The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Special Adviser on Media and Publicity

  • UK Prime Minister, Turkish Leader felicitate with Buhari over election victory

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received more congratulatory and goodwill messages from world leaders following his victory in the February 23 presidential election.

    The Nigerian President received separate telephone calls from UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, congratulating him on his re-election and wishing the Nigerian people progress and prosperity.

    President Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, thanked the two leaders for their unflinching support to Nigeria and her people.

    He pledged commitment to continue working with them to advance various areas of cooperation.

  • Buhari to Nigerians in diaspora: You won’t lose

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that anything done for the good of the country will be ultimately rewarded, and redound to the good of those behind it.

    He spoke on Monday at the State House while receiving three groups made of Nigerians in the diaspora, and some professionals hitherto based abroad, but who have returned home in recent times.

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, stated: “You have been working quietly, supporting the government physically and materially, and you are doing it for your own country. Head or tail, you won’t lose. Please continue to do your best for the country.”

    Speaking on behalf of Diaspora Alliance Group, Mr Ade Omole, said the organization was a think-tank in the United Kingdom, which formulates policies to help Nigeria.

    He said that they currently have recommendations to help the country in the areas of agriculture, youth empowerment, community development, and education.

    “We also educate people in the diaspora on the good work the Buhari administration is doing for Nigeria. You are rebuilding the country. We supported you in 2015, and we will also support you in 2019,” Omole said.

    Read Also:Nigerians dying, getting poorer under Buhari – Secondus

    Dr Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, speaking on behalf of returnee professionals from the diaspora, said they were excited and willing to contribute to national development.

    “Our main goal now is investing in Nigeria. We are planning a Nigeria-Diaspora Summit on Investment soon. We are quite pleased with infrastructural development round the country. We want to attract people in diaspora to bring their money, and invest here,” she said.

    Dr Salihu-Dasuki, who spoke on behalf of young people in the diaspora, lauded President Buhari for signing the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill into law, assuring that young people would soon begin to utilize the legislation.

    On his part, Dr Charles Cudjoe, unfolded how all Nigerians can have access to health care through minimal deductions from the credit on their cell phones, which would be deposited in a health bank in their favour. Such savings would then be accessed whenever they needed medical attention.

    President Buhari said the health initiative was very interesting, adding that “policies on health and education for the people are also dear to us.”

  • Buhari to security agencies: Wipe out criminality

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Gusau, Zamfara State, directed security agencies to improve their strategies of intelligence gathering, surveillance and accuracy in deployments, and ensure that criminal activities are brought to an end across the country.

    Accompanied by Governor Abdul’aziz Yari, in an interactive meeting with political leaders, traditional rulers, elders and victims of criminal attacks in Zamfara State, President Buhari assured all security agencies of improved conditions that will facilitate apprehending criminals that steal, maim and kill innocent Nigerians.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said “As far as I am concerned, our security agencies have recorded some successes, but they need to do much more.

    “They are not to oppress anyone, but they have to gather and send intelligence and warnings when something is about to happen,’’ he said.

    The President commended the security agencies for eliminating a dreadful criminal, “Buhari general’’, who had for many years initiated killings and destruction of properties.

    “Before “Buharin-daji”, who calls himself a general, there was a criminal who killed many people and he was killed; “Buharin–daji’’ has followed him and others like them should also follow,’’ he added.

    President Buhari said the threats to lives and properties will be significantly reduced with improved relations among community leaders, citizens and the security agencies.

    He said “I have come here to commiserate with you over loss of lives and properties. We will continue to do our best to improve the security situation. However, those committing atrocities live with you.

    “Some of these people are not reported because you don’t trust the security outfits, instead you report back to the criminals. We should give priority to security’’ he said.

    The President warned that the ongoing war against corruption will be reinvigorated and sustained until public officers, who abused their positions, faced the wrath of the law.

    He told the elders and traditional rulers that properties that had been confiscated by security outfits from some suspected corrupt public officials will be sold out, after the completion of court procedures.

    He urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing reforms in the agricultural sector, pointing that the era of depending on petrol will one day come to an end.

    On herdsmen attacks, the President said there was a need to revisit and review the old grazing area arrangements that guaranteed harmonious relationship between farmers and herdsmen, where differences were amicably resolved through the law without violence.

    In his remarks, Governor Yari, who is also the Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, said the state government had deployed resources that were initially designated for development into fighting criminal activities.

    The governor, who commended the security outfits for working hard to protect the state, pleaded with the Federal Government to improve the funding of operations, increase the number of security men working in the state and reimburse the state for monies spent on some Federal Government projects like roads, which he said was a major priority in fighting  criminals.

    In his presentation, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, said the state faced three major criminal challenges of cattle rustling, armed banditry and abductions and demand for ransoms.

    Listing out eight major flashpoints, the Secretary to the Government said 1,321 lives had been lost since 2011, while 1,881 people sustained various injuries from attacks, with about N14 billion spent on fighting the menace.

    The traditional rulers, elders and leaders of the affected communities also pleaded with the government to ensure immediate security intervention in order to save lives.

    Read Also: Buhari okays $15b loan negotiation for rail project

  • Buhari greets Sen. Durojaiye at 85

    Buhari greets Sen. Durojaiye at 85

    President Muhammadu Buhari has joined members of the All Progressives Congress and the National Assembly to congratulate an exemplary leader, Sen. Olabiyi Durojaiye, on his 85th birthday.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, felicitated with family members, friends and professional colleagues of Otunba Durojaiye, whose patriotism, unwavering commitment to the strengthening of political institutions and promotion of inclusive governance continues to inspire both old and young leaders on the innate values of democracy.

    The President believed Durojaiye’s political philosophy of ensuring that all Nigerians must be given a chance to contribute and participate in the decision making processes that shape their lives, leaves a historical landmark of a responsive, forthright and broadminded leader.

    He also commended the senator for his contributions to the financial architecture of the country through working for many years in the Central Bank of Nigeria, and variously serving on the boards of the Federal Mortgage Bank and the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank, contributing to the restructuring and repositioning of the institutions.

    The President affirmed that Sen. Durojaiye’s efforts in fighting for the return of democracy in Nigeria from military rule, promotion of good governance, and entrenchment of the unassailable values of good education, discipline and hard work, remain glaring examples of his vision for a greater and united Nigeria.

    He prays that the almighty God will grant Otunba Durojaiye longer life, more wisdom and strength to continue serving the nation he loves so much.

     

  • Buhari not opposed to restructuring, but disintegration, says Adesina 

    Buhari not opposed to restructuring, but disintegration, says Adesina 

    The Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, on Friday maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari is not opposed to restructuring.

    He made the clarification in Abuja while speaking at the 8th Annual Lecture Series of the Change We Need Nigeria Initiative.

    It was theme ‘Disintegration or Restructuring: Which Way Nigeria?’

    He said “The topic of today Disintegration or Restructuring: Which way Nigeria, is topical, german, is current. But then I have my own opinion about the topic.

    “When we talk of restructuring we don’t necessarily need  to accompany it with disintegration. Because we can talk restructuring without falling apart.

    “In the history of Nigeria there was a time when the various people and communities lived in this space that is today called Nigeria. And then the colonial masters came, formed what is called the northern protectorate, southern protectorate, that was restructuring of what has subsisted.

    “And then in 1914 precisely, the northern and southern protectorate, were amalgamated into one country, that was another restructuring. Did it come with any saber-rattling or did it send the country into tailspin, no.

    “And then we we got to a point that we had regionalism in the country, the regions were formed and we begin to grow, that was another restructuring, it happened almost altrusively and each region begin to work on its own pace.

    “Eventually Independence came. Independence came we had parliamentary system at the beginning and we continue to grow.

    “Today, we have a presidential system of government that is another form of restructuring from parliamentary to presidential.

    And then there was a time we had a unitary system when the then Gen. Ironsi tried to formalize through the unification decree.

    “We have a unitary system which to a large extent still subsist in the country, its a form of restructuring. Don’t forget there was a point in this country we had diayache   – president Babangida was at the center and the civilian governors were in the state, another form of restructuring. Did we disintegrate? No, we didn’t.

    “Nigeria has always restructured. There was a time we had 12 states, and then at a point it became 19 and then to 36 states, that is restructuring.

    “Then why must restructuring then be accompanied with saber-rattling? It is restructuring or disintegration that is what I disagree with.

    “Restructuring will come, this country will be renegotiated, restructured but then we will not disintegrate.

    “I begin to get suspicious times that is this call for restructuring another form of opposition? When you found people who have been in power for 16 years now being champions of restructuring, so I begin to suspect that restructuring is becoming another form of opposition in Nigeria.

    “Nigeria l will eventually be restructured. This Government is not opposed to restructuring but the government is opposed to anything that will splinter the country.

    “We will get to where we are going on restructuring and Nigeria remain one united indivisible entity. That is my thought. And from the first paper I have heard I know this issue will be dissected properly today and at the end we will come up with something that is pragmatic, something that is not emotive, something that is not knee jack, something that can take this issue and clamour for restructuring forward.” he stated

    The Spokesperson of Afenifere Group, Yinka Odumakin, stressed that Nigeria has it is today is in terminal crises.

    He said “Nigeria is currently careering dangerously to the edge of the precipice because we have erected our super structure on a wrong sub-structure. This is at the core of the call for the restructuring of the country so that we can return to the spirit of federalism in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions that our founding fathers negotiated.”

    According to him, the expression ‘Nigeria’s unity non-negotiate’ which is always used to reply calls for restructuring, have missed the whole concept of nationhood.

    “There is nothing that is settled in the life of any nation. A nation is like any living thing that grows and therefore a daily dialogue.

    “It is therefore my considered view that the whole idea of non-negotiability of Nigerian unity only developed on the strength of keeping the rents from oil from Niger Delta and proceeds from Lagos and VAT. It has nothing to do with the love of the union beyond reaping without sowing.

    Stressing on the need to restructure in order to avoid disintegration, he said that Nigeria will blossom and prosper when the rights of the nationalities within it are recognized.

    The government, he said, should desire to build a centre that coordinates rather than being overlords.

    He said “Our exclusive list must become leaner. We need a central government and federating units that are coordinates and not a colonizing centre and vassal states.

    “The resources that are under the soul of each section of the country must belong to it and agreed percentage should go to the government of the federation. We must move away from a rental and indolent economy to a productive economy where every section of the country becomes a productive centre.

    “We have the capacity to generate a N50 trillion economy annually as against the current N6 trillion we are killing ourselves over.

    “We would have no choice than turning our huge population to human capital as against beggars and destitute who are just numbers.

    “This is the spirit of the over 600 resolutions reached at the 2014 National Conference which had the best of Nigerians.

    “But if we remain obstinate and refuse to address the structures of Nigeria, we risk the fate that befell the USSR, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia, they have all disappeared from the World map. Let that not be the fate of Nigeria.” he said

    The Lead Discussant at the event and General Overseer of the Charismatic Renewal Ministry (CRM), Dr. Cosmas Ilechukwu, blamed the incursion of the military into Nigeria’s politics.

    He said “The aftermath of the military incursion into political leadership is value somersault, cultural disorientation, economic bastardization, and political rascality.

    “Nigerian military laid the foundation of most of what has become our governance culture today. They introduced executive impunity that shows no regard for the pronouncement of legitimate courts of law or to the court of public opinion.” he added

    Stressing that Nigeria has been held captive under an obnoxious unitary system of government for 51 years,  he called for immediate convocation of a Constituent Assembly as a way forward.

    Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who was represented by Hon. Godwin Adindu, disagreed with the position that the opposition parties are behind calls for restructuring.

    “Nigeria needs it and that is the position of my governor,” he said.

    Besides supporting creation of state police, he urged the Federal Government to convene a meaningful and open dialogue.

    On her part, Hon. Nkoyo Toyo, said that the calls for restructuring are not peculiar to Nigeria.

    According to her, the country as it is now is only working for few people.

    Noting restructuring is a complex process, she said that it would be too much for National Assembly to handle.

    She said that a body should be established to handle it.

  • South East will get its dues – Buhari 

    South East will get its dues – Buhari 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday promised that the South East geopolitical zone will get its dues just like other zones in the country.

    The President gave the assurance through the Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, while receiving a coalition of South-East youths.

    The group, led by Steve Anyata stormed the Aso Rock Villa gate to declare their support for President Buhari.

    Adesina told the group that the President would do everything possible to keep the nation together.

    Anyata thanked God for bringing the President back home safely from his medical vacation in London.

    Details later…

  • Buhari condemns UNIMAID attack, condoles victims’ families

    Buhari condemns UNIMAID attack, condoles victims’ families

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the Monday morning terrorist attack at a mosque in the University of Maiduguri.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja, the President expressed sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the university community and families of the victims.

    The president also condoled with the government and people of Borno over the unfortunate incident.
    According to him, the appalling attack on a revered place of worship and ivory tower shows that the perpetrators have no true understanding of Islam.

    He noted that the “despicable acts of terrorism are cowardly, criminal, unjustifiable and punishable before God almighty and the laws of the land’’.

    The President reassured communities in Borno and others in the North eastern part of the country that his administration would continue to ensure that terrorism never triumphs over peace-loving Nigerians.

    He reaffirmed the need for Nigerians to remain more vigilant even as the security agencies continue to use all means at their disposal to combat the remnants of insurgents and their sponsors.

    President Buhari wished those injured in the attack a speedy and full recovery and comfort for families of the dead.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a professor and four other people were reported killed when a male suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the Senior Staff Quarters of the University of Maiduguri, (UNIMAID), Borno State.

    Alhaji Satomi Ahmed, Chairman, Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) identified the late don as Prof. Aliyu Usman Mani, the Director of Veterinary Medicine of the University.

    The Commissioner of Police (CP), Damian Chukwu, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Maiduguri.
    Chukwu said that 15 persons, who sustained various degrees of injuries were taken to the hospital.

  • Buhari to confer with German leaders on security, humanitarian issues

    Buhari to confer with German leaders on security, humanitarian issues

    President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to embark on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany from October 13th to 15th, 2016.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said that President Buhari in Berlin will confer with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel on issues of shared interests between Nigeria and Germany, including further cooperation on security, the humanitarian situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rehabilitation of the North-East, and trade and economic relations between both countries.

    The President will thereafter meet with Federal President Joachim Gauck, in the company of Governors Kashim Shettima of Borno State and Rochas Okorocha of Imo and representatives of the National Assembly.

    The statement reads: “In furtherance of the administration’s objective to attract more foreign investment and create economic opportunities in the country, President Buhari will participate in a Business Forum in Berlin with leading German companies already active in Nigeria and other prospective investors.

    “Before returning to Abuja, the President is expected to meet with representatives of the Nigerian community in Germany.

    “President Buhari is committed to deepening relations with Germany and building on the very cordial relations both countries enjoy in several areas of bilateral cooperation including the fight against terrorism, economic relations, rebuilding of the North east, support for IDPs, vocational training, energy partnership and cultural relations.

    Shortly after his inauguration on May 29, 2015, President Buhari, on the invitation of Chancellor Merkel, attended the G7 summit in Elmau, Germany, which was his first trip to a non-African country after his assumption of office.

    From February 8 to 12 this year, President Gauck, accompanied by a delegation of German business community, was on an official visit to Nigeria, where they had fruitful discussions on trade and investments with representatives of government and the private sector in Abuja and Lagos.

  • Why we are fighting corruption headlong – Buhari

    Why we are fighting corruption headlong – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has explained that his administration is fighting the scourge of corruption headlong because it is contributing to the denial of the resources required for development.

    Speaking in New York at the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the President called on development partners to also up the fight against corruption by returning ill-gotten financial assets and halting future illicit financial flows to their countries.

    According to the Nigerian leader, such collective action will guarantee a stronger international defence of the right to development.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, also noted that illicit financial assets stashed abroad deprive developing countries including Nigeria, and invariably deny people the enjoyment of their national wealth and resources needed for development.

    He cautioned that non-repatriation of illicit financial assets could impinge on the determination of States to achieve an all-inclusive 2030 sustainable development.

    President Buhari therefore called on the United Nations to remain vocal and active in addressing the negative impact of non-repatriation of illicit financial assets on their countries of origin.

    As soon as stolen assets are legally established, he said that they should swiftly be repatriated.

    He welcomed the commemoration of three decades of the Declaration on the Right to Development, which he observed, coincides with the first anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    He said: “It reminds us all of the essence of development and provides us with the opportunity to reaffirm commitments to converting this right into the policies and operational activities of relevant actors at the national, regional and international levels.”

    Buhari said that as a developing country, Nigeria considers the Right to Development an inalienable right of fundamental importance, stressing that at the national level, his administration has been making strenuous efforts to ensure that the right to development is at the centre of all development initiatives.

    While reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the UN Charter and other international conventions that uphold the Right to Development, he also drew the attention of the international community to the urgent need to address the lop-sided terms of trade between Developed and Developing Countries which have impacted negatively on the capacity of many Developing Countries to embark on development programmes for the benefit of their peoples.

    “Nigeria is convinced that the Right to Development is a shared responsibility considering the growing inequality and poverty resulting from climate change impact, natural disasters, violent extremism, social unrest and deprivation,” the President said.

    “The Right to Development must be promoted and protected like all other rights. Its universality and interdependence are indisputable,” he said.

  • Buhari greets David-West at 80

    Buhari greets David-West at 80

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated eminent academic and former federal minister, Prof. Tamunoemi Sokari David-West as he turns 80 years on Friday August 26th, 2016.

    President Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, recalled his long term relationship with the elder statesman, when he served as Minister of Petroleum, 1984-1985.

    He commended Prof. David-West’s steadfastness and forthrightness on issues of good governance, democracy, human rights and the unity of Nigeria, especially when some seem to easily give up on the project of building one great nation.

    President Buhari assured the octogenarian that his place in Nigeria’s history is guaranteed for the statesmanship, fearlessness, intellectual depth, resourcefulness and versatility that he brought into public discourse.

    The President prayed that the almighty God will continue to grant the former minister good health and more fruitful years of service to his fatherland.