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johnkay1:
I think those yeye site need this treatment

They just want to keep playing dirty politics

omenka:
They've started spreading their unfounded lies yet again. He sues them and they run off screaming their freedom of speech is under threat. Whatever happened to someone else's right to a decent image?

You cant keep infringing on someone else's rights in the exercise of yours. Doesnt work that way.

They can only try but certainly, they won't succeed

FarahAideed:
The cabal will certainly get you

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has reacted to claims that in January 2017, he approved the payment of $3,072,644.76 and N140,405,826.30 being variation costs for a project under NDPHC without following the steps laid down by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

He described such claims as misleading, fake and of no public value.

His statement in full reads;

Our attention has been drawn to a report on some online websites claiming that His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Niger Delta Power Holding Company approved the sum of $3 million for a gas project at (NDPHC) without following due process.

For the purpose of clarity and the records it is important to state that the news report is false and malicious as the Vice President has never approved the release of any money without following due process.

If anything, as chairman of the Board of NDPHC, the Vice President is the one known to always insisting that due process be followed in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The contract in question was awarded in 2009 with appropriate due process approvals which means that the tender process had since been passed and approved. Upon completion of the project in 2016, the company that handled the contract, Kaztec Engineering Limited made claims on NDPHC for delays, fluctuation of prices and additional works. Upon receipt of the Claim, NDPHC management set up a team to review the claim and negotiate work with the Project Consultant to negotiate the contractor’s claim. Considering that the claim was within the originally approved provisional sum it was imperative for NDPHC to advise the board through the Chairman of the negotiated amount and seek approval to commence the processing of the payment. There was no need for tenders because it is an existing contract already engaged before the current management team was appointed. The anticipatory approval for the process to go forward granted by the Chairman was subsequently ratified by the Board of NDPHC.

BPP’s review and no objection approval was part of the process for payment. Despite that, the payment was to be made from provisional sums approved by due process since 2009 and no fresh fund was to be injected to pay the claims, NDPHC still presented the claims to BPP for review as part of the payment process. BPP then carried out an extensive review and even varied the sum, that is, BPP reviewed downwards, the negotiated amount and that is what was paid only after BPP approved payment.

At no time did the Vice President not follow due process because it was the BPP that reviewed and approved the contract and not the Vice President as the false reports had claimed. There was no payment made or ultimately processed until BPP had granted the approval.

A proper scrutiny of the news report also shows that the purveyors of the fake news clearly explained that due process was followed because the news report itself indicated that BPP approved the payment ever before any payment was made. Why will a news outlet run a story that is completely of no public value? This question is pertinent especially because the story itself made it abundantly clear that there was no payment before BPP reviewed and approved the payment after it had the same.

NDPHC and the Vice President are committed to the diligent service of Nigeria and Nigerians and they will continue to do so despite the purveyors of fake news. Why the publishers of this story portrayed lies and falsehoods suggesting payment was approved when no payment was made until BPP gave the okay remains a riddle.

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to give him more time to execute the plans he has for the country.

Buhari said this after a special parade that the guards brigade of the Nigerian army organised in commemoration of his 76th birthday.

The president, whose mood was light, jocularly asked a reporter why he reduced his age.

“Why would you reduce my age by one?’’ the president asked.

He called on Nigerians to continue to pray for him and the country at large, charging them to continue to show more understanding of his administration’s policies aimed at transforming the nation.

“Nigerians should continue to pray for me and understand my intentions and give me time,” he said.

He said the government would continue to remind Nigerians of its achievements in the last three and half years.

“We will keep reminding Nigerians about what we have done, how we met the country, what we were able to do from the time we came in to now with the resources available to us,” he said.

The ceremony began with a special rendition that ushered the president into the forecourt where the special parade was mounted by the guards brigade.

This was then followed by a special performance by the silent drill squad of the brigade, which included the formation of words like PMB @ 76

The brigade band also wished the president “Happy Birthday’’ with their musical gadgets.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of birthday cards to the celebrant.

While Mansur Dan-Ali, minister of defence, presented a birthday card on behalf of the country’s armed forces, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, presented on behalf of members of cabinet and Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, presented a card on behalf of presidential aides

The high point of the event was the cutting of the birthday cake by the president, who was flanked by ministers and some presidential aides.

Those at the event were cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, security chiefs, presidential aides as well as well-wishers.

SOURCE:http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/give-me-more-time-buhari-pleads-with.html

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has heaped praised on his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari as he turned 76 on Monday.

Osinbajo who is in Vienna, Austria to participate in the Africa-Europe High Level Forum with other African and European Heads of States or Government, described Buhari as a man who genuinely loves Nigeria.

Osinbajo alongside Buhari are seeking a second term in office in the forthcoming general elections billed for February 2019.

Sending his greetings, Osinbajo took to Twitter and wrote, “To a man, who has been exemplary in life and his commitment to Nigeria,” he tweeted along with a painted sketch of Buhari.

He added that, “To a man who has a great sense of humour,” he said of Buhari who had three failed attempts to be President.

“To a man who genuinely loves the Nigerian people and to a man I am privileged to call Boss, Happy 76th Birthday!” Osinbajo wrote.

President Buhari was born in Daura on 17 December 1942, and after his early education in both Daura and Katsina, he joined the army in 1961, one year ahead of Babangida, who joined in 1962.

After initial training at the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) now known as Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Buhari went for cadet training at from 1962 to 1963 at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England.

He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant at the age of 20, and appointed Platoon Commander of the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta.

From then on, his military career blossomed. At the head of several commands, before, during and after the civil war, Buhari in 1973 attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India.

After the 1975 coup that brought Murtala Muhammed to power, Buhari was appointed governor of the North Eastern state, where he is now leading, as civilian president and commander-in-chief, a charge of Nigerian troops against Boko Haram insurgency, since 2015.

In 2003, Buhari had his first shot at the presidency. He did not win. He tried again in 2007 and 2011 and again failed to win. On his fourth attempt in 2015 alongside Prof Osinbajo, he made the record as the first challenger to defeat an incumbent in the presidential election in Nigeria.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/osinbajo-celebrates-buhari-at-76.html

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday called on Nigerian youths to vote President Muhammadu Buhari in for a second term to ensure a better future for them.

Amaechi, who was a guest at the 2018 Future Awards in Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the future of the youth was at stake if they failed to support the incumbent administration.

He warned that voting for candidates who had no good intention for the growing population of young Nigerians would be tantamount to a plunge into a bleak future.

“I only have a simple but candid advice to Nigerian youths and that is: come 2018 elections, they should vote for Buhari because their future is at stake.

“I became Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly at the age of 34, I became the governor at the age of 42 and I became a minister of the Federal Republic at 50.

“We cannot afford to truncate our future for a piece of meat; we should be watchful because those people who stole our money and commonwealth are regrouping to come back to perpetrate their act.

“These people want to continue from where they were stopped from looting the treasury, when oil was sold at between 110 and 120 U.S. dollars,’’ he said.

The minister said that some of those parading themselves as political aspirants had “corruption cases hanging on their necks’’, adding that the youths must be wary of such candidates.

“If those that have stolen our money are yet to be jailed, it is because there is a process we have to follow and that is the rule of law; most of them have cases in court.

“The court will deliver judgment on them, as we cannot be the judge and prosecutor in the cases. The important thing is that they are being prosecuted.

“We are building a legacy for the youth and that is what we want to continue, I have gone through elections as a young citizen and I know what this means to the youth.

“The economy is growing steadily and by the end of the year, we would have achieved a two-per-cent growth and by next year, we hope to arrive at six per cent,” he said.

Besides, Amaechi said that the Buhari-administration would continue accord priority to the country’s rail transport development project, adding that it was a massive project involving about 6,000 km of railways.

“It is critical that we conclude the rail project embarked upon by this administration; it involves about 6,000km of rail lines and an estimated investment of about 36 billion dollars.

“Our government don’t have that kind of money to face it all now but we will eventually get there, and we will achieve the desired result with the available resources, he said.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/vote-in-buhari-for-brighter-future.html

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for working to make Nigeria greater.


Mustapha, in a personal message to the president on his 76th birthday, commended him for being firm and consistent.

The SGF, in the message he signed and made available on Monday, confirmed that Buhari was facing “grave distractions and gang-ups”.


Mustapha, however, expressed joy that the president had been able to weather the storm since assuming office.

He said: “Consistency. This is the hallmark of a great leader. You say what you’ll do. And you do exactly as you’ve said.

“You’ve matched your consistency with good vision. You’ve said that Nigeria, under your watch, will be great.


“Like the great leader you’ve always been, you’re leading the charge from the front in spite of grave distractions and gang-ups. We, your followers, are proud to join you to build a united and prosperous Nigeria.

“As you attain the 76th year landmark , we pray that your strength be renewed. When the job is done, posterity will know that President Muhammadu Buhari did his best for Nigeria the way only a true patriot could have.Happy birthday, Mr. President”.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/buhari-working-despite-distractions.html

A pro-Buhari support group has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) deserves another mandate without been opposed by any other politician or political party in the country.

The group said a catalogue of the achievements recorded in Nigeria between 2015 and now shows that President Buhari and the ruling APC ought to have earned automatic ticket from all well-meaning Nigerian irrespective of party affiliation.

The group known as ‘Buhari 2019 Integrated Support Group’ made their views known during their maiden Press Conference in Jos on Saturday.
National Coordinator of the group, Williams Audu, who read the text of the briefing said, “We are a volunteer group made up of youths with a mission to take Buhari’s re-election campaigns to the grassroots across the country.

Audu said, “We are motivated as a group to take Buhari’s campaigns to the grassroots because we have done a careful search on the policies and programs initiated by President Buhari since 2015 and discover that Nigerian has been put on the right path of progress.

“The fight against financial crime initiated by this government has been consistent and should be sustained and made a permanent orientation in the psyche of present and next generation. And the re-election of President Buhari will guarantee this continuity.

“President Buhari as a visionary leader has brought the country’s agricultural sector to the front burner as an alternative to crude oil considering that the prospect of oil as the mainstay of the economy is daily becoming risky for the country”

According to Audu, “We are moving to all nooks and crannies of the country, particularly the remote areas to spread the good things Buhari has done, to tell them about the need to re-elect Buhari again, we will move from door to door and from village to village with the success stories of Buhari.

“From the achievements recorded on ground, we belief Buhari has become a brand that is marketable anywhere in the country, and we are proud to market him.

“This group belief that with the achievements of president Buhari in his first term, if only all Nigerians are are aware of those achievements, they will elect Buhari unopposed even if he contest on zero party.

“Our emergence at the political scene therefore is to promote the ideals of President Muhammadu Buhari and his development achievements to people of the grassroots.

“Our group has national spread and we are open to any Nigerian youth who share the same understanding with us to join us in this campaign to ensure we facilitate this continuity in our quest for development and economic growth”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/buhari-deserves-another-term-unopposed.html

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday, expressed the Federal Government’s commitment towards the improvement of the wellbeing of Nigerians through various intervention schemes.

Osinbajo gave this assurance at the palace of the Emir of llorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, when he visited him in llorin.

The vice president said the Federal Government was working round the clock towards supporting the various economic ventures aimed at ensuring better times for Nigerians.

Osinbajo disclosed that he was in Ilorin to inaugurate the ‘TraderMoni’ scheme, being an economic intervention measure to support small scale businesses across the nation.

The TraderMoni is a segment of the National Social Investment Programme, which was established about two years ago.

The vice president lauded the Emir of Ilorin, who he said, had demonstrated competence in the judicial profession these past years.

“You are our leader in the legal profession and we are always proud of you,” the vice president said.

Osinbajo also praised the emir for upholding the llorin Emirate as an indivisible community since his enthronement more than two decades ago.

The traditional ruler, who thanked the vice president for the visit, lauded the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari for the various interventions to boost the nation’s economy.

In company with Osinbajo included, the APC governorship candidate in Kwara, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, APC candidate for the Kwara Central Senatorial District, Dr lbrahim Oloriegbe and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji lsiaka Gold.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vice president was accorded a warm reception in all the places he visited in the metropolis.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/vice-president-osinbajo-assures.html

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, stated that the desired level in the fight against corruption was yet to be attained.

Buhari Speaking at the Conference of Auditor-Generals in Nigeria, in Abuja, Buhari who was represented by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, therefore tasked auditors-general in the country to contribute their own quota in the task of enthroning transparency and accountability in the public sector so as to deepen the fight against corruption.

He said, “At the inception of this administration, three cardinal goals were set: these are security, fight against corruption and revamping of the economy. Three and the half years down the life of this administration, I am pleased to report that tremendous achievement has been recorded in all three areas. I will say, however, that the desired level in the fight against corruption is yet to be attained.

“Despite this continued effort on the part of government, gap still remained to be closed, especially in the area of external auditing.

Buhari said since inception, the current administration had introduced several different initiatives, especially in the financial and management sector aimed at stemming the tide of corruption.

Some of this initiatives, he said, include the treasury single account, which have tremendously reduced leakages in the system, as well as the Presidential initiative on Continuous Audit, PICA.

He said, “PICA have the mandate to validate controls, assess risk, probe a small cost, ensure compliance with public financial management refunds, detect errors and make recommendations to management for necessary actions.

“Recently, I approve several sweeping reforms in the public finance sector so as to further reduce waste and drive up revenue. This reforms include performance monitoring, that will set financial indicators and targets for revenue generating for government owned enterprises; new measures for expenditure controls, budgeting and financial reporting requirement.”

Buhari further stated that henceforth, the account of government-owned enterprises shall be audited within the period of four months after the end each financial year, adding that the role to be played by auditors-general in the success of this new reforms can, therefore, not be over emphasized.

“Let me challenge you all to think about how progress should be measured and I look forward to this as part of the outcome of your deliberations. The Sustainable Development Goals, SDG, adopted by all United Nations’ member state, is a universal call to action to end poverty and protect the planet and ensure that all, people enjoy peace and prosperity.

“These are well captured eithin the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP. Independent evaluation by auditors, for the success or otherwise of the implementations especially in the management of looted funds; against the right of proper implementations of the treasury single account TSA, the input achieved through the NPower programme, the lives that have been improved through the social safety net, conditional cash transfers and the school feeding programme and the visible progress with growth and real infrastructure, Across the country are all necessary ingredients for improvement,” Buhari maintained.

Also speaking, Auditor General of the Federation, Mr Anthony Ayine, said if the audit function performs well in its role, the journey towards achieving the SDGs would be shorter and smoother, adding that where audit institutions are weak, the chance of achieving the SDGs become even more remote.

He also stated that unless the basic needs of humanity are met, the risk of more part of the country degenerating into unrest is higher. He emphasised that the challenge of development was not for the Federal Government alone, adding that the problems started when the basic amenities and opportunities of life are not available to human beings.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/fight-against-corruption-hasnt-attained.html

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Poland said those fanning embers of discord in Nigeria are illiterates and ignorant.

Buhari spoke when he visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, in Oświęcim, Poland, where he paid tribute to Holocaust victims.

A statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said after an hour and 10 minutes guided tour of the Museum, devoted to the memory of the victims who died at both camps during World War II, Buhari penned a hand-written tribute in the visitor’s book, quoting Shakespeare’s ”Julius Caesar”.

”The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones”.

The President also laid a wreath at Block 11 of the museum, known as the ‘‘Death block.’’ Here, according to an epitaph in the Block: ”Male and female prisoners from all parts of the camp complex where held in this building…following brutal interrogations, they were in most cases sentenced to death by shooting.”

Shortly before leaving the Museum, which included the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, Buhari, fielding questions from State House Correspondents traveling with him, described those fanning embers of discord in Nigeria as ”illiterates and ignorant.”

The President is on Day four of his visit to Poland, where he had attended the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, delivered his national address at the 12-day meeting of COP24, met with several world leaders and visited the impressive Nigerian pavilion at the climate summit.

The President had earlier attended a town-hall meeting with Nigerians in Poland, a day after his arrival in the country.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/those-fanning-embers-of-discord-in.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the enhancement of the welfare of troops fighting insurgencies and criminal agents across the country.

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, made the disclosure yesterday in a statement signed by Tukur Gusau, the public relations officer to the Minister.

Dani-Ali also directed the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai to remain in the North-East until the security situation in the region improves.

The Minister also directed the General Officer Commanding 8 Division to relocate the tactical headquarters from Sokoto State to Zamfara, to oversee the conduct of Operation Sharan Daji.

Dani-Ali said, “The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has also directed the emergency procurement of critical equipment for the armed forces in line with the Federal Government policy of procuring equipment from Original Equipment Manufacturers through government to government basis.

“In a related development and a show of concern to the welfare needs of members of the Armed Forces, the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has directed the enhancement of the welfare of troops particularly those serving in operational areas within the country.”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/buhari-gives-matching-order-over.html

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has said the Federal Government will soon begin cattle ranching in the country to stop herdsmen killings.

Ogbeh made the disclosure on Monday during his official visit to a beans market located at Auta Ballefi, Nasarawa State, operated by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), NAN reports.

“We are starting the ranches soon. We will see if we can buy large number of shell and keep before we start. We want to stop the cows roaming about causing fights and killings.

“We will buy and give them to feed their cows until they get use to the ranches. We want to know if you have up to a trailer load. We will see what we can do if we can off-take the shell from you,’’ he added.

The minister, however, warned farmers against preserving beans with sniper after harvesting.

“We are proud of what we are seeing here today because this is not what we normally see in the IDPs. Most of the IDPs we visited are always waiting for people to bring food to them.

“But here, you are producing food and making money. You have told us what you need and as we go back to the office, we will find ways of helping you.

“I have never seen any beans market as big as this. And because you are farming, we are going to help you improve on what you are doing.

“I assure you that before the next planting season, we will bring three tractors here. You manage the tractors to do your farming.

“The first thing I will say now is nobody should put sniper on the beans again for storage because it is poisonous to human health.

“Instead, use pepper for preservation. That is why when we export beans, they are being rejected in Europe,” he said.

The minister restated government’s commitment to provide big market for farm produce to avoid post-harvest losses.

“We will find bigger markets to buy what you are producing. We are going to be buying from this market for schools’ programmes because is clean and direct from the farms.

“From the report released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) few days ago says the country has saved N51 billion in 34 months from importation. We have cut down food importation which is good,’’ he added.

The federal government has secured a $200 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fund electrification projects in the country.

In a statement on Monday, the bank said its board of directors approved the sovereign loan to finance the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP).

While AfDB approved $150 million, the Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF), a $2 billion facility sponsored by the People’s Bank of China and administered by AfDB, approved a $50 million to co-finance the project.

According to the statement, the joint financing will support rural electrification efforts in Nigeria by facilitating private sector development and the rollout of off-grid solutions, as well as the installation of dedicated power systems for federal universities.

“The joint financing from the Bank and AGTF will support the Federal Government of Nigeria’s efforts to address critical energy access deficit in the country, and catalyze achievement of universal energy access by 2030 targets,” the statement read.

“The NEP, which will be implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), presents an innovative approach to address the energy access deficit by channeling private sector investments into commercially viable mini grid and off-grid solutions.”

Damilola Ogunbiyi, managing director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), said the agency is pleased with the development.

“We are extremely pleased with the African Development Bank’s decision to support NEP. By supporting the electrification of unconnected and underserved communities, NEP will contribute materially to their economic development,” he said.

“Access to reliable, affordable and clean electricity will result in savings for households and businesses, which can be deployed to other uses. NEP will also train and employ thousands of Nigerians with particular focus on women and young people.”

In November, Akinwumi Adesina, president of AfDB, said he was ashamed of the country’s power generation despite the fact that the bank had invested over $200m in driving power generation and transmission in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari says he has resolved to stop complaining about the problems his administration inherited when it came into office.

Buhari said he “asked for it” by relentlessly vying for office four times before emerging president in 2015.

He made the comments while speaking with a cross-section of Nigerians in Poland on the sidelines of the global summit on Climate Change.

The president said: “We inherited so many problems. Actually, I have said I will not complain because I asked for it. I tried to become President three times and I lost, but I was lucky the fourth time, I became one, so I can’t complain”

“Who asked me to do it again? Three times I ended up in the Supreme Court. The third time, I said, ‘God dey’ and the fourth time, God and technology, using the permanent voter card and the card readers, they couldn’t rig the elections; so I won.”

Speaking on the security situation in the country, Buhari said significant progress has been made in the war against insurgency.

He said Boko Haram insurgents have been able to launch attacks in recent months because “they know the area more than the soldiers”.

Buhari said: “Those in the north-east will tell you that before we came, the so-called Boko Haram used to hold about 17 local governments. Now, physically, they are not holding any local government. So they have resorted to real guerilla tactics of hit and run.

“They mobilise, hit targets and then disappear again because they know the area more than the soldiers that are defending them. Our soldiers are from Port Harcourt, Lagos, Sokoto, but they are locally there and know the terrain more than the soldiers.”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/lll-no-longer-complain-about-problems-i_4.html

Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, says the bank’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) has created 2.5 million jobs across the country.

ABP is an agricultural programme which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015, and “intended to create a linkage between anchor companies involved in the processing and smallholder farmers (SHFs) of the required key agricultural commodities”.

He said the programme has been effective in correcting Nigeria’s imbalances, and suspending the bank’s policy suite will spell doom for Nigeria.

“The CBN recently introduced the Real Sector Support fund; a facility meant to provide cheap funding at no more than 9 percent to new projects in the Agric and Manufacturing sectors; aimed at boosting output and creating jobs,” Emefiele said this at the Annual Bankers dinner at the weekend.

“In the agriculture sector, the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP) has ensured that Nigeria emerged from being a net importer of rice to becoming a major producer of rice, supplying key markets in neighboring countries.

“As at October 2018, a total number of 862,069 farmers cultivating about 835,239 hectares, across 16 different commodities, have so far benefited from the Anchor Borrowers programme, which has generated 2,502,675 jobs across the country.”

Emefiele assured that the ABP will be used for the production of other farm produce within the country, including palm oil and fisheries.

“It is in light of the success of the Anchor Borrowers Program with regards to cultivation of rice and maize that the Monetary Policy Committee in its last meeting on the 21st of November 2018 recommended that the Anchor Borrowers program be applied to other areas such as palm oil, tomatoes, and fisheries to mention a few,” Emefiele added.

“Our efforts at supporting small-scale farmers and SMEs is based on our awareness of the critical role they can play in supporting our economic recovery and growth, as well as in creating job opportunities for millions of Nigerians.”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/buharis-anchor-borrowers-prog-has.html

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Legislative Matters, Senator Ita Enang, has explained that President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to assent the Electoral Act Amendment Bill (2018) because executive scrutiny on it has not been concluded.

Enang gave this explanation yesterday when he appeared as guest on Channel TV’s Sunday Politics, in Abuja.

Recall that Buba Galadima, an estranged political ally of President Buhari, had earlier alleged that elements around the presidency out to rig the 2019 elections were hindering him from assenting the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.


Expressing a contrary view, Enang pointed out that the presidential scrutiny was a routine responsibility of the office of the Head of State to ensure that any law as important as the Electoral Act was not only error-free but fair to all parties.

He noted that it was through similar scrutiny that the errors and drafting issues in the previous editions of the Bill were discovered.

The presidential aide therefore said it was too early to start speculating if the President would sign the proposed amendments or not since he was still within time as stipulated by the constitution.


Enang said: “Mr. President is still considering the Bill (Electoral Act Amendment) within the laws and provisions of the constitution because when a president or governor puts pen to paper assenting to a Bill, the executive arm of government is bound, the legislature is bound, all persons who have anything to do with the legislation are bound.”

He explained further that, “Whenever Mr. President receives a Bill, he looks at what were the historical jurisprudence behind the proposed amendments and what were the issues to ascertain if they were taken account of.

“If that has been taken care of, he looks at drafting issues which if not properly taken account of in the presentation would create problems or the Courts at all levels (to interpret). There’s also the cross-referencing problems.

“Mr President is still within time allowed by law to consider the Bill.”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/12/why-buhari-has-not-signed-electoral-act.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled his planned five-day “casual leave’’ as a mark of respect for victims of Boko Haram attacks across the battlefields in the Northeast zone of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the President had planned to spend the casual leave at his home country, Daura, Katsina State from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2.

The president, according to NAN, had earlier cancelled his official trip to Benin City, Edo, where he was initially billed to inaugurate the Edo-Azura Power Plant and grace the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference.

NAN reports that already the advanced teams of the president, who left Abuja for Katsina and Benin on Sunday, had been asked to return. NAN gathered that the cancellation of the trips would also enable the president to continue his ongoing meetings and consultations with relevant security and intelligent community aimed at addressing the nation’s security challenges.

However, the president is expected to declare the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference, which was moved from Benin City to Maiduguri, Borno, on Nov. 28 at the Government House Conference Hall (CGH).

President Buhari’s aide on New Media, Alhaji Bashir Ahmad, had on Sunday confirmed this development on his twitter handle.

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to declare the COAS Annual Conference on Nov. 28, 2018 at the Conference Hall CGH in Maiduguri, Borno state.

“The conference was earlier scheduled to take place from 26 -28 November 2018 in Benin, Edo state.

NAN also gathered that the shifting of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference from Benin City to Maiduguri might not be unconnected with the killing of Nigerian soldiers at Metele, a remote village bordering Nigeria and Chad.

NAN learnt that President Buhari would use the opportunity of the COAS conference to address the Nigerian soldiers at the battlefields to further boost their morale.

It would be recalled that President Buhari had on Sunday presided over a meeting of security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of the ongoing efforts to engage military and intelligence community towards addressing Boko Haram insurgency.

In a tweet in Abuja on Sunday, the President’s aide on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, said all the service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, Idris Ibrahim and the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi were part of the meeting.

“All the Service Chiefs, I-G of Police and DG of DSS were at the State House this morning. As President Buhari said (Saturday) yesterday, in the coming days, he will be engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking,’’ Ahmad said in the tweet.

President Buhari had pledged on Saturday to ensure that the loopholes, which led to the fatalities are blocked once and for all.

On 18 November, the Al Barnawi faction of Boko Haram attack the 157 Task Force Battalion based at Metele in northern part of Borno state, killing scores of Nigerian troops.

The military authorities are yet to give the specific number of casualties.

Buhari in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu in Abuja on Saturday, reiterated his administration’s commitment to the security of military personnel and other citizens.

“No responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of military personnel and other citizens”, Shehu quoted the president as saying.

“Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support, in terms of equipment and manpower, to succeed in ending the renewed threat.

“In the coming days, I am engaging the military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.”

The President noted that fighting terrorism had taken a global dimension, which necessitated international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.

He, therefore, reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and of his efforts to sustain the momentum in the previous significant successes recorded against the terrorists.

The president, however, advised Nigerians against making a political capital out of the national tragedy, saying “members of the armed forces are one family, commonly committed to the security and safety of all Nigerians.’’(NAN)

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/buhari-cancels-casual-leave-as-mark-of.html

By Emma Umohinyang

One of the attributes of great leaders is the mastery of the art of pro – activeness, especially at very critical moments of nationhood.

Unfortunately, this art is almost alien to most of our leaders as they are caught napping at times when they are expected to rise to the occasion, leading to a yawning gap between African countries and the developed world in terms of growth and technological advancement.

This no doubt has been the bane of most African countries, including Nigeria, leaving unpalatable consequences which impeded and continues to impede our growth and development.

It was therefore a thing of joy when President Muhammadu Buhari, not wanting to be bitten by this terrible bug launched ‘Next Level, 2019’, a compilation of his achievements and plans for a second term.

One of the most striking features of the event was that it took place almost as soon as the curtain on political activities for 2019 was raised which is very instructive.

This no doubt is remarkable as it is a demonstration on the part of the president that he is truly serious about leading the nation again to consolidate on the achievements of the last few years.

Given the fact that a lot of efforts must have gone into the project, it also underscores that he is not taking Nigerians for granted and a demonstration of the fact that he clearly identifies with their hopes and aspirations.

This is a clear departure from what we used to see in the recent past when aspirants at various levels approach us to vote for them without any level of seriousness.

Curiously, these are people who we entrust our destiny into their hands as they are naturally saddled with steering the ship of state. It is therefore safe to say that our decisions and indecisions in the recent past is largely connected to the unfortunate rape of our commonwealth by these leaders.

This is the major reason why the launch of ‘Next Level 2019’ by President Buhari needs to be applauded by all men and women of goodwill who truly love the growth and advancement of our nation, especially at this critical moment.

Aside from providing an insight into the journey of the present administration so far, ‘Next Level 2019’ gives detailed information about the administration’s plans for the future.

The document therefore presents Nigerians and all lovers of Nigeria, ample opportunity to score the Buhari administration based on its promises especially the landmarks recorded in the fight against corruption, agric revolution, diversification of the economy, infrastructural development, economic emancipation for the poorest of the poor, fight against Boko Haram and more.

This no doubt is very crucial as it lets the reader into the much – needed details that could be used in assessing the performance of the Buhari administration in all critical sectors as opposed to speculation or hearsay.

Aside this, the document is a veritable research material which is bound to be useful to voters, students, academics researchers, etc who may need critical information about the government.

Perhaps, for the first time in our national history, “Next Level 2019” presents Nigerians with critical information needed for decision making at a very critical period in our national history.

This is unsurprising as the Buhari administration has never hidden its desire to run a transparently open system for the benefit of Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora.

Though some members of the opposition have criticised the document, the good thing about it is that they have not been able to rubbish the facts presented.

Worse still, it is doubtful whether anyone remembers the title of the document launched by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar same day President Buhari launched ‘Next Level 2019’.

This no doubt speaks volume especially when one considers the voodoo economics of Atiku which many have so far dismissed as unworkable and an attempt to hoodwink Nigerians to vote for him in his desperate bid to rule Nigerian in 2019.

The question really is: can the achievements of Buhari over three and a half years in critical sectors of our economy – agriculture, solid minerals, power, infrastructure, health, anti – corruption etc be waved aside by discerning Nigerians?

For the first time in our nation, the country has made more money than it has made from non – oil exports since independence.

From agriculture, to solid minerals, the profile of the Buhari administration keeps rising by the day and winning global applause.

This is not forgetting the giant strides made in power, job creation, road construction and more for which Nigerian remain grateful.

Consequently, ‘Next Level 2019’ is most expedient at this time as it is a story of what the Buhari administration hopes to achieve in the next four years as part of strategies aimed at putting Nigeria back on stream to make her regain our lost position in the comity of nations. Can anyone say he does not desire railways working across the nation as being carried out by the Buhari administration, especially since this government kick started this project some years back?

Would anyone kick against the on – going efforts to make our airports world-class as demonstrated with the Port Harcourt Airport, and the successful construction of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja second runway by this administration?

Does anyone hate the on – going social intervention projects aimed at breaking the artificial wall between the rich and the poor through Trader moni and other empowerment schemes to lift the poor out of poverty as demonstrated by the Buhari administration?

Even the South – East where President Buhari’s administration recorded the least votes has about 70 on – going projects across the zone, with more to come.

This is what the ‘Next Level 2019’ is all about as it all about the Nigeria of our dreams.

Now is the time for all hands to be on deck by supporting PMB for a deserved second term in office.

–Umohinyang, a social commentator wrote in from Lagos

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/buhari-critics-and-next-level-2019.html

President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday promised to increase the salary, allowances and pensions of the Nigerian Police force and tasked them to do more in the protection of human life.

He assured that his administration will continue to give attention to the welfare and operational needs of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) with a view to restoring its lost primacy in the internal security framework of the country.

Speaking during an audience in State House, Abuja with members of the Nigeria Police Service Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force on a “Thank You” visit following his approval of Rank Salary Structure Adjustment, by which salary, allowances and pension of policemen will be increased, President Buhari regretted that the inability of the police in their constitutional role as the frontline force in the prevention of crime, had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law and order throughout the country.

According to the President, “From Taraba to Sokoto, to the South-South, people don’t feel secure until they see the military. I am pleased to make the increase in salary and allowances in the hope that it will increase the performance index of the police and strengthen Nigeria’s internal security system.”

President Buhari observed that the more efficient the police is, the more confident the government and citizens will be.

According to him, “The military should be reserved for higher tasks. The police should be able to cope well with the challenges of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and such crimes. In every town and village, there is the presence of the police. From all these places, they should be able to forward first class intelligence to you on which to act.”

“There is a need to amplify the question of more men of the police, especially given the condition we are in – emergency in the North-East, pervasive insecurity and abduction for ransom and banditry in many parts of the country. I congratulate you on the success you recorded against criminals taxing people and stopping them from their farms. We are expecting more from you,” the President told the police.

Full-time Commissioner in the Nigeria Police Service Commission, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi (rtd), who represented the chairman, Musiliu Smith, had informed the President that the Rank Salary Structure Adjustment would enhance police welfare and morale.

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, also assured that the police would redouble efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections throughout the country next year.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/buhari-increases-salary-of-nigerian.html

Festus Keyamo, the spokesman of the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, says the Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya did not debate, yet he won the presidential elections.

Keyamo said Buhari’s campaign war room will be the ones to decide, collectively with the president, if he would be debating ahead of the 2019 presidential elections.

“In the past, Buhari has taken active part in televised debate, so nobody can argue that he is somebody who is camera shy,” Keyamo said, while speaking on Arise TV on Monday.

“So the decision, whether he would take part this time must be a collective decision of the entire ‘war room’. Giving, for example, those who are organising it and all the circumstances taken into consideration.

“I do take as a basic rule that the Nigerian people must hear from their candidates, but the decision as to yes or no cannot be my sole decision.

“The advice will be a collective decision, it is not my advise alone. Don’t forget that you cannot take these things in isolation of the circumstances.

“For instance, it happened in Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta refused to take part in debate December last year. Why? He felt the process was skewed.

“At times, some things are designed and you know that they are core people there, who are hostile to government or who are hostile to your candidate as the case may be.

“Either way, Uhuru Kenyatta did not take part in the debate, but he won. He won resoundingly. So, as important as that is, at times the people may also understand.”

‘APC DEBATED IN OSUN, PDP RAN TO DANCE’
Speaking about the Osun state Guber elections held in September 2018, Keyamo said the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate debated, while his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart danced his way to 250,000 votes.

“Look at Osun state recently, I mean, there was a neck-to-neck race and the candidate of the PDP ran away, he was only dancing, and dancing took him to over 250,000 votes, almost becoming governor,” Keyamo added.

He said Buhari’s strongest campaign point is his ability to “squeeze water out of stone”.

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said Nigerians trust President Buhari, and if the PDP puts this in perspective, Atiku Abubakar would quit his campaign and concede the 2019 election “tonight”.

The Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) and Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) presidential debate is scheduled to hold on January 19, 2019.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/kenyatta-didnt-but-he-won-keyamo-says.html

All Progressive Congress(APC) governors from the north-east say President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a second term based on his performance in office.

They gave the endorsement at the end of a two-day APC north-east zonal meeting in Bauchi on Sunday.

The governors who attended the meeting in Bauchi include Kashim Shettima of Borno, Bindow Jibrila of Adamawa, Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and Modu Sheriff of Borno, among others.

Governor Shettima of Borno said the president has done extremely well as the sub-region has benefitted from his administration.

“We all know the sorry state of the country, we are the net beneficiaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in terms of appointment, securing lives and properties and projects,” he said.

“Because the Mambilla hydropower project in Gembu Taraba alone is game changer in this part of the world.

“Therefore north-east is Buhari’s territory, believe me the sub-region will solely back him in 2019 general elections,” he reiterated.

Mustapha Salihu, APC national vice-chairman for north-east, said the president has done much for the sub-region in terms of providing infrastructural development as well as the fight against insurgency.

He said: “I want to say that this gathering is mainly an endorsement meeting to show appreciation to Buhari’s administration for salvaging us from the shackles of insurgency, no single kilometre is now under Boko Haram.

“The meeting is also to reiterate our support come 2019 by giving him triple number of votes as against what was given to him in 2015.

“On the whole, the meeting is to map out strategies with the stakeholders to see how we will go about the forthcoming general elections to re-elect Buhari for a second term.”

On his part, Ahmed Lawan, senate leader, said senators of APC are more united after the defections and will continue to support the present administration on efforts to provide development in the country.

He said: “We are committed, loyal, patriotic and we will continue to support the president to actualise the wishes of Nigerians, and we will be committed party members who are supporting the continuity of the present administration.

“The 2019 general elections will be determined by integrity, history of candidates we know how they destroyed the resources. People should remember where we are coming from and where we are, right now.

“Buhari has done a lot of very good programmes and projects. Some have been concluded but there is still a lot that needs to be done.

“So we need to vote for him and return him as president so that he can complete the good work he has started.”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/north-east-is-buharis-territory-says.html

Any African, who hates Nigeria, probably hates the entire black race. We are very unique in multiple nuances. In academics, various fields of specialties have the impressive footprints of Nigerians.

In crimes, we have proved again and again that its sophistry is our exclusive reserve. We have gone to bestial limits where we proudly delight in plotting mass murders of our own kith and kin, or extermination of whole communities for political gains. We no longer dread the sight of blood.

We go paranoid in the worship of God; but demonstrate through words and actions, the unbridgeable gulf about the basic tenets of religiosity. Very richly endowed in politics, we experiment democracy in a manner that compels political scientists around the world into weekly researches to demystify our complex political mysteries.

Nigerians are world acclaimed masters of partisan politics. But, we loath progressive democratic traits and concepts, such as development or issue-based campaigns, innovative ideas, positive leadership character and integrity. But we endlessly adore the negative concepts, with edifying slogans.

So, opponents are only good for application of negative partisan concepts like physical or character assassination, arm-twisting, thuggery, blackmail, political vendetta, mudslinging, sentimentalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, regionalism, religiosity, hate speeches and campaigns of calumny.



Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) is once again under the fire of opposition politicians, partisan spin doctors, Mr. fixers and their minions. Now, like in 2014, the heat against President Buhari in 2018 is not on what else he would do for Nigerians, if reelected in 2019. It is not about his WAEC certificate. So, every Nigerian has become a WAEC or INEC officer.

And we have demonstrated enough of our very poor grasp of the issue. While we are asking PMB for WAEC certificate he obtained in 1961 from Government College, Katsina. But the real nomenclature of the certificate is Cambridge West African School Certificate, (WASC). He also earned it from Provincial Secondary School, Katsina; not Government College.

However, it is part of the deliberate confusion, we create to religiously exploit the system and extort money from our unconscionable pay masters. We insistently drum into their ears, how we have launched the "battles" against their rivals and such debasing blathers.

It's all more interesting, the progression of this ranting about Buhari's certificate. In 2003, when PMB vied against former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ), Buhari's WASC ( or is it WAEC) certificate was not a sentimental issue. Same in 2007 and 2011. In 2014 it became an issue because Buhari was contesting against a PDP incumbent President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who felt chillingly intimidated and threatened by Buhari's presidential candidature.



Therefore, we exhumed it and made a mountain out of a molehill. But it was Buhari's saving grace. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, had all the powers and authority in the world to expose Buhari's "faked"or non-possession of a secondary school certificate, to shame and ridicule him out of the contest. But both open and secret investigations, failed to yield the fruitful results pleaded.

Some PDP hirelings and apologists went to court and challenged Buhari over his 1961 WASC qualification. A legal practitioner, Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe played the spoil master. But as the case progressed in an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, the plaintiff voluntarily withdrew the suit. And it was struck out for obvious reasons.

This action was initiated after the Buhari's alma mater, Government College, (formerly, Provincial Secondary School), Katsina officially confirmed that he indeed, sat for WASC exams in 1961 and obtained a certificate. It was released with grades.

A Premium Times exclusive report, dated January 21, 2015 explicitly states that the medium, "... obtained the computer printout from Cambridge University as well as a statement of result, signed by the current principal of Katsina College, dated January 21, 2015... The Cambridge print out also shows the result of 17 other candidates at the centre, including Shehu Yar'Adua, a former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters."


The antagonists' could not go any further. These are facts in public domain; trashed and conclusively confined to the dustbin of history more than four years ago.

But we are back at it again just to keep ourselves excitedly busy on the politicking plane, poking at hard facts, we can never ever crack. The failure of Buhari's traducers to claim Mr. President has presented a forged certificate has spurred fresh anger, just to find something to hold against him.

They have wonderfully ignored the strength of submissions of Nigeria's legal luminaries, affirming and reaffirming the qualification of PMB to vie for the office of President of Nigeria in 2019.

Provisions of the 1999 Constitution on who is qualified to vie for the office of President of Nigeria are contained in Section: 131 and the issue of academic or other qualifications are clearly defined in Section: 318 (1) of the same Constitution, which have not passed a verdict of guilt on Buhari.

It therefore, changed the narrative from legal requirements to morality. I imagine who has vetoed PDP from approaching WASC successor body in Nigeria, WAEC , to confirm the truth or falsehood of the certificate? There are a dozen emergency activists and artificial organizations' they would have hired to execute the assignment. But they are hesitant. Why? Is PDP not prepared to present incontrovertible evidence that PMB has no certificate?

These critics know, when the military junta of IBB ousted Buhari as Nigeria's military Head of State in 1984, he was dumped into detention for months, by orders of the military government. His private residence was raided and personal documents, including certificates' carted away by the military government.



The action was spurred by the zeal to find something incriminating against Buhari. They found nothing, but never returned his seized documents.

PDP and its acolytes are free to make all the noise on certificate. But PMB has not applied to serve as PDP's BoT chairman or its President. He is seeking to continue leadership of Nigeria and Nigerians. This propaganda has failed flatly like others before now.

Only PDP knows PMB is too old, frail and weak with health challenges to continue to lead Nigeria.

Those who chant PMB's religious fanaticism and bigotry to indict his character and integrity are usually dumfounded when he pays a visit to the Anglican Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, each time he is in United Kingdom (UK).

There are more Muslim Mayors in UK than you can find Emirs in Nigeria. But he visits none, preferring to hobnob with a Christian cleric, who is also his best of personal friends around the world.

As a Nigerian and like millions of others, we prefer to again, vote for a leader of integrity, even if he flaunts NEPA bill as certificate. Its better than mortgaging our destinies and future in the hands of known capitalist cum political ones, whose only occupation is feasting on national treasury. PDP! May you know that in 2019, and in spite of your noises, we will still overwhelmingly vote for President Buhari.

By Josephine Odoh
Odoh writes from the United Kingdom

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/buhari-beyond-noise-of-waec-certificate.html

Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works, and housing, says the Muhammadu Buhari-led government is repairing the road to former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s house.

Fashola disclosed this in a recent interview with Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, stating that he is firmly behind the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Fashola said the first thing is that Buhari’s government has started work there, after it was ignored by past governments, including Obasanjo’s government.

“We have started work o, some people wey dey write letter since, e dey there, na the road to their house, them no do anything,” Fashola said in pidgin English.

“And all the money wey you say them spend, now make you ask, them spend money there? Them no spend money now, the money waka. Na Buhari come do am, after 16 years wey them dey government,” he told TheSheet in an interview.

“Even the one wey them con endorse now, he no dey there that time? Make I tell you one thing, there is no state wey dey this country, wey this government no dey do one road.”

Fashola said the government was fixing as much as five roads in some states, while some other states had three to four roads currently being fixed.

Asked if he would be running for president in the future, Fashola said “let us leave the future in the future,” that he is currently running with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said previous governments owed contractors many billions of naira, but the Buhari-led admin has been faithful with contractors and paying in time.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/buhari-fixing-road-to-house-of-letter.html

If only the Nigerian people and close observers will cleverly permute some obvious realities on the ground side-by-side practical situations emanating from government’s deliberate efforts at curbing the free flow of public funds in private hands, it shouldn’t be difficult to arrive at the conclusion that things are gradually changing in the country.

Critical and analytical study of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government should note among other things, that one of the major problems the current administration has is that it doesn’t seem to know how to present some factors that represent the change they promised to the people.

Very easily, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has harped on it that under the current government, Nigeria became the world headquarters of poverty. That is, following a report by Brookings Institution.

Unfortunately, aside an economic factor, which may be explainable by other indices, what is called ‘poverty’ in practically every Nigeria community is understandable. The present administration vowed to stand up to corruption and it is yielding some practical results that are noticeable in social trends.

What this means is that while artisans, businesses, families, religious groups and so on have freely benefitted from proceeds of corruption that had trickled down to them one way or the other, however, by cutting such channels of leakages that have enriched a few Nigerians at the detriment of the majority, such illicit money had ceased. Simply put, there are no more free meals anywhere.

The indications are rife. While the common man may not know it, those who have milked the country dry through illegal loopholes feel it more. A major change is that it is no longer business as usual. Many previous sources of illegitimate incomes are no longer available under President Buhari.

In some estimates, every day, oil companies in Nigeria lose between 300,000 and 400,000 barrels of oil to theft. Even at an average price of $70 per barrel of Brent crude oil, that is a colossus lost to any country. In some other estimates, about 15 per cent of Nigeria’s 2.4 million barrels produced per day go to theft in the Niger Delta, where illegal bunkering thrived.

Now, there is reduction in oil bunkering. President Buhari took power promising to tackle the “mind-boggling” level of corruption in his country’s oil industry. But can he succeed?

For instance, during a familiarisation tour of the bases under his command, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, attributed the decrease in oil theft and illegal oil refinery in the Niger Delta to three reasons.

“Crude oil theft and other such criminal activities have reduced as a result of a number of measures put in place, one of which is the permanent operation at sea, which is called Operation Tsare-Teku. Tsare-Teku maintains a number of vessels at sea at all times. The second one is the Swamp bogey operation, whereby we go around demolishing all illegal infrastructure that have been put in place for illegal oil production.

“The third one is the choke-point regime, in which we have our houseboats at strategic points within the inner waterways, which are the backwaters, ensuring there are no illegal movement of any kind of illegally produced products in that general area.

“We’ve been able to sustain these three and with them, we have been able to curtail the flow of illicit oil activities in our area of responsibility,” Garba said.

He also commended the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Delta) and it’s commander, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, describing the base as the most critical security outfit to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

For those, who may not be familiar with the successes of the security agencies in the Niger Delta region, the eradication of the gang of notorious oil thieves in Arepo, Ogun State is another attestation to the fact that the business is no longer thriving.

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are bedrocks of fraud in the Nigerian political system. In 2016, the acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, confirmed this and threatened that whoever in the MDAs was found violating the provisions of the Procurement Act risked five to 10 years imprisonment.

Today, civil servants are more careful than ever. No more contract award racketeering syndicates, no more raising vouchers to steal government funds for work not done and no more multiple bank accounts by MDAs.

The Nigerian government has been posting staggering figures in the range of trillions of naira as the monies the country has saved through the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the unified structure of government bank accounts that enables consolidation and optimal utilisation of government cash resources.

On April 17, 2017, the federal government said it had recorded over N7 trillion in the TSA by the end of March of that year and later in August 2018, government announced that it has saved up to N24.7 billion monthly as a result of the policy.

A previous sinister connivance between the executive and the legislators called budget-padding had been another avenue through which very large chunk of public funds is siphoned and find their way into private hands. This government stood against the heinous crime and continued to prevent it.

Hence, the federal government has said it repeatedly that there were no spurious items of expenditure in the 2018 budget. Earlier in the year, the Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Akpandem James, said contrary to insinuations by commentators, all the items captured in the budget were well conceived and carefully provided for by the respective agencies of government.

Even up till this moment, the presidency and the National Assembly are still at loggerheads over where to source the sum of N242.205 billion virement approved for the 2019 general election. The lawmakers, against the request by President Buhari that the National Assembly should provide the virement from the N557 billion inserted into the budget by the federal lawmakers for their constituency projects, had insisted that the money must be taken from the Service Wide Vote.

It is only upon FG’s insistence that the lawmakers recently agreed to approve that the money should be sourced from MDAs and the Service Wide Vote.

In totality, for not drawing adequate attention to some of its anti-corruption stances that are yielding positive results and consequently reducing free flow of stolen money, government is getting bashed as creating poverty, but it is only when legitimate money begins to circulate that wealth can be evenly distributed.

Observers can look around Nigeria today and they would be shocked to see construction works and rehabilitation of roads going on everywhere. All abandoned projects are being given attention. Before, contractors collect money for projects, do a little of the work, abandon them and pocket the rest.

Kickbacks are not coming to those in the civil service as usual; money laundering is now very difficult for the political class – no more easy foreign exchange round-tripping transactions fraud, no more dubious foreign trips for trainings and workshops with unbudgeted estacodes, no more traditional rulers and religious leaders trooping to Aso Rock for dollars, and lastly, the ghost worker menace has been reduced significantly.

This government’s frugality and incorruptible posturing is curtailing frivolous spending, clearly. How many clergy men, for example, still fly their jets or buy new ones? Ask the black market Bureau De Change operators, they will confirm that dollar is scarce and it is usually the ill-gotten dollars that are being mopped up through the anti-corruption drive of this administration.

– Ibrahim lives in Minna.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/with-buhari-corruption-now-on-its-knees.html

The Presidency has reacted to a statement credited to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar on how he sold firewood as an orphan.

Atiku had on Monday while unveiling his campaign policy document titled, ‘The Atiku plan’ narrated a story of how he started out selling firewood as an orphan in Adamawa before he got rich.

He was quoted as saying: “I started out as an orphan selling firewood on the streets of Jada in Adamawa, but God, through the Nigerian state, invested in me and here I am today. If Nigeria worked for me, I owe it as my duty to make sure that Nigeria also works for you.”

But, reacting, social media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, on Wednesday lambasted the former vice president, describing his statement as lies, urging Nigerians not to trust the former Vice President.

Onochie questioned how Atiku became an orphan in 1984 when he was rich at the age of 38.

She further opined that it’s disrespectful and insulting to Nigerians for a candidate or anyone to lie to them.

Onochie on her Facebook page wrote: “Atiku cannot be trusted; I started life as an Orphan in Jada”-Abubakar Atiku (BIG FAT LIE)

“ORPHAN-a child whose parents (Father and mother) are dead. In his book, MY LIFE (2013 pg 30) refers: Atiku said his mother died in 1984. This was when he was 38 years. He was old enough to buy his mum a house.

“What’s the point of this lie? To deceive Nigerians and get their sympathy? It’s disrespectful and insulting to Nigerians for a candidate or anyone to lie to them.

“He is saying we are too gullible to find out the truth. No, we are not. President Buhari nor Vice President Osinbajo will never lie to Nigerians.”

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/how-atiku-lied-with-his-orphan-story.html

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, has said plans are underway for his administration to raise Nigeria’s power generation to 11,000MW by 2023.

This was contained in the President’s manifesto for reelection in 2019 titled: ‘Next Level’.

Recall that Buhari had in his 2018 new year message announced that his administration has achieved 7000MW of on-grid power generation.

However, a breakdown of President Buhari’s plan for the power sector indicates that he intends to add another 4000MW in four years, if reelected next year.

According to the document, the APC flagbearer would pursue a minimum 1000MW incremental power capacity on the grid each year till 2023.

Additionally, the manifesto captures a plan by the President to expand the country’s distribution capacity which is currently estimated at 5000MW.

Under the off-grid power projects, President Buhari pledged to energise nine additional universities with uninterrupted solar power supply when the first phase involving 37 universities have been completed.

Also, he is promising to stimulate, through off-grid energy, activities in 300 markets apart from Sura, Ariaria, and 14 other markets currently benefiting from a combination of solar and wind power initiatives.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/power-generation-to-hit-11000mw-buhari.html

The National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chekwas Okorie, on Tuesday defended the party’s adoption of President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate in the 2019 presidential election.

He said the decision is to preserve the zoning formula of the party, adding that the re-election of President Buhari will enable power shift to the South in 2023.

Mr Okorie stated this in a statement made available to journalists after a press briefing at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the UPP in August decided the party would not field a presidential candidate in 2019 but back Mr Buhari.

After leading a South-east group to a closed door meeting with Mr Buhari on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Mr Okorie announced the party’s decision to adopt Mr Buhari as UPP presidential candidate.

The unwritten power-sharing agreement known as zoning aims to alternate the presidency between northern and southern parts every eight years.

It was consolidated during Nigeria’s first two democratic transfers of power — in 1999 and 2007.

It was however truncated in 2011 when former President Goodluck Jonathan, from the South-south, contested and won the general elections.

Mr. Jonathan also contested in 2015 against the wish of political blocks who felt the presidency ought to have been zoned to the North for eight years.

“Although the very desirable rotation of power in Nigeria has not been provided for in the Nigerian constitution, a noticeable convention of rotation of power between the North and South has been operative for a while”, the party chairman explained.

“Since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic rule, this pattern of rotation has assumed the status of a convention rather than the rule. The expectation of shift of power from South to North and North to the South has some soothing effect on the perennial agitation for power shift, especially during each general election.

“It is therefore our position and for the sake of national stability, cohesion and unity, that four more years of President Muhammadu Buhari is far more reassuring and beneficial to most Nigerians whether from the North or the South than a possible eight years of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar government which will also foist on Nigerians the sad memories of the 16 years of nightmare Nigerians lived under the PDP government in Nigeria.”

Mr Abubakar, a former vice president, became the main challenger of the incumbent president at next year’s polls after clinching the presidential ticket of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Outlining how UPP will campaign for Mr Buhari, Mr Okorie also aimed shots at the PDP.

“As Nigerians we feel the difficult economic times the nation is facing. We are also aware of the enormous challenges of having to rescue Nigeria from imminent collapse as a result of the mindless and unconscionable looting of our common patrimony and treasury by the PDP administration consistently for over 16 years that the party held sway at the Federal and state governments including the outright control of a criminally compliant and conniving National Assembly.

“There is no discerning Nigerian or patriotic and rational political party that will have an objective assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that will not come to a logical conclusion that President Buhari towers head and shoulder above Mr Abubakar in integrity and all other consideration.

“As we hit the campaign train we shall from time to time share with Nigerians the many sound and logical reasons why president Buhari shall be returned to complete his second term in office and why it shall be a tragedy of a monumental proportion to return the years of profligacy, unbridled corruption, scandalous leakages and highly compromised judiciary, to power.”

Mr Okorie said the core values of his party remain unchanged but its main target from now is to “aggressively campaign in a very robust, vibrant and civilized manner to ensure the victory of President Buhari in the 2019 polls.”

Based on the official time table of the electoral commission, campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections commenced on Sunday, ahead of the elections on February 14, 2019.

SOURCE: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2018/11/why-we-adopted-buhari-as-our.html