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Tag: Secretary to the Government of the Federation

  • Boss Mustapha votes, urges sportsmanship over election results

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, cast his vote in Yola yesterday morning, advising electoral candidates to exhibit the spirit of sportsmanship and accept the results in good faith.

    The SGF, who arrived his Gwadabawa ward voting unit opposite New Government House in Yola a few minutes to 10, told newsmen after casting his vote that he was impressed by the peaceful conduct of the electorate and that he would be glad if candidates would similarly conduct themselves in a peaceful manner when the results began to come out.

    “I hope this peaceful atmosphere will continue as the results are announced,” he said, recalling how Goodluck Jonathan’s sense of sportsmanship calmed the nation in 2015 and recommending such attitude to all those currently seeking votes.

    Boss Mustapha commended the people for turning out in large numbers and waiting patiently to cast their votes despite the disappointment the previous Saturday when the election was rescheduled.

    “It’s amazing to see how people are here waiting patiently and orderly to exercise their franchise and to elect their leaders,” he said.

  • 2019: SGF predicts landslide victory for Buhari

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has predicted a landslide victory for President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16 presidential poll.

    He spoke during an extraordinary meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC), stakeholders in the residence of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello in Life Camp Abuja.

    Mustapha urged party faithful to forge a united front in the campaign season to guarantee victory.

    According to him: “The APC as a big family, we have already put behind us the sad chapter of what transpired during the primaries in a consolidated manner.

    Read also: NDIC remits N7bn into Consolidated Account in 2018

    “It’s going to be landslide victory for Baba Buhari and we are rest assured that, God willing we are going to the next level.”

    The meeting agreed Bello will lead a high- powered campaign council of the APC as the party prepares to win the forthcoming elections in the FCT for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Speaking after the meeting with party leaders and all the candidates vying for various offices in the forthcoming elections, Bello emphasised the APC was going into the electioneering campaign as one family.

    As Chairman of the APC Campaign Council the FCT Minister, is head of the main policy-making and strategy planning body that comprise the APC State Chairman, Abdulmalik Ahmed Usman who serves as his deputy.

    According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma, other members of the Council include all national assembly aspirants, Board of Trustees members, National Executives representing FCT, Area Council Chairmen and the Campaign Director-General among others.

  • Jonathan, a true democrat – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja hailed his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, for voluntarily conceding defeat at the 2015 general elections, describing him as a true democrat.

    Buhari poured the encomium at the launching of a book titled “My Transition Hours” by Jonathan amidst hundreds of guests from outside and across the country.

    Read Also:‘Former President Jonathan is an icon of democracy’

    Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the president said Jonathan’s act of courage had made him a patriotic leader and earned popularity among Africans and other leaders.

    “You are a leader of the past, of now and of the future; you will rise again; I wish you the best you wish yourself,” Buhari said.

    He called on Nigerians to see elections as contests and should be done in free, fair and peaceful environment.

    He said Nigerians should eschew bitterness, bigotry, hate speech and “promote Nigeria for us and generation yet unborn.

    Jonathan, however, condemned any act of inducement of voters and vote buying during elections in the country, adding that the act was contrary to democratic norms and therefore, wrong.

    The event was graced by hundreds of prominent Nigerians, including former Heads of state Abdulsalam Abubakar, Yakubu Gowon, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and the PDP Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar.

    The APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, ex-PDP governors and many members of the political class, traditional rulers and members of the diplomatic corps also graced the event.

  • Buhari, COCIN Executives meet in Aso Rock 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with the Executive Council of the Church of Christ in Nation (COCIN).

    The meeting started around 11.31 a.m at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.

    Read Also:Nigeria safer under Buhari than past govts, says minister

    Opening prayer was said by Rev. Dr. Obed Dachung.

    Among those at the meeting included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.

    Also in the Council chamber was the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details Later…

  • 2019: Buhari not jittery over Atiku, APC govs declare 

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari and the party are not jittery over the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the main opposition Presidential candidate in 2019 election.

    Atiku was elected by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as its Presidential flag bearer during the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Sunday.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after leading four governors of the party to a closed-door meeting with President Buhari over the just concluded party’s primaries, Chairman of the APC Governors Forum and Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, was optimistic that Buhari would be reelected in 2019.

    Other governors at the meeting attended by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, included Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Abdullahi Gamduje (Kano); Kashim Shettima (Borno); and Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos)

    Also at the meeting was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

    Okorocha said that the party had no reason to lose sleep over Atiku’s emergence.

    According to him, the party has concluded not to engage in any verbal attacks with any candidate in the forthcoming election.

    He said that the APC governors were at the State House not only to congratulate Buhari for being elected as the party’s presidential candidate, but to also request for a date when they would bring all the party’s governorship candidates to him to show their readiness for the 2019 political battles.

    He added “For the Governors to come together with our followers and supporters to further inform the world for our readiness to deliver him in 2019 election.

    “This is just basically the message we have come and to say that Mr. President is more than ever ready for the entire exercise.

    “Our election this time will not engage on castigations or talking. We will be taking on issues, Nigerians are tired of political abuses, what we want to be talking about is issues, the tract records of people involved in our elections.

    “Nigerians are very wise now, before they elect anybody they will ask questions, what has been your tract records, who were you before, who are you now and everything about you. And for that reason we are confident that in 2019, APC will go through.

    “We have also looked at the issues concerning our primaries, in every democracy, you should expect a kind of disagreement and we have kindly requested that something be done to bring warring factions together so that we can have a united party to face the challenges ahead and we are happy that will soon take place.

    “Most of the problems have been resolved except for one or two states where we have issues and where it becomes more difficult, we ask for Mr. President’s intervention in the matter.

    “We are talking about reconciliation, what is important to us is that we must never go into this battle, a divided family and we want to make sure that all governors are intact, all national assembly members are intact while going into this battle. We will never speak differently, we will speak as members of the party.” he said

    On whether the controversy surrounding the Zamfara State APC primaries was part of the discussion, he said, “Zamfara is one of the issues that we have addressed also.”

    Asked whether the APC was jittery because of the emergence of for Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential candidate of the PDP and his tough stance since he emerged, he said that the party was not jittery at all.

    He said, “I don’t know about talking tough, we can’t be jittery and history is there to speak, history is very important and it is there to speak so like I said we are not going to engage in this verbal war with anybody, we will be talking about issues. If we say look, you are not good, we tell you what we can do and we cannot do and what others cannot do.

    “APC is not going to join in those talk shop but right we are discussing issues of what our party can for our people.”

    On what was the President’s response, he said, “The President is quite happy with the whole outing and he is looking for a date to invite the governors, in fact, he will give us a date to celebrate him and tell the world our joy and happiness that he emerged as our Presidential flag bearer which is victory assured 2019.”

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha described the APC governors meeting with the President as a welcome development.

    He said, “It is a welcome development, we are one big family in a contest there is bound to be winners and losers but in the spirit of the game of politics which is like any other sports, after the game is over, whoever has emerged victorious must be magnanimous and gracious in his victory and whoever has lost out will also accept it in the spirit of sportsmanship.

    “So, this is a welcome move, our governor who is the Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, has spoken rightly all the things that are in motion to ensure that we quickly heal the wounds and bring the family together for a greater task ahead.

    “We are a government that has credibly performed this morning I had the privilege of laying before the council a compendium of the policies, the programmes and the projects initiated and implemented by this government in two and half years. A total of one thousand and forty two page documents, not stories, facts of what we have been able to achieve.

    “I think we are set to record, this campaign will be driven by issues, this campaign must be predicated on what you are able to bring to the table for the people of Nigeria. It is not going to be a noisy campaign, anybody that is preparing for noise should be prepared to receive defeat in February of 2019,” he said.

  • Ex-SGF LAWAL: I’m proud to have been part of Presidential cabal

    …says Atiku can’t win election

     

    Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal has spoken for the first time after his sack from office, saying he did not defend himself about the allegations that led to his exit because he believe they were fabricated by those who wanted him out of office.

    The former SGF said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar cannot win election even in his native Adamawa, stressing that he has become a nomadic politician moving from one party to the other.

    Lawal told newsmen in Abuja that he was proud to have been associated with the cabal within the Presidency saying if having his suggestions to the President accepted makes him part of a cabal, he was proud to be one.

    Read Also:EFCC releases ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal

    Feeling rather betrayed, Lawal said his exit from office opened his eyes to know that some of the people around him, especially while in office were envious of him.

    He said he was not contesting the governorship of Adamawa because having served as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, running the federal government, he believes that he was bigger than the office of the governor, but would rather encourage his 33 year old son to do that.

    He said: “Let me tell you, nothing happened to me. It was just a fabrication and I know it. That is why it didn’t bother me right from the beginning. That is why people don’t like me because I am self-confident.

    “It didn’t bother me. Did I defend myself that time and I am not doing it because I know they were fabricated because they wanted the SGF position. I am still doing fine. If you want to make heaven as a Christian, never carry any grudge. Forgiveness is principle number one and I want to make heaven.”

    Speaking on life outside government, Lawal said “before I came into government, I was a very successful businessman, a world renowned IT consultant. I abandoned that and came into government and was earning N930, 000 every month. Now, I have been sacked.

    “Before then, I had a farm, 1000 hectares of farm land which I could not pay attention to because I was doing government job. Now, I have gone back to my farm and deactivated it completely and I now have 4000 hectare under cultivation.

    “Last year, I earned close to half a billion Naira from my farm. I have a cattle ranch that I am developing gradually and I am back to IT consultancy. I will say life is good. Was I like this before? Everybody that sees me now tells me, you are looking good.

    “I did expect Nigerians to stand behind me. You know that I am a Pastor; people always forget that I am a pastor. The Bible says that God works in all things for the good of those who trust him. There is something that has happened to me which, if I had not gone through this experience, I would not have known.

    “There are people that I have helped that are determined to say that I should not see the light of day. All along, they were carrying my children to school, but scheming that I die. I would not have known that.

    “I would not have known that people I was paying school fees for their children and feeding them were actually people who were envious of me. I would not have known that. I wouldn’t have known. That as a human being, you have no co two, over your destiny. God does it and I believe that the way the Bible puts it, everything that happen to you is for your own good.”

    On being a member of the cabal operating within the Presidency, he said “cabal is not a bad word. Those they call cabal are the inner caucus and every person has people around him that are closest to him. If the President appoints me as SGF and I cannot influence his decision, then what am I doing there?

    “That is the whole essence, being able to influence your boss decision. If because you are close to your boss and makes recommendations and he listens to you, that makes you a cabal, then it is a pride to be a cabal. Would you like me to be SGF and have no influence whatsoever in the government? Then, I will just be a bench warmer.”

    While denying being the one who nominated the current Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Lawal said “Am I the President? Even when I was the SGF, all appointments were made by the President. At best, you recommend and it is up to him to either accept or reject. On what basis will I recommend the SGF? He is my brother and I cannot deny that.”

    He deny any sectional interest in his work as SGF, saying “Am a Hausa man? I am a Kilba man and we are only about 30,000. I am a Christian and there is no way I can be accused of sectionalism if a Muslim gets appointed or get recommended by me or if I recommend somebody from Sokoto or Katsina.

    “You can call me sectional, if you can tell me that from your Hong local government; these are the appointments you made. If they are talking about sectionalism, were they when these people were working hard. When I was appointed SGF. they didn’t even know where I come from. Where were they when we were sleeping in the bushes.”

    On the chances of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the former SGF said “I like the man ooo. You know I resembled him. I like the guy, but he can’t win election in Adamawa State. There are just people who can’t win election because their methodology is not good.

    “Somehow, people are fatigue and the man changed party like football. You kick a football, run after it and kick it again. So, the man changes parties. Anytime you change party, you leave somebody behind.”

    Lawal said President Buhari remains the best option for the presidency, saying “I know that President Buhari has done well to be re-elected over and over again. Have you not seen the infrastructures and the things Buhari has been doing? Come to Adamawa State and I will show you.

    “In my own state, before Buhari came, seven local government areas were under occupation by Boko Haram. I couldn’t go to my village, I couldn’t go to my farm, I couldn’t go to my local government. Now, even at 2 am, I drove to my house and sleep well, in the morning, I wake up and go to my farm in a remote part of the village and come back safe.

    “If you have never been insecure, you don’t know what it mean to be safe or feel safe and sleep in your house without fear. Secondly, all the truncated A roads in Adamawa State are either under construction or the contract are being awarded.

    “The road from Yola to Gombe is under construction, from Numan to Taraba is under construction, from Yola to Mubi is under construction and many others. The 330KVA line to Jalingo is completed.

    “Before now, Adamawa was on 33 KVA and simple grinding machine could not operate in Adamawa State. Now, we have 330KVA going to Jalingo and there is another one under construction. Boko Haram burnt down all the schools and police stations in the occupied areas. Right now, all of them have been rebuilt and the policemen have come back what else do we want?”

  • SGF to induct Board chairmen, members on Corporate Governance

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha will on Thursday 26th July, 2018 open an induction programme for recently appointed Board Chairmen and Members, on Corporate Governance in their agencies.

    A statement by Lawrence Ojabo, Director Press in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said that it aims at establishing and promoting good board governance culture rooted in the Federal Public Service Precepts, Policies, Procedures, Protocols and Organisational values.

    Read Also:SGF denies composition of Buhari 2019 presidential support committee

    “The Heads of EFFC, ICPC, BPP and a retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation will facilitate the programme, which ends on Saturday 28th July, 2018”

    Agencies invited to the programme are Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF).

    Others are Galaxy Backbone, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRIMI) and Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

  • Nwosu hails Buhari for recognizing June 12 Democracy Day

    The Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for recognizing June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day and for honouring the memory of Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 election.

    This was contained in a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

    Professor Nwosu, who presided over the polls later annulled by the military junta, said the conferment of national honours on Chief Abiola and his running mate, Amb. Babagana Kingibe “will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better nation.”

    Read Also:June 12: Delta APC salutes Buhari for honouring Abiola, others

    The letter reads: “I thank His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria for recognizing June 12 as Democracy Day and also honouring the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

    “Indeed, June 12, 1993 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s tortuous journey towards a democratic polity. It is an honour to the very hard-working men and women of the defunct National Electoral Commission under my leadership at this long awaited recognition. I humbly commend this action by the President.

    “Undoubtedly, the democratic system of governance is the best especially for the multi ethnic nation like ours. I thank you for building on the foundation which my team and I labored strenuously to establish and actualize on June 12, 1993. It is our hope that expanding the frontiers of democracy of which all the people of Nigeria, regardless of ethnic group, will provide economic, social and developmental benefits that will certainly make Nigeria a great nation not only in Africa but across the world.

    “Certainly, the scheduled event on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better Nation. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control I will not be present at the investiture ceremony as I am outside the country,” he wrote.

  • FG unveils N64m website

    The Federal Government on Monday disclosed that it’s upgraded website www.osgf.gov.ng, costing N64 million is now live.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, did the launching in his conference room in Abuja.

    According to him, members of the public who wish to use the e-participation channel will get responses to their enquiries within 72 hours.

    With the launch, he said that the old website, which he noted was based on an old technology that had limited features, lacked security features and was not compliant to the Executive Order 001, among other restrictions, will now be rested.

    Read Also:Fund launches upgraded website

    He said that the website is about bringing governance to the people and getting them involved in the process.

    The upgraded website, he said, has a number of components that will add value to information disseminated to public.

    The SGF explained that the major component of the website is the revamped e-participation platform that allows members of the public to give feedback on policies as well as submit ideas.

    Through this platform, Mustapha said members of the public would be free to request for information from government, submit ideas, and lodge complaints.

    He said that such requests, ideas or complaints, would elicit timely response from government.

    Mustapha said if the nation  is to attract investment, information which is important should be available with ease at a touch of a button.

    According to him, the amount expended involves training of 50 officers that will facilitate timely updates and ensure very robust content management system, procurement of laptops as well as consultancy services.

    The Federal Government had allocated N65m for the project in the 2017 Budget.

    “There was a contract in 2017. The figure in public domain. It is about N64m including procurement of laptops, training, consultancy services.

    “The contract was awarded by the Bureau of Public Procurement in accordance with the Procurement Act,” Mustapha said when he was asked the cost of the upgrade.” he said

    The SGF explained that the desire of his office to operate a functional website that will deliver information and policy thrust of the present administration formed the decision to upgrade the old website.

    He said arrangements were being concluded to train officials from Ministries, Departments and Agencies who will be handling the different segments of the website.

    Mustapha said those who criticise government do not necessarily hate the government.

    “When people criticise government , it is not that they hate government. They want government to do better and for them to see improvement,” he said.

    The Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the SGF, Mr. Olusegun Adekunle, said the decision to upgrade the website was taken so that it can serve better.

    He said the upgrade would add value to dissemination of information of government activities.

    He added that each of the six offices in the SGF’s office will have content managers before they can upload content.

    He said there was plan to train initial 50 officers for the six offices.

     

  • New minimum wage will address wide gap of poverty – FG

    New minimum wage will address wide gap of poverty – FG

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha has assured Nigerian workers that the government was working towards ensuring a new national minimum wage that will address the issue of social imbalance, inequality and the wide gap of poverty in the country. 

    The SGF was speaking at an award dinner to round up the 40th anniversary of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Abuja where the likes of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, late Pa Micheal Imoudu, late Olaitan Oyelunde, late Chiba Ubani, late Prof, Festus Iyayi, as well as past Presidents and General Secretaries of the congress and a host of others were honoured for their contribution to the Labour movement in Nigeria and inducted into Labour Hall of Fame.

    He said that the welfare of Nigerian workers was top on the priority list of the Buhari administration while describing the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as the soul of the government, adding that because of the importance the government attached to the welfare of workers, it was making a lot of efforts to resuscitate the economy.

    He said: “The importance of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the affairs of any government cannot be overlooked. It is the soul of the government because without the workers, be they civil servants, private sector workers or even pensioners, there will be nobody to man the system.

    “That is why this administration takes the welfare of the Nigerian worker as priority by putting so much effort into the resuscitation of the economy. I must underscore the fact that the primary objective of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is to diversity the economy, grow skills, create wealth, gain infrastructures, ensure food security and provide jobs.

    “The federal government is conscious of the need to bring wages to meet economic realities. It is in this regard that the tripartite minimum wage committee was inaugurated to review the national minimum wage. The committee is determined to complete its assignment before the end of this year and I am confident that the outcome of their assignment would address the issue of social imbalance, inequality and the wide gap of poverty in the country.

    “With this year anniversary theme of Nigeria Labour Congress yesterday, today and tomorrow, it is indeed time to count our blessings and chat a new course for the future. I believe that together, we can build the Nigeria of our dream and improve on the generality of the life of Nigerians.

    “I congratulate the leadership of the congress for deeming it proper to reward past services through recognitions. I congratulate the awardees and say that your recognition tonight is a challenge to all of us to continue to contribute our best to the service of our nation.”

    NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the dinner was organised to honoured all those who have contributed to the growth of the Labour movement in the country, some of who paid the supreme price while other spent several months in detention during the military era to make the Labour movement what it is in the country today.

    He said with the high level of discussion during the anniversary, it was evident that the future will be bright for the Nigerian worker, while calling for free cooperation of all Nigerians in the struggle to make the country a better place.

    Wabba said “as enumerated during the three day brain storming event, and from the volume of discourse, it is very clear that the future will be bright because we have assembled the best from among our rank and file. We brought in our founding fathers that laid the solid foundation that allowed us to continue to exist despite the challenges.

    “I am certain and all of us are convinced that from the issues that were discoursed, we have reasons to look into the future and build NLC of our dreams. It is therefore our sincere hope that this evening’s event to look at our little beginning, a beginning that has many challenges.

    “But because of the determination of our founding fathers and the solid foundation they have laid, we are assured that the future is already secured. Therefore, part the event of this evening is to recognize the contribution of our patriots, our founding fathers, organizations and individuals that have worked assiduously to ensure that NLC continue to exist.

    “Some of their contribution are too numerous to mention. Some have paid the supreme price and laid down their lives. Some have suffered deformity and others are here with us and we are going to recognize their contribution.

    “Therefore, this occasion is to recognize key contribution of individuals and Organisation and also our veterans who have stood their ground even in the face of adversity. In the era of the military, some of them spent several months in jail. There is no other occasion to recognize these people than the 40th anniversary of congress.

    “As an Organisation, we have survived all the challenges, but what is the condition of the Nigerian worker today and what do we want the condition of the worker to be. What will be our contribution to national development. Should we continue to serve as second class citizens. All these questions have been answered in the last three days.”

    Read Also: New minimum wage to be ready before September ending – Ngige