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Tag: Osinbajo

  • Presidency dismisses reports of attacks on Osinbajo’s convoy in Kwara

    Presidency dismisses reports of attacks on Osinbajo’s convoy in Kwara

    The Presidency has dismissed media reports that the convoy of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was attacked on Thursday in Ilorin, capital of Kwara.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, ‘Laolu Akande described the media and social media as false.

    He also explained that VP Osinbajo did not make his scheduled trip to Abia because of time constraints. “Let me clarify two issues,” Mr. Akande tweeted on Friday.

    “VP Osinbajo’s convoy was not attacked yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara. The reported gunshots were after the VP left the venue.

    “Secondly, due only to time constraints yesterday, VP couldn’t go to Abia from Kwara as earlier billed. He will surely make the Abia State trip soonest,” he added.

    Prof Osinbajo was in Kwara State on Thursday in continuation of the Next Level engagements after the Independent National Electoral Commission had lifted a one week ban on campaigns across the country.

    This is the second time in two days that the Vice President had had to dismiss fake news peddled against him.

    On Wednesday night, speaking at a meeting with young Christian leaders in Lagos, Prof. Osinbajo debunked the fake news of his purported resignation being circulated on some social media platforms.

    The VP emphasized that he has not resigned his position in the Buhari administration, and described the false information as “deliberate propaganda.”

    He said, “Today (Wednesday), they’ve been spreading some information around that I’ve resigned. They said I didn’t attend a security meeting yesterday. I was too busy in my office.

    “The same security people were meeting with me that same evening. Must I attend every meeting? Can’t the President hold a meeting with the security chiefs without me? They said I was so angry that they didn’t bring me to that meeting, that I was excluded, then I resigned! I have not resigned.”

  • Osinbajo’s campaign trail attacked in Kwara

    Two people were injured yesterday during an attack on the campaign trail of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    Sources confirmed the development to have occurred near Isale-Aluko area of the metropolis where Osinbajo had gone on his door-to-door campaign in the state capital.

    The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, said the Vice President was not at the scene where the unknown gunmen shot at the mammoth supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came out to hail the Osinbajo at Isale Aluko area in Ilorin.
    The Kwara Police spokesman confirmed that two persons sustained gunshot injuries while others who ran for safety suffered various degrees of injuries.
    He said first information available to him has it that the attack was allegedly carried out by thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) thugs in the state. Okasanmi said investigations into the matter had begun and promised that the police would unravel and bring those involved to justice.

    Expectedly, the two major political parties in the state – APC and PDP – blamed each other for the attack, which came barely 24 hours after a clash between the two parties at Ojoku in Oyun Local Government Area. In the Ojoku attack, two people were killed while several others were injured.

    While the APC claimed the attack on Osinbajo was masterminded by PDP elements, the latter insisted that the attack stemmed from disagreement on how to share money allegedly given to political thugs working for the APC.

    A statement issued last night by Rafiu Ajakaiye, the media aide to Abdulrazaq Abdulrahaman, the APC governorship candidate in the state, claimed that “the Vice President was at Isale-Aluko suburb of Ilorin on a door-to-door campaign when some daredevil gunmen opened fire at his convoy which included thousands of APC members and supporters.”

    Ajakaye called for immediate arrest and prosecution of those behind the incident as well as investigations to reveal those who gave the orders for the attack. The media aide said two members of the APC sustained “life-threatening injuries,” while many others got seriously injured while running into safety. He added: “We call for all measures to be taken to ensure safety of lives and properties and sanctity of the ballot box in Kwara and beyond.”

    But in a statement, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Tunde Ashaolu, denied involvement of the party in the attack, saying Osinbajo had even visited the Agbajit family home of Senate President Bukola Saraki without any untoward incident.

    He said: “Osinbajo was in Ilorin for the door-to-door campaign rally of his party, the APC and other activities of the party, when his convoy was attacked. “The incident was an intra-party affair involving members of the APC, arising from the endless crisis confronting the party.”

    Ashaolu added that crisis broke out when Osinbajo got to Alanamu Ward of Isale-Aluko, which is the base of two former governorship aspirants of the APC, Lukman Mustapha and Moshood Mustapha, who had been engulfed in superiority war.

    He said: “It was also gathered that the money released to be shared among party supporters triggered the violence. “Once again, we emphasise that the PDP has no hand in the fracas and we reject any attempt by the APC to link our party to the crisis.”

  • Osinbajo donates to ailing Baba Suwe[VIDEO]

    The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has donated the sum of N1million to ailing comic actor, Babatunde Omidina a.k.a Baba Suwe.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the Vice-President made the donation through the Office of the Youth Organising Secretary, APC Lagos, Aregbe Idris who was also in the company of popular Nollywood actress, Remi Surutu .

    In a statement made available to TheNewsGuru, the Vice President said:” God is to us a God of deliverance; and death has no power over your life. I am positive that his healing hands will restore your health and cast out every form of infirmity in your body”.

    Babatunde Omidina a.k.a Baba Suwe is known to millions of fans as one of Nigeria’s most loved and talented comic actors.The revered actor is currently battling chronic diabetes and needs urgent medical attention.

     

    TheNewsGuru recalls that the news of his ill health was first shared by his protégé, Yomi Fabiyi.

     

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BuJGQp7h4G9/

    VIDEO CREDIT- GOLDMYNE TV

     

     

  • 2019 election: Osinbajo dispels resignation rumour [Video]

    Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President has debunked the rumour of his alleged resignation as the Vice President of the country.

    On his verified Twitter handle, Professor Osinbajo said, “Misleading/FAKE news is on the rise especially in this season when Nigerians will make a choice about who will govern them for the next four years. I have not resigned! I remain committed to the service of the Nigerian people under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s New Media aide, Bashir Ahmed, debunked same rumour on his Twitter handle.

    He said Professor Osinbajo remains committed to serving the Nigerian populace.

    On his verified Twitter handle, Ahmad said, “FAKE NEWS ALERT: Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has NOT resigned, he remains committed to the service of the Nigerian people under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    See tweet:

  • Osinbajo says propaganda against Buhari absurd, untrue

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described as absurd, the lies, propaganda and accusations against President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Osinbajo said on Wednesday night while responding to questions at an Interactive Session and Engagement held at Muson Centre, Lagos on Wednesday night.

    The interactive session tagged: “Unveiling The Truth”, organised by young Christian group, had some Christian leaders in attendance.

    Participants used the occasion to ask plenty of questions bothering on insecurity, economy, blaming of past administrations, social welfare for the unemployed, corruption, and timing of TraderMoni.

    Other questions bothered on Next Level slogan, farmer/herders crisis, lopsided federal appointments, Islamisation, Buhari’s commitment to addressing critical issues in the country among others.

    Responding, Osinbajo said that President Buhari was committed to addressing the problems facing the country such as security, economy and fixing critical infrastructure and fair treatment of all sections.

    He said Buhari is addressing farmer/herders crises and has no intention at all to Islamise the country.

    “President Muhammadu is possibly one of the most committed people I have ever met. He is committed to seeing that resources of this country are used for this country.

    “In general terms, we find that there is fairness in the distribution of appointments. Many of the accusations against Buhari are not true.

    “Sometimes, people listen to propaganda and if we look at the facts, things are totally different. On Islamisation, first of all, it is untrue, it is propaganda.

    “Anybody who complains that President Buhari is propagating Islamic agenda, how is that possible?

    “A lot of these are just propaganda. Never listen to these. Many of these are absurd, they are deliberate propaganda. They come from the same source. Don’t believe them. Let’s be fair,” Osinbajo said.

    The vice president, who urged Nigerians not to fear or doubt the good intention of the President, advised Nigerians to stop spreading rumours about things that never happened.

    Osinbajo noted that the major cause of farmer/herder crisis remains pasture and water which the government has made concerted efforts to address.

    On accusations of lopsided federal appointments, Osinbajo said that the Southeast with five states has five ministers more than some regions with higher number of states.

    On TraderMoni, he said that the National Assembly does not need to approve money for it as it is a programme of the Bank of Industry meant to lift many Nigerians out of poverty.

    On the timing of implementation of the National Social Investment Programme, Osinbajo said it kicked off after the budgetary allocation was passed by the National Assembly in 2016.

    According to him, the party never promised N5,000 monthly stipends for the unemployed but for the vulnerable which is ongoing.

    He said the NSIP has engaged so many youths in its N-Power programme and government has the plan to increase the number to 1.5 million young Nigerians in the Next Level out of 1.7 million people churned out of tertiary institutions every year.

    On criminality, the vice president said that the way forward is local policing and intelligence as well as immediate arrest and prosecution of criminals in the country.

    On security, he said that the country has made significant progress and moved forward from what the situation was before the 2015 general elections.

    The vice president said that the APC Next Level slogan centres on job creation, power, making credit more available to entrepreneurs, agriculture, infrastructure and others.

    The vice president urged Christian leaders to jettison thinking about any Islamic agenda and Islamisation, saying many Christians are in the cabinet of President Buhari.

    He said that the media should desist from spreading rumours, decrying fake news about Buhari being another person from Sudan.

    Addressing the accusation that the present administration often blames previous administrations, Osinbajo said that the country can not move forward without considering the past.

    According to him, corruption remains the bane of national growth and development. He said most of the woes confronting Nigerians were caused by wastefulness of past governments.

    The highlight of the interaction were high praise led by choir and power-packed prayer for the country and general elections led by Bishop Wale Oke.

    The participants prayed for God’s mercies on the country and God’s protection on the vice president especially from the recent helicopter crash.

  • JUST IN: AIB releases preliminary report into Osinbajo’s helicopter crash

    …Attributes crash to effects of landing in dusty environment

    The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Wednesday released the report of the helicopter crash involving the Agusta Westland W 139, Caverton Helicopters, which flew Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Kabba in Kogi State recently.

    The AIB attributed the February 2, 2019 crash of the Chopper, marked with registration number 5N – CML, to effects of a brown out generated during its landing in the dry dusty environment.

    The report, however, noted that Caverton should have carried out risk assessment tests at the Kabba stadium before the flight.

    Brown out in aviation parlance means a condition generated during landing in a sandy, dusty environment.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG, recalls that the chopper operated by Caverton Helicopter crash landed at Kaaba Stadium in Kogi State when the Vice President went on a campaign cum empowerment programme to Kogi state. It had Prof Osinbajo and his entourage and three crew members on board when it flipped, and crashed during its landing process.

    The chopper was manufactured in 2012.

    Speaking at a briefing at its headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, AIB Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Akin Olateru said though the investigation into the crash is ongoing, it has however issued two safety recommendations to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the operator : Caverton Helicopters Limited.

    Olateru said the NCAA should issue advisory circular to helicopter operators on the effects of brown out and how to mitigate its effects.

    The second safety recommendation, Olateru said is for Caverton Helicopters to carry out proper risk analysis and assessment before operating flights into unapproved landing pad.

    He said the final report on the accident will be released in few months.

  • We’ll soon rescue Leah Sharibu, others from Boko Haram’s captivity – Osinbajo

    We’ll soon rescue Leah Sharibu, others from Boko Haram’s captivity – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured Nigerians that Leah Sharibu, the schoolgirl abducted by Islamist sect, Boko Haram will be released sooner than later.

    Prof Osinbajo who was speaking during an interview with Bond FM 92.9 in Lagos, said the government was working frantically to secure her release as well as that of others.

    Osinbajo who is seeking re-election in office alongside President Muhammadu Buhari on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) stressed that, there was never a time the government was not actively working on her release.

    “There was never a time that the government stopped working on the release of Leah Sharibu and the other girls that were abducted by the sect.”

    VP Osinbajo said the government is optimistic of her return. “There are people who act as middle men who know how to reach out to them. The govt will get Leah Sharibu and the others back from Boko Haram,” he added.

    The Vice President who spoke in Yoruba language addressed other questions that were asked by the presenters and listeners; including that of Islamization of Nigeria, TraderMoni and corruption.

    Prof Osinbajo reiterated that President Buhari does not have any intentions to Islamize Nigeria, detailing how he refused to join the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

    “He rejected the offer to join OIC as a military head of state without a national assembly to stop him. It was General Ibrahim Babangida who later joined the organization where Nigeria is still a member,” he said.

    He also noted that it was during former President Olusegun Obasanjo that Nigeria had 12 states that became Sharia states. “Just imagine that it was during this government that 12 States began to practice Sharia law, they would have said he was planning to Islamize Nigeria.

    “Let me tell you something, no one can Islamize Nigeria and certainly President Buhari is the kind of man to do such a thing,” he said.

    Reacting to claims and speculations that TraderMoni is vote buying, Prof Osinbajo said, “The first person to say TraderMoni is vote buying is Senate President Bukola Saraki but if we want to be sincere, we must understand it is the Senate and House of Representatives that agreed to TraderMoni and passed it in the budget.

    “There is no sincerity in that allegation,” Osinbajo said before explaining the process by which petty traders are registered for TraderMoni.

    “When you go to markets, you will see enumerators who will take personal data, take pictures and visit the stall of the petty trader before their applications are processed. The money is for petty traders and the money is sent to their phones, it is not disbursed in cash,” he said.

    Osinbajo then explained that the Federal Government decided to embark on TraderMoni because petty traders account for the chunk of traders in Nigeria.

    “With two weeks to the 2015 election, the former government withdrew $292m from the Central Bank of Nigeria and it was shared amongst themselves. Today, $292m is N80bn, while on the money disbursed for TraderMoni is just N20bn, if we had all this money, we would reach more petty traders,” he said.

    He explained claims that he personally handed N10,000 to market women were totally false. “The programme is handled by the Bank of Industry. They are the ones in charge of disbursement as well.

    Prof Osinbajo then gave TraderMoni beneficiaries phone numbers to call if they cannot access their fund after registration. He said, “The numbers to call are 0700100200 and 07006275386,” urging beneficiaries to make complaints directly.

  • We’ll resuscitate Ajaokuta steel company soon – Osinbajo

    We’ll resuscitate Ajaokuta steel company soon – Osinbajo

    The Ajaokuta Steel Complex in Kogi State will soon start working again for the benefits of the people, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has assured.

    He gave the assurance at the Civic Centre in the Palace of Attah of Igala, Dr. Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni, as part of the administration’s campaign for the coming elections.

    Osinbajo said the Federal Government had gone very far on the rivitalisation of the complex. “Unlike the previous government, we have gone beyond our promises. We have come to the point where we are implementing and I am sure that very soon you will see for yourself that Ajaokuta has come to life,” he said

    The vice president said when completed the project will make business activities in the area to be active and many people will be employed.

    According to him, the government has finally completed the Itakpe-Warri Rail road in preparation for the revitalisation of Ajaokuta Steel.

    “Unlike the previous government, President Muhammadu Buhari is not only a honest man, but also a doer that gets things done.

    “You will need to see for yourself that we are going to test-run the Itakpe-Warri rail road in few days time, and you will see everything that is being put in place,” Osinbajo said.

    He said the administration had employed 500,000 youths under the N-Power initiative and would increase the number to one million when re-elected.

    “Our desire is that every Nigerian should live a good life and have the ability to put food on his table,” Osinbajo said, urging the people to come out en masse and vote for Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates at all levels in the forthcoming general elections.

    Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello restated that President Buhari had promised that the Ajaokuta Steel would be resuscitated and would be producing for Nigerians.

    He appealed to the people to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote massively for all APC candidates, deliver them at all levels and avoid violence.

    The Attah of Igala, thanked the Vice President for coming to Kogi State, especially Igala land.

    “We, the people of Kogi and the entire Nigeria, are very grateful to God for saving your life and that of your crew members. We can see all good works you are doing, and it is left for us to reciprocate it because‘one good turn deserves another.

    “We need to agree and partner with you. Our governor is an indefatigable governor, full of wisdom and very hard working; we promise to support you,” the monarch said.

    Kogi Presidential Campaign Council Director-General, Mr. Edward Onoja, said the state had impacted the lives of the people across the three senatorial districts.

  • Buhari cannot Islamise Nigeria – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has dismissed reports and claims that President Muhammadu Buhari or anyone for that matter has plans to Islamise Nigeria.

    Osinbajo, who resumed his unique Family Chat at Kurudu, FCT, told a mammoth crowd that no one is trying to impose any single religion on the country.

    He explained that the propaganda peddled by naysayers was aimed at discrediting President Buhari who already had a record that shows he is a detribalized leader.

    “I have interacted with this man (President Buhari), he is an honest man, he has no intention whatsoever of imposing his religion on anybody at all,” he told the crowd at Kurudu.

    Prof Osinbajo added that, “In our cabinet, there are 20 people who are Christians, 18 who are Muslims and our Head of Service (Winifred Oyo-Ita) is a Christian from Winners Chapel. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Boss Mustapha) who is the highest civil servant is also a Christian, so there is no way in the world that anybody will tell you that. They are only spreading propaganda and they are trying to discredit the man (Buhari) but they are telling a lie.”

    Osinbajo added that this was how they previously lied that President Buhari was sponsoring Boko Haram and had told the terrorist group to attack the Jonathan government.

    “In 2015 when we were coming into office, they said this man (Buhari) is the one sponsoring Boko Haram, they said it was because he didn’t mean well for Jonathan’s government, but it was a lie because on 24th July, 2014, Boko Haram attacked Buhari in Kaduna, killed 82 people including seven of Buhari’s relatives who were with him”.

    “That is the same Boko Haram that they claimed he was sponsoring but now everybody knows that his not behind Boko Haram, the same Muhammadu Buhari is the one who drove Maitatsine out of this county, when Maitatsine was in this country and he is doing same thing to Boko Haram.

    Osinbajo had earlier visited the family of late Major Solomon Kabiru Umaru.

    The gallant army officer passed out from Nigeria Defence Academy in 2003. His last unit was 143 battalion, Ovin. He died on the 17th December 2014 serving the nation in the North East.

    Prof Osinbajo also had a chat with his wife, Mrs Gloria Umaru and three kids Ruth, Solomon Jnr and Sarah.

  • AIB concludes investigation into Osinbajo’s helicopter crash

    Seventy- two hours after an Agusta AW 139 helicopter flying Vice President Yemi Osibanjo crashed in Kabba, aviation agencies led by Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) have concluded investigations on the ‘ high profile’ accident.

    The completion of investigation came on the heels of gathering of evidence- inspection of the chopper wreckage at the crash site; interview of airline crew- pilots, engineers and other technical personnel, eyewitnesses’ accounts, laboratory testing of broken rotor and other parts of chopper.

    A source closed to the AIB said the preliminary report of the high profile accident will be released in two days but could not give probable cause(s) of the crash.

    A source close to Caverton Helicopters said its insurers have arrived the country to participate in the accident investigation.

    The source hinted the insurers, sought permission from the AIB, to enable them have access to the crash site for valuation of the wreckage and other relevant activity critical to the accident probe.

    Besides the insurers, it was not clear as at Monday if the helicopter manufacturer – Agusta will participate in the accident.

    According to aviation regulations prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), aircraft manufacturers ought to participate in high profile accident investigation to learn useful lessons in preventing any reoccurrence; if there are issues with the equipment design or other technical hitches.

    Speaking in an interview on Monday, AIB’s spokesman, Tunji Oketumbi, said the bureau has concluded preliminary investigation on the crash, which he described as high as ‘ high profile’, because of the status of the occupant in the ill- fated chopper.

    He said an accident could be so described, if the aircraft was carrying many influential people; or there are many multi- nationals.

    This, he said, will however not put any pressure on the AIB, which has so far utilised its internal capacity to discharge the onerous task.

    He said: “So far, the Accident Investigation Bureau has done what is statutorily required of it. We did not require any foreign assistance.

    “We have carried out the relevant findings at the crash site and interviewed the crew and other people relevant to the operation. So, far, the helicopter wreckage has not been removed.”

    He said besides giving flight information- type of aircraft; registration number; number of occupant in the aircraft and circumstances of the accident, the airline should refrain from speculating the cause of the crash.

    Doing such, Oketumbi said would amount to pre-empting the investigation.