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  • Nigerians reacts as Buhari confirms contesting 2019 presidential elections

    Nigerians reacts as Buhari confirms contesting 2019 presidential elections

    Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, amidst reactions, has doused speculation surrounding his second term ambition by personally confirming he will contest the 2019 presidential elections.

    President Buhari made the confirmation after his personal assistant, Bashir Ahmad, first tweeted about it on Monday morning.

    “Today at the National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting of our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), I announced my intention to run for a second term of Office in the 2019 Presidential Elections,” Buhari confirms.

    This ends months of speculation about whether 74-year-old President Buhari plans to run for reelection.

    Meanwhile, Nigerians have reacted to the Buhari’s declaration and key among them are Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and former aide to the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri.

    “@MBuhari has declared his intention to seek for a fresh mandate.He should prepare himself for the biggest demystification in Nigeria’s history.A man whose legacy is nothing but blood, death, destruction, corruption,division,conflict,failure and carnage wants to run.He will FAIL!” Fani-Kayode posted on Twitter.

    “It is a good thing that it was @Elrufai who announced President @MBuhari’s second term because his chances of re-election is as tall as Elrufai. A man whose supporters can’t declare one thing he has initiated and completed has declared us all fools by this 2nd term declaration.

    “Since Buhari hasn’t initiated and completed even one project as #BuhariChallenge proves, I urge him to use 2019 election to redeem himself. Initiate and complete a free election and give Nigerians the opportunity to fulfill their desire to retire you from politics next February!

    “The man knew that his 2nd term declaration is unpopular, unpleasant and unpalatable to the vast majority of Nigerians which is why he ran away to London as soon as he announced the news. One would have thought he is contesting for @Theresa_May’s job the way he dashes to the UK,” Omokri stated.

     

    Buhari’s first term has been beset by poor health, which saw him spend months in the UK last year receiving treatment.

    Meanwhile, before announcing his reelection bid, Buhari has been reported ready to leave Abuja for the United Kingdom today.

    “Buhari will today leave Abuja for an official visit to Britain where he is due to hold discussions on Nigeria- British relations with Prime Minister Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for 18th to 20th April,” the presidency said in a statement.

    However, the statement did not mention if the President will undergo any medical checkups in the UK.

    The statement did say the President will also meet the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Plc, Mr. Ben van Beurden in connection with Shell and other partners’ plan to invest $15b in Nigeria’s oil industry.

    According to the Presidency, these investment ventures will lay the foundation for the next 20 years’ production and domestic gas supply.

    Buhari will also in the UK renew discussions with the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, a good friend of the President, on inter-religious harmony in Nigeria and worldwide.

    President Buhari defeated former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential elections.

     

  • Breaking: Buhari officially announces intention to run in 2019

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who is expected to leave Abuja today for an official visit to the United Kingdom, has officially announced his intention to contest the 2019 presidential elections.

    Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to Buhari on New Media made this known on Monday morning.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has just officially announced his intention to seek re-election in 2019. Details soon…,” he posted on Twitter.

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has also confirmed the President’s intent.

    Shortly before making the declaration, the President presented a speech on the report submitted by the APC National Executive Technical Committee.

    Buhari’s Speech:

    1. I am delighted to welcome you all to this very important meeting in the affairs of our party and our country. I want to specifically thank members of the Technical Committee for a job well done within the limited time frame.

    2. It shows a great sense of commitment to the ideals of our party with a view to consolidating and positioning the party to continue delivering good governance in the overall interest of Nigerians.

    3. With the present state of the party and based on the report submitted by the Technical Committee, It is important to focus on how to move the party forward by avoiding actions detrimental to the interest of the party. Considering that politics is a game of numbers, we must not be a house divided against itself and must try to note, appreciate and accommodate our differences as far as the law permits.

    4. Upon my review of the Report, my position is to ensure that the party tows the path of unity, legality and cohesion and not that of division.

    5. Therefore, I am stressing that we should strengthen our internal democracy by organising the Party’s Congresses and Convention where election of National Executive Committee members would be held. This will automatically end the cases filed by members seeking orders of Court compelling the party to hold its Congresses.

    6. I also believe that the current executives should be free to vie for elective positions in the party if they so wish as permitted by our Party constitution.

    7. However, considering the provision of Article 31(1)(iii) of the APC Constitution which requires any serving officer desirous of seeking re-election to resign from office 30 days before election, I am not sure of the practicality of present serving officers’ ability to meet this condition.

    8. Accordingly, the party may consider granting waivers to party executives at all levels so that they are not disenfranchised from participating in the elections should they wish to do so, provided this does not violate our rules.

    9. Necessary waiver(s) should also be extended to executives at the Ward level whose tenures may have elapsed, and indeed to anyone knocking at our doors from other political parties. This is in the spirit of the Right to Freedom of Association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    10. In this circumstance, the party should officially issue a statement on the above Waivers so that our house may be full. We all must not be ignorant of the times, and the journey that is ahead of us.

    11. Just like our party symbol; “the Broom,” which typifies strength in unity, let us strive to remain united in our purpose. Victory is sure by the Grace of God, and together we must continue to sanitize Nigeria’s political environment.

    12. Once again, I welcome you all to this meeting with the hope that we will, in our deliberations today, conduct ourselves without rancour and promote the highest interest of the party and the nation.

    ——————————————————————-

    Buhari will today leave Abuja for an official visit to Britain where he is due to hold discussions on Nigeria- British relations with Prime Minister Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for 18th to 20th April.

    The President will also meet the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Plc, Mr. Ben van Beurden in connection with Shell and other partners’ plan to invest $15b in Nigeria’s oil industry.

    These investment ventures will lay the foundation for the next 20 years’ production and domestic gas supply, according to the Presidency.

    President Muhammadu Buhari will also in the UK renew discussions with the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, a good friend of the President, on inter-religious harmony in Nigeria and worldwide.

     

  • Oshiomhole talks tough against looters

    The former governor of Edo, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, to adopt a “ruthless” measure against alleged looters of the nation’s treasury.

    Oshiomhole, who disclosed this on Sunday in Benin, described as mindless the stealing by the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Federal Government.

    The former governor noted that it was the right of Nigerians to know the level of rot that transpired in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.

    “I think that if other Nigerians don’t understand the power of transparency, the right to know, the media should uphold that right and defend it.

    “What was stolen was not from private purse; the house that was destroyed was not a private residence.

    “We are talking of resources, which if it is distributed on basis of equality, divide by 180 million people you will be a lot richer.

    “I think my only complaint is that the Federal Government should be more ruthless because there are lot of people who should be in court who are not there.

    “When I was still in the office and I said the kind of money they stole was huge in dollars they paid hired writers to ask how I knew.

    “I have interacted with power vertically and horizontally. I know that we cannot be lamenting today without understanding that the treasury was burgled yesterday.

    “I think the promise of democracy is that good or bad, the people have the right to know and that is the starting point and particularly important.

    “I think the people have the right to know and if any of them think that what has being said is not true, they can go to court.

    “All of them who are involved and those who they are looking for, they should put everything in public domain and that is the promise of democracy and it is about you.

    “Just by virtue of being in a winning party they helped themselves so much.

    “One of the acting chairmen of PDP, Ahmed Makarfi, I used to respect him so much, I heard him saying that the reason they did not indict Diezani was that the money missing and everything that was done, Goodluck approved.

    “If President approved the money, should it be stolen and not go into the federation account or used for the intended purpose.

    “Jonathan may have immunity against prosecution but he doesn’t have power to appropriate what the national assembly have not done.

    “Right now, they are now saying the national assembly should not approve the $1 billion the Federal Government is going to spend on security.

    ‘’This is a party that spent well above that without going to the national assembly at all.”

     

  • APC Lawmaker reveals when 2018 budget’d be ready

    Rep. Zakari Mohammed, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, has assured that the country’s 2018 budget would by end of April.

    Mohammed told newsmen in Ogbomoso on the sideline of an empowerment programme organised by Rep. Segun Ogunwuyi (APC-Ogbomoso North/South/Oriire) for his constituents.

    Ogunwuyi had through the programme empowered 827 beneficiaries, including various associations and traditional rulers.

    Mohammed, who represented the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, at the event, stated that the delay in passing the budget was due to lack of cooperation from some ministers.

    “When a budget is laid, it is our duty to ask for detail information because we won’t manufacture figures. That is the problem. I am sure that by the end of April we will have a budget,’’ he said.

    He urged the executive arm of government to work harder in generating more revenue to implement the budget, adding that budget performance in recent times is dropping.

    The lawmaker urged the people to ensure Ogunwuyi’s re-election to the National Assembly in 2019, saying the type of lawmaking template they operated was in consonance with longevity.

    “When you go to the National Assembly as a first timer, it takes you more than three years to learn the process and by the end of four years you will have nothing to show,’’ according to him.

    Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari (APC-Oyo North) commended Ogunwuyi for bringing the dividends of democracy to the constituents, saying he has demonstrated love for his constituents.

    Buhari urged the constituents to support Ogunwuyi for another term, adding that his quality of representation improves as long as he stayed.

    Similarly, Rep. Segun Odebunmi, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation, as well as Rep. Abiodun Olasupo, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance, corroborated Buhari.

    The duo urged the people to support Ogunwuyi and the APC at all levels to ensure continuity, which they said enhances good governance in terms of development as well as quality representation.

    Ogunwuyi said that the programme, which he tagged `Reconnecting the Disconnect’, was to empower his people and allow them benefit from the dividends of democracy.

    The lawmaker, who sought their support for another term, stated that he would not relent in his efforts at empowering constituents to compete favourably with others outside the constituency.

    Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to NAN commended the lawmaker for the gesture, pledging to give him more support to uplift the constituency.

    The legislator distributed 11 cars, 136 grinding machines, 216 bags of fertiliser, 33 hair dryers, 60 motorcycles, 73 generating sets, five laptops, 112 gas cookers and 112 gas cookers, among other items.

    Ogunwuyi had also trained several people in various skill acquisition programmes, facilitated employment for some unemployed youths and empowered traders across the constituency.

    The event was also attended by members of the State APC Executive led by the State Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, religious leaders, party supporters as well as representatives of Soun of Ogbomoso and Onpetu of Ijeru.

     

  • Looters’ Lists: APC, PDP Playing Games with the Lives of Nigerians – NIM

    …A case for the People’s Third Force

    The Grand National Coalition of the Nigeria Intervention Movement, NIM is awed and bewildered by the tragicomedy of accusations and counter accusations of looting the country’s treasury between the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC government and its counterparts in the People’s Democratic Party ,PDP, which was in government for 16 years.

    This unfortunate melodrama of kettle calling pot black was occasioned by a “looters’ list” said to have been released by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    The whole episode would have been laughable were it not tragic for our common existence as a country. The long awaited list itself, like the then list of nominated ministers has turned out to be predictably disappointing and commical as it contained only names of opposition politicians who are currently facing trial in law courts.

    The surprise, if any, is that no single name of key players from the PDP but managed to defect to the now ruling APC, including those who have been indicted by judicial commissions in their various States, was included. Expectedly, this has given the now opposition party, PDP the moral high ground to justify their alleged looting of our common patrimony.

    When a looters’ list would not include the names of pension thieves, IDP and Ikoyi cash stash fraudsters as well as indicted members of the ruling APC, then such list leaves much to be desired and posts a sad commentary on our avowed war against corruption thereby exposing our country to ridicule in the comity of nations!

    NIM sincerely believes that neither the political jesters in the APC nor their counterparts in PDP can take Nigeria to the promised land as their current subterfuges validate the necessity for the intervention of the third force movement whose political grand coalition was recently inaugurated in Abuja to provide an alternative revolutionary platform and leadership for toiling and exploited peoples of Nigeria to achieve their aspirations for a new prosperous and democratic country

    To this end, NIM hereby affirms that it is time for Nigerians to join forces together and take back their country through the PVC driven, ballot based revolution initiated by NIM for 2019 for the purpose of repositioning our pauperised Country, Nigeria back as a society that truly works and serves its citizens.

     

  • Ekiti 2018: APC announces date for sale of governorship form

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it would commence sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to aspirants for the July 14 Ekiti State governorship election on Monday.
    A schedule of activities released by Organising Secretary of the party, Sen. Isita Izunaso, on Friday in Abuja, indicated that the forms would be on sale until April 17.
    It showed that screening of aspirants would take place from April 23 to April 25, and that screening appeal would be from April 26 to April 27.
    The time-table revealed that the primary election would be on May 5, while the appeal that may emanate from the exercise addressed between May 7 and May 9.

     

  • Missing N10bn: PDP reveals how Buhari, APC are using NHIS to loot treasury

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Thursday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC of turning “the National Health Insurance Scheme into their Automated Teller Machine where funds are taken at their conveniences.”

    The party said the nation had yet to recover from past revelations of an alleged withdrawal of N10bn when an alleged fresh plot by the Federal Government to loot another N25bn from the coffers of the scheme was exposed.

    It said that Nigerians were still lamenting the N10bn stolen earlier from the agency’s savings in the Treasury Single Account by the cabal in the presidency.

    The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the APC and the Presidency had been bleeding the nation, adding that the very idea of stealing funds meant to provide health lifeline to the already impoverished Nigerians was agonising and showed that the ruling party had lost all scruples.

    He said, “Our nation is now faced with daily pillaging of our national patrimony by the APC interests and a notorious cabal, who operating under the cover and protection of the Buhari Presidency, have turned our revenue agencies, particularly the NHIS into cash cows to painfully milk funds for the APC’s ill-fated 2019 re-election bid.

    “When we say that this Buhari administration is debauched, many do not realise to what extent. This administration is so brazen in stealing in the NHIS that the Presidency has to recall and reinstate the indicted Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Prof. Usman Yakubu, while he was still being quizzed by the EFCC for alleged corruption.

    “Betraying its complicity in the NHIS racket, the Presidency has refused to speak out on allegations that it reinstated the suspended Executive Secretary to conceal the earlier looting and protect members of the cabal and has also refused to order any form of investigation into the exposed frauds.

    “The magnitude of direct looting that is going on in revenue agencies, such as the NNPC, the Nigerian Ports Authority, Customs, Federal Inland Revenue Services, MDAs and even the TSA already infiltrated by the Presidency cabal and the APC interests, who hide under spurious investment portfolios, inflated concessions, allocations, jobs and other financial sleazes to siphon public funds are better imagined.”

    Ologbondiyan said that in the last three years, the nation had witnessed unparalled impunity to the extent that the President could even unilaterally make approval of releases of public funds without recourse to the legislative instrument of appropriation.

    But the board of the NHIS said it had begun a forensic audit of the accounts of the scheme including the alleged N10bn said to have been removed from the agency’s account which had become a subject of legislative probe.

    A member of the governing council, Senator Bassey Otu, said this during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

    Otu was responding to a question on whether N10bn was really missing from the NHIS account and if the board would investigate the matter among other allegations of misappropriation of funds.

    The board was also asked to reveal how much was really missing from the NHIS’ coffers and if anyone would be punished for any act of malfeasance.

    He said, “Forensic audit has been done and we have looked at all the issues. Definitely people will be called to answer questions, those that have to face some more uniformed people will have to do it and those who have to explain to Nigerians why things went that way will also have to do it.”

    The board member further stated that the funds in the NHIS accounts did not belong to the government but the people.

    He added that ideally, the NHIS should not be part of the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government since the money did not belong to the government but the enrollees.

    Otu said, “The NHIS is an insurance company. The funds should not be in the TSA in the first place. There have been a lot of issues talking about some amounts of money.

    “The money is not enough because the government isn’t paying its full contributions and if you are talking about Universal Health Coverage which other countries are taking very seriously, then we cannot be playing with these matters.”

    Recall that the NHIS had earlier clarified that no N10bn was missing but the money was transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Account and not the TSA thereby causing confusion at the Ministry of Finance.

     

  • Looters list: Gov. Wike berates Buhari’s government

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that Nigerians are experiencing the height of irresponsibility in governance with the APC Federal Government refusal to obey the rule of law.

    The governor also declared that INEC as presently constituted is setting the stage for the rigging of the 2019 General Election. He noted that Rivers people have the capacity to resist INEC and APC rigging machine in Rivers State.

    Speaking during a Courtesy Visit by Civil Society Organisations of Rivers State on Thursday at the Government House Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said publishing the list of persons standing trial in courts and calling them looters is an unfortunate act of irresponsibility by the Federal Government.

    He said that the act of irresponsibility was worsened by the fact that APC leaders standing trial were excluded by the APC Federal Government.

    “This is an irresponsible Federal Government that has no respect for the rule of law. They have become the judge, the prosecutor in cases before courts.

    “All they want to do is tie the hands of judges to ensure all those standing trial are convicted at all costs”.

    The Rivers State Governor pointed out that the irresponsible list of looters excluded the name of the immediate past Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who was indicted by the court-approved Judicial Commission of Inquiry for embezzling over N90billion state funds.

    On the plot by INEC, Federal Government and Security Agencies to rig elections in Rivers State, Governor Wike said that available credible intelligence indicate that strategies have been mapped out by these illegal agents.

    He noted that Rivers State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Mr Akin Fakorede was indicted by INEC in her official report for the rerun elections, but the commission made no attempt to prosecute him.

    The governor said instead of prosecuting Fakorede, he was promoted by the Police High Command to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, posted to Yobe State and the posting cancelled for him to remain in Rivers State for planned electoral fraud.

    He said despite overwhelming evidence, INEC has refused to respond to the fraudulent release of two separate original Rivers East Senatorial District result sheets which led to use of Police for the theft of the people’s mandate.

    “Unfortunately for them, we have so much capacity to resist any attempt to manipulate the forthcoming elections”, he said.

    He noted that there is a plot to unleash violence on the state using SARS and other security agencies, so that the elections are not held alongside other states. He said this will pave way for their rigging plan.

    On the neighbourhood safety corps, he said that the Police and other security agencies will be involved in the recruitment of operatives.

    He wondered why some Rivers politicians derive pleasure in de-marketing the state, saying that they should re-direct their energies towards attracting projects to the state.

    Governor Wike affirmed that he will personally lead the charge to stop street trading in Port Harcourt beginning 12th April, 2018.

    On the issue of soot, he regretted that the APC Federal Government and her agencies have politicised the issue as they have refused to work with the Rivers State Government to curb the menace.

    “We have been fighting with the Federal Government that the military must find refined ways to destroy illegal refineries. We are not in charge of security agencies. They take their orders from Abuja”, he said.

    Earlier, the Leader of the Civil Society Organisations of Rivers State, Mr Sotonye George commended Governor Wike for fulfilling majority of his campaign promises.

    He said Civil Society Organisations of Rivers State will always partner with the Rivers State Government for the development of the state.

     

  • APC candidate loses in Sierra Leone’s presidential poll

    APC candidate loses in Sierra Leone’s presidential poll

    The candidate of the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) has been declared the winner of the March 31 Sierra Leone Presidential run-off election.

    According to the result announced by the Sierra Leone’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Wednesday in Freetown, Julius Madaa Bio received 1,319,406 votes representing 51.81 per cent of the total valid votes cast, 2,546,577, to defeat the candidate of the ruling party.

    According to the result, Kamara Wilson of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) polled 1,227,171 votes, representing 48.19 per cent of the valid votes cast.

    The Chairman of NEC, Mohamed Conteh, who announced the result, said that the national turnout in the election was 2,578,271 representing 81.11 registered voters, while 31,694 invalid votes were recorded.

    “Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred on me as National Returning Officer by sections 52(2) and 94(4) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No 4 of 20l2), I hereby certify that Bio Julius Manda having polled 1,319,406 of the valid votes cast in the March 31 Presidential election run-off has been duly elected President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

    “Any citizen of Sierra Leone who has lawfully voted in this election may challenge the validity of the said election of the President by petition to the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, within seven days after the declaration of Presidential result pursuant to section 55(1) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No. 4 of 2012),” Mr. Conteh said.

    Bio, a retired brigadier, is to take office as Sierra Leone’s 5th President having won the run-off election with more than 92,000 vote margin against his APC counterpart.

    Bio replaced President Ernest Bai Koroma of APC, who has completed his two terms of five years each.

    Under Sierra Leone’s constitution, a winning candidate is sworn in once the Chief Electoral Officer certifies the results of the election, followed by official inauguration later.

    Fourteen political parties participated in the first ballot which was conducted on March 7, where no candidate secured the mandatory 55 per cent of the total valid votes.

    The opposition candidate, Mr. Bio, led the final result of the first ballot with 1,097, 482 votes, making 43.3 per cent of the 2, 537,122 valid votes cast in the polls.

    Samura Kamara of APC at the first ballot came a close second with 1,082, 748 votes, representing 42.7 per cent of the total votes cast.

    The run-off election became necessary since none of the candidates was able to get 51 per cent of the total votes cast, as provided by the country’s constitution.

  • Oyegun schedules fresh meeting to discuss tenure elongation

    Sequel to the raging crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the controversial tenure elongation of its leaders, the party has again scheduled a fresh meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) for Monday.

    The meeting according to the national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, is to discuss the report of its technical committee on tenure elongation for party officials.

    APC NEC meeting of February 27 had extended the tenure of the National Working Committee (NEC), and those in the states by one year.

    The tenure of the officials is expected to end in June.

    However, President Muhammadu Buhari took advantage of another NEC meeting last week to announce that the February 27 decision was against the constitution of the party and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and would also attract legal battles.

    Consequently, the party set up a ten-man technical committee headed by the governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong to review the position of NEC.

    The committee, alongside APC governors, submitted its report to the NWC led by Mr Oyegun Wednesday afternoon.

    The NWC also met with the governors after which the national chairman addressed the press and announced the decision to convene another NEC meeting.

    “Today the governors and the NWC decided to sit and look at the issue that is seemingly dividing us. I want to say that all the issues you have been talking about have been totally resolved (and) we are back as one united family,” he said.

    Oyegun also said the NEC at its last meeting authorised the setting of the technical committee.

    “Their report was sensitive and so NEC will meet on Monday and that the report will be ready before NEC meeting on Monday 9th April. Appropriate decisions will be taken when we receive the report,” he said.

    Oyegun also said the leadership of the party is “strongly behind our president”.