₦airaland Forum

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerian Women to vote for him again in the forth coming 2019 general elections.

Mr Buhari who thanked the womenfolk for the confidence reposed on him during the 2015 election urged them not to back down.

The president made the appeal on Thursday at the Women Political Aspirants Summit organised by National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) and National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), in Collaboration with Office of the Wife of the President.

“Let me thank Nigerian women who put their confidence in me and voted for me in 2015,” Buhari said.

“It is my hope that the confidence is still there; seeing this gathering. I am confident that it will remain,” he said.

Buhari who noted that women constitute more than 50 percent of voters and are, by experience, more dedicated and principled than their male counterparts said the summit signifies the spirit of Nigerian women, organised to support women political aspirants in the nation’s politics.

The president noted that politicians rely on women voters because their word is usually their bond.

“Women stand by candidates they believe, in all the way; so, politicians do a lot to gain their confidence,” he said.

The president, who had earlier told the world that his wife, Aisha Buhari, belong to the ‘other room‘ when she raised alarm that strangers had taken over her husband’s government, joined the calls for women to contest for elective offices.

Mrs Buhari prior to the 2015 general election largely mobilised women to vote for her husband.

“Let me add my voice to the call on women to contest for political offices, and effect the changes they want to see. I’m confident that women can make great leaders and move the nation forward,” the president said.

“Finally, I urge all political parties to create the enabling environment for free and fair playing grounds where women can contest elective positions and participate in our political process,” he added.

BUKOLA Saraki, Senate President, on Thursday, officially declared his intention to vie for the top office in the land.

Mr Saraki made his intention known two weeks after he debunked a report that he was interested in the job.

With recent political visitations across the country one is not surprised by the stunt pulled by the Senate President.

Stating the reason for his aspiration, Saraki said the youths of the country urged him to run for the presidency.

“I have decided to answer the call of teeming youth who have asked me to run for President,” Saraki said while delivering a keynote address at a dialogue for youths and young aspirants in Abuja on Thursday.

“Accordingly, I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.

Saraki listed several challenges which he believes have clogged the wheels of progress in the nation.



He highlighted extreme poverty, hunger, lack of education and mass unemployment as some of the things that have paved way for more crime and insecurity in the nation, adding that it is now time for Nigerians to rebuild the nation with new leadership.

With the lawmaker’s declaration, he has joined the long growing list of aspirants jostling for the top office in the land under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

He will have to slug it out with former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; former caretaker chairman of PDP, Ahmed Makarfi; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; Sule Lamido, a two-time governor of Jigawa State; Ibrahim Dankwambo, a two-time governor of Gombe State and governor Aminu Tambuwal, who is believed to be nursing the ambition but yet to make his intention known.

FORMER Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has said he is so proud of former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr Fani-Kayode, said this in reaction to the cancellation of the approval earlier granted to Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, to use the Eagle Square for his 2019 presidential declaration.

The duo had earlier left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the then yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress, (APC).

The former minister rejoined the opposition party after he alleged that the APC was out to islamize Nigeria following speculations that the party was about to pick a muslim-muslim candidates as its flag bearer in the 2015 election.

Before he left the PDP, Fani-Kayode was one of the staunchest critics of Jonathan. On his return, he was appointed the presidential campaign spokesman of the former president when the latter sought re-election in the 2015 general election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC terminated the regime of Jonathan by emerging victorious at the poll.

Fani-Kayode has been one of the fierce critics of the Buhari administration.

Explaining why he is proud of Jonathan, Fani-Kayode said the leadership style of the former Nigerian leader was is the reason for the admiration.

“When @GEJonathan was President he was tolerant, accomodating, forgiving, compassionate and sensitive,” the former minister tweeted on Thursday.

“He refused to abuse power. He welcomed criticism from his traducers and responded to them in a civilised, restrained manner which was befitting of his office. So proud of him!” he said.

The facility managers of the Eagle Square had in a letter on Monday said their reason for denying Kwankwaso the venue was to avoid disruption of “work flow” at the federal secretariat, a major hub of civil servants.

Political analysts believe the move was made to stifle the senator’s presidential declaration.

Despite the hiccup, the lawmaker amidst massive crowd, declared his political ambition in a hotel situated in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

OLUSEGUN Obasanjo, former President has taunted President Muhammadu Buhari for not possessing West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate.

Messrs Obasanjo and Buhari were political allies with the former supporting the latter to emerge president in the 2015 election.

Buhari's academic dispute started during the build-up to the 2015 general election. It was one of the attacks the opposition meted out to him. Despite the controversy the president still emerged victorious.

Earlier in the year they both parted ways with Obasanjo writing an open letter urging Buhari to shelves his re-election bid.

The president who did not heed the advise declared his intention to contest for a second term.

The two leaders who ruled the country during the military era at different regimes has continued to attack themselves at any given opportunity.

Obasanjo on Wednesday launched the latest attack on Buhari.

The former president hinted that he would have penned down another letter but decided not to stoop so low having obtained his PhD.

He said writing the new letter might belittle his personality.

“I would have written Buhari another letter by now but as a PhD holder, i wouldn’t bother myself writing someone who doesn’t have a WAEC certificate every now and then. Selah!” Obasanjo tweeted on his twitter account.

EMMANUEL Uduaghan, former governor of Delta State has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Mr Uduaghan, explaining why he took the decision to leave the PDP on which platform he governed the state, said his action was based on the interest of the Niger Delta region.

The former governor tendered the explanation in a statement entitled: “Moving On To The Bigger Playing Field,” on Wednesday.

Uduaghan’s defection is largely seen as an advancement of the APC into the region. The ruling party is seen harvesting former state governors from the South South geo-political zone.

Recently, the chances of the ruling party into the region was further boasted when Godswil Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom state now a Senator, took the same decision and left the PDP on whose platform he had served since his inception into politics.

Uduaghan said the toughest challenge for any leader in the Niger Delta since 1997 has been the issue of Peace and Security.

“Since the inception of the current All Progressives Congress, APC, administration at the federal level, there has been an encouraging interest and activities by President Muhammadu Buhari to bring a permanent solution to the Niger Delta crisis. This has pointed in a direction that is at once progressive and developmental,” statement of the former Delta governor partly read.

“There are also various human capital development programmes especially the school feeding and the “social security net” that is making 5,000 Naira available to the poor, the continuation of the YouWin programme, the various SME programmes, and several other projects across the region have brought hope to the people.

“Indeed, once Mr. President was able to set his priorities pursuant to creating an environment for peace in the region, it became incumbent on every well-meaning Niger Deltan and Nigerian to assist the process of building an economically prosperous nation,” he said.

Uduaghan linked his move into the APC as that of the biblical John the Baptist, noting that stakeholders from the state would soon join him in the ruling party.

“I am happy that after explaining some of the deeper issues to you, some of you that are politicians have agreed to join the APC in the near future. So I am going into APC as “John the Baptist” to the numerous Deltans that are coming in, soon – very soon.”

THE All Progressive Congress (APC) says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not qualified to debate the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration on issues of good governance.

The APC stated this in reaction to the challenge thrown to it by the PDP calling for a debate on good governance between the major political party.

A statement on Sunday by PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the opposition party would take the opportunity of the debate to expose what it described as the “many failures of this administration.”

In reaction, the ruling party described the call as another laughable example of the PDP’s selective amnesia on the 16 years of locust it wrecked on Nigeria during its defunct rule.

“Perhaps the PDP needs to be reminded of the reason why Nigerians voted it out unanimously in 2015 to give way to a progressive administration which is rebuilding the country in all facets from the foundation,” APC spokesman, Yekini Nabena, said in a statement on Monday.

“A Party synonymous with impunity; institutionalised corruption; diversion of counter-insurgency votes to political cronies and funding of political activities; illegal purchase of bullet-proof SUVs, limousines and private jet shindigs for ministers at public expense; non-remittance of $20 billion oil revenue; among other atrocities too numerous to mention, cannot be in a position to debate on good governance



“A Party whose administration placed the economy on life support through its voodoo economics and fiscal recklessness cannot be in a position to debate on good governance.

“The PDP in its desperation to position itself as the 2019 general election approaches cannot hoodwink Nigerians on who they truly are,” the APC said.

THE All Progressive Congress (APC) has told the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, that he must relinquish his seat at the upper legislative chamber.

The APC stated this in reaction to a statement credited to Mr Saraki wherein the top lawmaker claimed he was not bothered about plots to oust him.

“You can look at me. I am not losing any sleep about it (impeachment threat). We believe democracy must go by the rule of law,” the top lawmaker reportedly told reporters in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Saturday.

There are processes, constitutional processes over what we do. So, I am not concerned about that.

“There are lots of noise being made about that but be sure that once we resume, the processes are followed, we will see that the noise will fizzle out. So I am not concerned about it,” Saraki added.

But the APC speaking through its spokesman, Yekini Nabena, on Sunday, restated its plan to remove the Senate President.

“Like we’ve said it before, he will be removed democratically. Let him reconvene the Senate first since he feels we in the APC don’t have the numbers required to impeach him,” Mr Nabena said.

“As far as we are concerned, he will leave that seat for a loyal party member to occupy. It is a question of morality, he has left our party which has the majority of Senators and as a party, we agree with our senators that a member of the minority party cannot rule over the majority,” he added.

Attempt by Senators of the APC to effect a change of leadership at the red chamber has often met brick wall. They range from: Stolen mace; House Arrest of principal officers of the chamber and the siege laid at the legislative arm of government.

THE All Progressive Congress (APC) has alerted Nigerians to be mindful of a fake website registering members of the public as that of the ruling party.

In a statement by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the APC distanced itself from the website.

“We alert our supporters, members and indeed the general public to a purported membership registration website of the All Progressives Congress (APC) – (apcregistration.com),” the party said.

The party said the website which is trending on social media is “unauthorised and a scam.”

The APC alleged that it’s intelligence report shows the fake portal was being sponsored by one unnamed opposition party.

“Our internal investigation has revealed that the fake website is sponsored by one of the main opposition political parties in its desperate and criminal plot to harvest APC members ahead of the 2019 General Elections.

“We have deliberately not named the political party and hereby call on relevant security agencies to urgently investigate the website and its sponsors,” the statement read.



The ruling party also urged the general public to take advantage of its ongoing nationwide registration to identify with the party.

“Meanwhile, we urge our teeming supporters and members to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Nationwide Membership Registration exercise in all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“The exercise will include both fresh registrations and revalidation of existing membership for the purposes of issuance of the Party’s permanent membership cards.”

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Friday revealed why he embarked a trekking length of 800 meters.

Buhari had on Tuesday after Eid-el-Kabir prayers in Daura, Katsina State, shunned protocol, amid cheers from hundreds of well-wishers who lined the route, embark on 800 metres walk from the prayer ground to his private residence.

The Presidency had said Mr Buhari carried out the action to prove to his critics that he was able and capable of running for a second term in office.

The claim generated mixed reactions.

“I think there are two things here,” said Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu.

“One is that the president is responsive to the enormous support and commitment of his own people that came out in their numbers to see him.

“And he just decided that he couldn’t go on riding in a black vehicle, and he came out and walked the distance.

“The second thing, he is curious that these days, one or two people who are aspiring to be president are campaigning on their youthfulness and good health.

“I think the president has done one thing today – that the issue is not how old one is but how fit he is; how healthy he is.

“That the president has proven his fitness and wellbeing to continue in office is a settled matter,” Garba added.

But distancing himself from the stand of the Presidency, Buhari said he decided to embark on the trek to see the people of his constituency.

Buhari denied he did it to proof he was fit to run for a second term.

“Much has been said about my walk in Daura,a few days ago,” the president on Friday through his twitter handle @MBuhari said.

“I didn’t do it to prove my fitness to anybody.

“The people of my constituency came out in large numbers to see me, & the car in which I was had tinted windows. So I decided to come out of the car so the people could see me,” Buhari said.

THE Governors of the All Progressive Congress (APC) said they were thoroughly pained that their colleagues had left the party.

The APC Governors stated this on Thursday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.

The ruling party has so far lost two state Governors to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) since the recent gale of defection began.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara recently dumped the APC.

“We had wished that none of them, especially the governors, had left the party and it pains us so much,” Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha who is also the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum said.

He explained that this was because they had associated and “related together as brothers. All of a sudden, you don’t see one of your own; we feel it.”

THE administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been challenged to name 3 projects they initiated, started and completed since it took over from the previous administration.

The challenge was thrown to the federal government by Reno Omokri, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Incumbent Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo had on Tuesday said President Buhari’s government has done more in terms of infrastructure development than the previous administration, despite earning little from the oil, which is the main stay of the economy.

“In the past four years of the previous administration, over US$393 billion was earned in oil proceeds alone. In the past three years, we have earned US$94 billion, look at the difference. And the reasons are very straightforward. The price of oil was about half of what it used to be. But with the same $94 billion, we have been able to do far more,” Osinbajo was quoted by Vanguard as saying in a town hall meeting in Bariga/Somolu Local Council Develpment Area, LCDA, in Lagos State.

Reacting, Omokri described the claims as lies saying the administration of his principal initiated, started and completed more projects that the incumbent government, he therefore challenged them to list their own projects which they started and completed.

"The recent comments by Vice President Osinbajo that the Buhari administration of which he is a part of has achieved much more than the Jonathan government is another in a long line of lies that the Vice President has come to be known for," Omokri said in a statement on Friday.

"It beats my imagination why a man like Osinbajo who claims to be a pastor would have a habit of lying and lying so brazenly. It is a notorious fact that the Jonathan administration outperforms the Buhari administration in every sphere of governance.

"I understand the 2019 elections are5 months away and a desperate Buhari government, like a student who hasn’t read for his forthcoming examinations, is in panic mode, but they should please leave the good name of Jonathan out of their sordid mess.

"The only way Osinbajo can be correct is if he is referring to the fact that Nigeria, under their administration, has overtaken India as the nation with the highest number of extremely poor people in the world according to the World Poverty Clock.

"While ex President Jonathan can point to exactly 8956 projects that he initiated, started and completed, I challenge the Buhari government to take the challenge and name 3 projects they have initiated, started and completed in the last three years.

"The super fast 187-kilometre Abuja-Kaduna railway, which President Buhari commissioned, was built by President Jonathan. The Abuja metro, which the incumbent President also commissioned, was conceived by President Obasanjo and finished by President Jonathan.

"According to UNICEF, there are 10.5 million out of school children in Nigeria, with about 60% in the Northwest geopolitical zone, where President Buhari comes from. Has the Buhari administration built even one secondary school or university to cater for them?

"So by what logic can Osinbajo say that their administration has outperformed a Jonathan government that initiated, started and completed 165 almajiri schools as well as 12 new federal universities to cater for this mammoth out of school youth bulge?

"How can Osinbajo say their govt, under which Nigeria suffered her worst retrogression in Transparency International’s Corruption Index (from 136 to 148) outperformed GEJ admin under which we made our best ever improvement in the CPI (from 144 to 136).

"According to data published by National Bureau of Statistics last year, 7.9 million Nigerians lost their jobs in the 21 months preceding that time. How can an administration with such an abysmal job record claim to have outperformed a Jonathan.

"The Jonathan govt, according to the same National Bureau of Statistics, created 6 million jobs through programmes like the YouWIN initiative, Local Content Law, Graduate Internship Scheme, Nagropreneurs and SURE-P? Can Buhari and Osinbajo match that?

"If the current Buhari government is saying that by borrowing more money in three years than the Peoples Democratic Party borrowed in 16 years they have outperformed the Jonathan administration, then I am willing to concede that fact.

"But to say that an admin that has not built even one single power station has outperformed an administration that built and commissioned the 500 megawatts Omotosho Power Plant Phase 2 with four gas turbines in Ondo State is to be economical with the truth." he said.

Omokri said the constant refrain by the Buhari and Osinbajo administration of blaming their abysmal performance on the low price of oil is a case of a bad workman blaming his tools for his incompetence.

"Today, oil averages at $74 per barrel. In 2017, crude averaged $51 per barrel. Need I remind Nigerians that the PDP government of President Obasanjo paid off Nigeria’s entire foreign debt in 2006 at a time oil sold at less than one third what it sells today."

NIGERIANS must stand firm behind President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election because it is time to pay him back for the good things he has done for the country, Festus Keyamo, has said.

Mr Keyamo, a lawyer and the Media Director of Buhari Campaign Organisation, stated this in Ilorin while delivering his speech at the inauguration of Buhari/Osinbajo Project 2019.

The legal practitioner who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said no government in the history of the country has recovered stolen money that belonged to Nigerians as President Buhari.

He said the previous administrations established the worst system of government, based on sharing formula of the nation’s treasury.

“They operated a system that ignored physical infrastructure in the country, that ignored the plight of the poor, the weak and the vulnerable in Nigeria,” Mr Keyamo said.

“If you compare what accrued to the country in 16 years and what were done with the money earned in three years and infrastructure built by Buhari, you will see the difference.

“In 16 years, all they did in the South East was Onisha-Owerri road, whereas in three years, President Buhari is doing four major road construction in the region.

“You have a president who has fought for you, why can’t you fight for him.

“This is the time he needs you more to fight for him. It is reciprocal and that is why we must remind ourselves today why we must stand firmly behind him in 2019.

“I can tell that there is no government in the history of this country since 1960 that has addressed the plights the poor, the vulnerable in the last three years than this government,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted him as saying.

He said the administration’s intervention programmes for the poor and vulnerable which included the N5, 000 monthly stipends, feeding of over eight million school pupils and soft loans of between N250, 000 and N350, 000 to small business owners, showed that “Buhari’s government is touching the lives of the poor than the rich,”

Limitednow:


This happened in Anambra State, Aguata LGA precisely

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