TheNewsGuru

Tag: Buhari

  • Only Buhari can approve licence for type of gun found with Justice Ademola-witness

     

    A prosecution witness in the trial of Justice Adeniyi Ademola, ASP Tanimu Jeremiah told the FCT High Court on Thursday that only the President could approve for use the type of gun found in Ademola’ s residence.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Justice Adeniyi Ademola, a Federal High Court Judge, his wife, Olabowale and Joe Agi (SAN) are standing trial before Justice Jude Okeke on allegations bordering on fraud and possession of illegal arms.

    The witness said the firearm was Avar magnum with capacity of eight rounds with cartridge of 12 inches each.

    “The law is clear about issuance of licence for this type of firearm for private use. Only the President reserves the right to approve application for licence for such firearm.

    “This was not so with this present situation,’’ he said.

    Another witness, Mr Awoyemi Adisa, an accountant with the Federal High Court tendered some documents on salaries and emolument of the first defendant (Ademola). .

    Adisa informed the court that the consolidated annual salary for a federal judge was about N6.3 million.

    He also told the court that the judges were given N5.3 furniture allowance in every four years, adding that the document covered 2009 and December 2016 financial year.

    According to him, others welfare packages for judges included N305, 000 as medical allowance and a slot for an overseas trip once in a year.

    Adisa said a total of 6, 300 US dollars was paid for the defendant’s overseas trip and for his medical allowance in 2016.

    He also said a total of N180, 474 was remitted to him as leave allowance for the out-gone year.

    Adisa further told the court that a judge was entitled to a car advance worth N7.2 million repayable within 5 years.

    Giving evidence also, Miss Christie Ende, the Deputy Registrar of the Federal High Court, tendered the certified true copies of some of the cases handled by Ademola.

    These included the case of Federal Government against Dr Sani Shaibu and Teidi Friday Ukpong against the Chief of Naval Staff.

    Also the case between Jenkins Duvie Giane Gwede and the Delta State House of Assembly was admitted as evidence.

    She said the third defendant (Agi) had appeared as counsel in the listed cases decided by Ademola.

    Another witness, Mr Stephen Opara, an official of the Department of State Service (DSS) who interviewed and took Mrs Ademola’s statement also tendered the video in court.

    Ademola was one of the seven judges prosecuted after the sting operations carried out by the DSS on October, 2016

     

  • Buhari is Nigeria’s stongest brand – Onyeama

    Buhari is Nigeria’s stongest brand – Onyeama

     

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is the ‘strongest brand’ the country currently has to improve on its credibility.

    Onyeama made this known when he addressed newsmen in Eke, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Thursday.

    According to him, the credibility of the nation has relatively improved since the inception of Buhari’s administration. He, however, said that the improvement was basically because of the reputation of the president.

    The minister said that the international community had high regards for the president whose anti-corruption posture had made impressions on them.

    “The nation’s credibility before the international community has improved but I think it is mainly because of the person of the president.

    “The international community is very impressed with the president’s records so far.

    “He has a track record of real integrity and that is why they are responding so positively to our economic, security and anti-corruption initiatives.

    “So, the strongest brand Nigeria has at the moment is President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

    Onyeama said that the gulf countries and other world leaders had realised that African countries needed leaders with impeccable integrity to drive development in their countries.

    The minister said that what the country needed was a peaceful revolution where the masses would become the bosses.

    He said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had initiated such revolution as government officials were really there to work for the masses.

    “Things are difficult but the people are seeing that the government is determined to bring in full change.

    “They are seeing notwithstanding the economic difficulties that this is a government that is people-centred.

    “It is not about self-enrichment or carting away millions of money belonging to the people out of the country,” he said.

    The minister said that the current administration was after investing in the people, infrastructure and creating jobs.

    “The APC is a progressive party and many people are beginning to buy into that narrative.

    “It will be very easy for government to just go borrow money and get the country into huge amount of debt which will not be good for generations to come,” he said.

    Onyeama said that the Federal Government was making serious efforts to restructure the economy and move it away from an oil dependent one.

     

  • In-Pictures: Buhari receives Tinubu, Akande, others in London

    In-Pictures: Buhari receives Tinubu, Akande, others in London

    In a strategic approach to douse the tension currently engulfing the nation over the state of his health, President Muhammadu Buhari has received the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC in London.

    The party leaders that met with the president includes; National leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former interim chariman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande.

    Other top shots of the administration including the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara also confirmed speaking on phone with the president and gave assurances of his wellbeing.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the president spoke with the APC leaders at the Abuja House in London.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the president had written the leadership of the National Assembly for an indefinite extension in his medical leave which was initially scheduled to end by Feb. 6.

    See pictures below:

    Buhari receives Tinubu, Akande, others in London

     

     

  • Saraki speaks with Buhari, says he is in good spirit

    Saraki speaks with Buhari, says he is in good spirit

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is in good spirit.

    Saraki who made the revelation via his official Twitter handle, said Buhari is in good spirit while stressing that the president joked about his attitude of working late into the night.

    Recall that following the recent letter written by President Muhammadu where he communicated his desire to extend his vacation abroad in order to complete his test cycles, Nigerians have continued to ask questions as to the veracity of the claim.

    Reacting to the array of criticisms trailing Buhari’s delayed stay in United Kingdom, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said that Buhari is not in any hospital in the UK.

    He said Buhari was not in any hospital and that there was no need “to be giving bulletin” on his health status.

  • “Buhari is bound to fall ill or die anytime if…” – PMB’s only surviving sister speaks

    Hajiya Rakiya Adamu, the only surviving sister of President Muhammadu Buhari, has appealed to Nigerians to pray for the president, instead of spreading rumours about his health.

    She made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura, Katsina State yesterday.

    The 84-year-old said the President needed the prayers of every Nigerian for him to succeed in the task of addressing the problems facing the nation.

    She said that President Buhari being a mortal was bound to fall ill or even die “at any time his creator wishes.”

    She said she speaks with the president daily since his departure to London on annual leave and he is in high spirit.

    “I just returned from the lesser Hajj and even while in Saudi Arabia, I was communicating with him daily,” she added.

    The president’s sister, popularly called Amadodo, told NAN that while in Saudi Arabia, she communicated with Buhari every 10 hours. (NAN)

     

  • Buhari is victim of his own transparency, says Lai Mohammed

    Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday said that, President Muhammadu Buhari, had become a victim of his own transparency in relation to his current vacation abroad.

    The Minister said this while addressing State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the eagerness of Nigerians to know Buhari’s health status.

    According to him, the President is hale and hearty and absolutely in no danger.

    Cue in audio

    “I can say it without any equivocation, Mr President is well, he is hale and he is hearty; no question about that.

    “I want to assure you, Mr President is well and he is in absolutely no danger.

    “Mr. President, like I said elsewhere, is probably a victim of his own transparency.

    “He was going on leave, he did what the constitution said he should do, transmitted it to the National Assembly and Acting President was put in place.

    “And he said `while I am on leave, I am going to conduct some medical tests’ which many, or all of us do without announcing it.’’

    Cue out audio

    Mohammed said it was surprising that in less than six hours after Buhari got to London, he was pronounced dead by some people.

    He noted with regret that even those who saw the President climb the Aircraft in Abuja claimed that he was flown by an Ambulance.

    The Minister recalled that the Acting President had spoken with Buhari on a daily basis and had re assured Nigerians about his talking with Buhari.

    “I can assure you that the President is well he is hale and hearty and there is absolutely no cause for concern,’’ Mohammed declared.

    Reacting to insinuations that the Ministry of Information ought to be releasing hourly bulletins on the President’s health condition, Mohammed said there was no need for that.

    “Mr President is not ill, he is not in hospital and there is no reason to give anybody any bulletin about his health, pure and simple,’’ he said.

    The minister noted that all organs of government were working with the Ministers carrying out their normal duties across the country noting that there was no cause for alarm.

  • We wont hold emergency session over Buhari’s extended vacation – Senate

     

    The Senate has said it won’t hold emergency session because of President Muhammadu Buhari’s extended medical vacation in London.

    The Upper Chamber on Tuesday, confirmed receipt of this president’s letter and said it was in line with constitutional requirements.

    Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said: “There is no emergency for us to say we are suspending or recalling back. When we resume, all communications that come in will be taken. There’s no emergency here because he is constitutionally mandated to transmit a letter to us and he has done that.”

    Abdullahi added: “As you are aware, the Senate suspended plenary to carry out one of the most important duties, which is the interaction with the MDAs on the 2017 budget, and you will recall that we received before we suspended plenary, a letter from Mr. President which was dated 18th, January 2017 where he informed the distinguished senators that he was proceeding on his vacation for 10 days and this is to meet the constitutional provisions.

    “In the letter, he stated very clearly that the vice president would take charge of the running of the country. This is a normal thing and, of course, based on that timing, Nigerians were expecting the return of Mr. President.

    “Now, we are in receipt of the second letter from Mr. President where he is informing the Senate that he is extending his vacation and this arose because in the first letter he did inform us that he will use that to see his doctors.

    “In this second letter, he is informing the Senate that he is extending his vacation because in the cause of that routine medical check-up there were still some tests his doctors still want to run further and so because of that he is extending his stay.

    “This is a constitutional provision and let me say it is within his prerogative to do so and we are in receipt of that letter accordingly.

    “This is why we had to brief you so that we are now confirming that ‘yes we are in receipt of that letter formally’ and we know that many things have been going on but this is our formal and official pronouncement to Nigerians on this particular subject matter.”

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari who was initially expected to be away for 10 days, on Sunday sent a letter to the National Assembly, asking for an indefinite extension of his vacation.

     

  • Buhari, not me will reveal his health status – Osinbajo

    Buhari, not me will reveal his health status – Osinbajo

     

    Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has stated that he is not in the position to disclose the true health status of President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians.

    He said the President would tell Nigerians at the right time.

    Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after meeting behind closed doors with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the Acting President said the president would inform Nigerians of his health status at the right time.

    He insisted that the President is hale and hearty and would address the nation at the appropriate time.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that President Buhari was expected to resume duties on Monday, following the expiration of his 10-day vacation, but later wrote to the National Assembly to extend his vacation indefinitely.

    Osinbajo said he had earlier spoken with Buhari, who is currently in London, to keep him posted on developments in the country, especially with regard to the 2017 Budget and the protests embarked upon by some Nigerians.

    Reacting to questions about the president’s health status, Osinbajo said, “He is in the best position to answer that. He would do that as soon as possible. We spoke extensively today regarding the 2017 and the protest embarked upon by Nigerians.”

  • Buhari is a two-faced tyrant- Funke Adesiyan declares

    Buhari is a two-faced tyrant- Funke Adesiyan declares

    Nollywood actress, Funke Adesiyan is known to slam the Nigerian government on her social media pages. The outspoken actress who contested for House of Representative in 2015, took to her Instagram page today to condemn the leadership style of President Buhari.

    She says she is not disappointed in President Buhari, because she didn’t vote for him.

    Hear her:”There was a Country! I am not disappointed in this egoistic, deceitful, two faced tyrant of a president as I did not vote for him, I am more disappointed in men of supposed honor who sold this bad product to gullible Nigerians and yet keep mute as the democracy they alongside many others fought for is being destroyed by this tyrant of a General. I am disappointed in Asiwaju Tinubu, Prof Wole Soyinka, Adams Oshiomole and many more men and women who had led us to believe they are on the side of Nigeria and the oppressed.

    The busty actress affirms that people should be given the freedom to express themselves and protest.

    “We are in a democratic era yet our freedom of speech, expression and association is being threatened and you all are quiet for the fear of what? Arrest? What is life without a purpose? I said it last week that it is useless protesting to a deaf horse and protest is not enough. You now see what I mean? How dare you try to shut people up? You elderly ones who sold us this bad market and yet keep mute in the face of impunity have failed your country. Your loyalty to your country is tainted and untrue. On this day, I wish Gani Fawehinmi and Abami Eda were alive. These were true great men whose loyalty to Nigeria will forever be unquestionable. #angry #iweepfornigeria #voteouttyranny2019 #tellushisstateofhealth #fixourcountry”

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BQKiijoByl6/

  • Buhari stifling freedom of expression like Abacha, Babangida, Obasanjo, others – Soyinka

    Buhari stifling freedom of expression like Abacha, Babangida, Obasanjo, others – Soyinka

     

    In a swift reaction to the stiff resistance met by security operatives to the planned peaceful protest scheduled to hold Monday (today), Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government is trying to stifle the right to freedom of expression, like former presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo, General Sani Abacha, General Ibrahim Babangida, etc.

    In a statement issued on Sunday, Soyinka made it clear that any attempt to stand in the way of freedom of expression by any government, will be resisted.


    See Soyinka’s full statement below:

    AGAIN AT RISK – THE RIGHTS OF LAWFUL ASSEMBLAGE.

    Yesterday (Saturday Feb 4), the media offered the nation a space of relief when it carried the expected news of a mutual accommodation reached by the organisers of the demonstration planned for tomorrow Monday February 6th. The theme in summary: public discontent with the state of the nation and its governance. From the beginning, the organisers had cited quite an extensive list of such areas of concern and demands for urgent attention.

    To my personal consternation, today’s (Sunday), the same media countered that announcement with a stiff repudiation from the apex of the Police command – the office of the Inspector-General. It is such a huge disappointment, and a disservice to the cause of democracy, tolerance of dissent, and principle of inclusive governance.

    An unnecessary but important reminder: the battle for the right of lawful assembly of citizens in any cause, conducted peacefully, has been fought and won several times over. It is time that this contest is gracefully conceded. It must be consolidated by its routineness as a choice of action at the front of any people’s democratic participation. This battle has been won legally, constitutionally, and even morally. It enjoys near global acceptance as one of the means of actualising the protocols of a people’s Fundamental Human Rights.

    It comes therefore as a deep embarrassment, and a national shame that this latest attempt at denial of these protocols rears its head at a time when one of the largest gatherings of humanity is taking place in one of the former totalitarian states of Eastern Europe – Romania. Its size has been assessed as the largest in former Eastern Europe since the fall of the Berlin wall. It was triggered by the state attempt to water down the criminal code against Corruption, and has brought out hundreds of thousands of people into the streets and stadia, day after day, until the much awaited announcement of the withdrawal of the obnoxious decree. This should resonate within the current Nigerian governance that has made the anti-corruption crusade its mantra.

    The Police attempt to reverse the hands of the democratic clock is even more appalling at a time when open demonstrations are taking place all over the world against the policies of a recently elected president of the United States, whose democratic formula this nation allegedly serves as Nigeria’s adopted model. Across numerous states of that federated nation, ongoing at this very moment, is the public expression of rejection of a president’s policy that has also pitted the Executive against the judiciary. We have heard of no preventive action by the police, nor arrests of demonstrators.

    Again and again, efforts, both under military and civilian orders have been made to stifle the rights to freedom of expression by Nigerian governments – Buhari, Babangida, Obasanjo, Abacha, Jonathan….and now again, Buhari? These efforts have been, and will always be resisted. It is a moral issue, as old as settled humanity. It has been settled in other parts of the world. Nigeria cannot be an exception, not as long as her citizens refuse to accept the designation of second, even third-rate citizens.

    I have sent a message to the Inspector-General of Police, through the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, urging both to respect and safeguard the constitutional rights of the people. I hope that, even at this eleventh hour, legality and the democratic imperative will prevail. Finally, I shall be less than honest if I do not add the following, mostly directed as warning to the very polity on whose behalf the democratic war is joined, again and again:

    Minus a minuscule but highly voluble minority, mostly of pitiably retarded polluters of the common zones of public interventions, I do not know of any citizens of civilized community who do not subscribe to the fundamental Right of the Freedom of Expression in any form, as long as it is peaceful, and non-injurious to humanity. I would hate to conclude that the security agencies, or the government they serve, at this stage of national development and recent history, would choose to align themselves with such an unteachable minority.