TheNewsGuru

Tag: Buhari

  • Why Buhari is importing crude oil from Niger – Oyegun

    Why Buhari is importing crude oil from Niger – Oyegun

     

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the party supported President Buhari’s importation of crude oil from the Republic of Niger for refining at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) because of the level of disruptions in supply from the oil facilities in the South.

    The APC chairman spoke on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the Niger’s Minister of Petroleum, Foumakoye Gado and the country’s Ambassador, Mansour Maman Hadj Daddo at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.

    He observed that the initiative “is already bearing fruit. For us it will make great economic sense for the refinery in Kaduna to function properly.

    “Moreso, in the face of disruptions we have in the southern parts of our country. It is a major economic advantage for that project to be expedited and come to fruition as soon as possible.

    “At the Party level, we assure you that everything will be done to ensure that those who are involved expedite the discussion and agreement so that the plan can be made operational as soon as possible,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Nigerien petroleum minister, said: “We acknowledge the cordial relationship between the President of Republic of Niger and Nigeria hence the need for us to come to the Party to strengthen the relationship. We believe this should be replicated at Party level.”

    “It is line with this understanding that the two leaders (Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerien President, Mahamadou Issoufou) agreed to channel crude oil from Republic of Niger to the Kaduna refinery for refining.

    “We have had discussion with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru, to facilitate the plan.

    “The project is unprecedented because in Africa we are used to exporting crude oil instead of refining it within the continent. This is the first time two countries are coming together for this sort of bilateral crude-refining arrangement,” he said.

  • Buhari’s media aide tells Mabiaku to ‘shut up’ on live radio

    Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina was a guest on Lagos 91.3fm where he spoke on issues of national interest. Popular Afrobeat musician Dede Mabiaku who was also a guest on the show, had an heated argument with Adeshina.

    In anger,Adesina told him to “Shut up”. However,Mabiaku was reported to have stormed out angrily from the studio.

    Watch the video below

    https://youtu.be/Ofo73axIEjw

     

  • Buhari approves no-interest loans to 23,400 traders, farmers, others

    Buhari approves no-interest loans to 23,400 traders, farmers, others

    In order to ease the mode of doing business and make life more easy for the people, the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has approved the disbursement of a ‘no-interest loan’ to 23,400 beneficiaries in 13 states including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

    This was made in a statement, signed and issued by spokesperson to the acting President, Laolu Akande on Monday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the loan which ranged from N10,000 to N100,000 per applicant would be paid directly to the beneficiaries.

    Stressing that beneficiaries must belong to registered associations or co-operatives, Akande said this was “to ensure that they are peer-endorsed as credible.”

    He said over one million people had enrolled for the micro-credit scheme across the nation and added that they would all benefit this year.

    According to Akande, the “no-interest” micro-credit scheme, with “only a one-time five percent administrative fee is targeted at traders, artisans, market men and women, entrepreneurs and farmers.”

    He added that “the actual feeding of pupils is expected to commence this week in Ogun and Oyo States; while Ebonyi State will soon follow suit.”

    Akande dismissed reports of food rationing in states where the home-grown school feeding programme had kicked off.

    He said,“While the federal government has paid all approved cooks based on the number of pupils allocated to each cook, it’s the states that provide the number of pupils to be fed. And where those figures change, the next batch of FG payment would reflect it. Specifically, where the number of pupils increases, the states will communicate the increase and approve the review.

    “The numbers of the new pupils are then physically verified before a commensurate number of cooks are engaged, trained and then paid. The FG has also adopted a system where it pays the cooks a 10-day advance payment for feeding. The programme is designed to ensure that no cook feeds more than 150 pupils a day, but in some cases, the numbers are as low as 35 pupils a day.”

  • Buhari not willing to dialogue with us to end religious crisis – CAN

    Buhari not willing to dialogue with us to end religious crisis – CAN

    The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Sunday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration of willing to dialogue to proffer solutions to some of the religious crisis happening in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the group faulted the belief in some quarters that it has not been pragmatic enough in responding to issues that concerned Christians in the country.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the President of the Youth Wing of CAN, Daniel Kadzai, said while the association had been standing up for the defence of Christianity, “the government’s disposition to some of the issues affecting Christians are not encouraging.”

    According to him, the leadership of CAN “has been denied audience with the President to brainstorm on how best to solve some challenges in the country.”

    Kadzai stated, “The Ayokunle-led leadership is poised to ensure that all Christians worship without fear or intimidation throughout the country. The man (Ayokunle) just took over the mantle of leadership and he met crisis on the ground. He is up and doing to stabilise the system to be able to address the common problems we are facing as a body.

    “He has made several attempts to see the President of this country to table some challenges that have been bedevilling the nation and the challenges facing the Christendom. Unfortunately, the Federal Government of Nigeria is not willing to see the CAN President because of one reason or the others.

    “CAN is not in contention with anybody. CAN is focusing on ensuring the liberty and freedom for its members to worship across the country. If CAN is coming out in the media to take a position on an issue, we are not addressing the media to incite our members, but only addressing the media to voice out the challenges facing our members throughout the country,” Kadzai stated.

     

  • Apostle Suleman to Buhari: Tell El-Rufai to produce herdsmen paid to stop killing Christians

    General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman has asked the Federal Government to compel Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to produce Fulani herdsmen to whom money was paid.

    He said this would disabuse the minds of Nigerians that Christians were not the target of President Muhammadu’s administration.

    In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, his communications adviser in Abuja on Sunday, Apostle Suleman said failure to compel El-Rufai to produce the herdsmen who purportedly collected money from the Kaduna State Government was an indication of the insincerity of the Buhari administration.

    “The Governor of Kaduna State confessed that he paid money to some Fulani herdsmen as compensation to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna.

    “That means he knows those who have committed atrocities against Christians. He must be made to produce them to answer to charges of murder and other crimes”, he declared.

    Apostle Suleman’s statement came ahead of the invitation by the Department of State Services (DSS) to report at their office in Abuja on Monday, for reportedly asking members of his church to defend themselves if the Fulani herdsmen attacked them.

    Apostle Suleman, through his communications adviser said the Federal Government would be engaging in double standards by asking the DSS to invite him while allowing El-Rufai to move about scot free, while adding that the fact that the latter had immunity does not preclude him from investigation.

    “There’s no end to the killing of Christians in Kaduna. Those behind the heinous crime are known to the Governor.

    Yet no one has been charged for murder. Instead people like us who speak the truth are being persecuted. The Federal Government must not give the impression of partiality or suggest that Christians are the target of this administration”, he added.

    Continuing, Apostle Suleman wondered why his recent speeches had been branded as hate speech by agents of the Federal Government when all he had done was to remain consistent in telling the truth irrespective of whose ox is gored.

    He said: “Which is worse? Saying the truth or offering money to murderers? Did El-Rufai offer money to ghosts? For you to pay someone money, the person must have a known and fixed address.

    As chief security officer of the state, was it not his business to arrest and put these hoodlums on trial? How come no one has been caught or being prosecuted for the massacre in Southern Kaduna? Obviously, there’s more to it that meets the eye”.

    The head of the Omega Fire Ministries further admonished security agents not to allow politicians and ethnic warlords to use them to achieve parochial objectives, warning that such a development may lead to grave consequences for the nation.

  • Nigerians are killing Buhari on social media- Tony Okoroji declares

    Nigerians are killing Buhari on social media- Tony Okoroji declares

    Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman of the COSON board took to his Facebook page on Saturday decrying the rate at which Nigerians criticize and condemn the President on social media. According to him Nigeria is at war over the control of the minds of our young people and the millions of our vulnerable citizens.

    “You better believe it, Nigeria is at war. I am not talking about the Boko Haram war in the North. I am also not talking about the never-ending skirmishes in the Niger Delta that threaten to bring to a halt whatever little income we still generate from crude oil.

    “Nigeria is at war over the control of the minds of our young people and the millions of our vulnerable citizens. The war is fierce. There are no rules in this crazy war. The Geneva Convention does not apply. Religion is in play. Tribe has become a major weapon. Genocide soon will be okay. Torture will be allowed. Right now, every crude propaganda tactic is being deployed as tribal, religious and ethnic hatred is being incubated in our land.My biggest worry is whether the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria fully understands that our nation is at war and that if we do not do what we need to do and do it fast, Rwanda may once again be repeated in Africa.

    “During the week, I accidentally ran into Femi Adesina, President Buhari’s chief spokesman, in Lagos. Femi probably would tell you that I was very upset with him, his team and their tactics in what has clearly become a war of attrition. I accused his team of leaving our president naked to be shot at and made fun of by all kinds of characters. Femi is clearly one of the finest journalists Nigeria has produced in recent years. He has grilled me in a memorable interview at the Sun. Practically, everyone who knows Femi will tell you that he is also a very decent gentleman. I like him. I am however asking myself whether Femi is not too decent to lead a critical part of the war that President Buhari must wage to prevent Nigeria from going the way of Rwanda or Sudan.”

    Okoroji stated that millions of Nigerians now engage in criticizing the President, making it their pastime.

    “The war I speak of is not in Sambisa Forest or the creeks of the Delta. The war is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat and all over the internet. At this point, millions of Nigerians are being recruited to despise their President, to despise their fellow countrymen and to despise their country. History tells us that the ongoing recruitment has huge consequences for every Nigerian, man woman and child. Times are hard for a lot of Nigerians and that makes it even easier.

    “As has been clear in other places where foot soldiers of hate have been unleashed, a lot of the people being recruited do not even know that they are being recruited. How did Al Qaeda begin? How did the Hutus and Tutsis of Rwanda who had existed together for hundreds of years wake up one morning and start butchering each other? How did Boko Haram grow under our eyes and become the terror machine that has traumatized the Nigerian people?”

    He stated that the outcome of the President’s war on corruption is making the individuals affected to pay back with vengeance.

    “Let’s face it – Buhari has stepped on Big Toes. Big Toes are fighting back with vengeance. Big Toes are incredibly cunning. A hungry man is an angry man and the story being craftily told the millions of hungry Nigerians is that Buhari is responsible for the biting hunger in the land. Big Toes will not tell you that they stole Nigeria’s common wealth, bought mansions across the world with the money budgeted to fight Boko Haram and sent our young men without weapons to go and die in Sambisa Forest. They will not tell you that they are responsible for the hunger in the land.

    “Sadly, while they are telling their story in a very co-ordinated way, no one appears to be telling the true story of Nigeria in a manner that makes sense. While Big Toes have an army deployed on every social media platform tugging on the hearts of our young and vulnerable, the president’s men are sending press releases to NTA and Daily Times. Please, when was the last time you got your news from NTA or Daily Times? If anyone still believes that social media is a joke, he needs to be reminded that Donald Trump just became the most powerful man in the world using a smart phone.

    “Many of those who had supported our president and his determination to eliminate the virus at the heart of our nation’s sickness, have even become too scared to even be associated with him. They are badly outgunned on social media. The many crazy stories that went viral recently about the ‘death’ of our president is a new level of the war. Big Toes want to totally demystify, discredit and destroy Buhari so that they can regain control of the purse strings of Nigeria. They cant wait for 2019. That is why they are killing our democratically elected president on the social media. Where is the guy responsible for clothing the President?

    He urges Nigerians to wait for 2019 and then cast their votes, rather than condemning him on social media.

    “Let me state here that I have never met Muhammadu Buhari. I have never spoken with him directly or indirectly. I have not benefited from him in any way. I am not even sure that he has ever heard of me. I do not belong to APC or any political party. But I remember what happened in Nigeria after Buhari was taken out of power the first time. 419 took root in Nigeria and our values collapsed. The War Against Indiscipline died and madness took over the land. Buhari’s medicine might be very bitter but Nigeria’s sickness is that severe. If for any reason we no longer want Buhari, please let us wait for 2019 and not kill him on Facebook.The truth is that our nation is at war. It is time that those who truly love Nigeria and want a tomorrow for our children fought back.”

     

  • Rumoured death: NLC denies asking Buhari to address Nigerians

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has denied calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation to calm Nigerians on his rumoured death.

    NLC President, Ayuba Wabba denied the call in a statement issued in on Friday in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that a statement was credited to the leadership of the NLC urging the president to address the nation from wherever he is to calm tensed nerves in the country.

    The statement reads in part: “We would want to state emphatically and unequivocally that we did not at any time make such a statement. The reasons for this are quite obvious.

    “As an organisation, we do not work on rumours. Secondly, we are aware that Mr President is on leave and that before he proceeded on leave, he handed over to Mr Vice President.

    “We also recognise the fact presidential powers and immunity do not cover health. Thus, like any other human being, Mr President could take ill once in a while.

    “But most importantly, issues of life and death of any citizen, let alone that of the number one citizen are too sacred to be trivialised.

    “We therefore distance ourselves from the rumour mills on the health status of Mr President,’’ Wabba said.

    He said that the NLC wishes Mr President the very best in his holiday in the UK or wherever else he chooses to be.

    However, the NLC president advised the media to resist the temptation to misrepresent or sensationalise in order to sell.

    “As we look forward to welcoming him back to the country whenever he resumes, we also urge the citizenry not to allow themselves to be put on a panic mode by virtue of unsubstantiated stories in the media.

    “President Buhari met all the conditions precedent regarding his absence from office before proceeding on leave to which he is entitled,’’ he emphaised.

  • Sack NDDC board now or we make Niger Delta ungovernable – Militants tell Buhari

    A militant group known as the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, has warned the Federal Government to sack the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, or it will make the region ungovernable.

    NDRC gave the call in a statement issued by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, on Friday.

    The statement reads in part, “We want The Federal Government to allow the people of Niger Delta region to choose their leaders and control their God -given resources.

    “We want the appointment of directors of all Federal Government agencies and parastatals in the Niger Delta to be apolitical; we want the federal government to allow the people of the Niger Delta to recommend the best brains and technocrats to occupy the various offices if truly they are sincere and committed to the wellbeing, peace and development of the Niger Delta.

    “We want the Ministry of Niger Delta to be probed from the tenure of former minister, Elder Godsday Orubebe to date and the East-West Road in particular.

    “We want also the NDDC to be probed from the time of Dan Abia to the present Board.

    “We want the present board of the NDDC to be sacked immediately because they lack vision and focus.

    “We want the EFCC to swing into action to probe the present NDDC board because with the facts available to us, which we would publish next, it will be shameful.

    “If this present administration that rode to power with the slogan of fighting corruption refuses to hear to our plea, we, on our own, will make that place ungovernable for them because NDDC was created by the sacrifices and blood of the Niger Delta people. We would not sit and watch some group of unpatriotic Niger Deltans that lack vision of the NDDC to continue to enrich themselves to the detriment of the Niger Delta.”

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the Acting President, Yemi Osibajo was recently in the Niger Delta to meet with the various groups and leadership of the union to find long lasting solutions to the unrest that has engulfed the region for many years.

  • Buhari should address Nigerians to dispel death rumor – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has dared President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation from wherever he is to calm the tensed nerves concerning his health status in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the news making the round for close to a week now is that the president is dead. However, the presidency and close aides of the president have since dispelled the rumour saying the president is hale and hearty.

    The NLC, was reacting to a statement credited to presidential adviser on media, Femi Adesina, that no one can force Buhari to speak, noted that public appearance by the country’s leader would put to rest rumors of his death.‎

    General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, told Punch that “In the social media, stories circulate without confirmation; I think that the easiest way is to talk publicly to the nation because the citizens are concerned about their leaders’ whereabouts.

    “If there are those who orchestrated rumours and they are not true, the easiest way is for him to reach out to Nigerians through a public appearance and a statement.

    “Nigerians have a right to be certain about the health situation of their President and the people who orchestrate rumours and unsubstantiated reports, one would wish for him to call their bluff by publicly addressing the citizens.”

    Meanwhile in another reaction, the Executive Secretary, Anti-corruption Network, Ebenezer Oyetakin, faulted the call for Buhari to address the nation.

    He said, “I do not subscribe to that. It smacks of mischief from such people. We are Africans. We have cultural discipline on some issues.

    “He has done the appropriate thing by handing over to the VP as Acting President. Let us be patient and maintain a sense of decorum and respect to the institution of governance.’’

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the president is expected back in the country by February 6.

  • Nobody can force Buhari to speak to Nigerians – Presidency

    *Says Buhari no ill, no in any London hospital

    The presidency yesterday dispelled rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari is critically ill with an undisclosed sickness, stressing that nobody can however force the president to speak to Nigerians at a time he (Buhari) is on vacation.

    It also said that the President was in London only on vacation and claimed he is not ill and also not on admission in any hospital in London.

    The Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina made the clarification on Thursday in a live interview programme on CNBC Africa by the .

    In the said programme monitored by TheNewsGuru.com, Adesina said that the rumoured hospitalization of the President was a figment of people imaginations.

    “The President is in London on vacation. He is not in any hospital and he is not ill.

    “When he was travelling last week the statement we put out was that he was going on vacation and during the vacation he would do routine medical check-up and nothing has changed from what we pushed out last week.

    “If anybody has fed something else into the rumour mill that is just what it is- rumour”, Adesina said.

    The President’s spokesman said it was at the discretion of the President to choose whether to talk to Nigerians from the UK or not.

    “The fact that he is a president, he still has his rights. Compelling him to come out and talk will be infringing on his rights. “The President will talk if he wishes to if he doesn’t wish to, nobody will compel him to talk.

    “The truth is that the President is on vacation and he has given a date on which he will return to work,’’ he said.