₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to give his administration another chance of four (4) years before comparing it with that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Buhari-led administration will on May this year clock four years since it took over from the PDP which had held sway since 1999, until then opposition and now ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) terminated its reign in 2015.

The APC while eyeing the exalted office of the presidency in 2015 promised heaven on earth should it be voted into office. At some instances top officials of the party dared Nigerians to stone them should they fail to perform within two years in office.

Nigerians who were tired of the excesses of the PDP booted them out and fell for the promises of the APC to tackle insecurity, corruption and boast the economy. The party was voted into power and is now seeking a return to the seat of power as its four-year term winds down in few months.

Findings by POLITICS TIMES showed some Nigerians are complaining that the ruling party has performed below expectation and needs to be booted out.

They insist the ousted government of the PDP was much more better than the present administration.

For instance, some are of the opinion that the corruption war of the administration is one-sided. One might be tempted to believe them since the national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, assured opposition politicians he tagged as corrupt to join the party before their sins could be forgiven.

Pleading for another term in office, the president through the Director, Strategic Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), said the time frame given to present administration to act before judgement is not much.

Mr Keyamo made the plea in an interview he granted Punch Newspapers, outlining the achievements of the present government in terms of security. He described the recent killing of troops by Boko Haram terrorists as unfortunate.

“You have to understand that once in a while, there may be some lapses. I am not saying that is exactly what happened but there might have been some lapses at the war zone that would give them (terrorists) the opportunity to cause havoc,” he said.

“But let me say again that this is not good and it is not something to be proud of that our soldiers are being killed, but it is far better than when we took over in 2015. That is the point we are making because the other side is running a comparative campaign. They are asking Nigerians if they are better off now than in 2015. So, we cannot allow the main opposition to be making a comparative analysis and then you tell us to shut up, that we should not refer to the past. That is what they are using to harass us and I will not be harassed along that line.

“The PDP is not an opposition party. It ruled for 16 years so they cannot be branded as an opposition party. They ran a government and they have a record to run on. So, it is record against record, apple for apple, banana for banana. Let us see which fruit is better and riper.

“I admit that we have a lot of work to do as a nation to reach a level of greatness but this greatness cannot be achieved by the PDP. They had 16 years while we have had three and a half years. You cannot compare both of us based on the time. For equity, at least, give us eight years first; after eight years, compare us,” the spokesman said.

Keyamo added that in terms of occupation of territory and hoisting flags and establishing governments, Boko Haram has been defeated.

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Usual rubbish from wailers. Other candidates will be there, he should attend and debate them. The debate is meant for him to convince Nigerians about his plans and programmes. He promised to attend, he should be honorable enough to fulfill his promise.

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not participate in the debate for presidential candidates.

This is because of the verbal attack on other presidential candidates by Itse Sagay, the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption.

Mr Sagay had in an interview with Daily Sun described other presidential candidates, who are expected to feature in the debate alongside President Muhammadu Buhari, as political dwarfs.

The law professor said the president is far ahead of all other candidates and doesn’t need to debate his opponents because by doing so he is making them relevance.

“He (Buhari) has nothing to gain by debate. If he goes to debate, he is just going to help people who have no hope, and I call them, Buhari and the political dwarfs; he is only going to give relevance to the political dwarfs; he is already far ahead of all of them,” Sagay said.

When told that the president’s failure to attend might mean he has nothing to say, the learned silk disagreed.

“He doesn’t want to go there and make them taller than they are; so, let them remain like that – political dwarfs. In four weeks time, we will know them,” he added.

Stating why he is staying away from the debate, the former vice president said it’s because the president is staying away.

The PDP flag-bearer stated this in a statement by Kassim Afegbua, spokesman of the Atiku Campaign Organisation.

He however berated Sagay who he described as a “turncoat academic.”

“When you realised that a supposed law professor like Itse Sagay now talks with tongue in cheek, you easily know that societal values and morality have become debased,” Afegbua said.

“When you realised that he once taught in the University, then the senility of his intellect has attained double jeopardy.

“Itse Sagay has not only become a turncoat academic but one whose sight invokes pity, sympathy and empathy. How can APC presidential candidate who has been fighting “battles” with his WASC consider others who are duly qualified and well read as dwarfs? Does it not suggest that something is amiss somewhere?

“Who is actually a dwarf here? Is it a presidential candidate running away from debate or one who is challenging the other to a debate? Didn’t you see them packaging a phoney debate for him where he would have studied the questions and answers and regurgitate them to the best of what would have been prepared for him?

“If the APC presidential candidate is not presenting himself for debate, we will not allow our presidential candidate to attend any debate. But if APC candidate is ready to engage our candidate, he is ready and prepared for him,” he said.

The debate expected to hold Saturday evening will feature five presidential candidates which includes: Mr Buhari – All Progressive Congress (APC), Atiku – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Oby Ezekwesili – Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Fela Durotoye – Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) and Kingsley Moghalu – Young Progressives Party (YPP).

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has claimed that the government of the United States of America are backing his candidacy.

Mr Abubakar, a former vice president popularly known as Atiku stated this in an interview with the Voice of America.

The transcript was published by online news medium, Premium Times, who reported an aide of PDP candidate as furnishing it with the details.

The former number two citizen of Nigeria made his first entry into the U.S on Thursday evening, since he left office in 2007.

The visit has been viewed in some quarters as a proof that he was not wanted for alleged corruption in the country.

Atiku, the flag-bearer of the opposition PDP, is the major challenger of President Muhammadu Buhari who seeks re-election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, (APC).

While reeling out why he is in the country, the opposition candidate told the news medium that he has been endorsed by the U.S government.

“Yes,” Atiku said while responding to the question on wether the United States Government were in support of his candidacy, adding that: “There is no doubt because the United State is ready to support any country that is practicing democracy.”

Before he journeyed to the U.S, the federal government had urged the Trump administration not to grant visa to the former vice president. The Buhari-led administration said doing so would mean they have endorsed him.

Atiku’s visit has rattled and nullified the campaign point of the APC who maintained that his inability to visit the U.S was because of he was declared wanted in a corruption case.

President Buhari in 2015, while he was opposing Goodluck Jonathan, then President, enjoyed the support of then United States during the reign of then ruling Barack Obama.

Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti State Governor, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to ensure he attends the presidential debate slated for tomorrow.

Presidential debate for candidates of political parties is billed to hold on January 19.

Mr Fayose, factional head of the South West campaign organisation of Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the call on Friday.

Messrs Buhari and Abubakar are major contestants in the presidential election scheduled for February 16. They are expected to participate in the debate.

There are insinuations in some quarters that the president who seeks a second term in office will dodge the debate. As at press time, POLITICS TIMES could not verify if the APC flag-bearer would be present at the parley.

“They challenged @atiku to travel to US, he is there now. We are challenging President Buhari to come and debate tomorrow, no excuse!” Fayose tweeted.

Mr Abubakar, a former vice president popularly known as Atiku on Thursday travelled to the United States, the first since he left office in 2007.

Since he left office he has been unable to visit the country, this the All Progressive Congress (APC) maintained was because of corruption allegations involving him at the U.S.

Atiku’s visit has rattled the APC-led adminstration, forcing it to dug out a fresh corruption allegation against the former number two citizen.

The government said the former vice president has issues to clarify on his role on the collapse of Bank PHB.

Victor Umeh, Senator representing Anambra Central at the Senate has given reasons why the red chamber should not confirm nominees of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Umeh who gave the reasons at the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday said those nominated should not be confirmed because some geo-political zones in the country were not represented at the anti-graft commission.

Chukwuka Utazi, chairman of the senate committee on anti-corruption, had presented a report on the screening of the some EFCC nominees by his committee.

Ndasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Najib and Adeleke Rafiu were the nominees recommended for confirmation as members of the EFCC.

Soon after the presentation of the report, a rowdy session occurred at the chamber with mostly southern lawmakers protesting against the recommendation.

While making his contribution, Umeh said there was not for other zones to be represented at the EFCC since Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the commission; and Olanipkekun Olukoyede, secretary of the commission, are from the north-east and south-west respectively.

“The south-south and south-east are not accommodated in the commission. On the issue of the fight against corruption – it involves all parts of Nigeria,” Umeh said.

“If you look at the composition, Mr President some people will think that the fight against corruption is instituted against them. There is need to take people from other geo-political zones,” he said.

Also, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, said the consideration of the nominees should be stepped down until it is amended.

Responding, Utazi said a committee set up to look at the president’s alleged lopsided appointments had “gone underground and refused to present a report”.

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, said Utazi should have drawn the attention of the senate leadership to the matter instead of bringing a report urging them to confirm the nominees.

At this point, both Utazi and Isah Misau, senator representing Bauchi central, interrupted Ndume.

“We must not divide Nigeria,” Misau said. While Utazi was heard saying: “I have the floor, go and sit down.”

“You have a rowdy floor,” another senator said.

The disorderliness went on for about 10 minutes before and this prompted the lawmakers to go into a closed-door session abruptly.

When they emerged from the closed-door session, Senate President Bukola Saraki announced that it had been agreed that the confirmation of the EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) nominees should be suspended for further legislative input.

Nigerians have been told what to do if they intend to stop hunger and poverty bedeviling the land next year.

Dino Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West at the Senate, said for the hunger to stop President Muhammadu Buhari must be sent packing from the seat of power.

Mr Melaye stated this in his latest social media single recently released to the public.

In it, the lawmaker who accused Mr Buhari of being responsible for the high cost of food said ousting the president is the only way to kick out poverty.

Melaye released the latest single in Yoruba language.

“Hunger in the land, there is poverty in the land, let us say no to poverty, let us say no to hunger, by voting out President Muhammadu Buhari,” Melaye said.

“That is the only way to end hunger, that is the only way to end poverty. Please, Nigerians, vote out the APC and that is the only way these pretentious people, these deceptive people can understand that we know that they are responsible for hunger,” the lawmaker said.

Melaye, POLITICS TIMES recalls, is known for releasing singles against his political opponents.

Last year he released the one title Ajeku Iya. He used it to mock his governor, Yahaya Bello, of Kogi State over the latter’s failure to recall him from the Senate even though the duo were members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) at the time.

Prior to his return to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in August, he released another titled ‘PDP, Oh My Home.’

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Doyin Okupe, ex-aide of Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s former president, will spend the night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

Mr Okupe had on Saturday raised alarm informing the public of plans by the anti-graft agency to abduct him without an invitation or arrest warrant.

Hours after the alarm was raised, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said the officials of the EFCC had left his residence, inviting him to turn himself in.

Okupe, the Media adviser of the PDP presidential campaign council, said he was informed his crime was alleged cyber crime.

On Monday, the PDP chieftain who often criticise the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, reported himself to the Lagos State office of the commission.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, has said Okupe was still be detained by the EFCC as at 9PM on Monday night.

“Media Adviser to the Director General of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, @doyinokupe detained by the EFCC,” Mr Ologbondiyan said in a tweet.

“It is a season of assault, harassment and intimidation for the members of PDP,” he added.

The Federal Government has told former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, that endorsement is different from winning election.

Lai Mohammed, Information Minister, who stood in for the government stated this while reacting to denial by Mr Obasanjo that he withdrew his support for Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

Addressing news men on Monday in Abuja, Mr Mohammed told the former president that his endorsement for the former vice president does not guarantee the latter would win the 2019 election as the PDP candidate “will be defeated roundly and comprehensively”.

“With due respect to former President Obasanjo, it is his constitutional right to support any candidate of his choice and we urge him to go out and campaign vigorously for any candidate he wants to support,” Mohammed said.

“He has not hidden his preference for the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we wish him very best of luck.

“However, I want to assure you that his candidate will be defeated roundly and comprehensively. It is not about endorsement, endorsement does not win election,” he said.

The minister said the statement credited to the former president wherein the later stated that “only a fool will sit on the fence when his or her country is being destroyed with incompetence, corruption lack of focus, insecurity nepotism and brazen impunity,” was because Obasanjo was not properly briefed on the developments in the country hence his decision to have made such conclusions.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied raiding the Abuja residence of Atiku Abubakar sons.

There were reports that the home housing two sons of the former vice president was raided.

The apartment was also reported to be housing Ogbonna Orji, son of Abia former governor, Orji Kalu.

Mr Abubakar is the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

The reported raid was viewed in some quarters as stringent efforts by the ruling party to suppress the opposition.

But denying it raided the home of Atiku sons, the EFCC said it raided the apartment housing Mr Orji.

“The recent arrest of Ogbonna Orji, son of Sen. Theodore Orji, over money laundering, has absolutely nothing to do with son of ex-VP Atiku Abubakar,” the EFCC said through its twitter handle.

Atiku had raised similar alarm when he flew into the country and was searched at the airport.

He said the move was to intimidate him.

Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Bukola Saraki, President of the 8th Senate on Tuesday exchanged banters despite disputes existing between the duo.

The duo has recently been at war against themselves even though they now belong to different political parties.

The attack started when the top lawmaker left the ruling APC for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

Oshiomhole had urged the Senate President to relinquish his position at the upper legislative for defecting from the APC.

Mr Saraki at the other end has refused to heed the call maintaining that he will only step down when his colleagues who elected him asked him to do so.

For the president of the Senate to be removed, the APC needs the consent of two-third members of the red chamber who must not belong to the party for the feat to be achieved.

The ruling party has not been able to achieve this feat despite boasting that it would constitutionally oust the top lawmaker when the national assembly which had gone on recess resumes.

When the lawmaking arm of government resumed nothing of such was felt even though some drama were expected. Recently the party admitted it had no choice but to accept its fate having failed to accomplish its wish.

Saraki who recently launched his own version of attack on Oshiomhole asked the ruling party chairman to step down from office having been accused of receiving kickbacks by aggrieved members of the APC.

The former Edo State governor has threatened to institute a legal action against the Senate President if he fails to provide evidence on which he is asking him to resign from office.

The APC official and the Senate President while attending the book launch of former president Jonathan exchanged greetings by handshaking themselves.

While the duo were exchanging banters, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha watched.

Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigeria’s President, has accused some state governors of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of causing his defeat during the 2015 presidential election.

The governors are not the only ones being blamed, some northern leaders in the country has also been fingered by Jonathan as being behind his lost at the poll.

Barack Obama, former president of the United States, has had his own share of the blame. He was accused of interfering in the election which Jonathan lost to Muhammadu Buhari, incumbent president and then candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC).

The former president made the accusation in his new book entitled ‘The Transition Hour’ currently being launched in Abuja today.

“This time around, there were governors who were rounding off their eight years tenure and were blinded by ambition,” Jonathan wrote in an except obtained by Premium Times.

“Some governors wanted to be Vice President whilst others strived to be the President. If I contested none could realise his ambition. This muffled implosion would fully manifest in the buildup to the 2015, which each ship-jumper calculating how much he or she would take from the PDP or the most opportune moment to cause maximum damage and based on that, plot their exit.

“As they jumped ship in preparation for the 2015 elections, only very few of this lots, if any at all, bothered about what the PDP did or did not do in terms of delivering our campaign promises. Their opposition to my re-election was principally driven by personal ambition. They therefore played up the issue pf where I come from and the faith, I professed to fuel their burning ambition. My performance mattered quite little, if it mattered at all,” he added.

Jonathan who took over his pricipal, Musa Yar’adua, when the latter was late said in his book that some Northern leaders and socio-political groups kicked against his constitutional right of succeeding the late Nigerian leader.

Having floored them, the former president said they waited for him at the 2011 general election with threats of making the nation ungovernable for him.

“In spite of the threats and provocations to make the country ‘ungovernable’ for me, I had the overwhelming support of Nigerians in the run-up to the presidential election in 2011. I was able to win the election to the grace of god and the love of Nigerians. The election was all but won even before the whistle was blown for some strong factors. To mention a few, the pressure to preclude me from contesting in 2011, met with solid indignation from majority of Nigerians.”

Jonathan also noted that in 2015, the same northern leaders continued to oppose his presidency and his bid to seek a second term in office, but a new element was added to the opposition: “constant fabrication of damaging stories”.

“Many reasons make the onslaught in this context very suspect especially as it was being managed by foreign experts mostly from the United States.

“Throughout my tenure in office as President, there was constant barrage of what Donald Trump has now termed ‘fake news’ coming from a well-oiled media propaganda machine. I can say as a matter of fact that were never any snipers in training or already trained. There were no lists of political enemies to be taken out.

“There was no missing $49.8 billion and more importantly I can say that even those who made these and other allegations knew that they were false. This probably explains why many of these allegations died a natural death even as the echoes of my retreating footsteps still resounded nationally and globally,” he wrote.

The former president said he faced unending insults during his tenure and one that was particularly bemusing to him was the tagging of his presidency as “clueless” despite a number of firsts the country recorded during his tenure.

He highlighted some achievement of his administration, the most prominent of which he said was the 2013 declaration of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, and the election of the country into the Security Council of the United Nations which occurred twice during his tenure.

He added that it was during his administration that a Nigerian, Akinwumi Adesina (his Minister of Agriculture), became the president of the African Development Bank for the first time.

Barack Obama, former president of United States of America (USA) has been accused of interfering in Nigeria’s 2015 general election.

The accusation was made by former president, Goodluck Jonathan, in his new book entitled ‘The Transition Hours’ expected to be launched in Abuja, the nation’s capital, today.

Mr Jonathan who sought re-election in the 2015 general election lost to Muhammadu Buhari, incumbent president and then candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) after the election was postponed on the basis of terrorist attacks coming from Boko Haram terrorists in some parts of the country.

Accusing Obama of interference, Jonathan said the former US leader sent his secretary of state, John Kerry, to Nigeria and made a video broadcast to Nigerians in ways designed to influence the outcome of the election against him, describing the action is humiliating.

“I can recall that President Obama sent his Secretary of State to Nigeria, a sovereign nation, to protest the rescheduling of the election. John Kerry arrived in Nigeria on Sunday January 25, 2015 and said ‘it’s imperative that these elections happen on time as scheduled’,” Jonathan said in the except of the book obtained by TheCable.

“How can the US Secretary of State know what is more important for Nigeria than Nigeria’s own government? How could they have expected us to conduct elections when Boko Haram controlled part of the North East and were killing and maiming Nigerians? Not even the assurance of the sanctity of the May 29, 2015 handover date could calm them down. In Nigeria, the constitution is very clear. No President can extend his tenure by one day.

“On March 23, 2015, President Obama himself took the unusual step of releasing a video message directly to Nigerians all but telling them how to vote. In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the ‘next chapter’ by their votes. Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government. The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them.

“In his message, he said ‘all Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without intimidation or fear,’ yet his government was vehemently and publicly against the postponement of the elections to enable our military defeat Boko Haram and prevent them from intimidating voters. This was the height of hypocrisy!” the former president wrote.

POLITICS TIMES recalls that Jonathan on realising that he has lost the election placed a call Buhari congratulating him on his victory at the polls.

The feat earned the former president a global recognition as it was the first time an incumbent president lost election to the opposition in the country and ensured a smooth handover of government.