₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he declared his intention to contest the 2019 Presidential Election early in order to douse rising speculations in the country.

Buhari also said the decision would give the All Progressives Congress (APC) enough time to prepare for the polls.

The president offered this explanation when he received members of the Buhari Support Group Centre (BSGC) at the State House, Abuja.
According to him, speculations are already constituting distraction to governance and stirring unnecessary tension so he had to declare his intention during the National Executive Committee meeting of the party.

“I had to announce before the National Executive Committee of our party about my intention to ask for the party’s nomination for next year’s election so that we can save a lot of time and cool tempers.

“A lot of people were trying to make it a habit of being a nuisance to themselves and many Nigerians, so when I came out I said those who are serious let them come out.

“And I tried to make sure that the party is organised and consolidated so that we start from the bottom to the top,

“and that Nigerians will be involved in a way that each constituency will pick those that are going to represent them at various levels, whether as local government chairmen, in the State Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and finally the president,’’ he said.

Buhari said early declaration guaranteed more participation and inclusivity within the party and further strengthened the bond with supporters and Nigerians.

“Some of the people thought to be uneducated and unsophisticated are very educated and sophisticated during elections; for those who have money to give they say bring the money we will still do what we want to do,’’ he added.

The president noted that God’s divine intervention and the use of technology during the 2015 elections exposed the weakness of previous processes where a privileged few sat and allocated figures to constituencies during elections.

“They just sit and look at a constituency and they award the numbers, then they say anybody who disagrees should go to court;

“now for somebody who is looking for the next meal where does he get money to pay Senior Advocates of Nigeria?

“Thank God for technology, with the PVC you know where you registered and it can be shown whether you voted or not,’’ the president said.

He therefore advised Nigerians to get their voters card for the 2019 elections and ensure that they vote to please their conscience with pride as citizens.

The president commended the BSGC members for all their sacrifices and steadfastness in championing his candidacy.

“I thank you very much for the sacrifice you have been making. I am happy to use this opportunity to meet you and thank you for the sacrifices and steadfastness.

“I don’t think I can thank you enough because by identifying yourself as a group for all these years and getting nothing for it visibly I think its worthy of commendation,’’ he said.

The Coordinator of the group, Alhaji Umaru Dembo, said “through thick and thin, rain or sun shine, hot or cold we are here to assure Mr President that since 2014 we have been working, expanding and helping to explain the new life that your government has ushered in for the good people of Nigeria’’.

He said the BSGC had initiated the documentation of the president’s achievements in a book authored by Dr Sani Muktar Bichi and himself.

Dembo assured the president of a bottom-up process of mobilising more supporters for the administration, while appreciating him for reversing the trend of impunity, corruption and lawlessness that reigned before 2015.

He said the group was an umbrella organisation encompassing “Women for Buhari and Osinbajo’’, “A kasa, a tsare’’, “Northern Youth Assembly,” “Buhari Renewal mandate’’ and others in support of good governance in Nigeria.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-presidency-why-i-declare-early--buhari-261940.html

RIP

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The Federal Government has begun the process of industrializing and commercializing the production of textiles, groundnuts and other products.

The first step is the establishment of Kano Zonal Office for the Implementation of the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI).

Speaking at the flag-off and official commissioning of Kano Zonal Office for the implementation of the initiative, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Edet Akpan, said the initiative would focus on textiles and garments, hides and skin, livestock, fisheries, rice, sesame, groundnuts, tomato and pepper in Kano State.

The minister expressed optimism that the implementation of the NAADI will bring about sustained poverty reduction, human capital development and prosperity to the majority of Nigerians.

She further stated that NAADI would facilitate the achievement of productive and profitable value chains as well as greater Agribusiness participation in domestic and international markets.

Hajiya Aisha bemoaned the nation’s dependence on the importation of manufactured products which over the years run into several billions of dollars annually.

The minister said the trend has affected “the required value-chain linkage between agriculture and industry which has not allowed us to move our agricultural products to industrial level for the final production of finished goods, products and equipment.”

Hajiya Aisha disclosed that NAADI Coordinating Offices have been established in Akure, Bauchi, Uyo, Owerri, Sokoto and Kano.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-to-revive-kano-textiles-groundnut-production-others-minister-261888.html

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate alleged loss of N8 trillion from leakages and illegal mining of gold and other solid mineral resources in the country.

The probe, according to the lawmakers, will be carried out by an ad hoc committee looking at irregularities in the nation’s mining sector in the last five years.

The investigation will cover the efforts of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in curtailing and tracking the movement of minerals within and outside the country.

The resolution followed a motion yesterday by Johnson Agbonayinma (APC-Edo) on the need to diversify from reliance on oil revenue to alternative sources of revenue to cushion the effects of dwindling oil revenue.

In the motion, Agbonayinma described the mining sector as a key driver in national economic development, saying that Nigeria had the fourth largest reserve of bitumen globally.

He added that Nigeria also had the second largest iron ore deposit in Africa, apart from its abundant coal resources.

The lawmaker lamented that the nation’s mining industry was under-utilized, leading to the importation of minerals that could be locally produced.

According to him, reports by Signal One International, a United States-based firm in 2016, the nation lost 50 billion dollars in gold revenue tax over the last two years through illegal mining and exports of unprocessed gold.

He added that the former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, identified inadequate tracking as the key challenge to effectively monitor revenue leakages in the sector.

Agbonayinma expressed worry that reports from the “Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) indicated that between 2014 and 2015, the country lost an estimated nine billion dollars to illegal mining operations and gold exports.”

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara. (NAN)

The ad hoc committee currently investigating financial leakages in the country will also look into the allegations and report back in six weeks for further legislative action. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-to-investigate-alleged-missing-n8trn-mining-revenue-261846.html

Security agents in Plateau State are searching for a 13-year- old Fulani boy and 86 cattle suspected to have been rustled near Bisichi village and moved into Foron in Barkin Ladi local government area of the state on Friday evening.

The boy was said to be tending to the cattle alongside an adult but went missing after his companion went into Bisichi village to get them something to eat.

Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), the security taskforce in charge of maintaining law and order in the state, yesterday said a team had been set up to curb the area in search of the missing boy and the cattle.

Media and Information Officer of OPSH, Major Adam Umar, told Daily Trust on phone that the incident had been reported by MACBAN secretary in Barkin Ladi and that the search team include security agents and locals who know the terrain.

Earlier, MACBAN Secretary in Barkin Ladi, Abubakar Gambo had told our correspondent that the incident occurred around 5:00pm and that the cattle had left visible hoof prints that have been tracked to Foron.

Gambo said the member representing the area in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Peter Gyendeng had visited to calm them while the State Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie and his team had also visited the scene.

Daily Trust reports that the MACBAN chairman in the state, Muhammad Nura Abdullahi had in early July written a letter to Governor Simon Bako Lalong notifying him of the rustling of 28 cows from Langai in Mangu into Barkin Ladi’s Fan district. Five days later, the police confirmed irate Berom youths had attacked a Fulani settlement adjacent the Police Staff College in Jos South. The police commissioner immediately met with Berom and Fulani leaders and warned that such acts of criminality would not be tolerated.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/86-cattle-rustled-fulani-teenager-missing-in-plateau-261134.html

The House of Representatives ad hoc panel investigating spending of the ‘Abacha loot’ will meet President Muhammadu Buhari and former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan over the matter, Daily Trust has learnt.

The 11-man panel, constituted last week, would meet Buhari and the former presidents in their residences instead of inviting them to the National Assembly, it was further learnt.

The panel will invite some key government officials, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, to get accurate update on loot recovery and how much has so far been spent on various court processes by the federal government.

The source said since late president Umaru Musa Yar’adua is not alive to testify on the matter, key officials that served in his government would be invited for interaction with the panel.

Headed by Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano), the panel would conduct enquiry into ‘Abacha loot’ recovery by successive governments from 1998 to date.

The panel will commence its sitting on the matter this week, it was further learnt.

Part of the committee’s mandate is to establish the total recovery made on the loot and the sources.

“The committee will speak with the president (Buhari) and all the former presidents under whose tenure the Abacha loot recovery began.

“But the panel will meet them in their residences. There won’t be anything like summon. The main thrust of the matter is on the role of their administrations in the loot recovery,” the source said.

House spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas confirmed that the panel will meet with relevant personalities.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara had while constituting the panel last week said it would dig out all recoveries and mode of payments, as well as how the money was disbursed.

The lawmakers had, while adopting a motion by Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi), said the sum of $322 million part of ‘Abacha loot’ to be released to Nigeria by the Swiss Government should be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation and be distributed to the federating units using the current sharing formula.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/house-panel-to-meet-buhari-obasanjo-jonathan-over-abacha-loot-261150.html

Senate President Bukola Saraki must declare now where he belongs, whether he is for APC or other political interests, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Yekini Nabena, said this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.

Nabena said the declaration was necessary in view of the point that Saraki’s close allies, including Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and Chief of Staff, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, had returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said the recent action of the senate president contradicted the promise he made at the party’s National Convention, stating that Saraki has not learnt any lessons from his initial betrayal of APC in 2015, when he traded off the party’s right to produce the deputy senate president for his alleged selfish ambition of becoming the senate president.

The statement reads, “In recent times, there have been attempts to discredit the leadership of the All Progressives Congress APC and the federal government it controls by a roguish alliance of forces within and outside the party. The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has loomed large in this scheme. Saraki has never hidden his sympathy for those who have launched a vicious attack on the APC, a party that gave both him and the nascent mudslingers the platform on which they ply their political careers.

“The APC is not averse to dissenting positions. But we reject deceit in every shade or form. Saraki must declare now where he belongs, whether he is for APC or other political interests. He cannot serve God and mammon. He cannot play hide-and-seek. He cannot hide behind his fingers.

“We are aware that a number of Saraki’s aides and close allies have left APC for the Peoples Democratic Party PDP. For example, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has returned to his former home in PDP; Saraki’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed has withdrawn his membership from APC.

“We are also not unaware of the fact that Saraki is the brawn and the brains of the so-called Reformed All Progressives Congress rAPC.

“The senate president’s current activities are a betrayal of his position at the last national convention of APC, where he urged the new leadership of the party to carry everyone along in the effort to improve the party and enhance its chances ahead of the impending political contests in the country. When he made those comments, we had thought he was sincere and that he would follow through his counsel. But, alas, we were wrong.

“It is clear that Saraki has not learnt any lessons from his initial betrayal of APC in 2015, when he traded off the party’s right to produce the deputy senate president for his selfish ambition of becoming the senate president.

“APC is a democratic institution and Saraki is free to make choices in accordance with the laws of the country. But he cannot continue to take members of APC for a ride.

“Politics is based on trust. Saraki has betrayed the trust reposed on him by the party. If he wants to leave APC, let him leave peacefully, and not try to destroy a house that gave him accommodation when he needed it most.

“His current attitude can only be the action of a traitor or a double agent”, the statement added.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/saraki-has-betrayed-trust-reposed-on-him-apc-spokesman-261093.html

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Sunday depart for the Netherlands to participate in activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity made this known in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

According to Adesina, President Buhari is the only world leader invited to deliver a keynote address during the Solemn Hearing to commemorate the anniversary at Courtroom 1 of the ICC’s Headquarters at The Hague.

He said “In buttressing Nigeria’s commitment as a member of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, the President, as the current anti-corruption champion for the African Union, will use the global platform to reaffirm Nigeria’s support to the fundamental values of the Rome Statute and to the ideals of the ICC.’’

He said the President would also highlight his administration’s campaign against corruption in Nigeria at the event.

The presidential aide further revealed that, after the event at the Courtroom, the President would have a bilateral meeting with the ICC Prosecutor, Ms Fatou Bensouda.

He said that Buhari would also attend a dinner hosted by Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, the President of the ICC who is a Nigerian.

“The Nigerian leader, while in The Hague, will meet with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, to discuss bilateral issues such as migration, peace and security, and economic cooperation."

“The President and his delegation will have a separate roundtable with some Dutch Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of companies based in Nigeria with a view to urging them to expand their investments, especially in agriculture, oil and gas in Nigeria,’’ Adesina added.

He said President Buhari would also tour the Port of Rotterdam and Shell refinery Pernis, Hoogvliet.

According to Adesina, on the margins of the President’s visit, Nigeria and the Netherlands will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations.

He revealed that Buhari’s delegation to the Netherlands would include Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau and Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo.

Others are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar.

The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru; and the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman are also on the president’s entourage.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/president-buhari-visits-netherlands-sunday-260956.html

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Senator Lawali Shuaibu is in his second term as the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, Shuaibu, who was elected alongside Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and others, speaks on recent developments in the party, saying the nPDP members who formed R-APC and went for an alliance with the PDP have failed in their bid to divide the APC. He also speaks on the political dimension to state police restructuring, and more. Excerpts:



Daily Trust: You have been a key figure in the APC in the talks with the New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP). With the recent development, a faction known as R-APC has emerged, would you say all is well with the party?

Senator Lawali Shuaibu: Yes, it is true I was mandated to deal with the issue when they sent a letter to the party in which they conveyed their grievances. I held the first meeting with their representatives in my office after which I consulted with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who agreed to take over the meeting and find a way of getting to the root of the matter. We had the first session with him presiding. We were to meet again the following week when they communicated to me that they were not coming for the next meeting because they felt the atmosphere was not conducive again. Since then, we never met again. But let me quickly say that the nPDP is not the same with the R-APC as this new group call themselves. What we understood was that the nPDP was the group of APC members that came from the PDP after the merger. But we don’t know what this group is all about as they never sent any grievances to the party, at least, that I was aware of.

DT: The R-APC described the APC as worse than the PDP which it replaced in 2015, how do you view this description?

Shuaibu: You see, anybody can say anything in line with his opinion but the fact is, every Nigerian knows the situation of this country up to February 2015 when President Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election. Nigerians heaved a deep sigh of relief, and felt reassured that they would be saved from what seemed an impending collapse of the country. And I can assure you that we have on record what those talking now were saying then. So we don’t get ourselves worked up with such statements.

DT: The APC held its national convention recently. Some are of the belief that the convention rather than help cement the party, what is your view?

Shuaibu: There was absolutely no division within the party as the convention was conducted successfully and those elected were duly sworn in without any rancour. Even the speculations from our detractors that some groups might stage a walk out did not happen. So where is the division?

DT: Your position, Deputy National Chairman (North) was one of the most keenly contested positions at the convention, what factors would you say accounted for your victory?

Shuaibu: There was no factor than the work of Allah. Once He has destined something, it must come to pass. I feel I had done my bit over the last four years and I did it with utmost sincerity and with my conscience knowing, fully well that I am always accountable to Allah in whatever I do. I left everything to Allah as He alone knows best. I believe politics predicates that everybody shall have to go back to the constituency he represents if you need to go for any office, and in my own case, I can assure you that I did go back home to seek the blessings of my people. My position was zoned to my state (Zamfara) and the moment my governor and the key stakeholders gave me the go ahead, I decided to settle for it without too much worries. My governor was mandated to be my campaign coordinator. He accepted to execute the campaign on my behalf and did it better than anybody’s campaign director that I can ever remember. He told the team from our state that since Zamfara people had accepted to go for this position and return me to it, he was going for it with all the vigour and sincerity that went with it and he assured Zamfara people of success by the special grace of Allah. And every one at the convention can attest to how he turned himself into a one-man campaign committee. At last, you could see what he was able to achieve. I found myself and the rest of my team congratulating him instead of congratulating myself.

DT: It is clear that the crises that attended the congresses in states are still unresolved, what plans do you have to address them, especially across the North?

Shuaibu: I don’t want to say there were crises, but arising from the congresses, there were disagreements that the new national chairman promised to look into and address with utmost sincerity, and with his focus on the party rather than the individual.

DT: The country is facing serious attacks, especially in the North, where killings are going on, yet, security is one of the key campaign promises of your party, and indeed the fundamental priority of the government, how does the party intend to address this?

Shuaibu: When President Buhari came in, it was expected that the first item on his agenda was to fight corruption and restore security. Let me tell you something about fighting corruption; when corrupt leaders want to fight back, they fight dirty, using every arsenal at their disposal, including sacrifice of human lives. Corrupt people don’t care who dies in the process of protecting what they stole and their perceived image. When you allow corruption to become a way of life, you end up with a monster that can eat up everybody, and to the corrupt person, it doesn’t matter if it eats him up along with everybody, but he can’t sink alone. What is going on regarding the Fulani/Herdsmen crisis to the magnitude you see today is politics. The target is to bring down this government because the fight stage seems to them more serious than what previous governments did.

It is most unfortunate that today, the North has been made to be at war with itself. Northerners killing one another is something that will not be forgiven. We grew up to see ourselves as one, no matter the differences in our tribes and faiths, and suddenly, our children are now being subjected to a different growing experience. It is the most disgraceful act of disloyalty and anybody that fuels this will not be pardoned, Allah ya isa.

DT: Do you think the creation of state police will address the killings and the general state of insecurity?

Shuaibu: Look, these things are easy to handle. Those who crafted the 1999 Constitution were fully aware of the reasons they left the security apparatus in the control of the federal government. But what they did was to let each governor and local government chairman become the chief security officer of his constituency. All that could have been done was to allow them to give direct, genuine directives to the security agencies in the event there is a situation like what is happening now. But such directives could also be seen to be objective after it is deliberated at the state or local government security council meeting in line with what is provided by the law and the constitution. But it is actually not good enough for a governor to be told by a military or police commander posted to his state for addressing a security challenge that he doesn’t take orders from him or even the State Security Council meeting of which he is co-opted as member for that purpose. It makes mockery of the constitution. The state governors and their security council decisions must be respected by the heads of the security agencies operating in the states, after all, the heads of such agencies are part of the meetings that give rise to such decisions. State police is a matter of the constitution and since it is not there I don’t want to say something that could be misinterpreted to mean my party’s position.

DT: But your party set up a committee on restructuring and they recommended state police, is the party backing out again?

Shuaibu: That’s why I avoid saying my own personal opinion while occupying the party office. The committee headed by Gov. El-Rufai only made recommendations but the party is yet to deliberate on such recommendations.

DT: The PDP strongly believes that it has learnt from its mistakes during the 2015 general elections, what chances are there that you can win the 2019 general elections?

Shuaibu: Well, let us see if they have learnt from their mistakes. But I strongly advise them to change that name-PDP, because to the mind of an average Nigerian, it still stinks. We have much brighter chances to win the elections, I assure you. 2019 is just by the doorsteps, let us see what they can do, especially with such antecedent that constitutes a big baggage which Nigerians are yet to recover from. As the Hausa man says, “Ga fili, ga Maidoki.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/our-joy-is-buba-galadima-has-failed-to-divide-apc-sen-shuaibu-260927.html

A former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday warned African leaders against youth anger across the continent, especially in countries with weak job-creation programmes and bad governance.

Obasanjo, who spoke at the Annual General Meeting and 25th anniversary of the African Export-Import (AFREXIM) Bank in Abuja, said he was deeply worried about developments in some African countries, particularly among frustrated youths.

“I get a bit worried because whatever we may be thinking about our problems, one problem that can consume all of us, because it has no religious or territorial boundaries or ethnic boundary is the youth anger, frustration going into a big explosion in many of our countries on the continent,” he said. He said 50 per cent of the population of youths is not educated, trained and given skills to help themselves and such society cannot make the needed progress.

Obasanjo noted that leaders must be realistic and aware of innovations and new technology around them.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/obasanjo-warns-on-youth-anger-explosion-260879.html

With recent developments on the political scene occasioned by alignments by different forces ahead of primary elections of the various political parties, it seems the 2019 general elections would be unpredictable, tortuous and engaging, not only at the centre but across the states.

The space for political various contests is so congested that many Nigerians are already confused on how the political class will handle the race for the various offices, including the presidency, National Assembly, governorship and state assemblies.

Thousands of aspirants currently occupying offices at all levels have signified interest to re-contest. Those constrained by the Constitution to do only two terms are angling for new fortress and a multitude of contestants watching from outside equally want to push themselves into the circle of the privileged few to have a taste of power.

The struggle at the centre

Analysts predict the fiercest fight ever for the presidency to dislodge President Muhammadu Buhari, and this is not unconnected with the allusion that the president has stepped on many toes in the past three years, and will do the “worst” if he gets a second term.

Therefore, Buhari is already confronted by multi-front wars, including the gang up by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led opposition, the ex- generals and an emerging force in the Middle Belt, among others.

Ahead of 2015, the general consensus was that it was just a fight to finish between the North and a section of the South as evident in the way then candidate Buhari, a northerner, was fielded by the APC with massive support from the Southwest. On the other hand, the PDP fielded then President Goodluck Jonathan who had unmatchable support in the Southsouth, Southeast and moderate acceptability in the Southwest and Northcentral.

However, the calculation has changed now as both the PDP and APC, the two titans in the contest, would field their presidential candidates from the North and their deputies from the South.

This means President Buhari would slug it out with his “brother” from the North even though the personality the PDP or any other party would present would count a lot in determining the outcome of the contest. For now, the PDP has more than a dozen candidates in the race, including ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar, ex- governors Sule Lamido, Ahmed Makarfi and Ibrahim Shekarau, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Barr. Tanimu Turaki, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed and a host of others.

Following the recent PDP alliance with 39 political parties, it means more candidates will emerge and it is from among the number that one would be picked to confront Buhari.

But curiously, despite the new “consensus” for parties to field their candidates from the North, the challenge for the presidency would not be a tea party as more issues come to the fore.

In November 2017, prominent lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), floated the National Intervention Movement (NIM). At that time, he said it was not a political party, but a new movement which sought to galvanise Nigerians towards building a national political consensus.

But in June, NIM adopted the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), a relatively new political party as the platform upon which members would contest the 2019 general elections. Agbakoba said the decision of NIM to fuse into ANN was borne out of the need to realise its vision for Nigeria, saying the limited time to the general elections would not permit NIM to register as a political party to pursue its vision.

NIM’s steering committee members include Donald Duke, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Kemi George, Isa Aremu, Dr. Abduljalil Tafawa Balewa, Rabiu Isiaku Rabiu and Senator Abubakar Gada.

The tendency is that they might present their presidential candidate who may likely be picked from the North or collapse their strength into the PDP to fight the APC.

The next challenge for the Presidency will come from another quarter. In May, former president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the political platform to be deployed to unseat President Buhari. The party said it had already registered millions of Nigerians into its fold.

Obasanjo on January 23 this year, launched CNM with a scathing criticism of the Buhari administration and during the adoption of ADC in Abeokuta, he said after detailed consultations, bearing in mind the orientation, policies and direction of CNM, they agreed to adopt ADC even though he claimed he was no longer a member in line with his earlier retirement from partisan politics.

Analysts believe that Obasanjo is not alone in the struggle, saying he is actually representing the club of “ex-military mafia” which is not comfortable with Buhari’s second coming on the grounds that while most of them had escaped his anti-corruption fight in the last three years, their dossiers would be ransacked after 2019.

Sources said the ultimate goal of Obasanjo and co, working from underground, would be to pick a former governor from the Northwest and field him as their presidential aspirant.

A source close to the scheming said, “The candidate they would put may be picked from any of the political parties but from all indications, even the so called PDP aspirants would all look unto Obasanjo, IBB, Abdulsalami Abubakar and many other top military generals who held sway in the past but still determine who gets what.”

The source added, ”So we are going to see a grand alliance in the coming weeks and the sole candidate that would confront Buhari might be a dark horse, it is actually a struggle for survival which entails fighting a common enemy. They would get someone that would resonate in the North.”

Besides, the Middle Belt which has a large chunk of its “territory” in the North is also out to fight for the Presidency under what observers call “fault lines.”

On Thursday, a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, announced his intention to vie for the Presidency under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Also, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher has thrown his hat into the race under the SDP.

Their appearance came to the fore after days of speculations that powerful leaders in the Middle Belt had directed some of their leading politicians to join the race for the Presidency under various platforms.

Those asked to showcase their popularity, according to sources, include: Prof. Gana and a former deputy governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia. Others are a former Plateau State governor, Senator Jonah Jang and Olawepo-Hashim, among many aspirants that went through the rigorous screening.

They purportedly said the Middle Belt has a stake in Kwara, Kogi, Niger, FCT, Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Borno (South), Bauchi (South), Kaduna, Kebbi, Taraba, and Nassarawa, hence their indispensability in determining who wins the 2019 election.

But those in support of President Buhari said all would be well.

“We know all those that we are going to confront at the ballot but they are no match to Mr President, Nigerians are wiser and they know that Buhari means well for them,” said Malam Mohammed Lawan, a key figure in the 2015 APC Presidential Campaign Council.

Alhaji Danladi Pasali, the National Coordinator of Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO), said in a recent interview, “We have had corrupt and sentimental leaders in Africa, but this time, we have a credible leader which is why people are supporting him. So, it is an issue of people identifying with somebody that they know has integrity.”

Intrigues in the National Assembly

The ongoing cat and mouse game between the Presidency and the National Assembly will also play out in 2019. It was gathered that forces at the Villa are working hard to ensure that they do away with the headache they are currently contending with.

On the other hand, both Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, will look for nothing below their current positions.

“Left to those fighting for Buhari, the leadership of the two chambers should not even return to the National Assembly, not to talk of winning the two coveted chairs again,” a source said.

He said part of efforts towards achieving this is evident in the increased acrimony in many APC states where besides the deep rooted misunderstanding since 2015, a new trend of infighting is coming to the fore. In most of the places, the governors are hiding under their “love” for Buhari to fight their antagonists.

Bauchi

In Bauchi, the battle is between Governor Mohammed Abubakar, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the senators from the state and some members of the House of Representatives.

The governor is scheming to frustrate the return of the federal lawmakers who have been feuding with him since after the 2015 elections.

The lawmakers who have been laying claims to the electoral victory of the governor in 2015 are also scheming to stop him from returning to the Bauchi Government House. The battle for the governorship will be fierce as Governor Abubakar has a lot of ‘enemies’ to contend with. Already, the top political shots are ganging up to come up with a candidate in a viable political party to challenge the governor. Analysts say should they go ahead with the gang-up, Governor Abubakar would find his second term a Herculean task.

About 30 elders from the state, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari last week, expressed solidarity with Speaker Dogara and urged the president to intervene in the impasse.

Notable among the elders that signed the open letter to Buhari are; Alhaji Muhammad Bello Kirfi, Malam Isa Yuguda, Bar Muhammad Habib Aliyu, Alhaji Garba Muhammad Noma, Dr Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, Amb. Yusuf Tuggah, Major General Yakubu Usman and Prof. Suleiman Bogoro.

However, it is believed in some quarters that their action would only anger the governor the more as they clearly took sides by declaring support for Dogara.

Kaduna

The case is not different in Kaduna State where Governor Ahmed Nasir El-Rufai holds sway. It is no longer news that El-Rufai is fighting many political battles ranging from federal lawmakers from his state to other political figures in the state.

The governor is at loggerheads with all the three senators from the state namely; Shehu Sani, Uthman Suleiman Hunkuyi and Danjuma La’ah. Also, a number of the House of Reps members from the state are at loggerheads with the governor.

Within his political party, the APC, there is already an implosion as some members of the party have started leaving for the opposition PDP. A notable member of the party to have done so along with others is Isa Ashiru Kudan.

El-Rufai’s campaign chief in 2015, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has announced his departure from the party. Besides, some of the policies and programmes of the Kaduna State government under El-Rufai, laudable as they may be, are seen as anti-people, hence the elite in the state are capitalizing on that to cause more disaffection between the governor and the people.

Kano

Political pundits have opined that the 2019 governorship election in Kano State would be a titanic battle between the camp of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Since Kwankwaso’s departure from the Kano Government House in 2015, the relationship between him and Ganduje,his former deputy, has been anything but good.

With his Kwankwasiyya Movement said to be still intact, the former governor has vowed to unseat Ganduje in 2019. It is believed that Kwankwaso is rooting for a number of persons to challenge Ganduje, including the current Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, who has since said he would not be available to join the governor as a running mate in 2019.

As a matter of fact, analysts believe that the governorship election in Kano will be the greatest epic of all elections next year, owing to the fact that each side is claiming to have the support of majority of the Kano population.

Also in Kano, the fight for the Senate would be an interesting one. Ganduje has already ceded Kwankwaso’s seat to Senator Bashir Lado who recently defected to the APC and analysts believe that even if Kwankwaso will only vie for the Presidency, he would love to have someone from his side to take over the senate seat.

In the Kano South Senatorial district, the battle is between ranking lawmakers. While Kabiru Gaya, the present occupant of the seat would like to return, he has a big rival, AbdulRahaman Kawu Sumaila, a ranking lawmaker at the green chamber until 2015.

Oyo

The PDP and APC governorship tickets remain hot cake as the race to the seat of power will be interesting. The incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi, will be leaving office in 2019, having broken the jinx of being the first person to serve for two terms of eight years.

Former governors Rashid Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala are said to be eyeing the same record set by Ajimobi. Though other political parties, including the PDP, Accord Party and SDP will present formidable candidates, the tussle for the APC ticket is expected to be tough as Akala, the current Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Niyi Akintola, and a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Adebayo Adelabu, are ready to slug it out at the primary election. The minister of communication has continued to engage in a supremacy battle with Governor Ajimobi over the governorship ticket.

Imo

The tussle in Imo State promises to be equally intriguing as Governor Rochas Okorocha and his deputy, Eze Madumere, have already parted ways due to the intense battle for the APC governorship ticket.

Okorocha’s decision to endorse his Chief of Staff and son-in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu, for the governorship seat has swelled the camp of the opposition against him.

The key political figures in the state who oppose the governor’s antics include Senators Ifeanyi Ararume, Benjamin Uwajumogu and Osita Izunaso.

Interestingly, Ararume, who is among the arrowheads of the opposition, is equally said to be eyeing the APC ticket. Hope Uzodinma, whose recent entrance into the APC has not received the blessing of Okorocha, is also said to be preparing to fight for the gubernatorial ticket. With the court’s nullification of the state congresses, Okorocha may regain control of the party structure and get the opportunity to produce the governorship candidate.

But the APC candidate will eventually face a formidable challenge from the PDP which is working to return to power and APGA which is plotting to extend its territory beyond Anambra. Okorocha has nonetheless remained resolute in his bid to enthrone his son-in-law. Already, he has set the machinery for the impeachment of his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly have gone far in the proceedings as they have directed the state chief judge to investigate various allegations against Madumere.

Rivers

A former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, will once again return to the trenches in 2019 with Governor Nyesom Wike. In 2015, Amaechi backed the current Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, to succeed him. But Wike, with the support of ‘federal might’, won amid political violence. As the 2019 general elections approach, the two political juggernauts have resurrected their suspended battle.

Lagos

The tussle over the APC leadership in Lagos State during the recently concluded congresses is an indication that Governor Akinwumi Ambode may face opposition from other governorship aspirants at the forthcoming primary ahead of 2019.

Though Ambode’s positive performance is seen as a good credential for his re-election, the conduct of parallel congresses has further justified the fear that some key political figures in the Centre of Excellence are still nursing grudges since 2015.

The former governor and current Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had sponsored another aspirant in 2014 that challenged Ambode, who is the candidate of the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Yobe

The battle for Yobe East Senatorial District will be one of the epic clashes in the elections, with two political titans indicating interest to man the seat. The incumbent senator, Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Governor Ibrahim Gaidam are going to slug it out in the February 2019 poll.

While Ibrahim has publicly indicated interest to return to the upper chamber for the fourth time, Gaidam’s body language has done so for him.

Zamfara

Barring any change of mind, the race for Zamfara West Senatorial District will be between a god father and his political god son. Governor Abdulaziz Yari has informally indicated interest to takeover the seat of Senator Ahmad Sani who has been in the senate since 2007 when he completed his second term as governor.

In political circles in Gusau, the state capital, there were reports that Yarima and Yari had reached a pact on their next move come 2019. Until recently, it was reported that Yari had agreed to allow his boss produce his successor while he would be given the seat of Yarima at the senate in return.

But sources said Yari has since jettisoned the pact and is said to be interested in Yarima’s seat, and wants to bring his successor, hence the epic battle.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fiercest-political-battles-of-2019-260869.html

There have been series of denial in Sokoto over postings on social media platforms on the recent killings in the state which were attributed to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the Chairman, Buhari Support Organization (BSO), Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan.

Both the Governor and the chairman have distanced themselves from the posting which they said were the handiwork of mischievous and unscrupulous politicians.

BSO chairman Hassan alluded to a write-up on his Facebook page by faceless persons which accused Tambuwal of sponsoring the killings in order to tarnish the image of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement signed by him and made available to journalists , he said the posting was done by his enemies who hacked into his Facebook account.

He stated:"The truth of the matter is that I never accused Governor Tambuwal or anybody of being behind the recent killings in Sokoto state. These are antics of my enemies who never want peace to reign in the polity. "

"Selfish politicians were behind the malicious post in order to tarnish his image and expose him to public odium," he added.


Also, a statement signed by the Director-General,Media and Public Affairs to the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Shekara, said the attention of the Governor had been drawn to a social media post on the outcome of last Thursday's condolence visit by some northern Governors to the state.

It added that the post in question attempted to disclose the outcome of the interaction, in which political and partisan motives were ascribed to it.

"Sadly, the write-up also seeks to cast aspersions on the person of Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, "it said.

" Tambuwal wishes to categorically dissociate himself from the contents of the write-up,which is a fabrication inspired by mischief. Similarly, none of the Governor's aides is connected in anyway to the write-up, as is vindictively indicated in versions of the post," it said

The statement added that the Governor called on the public to regard the write up as the work of mischievous rabble rousers,who seek profit from disputes and crises.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bandit-attack-tambuwal-sokoto-bso-chairmam-deny-social-media-reports-260859.html

Good one

change

hmm

Politicians and their dramatic way of life...

UP PDP

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commissioned the Abuja light rail system, describing it as a promise kept.

Speaking during the commissioning, Buhari described the project as a dream come-true. He said it would address the challenges of transportation in the FCT.

“This accomplishment clearly demonstrates our commitment to addressing critical infrastructural projects and keeping with the ideals of the Change Agenda to ensure prudence in the management of public resources, value for money considering the huge investments in this project,” he said.

The President, while describing transportation as the live wire of any city, expressed optimism that a modern rail service would boost the FCT economy and greatly enhance social life.

“ I am aware that what we have on ground today are coaches meant to provide skeletal services as we await the main set of the rolling stock for full operations. I have been briefed on the outcome of the ministers of FCT and Finance recent visit to China, during which the MoUs and agreements for the procurements of the main rolling stock were signed,” he said.

Buhari assured Nigerians of Federal Government’s continued support for all the negotiations towards the realization of the Abuja light rail system.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/abuja-light-rail-a-dream-come-true--buhari-260701.html

The Presidency said it will soon publish the list of 200 individuals who corruptly acquired properties across the country.

The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Okoi Obono Obla disclosed this yesterday at the inauguration of a new software application for tracking illicit properties in the country developed by a civil society organization, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) in Abuja.

Obla, who is also the chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, said the list of properties located in highbrow areas such as Maitama in Abuja, are linked to serving and past public office holders.

“Let them tell us where they got the money to build these massive properties. If they cannot explain, let them quietly return it to Nigerians,” he said.

Inaugurating the properties tracker platform, he said the fight against corruption is for all Nigerians because “we are all victims of corruption.”

The Executive Director of ANEEJ, David Ugolor said the ‘propati tracka’ is an online platform for mapping and sharing information on the owners of property in specific districts of Abuja.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-to-name-200-illicit-property-owners-260697.html

Up PDP

Sai baba carry go!

Sai baba

kai