₦airaland Forum

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday left Abuja for N’Djamena, Chad to attend the meeting of regional leaders on the menace of Boko Haram.

The President, who left in the morning is to chair a consultation of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

The regional summit is also aimed to review the security situation and intensify the efforts to end the insurgency in the region.

President Buhari convened the meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

The one-day meeting is also expected to look at the impact on the areas affected by Boko Haram insurgency and adopt measures to enhance the capacity of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to meet the challenges of securing the areas.

Presidency tweeted the departure of President Buhari early on Thursday.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/tight-security-buhari-leaves-for-ndjamena.html

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The Atiku Campaign Organisation has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar will restructure Nigeria within one year if elected President in 2019.

Featuring on Arise Television, yesterday, the spokesperson of the organization, Segun Sowunmi said Nigerians would have seen practical restructured activities that government would have embarked on within one year if the Waziri of Adamawa becomes President.

He stated that the Nigerian constitution was not created to be an obstacle to development, adding that Nigerians can determine what they need to change that can give them the desired growth.

Sowunmi said, “The first thing Atiku is going to do once he sets up his government, which will take six months, is that he’s going to set up a special committee that will look at all of the reports, 1995, 2005, 2014, harmonise them and get what is the commonalities so that we can know what is consistently being demanded, pull out all the harmonised stuff, looking at all the things Nigerians have been clamouring for, which of those things can be signed by an executive order, maybe things that are on the concurrent list.

“Then, he will look at the ones that require him to work with the legislature and stakeholders in the country and say look Nigerians, our constitution was not created to be an obstacle to development. We have the power, as Nigerians, to determine what we need to change that can give us the growth we need, giving that he’s very good at building consensus and pulling people together.

“But one thing you can be sure of is that, within 6 to 8 months, maximum of one year, Nigerians would have seen practical restructured activities that the government would have embarked on.

“You know why? It’s because you are going to have in the office of the president an Atiku Abubakar, not someone who is paying lip service to restructure, somebody who has been standing on restructuring for such a long time, who has written on restructuring and who has advocated for restructuring?”

On the issue of Abubakar spending just one term if elected President, Sowunmi said, “When we get to that bridge, we will certainly cross it. But what I will say to you is this. Atiku Abubakar keeps his words and his obligations. What he says or signs up to, you can rest assured that he will do it. He’s not a flippant fellow and he doesn’t play to the gallery.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/2019-what-atiku-will-do-within-one-year-if-elected-president-atiku-campaign-spokesman.html

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The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, has ordered the posthumous trial of an operative of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Inspector Olukunle Olonade who shot dead an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Rotimi Adeyemo, at the Iyana Ipaja area of the state on Wednesday.

As reported by Punch, police spokesperson, CSP Chike Oti, Thursday, said residents who witnessed the incident, thought Olonade who was in mufti, was an armed robber and mobbed him to stupor, adding that the operative later gave up the ghost while being rushed to a hospital for treatment.

“On November 28, around 6pm, the driver of a Toyota Highlander SUV, with registration number LSR 277 BJ, later identified as Police Inspector Olukunle Olonade, attached to FSARS Ikeja while driving along Iyana-Ipaja Road, was contravened for driving against traffic by a LASTMA official, one Rotimi Adeyemi, aged 46 years at Iyana-Ipaja Roundabout.

“The two men vehemently disagreed with each other. However, during the altercation, the said Inspector Olukunle Olonade allegedly shot the LASTMA officer to death,” he said.

“Consequently, an irate mob, who thought that the shooter was an armed hoodlum because he was in mufti, descended on him and beat him to stupor.

“Although he was later rescued by teams of policemen drafted to the scene, he later gave up the ghost while being rushed to a hospital for treatment.

“The serial number of the pistol recovered at the scene was checked in the system and it revealed the bearer as Inspector Olukunle Olonade attached to FSARS Ikeja.

“Corpses of the deceased have been evacuated to the morgue for autopsy.

“The CP Lagos has directed that the late Inspector Olakunle Olonade be tried posthumously in orderly room and be recommended for dismissal from the Force,” he added.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/update-fsars-operative-who-killed-lastma-official-reported-dead.html

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The Nigerian Army said on Wednesday that it lost 23 personnel to the attack by the Islamic State of West African Province terrorists, who attacked the 157 Battalion in Metele in northern Borno on November 18.

The army, in a release late on Wednesday which was the first time it would speak on the casualties’ figure, said 31 personnel were also “wounded in action and have been evacuated to several medical hospitals.”

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, in the release signed by Brig Gen Sani Usman, said 12 soldiers were also killed at Kukawa, Ngoshe, Kareto and Gajiram when the troops came under attacks of the Boko Haram terrorists.

Usman said, “Troops deployed in the North-East of Nigeria under Operation Lafiya Dole have come under series of attacks by large numbers of Boko Haram terrorists. Specifically, the Nigerian Army troops deployed at Kukawa, Ngoshe, Kareto and Gajiram came under attack at different times within a two-week period from November 2 to 17.

“Each of these incidents was successfully repelled and several members of the terrorists were killed. However, a total of 16 personnel were killed in the course of these attacks while 12 soldiers were wounded in action and are receiving treatment at our military medical facilities.

“As you are all aware, Nigeria is contributing troops to the Multi-National Joint Task Force which has its headquarters in N’djamena, in the Republic of Chad. One of the Nigerian battalions, 157 Task Force Battalion, deployed under the auspices of the MNJTF was attacked at their Base on the outskirts of a town called Metele on November 18.

“During the attack, the troops were forced to withdraw and several casualties were recorded. As of this date, 23 personnel were killed in action and 31 personnel were wounded in action and have been evacuated to several medical hospitals within Borno State. The Nigerian Army commiserates with the MNJTF at this difficult time and wishes to state that all necessary support will be rendered to the MNJTF to reverse this resurgence of the Boko Haram terrorists.

“In the last two to three months, we have noticed daring moves by the terrorists, increased use of drones against our defensive positions and infusion of foreign fighters in their ranks. These potent threats require us to continually review our operations.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/metele-attack-army-confirms-23-soldiers-killed-31-others-injured.html

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Govt will procure modern fighting equipment to end Boko Haram madness – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari and his entourage on Wednesday arrived Maiduguri, the Borno state capital to attend the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference.

Although, it was not the first time visit of Mr. President to the State since he assumed office in 2015, but this would be a special one where Buhari and his entourage would pass through the city of Maiduguri with virtually all major streets closed down for motorists amidst tight security.

‪The President is in Borno State to declare the Conference open which was originally slated for Benin, Edo State.‬

The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima received the President at the Maiduguri International Airport around 11:30am.‬

The President proceeded to the Palace of His Royal Highness, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi and paid the Monarch a courtesy call, after which, he proceeded to the venue of the Conference at the Command Guest Inn, Baga Road, Maiduguri to flag off the Conference.

While at the Shehu’s palace, HRH, thanked the president for the visit and federal government’s concerted effort in the fight against Boko Haram.

He assured that the traditional institutions would continue to give their maximum support in the fight against terrorism in the country.

In his welcome address, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali said, the Conference usually brings serving and retired Commanders and other Security agencies to brainstorm on the state ongoing operations against terrorists and other criminals in the country.

He expressed gratitude to President Buhari for giving enormous support to the military forces to confront series of security challenges bedevilling some parts of the country, especially north east and the Lake Chad Region.

The Minister also commended the service chiefs and other stakeholders for their unrelenting efforts in the fight against Boko Haram and other related security challenges confronting the country. He therefore called for a coordinated joint operations amongst the security agencies to ensure total peace in the land.

Dan Ali however prayed God to grant eternal live to the souls of gallant officers and soldiers who paid a supreme price to restore peace in the north east and the country in general.

Governor Shettima in his brief remarks commended all security agencies and members of the Civilian JTF towards degrading remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in the north east.

He said, before the coming of President Buhari, virtually all major roads leading to Maiduguri were deathtrap, as nobody venture to move out of the city by few kilometres away without being confronted or attacked by insurgents, noting that the present administration came as a saving grace to people of the state.

He pledged that his door would continue to remain open for all security agencies so that the support needed to end the lingering crisis of insurgents would be given necessary consideration by his administration.

He cited poverty, illiteracy, and climatic and other changes in the lake Chad region responsible for emergence of Boko Haram, which according to him, if not properly addressed, youths may become easily convinced join Boko Haram and other nefarious activities.

President Buhari who is the Special Guest of Honour while declaring the Conference opened, commend the leadership of Nigerian Army for moving out the Conference earlier slated to hold in Edo to Maiduguri.

He noted that his administration would continue to give its maximum support to the military, adding that one of the cardinal objectives of this government is to ensure adequate security of lives and property of the citizenry.

“This Conference is timely, considering fact that this government is determined to end security challenges in the North East, Niger Delta and farmers/herdsmen clashes in some parts of the country.

” I want to convey our deep condolences to the families of heroic gallant officers and soldiers who paid the supreme price while maintaining law and order in our fatherland.

“As we approach the 2019 general elections, I want to urge members of our security forces to remain non partisans and leavel up to the expectations on the rules of engagements.

” I want to specifically condole with family of late General Idris Alkali and the Nigerian Army for his untimely death in the hands of some evils doers, as government, I want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to bring the perpetrators to book.

“As President and by the powers conferred on me, I assured you that government will procure modern fighting equipment end madness of Boko Haram and other acts if our enemies. I want to also assure you that government is doing everything to increase the welfare of our Nigerian Army”. Buhari stated.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/govt-will-procure-modern-fighting-equipment-end-boko-haram-madness-buhari.html

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President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Maiduguri to declare open the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference holding in Borno State.

The COAS conference was originally scheduled to hold in Edo State, however, it was moved to Borno state, in the wake of the attack on three military bases in Metele by Boko Haram terrorists.

Bashir Ahmad, Buhari’s New Media aide shared photos of the president’s arrival at the Maiduguri International Airport.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/photos-buhari-arrives-maiduguri-for-coas-conference.html

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Security has been beefed up in Maiduguri and environs as President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to visit the town to declare open the Fourth Quarter Chief of Army Staff Conference.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this is the first time the president will be gracing the quarterly chief of army staff conference since he assumed office.

The quarterly conference is used to review the army’s activities, including operations and exercises with a view to improving on them.

The president is also expected to use the occasion to address troops on the frontline in the North East and assured the people of the region of his administration’s determination to prosecute the counterinsurgency battle to a logical conclusion.

The president’s visit is being interpreted as a morale booster for officers and soldiers in the aftermath of killing of a number of soldiers at Metele in Northern Borno, by the Boko Haram terrorists group.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/video-tight-security-in-maiduguri-as-buhari-visits.html

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Senator representing Kano Central, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso says he was aware of the video which showed Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State allegedly receiving money from some contractors.

He, however, said he did everything possible to stop the release to the public but to no avail.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, stated this on a live programme on Aminchi FM in Kano.


Senator Kwankwaso said he pleaded with the Publisher of the online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, which released the video, but noted that they refused to heed his plea.

According to him, “I was aware of the video clips before they were released to the public and I pleaded that they should not be released, but they didn’t listen to me.

“I am not happy that the video clips were made public because it is an embarrassment to the state and its people, including myself.”

Ganduje has since been the subject of several videos, which showed him receiving wads of US dollars from persons believed to be contractors.

At least six of such videos have been published since the first clip was released on October 11

The governor, however, denied collecting money from any contractor, describing it as a calculated attempt to impugn his person.

He later sued the online newspaper for N3 billion, despite earlier intervention by the House of Assembly that he should not do so.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/i-worked-against-release-of-ganduje-bribe-videos-kwankwaso.html

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At a packed stadium, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday announced the resolution of the progressives to support continuity of good governance.

“There is no going back in the resolve to return President Muhammadu Buhari for another term in office,” the former Lagos State governor said.

It was at the inauguration of Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola and Benedict Olugboyega Alabi as Osun State governor and deputy governor.

The colourful ceremony, attended by many dignitaries and ordinary folks, took place at the Osogbo Township Stadium in the state capital.

Tinubu said Nigerians could not afford to go back to the “scavengers, who personalised governance because of their greed”.

To the APC stalwart, there should be enough of greed and self-serving government that “has held back our progress as a nation”.

He stressed that there was nothing to show for the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in power.

He said the PDP only laid the foundation for “greed” and “selfishness”.

His words: “Nigeria must never be allowed to go back to the corruption, greed and selfishness that have held back our progress. No shaking and no going back to the old foxes, old scavengers and old greed of this country. Look back at their years in government and find out if they laid any good foundation. They didn’t, except the personalisation theory of greed.”

Tinubu, who was elated by the inauguration of the new government in Osun State, congratulated the former governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for handing over power to a progressive administration.

He said: “I congratulate you, Aregbesola, for handing over power to a progressive. Now you have joined me in the club of former governors. You have really done very well. You have run progressive and welfarist programmes. I commend you for your performance in the two terms you have spent as governor.

“You have done very well. Since eight years, which is like yesterday. You earned a progressive mandate and did it for four years and renewed it for another four years. It was a welfarist and progressive programmes now handed over to another progressive governor. Thank you for walking the path and doing a good job.”

Tinubu, who congratulated Oyetola and Alabi, assured them that the administration would be supported by progressives in all parts of Nigeria.

According to him, Oyetola’s emergence as governor is a continuation and testament of APC’s progressive ideology of governance started four years ago by President Buhari.

He urged the new governor to follow the path that will engender progressive development, put smiles on people’s faces and take the country to higher heights.

The former governor said: “We want you to maintain the same path of progress. We are strongly behind you. Ride on, no going back. There is no any other party here in the Southwest.”

President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, said the inauguration marked a peaceful transition from one administration to another.

President, who commended the former governor for steering the ship of the state successfully for eight years and handing over power to an APC administration, thanked the people of Osun for conducting themselves peacefully during and after the governorship elections.

Buhari advised politicians in the 2019 general elections to make their campaigns focus on programmes and agenda capable of emancipating the people from hardship.

He called on Oyetola to centre his administration around the welfare of the people of the state, especially women and youths, to make life meaningful to them.

He said: “Public office is a trust. You must rule with a human face and the fear of God. You must ensure that all the ongoing projects are completed.”

He assured the new governor of all the necessary support that would help him succeed.

Buhari also called on Nigerians to vote for the APC in the 2019 general elections.

He urged them to conduct themselves peacefully – in a manner devoid of bitterness and violence, shunning hate speech and violence during the campaigns.

He praised the Aregbesola for bringing “immense developments” to the state in the last eight years.

He assured that the APC-led administration would continue to deliver the democracy dividends to the people.

Among the dignitaries at the event were Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Gen. Alani Aknirinade, Aregbesola’s wife, Sherifat and his former deputy Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori.

There were Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano).

Former Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo were there.

Others were the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, former Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Dokun Abolarin, former House of Representatives Speaker Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, Osun state speaker of the State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, former state speaker, Adejare Bello, APC women leader, Chief Mrs Kemi Nelson, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, Senator Solomon Adeola , former Lagos deputy governor, Femi Pedro, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senator Sola Adeyeye.

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Akwa Ibom state house of Assembly is currently on fire as the house members and the 5 sacked lawmakers of the All Progressives Cingress engage in battle at the assembly premises.

There is serious gunfire by security men as the youths try to pursue Nse Ntuen, the factional Speaker and other four out of the chambers and assembly premises.

It was garhered that Ntuen and Others had arrived the chambers early before the time for plenary with plans to impeach governor Udom Emmanuel

The governor artived the venue with members of his cabinet and security details, about 10am which helped the youths to pursue the 5 lawmakers out of the assembly premises.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/war-in-akwa-ibom-assembly-over-plot-to-impeach-gov-emmanuel.html

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A member of the House of Representatives, Gudaji Kazaure, has asked President Buhari to appoint him as the leader of a special taskforce that will go into the dreaded Sambisa forest to destroy Boko Haram members. According to Kazaure, he is a hunter and knows the nooks and cranny of the dreaded forest.

Let the President appoint me. I will delegate a team to go inside the bush with myself to finish those idiots. I am a hunter. I know all these bushes. I am a professional hunter. I can delegate a team of hunters. Let the government give us Army and Police, we will go inside that bush. I will lead it. Even if it is tomorrow, I will lead'' he said

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/allow-me-to-go-into-sambisa-forest-to-destroy-boko-haram-members-house-of-reps-member-gudaji-kazaure-tells-president-buhari.html

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Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, has clarified his stance on the fate of Ayodele Fayose, his predecessor.

Speaking with state house correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, Fayemi explained that there was never a time he said he would probe Fayose.

According to him, reports of such probe are on the table of anti-graft agencies.

“Well, I am sure I have never said anything about probe, and I do not say anything about probe. Looking into books is the duty of any new governor, you need to know what you found in place, I just talked about visitation panel into the education sector in the state,” he said.

“There are other sectors in the state, and it will be remiss of me not to check what we found when we came into office and share that with the citizens of the state.

“It is just accountability not probe. I am not EFCC, I am not ICPC, there are institutions that are charged with the responsibility to do that and its entirely up to them if they want to probe the governor or not.

“It is not my business, I leave Fayose to God, I have said that before.’’

Fayose is currently being prosecuted by the EFCC over an 11-count charge of alleged conspiracy and money laundering.

Speaking on the state of education, Fayemi said Ekiti had a tradition of being the intellectual capital of the country but it seemed to have lost that edge lately.

He said his government was working toward repositioning the sector, particularly at the basic and tertiary levels.

The governor said he had set up visitation panel in all the tertiary institutions in the state to review and recommend what the critical and challenging issues were and how government should respond to the yearnings of the sector.

He said the government was taking specific steps to address access to education in the basic education sub-sector.

“Before now, Ekiti used to be the leading state in terms of school enrollment in the country but the latest figures we received from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) makes it clear that we are lagging far behind,” he said.

“We have moved from 96 per cent enrollment in the entire country to about 45 per cent meaning that about 55 per cent of our school age children are of school.

“That is unacceptable in a state like Ekiti and we need to find out what has happened between 2014 and 2018 leading to this appalling figure in terms of school enrolment.

“And one of the very first things we are doing to improve enrolment is to make sure that all fees and levies in the primary and secondary sector are removed, so we have removed that.

“We have returned free compulsory and qualitative education to our basic education sector.’’

The governor dismissed insinuations that he was having disagreement with the labour union in his state.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/probe-i-leave-fayose-to-god-fayemi.html

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday declared his backing for aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress who opted to sue the party for being dissatisfied with its decisions.

The President said the courts remained the last option for the amicable resolution of disputes, hence he insisted that the party must allow the aggrieved members to fully explore their democratic and legal rights.

It is yet another sign of the deepening disagreements within the fold of the ruling party.

The APC has been battling post-primary election crises, amid fears that the development may rub on its chances at the 2019 polls.

The National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, in particular, has been pitted against some state governors, who are reported to be bent on removing him before the polls.

The party has also suffered a gale of defections across the states and the National Assembly, where there is now a real threat of losing the majority position in the House of Representatives.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, expressed Buhari’s backing for the decision of aggrieved members to approach the courts.

The statement quoted Buhari as saying, “We can’t deliberately deny people of their rights.

“We agreed that party primaries should be conducted either through direct, indirect or consensus methods, and if anyone feels unjustly treated in the process, such a person can go to court.

“The court should always be the last resort for the dissatisfied. For the party to outlaw the court process is not acceptable to me.”

Buhari, who also cited the threat issued by the National Working Committee of the APC last week, said he did not agree with the position of the party’s leadership.

The NWC had warned, “The party intends to activate constitutional provisions to penalise such members as their action is capable of undermining the party and hurt the party’s interest.

“We hereby strongly advise such members to withdraw all court cases, while approaching the appropriate party organs with a view to resolving any outstanding disputes.

“In addition to this, aggrieved members are urged to take full advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has put in place.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/breaking-apc-members-have-right-to-go-to-court-buhari.html

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing them of failing Nigerian troops on the frontlines against the Boko Haram sect.

Mr Abubakar was chided on Sunday by the APC for accepting a traditional title and embarking on a jamboree with discredited politicians barely a week after scores of Nigerian troops were killed by insurgents during a raid on their battalion.

Yekini Nabena, the deputy national spokesperson for the ruling party, said Mr Abubakar has shown that he has no leadership credentials and repeated longstanding allegations that the former vice-president was wanted in the United States on corruption charges.

Mr Abubakar, who had long denied ties to corruption either in the U.S., Nigeria or elsewhere, said in a Monday afternoon rebuttal to the APC’s attack that it was unfortunate that the APC could be accusing him of doing exactly what Nigerians have now established both itself and Mr Buhari are notorious at.

The APC’s insults were curious because Mr Abubakar “dedicated his birthday, not to himself, but to celebrating the 100 or so heroes of the 157 Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army who lost their lives to Boko Haram” in Borno State on November 18, according to the statement circulated by Mr Abubakar’s office.

Mr Abubakar, who is the main challenger to Mr Buhari in the 2019 presidential election, was turbaned on Sunday as the Wazirin Adamawa, a first-rate traditional title in his home Adamawa State. Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan were amongst Mr Abubakar’s political associates at the event, which took place at the palace of Lamido of Adamawa.

“That the Waziri Adamawa asked for anyone who wished to give him birthday gifts to instead endow such on the families of the slain heroes is the opposite of selfishness,” the statement added.

The statement reminded Nigerians of how service chiefs were invited to the launching of Mr Buhari’s reelection campaign in Abuja on Sunday, the same day Boko Haram thugs raided the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, killing at least 118 soldiers with estimated 153 missing in action.

Amongst those killed was the commander of the battalion, Ibrahim Sakaba, a lieutenant-colonel.

Mr Abubakar, who condemned the massive military losses, suggested a slew of urgent solutions and proposed welfare for the families of fallen soldiers, said neither Mr Buhari nor the APC has done nearly as much as he has for the military in the wake of the incident.



“Ironically, the All Progressives Congress that is now accusing Atiku Abubakar, has not seen fit to pay tribute to these gallant men who gave their lives in order to secure the lives of others. As a party, they have not issued even one statement condoling with the slain or their families, neither have they offered any tangible support to the families of these fallen heroes. Yet, they are accusing the Waziri, who has shown commitment to honouring these heroes, of selfishness.



“As a matter of fact, we now know through Premium Times report, that these real Nigerian heroes were killed on November 18, 2018 which was the exact time that the candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, invited the service chiefs to attend the launch of the plagiarised #NextLevel launch at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa.

“The nation can only wonder if the Metele massacre could have been avoided if the APC and President Buhari had allowed the service chiefs to focus on their core duties, rather than on his ill fated re-election campaign.

“We at the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation commend the service chiefs for beating a hasty retreat from the event as soon as they discovered that President Buhari was trying to hoodwink them.

“It took Waziri Atiku Abubakar only a few hours to respond to the incident and express support, while it took the APC’s President Buhari a whole week to express “shock”. We therefore wonder who is truly ‘selfish’.

“It is left to Nigerians to compare and contrast who is a leader and who is a follower based on the conduct of these two parties.

“In any case, we would like to inform the APC of Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s call for financial support from well meaning individuals and Institutions for the survivors of the Metele massacre, and indeed for all who paid the supreme sacrifice in the frontlines for us to be safe. Seeing as the APC spent ₦100 million to buy front page advertorials in all the papers on that fateful day of November 18, 2018, we appeal to them to consider donating even 10% of that amount to the endowment for the families of our heroes as proposed by Atiku Abubakar.

“If they can spend ₦100 million to promote fraud, they should be able to spare at least ₦10 million to promote patriotism,” the statement said.

There have been claims online that the logo that accompanied the ‘NextLevel’ campaign of Mr Buhari’s reelection was plagiarised as unveiled at the November 18 event in Abuja.

The distributed logo, which President Buhari also shared on his Twitter handle bore strident similarities with that of the ‘NEXT LEVEL’ project of Winthrop University’s Rex Institute.

But Mr Buhari’s campaign spokesperson, Festus Keyamo, has denied the allegations, blaming elements in the opposition PDP as responsible for the disputed logo in circulation. He, however, did not clarify how the president found himself using the same plagiarised arts.

https://all-gists..com/2018/11/buhari-ignored-troops-welfare-spent-n100-million-on-plagiarised-advert-atiku.html