The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President

  • The next French President: Macron or lepen?

    In a few days time , precisely 23rd April, the French will go to the polls for the first round of the 2017 presidential election. The second round run-off should come up two weeks later, if none of the eleven candidates scores more than 50% of the votes cast.

    The outcome of the election should be of interest to us in the ECOWAS sub-region in general and in Nigeria in particular , if for nothing , at least for the place of France in the world – a permanent member of the UN, with veto power – and its continued influence in its former African colonies with its attendant impact on the Nigerian economy.

    A case in point is the French-backed CFA franc (directly tied to the Euro), the currency used by Nigeria’s Francophone neighbours, many of them ECOWAS member countries like Nigeria. O the Nigerian borders . A visit to Nigeria’s borders like Seme will convince you!

    The race to determine who will succeed President François Hollande at the Elysée Palace (their own Aso Villa) is now in its last lap. It is obvious that, barring any surprises of tsunamic proportions, the race will run into its second round run-off on Sunday 7th May.

    For anyone who has followed closely the recent campaign and events in France and especially the barrage of relevant polls conducted by different polling agencies and institutes, the run-off of the French presidential election should be between the two forerunners, Marine Le Pen and 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron. Not even the recent surprise surge in voter intention of the far left candidate, Jean- Luc Mélenchon, should ,we believe, change this summation.

    Marine Le Pen, daughter of the famous (infamous?) Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the far right party, National Front (le Front National} , has consistently topped the polls, until recently. The other frontrunner, Emmanuel Macron, a former minister of the economy of the incumbent Socialist President François Hollande, is running as an independent on the ticket of a movement called En Marche! (‘On the Move!’) which he formed on resigning from Hollande’s cabinet less than a year ago.

    He claims to be neither to the left nor to the right of the French political divide. With these two candidates as frontrunners in the race for the Elysée Palace , the 2017 French presidential election can truly and rightly be said to be an historic one.

    If the polls are anything to go by, for once in the history of the Fifth Republic, founded by Gen. Charles de Gaulle, we shall have a situation where the official candidate of each of the two major, mainstream political parties, the ruling Socialist Party , on the one hand, and the main opposition centre right party, the Republicans (Les Republicans),the new name of former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP, on the other, could be absent in the second round run-off.

    This has indeed made the current campaign exciting, and intriguing. While Benoit Hamon, for the Socialists, and the embattled Francois Fillon, of the Republicans (LR), are running 5th and 3rd respectively in the polls, pundits and the man in the street in France and across the world continue to wager and argue as to whether the latter, once considered the next likely president , can make it to the run-off round by coming at least second.

    Time it was when Sarkozy’s prime minister for all the latter’s five years in power (2007- 2012), wa s seen as the next French President once he had beaten Alain Juppé at the LR primary against all odds . Right from the onset there had been no doubt that the blonde eloquent and no-nonsense Marine Le Pen (who even got her father Jean-Marie expelled from the party he founded) would be present at the run-off in May, having consistently been on top of the pack and credited with more than a quarter of the polled voter intentions.

    Should that happen on DDay it would be only the second time an FN candidate would do so in the history of the French Fifth Republic, after the shock result of 2002 that saw Marine’s father beat Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin to the third place in a contest finally won by incumbent Jacques Chirac.

    This time around , the game has changed, or so it appears. Whereas the LR candidate, François Fillon was for long a close second in most polls behind Marine Le Pen , the scandal involving the former’s wife, Penelope, in a sinecure-type fake jobs allegation, for which he is under investigation, has now taken a significant toll on Fillon’s chances, at least at the first round, according to the polls.

    The man who was once seen as the probable next president of France, after he had won the LR’s primary against all expectations , is now running behind Macron and Ms Le Pen, and may, therefore, not get through to the run-off stage.

    On the other hand, Emmanuel Macron’s fortunes have consistently improved over the past weeks owing to a combination of factors, not least of which is the prevalent anti-establishment sentiment, anti-mainstream politician feeling . While the so-called Penelopegate (alleged use of public funds to pay Fillion’s wife as his parliamentary assistant, and even two of his children) obviously led to a loss of supporters for Fillon, the fact that Macron was able to attract supporters from both the left and the right of the political spectrum has helped him not only to displace Francois Fillion from the second position according to a cross section of the opinion polls but indeed to also catch up with Marine Le Pen at the top of the ladder.

    There has, obviously, been a bandwagon effect in favour of the young former minister of President François Hollande, only 39.The outsider, Macron, hardly known a few years back, is today the toast, as they say, of a sizeable, significant section of the electorate.

    The candidate of En Marche! has indeed been able to attract to his candidacy not only the traditional core centre politicians such as François Bayrou of the MoDEM Party,a recurring decimal in French politics, he has also garnered open endorsement by president Hollande’s recent former prime minister, Manuel Valls, and a host of such prominent members of the Hollande administration as the minister of defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and other top-flight politicians , like Daniel Cohn-Bendit.

    What is striking in all this, clearly a success story, that of a brilliant banker and economist turned politician, is that the winner of the Socialist Party primary, Benoit Hamon, has had to cry havoc and treachery to the high heavens for the fact that contestants at the presidential primary of the party had been made to make an undertaking that they would support the winner of that primary , come rain or shine.

    In other words, a major loser at the Socialist Party primary, Hollande’s recent former prime minister Valls, should normally be the last person to lend his support to independent frontrunner Macron, who had turned his back on the Socialist Party, at least not before the ineluctable run-off in May.

    But then, the opinion polls, for whatever they are worth, and woe betide any serious politician who would deny their relevance, have consistently put the Socialist Party’s official candidate far behind not only frontrunners Le Pen and Macron, but also the embattled Fillon, and now also one Jean- Luc Mélenchon, a far left charismatic rabble-rouser.

    All this has led to the now famous ‘vote utile’ (‘useful vote’) and would explain why a good many Socialist Party supporters have shifted ground and continued to endorse, strengthen and swell the ranks of the former socialist, turned independent, Macron. The latter’s En Marche! movement has turned out to be more than a mere slogan but a veritable rallying call.

    The membership of the movement to have hit 200,000, more than double that of the mainstream Socialist Party and about the same as that of the old Gaullist party that has continually governed France under different names and appellations: RPR, UDF, UMP, used by Sarkozy, and now Fillon’s LR. What’s in a name? The bandwagon effect referred to above may well be due to the perceived need by a non-negligible section of the French electorate, and their friends and allies abroad, notably in Europe, to stop the ultra-rightist National Party incarnated by Marine Le Pen from producing the next president of France. The reason is simple.

    If it is highly probable that neither the candidate of the ruling Socialist Party of President Hollande, nor that of the rightist LR Party (Les Républicans) of the immediate past president Nicolas Sarkozy would make it to the second round run-off, it is clear that only a candidate strong enough to give the FN’s Marine Le Pen a run for her populist, anti-EU, anti-immigration, and some would say racist ideology, come 23rd April, could ensure that the far right candidate does not find her way to the Elysée Palace. If Macron comes first at the first round and Marine Le Pen a close second, the race for the Elysée Palace in the run-off would be literally a battle royal.

    The lesser candidates, the French call them ‘les petits candidats’ :small candidates, prominent among whom could be a certain Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the candidate of the far leftist party, Le Parti de Gauche, with his movement called La France Insoumise (France Unsubdued) – rebellious? – and the Socialist Party candidate, Benoit Hamon on the one hand, and the combination of the supporters of François Fillion and the weight of abstentions, and today’s undecided voters, all combined, on the other, could very well determine who wins the race.

    The opinion polls in fact suggest that as many as 20% of those to vote on 23rd April are yet undecided, while abstentions could be as high as 30%. •Continued online •Ekundayo Simpson, Professor of French, CEO Interlingua Limited

  • Where is the President?

    By way of reiteration, this column asks once again that President Muhammadu Buhari must consider an honourable stand down from office. Last month, after his return from his 50-day medical sojourn in Britain, it had been advocated here that the President’s continued stay in office would do his fragile health condition more injury, just as it would portend deeper adverse effects on Nigeria’s economy.

    Expectedly, many are opposed to this position and understandably so – their motives are mainly selfish and self-serving. While some want Buhari to remain in power even when he is obviously chronically ill so they can maintain their positions and enjoy huge economic benefits, others have made political calculations that stretch even beyond 2019.

    Very few give serious thoughts to the immediate, medium and long-term impact of the current health situation of the President on the fortunes of the country. Indeed, the President’s close personal aides and kitchen cabinet would appear to be more comfortable with the status quo, which leaves room for proxy presidency.

    Inasmuch as this is utterly not acceptable, it is equally not sustainable. The events of the last two weeks or so have proved so. Last Wednesday, PMB was not present to preside over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, a signal ominous and distressing. The agenda was light. That was the excuse the nation was handed for the President’s absence.

    Gee! How could the agenda of a nation in recession be light unless the members of the cabinet have suddenly become hoary and light-headed? How could our agenda be light when terrorists are still wreaking  havoc in the Northeast and cultists are raging in the South? We speak of a country of about 200 million people and not a local council area. We speak of a country where hundreds are currently dying of a common disease called meningitis. We speak of a country that for eight years could not contain a rag-tag terror gang; that now roils under the ‘scourge’ of internally displaced persons. We speak of a country that still imports about 80 per cent of her staple food.

    This same country has a light agenda during her highest level executive meeting. And as a result, the President chose to stay away or take a snooze?

    If the first time is overlooked, a second successive time is bound to raise the alarm; which is the reason for this piece. This week, the FEC meeting was postponed once again on the flimsy reason of the Easter break making it difficult to have the memos ready. Ha! Is this how we run our country now?

    We thought certain things are supposed to be sacrosanct: like getting the FEC meeting memos ready at all costs, without brooking any excuses. This is the most basic we expect and this is how it is done in other climes.

    It is laughable indeed to give this manner of excuse. We couldn’t even get a smart excuse… we could simply have said that the FEC was on recess or any such banality. But most of the populace can see through all this shenanigans; we can see that the president’s ill health is making it impossible for FEC to sit regularly.

    Only heavens know what other national duties his ailment bars him from doing and meanwhile, we pretend all is well and that the country is running. But we know that the country cannot run effectively if our number one is incapacitated. Yes we have a veep but he is not empowered to run the country, he only takes orders and acts on such just like any other appointee.

    We are indeed in an aberrant situation. We saw it writ large the other day when the bumbling Babachir Lawal, the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was accosted by the press and told he had been suspended. “Who announced it?” he had asked them most disingenuously. “The Presidency,” they told him. “Who is the Presidency?” he blurted rather pathetic; before he gathered up himself.

    But he had already spilled it. He had let it known that the so-called ‘presidency’ is now euphemism for a coterie of aides who speak for and on behalf of the president. It is a game he knows too well; he had donned that mask several times. Now the masquerade is stark naked.

    It was a palace ‘coup’ in which the victims heard the announcement of their ouster over the radio. It was a ‘coup’ in which the fallen angels were instantly barred from the throne of grace. While the one dumbfoundedly questioned an aberration he helped to created, the other, supposedly a tough spook became soggy-faced and lachrymal. The Director- General of the national Intelligence Agency (NIA) was betrayed by his tears. How are the mighty weeping!

    But if the circumstances around the presidency were normal, number one would have called them in, debriefed them, and formal letters of suspension handed to them before public announcements are made. But the situation in Nigeria’s innermost recess of power required a bit of cloak and a bit of dagger. It is subterfuge environment.

    Which is why we ask again today, where is our president? There is too much at stake to allow this tenuous condition to prevail for too long.

     

    Osborne Towers: Double standards

    There is clearly a whiff of double standards in the all-round handling of this mother of all malfeasance. Of course, the Osborne Tower scandal represents what may be described as the ‘condominium of corruption’. It is the recent cash haul from one of the posh block of flats known as Osborne Towers.

    The cash found in various currencies totalling N13 billion was shockingly claimed by the serving D-G of Nigeria Intelligence Agencies (NIA), Ayo Oke, who tells a bemused world they are funds for ‘covert operations’.

    First, all the flats in the condo are to be searched, but so far only former PDP governors: Peter Obi and Adamu Muazu, are being named. We do not hear anything yet about governors of the ruling party embedded in the condo as well.

    Again, why is NIA D-G Oke and the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Babachir Lawal) being investigated by a Presidential Panel, instead of the EFCC doing its job as it has always done with other high calibre suspects?

    It is either that we no longer trust the EFCC or we are deferring to these suspects because they are serving government officials. Whatever the case may be, it is not good enough. It’s double standard.

  • President should talk to us

    SIR: It’s not a new fact that the hallmark and basis of transformational and impactful leadership is the ability of a leader to communicate frequently or at important intervals, with his or her followers. To let them know that he/she share in their pain and also have a blueprint to get the people out of the catastrophic situations that surround them.

    It is surprising that the president has been in a state of near astute ‘incommunicado’ on almost every issue that pertains to the well being of the citizenry. How long will our president hide from speaking to us on the destination we are heading to? We need answers. Even In dictatorial regimes, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao Zedong etc had vocal and communication vibrations that disseminated their intents and views to the citizens which gives them (the citizens) a picture of what they are into.

    This regime seems to have consistently overpushed the responsibility of communicating intent and course of action on rehabilitation efforts and policy formulation to presidential media aides. Why should a media aide be the first in line to explain certain situations that are of utmost importance and concerns to the people? Why should our president play second fiddle to spokesmen on issues that require leader – followers’ interaction and negotiation?

    Development starts from the ability of a leader to build trust with followers through effective communication. If the President must be taken seriously in his various ‘change’ oriented campaign for a better Nigeria, he must voice out his intent frequently, interact more with the citizens, continue to back up his intent with actions, devoid of partisan influences. We need our President to speak and communicate with us. No one can be his mouthpiece, definitely no one.

     

    • Olaniba Bolaji,

    Kogi State.

  • President extols Dangote’s enterpreneurship virtues

    President extols Dangote’s enterpreneurship virtues

    •Businessman restates faith in economic potentials 

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday hailed the entrepreneurial acumen of businessman Aliko Dangote, who clocks 60 today, even as the President of Dangote Group stated that his faith in Nigeria’s economic potential remained unshaken.

    Felicitating with the Forbes’-rated Africa’s richest man, business mogul and philanthropist, Buhari hailed Dangote’s patriotism and kind-heartedness as well as contributions to safeguarding the health of the nation, especially in polio and Ebola interventions.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President joined the business world, Dangote’s friends and family, in congratulating the celebrator.

    According to him, the global business mogul remains a shining example of the virtues of choosing entrepreneurship from an early age, treading the path of diligence, perseverance and continuous learning to build some of the world’s largest manufacturing and distribution companies, with household names in Nigeria and beyond.

    The statement reads: “As Dangote clocks 60, President Buhari commended the humility, simplicity and cosmopolitan outlook of the entrepreneur who defies ethnic and religious persuasions in extending support to the poor and vulnerable, providing employment opportunities without discrimination, while inspiring and mentoring young Nigerians to greatness.

    “The President acknowledged Dangote’s role in bolstering the economy through continuous engagement and counseling of governments on best practices in promoting the ease of doing business.

    “He prayed that the almighty God will grant Dangote more wisdom, good health and longer life to serve his country and humanity.”

    Speaking with a group of businessmen in his office at the weekend, Dangote said his passion of the nation’s economy has been the impetus underlining his investment decisions.

    “Nigeria is the world’s best kept secret”, he told his guests.

    Dangote’s birthday will today be commemorated with the planting of sixty trees at the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) site of his proposed world-class Refinery and Petrochemical company.

  • President, Saraki, Dogara meet over budget, rift

    President, Saraki, Dogara meet over budget, rift

    BEHIND closed doors and separately, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara in Abuja.

    Expectedly, the festering rift between the Presidency and the National Assembly took the centre stage.

    The President first met with the Speaker before meeting the Senate President —for about 40 minutes each.

    The meetings confirmed yesterday’s The Nation story — that the President was billed to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly as part of efforts to address the strained relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.

    It was learnt that the meetings also discussed Budget 2017, the  amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 and other national issues.

    The Senate President and the Speaker, who spoke to State House correspondents after the meetings, said they had “routine consultation’’ with the President.

    Saraki told reporters that the relationship between the two arms of government remained cordial.

    His words: “The relationship is very cordial; you cannot examine (the National Assembly) by one or two issues.  That is the point I’m making. You cannot examine (the relationship) based on NDDC or examine it based on EFCC.

    “We have other issues like the ministerial (names) we are going to work on and the amnesty we will soon work on. We have the budget that is more important, we have INEC; we have the PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill); we have so many things and I think it is a mixture of all that that should guide us. So, don’t let us overheat the polity.’’

    On the six months suspension of Senator Ali Ndume,  Saraki said he lacked the power to recall the former Senate Leader as being advocated by some individuals and groups.

    He said: “We should try and understand how the parliament works. I wish I had such powers; these powers you give me, I wish I had them. The President or Speaker is first among equals. They are just presiding officers.

    “But, unfortunately, you know the legislative arm is the youngest people don’t understand. People give us these powers that we have. Decisions that are taken in plenary are decision of all. But, I have a role to be able to convey the message.

    “I will convey the message of the visit of the Governor of Borno and the Senate is one. We are all one family. There will be issues like that; there is nothing that is sacrosanct or rigid.”

    He added that the National Assembly is working hard on Budget 2017.

    According to him, one of the reasons for visiting the President was to let him know how far the National Assembly had gone on the budget.

    He said: “We are on course, as you noted last week, we did ask all the sub-committees to submit their reports to the appropriation Committee. All that has been done now. It’s now collation and review. Then, hopefully, it will be passed very soon.”

    On the suspension of screening of Resident Electoral Commissioners, he said: “As I said, this is a routine meeting. There are many things that are important. But there are other things that are even more important to do, which is the budget.

    “We talked also about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Bill that we have passed. I took the President through some of the areas; very important areas. Because you know the President over many years is somebody that has gone to many elections. So, that was something he was really excited about. Some of the new amendments like electronic voting, talks about electronic process for collation. Those are landmark achievements that we hope that very soon, the House will concur and we will all come here for the President to assent.

    “Some of these other issues will happen, but I don’t think it’s a major issue. But we are still moving ahead and still consulting.”

    On his views on the reconciliatory committee set up under the chairmanship of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Saraki said: “Good development. But like I said, there will always be issues on one or two things. It doesn’t mean that it is the foundation of it.

    “When you have an arm of government that has to do with confirmation, there will always be…for example, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Bill.  We rejected three people from NDDC. We keep on moving. We are all part of one government. That is why despite all these, still major decisions are taken.

    “Like I said, we did critical amendments on INEC by Tuesday or Wednesday (today or tomorrow). For the first time in the history of the legislature, we are going to lay a report on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for consideration. It has never happened. For the past 20 years, it has not gotten to this stage. So, it’s work in progress in the interest of Nigeria.

    “Don’t let us get distracted by one or two infractions. It’s bound to happen. Even America that we are copying, today as we are watching, see what is happening on the Supreme Court. These are things that happen in a democracy. But, I can reassure Nigerians that it’s just a drop in the ocean. It is not an issue that should stir the whole nation; be rest assured.”

    Also speaking on the outcome of his meeting with the President, Dogara dismissed speculations that he was at the Villa over crisis between the executive and the legislature.

    The Speaker said: “It baffles me when people see you visiting Mr. President, the assumption out there is that something is going wrong. Nothing is wrong. It is just a routine consultation.

    “You might look at it as crisis but I don’t look at it as crisis. You know I have always said this that as a government our value will be the problems we have solved.

    “We can’t be remembered for avoiding or running away from problems. It is only whený we provide solution to some of the things you refer to as crises and we look at them as opportunities to begin anew that people will now remember us for putting down enduring legacies.”

    On the proposed protest against the recent activities at the National Assembly, Dogara said Nigerians were free to express their views peacefully.

    He said: “This is a democracy we are running and we have to open the space to civil society, to everyone who feels aggrieved to be able to air his grievances.

    “So, if they have grievances against the institution of the legislature, we will take it.’’

     

  • Senate President: it’s mudslinging

    Senate President: it’s mudslinging

    The Senate President last night described the allegations as mere mudslinging.

    A statement by Senator Bukola Saraki’s pokesman, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said:

    “Our attention has been drawn to the circulation of a report in the media said to have been leaked by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu where he made several allegations against Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, as it concerns the payment of the Paris Club Fund refund to the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

    “Let us first state that these allegations are not new. The EFCC had from the outset of its investigation into the Paris Club refund made attempts to drag in the name of Dr. Saraki and we have promptly denied any such involvement of the Senate President.

    “In fact, the EFCC itself came out to deny the report as it then said it had nothing to indict the Senate President. The anti-graft agency said the investigation was still on-going then.  Yet, as at that time it had all these information it is now dishing out.

    “It is obvious that at this point when Mr. Magu believes the Senate President should be blamed for his failure to secure confirmation as Chairman of EFCC by the Senate, he would want to fight back by cooking up reports and masterminding its leakage.

    “We maintain our stand that Dr. Saraki has no direct or indirect link to the distribution of the NGF money. No money from the Paris Club refund was paid to Dr. Saraki.

    “In addressing the specifics of the allegation in the reports, as we gathered from the press, EFCC believe that since the Senate President has worked in the same organisation with Mr. Robert Mbonu before, whatever transaction he is involved in should be linked to the Senate President in this era of mudslinging and muchraking.

    “We would like to say that Mr. Mbonu is not representing Mr. Saraki in any transaction he does with the NGF and no money from his company, Melrose, in his dealing with Nigeria Governors Forum came to Dr. Saraki either directly or indirectly. And if the EFCC has any information to the contrary, we challenge them to make it public.

    “We state categorically that no aide of the Senate President acted on Saraki’s behalf in whatever they do with Mr. Mbonu.

    “Again, If Melrose paid any money to a jeweller or any shop, that has nothing to do with the Senate President. We believe Melrose must have the necessary documentation in support of their transaction and we are sure the EFCC is aware of all these.

    “In the same vein, if Melrose chose to invest in another company, that decision has nothing to do with the Senate President and the act of drawing a link between Mbonu and Saraki can at best be only pure mischief.

    “At this point, it should be noted that Xtract Energy Services Limited is a well known foreign exchange dealer with almost 15 years of existence in the market and the company is widely known to do business with many organisations in the country.

    “The last time the Senate President patronised the company was on December 19, 2014 and we challenge Mr. Magu and the EFCC to prove that the Senate President transacted any form of business with the foreign exchange dealer in the period of the payment of the Paris Club refund.

    “We call on members of the public to view this concocted and leaked report as Mr. Magu’s form of fighting back. The report has no truth in it. It should be noted that the Senate Prssident was not behind Magu’s failure to get confirmation from the Senate.

    “That was democracy in action. Dr. Saraki is merely a presiding officer and first among equals. Dr. Saraki did not in any way interfere with the confirmation process.”

  • Chiwetalu Agu for President

    Chiwetalu Agu for President

    Nollywood legend, Chiwetalu Agu is set to release a music video album titled Mr. President.

    The album reflects on the everyday activities of an average Nigerian and the actor who is stepping into the music industry is especially concerned about the hardship in the country.

    In one of the tracks, Mr. President, the comic actor reflects on the blessings God bestowed on Nigeria as well as poor leadership that has destroyed it, adding that he would do better things if made the president.

    “Nigerians are suffering, there is hunger in the land and someone who is in speaking position has to say something about it,” said the award-winning actor.

    “The album is not just about trolling politicians, but has other fun tracks that will make you dance, laugh and merry. It is an album for everyone.”

    According to the management of Kings Music Entertainment, who are packaging the album, the 5-track video album will be released soon.

    “He is a legend and we know so many people across the globe will be looking forward to the album,” said the spokesperson.

    “It is clean for the family and you will also expect to see some of his comic lines on the songs.”

  • Leaked memo: El-Rufai is disloyal, disrespectful – Sen. Sani

    Leaked memo: El-Rufai is disloyal, disrespectful – Sen. Sani

    Sen. Shehu Sani (Kaduna-APC) has urged the party to penalise Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State for allegedly leaking to reporters a memo he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Sani, who is the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, called for the punitive measures in a statement he released in Abuja on Saturday in reaction to the alleged leakage.

    It will be recalled that media reports had alleged that El-Rufai told Buhari in a memo, that he was losing the vision and the momentum with which APC started the change campaign.

    The governor was alleged to have called on the President to communicate constantly with Nigerians, so they would know the plans of his government.

    The reports also claimed that El-Rufai acknowledged that a cabal was working hard to alienate the President from those, who even worked hard to secure his victory during the 2015 election.

    Sani said it was ironic that while El-Rufai could not stand constructive criticism, he had the audacity to criticise the President.

    “The governor always recommends that our party should punish me for criticising him.

    “Now that he has fired a cruise missile at the President through a deliberately leaked memo, he should also be treated the same way.

    “He accused me of being disloyal and disrespectful to the President and the party for speaking my mind.

    “Now he has done his own cunningly by criticising the President and the party, disguised it as a memo and leaked it out to the press.

    “If our able party chair would give me five strokes of the cane for speaking out, the governor (El Rufai) should be given thrice that for ‘leaking out’.

    “It’s often said that look at the message and not the messenger, but there are times when you can only decipher the message by looking at the messenger,’’ he said.

    According to Sani, while Gov. El-Rufai is entitled to his opinion and perception, the contradiction and irony is that he carried out an action he always stood against when criticised.

    He described the governor as disloyal and disrespectful, saying: “the difference is that while mine is blunt, his is dubious.

    “Secondly, for all the issues he raised against the President, his own is worst in his space of governance both in the existence of cabal or politics of exclusion, incompetence or public perception.

    “The difference is that the President is tolerant of criticisms and alternative views.’’

    He said the leakage of the memo to newsmen was an evidence that ‘‘logically he is leaking memo to rouse popular sympathy and create the image of ‘a competent alternative’ to ‘Baba.’

    “The memo suggests he is trying to do what he recently accused me of.

    “He said that I am in the habit of criticising him because I want to become Kaduna State Governor,’’ Sani said.

    He advised President Buhari to be cautious, saying: “he who keeps a scorpion in his pocket must always watch his groin and he who inherits a cobra should know that it’s not a pet.’’ (NAN)

  • For the love of the president

    For the love of the president

    When President Muhammadu Buhari was receiving medical care overseas, Plateau State Christians and Muslims were united in prayer for his recovery; upon his return, the bond is even stronger. YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU reports 

    After voting overwhelmingly for him in the 2015 election, Plateau State residents would show again just how much they loved President Muhammadu Buhari. They did that when he fell ill and went for treatment in London. The state’s Christian and Muslim faithful went into prayers for his quick recovery and return. The churches were just as busy as the mosques. At a point, Christians joined the Muslims in a mosque in a telling moment of love and faith.

    The state governor, Simon Lalong, a Christian, called for intercessory prayers for his president, directing that the state’s monthly prayer session held in the Government House Chapel be dedicated to the health of the President.

    Government House Champlain, Rev. Father David Ajang, not only led the prayer session but took time to explain why Christians should pray for Muslim leaders.

    He said, “The Bible encourages we Christians to pray for leaders as well as people in authority because leaders are made by God. Every problem of the country requires divine intervention and that is why everyone should pray for God to intervene in the health of our president.”

    Also in Jos Central Mosque, a former Minister of State for Information Alhaji Ibrahim Salisu Nakande led a prayer session for the President.

    Chief Imam, Sheikh Lawal Adam led the prayers. In his remarks, the ex-minister Dasuki Nakande said President Buhari needs prayers not only for his recuperation but God’s guidance and protection to deliver his campaign promises and take the nation to new heights.

    Hon. Nakande who is also an All Progressive Congress (APC)  chieftain urged Nigerians to continue praying for Buhari to succeed.

    Now imagine how the state’s residents, especially those in Jos, the capital, reacted when the President returned, after extending his medical vacation amid speculations and death rumours. They poured out into the streets, chanting the president’s name in a clear demonstration of relief.

    As the news spread in Jos like wildfire, some residents of the state especially those of Hausa ethnic group took to the streets in jubilation.

    There was a procession of tricycles and motorcycles including some on foot. Most of them bore the photograph of Mr. President. The jubilant crowd chanted “Allah Akbar,” which means “God is great”. Some shouted “Buhari 2019”, some others sang “Buhari for Life”, Sai Baba, Sai Magaskiya, etc.

    The procession went through Tafawa Balewa Street, Kwararafa, Bauchi Road, Murtala Muhammed Way, Gangeri, and Angwuan Rogo.

    Some of them spoke on why they took to the streets.

    Abdullahi Sabo said, “We are celebrating because Allah has granted our prayers, we have been praying for the safe arrival of our President, and now he is back hail and hearty, that is why we are celebrating.

    Sadiq Usman said, “We have to celebrate because some people wished our president dead in UK hospital, but some of us prayed against their bad wishes, so with the arrival of our President we have won, our prayer superceed that of those who wished the president dead.

    Mallam Kabiru Yahaya said, “Allah is really great, that is why we are shouting “Allah Akbar” nobody can kill our president, he must finish his four years as our president and we will give him another four years in 2019 “insha Allah” meaning (‘by the grace of God).

    Indeed, there were a number of intercessory prayers in the state in the last three weeks. One was held at Jumaat Mosque organised by Alhaji Salish Nakande and his group. That prayer session saw the coming together of Christians and Muslims who prayed together in Jos Central mosque for Mr. President.

    Great care was taken to ensure that the street procession was not hijacked by hoodlums. That was why the celebration did not last too long. Even while it lasted, security agents kept a close eye on the procession so as to respond promptly at the slightest sign of chaos.

     

  • How Igbo can produce president, by Okechukwu

    How Igbo can produce president, by Okechukwu

    •‘Ohanaeze should be strategic’

    Following the release of 2019 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Osita Okechukwu, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) has called on the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, to be pragmatic, strategic and introspective in advancing the interest of Ndigbo.

    Okechukwu agreed that there are  fault lines, but it should not warrant abuses when President Muhammadu Buhari had congratulated Nwodo and offered an olive branch.

    Fielding questions from reporters in Enugu at the weekend, Okechukwu explained that Nwodo should have compiled all Ndigbo’s grievances and meet with President Buhari for discussion.

    He said: “Is this how to regain lost grounds? Chief Nwodo wants to repeat the costly mistake of Dr Joe Nworgu.”

    The VON DG re-affirmed Buhari’s commitment towards fulfillment of his promise to revamp Enugu coal.

    He dismissed as ‘baseless and unfounded’ claims by former Central Bank Governor, Prof Chukwuma  Soludo that  the President made the country’s bad economy worse.

    Reiterating his position on the debate over whether Ndigbo should contest for presidency in 2019 or 2023, Okechukwu said the best thing for Ndigbo is to vote for Buhari in 2019 and then rely on the zoning convention to harvest the benefits in 2023.

    He recalled that Ndigbo did not vote for Buhari in 2015 and time has come again for them to vote  in 2019 and then reap the benefits in 2023.

    “There are two contending issues in the political domain. One is the law with its legal teeth. It is written. It can pull down any mountain.

    “The other one is the convention. It is not written but with its moral weight, it can also pull down mountains.

    “For Igbo presidency to be germane, we must key into the convention. So that we could harvest the goodwill on our side because we have done a small analysis; when you come to Lagos and ask any indigene of Lagos to stay on one side and the next ethnic group, it is the Igbos

    . When you come to Kano, you tell the truly Kano indigenes to stay one side, the next group is ? Ndigbo.

    “We are only third in four states-Edo,Kwara, Niger and Kaduna. We are one of the most acceptable groups in the country. So, the country is waiting for us.

    “The convention has weight and mark you, like I told some Northern friends, the Igbo president will be a win-win situation because the Igboman will accommodate all sections.

    “And he will bring the entrepreneurship to bear on the economy and the growth of the country. I told them that it is going to be useful to the whole country if a proper Igboman becomes President, not a lackey. We should look for the best within our crowd.

    “So, my position is that my people might be in a hurry, yes. But at my age, 62, one will not jump in on sentiments.”