The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yemi Osinbajo

  • Buhari, Osinbajo, security chiefs meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday met behind closed doors with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and security chiefs at the State House, Abuja.

    Buhari had returned to the country on Saturday after over 100 days medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

    Osinbajo, while speaking to State House correspondents on the President’s return,  said “As you can see from the many Nigerians who lined up on the road to receive the President as he came back, many Nigerians are happy that the President is hail and hearty and that he has come back.”

    “It was a natural reaction, most people heard of his arrival only a few hours before then, but as you can see, the response was so spontaneous. So, I think that people were so exited and very happy,” he said.

    On the message to Nigerians, the Vice President said “Oh, the message to Nigerians is that, the recovery and recuperation of the President is in some sense symbolic of the recovery of Nigeria.

    “Nigeria is going to recover. We are on the path of strong economic recovery and this is an excellent sign that the country is on the right side.

    “There is great hope, there is great excitement and we are going to make it as a nation,” he stated

    Governir Nyeson Wike of Rivers state said he was in the Villa to rejoice with the President.

    He said “We are happy, that he is alive and that is why l am here today to rejoice with the family. We should not play politics with everything.

    “We are here talking about health and irrespective of the party l belongs to, you can see that l am here today to rejoice with the family. That it what it is supposed to be.

    “Don’t play politics with health issues, don’t do that. So, irrespective of what is going on out there, one is happy to be here,” he said

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state said “Today you can see the faces of Nigerians right from the airport. We now have the Captain on ground, the citizens should also continue to pray for him.

    “We are now ready to take off fully and we believe that everything is now alright and that is why people are so happy today. As I said, we will continue to pray for our president and the country generally,” he added.

  • Photo: Osinbajo at Kagame’s inauguration in Rwanda

    Photo: Osinbajo at Kagame’s inauguration in Rwanda

    ACTING PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN ATTENDS PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME OF RWANDA IN KIGALI, THE COUNTRY’S CAPITAL. 18TH AUGUST 2017. PHOTOS BY: NOVO ISIORO
  • Osinbajo urges media chiefs to project Nigeria in IPI congress, tackle hate speech

    Osinbajo urges media chiefs to project Nigeria in IPI congress, tackle hate speech

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has requested the country’s chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) to use the 2018 edition of the institute’s world congress in Abuja to project the country’s image to the globe.

    He gave the advice when the board of the Nigerian chapter of the IPI paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa.

    According to him, “It is a very important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase ourselves and also to show that Nigeria is safe and secure for business.

    “It is also an opportunity to advertise all of our ease of doing business initiatives.’’

    The Acting President assured the IPI that the Buhari administration would partner the Nigerian chapter of the IPI to host a hitch-free 2018 World Congress of the Global Network of Free Media.

    He also assured the board that states could participate in the hosting, especially as it provided “an important opportunity for tourism and for them to showcase some of the great initiatives that they have.’’

    Osinbajo stated that the pledge was in line with the administration’s commitment to promote private sector partnership.

    He further urged the local organizing committee to consider putting on the agenda of the June 2018 event, the issue of hate speech and its implications for the polity and for peace and security.

    “The forum is an important one for raising the question of hate speech and its implications for our country, for our polity and for peace and security.’’

    “Somehow these things are resonating all over the world, new found nationalism and all of that.

    “But I think for us here in Nigeria, it is a very important issue.

    “I think that it is important that we find ways of controlling these things.

    “I think that we owe a responsibility, especially leaders of journalism, to find ways of dealing with this issue because it is a cancer.’’

    The Acting President thanked the delegation for the visit and for its efforts in ensuring that Nigeria was given the opportunity to host the world congress.

    Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chairman of Thisday newspapers, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, said that the visit was to intimate the Acting President of the forth coming conference to be hosted in Abuja.

    Obaigbena solicited the Federal Government’s support in the hosting in different areas, including the provision of a secure and safe environment for delegates and visas on arrival.

    He stated that hate speech would form one of the thematic issues to be discussed during the congress.

    He also thanked the Acting President for the pledge to support IPI Nigeria in hosting a hitch-free congress.

  • Niger Econonmic Summit: Police, NSCDC deploy 1,267 personnel

    Niger Econonmic Summit: Police, NSCDC deploy 1,267 personnel

    The Police Command in Niger on Monday said that it had deployed 717 personnel to ensure security as the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo inaugurates the state 2017 Economic Summit in Minna.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command in teh state, Asp. Comfort Olawumi, made this known in Minna during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “We have deployed 717 personnel, to make sure that there is no breach of security during the Acting President’s visit.

    “What we did is to beef up existing security network in the state to ensure security of lives and property of residents and our visitors,’’ she said.

    Olawumi said that there was no incident as regards security, adding that the state was calm and people going about their normal businesses.

    The police image maker said that security had been beefed up in all the places the acting president would visit in the state.

    Similarly, Superintendent Ibrahim Yahaya, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state also told NAN that the corps deployed 550 personnel to beef up security during Osinbajo’s visit.

    “We deployed 550 officers and men across the state and placed others on alert in case of any eventuality.

    “You will see our personnel in all the places the acting president will visit in the town. So far so good, no breach of security,’’ he said.

    Yahaya appealed to the public to report any suspicious person, movement and object to the nearest security agency.

    NAN reports that the two-day economic summit sponsored by Dangote Group is tagged “Impact Investment for Advancing Agricultural Economy Investment summit 2017.’’

  • Excuses no longer tenable, says Osinbajo

    Excuses no longer tenable, says Osinbajo

     

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said that the Buhari administration will no longer accept excuses that suggest that delivering sustainable socio-economic development to Nigerians is not attainable.

    He spoke at the Cabinet Retreat on the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) and the 2018 Budget preparation at the State House, Abuja.

    The Retreat featured guest speakers including Dr Idris Jala, a former top official of the Malaysian government.

    In his response to Jala’s sppeach, Osinbajo said “we simply have to accept that there is nothing Nigerian about failure.”

    “In our personal lives, failure and success are commodities on offer to everyone all over the world and every individual and every country makes a choice of which to buy and I will say on our behalf that we will choose success.”

    While commending Jala’s presentation, the Acting President said “the challenge is this, the discipline to be unreasonable in our targets and objectives.”

    “The discipline of attending the labs diligently and accepting to be locked in a room for as long as it takes to iron out what it is that needs to be done.

    “Dr Jala I have heard motivational speeches, but this is one I think that challenges our whole legitimacy as persons entrusted with leadership.

    “I think it goes beyond motivational speech, I think it really challenges the core of our relevance as leaders and I am challenged and I know that many of us here are and I think that we will do what we need to do to make sure that we see through the labs that we have to identify specific areas where we will do this labs. We must see to it that this works.”

  • Buratai decorates 65 gallant troops with medals

    Buratai decorates 65 gallant troops with medals

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has decorated 65 soldiers with gallantry medals for outstanding performance in the counter-insurgency campaign.

    Lt. Col. Emmanuel Kingsley, the spokesperson of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, announced this  in a statement released on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

    Kingsley said that Buratai had on Tuesday decorated two officers and 63 soldiers in recognition of their prowess.

    “Two officers and 63 soldiers serving under the 151 Task Force Battalion, 21 Brigade Nigerian Army, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, were decorated for their gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy.

    “On 10th July, the soldiers came under Boko Haram insurgents’ attacks on two separate occasions, but they were able to manoeuvre their way out of the ambush.

    “They engaged the insurgents, inflicting heavy casualties on them and also recovered weapons, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), gun trucks and logistics,” he said.

    Kingsley  quoted Buratai as describing soldiering as a call to national duty, and tasked the soldiers to rededicate themselves to duty to weed out remnants of Boko Haram insurgents.

    “Buratai tasked the soldiers not to rest on their oars but conclude the fight against Boko Haram Terrorists and return to barracks to continue with training and other routine duties”.

    According to the spokesman, Buratai also visited military formations at Awulari along Bama Road, and inspected the test firing of an artillery weapons by 304 Artillery Regiment.

    Buratai equally visited troop’s location at Alau Dam along Konduga Road and also joined soldiers on patrol in gun boats stationed at the jetty.

    He added that the Chief of Army Staff earlier on Monday, visited 25 Task Force Brigade, 7 Division Nigerian Army, in Damboa and also inspected the training of troops of Mobile Strike Teams at Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

    “The Mobile Strike Force is due to be injected into Operation LAFIYA DOLE to enhance a more robust clearance operation against the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East”.

    The Chief Army Staff was accompanied by Maj. Gen. David Ahmadu, the Chief of Training and Operations at the Army Headquarters, and Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

    Others were Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, as well as other Principal Staff Officers and Directors from the Army Headquarters.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the Chief of Army Staff in compliance with the directives of the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, to service chiefs, returned to the Theatre and had been visiting military formations under Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

  • Osinbajo approves appointment of 21 new federal permanent secretaries

    Osinbajo approves appointment of 21 new federal permanent secretaries

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has approved the appointment of 21 new Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

    Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, announced this in a statement by Mr Haruna Imrana, Director, Communications in the office on Thursday in Abuja.

    The permanent secretaries are Ehuria Ekeoma (Abia State); Akpan Sunday (Akwa Ibom); Anagbogu Nkiruka (Anambra); Walson-Jack Esther (Bayelsa); Gekpe Isu(Cross River); Aliboh Lawrence (Delta) and Uwaifo Clement ( Edo).

    Others are Folayan Olaniyi (Ekiti state); Osuji Marcellinus (Imo); Mu’azu Abdulkadir (Kaduna); Sulaiman Lawal (Kano); Abdullahi Mashi (Katsina State); Adebiyi Adekunle, (Lagos); Ibrahim Wen, (NasarawaS tate); Odewale Olajide (Ogun) and Adesola Olusade (Ondo State).

    The rest  are Adekunle Adeyemi,( Oyo state); Nabasu Bako, (Plateau); Ekaro Chukwumuebobo,( Rivers); Umar Bello, (Sokoto State) and Aduda Tanimu from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The statement added that their portfolios would be announced in due course.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that 300 candidates from ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government, sat for the examinations  meant to fill  20 vacant positions of federal permanent secretaries.

    The candidates went through three levels of examination, including  relevant public service and policy issues, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) assessment test and  oral interview, within one week.

  • Osinbajo unveils five Super Mushshak aircraft to tackle insurgency

    Osinbajo unveils five Super Mushshak aircraft to tackle insurgency

    Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday in Kaduna unveiled five Super Mushshak trainer aircraft acquired by the Federal Government to boost the capacity of Nigeria Air Force personnel in the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five aircraft are among the 10 acquired by the government from Pakistan.

    Osinbajo, who was represented by Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, said Nigeria would welcome more support from friendly nations in its efforts to mow down Boko Haram insurgency.

    “I will not fail to mention that the decision to acquire the Super Mushshak aircraft from Pakistan has greatly promoted the existing bilateral relationship between the two sister countries.

    “It is our hope that we will continue to have the support and collaboration of other friendly nations, especially as we continue to combat insurgency and other security challenges in our country.’’

    The Acting President, who also witnessed the graduation of 16 young Student Pilots from 401 Flying Training School, for the first time in 30 years, pledged that the administration would continue to invest in the country’s air arsenal.

    He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had two years ago pledged to build the capacity of the armed forces to effectively address Boko Haram insurgency and other national security threats.

    “These achievements are a demonstration of the commitment and visionary leadership of the administration,’’ he said.

    Osinbajo stressed that the administration had remained committed to its desire of ensuring a peaceful country.

    “This has been a major security policy thrust of this administration.

    “We have since embarked on qualitative training and acquisition of new platforms and other supporting equipment for the Armed Forces and security agencies.

    “We have also sanitised the procurement process of military hardware with a view to eliminating corruption and inefficiency.

    “I make bold to say that we have achieved remarkable savings and infused quality into the system.

    “This has contributed in no small way to the acquisition of these new aircraft without any encumbrances.

    “It is now your responsibility to make good use of the aircraft as we await the delivery of the last batch by the end of the year.

    “I have no doubt that the acquisition of the Super Mushshak aircraft would add impetus to the training efforts of 401 FTS.’’

    He lauded the achievements and transformations taking place in the military, linking the feat to “focused and visionary leadership.”

    “It is heart-warming to see the Nigerian Air Force striving to meet the nation’s security needs through the sacrifices, dedication of the officers, airmen and airwomen,’’ he added.

    Earlier, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar said the NAF has attained 70 per cent aircraft serviceability as against 30 per cent two years ago.

    He said that the training of several combat pilots and other capacity building initiatives had raised the morale of air personnel and their efficiency.

    “We now have the capability to embark on and sustain major operations simultaneously within and beyond our national boundaries,’’ he said.

  • Nigeria is doing well with scarce resources – Osinbajo

    Nigeria is doing well with scarce resources – Osinbajo

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday said the problem in Nigeria was not unavailability of resources, but their management.

    According to him, the Federal Government is now doing more when funds are scarce than in the days when oil was selling at over 100 dollars per barrel.

    Osinbajo stated this when he received Dr Oluyinka Olutoye, a U.S.-based Nigerian medical doctor, who achieved a feat with the treatment of a foetus in the U.S., at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Congratulating Olutoye for the sterling performance, he said “Nigeria produces the best in every way; its citizens continue to shine in various ways around the world.

    “As we continue to do what is right in public service, the country is bound to reach the top globally as a people.’’

    In a rare medical feat, Olutoye brought out a foetus from a woman’s womb to remove a tumour from it, and restored the unborn baby to the womb successfully.

    The woman, Margaret Boemer, then continued to carry the pregnancy to term and was later delivered of the baby safely and well.

    Osinbajo told Houston-based Olutoye, who was accompanied to the Villa by members of his family, including his wife and parents that, “our country continues to shine in various ways.

    “Your achievement is remarkable in every sense. People are bound to wonder; it’s the kind that fables are made of, and this is from someone who is Nigeria-trained.”

    He said that Nigeria could be well run, but that it would take “a lot of doing by good men and women,” adding that the country produced the best in every way.

    The acting president said that in the past two years, he had learnt that “if we do the right things, day-by-day, we’ll change and improve the Nigerian situation significantly.

    “When we were making over 100 dollars per barrel of oil, we were owing oil JVC cash-calls, not able to pay salaries and owing contractors.

    “Now that we are down in earnings by 60 per cent, we have sorted out the problem of cash-calls and are able to support states to pay salaries.”

    Earlier, Olutoye had attributed his medical successes in the U.S. to his Nigerian training and education up till the university, having graduated in Medicine from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife.

    “All we have achieved from primary to university is from Nigeria, and I believe that Nigeria will surpass what we have achieved out there,” he said.

    For the feat, Olutoye won U.S and world recognition.

  • Osinbajo cancels appointment of two ICPC nominees

    Osinbajo cancels appointment of two ICPC nominees

    Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has withdrawn the appointment of two nominees for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

    The government in a statement by the Director (Press) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi last Tuesday had appointed 14 members and Chairman for ICPC.

    But a message on the Twitter handle of the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, on Sunday said that the appointments of two nominees, which was subject to confirmation of the Senate, have been withdrawn due to allegations and petitions against them.

    The message, however, did not mention the names of the two nominees.

    The postings read “We are stepping down 2 of the new ICPC board nominees who have ongoing investigation issues with the commission as this presents a conflict.

    “While existence of allegations or petitions against someone shouldn’t necessarily disqualify them from considerations for appointments.

    “This case presents a peculiarity as we have confirmed that the agency in which they are to serve is indeed investigating the two of them,” it stated.

    The names of the nominees released on Tuesday are Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye as Chairman while members include Dr. Grace N. Chinda, Okolo Titus M, Barr. Obiora Igwedebia, Mrs. Olubukola Balogun, Group Captain Sam Ewang (Rtd.),l.

    Other members are Justice Adamu Bello, Hannatu Mohammed, Abdullahi Maikano Saidu, Dr. Sa’ad Alanamu, Yahaya Umar Dauda, Khamis Ahmed Mailantarki, Maimuna Aliyu.

    Prof. Musa Usman Abubakar was to serve as Secretary in the ICPC