GENERAL MUHAMADU BUHARI

Muhammadu Buhari (born December 17, 1942)
Buhari first came to widespread public attention in 1976 when he became the Minister (or Federal Commissioner) for Petroleum and Natural Resources under then-Head of State General Olusegun Obasanjo. Before then he served as Governor of the newly created North-Eastern State during the regime of Murtala Mohammed. He later became head of the newly created Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 1977. General Muhammadu Buhari whose two years as petroleum commissioner brought so many unprecedented achievements to Nigeria’s oil industry. He was the man that signed the construction contract of the existing Warri and Kaduna refineries plus the partnership agreement between Nigeria and the two operating oil companies: Shell and B. petroleum companies for the production of liquefied Natural gas in the country. Nigeria’s first petroleum storage and distribution depots with a capacity each to store between 14 and 45 day fuel for domestic consumption were set up during his tenure. Second, oil pipelines stretching about 2,800 km throughout the country with a view to transporting crude oil to the various depots including Kaduna refinery were laid
Major-General Buhari was selected to lead the country by middle and high-ranking military officers after a successful military coup d'etat that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. At the time, Buhari was head of the Third Armored Division of Jos. Buhari was appointed Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and Tunde Idiagbon was appointed Chief of General Staff (the de facto No. 2 in the administration). Buhari justified the military's seizure of power by castigating the civilian government as hopelessly corrupt, and his administration subsequently initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as "War Against Indiscipline" (WAI).
As HOS,He jailed over 600 corrupt politicians and businessmen and refused to release them until their loot was recovered. He even tried to forcifully kidnap Shagari's defence minister from the UK, who had stolen billions of dollars after British government refused to send him back to Nigeria. He achieved so much in his war against corruption between Dec1983 and Aug 1985. There was less crime, he took a hard line on all crime especially armed robbers and drug traffikers.
An appraisal of General Buhari’s leadership qualities, would not be complete without mention of his contribution in the onerous task of keeping Nigeria one and united both before and after the civil war, his stewardship of the defunct North eastern state where he served as military Governor, his role as Minister of Petroleum and Energy and Chairman of the NNPC during the Obasanjo military regime. He was to serve his Country once more as chairman of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund, PTF (between 1995 and 1999). General Buhari is patriot to the core.
He has discharged all his assignments with a sense of mission. He is above board honest and sincere. The organization of oil exporting Countries (OPEC) was to tap from his managerial skill and leadership when he led the oil cartel as President. He played a key role in helping to stabilize the prices of oil in the world market to the benefit of the producing member states including Nigeria.
He has integrity and is the only ex-leader not living in opulance. Unlike IBB and OBJ he was not a western stooge and held out for the best deal for Nigeria in negotiations with IMF. In just 20 months he improved Nigeria's trade deficit and national debt. Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, that many of us admire, actually modelled himself on Buhari.
Nigeria's number one problem is corruption- once corruption is tackled, all other things from elections to development of electricity / infrastructure would work better.
Buhari is the only current politician with a proven record of effectively fighting corruption. As Head of State, He quelled an Islamic fundamentalist, The Metasine Insurgency that rose In Kano in the 70s.
Buhari unsuccessfully contested for the Presidency in 2003, 2007 and 2011 under the platform of ANPP(2003 and 2007) and then newly formed CPC in 2011. Supporters believe that he stand a brighter chance under the formidable All Progressive Congress if given the ticket in the 2015 poll-though he has not formally declared. He's a founding member of APC and a leading Politician with cult followership mostly in the North.
CRITICISM AND COUNTER-CRITICISM
Buhari's critics blast him for issuing Decree 2 and Decree 4, aimed at silencing critics of his administration, passing decrees curbing press freedoms and allowing for opponents to be detained up to three months without formal charges, and banning of strikes and lockouts by workers. However, His supporters and sympathisers argues that as such is common under Military regimes but will be absolutely impossible under civil rule for a man like Buhari that respect orderliness.
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Re: 2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: The Top Contenders In All Progressive Congress by barcanista(m): 1:04pm
Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwao

Profession: Engineer
Rabiu Kwankwaso was born in Kwankwaso village of Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State in 1956.
His father Musa Salihu was the village head of Kwankwaso. Young Rabiu attended Kwankwaso Primary School, Gwarzo Boarding Senior Primary School, Wudil Craft School and Kano Technical College before proceeding to Kaduna Polytechnic for his tertiary education. He also did his post graduate studies in the United Kingdom. He was an active Student leader during his school days and was an elected official of the Kano State Students Association.
He joined partisan politics in the aborted Third Republic where he contested elections to the House of Representatives on the platform of SDP Led by Late General Shehu Yar'adua. He became the Deputy Speaker. He was also a member of Peoples Democratic Movement led by Late Shehu Yar'adua.
He was elected as the Executive Governor of Kano between 1999 and 2003, under the flag of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He lost re-election to Ibrahim Shekarau which many believed was due to Buhari's influence and his Support for Obasanjo's re-election who hails from different tribal group despite his termondous achievements in the areas of Education, Rural Electrification and Health. He was able to establish a State University of Technology at Wudil, He introduced Free Feeding for Primary School Students in the State which led the United Nations to recognise his effort in that direction. His electrification programme in the rural areas recorded a great success
He was then appointed as the Minister of Defence in President Olusegun Obasanjo's cabinet in 2003. In 2007, he was appointed as the Presidential Special Envoy to Somalia and Darfur by the Obasanjo administration after losing the bid from his party to contest the 2007 general governorship election. He was shortlisted for ambassadorial appointment by the Yar'adua administration. But refuse to accept the ambassadorial nomination which he consider the position stoneblock for dominating his political rivalry of his home state but later 2009 he accepted to serve as a board member representing Northwest region of Nigeria in the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC). He is presently one of the leading politicians in North with a large followership. Prior to 2011 General election, Kwankwaso vied for and got the Nomination of the PDP. Kwankwaso bid for the Governorship of Kano was successful and dramatic He also refused to support the Candidacy of Goodluck Jonathan both at the PDP Primaries and in the Presidential election in 2011.
As Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso run a Dynamic and transparent leadership. His Government has high Fiscal discipline with a whopping 75% enmarked for Capital Expenditure in the year 2014 Budget. His Government run free education at all level, established Two Universities (University of Science and Technology Wudil and the Northwest University Kano), established craft/vocational schools in all the 44 local government in Kano State, 24 post secondary institutions of learning that will cater for the youths in the state, sponsoring of 501 postgraduate students abroad to expand and expose to the world that Kano State has come to an age in term of western education. Sponsorship of medical students, pilot and marine in different part of higher institutions of the world. The Government also embarked on The establishment of new cities in Kano State; Amana, and arawo and Kwankwasiyya. It constructed lots of roads including 5km road projects in all the 44 local government headquarters of the state. The standardizing and stabilizing electricity energy within Kano and environs for security and beautification as well as The clean water in Kano city and all the local government areas, Commencement of Rail Project in Kano State has begun in Kano State. The Government Established Hospitals, Nursing Schools, Bridges, Drainage, Completion of Abandoned Projects of Previous Administrations among several of his government's accomplishment.
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Re: 2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: The Top Contenders In All Progressive Congress by barcanista(m): 1:05pm
ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR

Born 25 November 1946, Atiku Abubakar was born to an itinerant Fulani trader and farmer Garba Abubakar, and his second wife, Aisha Kande, in Jada village in what is today Adamawa State. He was named for his paternal grandfather, Atiku Abdulkadir. An older sister died in infancy, making Atiku the only child of his parents who divorced before his father's death by drowning.
Atiku’s Customs career commenced on 30 June 1969, service number 7370. In April 1984, Atiku’s name was associated with a scandal that made headlines in Nigeria, involving the Lagos Airport Customs Command where he was serving as Area Administrator. An influential Northern Emir had flown into Nigeria from Saudi Arabia with several suitcases with unknown contents. The new military government led by Muhammadu Buhari had recently phased out the old naira currency and replaced it with new notes, as part of efforts to cripple corrupt politicians who had stashes of stolen cash in their possession. In 1987 Atiku was promoted Deputy Director of Customs and Excise in charge of Enforcement and Drugs. He voluntarily retired in 1988. In 1991 Atiku Abubakar declared for Adamawa State Governorship Contest, After an acrimonious contest he won the SDP Primaries in November 1991, but was soon disqualified by Babangida government from contesting the elections. He Ran for 1992 Presidential Primaries of SDP and came third. Having lost to Chief MKO Abiola, he urged his supporters to queue behind MKO Abiola in the Presidential Poll. He was elected Governor of Adamawa State in 1998 under the PDP platform. As Governor-elect, he was appointed to be the running mate of General Obasanjo in the General election which was successful. As Vice President, Atiku presided over National Council on Privatization, PTDF and other bodies. He alongside with then South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, launched the South Africa Nigeria Binational Commission. Atiku Abubakar defected from the People's Democratic Party to form the Action Congress along with a faction of AD led by then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.. He was made the Presidential Candidate of AC where he came 3rd behind Musa Yar adua and Muhammadu Buhari Respectively in the 2007 Presidential election. Atiku defected back to the PDP in 2010 and ran unsuccessfully for the PDP ticket against incumbent President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan despite being endorsed as the PDP's Northern Candidate. On 2 February 2014, Atiku left the Peoples Democratic Party to the join All Progressives Congress. It is believed that Atiku is aiming to fly the party's ticket in 2015 poll.

Ikengawo: Primary Candidates for the APC Polls

Obiagelli: how many tribes contested pdp primaries in 2007, how many people are contesting 2014 pdp.

barcanista: What are you saying? Has any Southernern showed interedt in APC and was disqualified? Has any Igboman even declared or Yorubaman? In PDP did any Igboman run against Jonathan in 2011? Should any igbo even declare interest in pdp you all will call him "efulefu".... I don't discuss tribal politics, [s]if I do I won't be supporting any candidate against Jonathan a fellow Ijaw[/s]

SambisaKing: [size=18pt]Slavealert[/size]

SambisaKing: APC is nothing but a vehicle to return the feudal foolanis to power to continue the rape of Nigeria society, looth of her treasures aided by their slaves and willing weapon.

Am not pro Jonathan but APC should clarify those they are decieving because many Nigerians are aware of their islamic agenda and other vendattas they are about to be unreached on the Nigeria people.

PDP are criminals but IslamicAPC ati Muslim Brotherhood a.k.a APC are the worst thing that can happen to human race since holocaust

SambisaKing: APC is nothing but a vehicle to return the feudal foolanis to power to continue the rape of Nigeria society, looth of her treasures aided by their slaves and willing weapon.

Am not pro Jonathan but APC should clarify those they are decieving because many Nigerians are aware of their islamic agenda and other vendattas they are about to be unreached on the Nigeria people.

PDP are criminals but IslamicAPC ati Muslim Brotherhood a.k.a APC are the worst thing that can happen to human race since holocaust