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Tag: Buhari

  • Election Coverage: SERAP asks Buhari, FG to retract threat to shut down Broadcast Stations

    Election Coverage: SERAP asks Buhari, FG to retract threat to shut down Broadcast Stations

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government (FG) to retract the threat to shut down Broadcast Stations over their coverage of elections.

    Last week, the FG through the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) said it will shut down broadcast stations found guilty of using their platforms to ‘undermine the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.’

    Following a meeting between NBC’s Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah and broadcast stations on the coverage of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, the Commission said it would not hesitate to revoke the license of broadcasters threatening the peace of the country.

    The ‘last warning’ and threat by the NBC if not immediately withdrawn would limit freedom of expression and the ability of broadcast stations to cover important issues around the 2023 general elections

    NBC warned media organizations that further breaches of the Broadcasting Code would not be tolerated.

    In a statement on Sunday, March 12, SERAP urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “instruct Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to urgently withdraw the ‘last warning’ and threat to revoke the licenses of broadcast stations and shut them down over their coverage of elections and post-election matters.”

    “The ‘last warning’ and threat by the NBC if not immediately withdrawn would limit freedom of expression and the ability of broadcast stations to cover important issues around the 2023 general elections,” SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare said.

    “Political expression is a fundamental right. The threat by the NBC creates a significant risk that legitimate expression may be prohibited.

    “Such unlawful prohibition may prevent transparency and dissemination of information on legitimate issues of public interest around the 2023 general elections.”

    “We would be grateful if the requested action is taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”

  • Cash swap: 10 states to file contempt charges against FG, CBN

    Cash swap: 10 states to file contempt charges against FG, CBN

    …Kogi, Zamfara, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto and others

     

    Ten states have concluded plans to file contempt charges against the Federal Government (FG) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over their non-compliance with the March 3 judgement of the Supreme Court on the extension of the validity of the old naira notes.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that the Supreme Court ruled that the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes remain legal tender until December 31, 2023.

    The Federal Government and CBN have however yet to implement the apex court order as Nigerians wait for their directives for the resumption of the use of the old denominations, with traders, filling stations, and transporters still refusing to accept the notes.

    Many Nigerians still queue in commercial banks across the country to get either the old or new naira notes.

    However, it was gathered that the governments of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Lagos and Sokoto states, on Friday, March 10, 2023, served the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the enrolled order of the Supreme Court on the extension of the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes to December 31, 2023.

    By the service, the order became automatically applicable to all agencies of the Federal Government, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    It was reliably gathered that the 10 states have concluded plans to file contempt charges against Malami and CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, if they defy the order of the Supreme Court.

    “We have finally served the Attorney-General of the Federation the enrolled order of the Supreme Court.

    What we did on Friday was to fulfill all righteousness by serving the enrolled order on the AGF.

    “The Federal Government has been evasive by claiming that it had not received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, which we have obtained and made available to it.

    “The burden is on Malami to act as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation to comply with the order.

    There is no hiding place for the government; there is no excuse again. While we are waiting for the government’s decision, the law provides us backing for Plan B,” one of the lawyers in the matter disclosed on Friday.

    The enrolled order of the Supreme Court, which was obtained on Friday, read: “It is ordered that this suit has merit. That the demonetization directive/policy by the President of the Federation to wit: withdrawal of the old 200, 500, and 1000 naira notes is not consistent with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which makes provision for the Executive power of the President of the Federation and the extant laws on the subject matter.

    “That the three months’ notice given for the implementation and completion of the said demonetization policy by which time the old N1,000, N500 and N200 naira notes shall cease to be legal tender does not satisfy the condition set out in Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007

    That the President cannot unilaterally give a directive to embark on the demonetization policy pursuant to Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007 in view of Nigeria’s Fiscal Federalism, the economic interest of the Constituents of the Federation and without consultation with, and advice from the plaintiff, individually, and in their capacity as members of the National Council of States and National Economic Council and that the directive cannot be given without consultation with, and advice from the cabinet, the National Security Council and other stakeholders.

    That in issuing the directive for demonetization policy pursuant to Section 20(3) of the CBN Act, 2007 on behalf of the Federation of Nigeria, the President is under an obligation to ensure that adequate structures are put in place for the plaintiffs and Nigerian citizens prior to the implementation of the said directive.

    “That the demonetization directive/policy by the President of the Federation to wit: withdrawal of the old N200, N500 and N1, 000 notes unlawfully impede the exercise of the Executive Powers of the plaintiffs’ states and other obligations to facilitate and protect the welfare of the citizens of the said states pursuant to Section 5(2) and other provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) as well as other extant laws

    That the directive given by the President pursuant to Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007 limiting the amount that can be withdrawn and the charges therein without an enabling law is unconstitutional and not binding on the plaintiffs.

    “That the directive of the President of the President of the Federation exercised is illegal to the extent that it restricts, without an enabling law, the rights of the plaintiffs to freely use their money in various bank accounts

    That the old version of N200, N500 and N1,000 notes shall continue to be legal tender alongside with the new or redesigned version until 31st December, 2023.

    “That the reception of old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes and the swapping of same with new Naira notes shall continue till 31st December, 2023.

    “That all the consolidated suits listed in pp. 12-13 of the judgment shall abide this judgment.”

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, had accused Malami and Emefiele of deceiving President Muhammadu Buhari on the implementation of the naira redesign policy.

    The governors also said Emefiele and Malami introduced the policy to cause hardship in the country after their failed presidential and governorship bids, saying it (policy) was their “revenge plan”.

    The AGF and the CBN Governor have however yet to speak on the Supreme Court order extending validity of the old naira notes as of the time of filing this report.

  • Why Buhari’s silent over election irregularities -Presidency

    Why Buhari’s silent over election irregularities -Presidency

    … advises aggrieved candidates to seek redress in court

    …fears June 12 debacle

    The Presidency, on Thursday, gave the reason why President Muhammadu Buhari has remained mum when there were allegations of irregularities and compromise against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the conduct of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The Presidency also ruled out the possibility of taking any decision that would lead to the annulment of the presidential elections as was the case of June 12, 1992.

    It advised any candidate or political party that is not satisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election to approach the court for redress.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement entitled: “At the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), President Buhari drums up support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidency”.

    Before the elections, President Buhari had at different fora, both local and international, assured that he would ensure that the elections that would herald his exit from office would be credible, free, fair and transparent and that the outcome would reflect the wish of the people in choosing who would lead them.

    The signing into the law the Electoral Act, 2022 and the use of technology for the elections were indications that President Buhari was ready to bequeath to the Nigeria, a transparent electoral process, devoid of manipulations.

    However, controversies have trailed the conduct and outcome of the February 25 presidential election as the INEC has been accused to have failed to follow strictly the Electoral Act as regards the transmission of the results from the BIVAS to the iREV immediately after collation at the Pulling Units.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the first to raise the alarm that the INEC had compromised the conduct of the election by not keeping to the electoral laws and had, in a statement, called on President Buhari to call the electoral umpire to order so that the country would not be thrown into political crisis.

    There has also been plethora of negative reports from a section of international news media, casting aspersions on the conduct of the election, saying that it fell flat from the expectations of majority of the electorate.

    But the presidential spokesman in what could be said to be the takeaways he listed from the President participation at the LDCs Conference, in Doha, Qatar, said that Buhari, while speaking to Nigerians in the Diaspora about the ongoing political transition, called for support for the incoming government of Asiwaju Tinubu, “so that Nigeria will continue to be the beacon of hope and prosperity in our continent and an example for other African countries to emulate.”

    He further said, “In addition to other things, this trip, more than any other, speaks to the courage, political stamina and statesmanship with which the President has managed the affairs of the nation.

    “In the buildup to the trip, he was faced with orchestrated attempts to poison public opinion against national institutions, particularly the presidential election and its conduct by the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as an institution, against which vile and unsubstantiated allegations were hurled.

    “The clear intent of this was creating an atmosphere of fear, polarizing the public and demonizing the administration of the President. The wishful thinkers appeared to assume that the June 12, 1993 election crisis, the worst ever since the Civil War could be recreated. Those who sought to do this forgot what the President said at the palace of the Gbong-Gwon Jos, when he went to the city to inaugurate the Tinubu-Shettima campaign: “this election will not be annulled; whoever is the winner will be president.,’’ he said.

    He also said, “President Buhari not only muted himself following the cacophony, he picked up international travel: “Bola Tinubu’s election stands. If you are aggrieved, and you have the locus to do so, go to court.’’

    Continuing, he said, “President Buhari used the opportunity of the visit to speak to his guests about the recent election in Nigeria and the fact that a new President would be taking over in less than three months. He hoped that the strong relations he had built between those countries will continue to endure in the new administration.

    “The highlight of the conference for Nigeria was the national address on the theme of this year’s event “From Potential to Prosperity”, a speech that observers described as strikingly activist. In it, the President criticized the current structure of the global financial system which, he said, “places an unsustainable external debt burden on the most vulnerable countries.
    Source: VANGUARD

  • Abuja, Lagos banks accept old 500 and 1000 naira notes

    Abuja, Lagos banks accept old 500 and 1000 naira notes

    The banks in Abuja and Lagos are gradually obeying the Supreme Court order to issue old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes.

    Many banks in the city centre and satellite towns have started complying with the order.

    Over the counter, the banks issued cash to their customers ranging from N5,000 to N20,000 depending on the bank.

    While the banks are issuing the old notes across their counters, many Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are not dispensing cash.

    No bank was ready to give an explanation on the development.

    Traders in Abuja have also started accepting the old notes for transactions.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that following the Supreme Court judgment, which extended the validity of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) currency redesign policy to December 31, some banks across the country have started paying out the old N500 and N1,000 notes to customers.

    Guaranty Trust Bank, Polaris Bank and some other banks were on Monday confirmed to be dispensing the old notes in Abuja and Kano.

    A banker who spoke with Daily Trust was quoted as saying that the directive to begin paying the old notes in their vault was from their management.

    She added, “The problem is that taking the old notes from customers will require the CBN form as we don’t have any directive in that regard.”

    Recall that a seven-member panel of justices presided over by Justice Inyang Okoro, on Friday, held that the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to the CBN for the redesigning and withdrawal of old notes of N200, N500 and N1,000, without consultation with the states, the Federal Executive Council and the National Council of State and other stakeholders, was unconstitutional.

    The apex court observed that no reasonable notice was given before the implementation of the policy as provided under the CBN Act.

  • Buhari hails Stallion group for producing 700 military trucks in Nig

    Buhari hails Stallion group for producing 700 military trucks in Nig

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday hailed the Stallion Group for its role in the nation’s industrial development, citing the production of 700 military trucks built in Nigeria by Nigerians from their Ojo, Lagos automobiles assembly and production plants.

    Speaking while commissioning the trucks, Buhari said: “It gives me pleasure and honor to commission the 700 Stallion Ashok Leyland Troops Carrier Vehicles procured by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “These vehicles, I was informed, were produced by Stallion Motors Limited at Ojo, Lagos. This is an important milestone in the annals of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, especially the troops engaged in operations in various theaters.”

    The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi said the procurement, done in line with Executive Order Number Five, was a demonstration of the success of the partnership between the ministry and the Private Sector. He said in addition to the thousands of jobs created, the company will also train engineers from military establishments on the maintenance of the trucks.

    The Permanent Secretary,Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana commented on the role of Stallion Nigeria in the implementation of the contract, saying that it’s promotors may look Indian “but they are holders of the green passport.”

    Stallion Group has been in Nigeria for 54 years with growing investments in agriculture, industries, services and technology transfer. They employ thousands of skilled Nigerians and have been expanding into several key sectors of the economy.

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  • Tinubu visits Buhari, presents Certificate of Return in Daura

    Tinubu visits Buhari, presents Certificate of Return in Daura

    President-elect, Sen. BolaTinubu, on Wednesday night met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, hours after collecting his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Tinubu was accompanied by Vice-President-elect, Kashim Shettima and the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu.

    Others on the trip to Daura were the Governors of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai; Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Ebonyi, Dave Umahi; Zamfara, Bello Matawalle; Niger, Abubakar Sani-Bello; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun, Jigawa, Badaru Abubakar and Plateau, Simon Lalong.

    It was gathered that the President-elect used the opportunity to thank President Buhari for his support during the electioneering process.

    President Buhari had openly displayed his ballot paper, with thumb print of APC, before casting his vote during the presidential election on Feb. 25.

    Tinubu was declared the President-elect in the early hours of Wednesday by INEC, having defeated Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, among other presidential candidates.

  • A President’s final dance, and they accuse technology – By Okoh Aihe

    A President’s final dance, and they accuse technology – By Okoh Aihe

    President Muhammadu Buhari sought to use the elections as a redemptive opportunity to burnish his tenure in office, mostly blighted and blemished by sustained bad performance and wrong decisions. He wished to give the nation such a free , fair and transparent election that would seal his place in history as a very good man who gave his people the latitude to make democratic choices in a very free environment devoid of coercion.

    It was the President’s last dance with the people, unfortunately the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) ruined that dance with bad music.

    The President wasn’t ready to take any chances or yield to excuses. After years in the legislative wilderness, President Buhari exercised the boldness which leaders before him lacked, and signed the Electoral Bill into law on February 25, 2022. A major meat in the Act is the provision for INEC to transmit election results electronically from the polling stations.

    Nigerian politicians have long been associated with fraudulent practices, of electoral malpractices and voter manipulation. Instant transmission of results immediately after voting would wipe all that and bring credibility to the process and respect to our dear country.

    INEC got all the approvals. Not even the National Assembly could question it’s financial request. Over N300bn. Even what it did not ask for it got. Free to take any decision that could make the electoral process look cool and acceptable.

    Enter BVAS – the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (just a little coinage to make the purveyors look smart), some little tech pad that will flash up your details in a moment and capture your activities at the polling station. Without a voter’s card containing all your details, you have no presence before BVAS. The machine wipes everything evil about voting.

    Once elections are concluded at a polling station and all the recordings done, the result would immediately be transmitted to the INEC server. Voila! The deed is done.

    I was at the polling station shortly after 7am. Some young little girls, the age of my children, who got there at about 6am had taken it upon themselves to organise the activities at the unit before the INEC officials would come shortly after 10am. Nobody was angry. Everybody chatted and cracked jokes under the watchful eyes of the security personnel.

    Everything went smoothly until the young fellas failed to upload the result to the INEC server or transmit the results electronically. They gave what now seems to be a choreographed answer: after the password is inputed, the result is not going. Tempers flared but with my age neatly tucked into my velvet trouser, I tried to make interventions. But this was an unfolding national scandal clearly orchestrated by INEC at a very high level.

    Technology is not stupid. It would always offer what it is given. Technology has little stomach for empathy. While it can easily be manipulated no matter the sophistication, it would throw up the truth when properly solicited. The details are always interred in its cold heart. The BVAS is a little piece of machine that enjoys no unusual sophistication. It’s only a matter of time for truth to come into the open.

    There is something about character, competence and consistency. This INEC, headed by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, lacks them all. Unfortunately, Mahmood maintains a rile smile that is most taunting and irritatingly insulting. His failure at INEC has invited the international community to feast on the nation; the election observers are telling us all the little things we should have done to clean up the electoral process. The insult we are receiving is nonpareil, all because of the calamitous failure of one man. Yakubu fails to, or has refused to understand that from the moment the BVAS failed to work at the polling units, his integrity has attracted that indelible mark of condemnation in perpetuity, like the mark of Cain.

    There was always something about this election season, some kind of precursor to a bad outing. Months preceding the election, the petrol stations across the nation simply ran out of fuel, and the managers in the supply chain gave all kinds of reasons and promised to nail the problem before last Saturday. Prices within the period fluctuated upwards and not downwards, to the extent that no member of this administration can tell a motorist the real pump price anywhere in the country. The problem remains unfixed, one of the reasons people could hardly leave their abode to vote in places where they had registered.

    Another sign. Few weeks ago, the Central Bank introduced a currency policy that took nearly Three Trillion old Naira notes away from circulation but injected less than N500bn redesigned denominations into the systems, leaving the people reeling in pains with some going to sleep at ATMs and a few stripping naked or dying in the banking halls. There were restrictions that pegged the amount of money somebody could withdraw. Even that little amount which could be as little as N5, 000, was not available. They said it was to constrain the easy flow of illicit funds at the election on Saturday. It worked, although not totally foolproof.

    But there was to follow the wonder of all wonders. The nation is so fractured that even anything is believable. You simply withdraw it from the realm of phantasmagoria and give it a reality jab. Just a few days to the Presidential election, the rumour swirled that the mobile network operators in the country were going to shut down their networks, render impossible the use of bank cards while all fund transfer within the period would be suspended. The explanation being that the authorities, and there are so many of them in Nigeria, didn’t want politicians to be able to transfer monies to voters. Remember there was a trader money in the last election which was nothing more than a hoodoo, if you were able to sample the living standards of some of the beneficiaries today.

    It never occurred to any of those spin doctors that if the networks were to shut down for one minute, the election was dead on arrival. Reason being that there would hardly be any communications going on in the country, the various communication arteries from the Federal Capital to the States and State capitals, and rural areas, would be dangerously compromised. But the rumour was strong enough to force out the Public Affairs Dirctor of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Reuben Muoka, to make clarifications, stressing that the communication grid across the nation would be alive and running, and that, in fact, the NCC had dedicated a 622 short code to aid communications.

    One could understand the frenetic concerns of the phone users. With telecommunications being one of the few dividends of democracy since 1999, nobody wanted to endure the ripples of nomophobia while being denied a ubiquitous equipment that makes their life tolerable in the painful hell the politicians have created.

    This takes me to the final point in this material. I want to express profound gratitude to former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whose administrative wizardry brought life to the communications industry in the year 2000. He democratised the use of phones in the country and this has therefore made it possible for the failure of institutions and individuals to be documented in real time. Citizen journalism is making life impossible for dinosaurs who want to hold the nation down to the past.

    Last weekends woeful performance by INEC has been documented in the cyberspace by millions of young people across the nation. When they see the smiling face of Yakubu, they will remember the story of a man who was given an important assignment but failed to deliver so miserably.

    Buhari’s reign as President fractured the nation but Yakubu and INEC aimed at a complete dismemberment of the country which the resolute will of the Nigerian people has conquered.

    My last line. Technology didn’t fail. Yakubu failed this nation. My little prayer is that the building blocks of a new nation should begin from the ashes of this disappointment by ensuring that those connected with this comprehensive failure be punished comprehensively.

    Congratulating a Minister
    Last Friday, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy inaugurated the Board of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). For convenient recall, Section 114 of the NIgerian Communications Act 2003, established USPF, while the Board which is headed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, is established by Section 115 of the Act. The EVC of the NCC is the Vice Chair.

    The Board which is constituted by the President on the advice of the Minister, draws its members as follows: 2 Commissioners, one representative of the Ministry, one representative of the Minister of Finance, one representative of the Chairman, National Planning Commission, and four private sector representatives.

    The Minister, Dr Isa Pantami assumed office in August 2019. For nearly four years, the minister was the Board. However, last Friday, wisdom and the Constitution prevailed as he decided to constitute the Board. My only observation here is that this is the time to write handover notes and not to constitute boards. All the same, congratulations to him and to the new Board of the USPF!

  • “No more strike”- Tinubu assures Nigerian students as elected president (Full text of speech)

    “No more strike”- Tinubu assures Nigerian students as elected president (Full text of speech)

    President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday assured Nigerian students of “no more strike”, promising the citizens of good governance and dividend of democracy under his administration.

    The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate delivered an acceptance speech after he was declared the winner.

    Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu made the announcement in Abuja four days after the election.

    “I understand your pains, your yearnings for good governance, a functional economy and a safe nation that protects you and your future,” Tinubu told the youths.

    The APC co-founder said he was aware that for many of them, Nigeria has become a place of abiding challenges limiting their ability to see a bright future.

    The winner noted that whether people are Batified, Atikulated, Obidient, Kwankwasiyya, or have any other political affiliation, they voted for a better.

    Tinubu also extended a hand of fellowship to his opponents, Atiku Abubakar, PDP, Peter Obi, Labour Party, LP, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, NNPP.

     

    The full speech below
    “THE ERA OF RENEWED HOPE“
    By The President-Elect
    of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,

    March 1, 2023

    My fellow Nigerians,

    I am profoundly humbled that you have elected me to serve as the 16th president of our beloved republic. This is a shining moment in the life of any man and affirmation of our democratic existence. From my heart, I say thank you.

    Whether you are Batified, Atikulated, Obidient, Kwankwasiyya, or have any other political affiliation, you voted for a better, more hopeful nation and I thank you for your participation and dedication to our democracy.

    You decided to place your trust in the democratic vision of a Nigeria founded on shared prosperity and one nurtured by the ideals of unity, justice, peace and tolerance. Renewed hope has dawned in Nigeria.

    We commend INEC for running a free and fair election. The lapses that did occur were relatively few in number and were immaterial to the final outcome. With each cycle of elections, we steadily perfect this process so vital to our democratic life.

    Today, Nigeria stands tall as the giant of Africa. It shines even brighter as the continent’s biggest democracy. I thank all who supported my campaign. From President Buhari who adeptly led my campaign as its chairman, to my Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

    To the progressive governors of our party and this nation, to the party leadership, to our loyal party members. I owe you a debt of gratitude. To the entire campaign organization, I thank you sincerely.

    I thank my loving wife and dear family whose support was ceaseless and inspiring. Without you, this victory would not be possible.

    I am grateful to Almighty God. By His mercy, I was born a son of Nigeria and through His sublime purpose I find myself the victor of this election. May He grant me the wisdom and courage to lead the nation to the greatness He alone has destined for it.

    Finally, I thank the Nigerian people for their abiding belief in our democracy. I shall be a fair leader to all Nigerians. I will be in tune with your aspirations, charge up your energies and harness your talents to deliver a nation that we can be proud of.

    To my fellow candidates, former VP Atiku, former governor Kwankwaso, former governor Obi and all others, I extend the hand of friendship. This was a competitive, high-spirited campaign.

    You have my utmost respect. Political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance. During the election, you may have been my opponent but you were never my enemy. In my heart, you are my brothers.

    Still, I know some candidates will be hard put to accept the election results. It is your right to seek legal recourse. What is neither right nor defensible is for anybody to resort to violence. Any challenge to the electoral outcome should be made in a court of law, and not in the streets.

    I also ask my supporters to let peace reign and tensions fade. We ran a principled, peaceful and progressive campaign. The aftermath of our campaign must be as benign.

    Yes, there are divisions amongst us that should not exist. Many people are uncertain, angry and hurt; I reach out to every one of you. Let the better aspects of our humanity step forward at this fateful moment. Let us begin to heal and bring calm to our nation.

    Now, to you, the young people of this country, I hear you loud and clear. I understand your pains, your yearnings for good governance, a functional economy and a safe nation that protects you and your future.

    I am aware that for many of you Nigeria has become a place of abiding challenges limiting your ability to see a bright future for yourselves.

    Remodeling our precious national home requires the harmonious efforts of all of us, especially the youth. Working together, we shall move this nation as never before.

    My running mate, Vice President-elect Shettima, and I understand the challenges ahead. More importantly, we also understand and deeply value the talent and innate goodness of you, the Nigerian people. We pledge to listen and to do the difficult things, the big deeds, that put us on the path of irreversible progress.

    Hold us firmly to account, but please give us a chance first. Together, we shall build a brighter and more productive society for today, tomorrow and for years to come. Today, you have given me the greatest honor you can bestow on one man.

    In return, I will give you my utmost as your next president and commander-in-chief. Peace, unity and prosperity shall be the cornerstones of the society we intend to build. When you gaze upon what we shall accomplish in the coming years, you shall speak with pride at being a Nigerian.

    I thank you all.

  • “2023 presidential election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise”- Buhari hails Tinubu over victory

    “2023 presidential election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise”- Buhari hails Tinubu over victory

    The outgoing president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has congratulated the winner of the 2023 Presidential Election, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying “the election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise”.

    “I congratulate His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory. Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power,” spokesperson Garba Shehu quoted Mr Buhari as saying.

    Adding: “The election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise. In a region that has undergone backsliding and military coups in recent years, this election demonstrates democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it serves.

    “Within Nigeria, the results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country. Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle. In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour. Some amongst you may have noticed my home state amongst them. The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either. That happens during a competitive election. Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy. There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.”

    "2023 presidential election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise"- Buhari hails Tinubu over victory

    Reacting to the call for the cancellation of the February 25th, 2023 election by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, (Atiku Abubakar) and the Labour Party, LP, (Peter Obi), the outgoing president continued, “that is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results. Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure. However, none of the issues registered represent a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that PDP, LP and other political parties have accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of compromise and called for the cancellation of the election.

    According to the statement, the outgoing president continued: “I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine. If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence. If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.

    “However, to do the latter means they are not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way and all for personal, selfish gains. After a degree of polarization that necessarily accompanies any election, it is now time to come together and act responsibly. I call on all candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election. Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken.”

  • 2023: ‘He’s the best person for the job’ – Buhari reacts to Tinubu’s victory

    2023: ‘He’s the best person for the job’ – Buhari reacts to Tinubu’s victory

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the winner of the 2023 Presidential Election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu.

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday morning declared Tinubu as the winner of the Feb. 25 presidential election with 8,794,726 votes.

    Tinubu defeated his closest rival Atiku Abubakar of the People Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of Labour Party who secured 6,101,533 votes of the 24,965,218 total vote cast.

    Also, Sen.  Rabiu  Kwankwaso- of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came distance fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

    Reacting to the results announced by  the INEC chairman, Buhari said:

    “I congratulate His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory. Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power.

    “The election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise. In a region that has undergone backsliding and military coups in recent years, this election demonstrates democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it serves.

    “Within Nigeria, the results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country. Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle.

    “In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour.

    ”Some amongst you may have noticed my home state amongst them. The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either. That happens during a competitive election.

    ”Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy.

    ”There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.”

    The president, who acknowledged that there were  technical problems with electronic transmission of the results, maintained that efforts would be intensified to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure in the country.

    He said: “That is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results.

    ”Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure.

    “However, none of the issues registered represent a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.”

    “I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine.

    ”If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence.

    ”If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.

    “However, to do the latter means they are not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way and all for personal, selfish gains,” he said.

    The president enjoined all the candidates to abide by the peace accord they signed before the conduct of the election, urging them to always avoid any action capable of undermining the credibility of INEC.

    He said: “After a degree of polarization that necessarily accompanies any election, it is now time to come together and act responsibly.

    ”I call on all the candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election.

    ”Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken.”