The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sambo

  • Nigeria remains Canada’s largest trading partner in Africa – Sambo

    Nigeria remains Canada’s largest trading partner in Africa – Sambo

    Vice President Namadi Sambo on Saturday assured the Canadian Government that Nigeria would remain its largest trading partner in the sub Saharan Africa.

    A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant, Media to the Vice President’s, Malam Umar Sani, said Sambo gave the assurance at the just concluded Nigeria-Canada Investment Forum in Toronto, Canada.

    Sambo said Nigeria and Canada enjoyed excellent bilateral relations with a new chapter of mutually strategic relations.

    `Nigeria remains Canada’s largest trading partner with a trade volume of more than 3 billion dollars in the sub Saharan Africa.”

    The vice president also noted the positive contributions of Canada to Nigeria’s successful democratic journey.

    “Canada recognises Nigeria’s unique role in Africa and global affairs and expressed readiness to take good advantage of the investment friendly environment provided by Nigeria through the economic, social, institutional and political reforms introduced by the past and present administrations.

    High points of the event include presentations by ministers of Trade and Investment, National Planning and the Federal Capital Territory of the enormous opportunities awaiting investors.

    Present at the event were the Governors of Abia, Rivers, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Ogun, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom and about 12 ministers.(NAN)

  • Sambo urges Canada to support Nigeria’s economic initiatives

    Sambo urges Canada to support Nigeria’s economic initiatives

    Vice President Namadi Sambo on Thursday in Ottawa urged the Canadian Government to support Nigeria’s drive for economic prosperity.

    Malam Umar, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice President Namadi Sambo, said this in a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Vice President is in Canada for the Canada-Nigeria Investment Conference holding in Toronto from May 2 to May 4.

    According to the statement, the Vice President made the appeal at a meeting he held with the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Mr Ed Fast, at the Canadian Parliamentary building in Ottawa.

    The Vice President also reportedly used the opportunity to inform the Canadian minister of details of “Nigeria’s journey to prosperity.”

    “He noted the expertise of Canada in hydro power and briefed the Minister of the progress recorded on Zungeru with the signing of the 1.3 billion dollars contract … to generate 700 megawatts of electricity,” the statement said.

    According to the statement, Sambo also intimated the minister about the progress of work at the Mambilla Power project.

    He said the power project would cost 6.4 billion dollars and would generate 3,050 megawatts when completed.

    Earlier, Ed Fast had expressed Canada’s gratitude over the manner the issues surrounding Manitoba Hydro was resolved.

    He promised to address the request by Nigeria over fumigation of her wheat imports.

    As regards provision of profitable loans, he promised to take a second look at Nigeria’s request.

    During the meeting, Nigeria and Canada signed the Foreign Investment Protection Agreement (FIPA).

    At the occasion Nigeria’s Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and Hon. Ed Fast, his Canadian counterpart, signed for their respective countries.

    Earlier on arrival at the Canadian Parliamentary Building, the Vice President held a closed door meeting with the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

    The statement said the meeting centered on a Bi-national Commission and other sundry matters.

    NAN reports that Canada-Nigeria Investment Conference is aimed at showcasing Nigeria’s investment potential as well as promoting interaction between the Nigerian business community and the Canadian counterparts.

    Those on the Vice President’s entourage include the Governor of Akwa Ibom and Gombe States, Dr Godswill Akpabio and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, respectively.

    Others are the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru.

    The rest are the Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi, Sen. Iyiola Omishore and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Amb. Ojo Madueke.

  • Sambo, Abubakar for Ansar-Ur-Deen conference in Osun

    Sambo, Abubakar for Ansar-Ur-Deen conference in Osun

    Vice president Namadi Sambo and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, are among prominent Islamic leaders expected at the 7th triennial National Conference of the Ansar-Ur-Deen Society of Nigeria slated for Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    The three-day conference, tagged Osogbo 2013, begins on Friday.

    In a statement, the Conference Organising Committee Chairman and Osun State Chairman of the Ansar-Ur-Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Amzat Bello and Secretary Alhaji R.A. Adeyemi, said the National President of the Ansar-Ur-Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, will lead a high power delegation of Muslims to visit Governor Rauf Aregbesola; the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, and the President-General of the League of Imams and Alfas, Southwest, Edo and Delta states, Sheikh Mustapha Ajisafe.

    Dr. Mikail Folorunso of the Osun State College of Education will deliver a guest lecture titled “National Security, Pluralism And Federalism: Antecedents, Lessons And Choices” at the conference.

    Also, the statement said that “deserving members of Ansar-Ur-Deen Society of Nigeria, who have contributed to the development of Islam and humanity will be confered with awards on Saturday.”

  • Sambo visits Bayero

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Abdullahi Bayero, yesterday in his palace received Vice- President Namadi Sambo, one week after his return from London.

    He appealed to Nigerians to seek God’s intervention in the insecurity in the country.

    Bayero, who travelled to London on January 20, a day after his convoy was attacked in Kano after returning from a religious programme at Massalacin Murtala, urged Nigerians to remain patriotic and positive, adding that with fasting and prayer, the country would overcome insecurity.

    He said insecurity is not peculiar to the country alone, adding that if Nigerians unite and work together, the problem will be surmounted.

    The monarch enjoined Nigerians to be steadfast and seek peace at all times, noting that with prayers and patriotism, the country would overcome its difficulties.

    Emir Bayero said the attack on his convoy by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram and other problems bedevilling the country was an art of God, adding that the solution was for Nigerians to embrace God and be more concerned about the peaceful co-existence and development of the country.

    He thanked Nigerians and political leaders within and outside Africa, who showed concern while he was away in London, adding that their prayers contributed to his quick recovery.

    Vice-President Sambo said he was in Kano with a delegation from the Presidency to commiserate with the Kano Emirate Council, government and the people of Kano State on the January 19 attack on the Emir’s convoy.

    He extended the greetings of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Kano Royal Father, saying the Presidency remains grateful to God for saving the life of the Emir.

    Sambo described the incident as unfortunate. He said the Federal Government is doing everything to ensure that peace and stability are restored to the North and Nigeria in general.

    Security was tightened during Vice-President Sambo’s visit.

  • 2015: PDP leaders move to dump Sambo

    2015: PDP leaders move to dump Sambo

    • Another Northern governor emerges Jonathan’s favourite

    The shape of the battle for the 2015 presidential ticket in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be manifesting by the day.

    Some powerful forces in the party are pushing for a replacement of Vice President Namadi Sambo as running mate to President Goodluck Jonathan on the party’s ticket.

    Their choice is a serving Northern governor, who, in the opinion of those pushing his case, has more clout in the region than Sambo.

    They regard their candidate as the ultimate joker the party needs to win the North.

    But a few other leaders are wary of the backlash of dropping Sambo and they are weighing the options.

    According to findings, a major target of the Jonathan camp is how to secure the backing of at least 11 out of the 19 states in the North.

    The permutations in the camp of the President is that he could win convincingly in 22 states made up of 11 in the North, five in the South-East and six states in the South-South.

    Northern states being targeted are Plateau, Sokoto, Gombe, Benue, Kogi, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kwara and Jigawa.

    Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno, Nasarawa and Niger are considered unpredictable.

    A party source, who spoke in confidence, said: “A committee, comprising some trusted ministers, select loyal PDP leaders and strategists of the President have been working round the clock on how to secure the second term mandate.

    “After the groundwork has reached an appreciable level, the President will then make a declaration in 2014.

    “But a major challenge is how to win at least 11 of the 19 states in the North. The South-East and South-South are already taken for granted. Even where there is a bit of opposition in Rivers State, the presidency is already tackling Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    “Some PDP leaders are pushing for another Northern governor as running mate to President Jonathan to secure the North, especially the politically volatile North-West and North-East.

    “A fair-complexioned governor in the North-West is being proposed to replace Vice-President Namadi Sambo, whose stronghold on the North is rated as weak. Since Sambo came on board, the party leaders believe he had acted more as a “technocrat” than a politician.

    “They are clamouring for a VP who could play a political role like ex-VP Atiku Abubakar did for former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “As part of the induction of the said North-West governor into national politics, some PDP leaders and governors have recommended him to succeed Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum in May.

    “The recommendation of the governor is based on his achievements, antecedents with the Yar’Aduas, and ability to reach out to Northern emirs and opinion leaders.”

    Asked of the disposition of Jonathan, the source added: “So far, he is not disposed to dropping his deputy but if the party thinks otherwise in 2015, he might have no choice.

    “The President does not want to talk about 2015 now to avoid distraction.”

    Another source added that some forces in the presidency are uncomfortable with Sambo’s political weight.

    “I think the signs are there that the PDP might change its team because some forces want Sambo out. They have no particular reason than sheer politics. They are suspecting his movement too.

    “Recently, Sambo was scheduled for a trip to Owerri, Imo State. His advance team had gone to Owerri only for the VP to be stopped from going. They said the President asked Sambo to represent him elsewhere.”

    It was also gathered that Jonathan’s strategists have not lost hope on their plan to ‘capture’ the South-West in 2015.

    It was learnt that they are targeting Osun and Ekiti States.

    Another source said: “Jonathan’s team is yet to give up on the South-West although the presidency’s cold war with Obasanjo and the recent sack of the National Secretary of PDP have discouraged most party members in the geopolitical zone.

    “Their targets are Ekiti and Osun States. The recent development in PDP has helped to strengthen people’s faith in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the zone. The performance of the ACN governors has added much value too.”

    Although Jonathan is banking on Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Labour Party to deliver Ondo State in the South-West, there are concerns that the politics of the South-West does not follow a similar pattern all the time.

    It was gathered that the same forces which claimed to have secured a second term ticket for Mimiko, came out openly to protest against Jonathan’s administration for allegedly marginalising the South-West.

     

  • Merger: Sambo implicated in plot to split anpp

    Merger: Sambo implicated in plot to split anpp

    THE Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are plotting to undermine the merger of four parties by plotting to fund a splinter group in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), it was learnt yesterday.

    Vice-President Namadi Sambo has been implicated in the plot as the arrowhead of moves to scuttle the emergence of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The Presidency and the PDP are said to be uncomfortable since the merger was consolidated with a new name last week.

    It was learnt that some strategists in the Presidency, including Sambo, whose Northern constituency has fully embraced the merger, have been weighing options on how to frustrate APC.

    As part of the grand plot to undermine the merger, a script had been hatched to cause disaffection in ANPP and split the party into factions, it was learnt.

    It was gathered that some PDP stalwarts and presidency officials have courted a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff, to raise a splinter group in ANPP.

    Besides, a recent meeting between Sheriff and PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, investigation confirmed that Sambo met with the former Borno governor a few days ago.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “At a meeting held at the instance of the Presidency, Vice-President Namadi Sambo some days ago met with Sheriff, to strategise on how to truncate the membership and participation of ANPP in the new APC merger.

    “Sheriff, who is currently the chairman, board of trustees of the party, is the arrow- head of the sponsored dissent within the leadership of the ANPP

    “The plan agreed upon is to have Sheriff mobilise and convince ANPP chairmen at the state level to work with him on this dissent.

    “The goal is to have them disagree with the leadership of the party, some governors and some lawmakers about ANPP’s participation in the merger and the new party, APC.

    “The chairmen, working with Sheriff, are to be handsomely rewarded financially for their role.

    “ Sheriff and these ANPP chairmen already assembling in Abuja will hold a news conference on Wednesday (today) or any day thereafter to reject the participation of ANPP in the merger thereby precipitating a leadership crisis in the party in a similar manner in which APGA is currently in.

    “The former governor is swimming against the tide in his party. He became jittery and disturbed, almost distressed politically after the present governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima convened a meeting of all stakeholders of ANPP in Borno. They unanimously gave the merger their support, endorsed it and gave the governor the go-ahead to participate fully.

    “The former governor of Borno is beholden to the Jonathan Presidency for obvious reasons. One of such is the round the clock security being provided to facilitate his movement, a fall-out of the Boko Haram insurgency that broke out when he was in power.

    “He has always enjoyed a robust relationship with the PDP and the presidency, a romance already widely reported by the media. He is thus the most suitable person for this current role.”

    Another source also gave insight into the moves by the PDP to frustrate the merger of the four parties.

    The source said: “The PDP is equally, without success pursuing the former governors of Zamfara, Senator Sani Yerima and former Kano governor, Ibrahim Shekarau to be part of the plot to discredit the merger.

    “Already, a desperate PDP is accusing the former Zamfara governor of failing to keep his promise to help frustrate the merger. He is reportedly yet to succumb to Sheriff’s plan and PDP overtures.

    “In similar vein, the PDP with the assistance of the Presidency has embarked on infiltrating and sponsoring dissent groups within the other parties interested in the merger.

    “Already, a section of the leadership of the ANPP is set to do battle with Sheriff and his team over their plan to forestall or cast doubts over ANPP’s participation in the merger.

    “The likes of former Kano governor Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Zamfara State and other top notchers are set to do battle with Sheriff on the merger.”

    Speaking on a live television programme in Lagos yesterday, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed, acknowledged that moles may be set against leaders of the merger. But he said their antics would be overcome by the collective wisdom and determination of the APC leadership.

    He said: “It will be naive not to anticipate moles, but the toughness of the leadership will enable APC to overcome the problem”.

  • FG budgets $100m for oil search in Lake Chad

    FG budgets $100m for oil search in Lake Chad

    The Federal Government budgeted 100 million dollars for oil search in the Lake Chad Basin this year, Vice President Namadi Sambo said on Saturday.

    Sambo stated this during a visit to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Aubakar Ibn Garbai, in Maiduguri.

    He said the action was aimed at preparing ground for the commencement of full commercial oil exploration in the basin.

    “I want to inform you that government is committed to the oil and gas search in the Lake Chad basin.

    “Last year about 75 million dollars was spent on the project and this year President Goodluck Jonathan has approved 100 million dollars for the project,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the vice president as saying during the visit.

    Sambo added that three blocks have been identified in the area after a series of research for further action.

    “So far, we have identified three blocks one of which is located in Maiduguri.

    “These blocks have great potentials for oil and gas exploration,’’ he said.

    Sambo said that government believed that commercial oil exploration would begin in the area at the beginning of 2014.

     

     

  • Attainment of MDGs still a challenge – Sambo

    Attainment of MDGs still a challenge – Sambo

    With less than three years to the deadline for the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Federal Government has admitted that efforts to reduce maternal mortality in the country remain a challenge.

    The Vice President, Arch. Namadi Sambo, disclosed this at the stakeholders briefing on the application of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Acceleration Framework, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The framework is to fast-track progress of the MDGs in Nigeria ahead of its target.

    Sambo said: “Although Nigeria has made significant strides in reducing maternal mortality from figures that were above 1000/100,000 live births in 1990 to 545/100,000 live births in 2008, attainment of the health MDGs still remain a challenge in Nigeria.

    “For instance, the current annual reduction in under-five mortality of four per cent is far below the 13 per cent annual reduction needed to bend the curve to attain Goal 4 by 2015. Similar reduction in maternal mortality leaves much to be desired.”

    However, the vice president charged stakeholders to come up with relevant approaches that will reduce maternal death.

    “It is therefore very timely that an evidence based approach deployed by government in partnership with important stakeholders is being rolled out to stem the tide of maternal deaths and improve the lives of our women.

    “I have been reliably informed that countries that have applied the full MDGs Acceleration Framework (MAF) methodology to negotiate the bottlenecks around the MDGs have had some measure of success,” he added.

    Speaking on the importance of the meeting, Sambo said there was need to conduct an increasingly deeper and contextual analysis of the key challenges impeding progress of the programme while proffering likely solutions for accelerating progress.

    He commended efforts of various stakeholders to improve the lives of the poor and bridge the inequality gap.

     

  • OBJ’s Kaduna visit stirs Jonathan, Sambo tension

    OBJ’s Kaduna visit stirs Jonathan, Sambo tension

    In what could become a replay of what transpired between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his then deputy, Atiku Abubakar, between 2003 and 2007, culminating in a sharp division within the Presidency, there are strong indications that the cordial relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo may have turned frosty.

    Sources revealed that this development is the alleged aftermath of the recent visit of Obasanjo to Kaduna some days ago to commiserate with the people and government of the state on the death of former governor, Patrick Yakowa, in the helicopter crash which occurred in Bayelsa State last month.

    But according to security reports made available to the president, Obasanjo’s sympathy visit was a decoy to achieve another objective: mobilise influential traditional rulers in the state against the alleged second term ambition of the president and canvass support for the return of power to the north.

    What particularly peeved the president, sources said, is the alleged role played by the Vice President in facilitating the meeting between Obasanjo and traditional rulers without taking his boss into confidence.

    At the said meeting, the former president was alleged to have impressed it on the traditional rulers led by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, on the imperative of ensuring that the presidency returns to the north in 2015, and the urgent need to start mobilising the people and major stakeholders to back the project.

    While he was alleged to have admitted to his audience that he supported the president to win the last general elections, sources privy to the outcome of the meeting said that Obasanjo told the traditional rulers that the ‘agreement’ he had with Jonathan was for the president to spend only one term in office.

    The former president reportedly told his hosts that his recent public criticism of the present administration was borne out of his findings that the president is allegedly bent on contesting for another term in office.

    Though The Nation could not confirm the response of the traditional rulers to Obasanjo’s speech it was, gathered that palpable unease currently reigns in the Presidency since the vice-president returned to the seat of power from Kaduna.

    All of these developments come as reports that the president may have decided to drop Sambo as his running mate for the 2015 presidential election in favour of an unnamed northern governor continue to gather steam within the political circles.

    This alleged plot, it was gathered, was a strategic move to polarise the rank of the northern governors, a few of whom are alleged to be interested in contesting the Presidency come 2015.

     

  • Sambo’s expensive taste

    Sambo’s expensive taste

    • Nigeria cannot afford to splash N16bn on VP’s residence

    Nigerians are conversant with the idea of contract variations because hardly is there any contract worth the piece of paper on which its agreement is written that does not suffer the plague. And they know what in our parlance that means! But the case of the vice president’s residence that has generated brouhaha is one variation too many. There is bound to be problem. That is exactly what is happening in this instance.

    Here was a contract that was awarded in 2009 at a cost of N7billion. Three years down the line, we were suddenly told that it would cost N9billion more! This must be a record variation even by the standards of our many sickening public contracts. The additional N9billion is needed to provide furniture, fencing, two additional protocol guest houses, a banquet hall and other security gadgets.

    According to Adamu Ismail, executive secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), who had earlier defended the new estimate before the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), these items were not captured in the original scope of the work.

    This is hard to believe. How, for instance, could a vice president’s residence be contemplated without basic things like fencing and furniture, not to talk of security gadgets, banquet hall and protocol guest houses? If all of these were omitted originally as we are now being told, then this calls to question the professional competence of those who awarded the initial contract. Or, could it be a reflection of the relatively moderate taste of the then occupant of the office? This is where the news report that the contract had to be reviewed to meet the taste of Vice President Namadi Sambo would seem to be more credible.

    The original contract was awarded when the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, was vice president. At that time, the incumbent vice president was governor of Kaduna State. But, according to the report, Vice President Sambo is uncomfortable with the structure because of what it calls his ‘culture and religion’. And that is why Nigeria must part with more than N9billion more for the residence? We were even told that the amount was reviewed down to N6billion by the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP). This would bring the project cost to N13billion. Even Senator Smart Adeyemi, the committee’s chairman, was said to have favoured N10billion for the project. None of these costs reflects the current economic situation in the country.

    We are not opposed to our vice president having a befitting residence. But we detest everything that would make public office an excessive cost centre and a burden to the taxpayer. We already have too much of such overheads and there is no point aggravating the situation. What we should be thinking of now is how to reduce them. If we must redesign a house now simply to reflect the religion of the incumbent, what happens in the future when someone of another religious faith occupies the office? So, we have to start knocking down walls and awarding fresh contracts to accommodate the taste of that person. While this may be good for public officials who award the contracts, it is bad for the nation’s economy. Vice President Sambo or any incumbent of that office should live in a decent residence; but that should not tear the pockets of Nigerians who are to bear the brunt of the costs.

    The fact is that our leaders are too detached from the citizenry, that is why they oftentimes cannot draw the line between what is decent and what is not. All the figures being bandied for the vice president’s residence are too obscene for the kind of picture that the government is painting of our economy. They are simply provocative, insensitive and indefensible.