FG'S ANTI CORRUPTION PROGRESS REPORT BY VP OSINBAJO

*Recounts FG’s efforts in tackling grand corruption

*Adds: Next Level is to create environment for closer collaboration among government agencies, civil society & other stakeholders


“And since 2015 much has been done in this battle against corruption. But we are not even slightly deluded into thinking that we have won the battle, certainly not. We are still very far away but we must admit that we are much closer to finding solutions than when we began.

“Our policy was to tackle grand corruption first. By this i mean the stealing of huge public resources directly from the treasury, usually at the behest of the highest levels of executive authority. And the stealing of budgeted funds through various schemes.

“How did we go about this - the enforcement of TSA, the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit, and even ensuring that most civil servants are on the IPPIS electronic platform (which simply is our way of ensuring that there are no ghost workers by putting all public officials including those in the Armed Forces and the police on the electronic payment platform) and this has greatly reduced ghost workers and ensured that all of our human resources are accounted for electronically.

“The judiciary also moved a little in recent times. The Supreme Court in a lead judgment of Akaahs JSC, recently held that forfeiture under Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act is a civil matter. So, it neither requires the criminal conviction of the property owner nor his innocence. This opens the door for forfeiture of assets that the purported owner cannot explain, whether or not there is an allegation of corruption.”

Below is the full text of the Vice President’s speech:

SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE SUMMIT ON CORRUPTION ORGANISED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGAINST CORRUPTION (PACAC) ON TUESDAY MAY 14, 2019 AT THE TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL, ABUJA.

PROTOCOLS


The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) certainly deserves our commendation, not just for their sterling, innovative contributions to the fight against corruption but for regularly setting the agenda for important conversations on the subject. This meeting, called to discuss "A collaborative approach to eradicating the evils of Corruption" is notably one of such.

For years, corruption has been by far, Nigeria’s most devastating problem. A recent PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS (PwC) study titled the Impact of Corruption on the Nigerian Economy made the following general findings and conclusions on the effects of corruption.

1. Corruption has a dynamic impact, which is felt more by poorer households and smaller companies.


2. Countries with higher corruption are associated with lower tax revenues and lower expenditures as a percentage of GDP in the most important indicators of human development namely; health and education.


3. Corruption is associated with erosion of talent in public institutions and therefore, government's effectiveness is eroded.


4. Corruption usually needs the creation of unnecessary bureaucracy, to enable further opportunities for bribes. This means that enforcement of contracts and property rights are hindered and weakened by corruption.


5. Corruption is associated with lower investment; and higher prices and barriers to entry for businesses.



6. Corruption is associated with lower average standard of living, education levels and greater inequality in society.


7. Nigeria’s 2030 GDP can be up by at least USD 534bn if we reduce corruption. And they said that if we reduce corruption by about 20%, we can actually have higher GDP. So, it really doesn’t matter how much revenue a country makes or how transformative its plans are. If it allows corruption to thrive; if it ensures that the majority of the people do not benefit from all of the revenues or all that the country is able to produce; or simply truncates the plans of the nation. Which is why despite the highest oil revenues in our history (the period between 2010 and 2014) debt doubled and poverty figures rose.

It is for these reasons that President Muhammadu Buhari famously warned that if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us. Which is why a major pillar of our government’s socio-economic agenda is the fight against corruption. And which is why perhaps one of first bodies to be set up in 2015 by the President was PACAC.

And since 2015 much has been done in this battle against corruption. But we are not even slightly deluded into thinking that we have won the battle, certainly not. We are still very far away but we must admit that we are much closer to finding solutions than when we began.

Our policy was to tackle grand corruption first. By this i mean the stealing of huge public resources directly from the treasury, usually at the behest of the highest levels of executive authority. And the stealing of budgeted funds through various schemes.

How did we go about this - the enforcement of TSA, the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit, and even ensuring that most civil servants are on the IPPIS electronic platform (which simply is our way of ensuring that there are no ghost workers by putting all public officials including those in the Armed Forces and the police on the electronic payment platform) and this has greatly reduced ghost workers and ensured that all of our human resources are accounted for electronically.

The judiciary also moved a little in recent times. The Supreme Court in a lead judgment of Akaahs JSC, recently held that forfeiture under Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act is a civil matter. So, it neither requires the criminal conviction of the property owner nor his innocence. This opens the door for forfeiture of assets that the purported owner cannot explain, whether or not there is an allegation of corruption.

We are now poised to deal with the wider problem of systemic corruption, especially where the average person interacts with government. It is that level of corruption that affects our people the most – where the average person is doing some business or is seeking some favour or some discretion from government. Corruption for example in the issuance of contracts, licenses and other government approvals. There is no reason why any Nigerian should have to pay bribes to law enforcement agents for obtaining drivers licenses or passports, or to clear goods at our ports.

All of the relevant government agencies have shown a serious commitment to eradicating these forms of corruption, our next level is to create the environment for collaboration between our agencies, civil society and other stakeholders.

But the most enduring solutions to ending corruption are those that take into account the fact the most potent weapon that corruption has, is its acceptance as the norm in any society. A situation where even the natural custodians of societal morality and values acquiesce in it, a situation where, in particular, religious pulpits, are silent about it.

An enemy configured in such complexity cannot be defeated by solely a law and order approach. It requires whole new national and individual re- orientation, a focus on attitudinal change. It must involve the collaboration of government, civil society especially the leadership of faith communities, school teachers and professional and other interest groups. This is why this meeting’s objectives are of great importance.

Finally, let me again congratulate PACAC on their landmark achievements in the past four years. Establishing PACAC was the first major action President Buhari took in the anti-corruption fight.

Since then, under the courageous and uncompromising leadership of one of the enduring sages in the legal profession and civil society, Professor Itse Sagay, PACAC has moved from strength to strength. Professor Sagay’s interventions on various critical issues of governance, the rule of law and corruption have definitively pointed opinion in the morally and legally just direction.

We must also congratulate PACAC on the recent Senate confirmation of your former Executive Secretary Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye as Chairman of the ICPC.

Our struggle against corruption is one for the soul and substance of our Nation. The battle must be a collective one, corruption fights back with venom, guile and force, it is relentless and unashamed we who fight it must meet it with greater resolve and force. We can only win by working together with a common vision.

While thanking you for listening it is now my pleasure and privilege to formally declare this meeting open.


Released by

Laolu Akande

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

14th May, 2019

Emefiele's Re-appointment as CBN Governor is a masterstroke–BMO

President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to re-appoint Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is a masterstroke that will further stabilise the economy.

According to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), the manner the Stock markets and analysts responded positively to the news of a second five-year term for the CBN governor is an indication of the correctness of the decision.

BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that the positive comments that trailed the decision showed that the President did not make a mistake in extending Emefiele’s tenure at Nigeria’s apex monetary authority.

“President Buhari came into office about a year into Emefiele’s tenure as CBN Governor, and though he could have found a reason to ease him out of office after inheriting an economy that was near comatose, he gave the former Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank the opportunity to prove himself.

“And as if the leash that was holding him back was removed when the All Progressives Congress (APC) came on board in 2015, the CBN Governor spear-headed a number of initiatives to put the country on a path of sustainable economic growth after it momentarily slipped into economic recession.

“So by handing Emefiele a second term, the President has shown that what matters to him is performance, not ethnic or religious consideration, contrary to the picture that opposition elements had painted to undiscerning Nigerians over the years, and also in the run-up to the 2019 elections.

“We are not surprised at the deluge of commendations from respected economists and financial analysts because we know President Buhari as an individual that considers capacity to perform and that is why he takes his time before taking decisions,” it said.

On what Emefiele did to deserve re-appointment, the pro-Buhari group pointed at the success story of the Anchors Borrowers Programme as one of the CBN’s major milestones under his watch.

This, it said, paved the way for the agricultural revolution that has since led to the reduction in rice import and has put Nigeria on the path of self-sustenance in rice production.

The group added: “After years of almost total dependence on imported rice from Thailand, the country now has hundreds of thousands of rice farmers who have benefitted from CBN support in terms of cash and farm inputs.

“At the last count, the programme has since 2015 disbursed N174.4bn to 902,518 farmers through 19 financial institutions and has created 2.8 million and 8.4 million direct and indirect jobs respectively.

“The CBN also introduced the Real Sector Support fund; a facility meant to provide cheap funding at not more than nine per cent interest rate to new projects in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.



“And like many analysts, we acknowledge that the Bank’s decision to stop importers of 41 items from having access to foreign currencies went a long way in shoring up the value of the Naira at a time the currency was threatening to go as high as 700 to a dollar. Also, the country’s foreign reserve under Emefiele's watch has risen progressively, compared to the pre-Buhari era when it was on a regular decline.

“We at BMO recognise that the Bank’s monetary policies have also ensured that inflation has been relatively tamed and we dare say that now that it is down to 11.25% as at March 2019, and 11.23 projected for April, Nigeria could have a single digit inflation rate in a matter of months."

The group expressed hope that Emefiele would repay President Buhari’s good gesture by doing far more than he has done in the last five years.

Emefiele's Re-appointment as CBN Governor is a masterstroke–BMO

President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to re-appoint Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is a masterstroke that will further stabilise the economy.

According to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), the manner the Stock markets and analysts responded positively to the news of a second five-year term for the CBN governor is an indication of the correctness of the decision.

BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that the positive comments that trailed the decision showed that the President did not make a mistake in extending Emefiele’s tenure at Nigeria’s apex monetary authority.

“President Buhari came into office about a year into Emefiele’s tenure as CBN Governor, and though he could have found a reason to ease him out of office after inheriting an economy that was near comatose, he gave the former Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank the opportunity to prove himself.

“And as if the leash that was holding him back was removed when the All Progressives Congress (APC) came on board in 2015, the CBN Governor spear-headed a number of initiatives to put the country on a path of sustainable economic growth after it momentarily slipped into economic recession.

“So by handing Emefiele a second term, the President has shown that what matters to him is performance, not ethnic or religious consideration, contrary to the picture that opposition elements had painted to undiscerning Nigerians over the years, and also in the run-up to the 2019 elections.

“We are not surprised at the deluge of commendations from respected economists and financial analysts because we know President Buhari as an individual that considers capacity to perform and that is why he takes his time before taking decisions,” it said.

On what Emefiele did to deserve re-appointment, the pro-Buhari group pointed at the success story of the Anchors Borrowers Programme as one of the CBN’s major milestones under his watch.

This, it said, paved the way for the agricultural revolution that has since led to the reduction in rice import and has put Nigeria on the path of self-sustenance in rice production.

The group added: “After years of almost total dependence on imported rice from Thailand, the country now has hundreds of thousands of rice farmers who have benefitted from CBN support in terms of cash and farm inputs.

“At the last count, the programme has since 2015 disbursed N174.4bn to 902,518 farmers through 19 financial institutions and has created 2.8 million and 8.4 million direct and indirect jobs respectively.

“The CBN also introduced the Real Sector Support fund; a facility meant to provide cheap funding at not more than nine per cent interest rate to new projects in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.



“And like many analysts, we acknowledge that the Bank’s decision to stop importers of 41 items from having access to foreign currencies went a long way in shoring up the value of the Naira at a time the currency was threatening to go as high as 700 to a dollar. Also, the country’s foreign reserve under Emefiele's watch has risen progressively, compared to the pre-Buhari era when it was on a regular decline.

“We at BMO recognise that the Bank’s monetary policies have also ensured that inflation has been relatively tamed and we dare say that now that it is down to 11.25% as at March 2019, and 11.23 projected for April, Nigeria could have a single digit inflation rate in a matter of months."

The group expressed hope that Emefiele would repay President Buhari’s good gesture by doing far more than he has done in the last five years.

Buhari Heaps Praises On Osinbajo For Driving FG’S Social Investments Programmes

President Muhammadu Buhari has heaped praises on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for driving Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) and for drawing the government closer to the people.

It was a rare public demonstration of the President’s affection and endorsement of his deputy, and he spoke generously and ex tempore, straight from the heart.

President Buhari spoke Monday night at the breaking of fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he hosted top government officials on Monday.

He said the programmes driven by Prof Osinbajo have been “very successful”. According to the President, his deputy was ahead of him in pushing for the programmes as he was initially reluctant.

He said programmes like TraderMoni, MarketMoni, School Feeding Programme and other SIPs have reduced poverty and out-of-school pupils in Nigeria since implementation began.

“When I drive around the country, what upsets me the most is the state of poor people in this country. You see young people, the almajiris with torn clothes and plastic bowls. They are looking basically for what to eat.

“The question of education is a luxury. I think that the Nigerian elite are failing because I think we should have a programme that will at least guarantee some basic education for people no matter how poor they are.

“So, I welcome the Vice President’s initiative on feeding in schools. If you check in some of the communities the attendance in schools has improved because a lot children can get at least one good meal a day. But culturally, some elites are merciless; they don’t care about other people.”

He added that, “This MarketMoni, I have warned the Vice President that I don’t want him to be mobbed. The way women in the markets move to welcome him.

“These are very good initiatives, I must admit that they endeared many people to our government. The free meals, the N5,000, (Conditional Cash Transfer), N10,000, (TraderMoni) are fantastic programmes and I must admit that the Vice President did it and they have been very successful,” he said.

He then charged Nigerians to embrace peace and unity during and after the Ramadan. “For the remaining (I don’t count because it is still long before Ramadan ends) weeks, I wish you and your families a very good Ramadan, and may God give us the strength to last through,” President Buhari said.

Prof. Osinbajo, who spoke on behalf of the members of the cabinet, said that regardless of ethnic and religion affiliations Nigerians must continue to be their brothers’ keepers and must work towards building a united nation.

“I think is auspicious that this particular (end of) Ramadan falls at the eve of the new term in office.

“So, it is an opportunity for us to remind ourselves over the core mandates which is the welfare and security of majority of our people,’’ he said.

PRESIDENT BUHARI'S 2ND TERM INAUGURATION WILL BE A LOW-KEY AFFAIR

Being Text of a press conference addressed by the Hon Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the State House in Abuja on Monday, May 13th 2019


President Muhammadu Buhari's inauguration for a second term on May 29,
2019, will be a low-key affair, as a number of the events slated for
the inauguration will now be held during the first observance of June
12 as the National Democracy Day

The decision to have a low-key inauguration for the President was taken at the meeting
of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, 8 May 2019.

However, invitations have been sent to all world leaders
to attend the ceremonies marking the observance of the Democracy Day
on June 12.

Since the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day falls into an
election year, and as a measure to sustain June 12 as Democracy Day,
the celebration of the inauguration and the advancement of democracy
in the country will now take place on June 12. The country can ill-afford two major celebrations within a
two-week interval.

Details of the events slated for the two ceremonies will
be unveiled at a world press conference slated for May 20th in Abuja

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

THE COMMON MAN REMAINS OUR FIRST PRIORITY, SAYS VP OSINBAJO IN BAUCHI

*Speaks of forthcoming expansion of Buhari's Social Investment

*How State Govt mobilized people to tap into the Programmes

The successes recorded in the deployment of the Social Investment Programmes across the country and the planned expansion of the schemes in the Next Level reveals the Buhari administration’s commitment to the welfare of the common man, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this over the weekend during his engagements in Bauchi including the commissioning of the Bauchi state Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Shared Facility for soap and groundnut oil making clusters, the launch of a rural electrification project covering 22 villages and other projects executed by the state government.

The MSMEs Shared Facility project is an initiative of the Federal Government under the National MSMEs Clinic in partnership with state governments to provide equipment and other facilities in clusters for use by individual MSMEs who are not able to acquire such equipment and facilities on their own.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “President Muhammadu Buhari has always been committed to the welfare of the common man and that is why one of the major programmes of the Federal Government is the Social Investment Programmes.

“All of the schemes – the N-Power, the School Feeding Programme, the Conditional Transfers, the GEEP schemes and the MSMEs clinic, are the President’s own way of saying that the first priority of our government is the common man - those who cannot take care of themselves or those who are struggling very hard to do so.”

Speaking specifically on the impact of the Federal Government’s SIPs in Bauchi State, the Vice President said the state government had done well in ensuring that the people were properly mobilized to participate in all the schemes hence the impressive figures recorded by the state in the various components of the SIPs.

“I recall that when we started the SIPs, the very first state that efficiently used our portal under the N-Power job scheme was Bauchi state.

“The state governor made sure that several young men and women of Bauchi state were able to use the portal and to the surprise of many, some of the largest number of persons who were registered on the portal were from Bauchi state.

“Today, under the N-Power, Bauchi has 13, 075 beneficiaries, & 972 under N-Build. Under the Homegrown School Feeding Programme, 618,124 pupils are fed every day here in Bauchi.

“In addition to that, we have farmers benefitting from our SIPs. Currently, we have about 9,799 farmers who have been given micro-credits to support their works. Under the TraderMoni,
Bauchi has one of the largest figures in the scheme with 39,000 beneficiaries. We have done conditional transfers to 23,000 persons under our Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme,” the Vice President added.

Prof. Osinbajo also lauded the launch of the Bauchi Health Contributory Scheme and the Health Trust Fund, describing it as “historic and commendable”.

He said the state government had scored an important point by taking on the responsibility of providing for a contributory scheme for its citizens and also a health trust fund.

According to him, “modern way of funding health care is by either creating a contributory scheme or by having in place a trust fund. The launch of these schemes here in Bauchi is a landmark development in the social and economic development of the state.”

Earlier on arrival in Bauchi state, the Vice President proceeded to Ningi Local Government Area where he commissioned the Burra electrification project executed by the state government.

In a short remark, the Vice President commended the state government for the project, noting that it was in line with the agenda of the Buhari administration, and assuring the people of the area and the state of more such infrastructure projects by the Federal Government.

While in Bauchi, the Vice President also continued his Family Chat engagements with Nigerians with a visit to the family of Mohammed Musa Usman – one of the outstanding MSMEs identified during the clinic organized in Bauchi in 2018.

Previously a scrap collector, Alhaji Usman now makes Suya grilling machine using scrap metals and makes belts and shoes using abandoned tires. He currently employs seven persons.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
12th May, 2019
Copyright © 2019, Office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, All rights reserved.

Outstanding ₦5trillion AMCON Debt: FG To Deal With Debtors – Vice President
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN at the weekend dropped the hint that the Federal Government would deal decisively with individuals and organisations that made the list of high-profile obligors of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). He said they have made it impossible for the corporation to resolve its outstanding N5trillion debt thereby holding the entire nation to ransom with their bad behaviour.

Prof. Osinbajo who is the Chairman of the Economic Council also disclosed plans by government to set up an inter-agency collaboration framework that would comprise relevant government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and supervised by the office of the Vice President to ensure that institutions and individuals that are indebted to AMCON are not allowed to do business with government henceforth.

The Vice President who spoke when he received some Board members and Management of AMCON at the State House, Abuja led by the Board Chairman, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN said the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, will no longer fold its hands and allow a few individuals that owe AMCON huge sums of money walk freely on the streets in the country. He said, “I think the time has come for us (Federal Government) to set some examples with some of these top debtors of AMCON, which I believe will set a good example and serve as deterrent to others.”

Prof. Osinbajo who said he was impressed with the performance of the executive management of AMCON under the leadership of Ahmed Lawan Kuru for the recovery successes that have been achieved so far against all odds, also promised that the Federal Government would give AMCON whatever support that is necessary to enable them go after the obligors that have remained recalcitrant despite the olive branch extended to them over the years by the recovery agency of the government.

He said, “I congratulate AMCON for the work done so far having recovered over N1trillion and counting both in cash and in assets. The work you do as a recovery agency is not something that is particularly easy or encouraging because we all know how Nigeria works. But we are committed to working more closely with your administration to ensure that these monies are recovered from AMCON obligors because it will help our economy and provide the government with more money to continue to improve on the development of infrastructure across the nation.”

Osinbajo said in the next couple of days, he would invite the AMCON team alongside other relevant MDAs to discuss and fine-tune plans on how to ensure that anybody or agency that is a debtor to AMCON are completely made to face the wrath of the Federal Government as those who are indebted to the government are direct enemies of both the government and the people of Nigeria.

Earlier in his presentation, Dr. Banire who said AMCON’s visit to the Vice President was congratulate him and President Muhammadu Buhari on their recent victory at the polls, also highlighted some of the challenges and frustrations faced by AMCON as a result of the attitudes of some debtors who behave as if they are above the law in the country.

While calling on the government to rally round AMCON if they indeed want the corporation to succeed Banire said, “AMCON has been able to recover over N1 trillion since inception to 2018-year end. Out of the recovered sum, cash accounted for 60% while non-cash assets such as properties and equity securities accounted for the balance of 40%. Over the same period, AMCON’s repayment of its indebtedness to the CBN was over N1 trillion.

“As at end of December, 2018, AMCON’s Assets Under Management (AUM) amounted to about N172.5 billion. It is noteworthy to state that out of the total real estate properties, assets available for sale is valued at N62 billion. Of this N62 billion about 83% comprises of bare land and other assets, which may need considerable improvements to convert into income generating assets. Your Excellency may recall that in September 2018 following the takeover of Skye Bank Plc. by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), AMCON was again invited to inject a total sum of NN898.45 billion as capital thereby leading to the emergence of another bridged bank named Polaris Bank Limited.

“The intervention in Skye Bank was caused majorly by internal abuse by the operators. As a result of that development, AMCON’s total debt obligation to the CBN, is currently in excess of N6 trillion. And it is evident that the Federal Government cannot afford to write off this debt in the short term, hence, our moral obligation to pursue obligors and recover the debts owed. But, despite the successes recorded, the corporation has been facing a number of challenges, which includes obligors resorting to all manner of tactics to avoid honouring their obligations. Whilst some are still enjoying government patronage, others are using the judiciary and adopting on legal technicalities to stall recovery, which is why we need a new strategy to enable AMCON meet its mandate before sunset.”

Kuru in his own submission while acknowledging the Vice President for his support to AMCON all these years however added that he cannot wait for the take-off of the inter-agency collaboration, which Prof. Osinbajo talked about because such a move would compel all sister agencies to be on the same page in the interest of the country. Kuru also reminded the Vice President that AMCON’s debts sits on the government’s balance sheet with CBN, and failure to recover may result to serious consequences including recourse to tax payers’ money, which must be avoided. He said for an organisation like AMCON with sunset date, all hands must be on deck to provide the support required. According to him, considering the huge portfolio of debt, no obligor must be allowed to go scot free no matter how highly placed in the society.

Bauchi agog as Osinbajo commissions projects, MSME centre

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday was in Bauchi, Northern Nigeria to commission projects built and completed by Governor Mohammed Abubakar.

Amongst other projects commissioned, the Vice President visited Barra, in Ningi Local Government Area of the state where he commissioned an electrification project that will power 22 villages in the environs.

He was accompanied by Governor Abubakar who stated that the contract for the project was awarded at the cost of N589.79 million.
Also present was Federal Inland Revenue Chairman, Mr. Babtunde Fowler.

Giving the vote of thanks, the Emir of Ningi, Alh Yunusa Danyaya, commended the federal and state governments for citing various projects in the area.
Danyaya called for the creation of Burra Local Government Area out of the present Ningi Local Government Area of the state.
He also called on the Federal Government to allocate more projects to the area, considering its high population.

The Vice President who was overwhelmed by the outpouring of joy and support from the Emir and people of Bauchi also commissioned a shared facility for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Bauchi State Health Contributory scheme.

He also had his unique Family Chat in the home of Muhammed Musa Usman, one of the outstanding MSMEs entrepreneurs identified during the MSME Clinic organized in Bauchi State in October 2018.

During his chat, he lauded Mr. Usman who previously was a scrap collector, now makes Suya grilling machines from scrap metals.

He also makes belts and shoes using abandoned tires. He currently employs seven people on his books and is looking to expand his business to further support his community.

The Vice President assured the people of Bauchi that President Muhammadu Buhari will make good his promise on making Nigeria a better place for all.

He said the Federal Government will continue its people-oriented policies and will ensure that Nigeria works for Nigerians.

The visit coincides with a dusk to dawn curfew imposed on four communities located on the outskirts of Bauchi metropolis following breach of the peace in those areas.

Recurring civility of Buhari’s Star Boy, Osinbajo wins more converts

By Tope Templer Olaiya

There’s presently no challenger; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is the undisputed poster boy of Buhari’s first-term presidency. And by each passing day, the Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) carves a niche for himself through his conduct and carriage of rising above the ashes of a floundering administration to earn the sobriquet, Star Boy.

Long before President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated his cabinet in November 2015, one man had been primed to take that space, the former governor of Lagos State. Babatunde Raji Fashola, a.k.a. Eko oni baje, was propelled then as the poster boy of the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) that won the hearts of many during the 2015 elections.

And when the cabinet was unveiled with the president assigning three heavy portfolios – power, works and housing – to Fashola, the coast was clear for the Lagos ‘golden boy’ to transit from APC’s poster boy to Buhari’s actualizer, but it is another Lagos ‘golden boy’ that has taken the shine and grabbed the medal of this administration’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. He is by popular acclaim the Buhari administration’s ‘Star Boy,’ the poster boy of efficiency, commitment, honesty and loyalty.


Both friends and foes, young and old are left enamored by the vice president’s exemplary and humble lifestyle, especially his ebullient spirit and ability to maintain uncommon composure in the face of threats and barrages of attacks.

Tuesday’s incident was unscripted. It was the latest of the vice president’s recurring civility and addition to his expanding crest lined with badges of honour. Angry youths of Gbagyi village in Abuja had blocked the busy Umaru Yar’Adua expressway connecting the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to protest against the alleged land grab by the Nigerian Army.

The vice president was heading to the airport on his way to Ekiti State to launch the Homegrown School Feeding Programme when he ran into the protesters at Goza village. The protesters blocked Osinbajo’s motorcade and all entreaties by his security aides to appease the youths failed. They were only disarmed and placated when the Star Boy seized the moment, alighted from his bulletproof Mercedes Benz to engage with the angry youths, by proposing to meet with their leaders on the matter and intervene with a view to finding an amicable solution.

Instantly, the people ended the protest and opened the highway for free passage. Still not done, the vice president didn’t order his convoy to squeeze through the congested road, he waited to ensure cars ahead of his convoy went on first and then got back into his car to continue his trip to the airport. Deservedly, the once incensed youths now formed a guard of honour that stretched several miles to bid him goodbye.

That was a simple but classic act of courage and leadership, which has never failed the vice president in the last four years, especially at critical periods when he mounted the saddle as acting president.

Acting otherwise with an excessive show of force would have been expected but out of character for Osinbajo. A similar incident with a different outcome occurred in December 2015 when the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, ran into the annual procession of the Shiites Muslim sect in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The ensuing clash turned violent, leading to the deaths of over 300 sect members and incarceration of the sect leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife since then. It is, therefore, left to be imagined what would have been left in the wake of such obstruction if it had been the motorcade of the president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Osinbajo left that rowdy scene, arrived in Ekiti, performed his official function but what makes the man so much loved still trailed him to Ekiti when he visited the man who served as official driver to Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The senior citizen, Pa Olajide Olabode, aged 87 and his family was visibly elated and felt honoured.

Apart from serving as official driver to the late sage, he also functioned in same capacity and had the privilege to interact with the former governor of Western Region, Oba Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, who was also the Ooni of Ife; the former Premier, Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola and the first Military Governor, Western Region, General Adeyinka Adebayo. Pa Olabode was also the chauffeur of visiting head of states that included Julius Nyerere of Tanzania.

Before then, Osinbajo had sat on a school bench to eat with pupils of St. Michael’s African Primary School, Ado-Ekiti after the launch of School Feeding Programme.

Long before the TraderMoni social intervention scheme was launched that would see Osinbajo visit major markets across the length and breath of the country, he had also being a crowd’s man. Osinbajo in 2017 had almost caused a scare in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, when he went for a state visit.

On arrival at the airport, then acting president Osinbajo had inspected the guard of honour mounted by troops of the Army, Navy and Air Force before proceeding to the palace of the Obong of Calabar for a brief interaction. On the way, a visibly elated Osinbajo stopped his motorcade along the IBB Way to meet the cheering crowd, especially pupils of Federal Government Girls College, Calabar, who trooped out to catch a glimpse of his motorcade.

He not only walked a long distance just to shake hands with the crowd, an elderly woman from the throng forced her way to Osinbajo bringing freshly harvested vegetables to present to the vice president in a tray. That gesture melted the heart of Osinbajo who couldn’t help but reward the old woman with a tight hug.

Ever since then, the vice president has always been greeted by a mob wherever he goes, a situation even his security details sometimes find difficult to control.

As a polemicist, Osinbajo enjoys sermonizing. He likes to espouse on issues. As a university lecturer and senior advocate, he is in his elements when engaging on issues to win diehards to his side. As a vice president, he has taken his long years of scholarly antecedents with measured steps to tackle the matters of state that begged his attention.

He won hearts, even from unexpected quarters, and somewhat courted some enemies, with his swift response to the blockade of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) during one of his stints as acting president last year.

While some of the president’s appointees have riden roughshod in their line of duty with no respect for democratic norms and ethos, Osinbajo had stood at variance from such malfeasance like a rare breed cut out from a refined piece. That was what Lawal Daura, the sacked director-general of the DSS, tried to display when he ordered his operatives to take over the National Assembly. He had a mission, to prevent the leadership of the National Assembly from holding their scheduled meeting. But Osinbajo aborted the Daura coup.

It would also be recalled that while Buhari was away on his routine medical trips, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) staged a public show. It demanded a referendum on Biafra. Osinbajo, also acting president at that time, handled the situation with the maturity it deserved.

“Nigeria’s unity is one for which enough blood has been spilled and many hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost. Many have paid for the unity of this country with their lives, and it will be wrong of us, as men and women of goodwill in this generation, to toy with those sacrifices that have been made.

“The truth is that many, if not most nations of the world are made up of different peoples and cultures and beliefs and religions, who find themselves thrown together by circumstance. The most successful of the nations of the world are those who do not fall into the lure of secession, but who through thick and thin forge unity in diversity,” he said.

Osinbajo, subscribing to this civilised tenets of democratic form of government, weaved through the thorny issue of self-actualisation, but once he reverted to his nominal role as vice president, the cart soon turned and a crackdown was ordered on the unarmed and defenceless members of IPOB, codenamed Operation Python Dance. Many lost their lives in the process.

But the vice president is not all out for the show. He brings his intellectual rigour into governance. Last week, the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, though started late due to other state assignments he anchored in the absence of the president, went on late into the night on Thursday. That was not his first time; last year when he had cause to take charge of FEC meeting, the ministers were forced to deliberate for seven long hours.

His forward thinking approach to governance has been the soothing balm in moments of crisis. Once on a tour of duty in Rivers State in 2017, Osinbajo declared that the federal government would work with illegal refineries and help convert them to modular refineries.

His approach to the Niger Delta challenge is an approach of intelligence and diplomacy, which has achieved more in the restive region than the president’s ‘command and obey’ tactics. The man approached the region with compassion and understanding, not with threats and bluster.

He physically visited and toured the region, not to canvass for votes, but actually to get a firsthand on-the-spot assessment of the issues befuddling the Niger Delta. What was the result of his avowed civility, oil production continued to rise and militancy waned.

He is an efficient technocrat in politics. Little wonder he is regarded across combustible and corrosive party lines as Nigeria’s most effective No. 2 citizen ever. He gets the work done. He is down to earth. His brainpower and people management skill more than compensate for what he lacks in a towering physique.

Where many are announced by raw physical presence only, Osinbajo only needs to speak to announce his presence: very articulate, never caught unprepared in situations needing empirical validation; always thinking on his feet and hard as granite under the harmless exterior. And when situations demand it, he is never short on quotable riposte like his anecdote of the looted empty shop and needless security over it during his sparring session with Mr. Peter Obi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the vice presidential debate.

Again, Osinbajo does not strike one as an individual who has been changed by the power of his office. He is still the same good old ‘Jebby’ that his friends called him in the formative years. He appears more comfortable with being called ‘Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’ than being tagged with the awe-inducing ‘His Excellency’ label that tends to create a distance between the leader and the led.


Nigerians won’t forget in a hurry other few incidences where the vice president has shone brightly standing the middle ground between the government and the governed. In February 2017, there had been a mass movement of Nigerians mobilized for a nationwide anti-government protest tagged #IStandWithNigeria.

The protest was championed by music star, Tu Face Idibia, but he later succumbed to threats by the police not to lead Nigerians out on the protest. The rally lost a bit of momentum when the Afro-pop singer pulled out, citing security concerns, but his call to action had received widespread popular support and several civil society organisations keyed into it.

Yet at such difficult moment when responsibility fell on his shoulder to keep the country together in the midst of economic crisis skyrocketing prices of food items, then acting president, Osinbajo, received the protesters in Abuja and said: “We hear you loud and clear, those who are on the streets protesting the economic situation across the country and even those who are not, but feel the pain of economic hardship, we hear you loud and clear. You deserve a decent life and we are working night and day to make life easier.”

That statement, which was also posted on his social media handles, poured cold water on the fire the mass movement was generating.

It was a masterstroke that even disarmed a regular critic of the Buhari presidency, Reno Omokri. He had said then: “The man speaks to Nigerians as a leader should. He does not talk at us like the president. He talks to us. I may have issues with what he says sometimes but I am still impressed by his conduct and courteousness in office. Even if you do not like him, you must respect Vice President Osinbajo.

*Why Prof. Osinbajo must satisfy his conscience always*

By Ajibola Adekunle

For those of us privileged to have listened to Commander Ebenezer Obey in his hay day, these lyrics were golden. “Ko si ogbon to le da, ko si iwa to le wu, ko si ona ti ole gba, to le fi te aye lorun ooo”, it roughly translates to, there is nothing you will do in this life to satisfy the world.

The lyrics from Commander Obey’s song from the same titled album; “The Horse, The Man and His Son” resonate with me now as I watch the lifestyle of Nigeria’s globally respected Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

On Tuesday, VP Yemi Osinbajo launched the National Homegrown School Feeding Scheme in Ekiti, the 31st state in Nigeria, taking the total number of pupils benefitting from the Federal Government scheme above 9.5 million.

While most of Ekiti and environs was agog with the launch, there were as usual some discordant tunes on social media. For some of them, it was not the fact that the programme was launched in the Southwest State of Ekiti that actually vexed them, rather it was that Prof. Osinbajo was eating the food.

They claim that he is belittling the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria because he relates with the poor or lower class. They often condemn him for visiting markets across Nigeria, they condemn him for interacting with petty traders.

These are the same set of people who once claimed that the government was too far from the people, they are the same ones who once advocated that Nigerians should get social security, etc. but the truth is that one can never satisfy these people.

Like Commander Obey pointed out in his music, the VP should not try to do anything to please anyone, in any case, he never does that, he is a man of the people and if the elites don’t like it they can turn a blind eye to his activities.

Nigerians like him because he interacts with them freely, he knows where the shoe pinches them and most importantly he is doing all he can to improve the fortunes of the country.

If this letter ever gets to him, please Sir, just continue to do what you are doing, only God can reward you for the meritorious service to Nigeria.

*Abolaji Adekunle lives in Sagamu, Ogun State*

Osinbajo and the Abuja protesters...

There is something fascinating about the Vice President, he has this simple way of unravelling complex situation. This morning, some natives of Abuja took over the Abuja Airport road in protest of what they termed forceful occupation of their land by the Nigerian Army. Several attempts were made by security personnel to dislodge the protesters to no avail until the vice president arrived and pronto, without any show of force, he alighted from his vehicle, meandered through the thickness of the protest and began to address them.

From the rants and belligerent war songs that pervaded the road, it turned to a convivial songs of affection as the villagers reeled out their greviances not in venom but in dialogue. From Giri to Tunga Maje, has been taken over by the military in what the people described as a forced occupation. The vice president, they asked should use his good office to prevail on the army from taking over their ancestral land. By the time the man had finished speaking, it was the people soaked in unmitigated happiness and satisfaction that hailed endlessly as they opened the highway for motorists to pass!

How does Professor Yemi Osinbajo do this? How come he is always at home with the people? This is a study definitely in progress for students of political history. Shrewd understanding of the people, intimate ties with things that connect to the people and excellent human relationships are the combined wands employed by this man to solve very critical problems in a seamless manner. Leaders must adopt the Osinbajo model especially in resolving spontaneous conflicts.

Impressively musing
Abdullahi O. Haruna Haruspice

Osinbajo and the Abuja protesters...

There is something fascinating about the Vice President, he has this simple way of unravelling complex situation. This morning, some natives of Abuja took over the Abuja Airport road in protest of what they termed forceful occupation of their land by the Nigerian Army. Several attempts were made by security personnel to dislodge the protesters to no avail until the vice president arrived and pronto, without any show of force, he alighted from his vehicle, meandered through the thickness of the protest and began to address them.

From the rants and belligerent war songs that pervaded the road, it turned to a convivial songs of affection as the villagers reeled out their greviances not in venom but in dialogue. From Giri to Tunga Maje, has been taken over by the military in what the people described as a forced occupation. The vice president, they asked should use his good office to prevail on the army from taking over their ancestral land. By the time the man had finished speaking, it was the people soaked in unmitigated happiness and satisfaction that hailed endlessly as they opened the highway for motorists to pass!

How does Professor Yemi Osinbajo do this? How come he is always at home with the people? This is a study definitely in progress for students of political history. Shrewd understanding of the people, intimate ties with things that connect to the people and excellent human relationships are the combined wands employed by this man to solve very critical problems in a seamless manner. Leaders must adopt the Osinbajo model especially in resolving spontaneous conflicts.

Impressively musing
Abdullahi O. Haruna Haruspice

Atiku on UAE watchlist- Security sources.

Security operatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are keeping a close tab on a former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar who has been in the Middle East country for several weeks now.

This follows a leaked report of a meeting with individuals believed to have close links to key leaders of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) a group formerly known as Boko Haram which is waging a bloody insurgent warfare in Nigeria.

The leaked report seen by our correspondent referred to the meeting as "Doomsday Activate" and was strictly between the former Presidential candidate of the country's main opposition leader, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ISWAP facilitators in Abu Dhabi.

“The men who have the ears of the new ISWAP leader Abu Abdullah Idris bin Umar (a.k.a. Umar al-Barnawi) were flown in from Senegal on a private jet into the UAE last Wednesday for the meeting that began on Thursday night and ended on Friday afternoon, last week.

“This meeting was held in a hotel different from the one where the ISWAP allies were lodged,” it added.

It was against the backdrop of the meeting that security operatives began tracking the movement of the Nigeria’s former Vice President who had been in the Emirates since the February 23 Presidential election he lost to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.


It is not known if the Nigerian authorities had reached out to their UAE counterparts but both countries have a number of agreements including one on tackling terrorism and illicit flow of funds signed by President Buhari and Crown Prince Zayed Al Nahyin in 2016 which the security sources say has been triggered.


A Middle East security analyst said: "Nigeria and the UAE have no fewer than 9 agreements including the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty that have boosted bilateral relations between the countries on Buhari's watch and are been pursued with serious interest by the two sides.


“There is a good working relationship between security operatives in the two countries which has recorded a number of success stories that can’t be revealed because of the security nature of the issues and the individuals involved.”

A UAE foreign affairs spokeswoman declined comments but SITE,a website known for tracking global terror activities confirmed in an email that security operatives have indeed placed the Nigerian politician on its watchlist.

The action by the UAE security agencies also comes at a time the Nigerian army raised the alarm about efforts by some individuals and groups to escalate the security situation in the country with a view to derailing the inauguration of the President for a second term in office on May 29 2019.

The army spokesman Colonel Sagir Musa had said “These persons and groups are making concerted efforts to further induce ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists and bandits with funds and other logistic supports.


He had added that "their body language and unguarded utterances seems to imply tacit support for the criminals. For example, credible source has shown that some individuals are hobnobbing with Boko Haram terrorists, while others are deliberately churning falsehood against the security agencies with a view to set the military against the people and the government".


It would be recalled that since the 2019 general election, there had been a spike in insurgent attacks in the North East region of Africa’s most populous country where ISWAP still operates on the fringe of the Lake Chad region.

*Osinbajo averts impending unrest, calms FCT protesters*

*…Plans to meet with village heads to resolve crisis*

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday averted what was an impending civil unrest when he alighted from his convoy to assuage protesters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The Vice President who was headed to Ekiti state for the launch of the National Home Grown School Feeding scheme ran into the protesters who had barricaded the road, he alighted from his car and had a chat with the irate youths who began chanting his name soon as he was identified.

The protesters comprising mainly of young men and some women from Gbayi village were protesting at Gossa, the alleged invasion of their land by the Nigerian Military, urged the Vice President to intervene in the issue.

Responding to their plea, the Vice President assured them that he would meet with the village leaders to find lasting solution to the problem at hand.

He urged the youth to seek more diplomatic ways of solving issues. He assured them that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is dedicated to the people and that the dividend of democracy will be enjoyed by all.

The protesters said if they had known that the Vice President was going to ply the road they would not have acted in the manner which they did.

Thereafter, the youths once again began to chant his name and then made way for the Vice President to proceed to the airport.

Speaking to the media, a protester who identified himself as Danlami Abdulgafar praised Prof. Osinbajo for his humane nature. He said the Vice President understands and relates with the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

“Imagine that all Nigerians politicians are like Prof. (Osinbajo), this country would have succeeded since the 70s. He came down from his vehicle and he addressed us, in fact we were happy that he accorded us so much respect.

Another protester, Gwatana Muktar said if it were to be any other politician they would not even listen to the person. “You know during campaign he visited almost all the villages and we saw him first hand. He is a very humble man and God will continue to bless him,” he said.

Atiku Anti-Poor, Cannot Understand TraderMoni - BMO

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar lacks pro-poor reasoning and thus cannot appreciate efforts at alleviating poverty through programmes that empower small-scale traders, like the Trader Moni Scheme, says the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO).

In a statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, its Chairman and Secretary respectively, the group responded to Atiku Abubakar's claim in his petition at the Presidential Election Tribunal, that the Trader Moni Programme amounted to vote-buying and lacked budgetary backing.

According to the group, the former Vice President, and one of the losers of the 2019 Presidential elections, is scornful of poor people, which is why he is inattentive to the fact that the programme was aimed at providing collateral and interest-free loans to small scale traders.

“Atiku's contempt for the poor renders him unable to understand and appreciate the Buhari government's policies and programmes aimed at making their lives better. It is not surprising, as Mr Abubakar spent the better time of his tenure as Vice-President making the lives of Nigerians miserable. As Vice President, he established his private University which no average Nigerian can afford, and at a time lecturers at public universities were on strike.

“Perhaps this despise has only worsened with the fact that the Nigerian masses overwhelmingly voted against him and his anti-poor policies in the recently concluded elections, while voting for President Muhammadu Buhari, a man who stands with and for them.”

The group highlighted that: “The Trader Moni Programmes are soft loans to small scale traders. They are expected to pay back. The 10,000 Naira is meant to provide extra capital for these small scale traders to expand on their small businesses, buy more goods to sell, and then pay back within six months. After repaying this N10,000, they are now entitled to N15,000, which when they repay, makes them eligible to N20,000, then N30,000, up to N100,000.

“Government had over time concentrated its efforts and policies on the welfare of the elites, the minority - who are already well to do - while neglecting the majority, poor Nigerians, by not creating policies that empower them directly and indirectly.”

BMO further noted that: “the President Buhari administration believes that the welfare of the poor is as important as that of the elites and thus they must be catered for as well.”

The group noted that with these facilities, low-income traders are able to access more funds to boost their capital and gradually expand their businesses, adding
that the Trader Moni Programme had received legislative blessing in the budget as it was under the Social Investment Programmes which had its budget presented and defended under that of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

“Trader Moni is a part and parcel of the President Buhari’s administration’s Social Investment Programmes which has followed proper budgetary procedure in its implementation. In fact, the Programmes were approved by the Saraki and Dogara-led National Assembly, which hailed it as the largest form of social investment in the continent. It is thus a figment of Atiku’s imagination that the programme has no legal backing.

“But we are not surprised, Atiku is a master of badly scripted tales that have no place in reality.”

“A man who had told Nigerians that he wanted to sell NNPC - Nigeria’s major revenue source - to his friends -would find it hard to understand Trader Moni. His mind is engineered towards cronyism and satisfying his elite friends alone.”

The group went further to recall that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was, a few days ago, in Anambra and Ebonyi States to monitor and assess progress of the Trader Moni Scheme in the two states.

“Is there any election coming soon, that the Vice President is going to purchase votes for? None! Atiku’s suggestion that the programmes are vote-buying schemes are not just baseless and unreasonable, they are cheap lies,” the group added.

BOKO HARAM AFFLICTED WITH HUNGER AND STARVATION-BMO

Contrary to the fake news that Boko Haram members receive as much as $3000 daily as against what Nigerian troops receive, the true situation is that the insurgents are in disarray, lacking in supplies, foodstuffs and logistics.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) in a press statement in Abuja said that the current unenviable state of the terrorist is due mainly to the renewed offensive by the Nigerian military.

In the statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Casidy Madueke, the group said reports emanating from the theater of war indicate that the terrorist have being decimated and incapable of committing atrocities like before.

“Obviously these deficiencies do not support the reckless views expressed in some quarters about the lucrative pay of the insurgents. A terrorists group that is buffeted with hunger and starvation can definitely not be in a position to withstand the unrelenting bombardment by the Nigerian military.

“We also note that based on the renewed firepower of the Nigerian military, the Boko Haram terrorists are now scattered and scampering for their own safety, as survival has become almost impossible. Dozens of the insurgents were recently killed by Nigerian troops within the Kimba-Sabon Gari-Damboa axis in Borno State.”

The group therefore commended the Nigerian military for their commitment towards eradicating the scourge of insurgency in the North-East of the country, in line with the policy of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

“Presently the Boko Haram Insurgents are suffering from the depletion of their number of fighters following the ceaseless bombardment of their enclaves by the Nigerian military, with the air support by the Nigerian Air Force.

“We therefore appeal to Nigerians to disregard the rumours being peddled about Boko Haram terrorist receiving mouth-watering pay. This is a huge joke taken too far by the unpatriotic sympathisers of the notorious sect, and meant to cause disaffection in the country. We also urge the military not to relent but to sustain their tempo of activities in the North East with the Operation Lafiya Dole.”

PDP’S ALLEGATION OF N14TN SLEAZE UNDER BUHARI IS LAUGHABLE- BMO



The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of taking opposition to a ridiculous level with its latest claim of wasteful expenditure and stolen funds running into N14tn under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

According to the group, allegations that such an amount was stolen under the President’s watch have no real basis in fact.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO said that the latest act by the opposition party could only have come from comic characters.

“PDP’s latest claim is just a rehash of what this same party put out in a statement sometime in August last year when it demanded an explanation from President Buhari on an alleged N9tn contract said to have been awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“We recall that back then, the Information Minister Lai Mohammed urged the party to direct all questions to the Minister of State for Petroleum Ibe Kachikwu who made what looked like the original allegation in a letter to the President.

“Kachikwu had even as far back as October 2017 clarified that the issue had more to do with governance, not fraud at the NNPC, at a three-day Nigerian content workshop organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board in Owerri, Imo state.

“Inspite of this, PDP has continued to raise the claims to tar the integrity of the Buhari administration with the hope that, like mud it would stick”.

The pro-Buhari group also said it was surprised that any journalist worth his salt would put his name on a statement that is filled with spurious claims that have over the years been debunked as fake news.

“The claims made in the PDP statement are cock and bull stories, just like the allegation that Keystone Bank shares belonged to President Buhari and his family. Of course, opposition elements were gleefully spreading this as part of their campaign for the Presidential election.

“The N14tn the party claimed was stolen is just slightly higher than N11.5tn, Nigeria’s annual total revenue from crude oil sales since June 2015.

“Even the so-called oil subsidy sleaze was investigated by Federal lawmakers at the instance of Senate President Bukola Saraki, and it was discovered that the NNPC has a revolving fund of $1.05bn which it used to directly import and distribute fuel.

“This can never be compared with the massive subsidy fraud that characterised the PDP years and which saw a number of party chieftains benefitting directly or through proxies from a scheme that cost the country trillions of naira and for which some subsidy thieves had been convicted and jailed.

“PDP’s spokesperson was a senior media aide to the then Senate President David Mark at the height of the multiple investigations into the subsidy scam and should know better.

“Also, the so-called NEMA scam is a figment of the imagination of PDP leaders and their media handlers as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is the target of this allegations, has since been cleared of any wrongdoing and no fund meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in North East Nigeria is missing,” the group said.

The group added that President Buhari won the 2019 election fair and square and has no reason to be keen on holding on to power for ulterior reason.

ATIKU’s SERVER GAMBIT

by Faith Edet Bassey, a legal practitioner



I really wonder for how long we have to deal with dishonest leaders. Leaders who lie without remorse, who cheat the people, deceive the people and relentlessly play on their intelligence.



When Alhaji Abubakar Atiku started yelling that he had been cheated on the Monday following the Presidential elections, I thought, well, perhaps he must have a point. Then he said the results he was getting from the field showed he was ahead while the results being announced on TV and radio by the returning officers showed that he was losing by an ever increasing gap as the results came in.



Then he said he was going to prove that the elections were rigged by showing that the INEC server( not Website, which is accessible to all) contained results showing he won the elections by 1.6million votes. As to how these results got to the INEC server, he offered that the Smart Card Readers transferred the results from the polling units electronically to the server.

Atiku is clearly playing games with our intelligence. His ploy is simple. Tell a lie, make it as confusing as possible, a lie around technology always works best .

But this is so irritating because it is so obviously a lie.



In the petition before the tribunal, he says that the results on the INEC server showed that in Lagos State he had 1.1 million votes! and Buhari had 1.3 million votes. I voted in Lagos, the entire Nigerian Press and all the social media operate in Lagos. Minute by minute they posted the results on line. The total votes by all the media for both Buhari, Atiku and all other candidates was 1.05 million votes. It seems only Atiku had a record of this fantastic result!



I am a lawyer, I am not a SAN like his lawyers but the Electoral Act makes no provision whatsoever for transmission of election results electronically. The relevant provision clearly prescribes a process of filling and verifying forms at every stage from local government collation to State collation and then the National collation centre at Abuja. Section 73. Of the Electoral Act says , “Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Commission shall issue and publish, in the Gazette, guidelines for the elections which shall make provisions, among other things, for the step by step recording of the poll in the electoral forms as may be prescribed beginning from the polling unit to the last collation centre for the ward or constituency where the result of the election shall be declared’.



And section 74. says, ‘Every Result Form completed at the Ward, Local Government, State and National levels in accordance with the provision of this Act or any guidelines issued by the Commission shall be stamped, signed and countersigned by the relevant officers and polling agents at those levels and copies given to the police officers and the polling agents, where available.’



So the law expects that the results would be collated manually, entered and signed on forms provided by law. In any event, the Card reader is only configured to verify the authenticity of PVCs not to collate and transmit results. Those who designed the process may have known that electronic transmission would result in these types of scams, a candidate who claims he accessed the INEC server! If he could access it he could tamper with the figures. Thank God that we have hard copies of all the results and the law only allows proof by hard copies.



The same Atiku argues in his petition that Card readers were not used in many States. Yet his ‘server results’ show results from every State except Rivers State. In every State there is a total number of accredited voters and scores for both Buhari and himself. How were the results electronically transmitted in States where Card Readers were allegedly not used?



It is incredible that a man who wants to lead this nation sees nothing wrong in barefaced deceit and astonishing lies.



This is just so insulting!Why do we have these sorts of characters inflicted on us?

NIGERIA WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN RENEWABLE ENERGY – VP OSINBAJO


The Federal Government of Nigeria would not relent in its concerted efforts to improve the country’s power sector, including providing off-grid solutions such as renewable energy in order to rapidly grow and transform the nation’s economy, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday when he received a delegation from Total Group, led by its Chairman/CEO, Mr. Patrick Pouyanne, who paid him a courtesy call at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Vice President said the Buhari administration is making concerted efforts towards improving power generation in the country, such as using solar energy to provide power for sections of the populace.

He said the Federal Government would be ready to partner with the private sector such as Total that have indicated interest in making investments not only in oil and gas, but also in electricity/renewable energy.

Prof. Osinbajo noted that “there is a lot of work that has been done to provide off-grid alternatives such as solar power. We have done quite a bit through the Energizing Economies Initiative, to provide clean and affordable electricity to Nigerians in economic clusters. It would be interesting to see some pioneering efforts in this area of renewable energy; it is a good opportunity to do something in this area and would be a major contribution to Nigeria’s energy needs.”

The Vice President commended the group for its contribution to the economy, especially with an increase in local content, noting that he hoped for a more robust relationship between the group and the Federal Government.

In his remarks, Pouyanne, who congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President for their re-election, said the group has achieved a high percentage of local content participation in one of its projects (Egina FPSO) in Nigeria.

“Our commitment to the country is strong and we have ambition to continue to be a long partner with Nigeria. Total is a leader in solar (energy) and we want to invest in all these fields in Nigeria,” Pouyanne said.

Also present at the meeting was the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; who noted that it was important that oil companies have an integrated approach to community development.

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, and other senior government officials, were also present at the meeting.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
30th April, 2019

NIGERIA’S SECURITY SITUATION IMPROVING – BMO

“…Disregard frenzy news and naysayers’ reports”



Nigeria’s security situation is steadily improving, and the security agencies have recorded significant results within the last few months across the country.



Making this assertion in a statement in Abuja, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) stated that opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) insinuations that the Buhari administration was not paying proper attention to security issues in the country, is completely off the mark.



The group added that the PDP has no moral ground to talk about security issues in Nigeria as Buhari has been busy fixing what had been bequeathed to him by sixteen years of PDP’s mal-administration.



In the statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, its Chairman and Secretary respectively, BMO noted that “While indeed President Buhari met on ground a weak security structure, and several security challenges, Nigeria’s security situation is being tackled head-on with tangible successes being recorded, especially more recently with prominent arrests made.



“There is the opinion that we must not dwell on the past, but context is important when we address Nigeria’s social, economic and security issues. Nigeria’s security challenges did not start yesterday, neither did it start in 2015. A weak security structure funds meant for security agencies stolen; that was what was bequeathed to President Buhari. But he has not rested on his oars since he assumed office in May 2015. Rather, he has decidedly tackled Nigeria’s security challenges head-on and made consequent directives that have yielded fruitful results.



“The menace of kidnapping and banditry in some states in the North-Central and the North-West, particularly in Kaduna and Zamfara States, have been dealt swift blows by the Buhari led administration in the last few months. Only last week, the notorious godfather of kidnappers, known as the Spiritual Father of Kidnappers in Northern Nigeria, Salisu Abubakar was arrested by the Nigerian Police. This is a major feat.



“Several arrests have been made consequently, and armed bandits are being smoked out from their hideouts through intelligence gathered from this 'Spiritual Father.'”



BMO stated further that the security agencies must be commended for their resilience and dedication, especially given their recent feats, including the arrest of the suspected killer of the traditional ruler of Adara Kingdom of Kajuru Local Government Area in Kaduna State.



“Those perpetrating the killings and banditry are being arrested by the security forces. Several of them are in police custody, including Ibrahim Abubakar and several others who were arrested in relation to the kidnap and murder of Maiwada Galadima of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.



“The 200-kilometre long Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, on the orders of the President, is now being dominated by security forces who are taking the heat to the bandits and kidnappers, taking them down in their bases. Kidnapped persons are being freed as well.



“The Nigerian Military recently uncovered an illegal arms factory in Benue State, and have arrested the two manufacturers.



“Troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force have made significant impact in their mandate in the North East. Today we do not hear of our Local Governments being run down, rather we hear that the Military have destroyed this camp and that camp; the military have recovered so and so. Consequently hundreds of thousands of Internally Displaced Persons have returned to their homes and their livelihoods.”



BMO stated further that the commitment of the President towards securing the nation was showing results and it is falsehood to say otherwise.

“Given all these achievements by our security agencies, and much more that have not been mentioned here, whoever says the President has made no impact is being a naysayer, and is being economical with the truth.



“People should not live in the past, indeed the PDP failed to institutionalise and fund security adequately, and this has resulted in some of the security challenges we have faced, but those days are coming to an end.”



The group noted that Nigerians should disregard frenzy news items that celebrate and promote crimes while failing to amplify the multitude of successes achieved by the Nigerian security agencies

SAHARA REPORTERS’ HEADLINE AND STORY ON POWER GENERATION MISLEADING - Initiative To Save Democracy States


The headline concocted by Sahara Reporters’ in its report published on Monday, April 29, 2019, titled “Documents Show Osinbajo, Fashola Lied About Rise in Power Generation” reeks of outright mischief and was coined deliberately to mislead the public, and it should be ignored in its totality the Initiative to Save Democracy has stated.

In a statement signed by its President, Akinloye James, it noted that on April 1, 2019, while delivering the convocation lecture at the 50th Convocation of the University of Lagos, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, noted that, “On Power, we have moved generation from 4000 to 8100 MW. But the effect of this increase in generation has not translated significantly to better service to the consumer” of which the statement was a matter of fact correct.

“This statement is essentially correct, because according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) 2018 Q3 report, Available Generation Capacity for the Nigerian Electricity Sector Industry (NESI) peaked at 8,206MW in August 2018, the highest ever in the history of Nigeria -which the VP quoted.”

“Now, the Available Generation Capacity given is the total generation capacity of plants at a particular point that are available to supply energy to the grid in the absence of constraints such as gas, grid, line, water management and others.”

It noted that the Vice President did also point out that although power generation had increased, “the effect of this increase in generation has not translated significantly to better service to the consumer, mainly due to distribution challenges.“

The Vice President had noted that “Over 2000 MW of power is not taken up by the discos for distribution to consumers, largely because of problems they experience in the collection of tariffs. But one of the reasons for this is the fact that the discos have not invested significantly in metering. We have now embarked on a major metering Initiative, The Metering Assets Programme, which involves private metering assets providers.”

The group stated that: “On the said authoritative report obtained by Vanguard from the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo which stated: “On April 23rd, 2019, average power sent out was 87,061.8 MWh/day. The reported gas constraint was 2,039.5 MW,” it should be pointed out categorically that a gas constraint is something preventing energy from being generated, for example, low pressure of a gas pipeline. Thus, it means because all the gas constraints for different plants were identified and added up, it prevented 2,039.50MW from being generated.”

“However, despite the challenges, while it keeps working to improve the power sector, the Federal Government is also exploring other means to generate power. One of these is through adoption of an off-grid programme. Through this programme, private investors are encouraged to collaborate with government to build IPPs and supply power to willing buyers. This was made possible by what is called an eligible customer declaration by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.”

“Also, through this collaboration, solar power is being provided to tens of thousands of economic clusters such as markets, nationwide; a combined total of over 80,000 shops servicing 320, 000 SMEs. They include Ariaria market in Aba; Sabon Gari market in Kano; Sura market in Lagos; Isikan in Edo; and Gbagi in Oyo state.” The statement said.

VP OSINBAJO AT 2019 NAF DAY CELEBRATION TASKS ARMED FORCES ON TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

*Says, Nigerians expect exceptional service from the military

*Details FG’s revitalizing efforts of Air Force, Armed Forces transformation

“I would like to urge greater cooperation and mutual trust between the various arms of the Armed Forces, even while maintaining the healthy spirit of competition that underpins innovation and increased efficiency. The Nigerian Air Force should also strive to expand its collaborations outside of the military – by this, I mean collaborations with academia, think tanks, civilian technology hubs, and independent innovators and creators.

“As we provide new platforms for you to carry out your constitutional roles, Nigerians expect nothing short of exceptional service delivery from you. I, therefore, charge you to continue to work to earn the confidence of the nation and the respect of the international community, in terms of protecting lives and property, and degrading and neutralizing all existing and emerging national security threats.

“As you may recall, in President Buhari’s inaugural speech as President, he promised to put an end to the Boko Haram insurgency. In fulfilling the promise, as Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, he prioritized the restoration of professionalism in the military, to enable them effectively discharge their responsibilities.”

Below is the full text of the Vice President’s speech:
ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE DAY CELEBRATION, ON THE 29TH OF APRIL, 2019.

Protocols.

I am delighted to be in your midst today to celebrate the Fifty-fifth Anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, established in 1964 by an Act of the Nigerian Parliament to preserve Nigeria’s territorial integrity through the employment and projection of air power. I am proud to say that the Airforce has in the years since its establishment proved its mettle both locally and internationally.

I must say that I am impressed by the displays put up by the officers, airmen and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force at this ceremonial parade: in the march-past and parade, and especially in the aerial exhibition. These displays aptly demonstrate the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to achieving high standards of operational readiness. Indeed our Air Force is Willing Able and Ready

I would like to commend the Chief of the Air Staff and his team for the commendable leadership they have shown in providing for the Nigerian Air Force. As the air arm of the armed forces, the Nigerian Air Force has shown that despite its challenges, in terms of quality of manpower, talents, creativity and capability, we stand shoulder to shoulder with any Air Force in the world.
As a country, we are particularly proud that in less than 4 years, we have been able to revitalize our armed forces for the full restoration of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

As you may recall, in the President in his inaugural speech promised to put an end to the Boko Haram insurgency. In fulfilling the promise, as Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, he prioritized the restoration of professionalism in the military, to enable them effectively discharge their responsibilities.

Substantial investments have been made in acquiring new platforms and other support equipment for the military and other security agencies, as well as in reactivating and upgrading existing platforms. In the last four years, the Air Force has acquired and reactivated several aircraft, which are now helping make a difference in the various theatres of engagement across the country.

In addition, the procurement process for military hardware has been reviewed, to remove inefficiency. In 2018, through a transparent, first-of-its-kind Government-to-Government deal with the United States of America, we concluded the procurement process for the delivery, in 2020, of a dozen Super Tucano aircrafts, which will no doubt be game-changing for Nigeria’s air capabilities.

I must also highlight the renewed focus on research, innovation and self-reliance by the Chief of Air Staff. This is farsighted. It is also an important component of the development of a Military Industrial Complex for Nigeria and the Armed Forces in general. I am pleased to note that we are seeing an Air Force that is increasingly confident about its ability and capacity to innovate and to deploy locally developed technology.

This is manifesting in various ways, from the locally-developed operational Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, TSAIGUMI, which the President formally inducted into service in February 2018, to the collaborative work being done at the Air Force Research and Development Centre in Kaduna to produce the first-ever made-in-Nigeria aircraft.

Of course, this must be situated within the general context of a greater emphasis on local capacity-building by the Nigerian Armed Forces, with developments like the establishment of a Nigerian Army University and the revitalization of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) serving as testaments to this renewed emphasis.

Once again, I salute the resolve of our Armed Forces and the invaluable contributions of other security agencies in fully containing the security challenges in some parts of the nation. Especially, the contributions of the Nigerian Air Force in addressing the security challenges of armed banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping in the North West and North Central. Your efforts in conjunction with other security agents have started to yield positive results. As we provide new platforms for you to carry out your constitutional roles, Nigerians expect nothing short of exceptional service delivery from you.

I, therefore, charge you to continue to work to earn the confidence of the nation and the respect of the international community, in terms of protecting lives and property, and degrading and neutralizing all existing and emerging national security threats.

I would like to urge greater cooperation and mutual trust between the various arms of the Armed Forces, even while maintaining the healthy spirit of competition that underpins innovation and increased efficiency.

The Nigerian Air Force should also strive to expand its collaborations outside of the military – by this, I mean collaborations with academia, think tanks, civilian technology hubs, and independent innovators and creators. I am aware, with discussions with the Chief of Air Staff that collaborations with our universities and research institutes are already underway.

There is a great amount of potential waiting to be unleashed from these partnerships. Earlier this year, young interns working at the Federal-Government-supported North East Humanitarian Innovation Hub in Yola, hit an important milestone in their work. They developed, through 3-D printing, a fitting prosthetic arm for a former Policeman who lost his arm while in service. This was an exceptional innovation because all of the material used and all of those involved in it are from Adamawa State.

Across the country, hubs like these – several of them supported by the Federal Government are doing exciting things and exciting ground is being broken, and there is no reason why the Armed Forces should not be a part of the story.

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, these remarks would not be complete without acknowledging the roles played by the Nigerian Armed Forces in the just-concluded General Elections. I am aware of the efficient movement by air of electoral materials, and the aerial surveillance conducted by the Nigerian Air Force which contributed to the success of the elections. I, therefore, commend the Armed Forces and other security agencies on a job well done.

Finally, let me thank Nigerians for coming together as a united and determined people, irrespective of political and ethnic affiliations, to wage war against terror and insurgency.

We are currently in the stabilization, reconstruction and resettlement phase of the overall effort in the North East, and we will continue to solicit your support and understanding until terrorism is completely eradicated. We will not relent until every troubled spot within our borders enjoys enduring peace and order.

I once again congratulate the Chief of the Air Staff and the entire Air Force family on the occasion of the 55thAnniversary of the Nigerian Air Force.

Long live the Nigerian Air Force, long live the Armed Forces, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I thank you all for listening.



Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
29 April, 2019

MTN LISTING ON NSE, ANOTHER BOOST FOR THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY - BMO



Telecoms giant MTN's willingness to transform from a private company to a publicly traded company will enhance both domestic and international investors' confidence in the Nigerian Stock Market.



According to BMO in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the decision by MTN to free up to 35% of its share holdings to Nigerian investors through listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange is a welcome and worthy decision by the international telecommunications giant. “This will not only empower domestic investors but will enhance the robustness of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, create new telecoms asset class and catalyze a telecom index for direct participation by investors in Nigeria.”



The Pro-Buhari group noted that Nigeria is undoubtedly the largest telecommunications market in Africa and has continuously rewarded MTN with high returns than in any of its operational jurisdictions across the globe. Despite some regulatory sanctions, MTN in 2018, recorded a 17.2% growth, it is just commendable that MTN has decided to share prosperity with Nigerians.



"By its recent transformation of its corporate nomenclature to MTN PLC, preparatory to being listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, MTN has not only shown commitment to the localization of the markets it operates in, but it has also reaffirmed its long term dedication to expanding investment opportunities to Nigerians. This will also serve as a strong impetus to international investors to direct investments to the country, as a result of the compelling optics of reliability and trade-worthiness so generated thereby," the group added.

GREATNESS COMES FROM SERVING OTHERS, COMMUNITIES, OSINBAJO SAYS AT PRESIDENT’S NYSC HONOURS AWARDS

*FG gives immediate employment to NYSC honorees

*Awardees to also get automatic scholarships up to Doctorate level

*VP commends youth scheme for promoting national integration and cohesion

“The NYSC is an indisputable national heritage, established in 1973 by His Excellency and elder statesman, General Yakubu Gowon, who was just 39 years old at the time, to promote national integration and cohesion. Beyond this, the programme has become an important complement to national development, by making available manpower to meet Nigeria's requirements in education, health, infrastructure development and many other areas.

“To all of today's honourees, let me make it clear that you are not just the future of this country, but also its present. You must all see yourselves as the leaders that you are. But leadership comes with responsibility and continuous sacrifice. The successes you have achieved and are being rewarded for today should inspire you to even greater feats in your various spheres of influence.” – Vice President Osinbajo



ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE (COMBINED 2015, 2016 AND 2017) PRESIDENT’S NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS (NYSC) HONOURS AWARDS CEREMONY, AT THE BANQUET HALL, STATE HOUSE, ABUJA ON FRIDAY, 26TH APRIL, 2019

PROTOCOLS

I am delighted to be here to address you on this special occasion of the conferment of the President's NYSC Honours Awards on these worthy young men and women who have diligently served the nation through the National Youth Service Corps.

I am especially pleased by the fact that we are gathered here to honour a time-tested tradition; the recognition and celebration of young Nigerians, who by hard work, innovation, sacrifice and selfless service, have distinguished themselves as NYSC members in various States. I commend both the Management and Staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the NYSC, for reviving this noble ideal of recognising and rewarding excellence and service of Corps members.

The NYSC is an indisputable national heritage, established in 1973 by His Excellency and elder statesman, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), who was just 39 years old at the time, to promote national integration and cohesion. Beyond this, the programme has become an important complement to national development, by making available manpower to meet Nigeria's requirements in education, health, infrastructure development and many other areas.

The NYSC has from the beginning been about opportunities; opportunities for young Nigerians to serve, to earn a living, to travel, to see and learn about Nigeria and go beyond their comfort zones and to build lifelong friendships.

The important roles that young people, especially members of the NYSC played in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the 2015, 2019 general elections, and several other elections, offer clear evidence that when positively engaged in nation-building and national activities, our country stands to gain tremendously from its brilliant sets of young people.

At this point, I invite us all to rise and observe a minute of silence in honour of Corps members whom, in their service to this Nation, lost their lives.

Please permit me to speak briefly on 3 core ideas that may be useful to remember here, especially as this is a gathering of Nigeria's present and its future, especially you, the brightest and best being celebrated today.

One, it is the exceptional individuals in society who are the true builders of institutions and nations. These exceptional individuals like you, are not necessarily those from the wealthiest homes or most fortunate circumstances. Indeed, they may be from the most humble circumstances and they may not even be the most academically successful of their peers. But they are the young men and women who somehow, know that true greatness comes from serving others and one’s community.

Second, it is the vision, innovation and handwork of one person that would make the difference in the life of a community or a nation. We have seen this in the outstanding work of many of you here today that indeed, with your own innovation, vision and contribution, you profoundly impacted the communities you served. Just one person can make a substantial difference in the life of a community.

The third is that enduring individual success is a function of the courage and resilience we bring to our lives. I was challenged here by the remarkable courage of those Corp members who suffered various accidents while in service. They belong to the group that has been described as the ‘Hope Alive’ group.

The fact that these young men and women have gone through these harrowing personal injuries, but are still determined to engage the future with hope and confidence, is proof that they will still experience the joys of great success and fulfilment in their lives and their future is bright.

But it is a great lesson to all of us that whatever setbacks we experience in life, should be used as a stepping-stone and should not be seen as the end of our lives. Indeed, it may even be the beginning of a greater future.

To all of today's honourees, let me make it clear that you are not just the future of this country, but also its present. You must all see yourselves as the leaders that you are. But leadership comes with responsibility and continuous sacrifice.

The successes you have achieved and are being rewarded for today should inspire you to even greater feats in your various spheres of influence.

I, therefore, charge you all to continue to be the light for others to follow, whilst also seeing yourselves as lifelong ambassadors of the NYSC.

In line with our policy of encouraging and rewarding excellence among our youths, I hereby announce immediate employment into the Federal Civil Service for all the Award winners today.

In addition, the Federal Government offers each one of you automatic scholarships up to Doctorate level in any Nigerian University of your choice.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I commend the National Selection Committee for the painstaking and rigorous process that brought these young men and women to national limelight.

The entire nation owes a huge debt of gratitude to the managers of the NYSC, and successive batches of Corps members, for the patriotic zeal with which you have collectively implemented the cardinal programmes of the scheme over the past four and a half decades.

May I also pay tribute to the founding father of the NYSC and all those who worked with him. It is those ideals that you knew would serve the youth of our country so well and we see this today, many years after you founded this great scheme, being demonstrated by these young men and women who were not even born at the time when this was launched.

I thank you very much and also congratulate you.

I also commend the efforts of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the NYSC to create jobs through skills acquisition and other youth entrepreneurship development initiatives. The Federal Executive Council has recently approved the 2019-2023 National Youth Policy presented by the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development for implementation by the Ministry and all stakeholders.

This is to enable the NYSC build on its achievements; and all stakeholders must discharge their statutory obligations as spelt out in the enabling Act. I urge all States and Local Governments to give greater support to the scheme, especially through the provision and upgrade of Permanent Orientation Camps, Lodges for Corps Members, and other welfare facilities.

Once again, may I congratulate all the honorees on this well-deserved recognition and honour. The entire nation salutes your determination, courage, selfless service, discipline, and hard work which you all exhibited during your service year.

God bless you all, God bless Nigeria.

I thank you.

Released by:

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
28th April, 2019

Buhari commissions state-of-the-art Yemi Osinbajo Primary School
President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned a state-of-the-art primary school that was named after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Maiduguri, Borno state on Thursday.

The Yemi Osinbajo Primary School is one the completed projects by outgoing Borno governor, Kashim Shettima who has served two terms.

The President also commissioned a huge boarding primary school for children orphaned by Boko Haram. The school which is named after him is located at the Baga road by-pass in Maiduguri.

He also named projects after former Borno governors, Ali Modu Sheriff and Mala Kachallah.

Other projects commissioned by the President on his one-day visit include Industrial layout located in Njimtilo, Borno State University also located at Njimtilo and the Legacy Gardens Housing Estate named after Zanna Mustapha, a former late deputy governor of the state.

Others include ten Kilometres road In Pompamari, Aliko Dangote Mega Primary School and a General Hospital project.

After the commissioning, President Buhari commended Governor Shettima for the Mega Primary schools constructed for children orphaned by Boko Haram in the state and expressed hope that the orphaned children will surely get quality education and brighter future with the educational facilities.

“I am pleased to be in Borno state on a state visit. I sincerely appreciate the good people of Borno state and as well commend your loyalty and support at all times.

“Since my arrival in Borno state, I have commissioned different projects. I am highly impressed by Governor Shettima’s unique approach towards establishment of educational centers particularly at the primary level.

“As demonstrated by Governor Shettima, it is essential to give priority attention to primary school education in order to ensure formidable education at the tertiary level in line with international best practices.

“Borno state focusing on education is very imperative due to the peculiar security challenges posed by Boko Haram terrorists whose ideology is against girl child education.

“The terrorists in their crusades of malice against girl child education abducted Chibok Schoolgirls in Borno and Dapchi Schoolgirls in Yobe state and unfortunately, some of the girls are still in captivity but we won’t give up on them. As I have always said, as a Nigerian and as president, I assure all that we will do the needful to ensure that all Nigerians whose loved ones are in the hands of the Boko Haram terrorists regain their freedom”.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

NORTHEAST BETTER OFF UNDER PRESIDENT BUHARI – PRESIDENCY

In an action that broke the old tradition of staying above politics, the Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, Rt. Rev. Fr. Stephen Mamza delivered a homily in which he spoke angrily against President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he described as “sleeping on duty as Commander-in-Chief.” This is not a fair comment.

There is so much that has changed in the past three to four years in and around Yola, and the Catholic Church in particular that a true assessment would show that but for the Change Administration of President Buhari, things would have continued the way they were, or even get worse. These could not have happened if a Commander-in- Chief was asleep.

Bishop Mamza was, and is still a strong member of the Adamawa Peace Initiative, API, composed of religious and community leaders which did the lovely work housing and feeding 400,000 displaced people from Northern Adamawa and Borno States in 2015. The API also did the extraordinary work of easing tensions between Muslims and Christians during that period and ensured that both groups did not turn on one another based on suspicion.

As widely reported by the local and international press, in the premises of St. Theresa’s Cathedral where Rev. Mamza ministered, there were more than 1,500 IDPs, mostly women and children on whom the church administered food rations and issued bags of maize, cooking oil and seasoning. We are truly touched and very grateful for the work that the Bishop and the others had done in that difficult period.

Now that Boko Haram has been degraded, the more than 400,000 displaced people absorbed by the Adamawa community have all gone back to Borno State and to those council areas in northern Adamawa.

In addition to the capital,Yola, the towns of Michika, Madagali and Mubi which had been occupied by Boko Haram during their military advances have since been retaken by the Nigerian military, whose personnel are also clearing litters of Boko Haram’s carnage and are, through the support of the administration as well as local and international partners, rebuilding roads and bridges, power lines, burnt schools, markets, destroyed churches and mosques.

Without an iota of doubt, the Northeast is better off with President Buhari than it was under the previous administration. That should explain the massive turnout of voters in the region, in spite of threats to life and property, to vote for the return of the President for a Second Term of four years.

Sadly, one of the realities of today’s Nigeria is that it easy to blame President Buhari for the violence all around us. Community leaders are too scared to blame the warlords and the sponsors of killings we live with because they fear for their own lives.

What is happening in several communities racked by inter-ethnic and religious violence is arising from the refusal of community leaders to point at known criminals in their midst for the law enforcement agencies to act against them. They rather blame President Buhari for their woes.

It is indeed an irony that in the week that Bishop Mamza was speaking, another Bishop with a known commitment to peace, and results to show for his work in neighbouring Plateau State, is being dispatched to go to Taraba, Adamawa and Benue States to work in collaboration with security agencies in mending broken inter-communal relationships.

This senseless violence can never be condoned by the administration and we sympathize with the families of those who lost loved ones as well as those injured. The administration’s intense security efforts and peace building will not only continue, but will expand in response to such explosions of violence in the country.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 22, 2019

Atiku And Tale Of The INEC Server, By Dr. Baba Musa Ahmed

I have always wondered how Abubakar Atiku came to believe that he won an election that was monitored from polling booth to polling booth in Nigeria, by foreign observers, newspaper reporters, online news media, bloggers and all manner of busybodies in Nigeria, and he lost by 3.9 million votes!

I think I now have a few ideas as to why he thinks he could fool us with that funny story or why maybe he himself may believe the story. Some people took money from him and told him that they could hack the INEC server and put in figures for him. Simple.

Atiku’s main argument in his election petition is that INEC’s server showed that he won the election by 1.6million votes. He also gave the details of the purported results from the server.

He claims that card readers were used to send the results electronically to the INEC server! Everyone saw just how ridiculous the figures were. Fortunately for truth, the lawyers are not good at maths.

So his lawyers didn’t see from the figures that the total votes of President Buhari and Atiku added up exactly to the total number of accredited voters! Meaning that there were zero votes for all other candidates, zero cancelled or invalid votes in all of the polling booths all over Nigeria! This should ordinarily be enough to throw out the petition without more and show Atiku that he has been caught out in his scam or he has been scammed.

But the PDP and Atiku are accustomed to 419 and propaganda. They now say that they will call Microsoft and Oracle ( how about Google and Huawei?) to show that the INEC server actually made him the winner of the election! How can this make any sense?

Firstly, we were all at our polling units on Election Day. Card readers were used to verify our voters cards. Then we voted. Votes were counted manually (by hand in our presence ) and entered into a form by the INEC officials. The forms were then signed by party agents. This is the authentic result.

Most observers and online reports posted these results. I have not heard that anyone who was at his polling booth on Election Day saw any INEC official inputting results on the card readers andposting them electronically to a server!
What Atiku and his PDP fellow travelers want to sell to us is that after the votes were counted and declared, they were then entered into the card readers and posted electronically on to the INEC server!

Question is: who did the postings? Did the party agents see what was being posted by the INEC officials? If in fact the INEC officials secretly posted the results, how do we know if they were the same results properly counted at the polling booths? Or was the posting done after collation at the local government and State collation centres? If so, who saw this happen? Did the party agents see what was being posted? Every thing done by INEC at the State and National Collation centres were transparent, in full view of cameras and live television. So when and why were these postings done secretly?

The truth of the matter is clear for all to see. There were no electronic posting of results from polling booths or collation centres.

What happened could be either of the following: Atiku was tricked to believe that there was an INEC server that could be accessed or hacked to post results favorable to him. He must have paid a lot for it. The fake results were posted.
As of Monday when Atiku was seeing the authentic results as they were brought forward by Returning Officers, Professors from different Universities announcing, Atiku started to complain that the results he had were different from those being announced!

Or perhaps, Atiku is trying to save face after a bruising defeat. He wants to cast as much doubt as possible by inventing a tale, a ridiculous tale that there is an INEC server that only he has access to and not surprisingly it contains information that he won the elections!

The only question to ask him is how did you access the server? If you have exclusive access to it, then the integrity of the server is in doubt. It means you could change figures as you wish! All told this is just too silly . Dear Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, it is time to go home. Cameroun?

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 
PRESS RELEASE

HOMEGROWN SCHOOL FEEDING NOW IN 30 STATES AS FG TARGETS MILLIONS MORE FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENT SCHEMES

*Over 12m Nigerians currently beneficiaries of Programmes

*9.5 million pupils now being fed under School Feeding programme

*1 million poorest households to benefit from Cash Transfer

*Next Level: 10m Nigerians to benefit from GEEP schemes, with 1 million new additions to N-Power in the offing

 
 
In continuation of its efforts to invest in the country’s human capital development, the Buhari administration has continued to make significant strides through its National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP).
 
President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s NSIP, is aimed at empowering Nigerians and improving their livelihood through several initiatives.
 
Millions of Nigerians nationwide are currently benefitting from the different schemes under the N-SIP, which is the largest social welfare scheme in the history of the country.
 
Through its Conditional Cash transfer (CCT) scheme, the administration is supporting the most vulnerable in society, while developing a skilled workforce for economic productivity by providing jobs for millions of Nigerian youths through the N-Power programme, and improving the learning and cognitive skills of Nigeria’s children through the Home-Grown School Feeding programme (NHGSFP).
 
Also, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) provide financial support through micro-credit schemes to small traders and businesses at the bottom of the financial pyramid. Beneficiaries include petty traders, women cooperatives, youths, famers and agricultural workers.
 
Subsequently, in the Next Level of the Buhari administration, about 10 million Nigerians are expected to benefit from GEEP, which includes TraderMoni. MarketMoni and FarmerMoni. While the Cash Transfer scheme aims to reach one million poorest households, one million new beneficiaries are expected to be added to the N-Power scheme, arguably the largest job creation and youth employment scheme in Africa.
 
The administration’s National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), which has a target of reaching 12 million pupils, is currently feeding over 9.5 million public primary school (classes 1-3) pupils with one free, balanced and nutritious meal a day in 30 states nationwide; while it has empowered 101,913 cooks in these states.
 
The 30 states currently benefiting from the school feeding programme are: Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto, and Nasarawa.

Others include Taraba, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Plateau, Delta, Zamfara, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, Katsina, Ondo, Edo and Gombe.

The HGSFP has not only helped to increase enrollment rates of pupils in these communities, it is also effectively tackling early year malnutrition, while improving the cognitive skills of children.
 
The School feeding programme has also provided sustainable income for local farmers, cooks, which has increased growth and productivity in the local economy.
 
As of March; 297,973 Nigerians in 20 states (including the Borno IDP camps) are current beneficiaries under the National Cash Transfer Policy Programme (Conditional Cash Transfer), which started in December 2017; with over 5,000 savings groups and cooperatives formed as a result.
 
The following states are currently receiving payment: Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, and Taraba.
 
The Conditional Cash Transfer is designed to deliver timely and accessible cash to beneficiary households and so enhance their capacity for sustainable livelihood. The programme provides beneficiaries - poor and vulnerable households - with a monthly transfer of N5,000 with the sole aim of taking them out of poverty.
 
In the same vein, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), which has the MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and TraderMoni schemes, currently has a combined total of over 1.7 million Nigerians benefiting from these schemes.
 
So far, since after the national and state polls, 30,000 minimum beneficiaries have been added to the TraderMoni scheme, which provides interest-free loans starting from N10,000 to petty traders nationwide and is payable within six months.
 
In addition, upon repayment of the N10,000 loans, some beneficiaries in some states, including Lagos, Osun, Borno, Ogun and Benue, have now started receiving the 2ndimproved interest-free TraderMoni loan of N15,000.
 
Managed by the Bank of Industry, GEEP schemes provide financial support through micro-credit schemes to beneficiaries which include petty traders, women cooperatives, youths, famers and agricultural workers.
 
In the same vein, the Administration’s N-Power scheme, which is designed to provide jobs for unemployed young graduates, and is arguably the largest job creation and youth employment scheme in Africa, has currently engaged 500,000 youth graduates deployed to provide public health services in teaching, health, agriculture and tax and monitoring; and a further 200,000 non-graduates in training or attached to organisations as interns.
 
N-Power beneficiaries across the 36 states and the FCT are provided with a N30,000 monthly stipend, in addition to technology devices with relevant content for continuous learning. Many N-power beneficiaries have gone on to become entrepreneurs who are building successes in their chosen vocations.

BMO hails military, Police over recent successes
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has hailed the military authorities, the Police and other security agencies over their successes in recent, frontal offensives to stem the tide of insecurity in the country.
BMO said this is a result of the obvious change in strategy, after series of security meetings presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the group said that the success stories of the last few days are a consequence of proactive actions initiated by the President.
“It’s not even one week after President Buhari held an extraordinary meeting with Service Chiefs, heads of security agencies and ministers saddled with the responsibilities of overseeing security agencies and we are already seeing results on different fronts.
“What Nigerians heard was that the President issued a marching order for the security agencies to be ruthless with bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements, but the swift manner that the military and other agencies have acted showed that new strategies must have been deployed.
“And because of the international dimension of the security challenge, especially in Northern Nigeria, President Buhari was in Chad at the weekend for an emergency regional security meeting involving about 29 countries
“It was a good opportunity for the President to seek international support for his quest to stifle supply line of small arms and light weapons to bandits and insurgents terrorising some parts of the country,” it said.
The group noted that it was gratifying that the military and the police have risen to the occasion by recording great feats in Borno and Zamfara states as well as the Abuja-Kaduna corridor.
This, BMO said, is a reflection of the new vigour the security chiefs are bringing to the efforts to check the spate of security challenges in the country.
it said: “Recent security updates from theatre of internal operations have shown that the strategies mapped out at various meetings are working and yielding results.
“We know that Fighter jets and helicopter gunships only a few days ago located and destroyed eight bandits' camps, including their logistics base in Kagara forest, killing several bandits in the process. This comes few days after a number of hideouts of the bandits in other parts of Zamfara were targeted by the Air Force.
“And in Borno, Nigerian and Cameroonian troops killed as many as 27 insurgents in a clearance operation in the Northern part of the state. The large cache of arms recovered from the terrorists may just be one of the largest weapons haul by soldiers fighting the war against insurgency. No fewer than 5 gun trucks, 2 anti aircraft guns, several General Purpose Machine guns, rocket propelled grenades and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
“The Police authorities, on their part, have launched “Operation Puff Adder” that only last weekend saw the operatives taking the battle to kidnappers in Akilbu forest along the Abuja-Kaduna highway and killing about 9 of them in the process.
“Also, three notorious kidnappers who abducted a Channels TV reporter Friday Okeregbe, in Abuja about a week ago, were arrested few days after those who kidnapped the director of the Lagos State Fire Service Rasaq Musbau and six others were picked up by a Police anti-kidnapping team".
BMO said President Buhari has acquitted himself well on the basis of the performance of security forces against banditry, insurgency and kidnapping in recent days. It also poured encomiums on the officers and men on the fields of battle.
"The nation appreciates the sacrifices of these gallant men and women who daily put their lives on the line in the interest of, and in protection of their fatherland. We believe the country is solidly behind them", the group said.

Re: Osinbajo’s Crocodile Tears In Kigali

Nigeria is an African power. It’s economy, its politics, its people and the character of these rare diverse heterogeneous society has easily made it the Giant of Africa. So there is no wonder that as a country, we were invited to the 25th National Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide that held in Kigali, Rwanda. Representing Nigeria and its President was Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo - A pastor and an academician with depth of experience in law and governance.

So when the writer of “Osinbajos Crocodile Tears in Kigali” asked “What is the Situation in Osinbajos Nigeria? And answered with the word “pathetic” my first thought was that the writer either did not appreciate who the Vice President was, or did not appreciate Nigeria from a holistic point of view, or both – which is most likely.

It is surprising for one to think of the Nigerian state and the statements of the Vice President as a pun or as Casmir Igbokwe dubbed it in his article as“Crocodile Tears”, we all know that the Vice President has continuously shown that he is a man of Integrity, a man of God and would never disrespect the Nigerian people by playing politics with their lives.

As a country, I do believe that we are not yet where we should be – we are not yet at El-Dorado – but it is undeniable that progress is being made across board. Albeit slow and steady, nonetheless it is progress and that is what is key.

While speaking on the issues surrounding the NDIGBO people, the writer was quick to mislead his readers by pushing the narrative that the present government appointments were mostly Northern deliberately forgetting to take a broader look at appointments shared in the country. The Chief of Naval Staff, the Director General of NIMASA, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Head of Service among numerous others are all from the Southern parts of the country. Perhaps the writer willfully forgets that the Southern parts of the country is not limited to the South East alone, but also covers the South South and the South West – each clamoring for more representation as much as the other.

The southern parts of Nigeria is also as diverse in tribe and culture as the North.

The single narrative of the “Sidelined Igbos” deployed by the writer cannot stand the test of reality when one fact-checks the many benefits they enjoy in personnel and policies in this government.

Across the country are various construction projects, in every state of the Federation a federal project is ongoing. The President Buhari administration is working overdrive in terms of infrastructure deployment. Of key interest to any observer of the infrastructure being deployed across the country is the famous Second Niger Bridge. It finds itself in the heart of the South East and South South and has been an item clamored for by these people for decades.

The Buhari Administration has committed over N31Billion to the main works of the 2nd Niger Bridge. Work is over 51 percent completed. With little resources, President Buhari’s administration is doing quite a bogus lot for the people of the region.

The writer attempts to suggest tolerance of hate speech by the Buhari administration. Such a pedestal claim does not stand a place in reality. The President has been very categorical on this, and willingly signed the Peace Accord to enthrone sanity in the communications and campaigns during the electioneering periods.

It is so easy to dwell in the negatives of society forgetting the many good the world has to offer. That Nigeria has moved four places up in the Human Development Index and has also moved up in the Ease Of Doing Business Ranking are testaments to a country in upward motion. Nigeria today has attained self sufficient in rice production and has began even exportation. Foreing Direct Investments into the country has reached record levels; insecurity is being tackled ruthlessly and sincerely.

The various Social Investment Programs of this Administration prove that indeed better days for Nigerians are here. The programmes have reached a record 12 Million direct beneficiaries.

Terrorism is being fought day in day out in the areas of the North East and the Buhari administration can beat its chest to say it has recorded tangible achievements here. The banditry in Zamfara is being taken seriously. The full force of Nigeria’s military and other security arms have weighed in and are bombarding these criminals daily. The“Operation Sharan Daji”has been launched specifically to deal with the Zamfara bandits. Progress is being made.

The Vice President has also shown utmost sincerity and has never tried to downplay the killings in these areas. He has visited Benue, Plateau and Kaduna over killings that occurred in the areas – especially communal and inter-tribal clashes. He has advocated for forgiveness and offered pragmatic solutions towards peace building in these societies. He has seen to the facilitation of Peace and Reconciliation Committee in states like Kaduna, and Benue among many others.

It is not in the nature of the Vice President both as an academician and as a man of God to play politics with the life of the people. Security is everyones responsibility and the Vice President has emphasized that time and again.

He rightfully pointed out during his remarks to journalists in Kigali “We must not allow a repeat of what happened in Rwanda.” Statements like that of Casmir Igbokwe tell only a lopsided truth that fuel division, fuel hate and promote tension. These were the harbingers of the nasty events of the Rwandan genocide. Mr. Igbokwe has not learnt his lesson. It appears in fact, that Professor Osinbajo’s sermon was indeed for him.

The problem with the single story is that it shows a thing as a single thing, forgetting that there are two sides to a coin. Nigeria just like any other country is as diverse in its triumphs and problems and it is highly unfair to Igbokwe’s reader and Nigerians to view our complexities from only the negatives.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is a father and God fearing man, he has shown this time after time, will never play politics with his people.



Muhammad Gulani, is a political commentator and writes from Zaria, Kaduna

N1.3 BILLION DEATH BENEFIT, N2.8 BILLION PRISONS REFORMS: BMO HAILS GOVT WITH HUMAN FACE

The approval of the sum of N1.3 billion by the Federal Government to pay backlog of death benefit to the next-of-kin of 497 deceased staff of 116 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) has yet again demonstrated President’s Buhari’s compassionate approach to governance.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Niyi Akinsuji and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, said the payment of the benefits to the families of the deceased will bring succour to the families who lost their breadwinners.

“The payment of the outstanding death benefits is yet another proof that President Muhammadu Buhari is always conscious of the welfare of civil servants and all Nigerians, and would always implement programmes and measures that would enhance the well-being of the citizens of the country who elected him to manage their affairs.

“The 497 benefitting families could use part of the money to pay school fees, buy food, pay rent and clear pending bills as their loved ones rest in peace”.

BMO said it is significant that some of the death benefits which comprise life insurance payment, cost of transporting the bodies of deceased staff for embalment and funeral, are part of the conditions of service for Federal civil servants.

The statement added that the painstaking screening of 563 claims for death benefits by the next of kins of the deceased and the clearance of the eligible 497 for whom N1.3 billion would be paid, was conducted with sensitivity and respect for the late staff and their survivors in 116 MDAs.

BMO also welcomed the assurance given to the families of the deceased civil servants by Didi Walson-Jack, the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office (SWO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) that payment of the entitlement would commence before the end of April 2019.

It will be recalled that the Pension Reform Act, 2014 (as amended) provided that every employer of labour with not less than five employees must insure them to a minimum of three times of their annual total emoluments.

In another development, the group also applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for a holistic pursuit of prison reforms in the country, noting that before Buhari, prisons reform had received only lip-service from the Federal Government and this led to so many people languishing in prisons across the country unjustly.

“We therefore consider it laudable on the part of the Federal Government to have approved N2.8Billion for the digital monitoring of prisons in Nigeria.”

The project, according to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, is to ‘’ensure the digital connection and networking of all Nigerian prisons and make monitoring from the office of the Attorney General, the Police and selected courts easy.

“This is the right step in the right direction considering that at a point about 70% of prison inmates were ‘awaiting-trials’ and in some cases had overstayed the period their alleged offences would have attracted if they were convicted.

“We are also delighted that the move will lead to the decongestion of Nigerian prisons and that it demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure that innocent people do not remain in prison unjustly.

“It will also help in the quick dispensation of justice as the relevant authorities, including the office of the Attorney General, the Police and the Judiciary will have first-hand knowledge of the happenings in the various prisons and act expeditiously to save the innocent detainees and ensure speedy dispensation of justice,” the group added.