our unity in the party, shows our strength and our commitment to the party and to Nigerians,’’.

    Sen. Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting, dismissed the speculation that it was convened to remove the leadership of the APC.

    He said: “You remember, you saw it in some of the newspapers. That our crises had deepened, APC is going to break, there is a plan to kick out our national chairman – none of these things happened.

    “It is a big family reunion and we are all happy and this party is going to dominate the Nigerian political space for a very long time to come. I don’t want to predict any number of years.’’

    Mr John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s National Chairman, described the caucus as `very fantastic’, adding that the party would be stronger after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Sen. Bola Tinubu, Bisi Akande, cabinet ministers and presidential aides.

    Governors of Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Jigawa, Benue, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Kebbi, Nasarawa as well as deputy governors of Kwara and Yobe states also attended the meeting.

    Members of the National Assembly including Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso and Adamu Alieru as well as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha also attended the caucus which lasted for over three hours.

    NAN, however, noted that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was absent at the meeting, though a source said he might have travelled out of the country. (NAN)

  • Will heads finally roll?

    Will heads finally roll?

    Another incident last week again brought to fore the question of the calibre of people around President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The incident was the recall to service of the former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.

    Maina, who was on the run for an alleged N2 billion scam, got back into service without the knowledge of President Buhari, whose administration has been fighting corruption in the past two and half years.

    At the centre of this episode is the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who was alleged to have directed the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to reinstate Maina.

    While the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, was said to be opposed to Maina’s recall, some powerful persons in government were alleged to have overruled her position on the matter.

    Some of the questions this new development have thrown up is if Maina had paid his way back to service or his recall was  to serve the interest of some powerful individuals in government or was it only towards his ambition of becoming the next Borno State Governor.

    The opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wasted no time to condemn the development.

    In a statement by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party called for the immediate arrest and trial of Maina over the pension fund scam.

    The party also demanded immediate sack of Malami and the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau for the roles they played in Maina’s recall to service.

    “As a party of good conscience, we wish to condemn in strongest terms the penchant of the administration of President Buhari for giving safe haven to known criminals while hoodwinking Nigerians that it is fighting corruption.” Adeyeye stated.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement last Wednesday hinted that some influential officials loyal to the previous government may have been the invisible hand in the latest scandal that saw the return of Maina to the public service, despite being on the EFCC’s wanted list.

    “Evrything will be uncovered in due course. This just goes to show us the scale of corruption that this government is fighting. And, as we can all see, corruption keeps fighting back viciously.” he added

    Senators during plenary session last Tuesday also resolved to probe the return of Maina to the civil service.

    While mandating its Public Service, Anti-Corruption, Interior and Judiciary  committees to investigate the recall, the red-carpet chamber also pushed for Malami and Danbazzau’s sack.

    Many concerned Nigerians, both on the social media and other medium, also vented their anger over Maina’s recall.

    They now see most of the people around the President to be wolves in sheep’s clothing.

    Some of them even bluntly declared that the administration was merely paying lip service to the fight against corruption.

    To say that the President was embarrassed by the development was an understatement as he promptly ordered the disengagement of Maina from service.

    He also immediately ordered for the probe of the process that led to Maina’s recall to service.

    A statement issued last week Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the immediate disengagement from service of Mr Abdullahi Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms.

    ”In a memo to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the President equally demanded a full report of the circumstances of Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of Interior.

    ”The report is to be submitted to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, before the end of work Monday, October 23, 2017.” it stated

    This is happening while the alleged corruption charges against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, and the suspended Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke are unresolved.

    All these are definitely not good for a government, whose main goal is to kill corruption before it kills Nigeria.

    Every effort must be taken now  not only to get to the root of the Maina’s saga, but also muster the will to identify and punish all those involved, accordingly.

    Some of the political analyst have said that their actions have clearly shown that they are opposed to the anti-graft battle of the administration  in particular and equally enemies of a progressive and developed Nigeria.

    The government cannot afford to sweep this under the carpet.

     

    Back in the groove

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari in the past few weeks have continued to perform his roles to Nigerians at the national and international levels.

    Not a few Nigerians were concerned with the President’s health when he spent about 103 days on medical vacation in the United Kingdom few months back.

    Beside performing his duties in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, since his return to the country, he has also continued to launder Nigeria’s image abroad and searching for better deals for Nigeria at international level.

    The first major international event he attended since his return to the country was the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the United States.

    He also embarked on four days visit to Turkey.

    While he returned to Nigeria from Turkey last week Sunday, Buhari last Tuesday also left the country for Niger Republic towards a common currency for the West African sub-region.

  • Group to Buhari: Order the arrest, prosecution of Lawal, Oke

    Group to Buhari: Order the arrest, prosecution of Lawal, Oke

    The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) Monday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ask that the duo of Babachir Lawal and Oke, erstwhile Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) be arrested and prosecuted.

    The development is Followed the termination of the appointment of the indicted erstwhile Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal and his replacement with Boss Mustapha.

    In a statement jointly signed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss. Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA also criticized President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to use the sacking of the erstwhile SGF to balance the clear lopsidedness in the composition of his kitchen cabinet dominated exclusively by Northern Hausa/Fulani Moslems and completely alienated the South East of Nigeria.

    The rights group which however said the belated sack of the duo of Lawal and Oke was a step in the right direction stated that the directive from president Buhari stopped short of ordering the immediate arrest of both former top shots of his government by all the relevant anti-graft institutions.

    HURIWA said it is however the general expectations of most Nigerians and observers the world over, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Offences Commission (ICPC) will not behave like zombies and fail to activate effective mechanisms for the immediate arrest and prosecution in the competent courts of law of the indicted top federal government political and security officials.

    Besides, the Rights group has also tasked all credible civil rights bodies to monitor closely the actions of both the EFCC and ICPC in the eventual arrest and prosecution of the duo because both men had overwhelming influences within the corridors of power.

    “Let all the credible Non-governmental bodies come together as a coalition of patriots to set up effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure that all the relevant law enforcement institutions are compelled to do the needful in this instance and not be allowed to deliberately undermine or destroy the prosecution of these two powerful former presidency officials.

    “The erstwhile SGF is alleged to be very close to the acting chairman of EFCC because the EFCC acting Chairman has been sighted in the Maitama residence of the now sacked SGF Babachir Lawa.”

    Speaking on the failure of president Buhari to respect federal character principle in the replacement of the now dismissed SGF; the Rights group said this continuous pattern of gross disrespect to the constitution is disastrous.”

    HURIWA recalled that a statement from the Presidency said the President Muhammadu Buhari has studied the report of the panel headed by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, which investigated allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.

  • APC holds ‘make or mar’ NEC meeting

    APC holds ‘make or mar’ NEC meeting

    The much talked about National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is scheduled to hold on Tuesday at the party National secretariat with President Muhammadu Buhari in attendance.

    The meeting is the third meeting of the body since the inauguration of the APC led federal government with the last meeting taking place in March 2016 against the mandatory quarterly meeting.

    The NEC meeting has been postponed on two previous occasioned after invitations had been sent out, but as at the time of this report, security details were seen putting finishing touches to security Arrangement around the APC secretariat.

    Ahead of the meeting, the National Working Committee were said to have held a meeting with state Chairmen of the party on Sunday apparently to drum up support with a view to averting the alleged plot to unseat the chairman.

    Women leaders of the party were also seen a meeting with the National Women Leander ahead of the meeting at the party secretariat probably to agree on a common position to be presented to the meeting.

    Those who are statutorily expected at the NEC meeting include President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Suleiman Yusuf Lasun, members of the National Working Committee and their deputies, Leader of the Physically challenged, Zonal Secretaries, zonal organizing secretaries, zonal women leaders and State Chairmen.

    Others include State Governors who are members of the party, Majority Leader, party Whips and their Deputies in both the Senate and House of Representatives, two serving Senators from each of her six geopolitical zone, three members of the House of Representatives from the six geopolitical zone, six ex-officio members and Serving Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees.

    However, since the inception of the party, it has not inaugurated its Board of Trustees, while the last NEC meeting mandated a review of the party constitution to change the name of the BOT to Elders Council with a view to trimming down the membership to what it termed manageable size.

    Article 25 (B) of the party constitution states that the National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National, Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two third of the members of the National, Executive Committee provided that not less than 14 days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned.

    The quorum for the meeting, according to the APC constitution shall be one-third of its members.

    The meeting may deliberate on the crisis in various states of the federation with a view to rectifying or upturning the suspension of some members of the party such as National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, Senator Shehu Sani, Chairman of APC In Bayelsa state among others.

    The Nation learnt that at a recent meeting of the National Working Committee and state governors, the governors present expressed concern over the absence of south-west governors and their apathy to the party meeting, suggesting that something is done to placate them.

    The governors were said to have also expressed concern about the absence of most of the governors from the north from the meeting.

    It is also expected to consider the recommendation of the National Working Committee to merge the non-elective convention with the elective convention in view of the expiration of the tenure of the Oyegun led leadership in April 2018.

    The National Working Committee is reported to have suggested that in view of the financial situation of the party and the closeness of the two conventions, both be merged and held between February and April 2018.

    The poor state of the party’s finances, complains of marginalization especially from key members of the party and supporters as well as the direction of the party ahead of the 2019 elections is expected to top the agenda of the party.

    State governors of the party are said to be complaining that they are not being carried along in the running of the country by the President, especially when it comes to making appointments from their states.

    Plateau state governor, Simon Lalong who spoke the mind of the governors at a recent outing in Abuja said the government is making appointments from their states without seeking their input, adding that those who do not have the capacity to defend the actions of the President have been the ones benefiting from the federal government to appointments.

    The governor said the government must be made aware that things are not working the way they should, saying “If things are wrong they are wrong, if they are right they are right. But it requires very courageous people to come out and say these thongs are wrong or they are right.

    “Let the Mr. President be aware that this is the time to do it because even as governors we are also complaining in our various state, we are saying it. We complained in our states that we sit down and we hear appointment made and then people start asking you as the governor where is this man coming from?

    “But when we turn right and turn left, we don’t know where such a person is coming from. Many people have complained. I’m sure governors have complained that we should be able to know who and who will Protect Mr. President and his administration.

    “When I heard that BSO is coming back again, I said is it not too late because if you allow people to grumble too much, you will see a fight in several states and some of them are for a just course.

    “Somebody suffered for the party, the person is not rewarded and you wake up to see another man who even fought you, the man who made you to lose your job is now being appointed and the one who suffered is sitting down.
    Sometimes he will be looking for tears to cry and the tears will not be there because they are dry.

    “Like our chairman said to me, it is not too late. This is the time to start because this is the time you will hear a lot of things coming. People who have not serve will come back and say I had served this way, I had served that way but the records are there. The records can not tell lie. If it is true that they served this way, they served that way let the record.”

  • PDP wants Buhari impeached

    PDP wants Buhari impeached

    The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari for “violating his oath of office”.

    The party also called for proper investigation and prosecution of the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal and the ex-Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ayodele Oke.

    A statement Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, accused Buhari of double standard in the anti-corruption war by shielding his aides and associates from prosecution while haunting opposition figure over alleged corruption.

    Describing the mere sacking of Babachir and Oke as a slap on the faces of Nigerians, the PDP insisted that they be handed off to the existing anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution the same way members of the opposition are being treated.

    The PDP said, “It is an insult on the-collective intelligence of our people who have waited patiently for the President’s reaction on the humongous act of corruption by two of his principal aides and this is totally unacceptable.

    “First and foremost, we had disagreed with the President last year when he decided to setup the panel headed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to investigate the matter because we thought that was the wrong course of action to take.

    “Ordinarily, cases of corruption or alleged cases of misappropriation of funds are supposed to be referred to institutions that are saddled with the responsibility to investigate and prosecute such matters, which is the ICPC and the EFCC if there is any prima facie case against them.

    “But it appears not all animals are equal under the Buhari APC administration. Some people are treated with kid gloves while others, particularly those in opposition are subjected to all manner of harrowing experiences.

    “One of the senators of the APC, Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna State, succinctly put the matter when he said that this administration uses deodorant to fight corruption when it comes to some APC members and President Buhari’s kitchen cabinet, but uses insecticides when it involves members of the opposition and those in the National Assembly”.

    The opposition party wondered why it took the President almost one year to attend to the two cases while the culprits were having a field day at home and enjoying themselves.

    “Whereas, in the case of the opposition, especially PDP members, even when the evidence is flimsy, they will be visited with multiple harassment and intimidation for months and weeks without proper trial.

    “We cite the case of Sambo Dasuki who has been in detention for over two years even when many courts in Nigeria and the ECOWAS Court have ordered his release, the President has fragrantly disobeyed these court orders which again are a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “This is an impeachable offence. So the President cannot just sack Ayo Oke and Babachir Lawal and expects us to be clapping for him.

    “We believe that we are operating under a democracy and a Constitution that governs our affairs. To have subjected these people to different sets of rule and treatment is totally unacceptable.

    “Nigerians are the same under the law and Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke should not be tried by the Presidency while others are hounded by the EFCC and ICPC.

    “These actions of Mr. President are therefore a breach of his oath of office, which he swore to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to be fair and just to all Nigerians without any discrimination whatsoever.

    “The action of the President is a gross violation of his constitutional oath and therefore constitutes a veritable ground for impeachment Using and applying different laws to different people in the country is a direct assault on the constitution and the rule of law .

    “Consequently, we call on the National Assembly to begin processes to impeach the President for breach of the Constitution and fragrance disobedience to the laws of Nigeria.

    “We totally reject these actions and the law should follow its full course on the issues of these officers. In other words, their case should be referred to the EFCC for proper investigation and trial, more so when the President has not told us what the report of the findings was”, the statement added.

    The party argued that Nigerians have the right to know the findings of the Osinbajo panel that investigated Babachir and Oke and insisted that the report should be made public since it is the people’s money that is involved.

    “The President has by his actions taken Nigeria to the level of a banana republic. We are not in a banana republic. This is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Three successive governments of the PDP did not act in the manner President Buhari is acting.

    “There is no doubt that the sudden sack of the SGF and the DG of NIA is just a consequence of the backlash on the Abdulrasheed Maina saga.

    “Up till now, there’s no answer to the pertinent questions we have asked on the Maina saga. The government cares less about the feelings and opinions of Nigerians. This kind of arrogance is unprecedented in the history of this county.

    “We again call for the arrest and investigation of the two Ministers involved in the return of Maina into the civil service, that is, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau and Abubakar Mallami, the Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice”, the party concluded.