OSINBAJO’S RISE AND CLIMB: Through The Hearts Of Nigerians, And Through Our Rough Political Waters

For most of the country’s democratic sovereignty, there’s been enough disparagement about the weakness of the nation’s second office. However, one gripping fact from the 2019 general elections is the rising power of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the public’s increased interest for his job more than in other election cycles.

Six years ago I sat in a room filled with young professionals and graduates who claimed to be interested in national politics, only 3 people knew who the Vice President of Nigeria was at the time, Namadi Sambo. It wasn’t so strange, the same goes for Atiku Abubakar, President Buhari’s strongest contender in the 2019 general elections; not a lot of people can point out to his deeds and accomplishments as the Vice President of Nigeria between 1999 to 2007, save allegations that haunt him to this day. By his own conduct, Professor-turned-Politician, Yemi Osinbajo, a central across-the-board figure, exercising his shrewdness and mild suaveness in his service as Buhari’s deputy provoked this sudden outburst for credo. While many argue that the VP office is like the human appendix, a vestigial organ on the body politic - unnecessary, Prof as he is fondly called has broken the jinx; he is arguably Nigeria’s most industrious VP on record. Since assuming office in 2015, he has worked with relevant departments and agencies to identify problems and recommend solutions regarding economic development, healthcare, foreign exchange policies, poverty alleviation and food security.

With vast experience in international law practice and academia, the VP has served in several positions of authority and contributes to the national discourse even before his foray into active politics. As Attorney General of Lagos State, he is credited with undertaking far-reaching significant judicial reforms, addressing critical areas as judges' recruitment, remuneration, training and discipline as well as access to justice for the poor by establishing appropriate institutions in the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC). He solitarily founded the Orderly Society Trust (OST), an excel literacy programme that aims to provide children in public primary schools with the same level of training in English as is available to their counterparts in private schools. His drive for getting the average Nigerian child quality education doesn’t stop at that, he organized the Liberty Schools Project that still provides free primary school education with free school lunches to poor children. The Project currently has three sites, one very close to where I live in Lagos.

In 2016, when the nation’s economy hit a nosedive, the VP alongside the National Economic Council which he chairs presented ‘59 strategies for implementing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). The efforts of the NEC were instrumental in defining Nigeria’s policy direction and prudence that saw Nigeria ushered out of a recession quicker than economists predicted. Policies such as the unpopular ban of FOREX provisions to 41 items made significant impact in managing our scarce Dollars at that time.

On the President’s directive, he plays a significant role in the ‘Niger Delta New Vision’ plan - a set of promises, solutions and initiatives the President Buhari administration has set in place for the restoration of peace and ensuring the region benefits maximally from the nation’s oil wealth. The programme has fostered security in the creeks and enabled an increase in production and hitch-free flow of crude to the international market. Along with 12 Federal Ministries and state governments, Professor Osinbajo launched the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Clinic (MSME), a scheme addressing the plethora of challenges affecting the growth and productivity of growing businesses to bring about significant and sustainable GDP growth, employment generation and increase in local productivity.

Osinbajo’s claim to fame can be traced back to May 2017 when he was conferred the Acting President of the Federation during President Buhari’s medical leave. Unlike his predecessors, President Buhari vested all legal powers to him in accordance with the constitution. As Acting President, Osinbajo exhibited fearlessness and charisma, taking decisive and perhaps dramatic actions. He ordered the overhaul of SARS - the Police’s notorious anti-robbery squad and demanded quick investigation of numerous allegations of assaults by the unit. He sacked Daura, the DSS Chief, describing his actions as ‘unacceptable and a gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order’. Indeed, he knows his stuff. In that interlude, when he wasn’t leading FEC meetings, he was engaging the 36 states with a keen interest in grassroots politics, women affairs, agriculture and young people. He has shown a mastery of communication and responsibility; like President Buhari, he is still actively engaged in the fight for the return of kidnapped girls and the welfare of their families; during the campaigns, he held numerous town hall meetings across the country and participated in youth-led initiatives clamouring for change. In less than 5 years on the national scene, he has gained good popularity among the Nigerian people for his achievements and dexterity in handling national issues.

In the cyberspace, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has gathered the most likes, comments and engagements, grossing over 500,000 likes on Facebook, 2 million followers on Twitter and 500,000 Instagram subscribers and social strength of 16 million, he is the second most-followed Nigerian politician after his boss President Muhammadu Buhari. For the first time in a long time we are witnessing a proactive and dynamic 62-year-old man - petite, eloquent, tech-savvy, and an unassuming leader.

While a vice presidential pick has never been solely credited with swinging an election, it can leave an indelible impression about the judgment of a would-be president or help address something that is lacking at the top of the ticket; whether it be a regional appeal, ideological purity, religious sentiments or a gap in their resume. Sometimes, it's all of the above.

His role in the country’s technological ecosystem cannot be easily undermined. From being part of a tech tour around hubs and start-ups across Nigeria to facilitating the 2016 Aso Villa Demo day, a platform meant to promote innovation and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs and start-ups solving local problems. Interestingly, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg made his first trip to Africa and was also part of the pitch competition to which the VP played host. At the Google For Nigeria 2018 event, Osinbajo assured that Nigeria will partner with Google to boost internet connectivity nationwide. You’ll also catch the VP at creative events and spaces where Nigeria’s new age is being celebrated. Whether it’s at the Ake Book Festival, Art Summits or Fashion Week, he appeals as a desirable model of what a progressive leader should be.

Many also love him for his religious ties, prior to his role as VP, Professor Osinbajo served as a top pastor in the Redeemed Christian church of God, Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal Church body, but beyond this, his sheer honesty, intellectual acuity and genuine delight has caused him to be loved by all and sundry. His rise to the heart of the Nigerian people has been an easy climb.

Richard Ogundiya is a Journalist covering technology, politics, development and culture in Africa.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE


VICE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE NOT SUPERVISING ‘RUGA’ SETTLEMENTS


Contrary to claims reported in sections of the media, the establishment of Ruga settlements is not being supervised by the Office of the Vice President.

The Ruga initiative is different from the National Livestock Transformation Plan approved by State governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

NEC on January 17, 2019, approved the plan based on the recommendations of a Technical Committee of the Council chaired by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State. Other State Governors on the committee and Working Group of NEC are those from Adamawa, Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Oyo & Zamfara - mostly the frontline States in the Farmer-Herder crises.

The National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) 2019-2028 is a programme to be implemented in 7 pilot states of Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara (as decided by NEC in January), being States in the frontlines of the Farmer-Herder crises. Afterwards, six other States have indicated readiness to also implement the plan. They are Katsina, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Ondo, and Edo states.

The plan has six pillars through which it aims to transform the livestock production system in Nigeria along market oriented value chain while ensuring an atmosphere of peace and justice.
The six key pillars include:
economic investment
conflict resolution
justice and peace
humanitarian relief and early recovery
human capital development and
cross-cutting issues such as gender, youth, research and information and strategic communication.
In all the Federal Government will not impose on any State government regarding its land.


Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President

June 28, 2019

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

VP OSINBAJO REASSURES NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA OF BUHARI ADMINISTRATION’S DETERMINATION TO SECURE COUNTRY & PROSPER THE PEOPLE




Taking more than 40 questions from the Nigerian community in New York Sunday night, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has reassured Nigerians in Diaspora about the determination of the Buhari administration to secure the country and prosper the people.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this while responding to questions during a townhall meeting with some members of the Nigerian community in New York.

The forum with Nigerians in the Diaspora was one of the activities lined up for the Vice President’s visit to the United States.

According to him, “there is really nothing serious to worry about because we are taking the necessary steps to address issues relating to herders/farmers clashes, kidnappings and others.”

While highlighting different aspects of the Federal Government's agenda at the townhall meeting in midtown Manhattan, Prof. Osinbajo said the whole essence of the policies and programmes on social welfare, health care and others is to take majority of Nigerians out of poverty.

He said “the reason why we decided to have what we call the Social Investment Programmes is basically because it is one of the ways to address the problem of poverty in Nigeria.

“Nigeria has never systematically addressed the poverty problem in the way that India, which used to have the largest population of poor people, have done.

“As at 2010, Nigeria had a population of about 112.7 million people living in extreme poverty and there was nothing in place to address the problem, no social investment programme, no social security, no way of getting people out of poverty.

“So, the National Social Investment Programme was to address questions of how to get our people out of poverty and to address the major concerns of poverty.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “some people are so poor that they cannot afford the basics of life, so the disbursement of N5,000 monthly stipends to such people under the Conditional Cash Transfer has gone a long way in helping them.”

“Dealing with the problem of poverty is so huge that we also came up with the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) where we give interest-free loans to petty traders under what we call the TraderMoni scheme.

“These are traders at the bottom of pyramid in our economic value chain, those whose inventory are sometimes not more than N5,000. They are given N10,000 and when they pay back, they get higher amounts up to N100,000.

“The same thing we are doing with the Homegrown School Feeding Programme where we give children in public schools a free meal every day, and we are feeding about 9.5 million children in 31 states. This initiative is key to addressing one of the issues associated with poverty, which is malnutrition. And we have found that as a result of this programme, school enrolment figures have gone up significantly.

“Also, part of the reasons why we are doing this is first the multiplier, because it is homegrown; the entire value chain is serviced locally, including the cooks who are picked from the locality of the school,” Prof. Osinbajo added.

On measuring the impact of the schemes, Prof. Osinbajo said an impact assessment report on the cash transfer and the microcredit schemes would be released before the end of September 2019.

According to the Vice President “we are trying to measure the impact and we have put together a team with the World Bank assisting us. We also have one or two organizations who are trying to do this measurement for us and I believe that in the next two months we should have at least the first report looking at some of the impact of the microcredit schemes and the conditional cash transfers.

“But a lot of these things are intuitive. I don’t think that there is any great difficulty in knowing that when people are enabled it makes things easier for them and people can see the results.”


On health care funding, the Vice President said the Federal Government was committed to addressing the challenge of inadequate funding through an innovative approach that takes care of the poor in the society.

According to him, “what we have done is to follow the provision of the Health Act which says that 1% of our Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) must go to health care and that is what we have done. For the first time, for the 2018 budget, we have set aside the 1 % of the CRF for health.

“Aside from that we also have the basic health care provision fund which we are running in all of the states. This is the Federal Government contribution which is matched by the states to deal with primary health care issues.

“The challenge is that you cannot deal with health care from government budget alone. This is the reason why the National Health Insurance is very important for us. An amendment has been effected to make contributory health insurance compulsory.

“For us, one of the problems to address is the large numbers of poor people. So, in determining what that premium will be, we decided that government will pay 35% of the premium so that those who cannot afford to pay are taken care of by government.”

On pensions, Prof. Osinbajo said the Buhari administration had through several interventions resolved some issues with pensioners in different organisations and sectors including the Nigerian Airways, military and paramilitary organisations, civil service and parastatals, amongst others.

He added that the bailout funds released to some states by the Buhari administration were, in many instances, meant to pay arrears of pensions and salaries.

On leveraging human capital in the Diaspora to complement development efforts in Nigeria, the Vice President said the establishment of the Diaspora Commission by the Buhari administration was one of the ways to show government’s commitment to work with Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora.

He said “the reason why the Diaspora Commission was set up is to address all the various concerns that the Diasporan have and that we also have as government and in some cases as institutions.

“We believe very strongly that the Diaspora is an important partner in all the things that we are doing. You can talk about their remittances and all that. So, they are an important component in what we are doing, as you have heard in GDP, and their remittances.”

Prof. Osinbajo also urged them to work closely with the Diaspora Commission to identify ways of contributing to the development of the country.

Also present at the event was Hon. Justice Sylvanus Nsofor, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States; Prof. Tijjani Bade, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations and President of the UN General Assembly, amongst others.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
25 June, 2019

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

TECHNOLOGY: NIGERIA & NIGERIANS WILL SURPRISE THE WORLD, SAYS OSINBAJO

*VP woos potential investors in power, agriculture, other sectors

*Received at the UN, meets Pence Wednesday in White House

The potential, effort and impact being made by Nigerians in technology can enable the country roll out indigenous technology solutions that can transform the global space according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this Monday while interacting with interested investors and foreign policy experts on Nigeria’s economic prospects and related matters at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City.

In a question and answer session after his opening remarks at the event, Prof Osinbajo was asked about the ongoing international dispute regarding some global technology firms and the issue of 5G.

He explained that even though Nigeria is yet to roll out 5G, "we do not have those complications (comparatively) in taking decisions in that regard. But, we practically welcome every company that wants to do business with us in Nigeria. Huawei is in Nigeria and so are all the other technology companies.

“We haven’t gone through any kind of decision making for rolling out the 5G technology; as a matter of fact we are going to roll out 5G ourselves. Talking about the equipment and technology; how did the Chinese get it? How did anyone else get the technology? We will do it ourselves.”

Speaking further, the Vice President who was optimistic about the possibility to developing homegrown capacity in the technology space said government would leverage the efforts and resourcefulness of youths to actualize its potentials in the sector.

“Our potential in technology and entertainment has been attracting huge attention. First is the market, at 174 million GSM phones, we are among the top ten telephone users in the world, and we have the highest percentage of people who use internet on their phones in the world," Prof Osinbajo added.

Continuing he said "we are also number two in mobile internet banking in the world, and 17 million Nigerians are on Facebook. Microsoft has announced that it will establish a 100 million dollar African Development Centre in Nigeria.

“Second is the ever-growing number of technology startups, young digital entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to value chain and logistics challenges and creating thousands of jobs in the process. Andela, a software company training software developers for many Fortune 500 companies received a $24m dollar investment from Facebook.”

In the other sectors of the economy, the Vice President told the American audience that Nigeria remained the best place to invest given its market and enterprising population.

He said “now, we are opening up our power sector. We are asking power firms to come in and invest in end to end power supply. Power Africa - a USAID project has made a commitment of $110m over five years (2018 – 2023) to provide transaction support to the entire value-chain covering gas supply, distribution, transmission and generation activities with our population, and a market-driven power sector, so the next few years promise exciting prospects.

“This is also the case with other infrastructure. We are embarking on the largest investment in infrastructure in our history, welcoming private investments in concessions and projects rail, roads, airports, and other infrastructure.”

On agriculture, Prof. Osinbajo said “Nigeria has the 9th largest stock of arable land in the world. We have become world leaders in cassava, yams, sorghum, and millet, and we are on the threshold of self-sufficiency in paddy rice production.

“Seeing greater interest in agriculture and the agro-allied value chain, there is no question that aside from the export market, our population presents a massive and lucrative local market.”

Speaking specifically about what government was doing to revive manufacturing in the country, the Vice President said the Federal Government’s Project Made In Nigeria for Export, titled Project MINE was conceived to drive the country's industrialization agenda.

According to him, “we are investing at the moment in the creation of special economic zones. Our Project MINE is designed to attract sunset industries from more advanced manufacturing economies, in search of affordable well-trained labor in Nigeria.

“At the moment we are focusing on industries for local manufacture of goods for which Nigeria has a comparative advantage. These include cotton, garments, leather, and light industrial manufacturing.”

Speaking further on efforts to improve domestic manufacturing, the Vice President said “the Nigerian Special Economic Zones Investment company is a public-private partnership established as the delivery vehicle for the project.

“Investors for the project include AFDB, Afroexim Bank, and AFC. Already work has begun in three locations. The Enyimba Economic City in Aba, Abia State, covers over 9500 hectares. Three international anchor tenants have been secured for phase one of the project. The city will be served by an existing IPP for power and will create 625,000 jobs when it is fully built.

“There is also the Lekki Model Industrial Park in partnership with the Lagos State Government in Lagos. It is set on 1000 hectares in the northeast cluster of Lekki Free Zone. It has already attracted world-class anchor tenants for textiles and garments, agro-processing and light industrial manufacturing including the number 1 Chinese and number 9 global textiles and garment group, (RUYI Group).

“The third project in its early stages is the Funtua Cotton Cluster in Katsina State which is in North West Nigeria. Funtua has the largest aggregation of cotton ginneries in Nigeria. The cluster will aggregate cotton from 800,000 farmers in Northern Nigeria and become the largest integrated cotton ginning, spinning and weaving complex in Sub Saharan Africa,” the Vice President noted.

In renewable energy, Prof. Osinbajo said “huge prospects also exist in investments in renewable energy, energy-efficient-processes and clean technology.”

According to him “gas had been flared for almost 60 years by major oil companies but in 2017 government approved the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, designed to eliminate gas flaring through technically and commercially sustainable gas utilization projects. The Programme offers flared gas for sale through a transparent and competitive bidding process.”

After his interaction at the CFR, the Vice President was received at the United Nations by a team of top officials of the world body led by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed at the UN headquarters.

Prof. Osinbajo and the UN officials discussed ways Nigeria and the UN can further collaborate on national, regional and global issues.

The Vice President would be meeting his American counterpart tomorrow Wednesday at the White House before heading back to Abuja.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
25 June 2019
Copyright © 2019, Office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, All rights reserved.

FG IS TAKING PROACTIVE MEASURES TO RESOLVE APAPA GRIDLOCK – VP OSINBAJO
*VP inspects progress of work done in the Apapa area

*Expresses hope that gridlock will be cleared soon


The Federal Government is adopting short-term, mid-term and long-term measures, including improving infrastructure, towards resolving the Apapa gridlock and easing traffic around the area, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Saturday, when he went round the Apapa area in Lagos State to inspect progress of ongoing work to clear the gridlock.

The Vice President visited different areas of Apapa, including the truck terminal near Ijora, the entrance to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Liverpool and Tin Can Island, as well as several road projects in the area to ascertain the level of work done by the Presidential Task Force saddled with the responsibility of clearing the area.

Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Prof. Osinbajo, who was accompanied by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, said a lot of work has been done so far, with more to be accomplished.

He said, "What I have seen is that a lot has been done. The best way of understanding this is to see that there are several aspects of the task that has to be done. First, there is infrastructure around the ports, and I’m sure you’ve seen, going around with us, that a lot of that has been done. We think that we are in a very good place, especially with respect to the improvement of infrastructure.

"The other thing is in the clearing of the trailers and tankers along the various routes. I’m sure you have seen there is considerable improvement. One of the mid to long-term measures is trying to decongest the traffic coming into the port, cargo traffic coming into the port and coming out of the port. This is a port that is meant to take 34 million metric tonnes of cargo, but is now doing over 80 million metric tonnes today. So, there is obviously a need to find alternatives and to expand where that is possible."

It would be recalled that the Presidential task team began its work on May 24, following a Presidential directive issued for the immediate clearing up of the Apapa gridlock and the restoration of law and order to Apapa and its environs. The directive mandated the immediate removal of all trucks from the bridges and roads within Apapa and all adjoining streets leading into the Apapa axis, to allow for free flow of traffic around the area.

Following a request by members of the task force and other stakeholders, Vice President Osinbajo, earlier in June at a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, approved the extension of the previous deadline. The task force, which commenced its assignment on May 24, is now expected to present a formal report at the end of its extended mandate on June 24.

Speaking further, the Vice President said, “The other thing is in the clearing of the trailers and tankers along the various routes and I’m sure you have seen there is considerable improvement. The Mile 2 end of it is where there is some difficulty but we think that in the next couple of days that will be resolved, especially with the opening up of the Tin Can Island Trailer Park and the palliative work that is going all the way down to Mile 2. So, we think that we should be able to resolve that congestion in the Mile 2 end. And of course, you have seen that the entry to the port is essentially clear.

“Of course, the Lekki Port is an ongoing project and we expect that will be of great help to supporting the Apapa, TinCan Island ports and then we are dredging the Warri Port also. Then just to decongest, to ensure that the traffic of cargo out of the port is effectively done, you know that the Lagos-Kano rail line is also starting from the Apapa Port.

“So, we expect that we should be able to get cargo out of the Apapa Port, using the standard gauge rail to take cargo out of the Apapa Port out to the hinterland. Then of course we are using barges at the moment; the NPA is using barges. So, there are several approaches to this. But as you can imagine, this is a very busy port; Nigeria is a very busy place for commerce. So, traffic is bound to increase.”

On ways to sustain the work done to decongest the traffic in the area, Prof. Osinbajo said having understood what the problem is, and with the work done so far to resolve it, there was no doubt that it would be sustained.

The VP added, "So, the way to go about it is what I have explained, namely: improve the capacity of other ports around, such as the Warri Port. The Lekki Port is also another option; and then improve the infrastructure around it, which is what we are doing. The way to sustain it is just that because we understand why there was congestion. By addressing those concerns, we are able to resolve it. So, I think it will be sustainable."

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
22nd June, 2019

BOSF PRESS RELEASE

THE YEMI OSINBAJO NIGERIANS SHOULD KNOW

The attention of the national secretariat of Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front has been brought to a misguided and ill-gotten piece credited to one Dr Ismaila Farouk aimed at diminishing the image of our dear Vice President and inciting peace loving Nigerians to hatred and public doubt.

We would have love and resolved to deny him a response because all claims are unfounded and purely derogatory - but for the greater good of this country and humanity, Nigerians deserve to hear from us and be much equipped with facts and not assumptions from Ismaila Farouq.

Running a background check on the person of Ismaila Farouk revealed that he is an ambassador of disunity, disintegration and lover of violence. It should not surprise Nigerians that those who predicted the separation of Nigeria prior 2015 are not resting to ensure their motive come to reality. They now appear in various folds and under guises, we tip Nigerians up to be wary and careful of them.

However, it is highly sacrosanct in pithy to educate him and his co-travellers that Professor Yemi Osinbajo has an undeterred integrity, sense of humor, responsibility and respect for this country's sovereignity. The VP's track record which Ismaila equally acknowledged speak volume of his unwavering and outstanding intelligence, brilliance, focus and dedication of purpose to his profession, country and his faith.

Nigerians has grown beyond an era where an individual like Ismaila could sit in the comfort zone of his home and send across pieces capable of causing unrest and violence to the general public. It will not happen.

It is interesting to note that Prof Yemi Osinbajo has a focus to his career and profession, which made him highly profiled and revered. He has carved a niche for himself as a successful lawyer and professor of international repute. Globally, the VP is celebrated of his distinctive academic acumen, wit, loyalty and as a committed nationalist.

The accusations that the VP occupy civil and political positions with members of his religion and tribe are not only false but groundless. As a committed believer of One Nigeria the Vice President is, he remain a model individual who believe there is absolute strength and power in Nigeria's oneness who have senses of purpose and spirit of togetherness.

Very similarly, the VP is an advocate of equal opportunity and equity prior and after being the number two citizen of this country. As a lawyer, he has on numberless occasions appeared in Nigeria's Courts Of Law as Counsel and Defendant for persons and group of persons whose legitimate rights as Nigerians are been tramped upon. He solicited and ensured that all Nigerians can live peacefully anywhere in the country irrespective of cultural differences, tribal and religious affiliations.

It is undeniable that the Vice President is a Senior Pastor of the Redeem Christian Church of God, it openly depict that he is a faithful man whose career and political life has not draw him away from serving his God. Mean while, allegations that the VP takes advantage of his religious position and political office to benefit certain group of individuals is malicious and very inflammatory.

In the last four years in office as Nigeria's Vice President, he erected a legacy of absolute loyalty and principality of decency. No sane one would have expect less except propagandists and sectionists like Ismaila Farouq.

The Vice President in service of the President, the Nigeria people and interest of unison and peace gained the attention the Igbo just like all other tribes - ensured oil pipe bunkering(which is at everyone's disadvantage) stopped, plus other unrest in the region. The South East and South South Nigerians respected the VP for this and the Buhari administration. Nigerians should throw the claims of Ismaila Farouq into pit because his motive is merely to cause administrative violence and misunderstanding between the President and the Vice President, that he is incapable of doing in real sense.

The President wholeheartedly trusted this nation with Prof Osinbajo while on medical leave abroad and he, the VP never betrayed the trust. He however held up the nation collectively firm and strong. He displayed a trait all Nigerians and global partners are proud of.

The Vice President enjoyed the support of the presidential cabinet member including the President's Chief Of Staff who Ismaila claimed has disagreement with the VP.

An attempt by Ismaila to undermine the political class and relationship of the Vice President and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is practically impossible and dreamy of him. Nigerians will not buy such antics. It is cheap and very weak, just like the claimer.

All of Ismaila Farouq claims are watery, baseless, groundless, blasphemous and un-Nigerian. BOSF urge Nigerians to disbelief him and such kinds of claims in the interest of progress and national growth.

In similar parlance, Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front ask security agencies to be carefully observant and watchful of individuals who distribute hate speeches and untrue information to the public. They should be brought to justice to prevent national chaos.

It is noteworthy to let Nigerians understand that the bond that binds the president and his deputy is the strongest and to the shame of the enemies, it shall be like wonders as the nation path to greatness.

Nigerians should see people like Ismaila Farouq and co-conspirators as foes of this great nation. We should continue believing in one Nigeria project, development and growth, unity and togetherness and a very bright future that is ahead of us, that President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo administration is taking us to.

May God bless our collective indomitable will.


Signed:
Mr Liberty Olawale Badmus
National Chairman, Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front

Distributed:
Mr AbdulAzeez, AbdulMaleek
Deputy Director(Media and Publicity), Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front

www.bosf.ng

Sunday, 23rd of June, 2019.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT


PRESS RELEASE


OSINBAJO LEAVES FOR THE US TODAY, TO MEET VICE PRESIDENT PENCE,  COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, OTHERS



Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will be visiting the US where he will be meeting with his United States counterpart, Mr. Mike Pence and other key groups and interests in the country.


Ahead of his meeting with the Vice President of the United States in Washington D.C on Wednesday, Professor Osinbajo will be meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations on Monday in New York.


In his meeting with his American counterpart, VP Osinbajo would be discussing matters of mutual interests between Nigeria and the US, while he would be speaking on Nigeria's economic prospects and other related matters in his meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations. 


The Vice President leaves for US this afternoon and is expected back in Abuja on Thursday.



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
June 22, 2019

Osinbajo pitches Nigeria to Havard Business School, US investors

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is as good as they come, he’s the perfect salesman for Nigeria and whenever he is presented the opportunity to pitch an idea, he takes it with full embrace.

On many occasions, foreign investors are whipping out their fat check books and ordering that their Business Managers start thinking of how and where to invest in Nigeria even before Prof. Osinbajo is done with his speech.

It was no different on Tuesday June 18 in Lagos when he had an interactive session with the Havard Business School and some 32 professors. By all standards, professors are difficult to sway but when you have a suave and confident maestro handling this session then someone was always going to give in.

First, they were impressed that the Vice President had a Resume that was not commonplace in politics but more impressive was his knowledge for almost everything, from energy to economy, not to mention law.

But most importantly was the premium he placed on the Nigerian people and how the Buhari administration wanted millions to be out of the ‘extreme poverty’ line. He spoke about Human Per Capital index and the efforts of the government in improving the quality of lives of the average Nigerian.

He spoke and everyone listened. The room was quiet and the emotions from his speech, contagious. You could hear the hearts of the audience beat faster and their heads calculating how investments would benefit Nigeria and their brands.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said he would like to see Nigeria being an industrialised nation in the next 10 years with a very strong middle class and most people living above poverty line.

His oratory alongside his gesticulation made the audience turn their heads from left to right as they grasped every point made by Professor Osinbajo.

Osinbajo then explained that a lot of government policies were taking into account people at the bottom of the pyramid with a focus on agriculture and getting credit facilities to farmers in order to achieve self sufficiency.

He stressed that many farmers in Nigeria had been lifted out of poverty by the Buhari administration but that much more can be achieved with the partnership from investors.

He said a lot of attention has been given to the Social Intervention Programmes (SIPs) which factored the provision of cheap credit to petty traders at the bottom rung of the economic ladder.

It didn’t take long for the magic wand of the Vice President to start producing results. As also present at the interactive session was Adebayo Ogunlesi, a global investor and one-time economic advisor to President Donald Trump.

Catching the vibes, Ogunlesi said that the era of depending on government for infrastructure was gone, he said the Federal Government had no business running infrastructure in Nigeria, especially the airports.

Srikant Datar, Professor of Business Administration, Havard Business School (HBS) pledged HBS’s support in providing needed support for human capital development in Nigeria and proffering solutions to tackling Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.

For Prof. Osinbajo, it’s just another opportunity to sell Nigeria to the world, it’s another shot at taking Nigeria to where it rightfully belongs, it’s another chance to showcase the glorious Green-White-Green but more importantly an opportunity to prove that the Nigerian people matter the most.

FG’S TRADERMONI, MARKETMONI IS AFRICA’S MOST IMPACTFUL FINANCIAL INCLUSION SCHEME – AFRICAN BANKERS

*GEEP aims to reach 10 million people by 2023

A key element of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programmes has won continental praise as African Bankers named the the Government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) as Africa’s most impactful financial inclusion scheme.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) which implements GEEP, was given the award at the African Bankers' Awards ceremony which held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on June 11th, 2019, for its role in implementing GEEP, which includes the popular TraderMoni, as well as MarketMoni and FarmerMoni microcredit schemes.

The African Banker Awards, held annually on the fringes of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank, celebrates excellence in banking and finance on the African continent.

Since its commencement in 2016, millions of Nigerians have benefited from GEEP, while the micro-credit schemes have empowered over 2 million micro-enterprises with collateral-free, interest-free loans to grow their businesses. The vast majority of these micro-enterprises are petty traders, small-scale merchants, enterprising youth, and agricultural workers in over 1,600 clusters and markets across the 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory.

MarketMoni is a six-month interest-free, collateral-free loan starting from N50,000 to N100,000 for small businesses under the auspices of their cooperative societies or associations. Over 350,000 traders have benefitted from MarketMoni.

There is also the FarmerMoni loans, which start at N250,000 and are tailored to suit the peculiarities of the different planting seasons and farming requirements. About 5,000 farmers have benefited till date.

In the same vein, over 1.7 million petty traders are beneficiaries of TraderMoni scheme, designed to assist petty traders and artisans nationwide to expand their trade through the provision of collateral and interest-free loans starting from N10,000. The loans are repayable over a period of six months, after which the traders get an increased loan of N15,000. They get additional sums up to a N100,000 along the way as they repay the loans. TraderMoni is designed to meet the needs of the larger population of petty traders at the bottom of the pyramid who do not meet the stringent criteria of credit facilities required for the bigger MarketMoni loans.

Over 1.5 million of the two million GEEP beneficiaries are first-time beneficiaries of credit from a formal financial lender, while over half of GEEP’s 2 million beneficiaries are first-time operators of bank accounts or mobile wallets. Also, working with over 4,000 agents and 15,000 cooperatives in more than 1,600 markets across the 36 states and the FCT, the programme has seen the detailed enumeration of over 7 million MSMEs and their owners.

Beneficiaries receive GEEP loans by opening a bank account or operating a mobile wallet. They can only repay via the bank or vouchers, as well as access the next loan on their mobile phones.

With its use of technology to provide micro-credit loans and financial services, GEEP has been able to reach the grassroots, particularly to low-income segments of society, which has led to an increase in financial inclusion, development and growth.

With the availability of biometrics and using BVN as digital collateral, mobile data capture, mobile wallets, and a 4,000-strong agent network, GEEP is able to properly target, document, profile, and deliver credit to over 2 million people.

Through GEEP schemes, the Buhari administration continues to provide access to finance, and sustainable financial inclusion, and the programme aims to reach 10 million people by 2023.

GEEP is designed to deliver last mile credit delivery using an aggregation model that works with market cooperatives as the acquiring structure, and agent networks with technological tools.

This group of GEEP agents is equipped with proprietary application that enables full registration and capture of data, such as the biodata, information on the market, nature of trader, pictures of trader and trade point, GPS coordinate of the trade point, association membership, and 43 other data points that enable credit assessment.

This group of agents go into the markets to meet on-board beneficiaries daily; while data on every captured beneficiary is delivered to the Bank of Industry real time to enable verification, appraisals and credit assessment. This is done by a call centre staffed with over 120 agents and other officials.

Qualified applicants then get disbursements into their bank accounts or mobile wallets generated for them from the registration data. Every loan disbursed is booked automatically on a core banking system that is plugged to all commercial banks in the country. This enables beneficiaries to walk into any bank in the country and make repayments periodically over a 6-month period or to purchase scratch card vouchers locally and pay. Upon completion of loan repayments, a subsequent loan offer is made via phone to the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries BVN is tied to all their financial instruments, and it serves as a collateral for the loan.

BOI’s Managing Dircetor/CEO, Mr. Olukayode Pitan, received the award at the event alongside other senior government officials.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
18th June, 2019

This Country Recently Became Africa’s Largest Economy. Now It’s Too Big for Businesses to Ignore.
Melissa CookJune 14, 2019

From a market on Lagos Island, Nigeria, the skyline of the city of Lagos is visible. Among many companies, there is a great deal of nervousness around investing in Nigeria.



Nigeria has overtaken South Africa as Africa’s largest economy. And with over 200 million people, it is the largest market in the continent, its population nearly twice the size of Ethiopia (110 million) or Egypt (102 million).

Yet among many companies, there is a great deal of nervousness around investing in Nigeria. One business development officer of a large company told me recently: “We’re not in Nigeria; one of our guys heard you can’t go there.”

This kind of second hand hearsay is a risky way to make proper business decisions. When firms make what we refer to as accidental decisions—those based on media reports or anecdotal evidence—it is hard to effectively quantify and manage risks.

Nigeria is definitely a challenging place to operate. But ultimately, the nation is too important to ignore.

Investment by the United States in Nigeria is Growing
Foreign direct investment stock from the United States into Nigeria was $5.8 billion in 2017, up 32.8 percent since 2016, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. However, a significant chunk of U.S. FDI in Nigeria and the continent goes into the resources sector.

The Commercial and Investment Dialogue with the Nigerian government, originally recommended by President Obama’s President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa, is now in full force, and earlier this year, the U.S. Commercial Service hosted the USA Trade Fair in Lagos, Nigeria—attended by more than 4,000 delegates. Many of America’s biggest firms were out in force, as were smaller names in the agribusiness, aviation, consumer, energy, industrials, and security sectors.

Now, other countries are starting to catch America’s lead—notably the Chinese.

China’s Africa Strategy Presents a Formidable Challenge
China is using all of its political, industrial, and financial might to build deep connections in Africa. Engagement is strategic, multilateral, and well-organized under the biennial Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chinese construction firms are building road, rail, port, communications, mining, and energy projects funded by loans from The Export-Import Bank of China or state-owned banks, using Chinese machinery, and with Chinese operators often operating the asset after completion.


Source: UNCTAD World Investment Report 2018

Chinese business development teams visit Africa’s toughest neighborhoods to establish relationships—often long before most American executives have even considered an investment in the country in question. Headlines trumpet Chinese “investment” in Africa, but much of this is actually lending, rather than equity investment. International experience is helping Chinese firms improve their product quality, service delivery, and technological capabilities every day, making them ever-stronger global competitors.

The key to China’s success on the continent is that designing “good enough” equipment for the price their customers will pay. A Chinese-made truck starter will fail after a fraction of the starts a North American truck operator considers normal—but it will also cost a fraction of the price. Likewise, a Chinese-designed smartphone will work on local networks, enjoy long battery life, run the right apps—and come at an affordable price. Despite recent political hiccups, Huawei is the dominant supplier of communications and networking equipment on the continent. Africans benefit from the firm’s low-cost vendor financing, ultra-advanced technology, and turnkey service for modern network installations.

In Nigeria, Demand Exceeds Supply
Nigeria is famous for its power shortages. With only about 5GW of grid power available (on a good day), it’s no surprise that there is an estimated 20GW of captive, backup, and household-level power installed by the private sector.

But this isn’t just a risk. It’s also a business opportunity.

In 2011, Nigeria privatized the power generation and distribution portions of its electricity industry. Performance is well below expectations so far, thanks to gas supply shortages, below-contract tariffs, and poor cash collection. The opportunity? Most manufacturers run their own captive power plants—and they’re investing in advanced gas-fired turbines, high-efficiency production equipment, and renewable energy capacity. Households need prepaid electric meters, energy-efficient appliances, and more cost-effective standby generators.

The continent is becoming a big beneficiary of China’s large-scale investment in renewables—which are now vastly cheaper than they were just a decade ago. In Nigeria, solar, wind, and mini-hydro are rapidly filling in the gaps where grid power is unavailable. Local micro- or mini-grids can deliver power to light homes, charge phones, refrigerate medicines, preserve harvested produce, and bring the internet to schools.

In Nigeria, as elsewhere in Africa, the financial services sector is undergoing a transformation. Mobile money accounts are increasingly popular, led by M-PESA in Kenya. Mobile money has boosted economic activity and brought millions into the financial services sector.

African financial-technology entrepreneurs are testing innovative—and potentially disruptive—services. Where regulations allow, entrepreneurs and mobile operators are introducing low-cost mobile payment, investment, insurance, savings, loans, and cross-border money transfer services using the latest technology.

According to the World Bank, small- and medium-sized enterprises create an estimated 4 of every 5 new jobs in emerging markets, yet traditional corporate banks are still focused on serving large corporate customers.

Can You Create Long-Term Shareholder Value Without Africa?
This isn’t a simple question, but it has to be asked as part of any long-term growth and risk analysis.

Public capital markets are relentless in pushing for short-term earnings and returns. Set aside today’s imperative to meet quarterly earnings expectations, ignore for a minute the potential for activists to disrupt your investment programs because they don’t see an immediate ROI on your long-term strategic investments.

The long-term survival of a business depends on its ability to adapt, grow, and participate in the global economy of the future—and countries like Nigeria are part of this story.

MEN MUST HONOUR WOMEN, TREAT THEM AS EQUALS, SAYS VP OSINBAJO ON FATHER’S DAY
*Adds: Responsible fatherhood helps in nation-building

The responsibility of fatherhood in families and society is very crucial in setting good examples for future generations, as it would guide them in the right path to lead exemplary lives, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Sunday after a special Father’s Day service at the Aso Villa Chapel, Abuja.

On the Next Level agenda of the Buhari administration, the VP said power and infrastructure would improve, and there will be progress in the economy, security, and in the fight against corruption.

Speaking to the press, the Vice President wished every father in the country a Happy Father’s Day.

While noting that men should honour and love their wives and recognize their roles as partners, not just in families but in society, he said that it was equally important for them to teach young men to also honour and respect all women.

The Vice President said, “Fathers, as you know, have very important role to play in any human society or setting. I think it was (former US) President Barack Obama who said that it’s not the ability to father a child, or the ability to have a child that makes you a father, it is the courage to raise one. That’s really what makes you a father.

“I think that the responsibility of fatherhood is absolutely immense, whether one is a biological father to children or one who wants to take care of other children. All of us have a role to play, not just in the lives of our children, but so many others; those who have no fathers, even some who have fathers; to whom we have a responsibility to set examples to lead exemplary lives. And to bring them up, as the scriptures says, in the way of the Lord.

“So, the responsibility of the father is incredible indeed. One of the most important things is to teach our young men growing up that they must honour women, not just their wives. Of course, you must honour and love your wife, but I think it is also very important that we honour women. We shouldn’t treat them as subordinates; they are not. They are created equal to men. But most importantly, we must honour them and recognize their roles as partners, not just in families, but in society as well."

Also present at the Father’s Day service at the Aso Villa Chapel were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; other senior government officials and private sector chieftains, including the President/Chief Executive Officer, Coscharis Group of Companies, Dr. Cosmas Maduka.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
16th June, 2019

SOME QUOTES FROM THE EU ELECTION OBSERVER REPORT RELEASED TODAY:

On page 3 in its Executive Summary:

According to the EU report, “positively the elections were competitive, parties were overall able to campaign and civil society enhanced accountability “



INEC made a number of improvements, including making electoral participation more accessible through simplified voting procedures. INEC made efforts to strengthen electoral integrity by issuing regulations making smart card readers mandatory.

On page 4

The elections were competitive with a large number of candidates for all seats although competition was primarily between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

Parties and candidates were overall able to campaign, with freedoms of assembly, expression and movement broadly respected

Page 5
EU EOM media monitoring over 46 days showed federal government-owned Radio’s commitment to balanced election coverage

Positively in almost all observations Party agents received copies of the results forms.
The national collation Centre for the presidential election was open to party agents and observers, and was continuously televised

Again on page 37
The national collation Centre for the presidential results was open to party agents, observers and the media with each state’s results projected on a large screen. There was continuous live television coverage and the media published the results as announced by INEC, thereby increasing access to results information.

Page 41 under section RESULTS AND STAKEHOLDER REACTION
EU SAID:
YIAGA Africa announced that the results were consistent with its parallel vote tabulation that INDEPENDENTLY projected the results based on a sample of 1,515 polling units. The two leading parties won 96.8% of the valid votes between them

*We know nothing about INEC servers, says EU Election Observers*

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria has said that it knows nothing about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server that was allegedly used to transmit results of the 2019 general elections.

Speaking at a press conference on the EU election observation mission report held at the Transcorp Hilton on Saturday, the deputy chief observer for the EU Mission, Hannah Roberts said the Mission relied on results that were released by INEC.

Reacting to questions from journalists, Roberts said the EU Mission in Nigeria is unaware of an INEC server by which results were transmitted during the election.

“The EU had to rely on INEC’s explanation in result transmission,” she said while answering the question on INEC server.

It would be recalled that the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had claimed that an INEC server was used to transmit results of the election.

Earlier, Maria Arena, EU Chief Observer had presented a final report with recommendations for electoral reforms. She said the EU EOM had 91 observers on ground for the Presidential and National Assembly elections across Nigeria.

She added that 73 observers were deployed for the Governorship and State House of Assembly election while only 20 observers were used for the supplementary elections.

Following its observation mission, she said the EU EOM had 30 recommendations on how to improve future electoral processes in Nigeria. “The mission concluded that the systemic failings seen in the elections, and the relatively low levels of voter participation, show the need for fundamental electoral reform.”

The EU report prioritized seven recommendations of the 30, one of which was that Nigeria, “Strengthen INEC procedures for the collation of results to improve integrity and confidence in electoral outcomes.

Another recommendation was that, “Electoral tribunals cover pre-election cases in order to improve access to remedy and to avoid petitions being taken to different courts at the same time.

Addressing journalists after the press conference, Festus Keyamo faulted the EU for not coming to a conclusion in its report.

“The result reflects the overall wishes of Nigerians, that was the report by so many observers, if you are an observer you should come to a definitive conclusion, don’t be dodgy about it, don’t run away from that fact because we have 120,000 polling units across the country and in all their report I don’t think they discussed at most 500 polling units.

“If you observed certain anomalie, it could not have been more than 500 or 1000 polling units and if you do observe anomalies in those polling units how does that substantially affect results coming from 120,000 polling unit.

“So it is not enough for you discuss the anomalies, they must discuss the overall results coming from the entire country and whether it did reflect the wishes of the people. This is what we want to know because they have problems in the US elections, there are problems in the EU and even UK elections.

“For Christ sake, we need a detailed analysis to come to a definitive conclusion about the overall result of the election,” he said.

PUBLIC DISCLAIMER ON VIDEO OF POLICE OFFICER DUPED BY INTERNET FRAUDSTERS USING THE VP'S NAME


Our attention has been drawn to a video on social media showing a police officer saying he was duped by an Internet fraudster allegedly using the name of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.


This is a brazen act of defamation and fraud by criminally minded individual(s) carried out on a Nigerian police officer who was oblivious of their dubious intent. Such shady fellows are not only lacking in character and conscience, but also have no regard for the person and office of the Vice President.


The Vice President does not and will not condone any such acts of illegality. He has never asked, and will never ask anyone to carry out such brazen extortion in his name.


The security agencies have been informed and investigations are ongoing to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are dealt with.


Nigerians should disregard such brazen acts of impersonation and fraud and be wary of  scams carried out by dubious individuals for their selfish gains.

Laolu Akande

BMO TO OBJ: YOUR JUNE 12 TIRADE IS PETTY, PUERILE

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is just being petty and mischievous with his latest tirade against President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of the maiden celebration of June 12 as Democracy Day in the country, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has said.

The group is of the opinion that the former President is bitter that President Buhari took measured steps to immortalise the late Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12 1993 election.

BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that it was a major reason the former President opted to launch another attack on President Buhari to coincide with the celebration.



"First, it was his infantile Islamization agenda claim, now Chief Obasanjo who, many Nigerians agree, was the biggest beneficiary of the democracy that Abiola paid the supreme sacrifice for, has opted for a disjointed attack on Buhari mainly to divert attention from the celebration of the man he probably hated more than the President.

“How else can anyone describe a situation where a former President who literally rode to the Presidency on the back of millions of Nigerians who were relentless in demanding a return to civil rule, but could not as much as acknowledge President Buhari’s efforts to atone for the damage done to the polity with the annulment of that election.

“But even as Obasanjo chose the day to launch another puerile and incoherent attack on the President, Nigerians, from all indications, are united in praising Buhari for going beyond the investiture of Abiola, his then running mate Baba Gana Kingibe and the foremost human rights crusader Gani Fawehinmi with national honours few months ago, to renaming the Abuja National Stadium as Moshood Abiola Stadium.

“This incidentally is one act that the former President bluntly refused to do in office even after the Senate, in 2003, unanimously passed a resolution for the just constructed stadium to be named after the national icon.

“It is on record that he once stunned the nation by declaring that the late Abiola was not the messiah that Nigeria needed. This more than anything spoke volumes about why Obasanjo failed to grant official recognition to June 12 or honour the memory of the man who personified the day that has since 1993 been described as a watershed in Nigeria’s democracy.

“So it cannot be a surprise that he attempted to water down the celebration of a man he hated, by another one that he equally hates, for not allowing him to have his way.”

Urging Nigerians to expect more attacks from the former President Obasanjo in the coming months, BMO posited that Obasanjo would not be able to contain his frustrations on seeing the Buhari administration doing better than he expects.

“We at BMO were really not surprised to read yet another doomsday prediction from a former leader that thinks and acts like the repository of knowledge on everything from politics to the economy.

“In that interview that expectedly went viral, he questioned ‘ a situation where three top officials of government would be from only two northern zones(North West and North East), perhaps in furtherance of his Islamization agenda claim.

“We wonder if he would have raised the same poser if Senator Ali Ndume who was the choice of his friends at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Senate Presidency had defeated Ahmad Lawan.

“And on the acting Chief Justice being from the North, Is Obasanjo, by any chance, suggesting that President Buhari should have ignored hierarchy in the Supreme Court after the former occupant of the seat ran afoul of the law? Yet, he claims to be a democrat!

“On the economy, the former President claimed that the Buhari administration had 'wasted the gains of the past administrations’ but we also know that the self-acclaimed father of the nation said similar or worse things about the past administrations of the late President Umaru Yar Adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan when he fell out with the two men he literally hand-picked for that position.

“We however need to remind him that Nigeria under Buhari has witnessed eight quarters of positive growth in the economy and our GDP is projected to grow by 2.7 percent this year. Since Obasanjo believes he knows far more than anyone, he is free to compare these figures with that of South Africa with better infrastructure!

"In terms of security, we cannot recall at any other time in the country than under Obasanjo that a serving Attorney General of the Federation was brutally murdered right in his bedroom.

“ And nothing could be more preposterous than his claim that Buhari had ‘corrupted’ the fight against corruption, when it is common knowledge that the former he, Obasanjo, used the anti-graft agencies as his attack dog in his two terms in office to whip errant state governors in line. He may also reel out statistics of high profile convictions, if any, on his watch,” BMO added.

The pro-Buhari group said it was fitting that Obasanjo again reminded Nigerians of his true feelings about MKO Abiola by attempting to divert attention away from the June 12 celebrations with his sanctimonious attitude.

ADDRESS BY H.E PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AT THE 2019 NATIONAL DEMOCRACY DAY AT THE EAGLE SQUARE, ABUJA
12TH JUNE 2019


Protocols

All Praise is due to GOD Almighty Who spared our lives to be present at this great occasion. We give thanks also that the democratic process has been further entrenched and strengthened.

2. Twenty years ago, a democratically elected government took over from the military in a historic transfer of political power for our country.

3. Today, we are privileged to mark the longest period of unbroken democratic leadership and 5th peaceful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another in Nigeria.

4. Throughout the last four years, I respected the independence of INEC. I ensured that INEC got all the resources it needed for independent and impartial management of elections in the country.

5. All interested parties are agreed that the recent elections, which except for pockets of unrest, were free, fair and peaceful.

6. I thank all the people who worked for our party, who campaigned and who voted for us. I thank my fellow Nigerians, who, since 2003 have consistently voted for me.

7. Victory is your greatest reward; peace, unity and greater prosperity will be our collective legacy.

Your Excellencies, Fellow Nigerians,

8. I and Nigerians collectively must give adequate thanks to our Armed Forces, Police and other law enforcing agencies for working round the clock to protect us by putting themselves in harm’s way and defending our values and protecting our future.

9. Terrorism and insecurity are worldwide phenomena and even the best policed countries are experiencing increasing incidents of unrest and are finding things hard to cope.

10. The principal thrust of this new Administration is to consolidate on the achievements of the last four years, correct the lapses inevitable in all human endeavors and tackle the new challenges the country is faced with and chart a bold plan for transforming Nigeria.

11. Fellow Nigerians, I have had the privilege of free education from Primary school to Staff College to War College.

12. I received my formative education in Katsina and Kaduna and my higher education in England, India and the United States.

13. I have worked and served in Kaduna, Lagos, Abeokuta, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Ibadan, Jos and finally here in Abuja. Throughout my adult life, I have been a public servant. I have no other career but public service. I know no service but public service.

14. I was involved at close quarters in the struggle to keep Nigeria one. I can therefore do no more than dedicate the rest of my life to work for the unity of Nigeria and upliftment of Nigerians.

15. In 2002-2003 campaigns and elections, I travelled by road to 34 of the 36 states of the Federation. This year I travelled by air to all 36 states of the Federation.

16. Before and during my time in the Armed Forces and in government, I have interacted with Nigerians of all ages and persuasions and different shades of opinion over a period of more than fifty years.

17. And my firm belief is that our people above all want to live in peace and harmony with their fellow Nigerians. They desire opportunity to better themselves in a safe environment.

18. Most of the instances of inter-communal and inter-religious strife and violence were and are still as a result of sponsorship or incitements by ethnic, political or religious leaders hoping to benefit by exploiting our divisions and fault lines, thereby weakening our country.

19. And our country Nigeria is a great country. According to United Nations estimates, our population will rise to 411 million by 2050, making us the third most populous nation on earth behind only China and India.

20. We have water, arable land, forests, oil and gas and vast quantities of solid minerals. We are blessed with an equable climate. However, the bulk of our real wealth lies in Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Mining. We possess all the ingredients of a major economic power on the world stage.

21. What we require is the will to get our acts together. And our strength is in our people – our youth, our culture, our resilience, our ability to succeed despite the odds.

22. A huge responsibility therefore rests on this and succeeding Administrations to develop, harness and fulfil our enormous potential into a force to be reckoned with globally.

23. Thus far, we Nigerians can be proud of our history since Independence in 1960. We have contributed to UN peace-keeping responsibilities all over the world; we have stabilized Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and two years ago we prevented the Gambia from degenerating into anarchy.

24. Without Nigerian influence and resources, the liberation of Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and ultimately South Africa would have come at greater cost. This fact had been attested by none other than the late Nelson Mandela himself.

25. Elsewhere, Nigeria is the Big Brother to our neighbours. We are the shock-absorber of the West African sub-region, the bulwark of ECOWAS and Lake Chad Basin Commission. We can therefore be proud to be Nigerians. We must continue to be Good Neighbours and Good Global Citizens.

26. At home, we have been successful in forging a nation from different ethnicities and language groups: our evolution and integration into one nation continues apace.

27. When, therefore we came to office in 2015 after a decade of struggle we identified three cardinal and existential challenges our country faced and made them our campaign focus, namely security, economy and fighting corruption.

28. None but the most partisan will dispute that in the last four years we have made solid progress in addressing these challenges.

29. When I took the oath of office on 29 May 2015, insecurity reigned. Apart from occupying 18 local governments in the North East, Boko Haram could at will attack any city including the Federal Capital, could threaten any institution including bombing the United Nations building and Police Headquarters in Abuja.

30. Admittedly, some of the challenges still remain in kidnappings and banditry in some rural areas. The great difference between 2015 and today is that we are meeting these challenges with much greater support to the security forces in terms of money, equipment and improved local intelligence. We are meeting these challenges with superior strategy, firepower and resolve.

31. In face of these challenges, our Government elected by the people in 2015 and re-elected in March has been mapping out policies, measures and laws to maintain our unity and at the same time lift the bulk of our people out of poverty and onto the road to prosperity.

32. This task is by no means unattainable. China has done it. India has done it. Indonesia has done it. Nigeria can do it. These are all countries characterized by huge burdens of population.

33. China and Indonesia succeeded under authoritarian regimes. India succeeded in a democratic setting. We can do it.

34. With leadership and a sense of purpose, we can lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

35. Following the 60 percent drop in oil prices between 2015 and 2016, through monetary and fiscal measures, we stimulated economic growth, curbed inflation and shored up our external reserves.

36. We now have witnessed 8 quarters of positive growth in the economy and our GDP is expected to grow by 2.7 percent this year.

37. Furthermore, our external reserves have risen to $45 billion enough to finance over 9 months of current import commitments.

38. This Administration is laying the foundation and taking bold steps in transforming our country and liberating our people from the shackles of poverty.

39. First, we will take steps to integrate rural economies to the national economic “grid” by extending access to small-scale credits and inputs to rural farmers, credit to rural micro-businesses and opening up many critical feeder roads.

40. Secondly, for small-scale enterprises in towns and cities, we shall expand facilities currently available so that we continue to encourage and support domestic production of basic goods and reduce our reliance of imported goods as I will outline later.

Why We Are Celebrating Democracy Day On June 12 – Osinbajo

*VP meets Venezuelan Vice President, North Korean Vice Premier at Presidential Villa

The Federal Government’s decision to celebrate Democracy Day on June 12 henceforth attest to the Buhari administration’s commitment to progressive ideals, especially as it relates to the political history of the country.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, gave the hint Tuesday when he received at the Presidential Villa, Mr Aristobulo Isturiz, the Vice President of Venezuela, who is leading the country’s delegation to Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration.

Vice President Isturiz is among world leaders at the head of their countries’ delegation attending Nigeria’s 2019 Democracy Day activities in Abuja.

Explaining that the Buhari administration believes in resolving some of the issues around the annulled June 12 1993 presidential election, the Vice President added that “One of the principal issues, politically, was the recognition of that election in 1993 which was won by, now late, Chief MKO Abiola, an important progressive opposition leader. That is why we are celebrating June 12 as our new Democracy Day. So, we are really very happy that you are able to share with us a very special event – the celebration of our new democracy day.”

On deepening ties between Nigeria and Venezuela, Prof. Osinbajo said “we believe that the collaboration between our countries in the economy, culture and science, amongst others, will be useful to our people. We need to do a lot as there are many areas for potential cooperation including in agriculture, oil and gas and mining.”

On his part, Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz spoke on the need for improved cooperation between both countries including under the auspices of the non-aligned movement, describing Nigeria as an important mobiliser on the African continent.

In the same vein, Prof. Osinbajo, in another similar meeting with the Vice Premier of North Korea, Mr Ri Ryong Nam, said the potentials for an enhanced cooperation between both countries were enormous.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “I agree that we can work out a more dynamic model of cooperation, especially in agriculture and technology.”

“Food processing is one major area that we can look into. I hope we will be able to advance discussions on cooperation in the identified areas, and there are many other areas where we can deepen this cooperation.”

Vice Premier Ri Ryong Nam congratulated Nigeria on the occasion of the country’s Democracy Day celebration.

He said DPRK acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Government under President Buhari to improve the economy and ensure socio-economic stability.

According to Mr Ryong Nam, “I am moved by the efforts made by your government to ensure social stability and unity. Your country has also achieved eye-catching successes, through reforms, in the economy, making Nigeria a leading economy in the region.”


https://dailypost.ng/2019/06/11/buhari-govt-chose-june-12-democracy-day-osinbajo/amp/

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT BUHARI WRITES ACTING CJN ON APPOINTMENT OF FIVE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT


President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Tanko Muhammad, on the appointment of additional five Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The President wrote: ‘‘Pursuant to the provisions of Section 230(2) A&B of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to request that you initiate in earnest the process of appointing additional five Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to make the full complement of 21 Justices as provided by the aforementioned provisions of the Constitution.

‘‘This is in line with the Government’s Agenda of repositioning the Judiciary in general and Supreme Court in particular for greater efficiency, with a view to reducing the backlogs of appeals pending at the Supreme Court.

‘‘Please accept, your Lordship, the assurances of my highest regards.’’

Meanwhile, President Buhari has accepted the voluntary retirement from service of Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria, effective from May 28, 2019.

The President thanked Justice Onnoghen for his service to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and wished him the best of retirement life.

 

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

June 9, 2019

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT BUHARI WRITES ACTING CJN ON APPOINTMENT OF FIVE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT


President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Tanko Muhammad, on the appointment of additional five Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The President wrote: ‘‘Pursuant to the provisions of Section 230(2) A&B of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to request that you initiate in earnest the process of appointing additional five Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to make the full complement of 21 Justices as provided by the aforementioned provisions of the Constitution.

‘‘This is in line with the Government’s Agenda of repositioning the Judiciary in general and Supreme Court in particular for greater efficiency, with a view to reducing the backlogs of appeals pending at the Supreme Court.

‘‘Please accept, your Lordship, the assurances of my highest regards.’’

Meanwhile, President Buhari has accepted the voluntary retirement from service of Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria, effective from May 28, 2019.

The President thanked Justice Onnoghen for his service to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and wished him the best of retirement life.

 

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

June 9, 2019

*IRRESPONSIBLE BROADCASTING AND INEPT REGULATION*
_By Frank Tietie_

Dokpesi and AIT need to wake up to responsible broadcasting. I don't join misguided populist positions which simply play to the gallery. People who go to equity must go with clean hands.

The NBC over the years has encouraged AIT to be irresponsible as a broadcast outfit. The NBC, over the years, cannot be excused of being manned by persons who are incompetent, unpatriotic and compromised. The details are unwritten all over the public space. The NBC must at all times uphold the law on standards of radio and television broadcasting in Nigeria without political considerations.

AIT was the pride of African broadcasting. It is currently a shadow of itself compared to where it ought to have been. SABC learned from AIT when the new South Africa began. You cannot compare both of TV stations today.

It is only lazy TV production that will create the quality of a programme like 'Kakaki Social'. There is a whole world of difference between Professional TV production and broadcasting and, the application of the unruly social media space.

A comparison with Aljazeera's ' *Stream* ' or BBC's ' *Outside Source* ' with 'Kakaki Social' would show the difference in responsible use of social media contents in television broadcasting.

I don't know why we often tolerate sloppy standards for primordial reasons and to make scapegoats of our inept and selfish public servants?

Even though, I wished and still wish to live a very private and quiet life with my love circle of family and friends, I have been forced into advocacy because of the dysfunctional society I found myself. Therefore, I will not fail to appreciate the prominence AIT has given to my advocacy since 2010 until I began to join the clamour that it should honour its labour obligations to its former staff.

I cannot be expected to refuse to take action in the face of oppressive refusal to pay workers' salary. I must act on behalf of those struggling citizens who often climb three floors to my office to cry about how oppressed they feel about Dokpesi and AIT, concerning their unpaid emoluments and other entitlements. I didn't care if AIT blacklisted me. After all, I never really cared about being popular. It was never my goal in the first place. My goal is love for the human person because I love myself. I actually only care about God's approval. Let Him protect and provide for me. If He doesn't, so be it. He is still God Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

Therefore, I owe it a conscientious duty to such an organisation to demand from it that it does what is right and just at all times, especially to persons who committed their entire career life to the organisation as broadcast journalists.

The law is both prescriptive and punitive. AIT should follow the standards while NBC should enforce those standards according to law without kowtowing to political and populist pressure. Let us be a people committed to standards. It is for the ultimate public good and improvement of the society that we strive to live and operate according to set standards.

*Frank Tietie*
Lawyer, Human Rights Defender and Executive Director, CASER.

_In response to interview questions by Victorson Agbenson of Radio Nigeria in Abuja_

PRESIDENT PRAISES VP AGAIN, SAYS HE IS COMPETENT & HELPS SORT OUT COMPLEX THINGS

President Muhammadu Buhari has again praised Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, for his competence and dedication to the service of the country.

The President made the remarks on Tuesday during a special occasion to mark the Id El-Fitr celebrations at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

Noting that Vice President Osinbajo connects with all Nigerians, President Buhari said the VP helps in sorting out complex things in the Presidency.

President Buhari said, "After the Vice President’s speech, I won’t have much to say. In a way, you must understand his difficult position. As constitutionally the number two man of the country, he is always being seen *but not being heard. On special opportunities, he appeals to you* *because he knows what he is going through, very quietly and very competently*

"I am very pleased because he is such a competent lawyer, and he has some experience. So I am exploiting his very fervent constituency through him to see us through in the many complex (things) in the Presidency."

It would be recalled that President Buhari oraised the VP a few weeks ago for the impact of the adminstration's National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP), which is supervised by the VP.

KANO SIP BENEFICIARIES HOLD SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR BUHARI, OSINBAJO



*What we have done in Kano – NSIP



Beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIPs) in Kano, on Monday came out in large numbers at Murtala Mohammed Library to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over their success at the 2019 polls.



The special prayer organized by the beneficiaries themselves witnessed a large turnout of people led by different Islamic scholars, officials of the programme and thousands of beneficiaries.



Shortly after the prayer session, participants at the event separately paid tributes to President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo for the success of the programmes, urging them to sustain the schemes.



Speaking to newsmen on behalf of beneficiaries at the prayer event, Mr. Maitala Bawa, thanked the ‎President and the Vice President for the introduction and implementation of the National Social Investment Programmes, acknowledging the impact it has had on many individuals, families and communities.



He said that the various components namely: N-Powerjob scheme, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP)schemes - TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni, have been very helpful to many poor Nigerians.



Mr. Bawa also commended the efforts of the coordinators at all levels and urged them not to rest on their oars in the Next Level of the Buhari administration.



Earlier at the event, Barr. Ismaeel Ahmed, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SIPs, said “the National Social Investment Programmes have impactedmany lives across the country and plans are underway to improve on the gains recorded in the past three years”.



He said several persons have been engaged or empowered through the various components of the administration’s social welfare programme, noting that all aspects of the scheme would be improved upon in the Next Level.



“N-Power scheme currently engages 18,594 graduates in Kano State, while 1,043,014 children are being provided meals in public primary schools across the state,” he said.



According to him, “the Cash Transfers initiative has 51,350 households as beneficiaries spread across a total of 1,651 communities in Kano. Over 180,000 traders are currently benefitting from the Trader Moni programme and we are hoping to engage more people in the state.”



“In the next four years we will escalate the numbers especially for N-power we are recruiting another 120, 000 or more. We know that Kano being the largest state is going to receive the lion share as well.



“To round-up our programme for the conditional cash transfer from 15 local government, we are going to spread to all 44 local government areas of the state this year to make sure that every nook and cranny of Kano that are devastated with poverty are touched.



“The TraderMoni too is going to be increased, because we intend to give another 2 million people loans this year,” he added.



Ahmed urged all beneficiaries, including those in Kano,to pray for the success of the programme in the Next Level and for President Buhari, noting that “the President needed prayers, not only for good health, but for divine guidance and protection to succeed in his second term”.



According to him, “Nigerians, irrespective of their religion or political inclination must continue to pray for the President, noting that the nation is undergoing positive changes under his leadership.”

Take Reno Omokri Serious to your own Peril

Just read a letter Reno Omokri wrote to Osinbajo on Leah Shiabu. I agree the govt should double efforts on her release especially because she is the only christian still in captivity. I price Leah Shiabu's tenacity to her Christian faith and acknowledge her as my hero. I know some children of perdition have got opportunity to build their lie on islamization agenda that is real only in their figment of imagination. These enemies of Nigeria are out to destroy our well price democracy using religion and ethnicity as a facade to cover their rapacious greed and primitive spirit of wealth acquisition

However before I get confused, was Reno not an aide to GEJ when Chibok girls were captivated? Common why is the complacent Reno taking this Leah Shaibu case so serious now? Or is Reno activism and religiosity a product of the frustration of losing elections? I see Reno a man that gets bitter after each electoral victory. His bitterness began after GEJ lost elections. Maybe he is calculating the lost of an opportunity for a private jet if looters where still in power. His bitterness has surfaced after the Dubia plan has failed and Buhari has been legally inaugurated after all efforts to criminally stop the inauguration

Forget Reno when he carries the Bible and pretend before you, forget a man with double standards. I am the last to take this greedy demon with the Bible serious. If you want to take Reno serious, you are at your peril.

Let me not be too hard, Reno sarcasm accelerate to a geometrical level after electoral victory. The Dubai promise Atiku made for him have been defeated again by PMB victory so expect more of a paranoid Pastor Reno. I am expecting more criticism from Reno, politics appears to have been his soul source of hope to participate in the sharing loots by the corrupt friends he surrounds himself with. He chose corruption and worked with the most corrupt. Abeg leave Reno because everything he does is in accord with anything belle face.

Joseph Odok PhD Esq

PDP GOT IT WRONG ON INAUGURATION SPEECH- BMO

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has upbraided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on its comments on the absence of an inauguration speech by President Muhammadu Buhari while being sworn in for second term in office on May 29.

The group noted that the PDP’s criticism on the issue was unnecessary, frivolous, mischievous and sheer fault-finding.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has not been playing to the gallery, unlike previous PDP administrations which dwelt on inanities in its sixteen years in office, while the country’s infrastructure deteriorated.

“The President has toed a different path by concentrating on improving the welfare of ordinary Nigerians and we all know it that President Buhari is a performer and not a talker.

“We insist that rather than PDP whining over the May 29 speech, it should appreciate President Buhari’s numerous achievements in agriculture, rail and roads infrastructure in the country. It is on record that by the end of his first four years in office, President Muhammadu Buhari has constructed, reconstructed and rehabilitated over 200,000 kilometers of roads nationwide.”

BMO stated further that President Buhari’s achievements speak volumes and he does not need lengthy speeches to give account, adding that it is non-performers who take refuge in long speeches in order to obfuscate their failures.

"Nigerians know that President Buhari is a silent achiever, he does the needful and allows the people to judge him by his actions and the good result therefrom.

"In line with the policy of the Buhari administration to ensure transparency and accountability in governance, about 20,000 ghost pensioners and 50,000 ghost workers were delisted from the federal government payroll. This humongous number of ghost workers and pensioners were condoned under the past PDP administrations which allowed corruption to fester at the expense of critical national development.”

The group therefore advised the PDP to stop overheating the polity with its unnecessary criticisms which, according to BMO, lack substance and depth, “as President Buhari is focused and committed to the economic well-being, security and prosperity of all Nigerians.”

WE WILL NOT BETRAY NIGERIANS’ TRUST, OSINBAJO ASSURES AT INAUGURATION DINNER

“We are grateful to the almighty God for His grace by which this was possible and the Nigerian people for trusting us yet again; that trust will not be betrayed.


“And so on behalf of Mr. President, please accept our deepest gratitude for your support and presence here this evening. The best years of Nigeria begin today, and by the Grace of God all of us will live to enjoy the coming years and many more.”


REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE INAUGURATION DINNER HELD AT THE STATE HOUSE BANQUET HALL ON WEDNESDAY MAY 29, 2019

PROTOCOLS


First, let me thank you one and all for making the time to attend this inauguration dinner. Many have come from different parts of the country and a good number from abroad.

Your coming to the inauguration is proof of your friendship but more importantly your belief in the democratic process and your support for the outcome of this process: the decisive victory of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari, at the presidential polls.


Something interesting happened earlier today. I am a lawyer and a law teacher and I like to test and interrogate legal scenarios.


At one minute past midnight today. The four-year term of Mr. President and I ended by effluxion of time. So, from one minute past 12 of last night, May 29 to about 10:30 am when we were sworn in for a second term there was no President or Vice President.


Interestingly nothing went wrong, all was okay. When such a situation arises it is the Senate President who acts as President. So, when I arrived at Eagle Square this morning some may have noticed that the Senate President and I were enjoying a joke. He said to me jokingly “you better be careful you know I am the acting President now”. So, we thank Mr. Senate President for not doing anything funny.


As you know, our campaign slogan was ‘Next Level’. And you know that very few people forget campaign promises, even those who are closest to you. My cook in Lagos as soon as he saw me after we won the elections started to sing “everything to the Next Level”. I didn’t know how to respond because I knew that the chap was thinking of a next level salary.


By the way, it is not just junior staff who are always talking about the Next Level. General Gowon, a few minutes ago was telling me that he asked Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the APC Chairman, why he was not wearing his customary Khaki shirt and trousers and of course the Comrade pointed out that this is Next level.


But the worst example of this Next Level is a rude fellow who said to me “you people promised change when you came and after you resumed office you started saying change begins with you. Let me warn that Lai Mohammed, if he tries Next Level begins with you...I will kidnap him”.


The beauty of democracy is the orderly and civilized process of transition. But perhaps more importantly is the sanctity of and respect for the will and choice of the people.


On February 23rd the Nigerian people freely made a choice to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office. It was that choice that we celebrated with pomp and pageantry this morning.


We are grateful to the almighty God for His grace by which this was possible and the Nigerian people for trusting us yet again; that trust will not be betrayed.


And so on behalf of Mr. President, please accept our deepest gratitude for your support and presence here this evening. The best years of Nigeria begin today, and by the Grace of God all of us will live to enjoy the coming years and many more.


God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria


Thank you.


Released by

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President

30th May 2019

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 


PRESS RELEASE


VICE PRESIDENT OSINBAJO SUBMITS ASSETS DECLARATION FORMS

 

Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony slated for tomorrow, 29 May 2019 and in compliance with the requirement of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has submitted his assets declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).


The submission by the Vice President follows right after President Muhammadu Buhari submitted his forms.


The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research, Legal and Compliance Matters, Office of the Vice President, Dr. Balkisu Saidu, submitted the completed forms to the Chairman of the CCB, Professor Mohammed Isa, on behalf of the Vice President. 


Compared with the assets Prof. Osinbajo declared in 2015, the forms show no significant changes in his assets; as there are no new real properties, shareholding or bank accounts.




Laolu Akande 

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity

Office of the Vice President 

28 May 2019

GOOD GOVERNANCE ALIEN TO PDP CULTURE - BMO

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot appreciate good governance because it spent its 16 years in government mismanaging the country and entrenching wrongdoing as the norm, according to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO).



The group, in a statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, its Chairman and Secretary respectively, stated that the PDP during the 16 years it ran the affairs of the country, up-ended normalcy and adopted irregularities as the norm, hence its inability to understand good governance under the President Buhari administration.



“We are not surprised to read the statement from the PDP throwing tantrums and accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of everything possible and for anything happening in the country; the statements smack of the party’s inability to see and appreciate good governance and strong institutions.



“For instance, the investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) of Senate President, Saraki Bukola is a simple case of an institution doing its work. If Saraki, a member of the PDP, has a case to answer, let him do so. An innocent man with no skeletons in his cupboard has nothing to fear. Nigeria has institutions with the mandate of investigating fraud and financial malfeasances. If they find a person to be a suspect in the breach of any of our laws in this regard, they would act accordingly, investigate and prosecute where necessary.



“It is unfortunate that the PDP is not used to seeing institutions working and is consequently confused by the sight of them working without being teleguided.



“President Buhari respects institutions and does not interfere with their work. He believes that institutions must be allowed to do their work and not be meddled with.



“The PDP is not used to this as, during its 16 years in government, it employed government institutions as tools for bullying critics and silencing opposition.”



The group stated that President Buhari would not bastardise government institutions, and because of his respects for our Federalism, he would not interfere with the domestic affairs of States.

“President Buhari respects Nigeria as a constitutional Federation, he would not be found interfering with how States run their internal and domestic affairs. Events that have taken place in Kano State are purely local and domestic, he may have his opinion on them but would not in any way tacitly or overtly interfere with the way and manner the State manages its domestic affairs.



“This is in sharp contrast with the PDP, who throughout its 16 years in power employed draconian and unlawful tactics to impeach Governors, destroy institutions and remove National Assembly leaders who were not in good terms with the party leaders.”



The group stated that the era of the PDP administration was one marked with the lowest levels of respect for institutions and provided the worst models of governance.



“With the unfortunate and chaotic manner the PDP ran Nigeria in 16 years, we are not surprised it is finding it hard to appreciate good governance and institution building.”

BMO BLASTS PDP OVER UNFOUNDED CLAIMS ON JUNE 12

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of embarking on a fruitless ego trip with its criticism of the Federal Government’s decision to schedule some Inauguration Day ceremonies for June 12 2019.

The group described the opposition party as mischievous for suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari would be inaugurated for a second term in office on the day, as opposed to May 29, which the Constitution recognises as the inauguration day for a new political dispensation.

BMO said in a statement signed by Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that it was amused that a party that outrightly refused to recognise the sanctity of June 12 for 16 years now wants to be seen as the defender of Nigeria’s democratic culture.

“Here is a party that is today speaking on what it described as sanctity of a day that it has the temerity to term as ‘our Democracy Day’. Yet, it was in total control of the Executive and Legislature at the centre for all of 16 years during which it had three different Presidents but failed to do anything to accord official recognition to a day that it now agrees is important in the annals of Nigeria’s political history.

“We are indeed shocked that the party whose members were the biggest beneficiaries of June 12 sacrifice now remembers that Moshood Abiola ‘stood and died for democracy’, but did everything possible to stop him from being immortalized while it rode roughshod over Nigeria and Nigerians.

“It is therefore nothing more than an ego trip to nowhere for PDP to criticise the federal government’s decision to move some second term inauguration ceremonies to June 12 and yet seek to claim the day as ‘our democracy day’.

“But we need to let opposition elements know that whether inauguration ceremonies are held on May 29 or June 12, the President did enough in his first term to earn the trust of the majority of Nigerians that cast their ballots on February 23,” the group said.

BMO also accused the PDP leaders of attempting to revise recent history with their claim of a stolen mandate which it insisted only existed in the imagination of their members and a group of political elite that is used to living off government patronage.

“We wonder how long PDP would continue to live in a fool’s paradise with its constant refrain of a stolen mandate in an election that all its key campaign spearheads lost in their polling units, just like their presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar was unable to muster enough votes in his immediate constituency in Adamawa State to defeat President Buhari.

“Many of their allies across the country, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the factional Afenifere leadership were also roundly rejected in their polling units, wards and states by the mass of Nigerians who were clearly averse to a return of the rapacious PDP years.

“We at BMO again want to remind the party and its leaders that the February 23 Presidential election conferred 100% legitimacy on the President for a second term with a margin that is more than the combined population of Swaziland, Equatorial Guinea and Mauritius.

“We are convinced that the Presidential election Petition Tribunal would consign their claim, which is predicated on fake INEC server result, to the dustbin of history where it rigthly belongs."

The group also expressed hope that the next set of National Assembly members would take the necessary legislative action to establish June 12 as the National Democracy Day.

REPUBLIC OF BENIN SENDS SPECIAL ENVOY TO NIGERIA ON COUNTRY’S POLITICAL SITUATION

President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin has sent a Special Envoy to Nigeria to deliver a message to President Muhammadu Buhari on the country’s political situation.


Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, received in audience, the delegation from the Republic of Benin led by Mr Pascal Irenn Koupaki, the special envoy of President Talon who delivered the correspondence.


Mr Koupaki was accompanied by Mr Aurelien Agbenonci, the Beninese Minister of Foreign Affairs and other officials.


In his remarks, Prof. Osinbajo said Nigeria looks forward to a peaceful and amicable resolution of the political situation in Benin Republic.


Prof. Osinbajo assured the delegation that he would convey the message from President Talon to "his brother."


He said: “ President Buhari looks forward to a peaceful and amicable resolution of the ongoing political issues in Benin Republic.”


Earlier, Mr Pascal Irenn Koupaki said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to present two memos from President Patrice Talon to his Nigerian counterpart, President Muhammadu Buhari on the issues surrounding the general elections in Benin Republic.


He said the Beninoise leader sent the message to the Nigerian leader "as a big brother that deserves to know what is happening next door.”


Also present at the event was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman, other officials at Nigeria and Benin Republic’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
15th May 2019