₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari is now set for re-election, having parted ways with fellow ex-generals Olusegun Obasanjo, TY Danjuma, and others who strongly opposed the return bid of then-president Goodluck Jonathan. Many of those who assisted Buhari have left of recent, even though the All Peoples Congress (APC) has succeeded in harvesting other prominent people. While there are disgruntled elements in the APC presently, many of its serving governors, almost all the ministers, a large percentage of recently-appointed board members, NWC members of the party, and even some PDP members, will be there for him.

But maybe Buhari’s headache will be how to attract and retain the support of some powerful personalities within the ruling party, whose disposition to him is shaky at best, in order to succeed. Such people are strategic, and a force to be reckoned with in their geo-political zones, so their support would inevitably ensure his victory. And in the event they fight him, or simply look the other way, Buhari would go back to the pre-2011 era when he garnered a whopping 12 million votes, enough to say someone had done well, but not enough.

1. Bola Tinubu

President Buhari and Tinubu have on the surface mended the wide gulf that threatened their pre-2015 alliance. This was evident in how Tinubu eulogised Buhari during his recent visit to Lagos. Before then, Buhari had cleared the course for reconciliation when he “favoured” Tinubu by surprisingly asking the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led National Executive Committee (NEC) to reverse itself, shelve the tenure elongation granted them and organize congresses and convention to elect new leaders.

In retrospect, Tinubu had “gone to sleep” and left the APC reconciliation responsibility given to him by Buhari. The reason was simple - he was not in tune with the tenure elongation for party leaders, and wanted Oyegun to go.

Buhari and his handlers had sensed danger, remembering that 2015’s victory was not just pot luck. The presidency came when Tinubu agreed to bring the South-West into the alliance. And unless history repeats itself and the South-West votes fall into Buhari’s ballot boxes, winning the game would be a herculean task.

Analysts say the president must maintain the alliance, but the fear is that some powerful forces, including a section of APC governors are working hard to ensure the return of Oyegun and others during the APC convention. And in the event the convention does not take place, the Governor Simon Lalong-led APC Technical Committee had made a recommendation that the February 27 decision which gave a one-year extension to NWC members should be upheld.

But a key figure in the APC expressed worry. “Once they bring back the February 27 decision, Tinubu would go back to his shell and it would be catastrophic for the APC in the South-West.” He said Tinubu would undoubtedly checkmate whatever damage Obasanjo could do in the South-West, insisting that the combined strength of all the ministers from zone would not match Tinubu’s in mobilising votes for Buhari.

2. Bukola Saraki

With his firm control of Kwara State, goodwill in some North-Central states, strong followership in the Senate, and an array of his loyalists still calling shots in the PDP, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is certainly someone needed by President Buhari, to properly execute his 2019 campaign. At the build up to the 2015 general elections, Saraki was among the key heavyweights who pulled resources together to form the APC, a development that provided the deathblow to their former party, the PDP.

The dramatic way key PDP members, including Saraki, dumped their party, changed the narrative and laid the foundation for Buhari’s victory.

Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, came into the fold with a sitting governor, Abdulfatah Ahmad, and many others.

Since June 9, 2015, the scion of the Saraki political dynasty of Kwara has not left any stone unturned in spreading his political net. The No.3 citizen has weathered many storms, as despite the corruption charges he is facing at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), he sits pretty in the driver’s seat at the Senate.

Although in recent times Saraki’s name keeps popping up as one of those eyeing the seat of the president, he has not formally declared that. Also, because of the crisis between the legislature and the executive, there are reports that he is mulling decampment.

If Saraki joins the Buhari campaign team, he would use his colleagues at the Senate and supporters cutting across APC and PDP to work for the president. There are 109 senatorial districts in the country.

3. Rabiu Kwankwaso

The former Kano governor has never hidden his presidential ambition. In 2014, he came second after Buhari, defeating the likes of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others. At present, Kwankwaso has spread his tentacles in almost all the 36 states, and Abuja. He has been on a voyage from one political zone to the other, campaigning through his foundation, visiting places affected by disaster, and paying courtesy calls on inmates in various prisons, in the process freeing many of them.

Many observers are saying Kwankwaso is in talks with Obasanjo. There are even claims that he would defect to the newly-reinvigorated Social Democratic Party (SDP) or the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), a claim which his handlers deny. His support for Buhari’s second term would be monumental, considering that he is a major power in Kano State.

4. Aisha Buhari

To win the 2019 presidential election, President Buhari cannot afford to confine his wife, Aisha, to his kitchen, living room or “the other room”. The wife of the president will be expected to mobilise women for his re-election as she did in 2015. She appears to have a cordial relationship with the governors’ wives, but she will be expected to woo various other women’s groups for her husband’s second term bid. If she doesn’t, Buhari might be in for a waned electoral fortune among women.

Mrs Buhari had, in a now-infamous interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service in October 2016, threatened that she might not back her husband’s re-election in 2019 unless he shook up his cabinet. “He is yet to tell me (if he’ll seek re-election) but I have decided as his wife, that if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before,” Aisha Buhari said at that time.

However, of recent, she seems to be going all-out in a charm offensive, making public appearances that throw good light on Aso Villa’s No.1 occupant. While her efforts are good for optics, only time will tell how the campaign will end up looking like in respect to women mobilization.

5. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is one individual that President Buhari will have to work to have completely at his side. Having served twice as a lawmaker from 2003 to 2011, he became Speaker of the House of Reps from then, and served his 4-year tenure successfully.

While as speaker, Tambuwal established and endeared himself to his colleagues. He easily picked the APC ticket for Sokoto State governorship and won the elections in 2015. Because of his influence among members of the House, he contributed immensely in the emergence of Yakubu Dogara as his successor in the House.

But before picking the Sokoto governorship ticket, Tambuwal had wanted to contest for the presidency via the APC.

Sources close to Tambuwal say his body language to date has been that of a politician yearning to rule Nigeria, such that some suggest that he may dump the ruling APC and join another party, possibly the opposition PDP to realize his aspiration. As it is, he is one of the few governors that are yet to clearly come out to declare their support for Buhari’s second term bid.

Because of his wide influence among federal lawmakers and fellow governors, it is believed that Buhari will need him to be able to make headway in 2019. Tambuwal has also maintained good rapport with his predecessor, Aliyu Wammako, who is now an influential senator. Sources say their combined goodwill can do incalculable damage if they dump Buhari.

6. Dave Umahi

Umahi, 54, had served as Deputy Governor to Martin Elechi between 2011 and 2015, before becoming governor of Ebonyi State against the wishes of his former principal, under opposition PDP. Since his assumption of office, Umahi has not hidden his love for President Buhari, though he belongs to the opposition. As a matter of fact, Umahi had last year declared support for Buhari, should he decide to re-contest in 2019.

Having someone in like Umahi in the South-East would do wonders for Buhari. Analysts say ministers from the zone should not be counted because they are already with Buhari, and what the president needs is to court the love of those far from him, geographically.

Speaking when a delegation from Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency paid him a New Year homage in Ohaozara LGA, last year, Umahi said Buhari had already won the support of PDP-controlled Ebonyi State. He said by Buhari’s exemplary leadership, the president has won the hearts of Ebonyi people. “If APC will get a vote in Ebonyi State, it will get vote by the president alone and nobody else,” Umahi had said.

However, the Ebonyi APC leadership last Tuesday accused Umahi of deceiving the president on his second term bid and victimizing opposition in the state.

The APC chairman in Ebonyi State, Eze Nwachukwu, said during a visit to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, that “The same governor secretly signed a document on stopping the president with other PDP members.” The governor reacted by saying he would not be distracted. But should Buhari get Umahi to his side, it would be a big plus for him.

7. Yakubu Dogara

Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Reps, by virtue of the seat he occupies, is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to political permutations. Despite the opposition he faced from his political party, the APC, Dogara emerged as speaker on June 9, 2015 in a keenly-contested election. But since then, he has been carrying himself like an outcast in the party, though he appears to be close to President Buhari.

Like his predecessor, Dogara was a member of the PDP, and due to the subtle opposition he faces within the party, there are speculations that he is only waiting for the right time to join another party, maybe PDP.

Dogara is yet to indicate the direction he will follow and has not declared support for Buhari’s second term bid. Not only does he control his constituency of Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa of Bauchi State, he also has influence in the other 259 federal constituencies around the country since he controls a 360-member House. Being the No.4 citizen, he is someone the president needs.

8. Timipre Sylva

Timipre Sylva remains the APC leader in Bayelsa State, in spite of disagreements the former governor has always been having with the party’s embattled representative in the National Working Committee (NWC), Comrade Timi Frank. President Buhari, therefore, needs his support in the oil-rich state.

Though Sylva might have lost his re-election bid to the incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson in the last controversial governorship election, he still enjoys the confidence of his large followership across the State. But his recent silence on party activities and other governance issues is something President Buhari should not ignore if he really wants to garner the needed votes in Bayelsa, which remains the stronghold of former President Jonathan.

The relevance of Sylva in Bayelsa politics is strengthened by the frequent clashes he has always been having with Governor Dickson, who still sees him as a big threat to the PDP in the state. In November last year, both Sylva and Dickson traded blame over the violent political clash between supporters of the APC and the PDP in Brass LGA.

All things being equal, Buhari must ensure that Sylva works with other APC stakeholders in Bayelsa State if he wants to have any impact in a state that still has huge respect and sympathy for ex-president Jonathan.

9. The APC Presidential Campaign Council

Ahead of the 2015 elections, the APC Presidential Campaign Council was formed and thousands of volunteers were recruited. Many of them anticipated that they “would be carried along” after the elections. But three years in power, many are still waiting for their reward.

“It would be a different ball game in 2019,” said Ibrahim Jirgi, a member of the council. “I’m not sure if they would have as many volunteers as they got in 2015. Of course some have been appointed into boards, but the contributions of hundreds of others have not been appreciated. Many have grudges, some have died. Up till now, more than 60 per cent of those who worked for Buhari’s presidency have not been carried along,” he said.

10. Mohammed Danjuma Goje

Fondly called Sarkin Yakin Gombe by his colleagues and admirers, Senator Goje, a crowd-puller and the oracle of Gombe State politics is considered as one of the politicians needed by Buhari to clinch the presidency again, come 2019.

Like Saraki, Goje is a former governor, a second-timer at the Senate and a key player in the political machinery of the former Governors’ Forum. It is believed that on expiration of his tenure in Gombe State, he singlehandedly made Ibrahim Dankwambo his successor.

Unlike Saraki, Goje could not pull Dankwambo to APC when they dumped the PDP and their relationship had since turned sour. At the moment, Dankwambo is one of the persons believed to be eyeing Buhari’s seat.

Goje’s strength is his massive supporters’ base in Gombe and the goodwill he enjoys in neighbouring states in the North-East. Penultimate Thursday, he raised alarm that the PDP members in Gombe state are being empowered through the Social Intervention Program (SIP) of the President. “You are given them money to fight us,” Goje told Maryam Uwais, the presidential adviser on SIP.

As chairman of the North-East Caucus at the National Assembly and a powerful member of the Forum of Former Governors, Goje will add colour to the campaign of Buhari if carried along. He possesses the capacity to mobilise his colleagues to rally round the president.

As it is now, many members of the forum are said to be angry with the president, with insinuations that many of them could end up in jail if Buhari wins a second term, on the grounds that that would be the climax of his political expedition. Buhari needs to convince them that he would not be a fair weather friend at the end of the day.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/people-buhari-needs-for-re-election.html

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has attributed his successes to Senator David Mark. Ekweremadu stated this at the weekend during the 70th birthday celebration of the former Senate President in Otukpo. He posited that Mark’s era as head of the red chamber left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s democracy.

“I attribute all my successes to God and David Mark. David taught me two things that l can’t forget; how to play golf and pilot helicopter, but l failed all because he gave me too much jobs to do,” he said.

Ekweremadu further explained that he did well in the things learnt from Mark except golfing that he never had the time to learn properly and piloting a helicopter which he attempted but landed in a cassava plantation. He lauded Mark for helping him through all his tribulations and successes in his political journey, maintaining that his rare qualities brought political stability to the National Assembly; especially constitutional amendment, electoral reforms and the doctrine of necessity.

“Mark became a better solution to Nigeria’s problem between 2007 and 2011. I urge him to continue in his belief and trust in God,” Ekweremadu added.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/mark-behind-my-successes-ekweremadu.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the National Executive Committee NEC of All Progressives Congress (APC) to grant waivers to members of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led National Working Committee NWC who wishes to seek reelection.

The president gave this directive on Tuesday in Abuja at the commencement of the emergency NEC meeting of the APC.

Details later...

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-president-buhari-seeks-soft-landing-for-oyegun.html

Congretulations

The 2015 gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Movement in Katsina State, Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke, at the weekend, led thousands of his supporters to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The defectors were received by the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus at the PDP North-West zonal rally in Katsina.

Speaking at the ceremony which witnessed a massive turn out of party faithful across the North West zone and the 34 local governments in Katsina, Secondus expressed delight that a high profile politician like Senator Lado and thousands of his supporters would add value to the party ahead of the 2019 elections.

Secondus added that the defectors would enjoy all benefits and privileges like older members of the party.

“PDP is a party for all and nobody will be discriminated against. Ours is a party that cares for all Nigerians,” adding that it was poised to take over power in Katsina State and at the federal level in the 2019 general elections.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Senator Lado pledged to mobilize all his political arsenals in making sure the PDP wrested power from the APC in Katsina State and at the centre.

He, however, noted that this could only be possible when members shelved acrimony and unite to save the country from the myriad of problems confronting it.

Those who attended the ceremony included the governors of Gombe, Ekiti and Akwa- Ibom states. Others include the former governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, former governor of Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, and former governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa among others.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senator-lado-leads-thousands-to-pdp-in-katsina.html

Shares, financing and banking were the three top economic activities that attracted the bulk of the $47.45 billion foreign exchange inflow to Nigeria in the last four years.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that in 2014, Nigeria recorded a total of $20.75bn as foreign exchange inflow into the country for loans, investments and capital, but these inflows dropped to $9.64bn and $5.12bn in 2015 and 2016 respectively largely due to downturns in Nigeria’s economy.

As Nigeria recovered from recession in 2017, capital importation doubled to $12.23bn from the $5.12bn recorded the previous year.

Daily Trust analysis shows that from 2014 to 2017, Nigeria recorded a total of $47.45bn foreign exchange inflows that went into shares, financing, banking, oil and gas, as well as the construction and services sectors of the economy.

Sectorial analysis of the destinations of these foreign exchange shows that in the last four years, shares attracted the highest foreign exchange which totalled $31.10bn and this was followed at a distance by financing, which attracted about $4bn.

Banking, telecommunication and production attracted $3.89bn, $3.47bn, $3.16bn respectively from 2014 to 2017, while services, oil and gas and trading attracted $2.73bn, $1.39bn and $738.98m within the same period.

Daily Trust observed that weaving, tanning, marketing, hotels, transport and information and technology services were among the economic activities that attracted the least investments from abroad from 2014 to 2017.

Within the period, weaving, tanning and marketing attracted $200,000, $520,000, and $4.07 million respectively, while hotels, transport and information and technology services attracted investments worth $13.55m, $18.19m and $47.98m.

Other critical sectors of the economy that attracted investment included agriculture, construction and electrical sub-sector to the tune of $ 340.77m, $217.04m and $324.25m.

Further data analysis of the countries where these foreign exchange remittances into Nigeria originated from showed that most of the inflows were from outside the African continent.

From 2014 to 2017, the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), Belgium and Singapore accounted for the bulk of Nigeria’s capital importation.

Within the period, UK and USA accounted for $21.22bn and $9.60bn respectively imported into Nigeria, while Belgium and Singapore accounted for $2.39bn and $1.22bn that came into Nigeria.

Switzerland accounted for $960.93m, Saudi Arabia accounted for $891m, United Arab Emirate accounted for $772.05m, France accounted for $634.57m, while Hong Kong and China accounted for $266.13m and $194.63m respectively within the four-year period.

In Africa, only Mauritius and South Africa remitted over a billion dollar each for investments in Nigeria’s economy between 2014 and 2017.

This may not be unconnected to the reality that these remittances come from Nigerians resident abroad, and the more Nigerians in a given country, the more the value of foreign exchange inflows from the country.

This could have been part of the reasons the African Union (AU) was pushing for a Free Movement Protocol pact, which Nigeria declined to sign at the 10th extraordinary session of the AU Assembly.

30 countries signed the Free Movement Protocol pact out of the 55-member countries of the African Union at the extraordinary assembly held recently.

Data showed that Nigeria imported $1.66bn from Mauritius, $1.33 bn from South Africa, $475.67m from Egypt, $326.25m from Tanzania and $240.55m from Mauritania within the period.

The least capital imports came from Nigeria’s neighbour, including Cameroon that recorded $120,000, Niger that recorded $6.99m, and Cote D’Ivorie that remitted nothing during the four-year period.

From 2014 to 2017, Nigeria recorded zero capital imports from several African countries, including Gabon and Togo.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/shares-banking-others-attracted-47-45bn-forex-in-4yrs.html

The Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) NON-NWC members has backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that election to party offices, starting from ward, local government and state congresses to national convention be conducted.

The forum, in a communiqué read yesterday in Abuja by its spokesman, Jock Alamba and signed by Nasir Danu, the Coordinator and Omolaoye Akintola, Secretary, also shared Mr President's commitment to the rule of law and tenets of internal democracy.

The latest position of the forum was a clear departure from its earlier position that backed the elongation of tenure by one year for Chief John Odigie-Oyegun – led National Working Commiittee (NWC) and other party officials across all levels.

The body had on March 21, 2018 also called on the party leadership to take disciplinary action against members who took the party to court without exhausting internal party mechanism over the tenure extension resolution.

But while addressing journalists in Abuja, the forum stood with President Buhari’s stand on the need for the conduct of free and fair elections.

They said that President Buhari's concern for due process could not be underrated since the law is an ass, adding that 2019 presidential and other electoral victories should not be placed in jeopardy with legal niceties or put in harm way of fortune hunters.

“This means that with all hands on deck, we can avoid the risk of rancorous and conflict ridden intra-party elections which made majority of our leaders to clamour for one year elongation of tenure in the eve of 27 February, 2018, National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

“Hence, we call on APC members and supporters nationwide to disregard a news headline from one of our national newspapers to the effect that “Governors move to stop plot to use chairmen against Buhari”. There is no such a plot, and no chairman is against Buhari. We are all behind Buhari.

“Accordingly, our Forum has the fervent belief that APC like in the 10 December, 2014 Presidential primary and other primary elections will work together as a family and disappoint naysayers who are hoping for Armageddon,” the communiqué read.

The forum said Mr President should complete the critical infrastructural foundations he is laying, after what they claimed to be a careful survey that showed that “99 per cent of the entire membership and governors of the party are in support of Mr President's second term”.

The emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may be moved forward to comply with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

On Wednesday, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party’s emergency NEC meeting would hold on Monday, April 9 to take final position on the controversial tenure elongation saga.

But Monday’s meeting will contravene the provisions of the APC constitution that states that at least seven days’ notice should be given to members to attend such meeting.

Article 25 (B) (i) states that the National Executive Committee NEC shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-third of the members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) provided that not less than fourteen (14) days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned.

However, Article 25 B (ii) states that “Without prejudice to Article 25 (B) (i) of this Constitution, the National Working Committee may summon an emergency National Executive Committee meeting at any time, provided that at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all those entitled to attend.

Daily Trust made efforts to confirm from Oyegun whether the NEC meeting would go ahead as scheduled in view of the potential constitutional breach. He did not pick the calls.

The phone line of the APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, was busy when our correspondents put calls to him last night.

Monday’s NEC meeting is expected to be used to endorse the demand for congresses and convention and announce dates for the exercise.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-may-shift-monday-s-nec-meeting.html

Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) stole the show yesterday when he arrived at the venue of the eighth day prayers held for the late Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Umar Buba Jibril.

Melaye who arrived the venue at Kabawa Primary School, Lokoja, in company of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and other National Assembly members, was welcomed by his constituents and other well-wishers with a loud ovation as “Sai Dino” rented the air.

This reporter who was at the event reports that Melaye was actually escorted by policemen. There was equally a retinue of policemen at the event, but they did not arrest the “wanted” senator.

Dino’s arrival at the event caused wild jubilation as his crowd of supporters and well-wishers flocked around him to hail and exchange pleasantries with him.

The senator has been fighting for the soul of his seat since a recall process was initiated against him, allegedly by his constituents, and was recently declared wanted by the Nigeria Police. The police had equally asked Interpol to place him (Melaye) on red alert on account of alleged involvement in gunrunning.

Meanwhile, the prayers for late Buba attracted top politicians from the ruling APC, the opposition PDP, members of the National Assembly and others from within and outside Kogi State.

Also at the prayers were the Kogi State Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba, a former Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, Sen. Tunde Ogbeha, a former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, Reps. Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, Reps. Hassan Omale, Kabiru Ajana, Sunday Karimi, James Abiodun Faleke, Emma Egwu, among others.

Many of the members who spoke extolled the good qualities of late Buba, who they described as a “grassroots politician and mobiliser” that worked for the interest of the ordinary people during his three terms in the House of Representatives.

Former Gov. Idris Wada described Buba’s death as a major loss to Kogi politics, adding that the deceased was a vibrant politician who had the interest of the people at heart.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-wanted-melaye-appears-at-late-rep-buba-s-prayers.html

Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this when the head of Civil service of the Federation (HOCSF) Winifred Oyo-Ita led a team of Permanent Secretaries on a courtesy visit to the minister.

He said the administration has been very true and faithful in its policies in the less than three years that it has been in power that it will tackle corruption, tackle insecurity and revamp the economy.

“It does not matter what the naysayers are saying. One thing they have not been able to do is challenge the figures that we put out.

"We tell them that despite the occasional suicide attack and cowardly act of Boko Haram, this government has done a lot to reverse the trend of terrorism. Since 2015 there has been no attack on the Nations capital” he said.

The minister who said the Buhari’s government was divine will, said “because God loves this country I can’t imagine what would have happened if it was the other way in terms of the state of infrastructure, economy, unemployment and all we have been doing so far is to bring back the economy from the brink of collapse”.

Speaking earlier, Winifred Oyo-Ita called for more funding for the ministry of Information and culture to enable it efficiently carry out its duties of propagating government’s programmes and activities.

Oyo-Ita who noted that the achievements recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration are not given the required publicity said a lot is being done that is not been projected out there.

She said the ministry of Information and Culture is a loaded ministry with a huge scope of work meant for it achieves but it faces a huge challenge being underfunded.

“It should be regarded as a Grade A ministry. You know there is a kind of silent separation of ministries. Silent I say because it is not written anywhere. We have these ministries that are classified as A,B, or C depending on their budget.

"And you find the infrastructure ministries are all under A and B and then the service and capacity development ministries are being put somewhere and these are the ones that are critical. The information ministry is not getting what it should get in terms of funding” she said.

The meeting was the third of its peer review visits to various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).



Oyo-Ita said the peer review is aimed at giving the permanent secretaries the opportunities to exchange ideas and meet with their colleagues to get firsthand brief of what their mandate, and vision is and also how they carry out their activities, and tackle challenges.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-is-faithful-on-its-campaign-promises-lai-mohammed.html

Ben Murray-Bruce, senator representing Bayelsa east constituency has blasted the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity,Garba Shehu, for calling Nigerians lazy fellow.

Garba Shehu had said only lazy Nigerians complained of hunger.

Reacting, Ben Bruce said Nigerians are not lazy but jobless as a result of high rate of unemployment in the country.

"What‘s wrong with the President’s spokesmen? First,they call Nigerians animals then this? Is this fellow aware that almost 9 million Nigerians lost their jobs in the last 3 years? It‘s not that Nigerians are lazy. They want to work, but where are the jobs?".

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ben-bruce-blasts-garba-shehu-over-comment.html

Construction of Daura- hadija road send my N10,000 sharp sharp

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Buhari must go

APC is another form of PDP... younger sister to PDP

The only member of the APC in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Gboyega Aribisogan, has been arrested by security agents and whisked to Abuja.

The lawmaker, who according to findings, was reportedly arrested around 6.30am on Wednesday, defected from the PDP to the APC last year.

Before his defection, Aribisogan was suspended by the PDP-dominated House of Assembly which members accused him of disloyalty to Gov. Ayo Fayose.

His arrest was confirmed by his younger brother, Sola, in a telephone chat with reporters in Ado Ekiti.

Sola said about 10 security men from the Police, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the Department of State Services (DSS) effected the arrest.

He disclosed that the lawmaker might have been arrested to give clarification on some “sensitive” stories carried by his newspaper, New Democrat.

“The security men came in a Toyota Hummer bus, they did not search the house, but they only showed their identity cards. They arrived at about 6.00am and left at 7.35am.”

The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said although he heard of the arrest, he said he was yet to be briefed.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ekiti-apc-lawmaker-arrested-whisked-to-abuja.html

The Presidency on Wednesday asked Nigerians to count the blessings brought to the economy by President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said in a statement that this was "irrespective of the other areas where the government is still working hard to ensure that every citizen can feel the change for which they massively voted in 2015."

Shehu stated: "We are only saying that we must learn to pause and count our blessings. The loud voices of critics with selfish ambitions and ulterior motives should not be a veil that keeps Nigerians blind to the many ways God has blessed us and improved our lot through the Buhari administration."

According to him, "Last year, the World Bank ranked Nigeria among the top 10 reforming economies in the world. This was clearly in recognition of the thorough and rigorous growth and development-oriented economic policies of the Buhari Administration.

"Today, investors and business men and women from around the world can arrive in Nigeria and get their visas right at the airport without any hassle. This is just one of the many reasons why Nigeria has advanced 24 steps in the global ‘Ease of Doing Business’ rankings of the World Bank."

He said his statement should not be misconstrued as denying that there was more that needed to be done as the current administration was relentless and determined to continue in its task of continuously improving the lot of Nigerians.

He said the government was spending more on infrastructure than previous administrations, despite earning barely half of what the country earned from oil between 2011 and 2014 when the product was selling for an average of $110 per barrel.

"The latest GDP figures show continued growth after the Buhari administration successfully brought the country out of recession, with virtually all sectors of the economy now on the rebound, and significant progress recorded in agriculture," he added.

Shehu said Buhari's administration had also recorded significant progress in agriculture where output had risen in local production, and Nigeria was now importing 80-90 percent less rice than in previous years.

"Fertilizer plants have been resuscitated, prices have dropped. More and more young people are going into agriculture, being able, for the first time, to see farming as a viable endeavour. Has anyone heard of the Graduates-in-Agriculture Scheme in several states of the federation, a self-driven, government-assisted programme by which our young men and women are stopping their endless wait for white-collar jobs and creating wealth for themselves and the nation?

"Power generation and distribution have more than doubled from 2015 when President Buhari took power to the present.

"In his address at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium a week ago, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo reported that the Buhari administration has put in place 'an audacious Social Investment Programme to the tune of N500 billion, the largest pro-poor programme in our nation’s history, and the largest social safety net, at least in Sub-Saharan Africa. This was despite the fact that by 2015, oil prices fell by over 50% and our production also fell from over 2 million barrels a day to less than 700,000 barrels a day, sometimes even 500,000 barrels in 2016.

'We have seen today the empirical evidence of the successes of this programme, and all of that is evident for us to see and listen to several testimonies and stories. 200,000 jobs for undergraduates employed under the N-Power programme, 300,000 more waiting to be employed; they have been pre-selected; over 7 million children being fed daily in 22 States so far; beneficiaries of micro-credit loans going to about 300,000; and almost 300,000 households benefiting from conditional cash transfers.

He said in line with campaign promises, Buhari's administration was spending trillions of naira to build railways, roads and ramp up power supplies.

"On this spending on infrastructure the Vice President’s words were: 'In n014, when oil was at between 100 dollars and 114 dollars a barrel, the actual releases for capital for three ministries – Power, Works and Housing – then they were three separate ministries, was in total N99 billion; while Transportation got 14 billion, and Agriculture got 15 billion. I am talking about actual releases, not budgeted, what they actually got. Let us compare that with capital releases to the same ministries in 2017, when oil price was between $50 and $60 a barrel, N415 Billion for Power, Works & Housing, N80 Billion for Transportation; N65 Billion for Agriculture; totalling N560 Billion, in a time when we were earning at least 50% less than we were earning in 2014."


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-to-nigerians-count-your-blessings-under-buhari.html

Kaduna State Government, says it will require up to 65.5 billion dollars to address the state’s infrastructure challenges over the next 30 years.

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i stated this on Wednesday at the unveiling of the infrastructure master plan, 2018-2050, during the 3rd edition of the state investment forum in Kaduna.

He stressed that the long term infrastructure master plan summarised the infrastructure target of the state aimed at providing job opportunities and making lives better for the people.

“The breakdown of the future infrastructural developments between now to 2050, include, the transportation sector which would require N8 trillion while N5.1 billion would be required annually in the education sector to build about 9,006 schools including tertiary institutions.

“Other sectors include, the health system which would require N158 billion, while N100 billion yearly is targeted for the water sector; agriculture would require N53 billion, and 5,000 housing units would be developed annually all within the time frame of 2018-2050,’’ the governor said.

According to him, the administration had attracted investments into the state in the last two years, with 79 percent coming from outside the country.

“Due to the low percentage of domestic investment, we have decided to focus more on domestic investment, we need to attract businesses in Kaduna by providing skilled workforce,’’ he said.

According to the governor, “to encourage domestic investment in the state, government’s first priority is to build human capital by engaging in different activities where the young people are willing to be employed in businesses.’’

El-Rufa’i disclosed that the government expects that some of the investments would bear fruits before the next edition of the summit.

He listed the investments to include Vilisco Textile Park, Arfa Dairy Farms and Ranches, Kaduna Automobile village, Green Economic Zone, Solar Power Project, Dangote-PAN Assembly Plant among others.(NAN)

The Chairman of the Senate committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara), yesterday, canvassed for the adoption of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s, approach in addressing the killings in Zamfara State.

Obasanjo had on May 18, 2004, citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, imposed a state of emergency in Plateau State, suspending the then Governor Joshua Dariye.

Dariye was allegedly removed for failing to end a cycle of bloodletting occasioned by religious crises in the state; and a military administrator was appointed. Obasanjo also declared a state of emergency in Ekiti State.

However, various courts have since ruled that declaring state of emergency does not include the removal of an elected governor.

This is the second time that Marafa would be calling for the declaration of state of emergency in Zamfara State this year.

He repeated the call yesterday during plenary when he raised a point of order to draw the attention of the senate to this week’s killings in Zamfara State.

Sen. Marafa said, “I rise today again with a very heavy heart to report to this senate and indeed the people of Nigeria of another unfortunate incident of killings in Zamfara State as reported by the BBC yesterday.

“Such incident happens almost every day in Zamfara; what is more worrisome about it is the fact that the local authorities don’t want anybody to say it. They don’t report it. The local radio doesn’t report it. The local newspaper doesn’t report anything.

“When the last incident happened, I stood here to call for a state of emergency in Zamfara State which I’m sure many people were not happy with, but I think, as we move on, we need to revisit the therapy of former President Obasanjo because if these children were our own children, their own children, I’m sure the behaviour is going to be very different.

“I hope it will be the last one, but if for any reason, another thing happens of this nature, I want to call on my colleagues to look more seriously into this problem with the view to meeting it with proper sanctions so that these unwanted sanctions are stopped,” he said.

“Women are being snatched from their husbands. Just two weeks ago, a bride was snatched from her husband and from a marriage that was just two weeks old. She was raped and hospitalised.

“But as much as the Federal Government is capable of giving directives, it is impossible to do the needful unless the state government also helps…Nobody will know what is happening,” he said.

He added that unconfirmed reports put the death toll of the latest killings at 60.

In his remarks, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, appealed to the Federal Government to do more in the protection of lives and property of citizens.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/marafa-wants-gov-yari-removed-over-killings-in-zamfara.html

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) have urged Nigerians to use the spirit of the marking of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter on Sunday and Monday to pray for the save return of the remaining abducted Dapchi schoolgirl Leah Sharibu and the remaining Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents.

This is contained in separate statements marking the President of CAN Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle and the MURIC Director Professor Ishaq Akintola.

Ayokunle urged all churches in the country to pray for the freedom of Miss Sharibu from the captivity of Boko Haram terrorists on Good Friday, 30 March 2018.

“Prayers for Leah become necessary since Christians are in a ‘Passion Week’ when Jesus, out of passion, willingly submitted himself to be nailed to the cross to pay for the sins of the world, once and for all,” he said in the statement signed by his media aide Pastor Adebayo Oladeji.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/easter-can-muric-urged-national-prayers-for-sharibu-chibok-girls.html

He said “It is against this background that the leadership of CAN is calling on every Christian nation-wide to stand in the gap for that innocent girl, Leah Sharibu, at 12 noon on Good Friday, asking God to send His Angels to deliver her from the captivity as He did for Apostle Peter who was jailed unjustly.

“CAN is also reminding the Federal Government and the security agencies of the need to free Leah and other captives from captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists. It is high time our security operatives lived up to the expectations of the people. They should stop the spate of abductions of innocent citizens by terrorist as well as killings by armed herdsmen across the country while mounting adequate security for citizens of the country.”

He also urged Christians to use the Passion Week to pray for Nigeria to be free from all forces of darkness including prayers for those who have lost their relations or property during the recent terror and herdsmen attacks.

Akintola on his part felicitate with Nigerian Christian neighbours on these two occasions, wishing every Nigerian Christian and others worldwide a happy and peaceful Easter.

“As Nigerians mark Easter, we call attention to the plight of those in captivity, particularly Lear Sharibu, the Christian girl who dared Boko Haram hoodlums. Let us remember her with prayers. May God grant her more strength and embolden her in her trying moments. May the good Lord also soften the hearts of her captors to make them release her. Our prayer point should also accommodate the remaining Chibok girls who are still in the hands of the terrorists.

The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, yesterday, led 19 members of the house to endorse the governorship ambition of the Chief of Staff and son-in-law to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Chief Uche Nwosu.

Ihim who read the position of the lawmakers at a press briefing in Owerri said Nwosu remained “the best and most plausible panacea to the issue of disjointed and often abandoned projects syndrome that hitherto constituted a clog in the wheel of progress in most instances.”

Ihim, who is leading the campaign team tagged “Team Nwosu”, argued that the decision of the 20 lawmakers to ensure that Nwosu took over from Okorocha was taken in the overall interest of the state.

He added that the legacies of the Okorocha-led administration “are so good and too numerous to be left in the hands of those who may not have any inkling of what they are, where they are or how to sustain them.”


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-speaker-19-lawmakers-back-okorocha-s-son-in-law-for-gov-ship.html

Firstly, the facts: Without Jesus there is absolutely no way for us to get into Heaven and unfortunately there is only one alternative; Hell.

There is a life after this one here on earth and it is eternal. So you are going to live forever. Do you know though, without a doubt, whether you will spend your eternity in Heaven or in Hell? There is a way of knowing for certain and Easter is great time to find out.

As Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms in the Gospel of John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

So, what is Easter all about then?

Well, before Jesus lived amongst us, the only way to be forgiven of your sins (things that are against God's written laws, 613 of them, given in the early books of the Old Testament) was to make a sacrifice to God of an animal. As Paul later succinctly told the Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death". Something had to die for those sins, it was either the animal, or eventually, you.

Jesus came to change all that. Jesus came to earth to be the one perfect sacrifice to God and the only one, that would ever be needed to cover the sins of everyone, once and for all time.

When Jesus was crucified, His final words were recorded in the Gospel of John 19:30 "It is finished." The Greek word that John used for this was "Tetelesti" which translates as "PAID IN FULL" and was the word the jailers in Jesus' day would stamp across the list of offenses of a prisoner when he had completed his sentence. They did this so that the ex-prisoner had an official document to show that his offences (sins in our case) had been "PAID IN FULL", so that he could not be tried for them again.

Jesus came to take all of OUR sins to the cross with Him, to be punished for OUR sins and to take the ultimate punishment for OUR sins, death "....even death on a cross" Philippians 2:8

On the third day, Jesus was raised to life by the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Jesus appeared to well over 500 people over a period of forty days as resurrected from the dead and then, in front of His apostles He ascended into Heaven right in front of their eyes.

Jesus' resurrection is what we celebrate on Easter Sunday. We have proof from well over 500 historical witnesses that Jesus was raised from the dead. We can have faith that we too will have eternal life.

In the Book of Revelation 1:17-18 the apostle John recorded Jesus as saying "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." For Hades, think Hell.

Now if Jesus holds the keys to both of these and as we have read Jesus tell us (above) "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." It makes it abundantly clear that Jesus is the answer to all of our questions about our eternal life.

Eternal life in Heaven: Unless you go through Jesus, you are NOT getting in.

Eternal life in Hell: That's where everyone else ends up, forever.

What a perfect time Easter would be to get yourself saved through our Lord Jesus.

As Paul informed the Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."

Jesus has already done it all. There is nothing that you could have done, can do now, or could try to do in the future that will get you into Heaven, "not by works" says Paul. Jesus has already done it all for you. All you have to do is believe that Jesus has already done it all for you and accept this in faith.

Jesus has already died for all of your sins no matter what they have been or will be. You need to realize you are, just like the rest of us, a sinner. "For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God," Romans 3:23, and therefore you have to have a Savior. God has provided you with the only one there is: Jesus.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. Jesus Himself said those words.

http://christianlifeministry..com/

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, said yesterday that no amount of blackmail from any quarters will force the National Assembly to abandon “zonal intervention” also known as constituency projects.

Speaking during a public hearing on the 2018 budget organized by the joint committee of the Senate and House on Appropriation, he described the zonal intervention projects as a tool to ensure equity in project allocation and distribution in the country.

“Over the years, the efforts of legislators, especially at the National Assembly to inject equity in budget patronage nationwide, through the instrumentality of zonal intervention projects, has been grossly misunderstood and terribly maligned mostly by those who are deliberately ignorant and have concocted their own concept of constituency projects which they apply as their yardstick of measurement.

“I make bold to state that, but for zonal intervention projects, many communities in Nigeria would never have enjoyed any form of Federal Government patronage. Put differently, zonal intervention projects represent the only evidence of Federal Government presence in most rural communities of Nigeria.

“Consequently, as representatives of the people, no amount of blackmail from any quarters will force us to abandon our resolve to ensure even development across all federal constituencies,” he said.

He appealed to stakeholders to pay greater attention to the implementation of approved budgets and not the size, saying only effective budget implementation determined its quality.

“As representatives of the people, legislators are constantly in touch with their constituents and are therefore in a position to appreciate their peculiar priority needs which they can then articulate in the budget,” he said.

He urged stakeholders to work assiduously toward, not only ensuring an equitable collection of figures but more so, the full realization of those expressed values and aspirations through efficient and effective budget implementation.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/blackmail-will-not-stop-our-constituency-projects-dogara.html

Baawaa:
Ok,I need to go and keep my ATM card till Monday so I can buy Easter's chicken

hmmm

The Federal Government has declared Friday, 30th March and Monday 2nd April, 2018 as Public holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter Monday respectively.

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement signed by Mrs. Julie Nkiru Ejiofor, Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary in the ministry.

He enjoined Christian faithfuls and Nigerians in general to employ the spiritual ethos of Easter, which include love, peace, and sacrifice, in contributing to the unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

Dambazau also urged Nigerians to remain supportive of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts towards building a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.

He implored all Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for the peace and unity of the country.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/easter-fg-declares-friday-monday-public-holiday.html

President Muhammadu Buhari said “Nigeria’s journey in the last three years has been a very turbulent one.”

The president said this at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday while inaugurating the National Food Security Council.

He said the country’s need for critical job creating sectors which had been ignored for decades was now beginning to yield results.

The president reeled out his administration’s efforts towards addressing the situation.

He said, “We introduced the National Social Investment Programmes targeting millions of Nigerians living from hand to mouth and launched agricultural programmes focusing on import substitution, job creation and rural development, thereby bringing socio-economic transformation to the millions of citizens living in some of the most remote rural parts of Nigeria.

“We commenced the long term Pollution Remediation Projects in the Niger Delta with the hope of restoring dignity and normalcy to the millions of Nigerians impacted by decades of pollution in their communities. Fishing and farming will resume once blighted areas are rehabilitated. We intensified our participation in the Lake Chad Basin Commission with the goal of reversing the shrinkage of the lake, which impacts the livelihoods of over 45 million farmers, herdsmen and fishermen in the LCBC countries.”

The President also listed several other initiatives aimed at strengthening the economy saying his government was well aware that the full results would not be felt or seen overnight.

According him, a key mandate of the Food Security Council is to continuously assess and enhance these “infant, but impactful programs, thereby guaranteeing they achieve their full potential.”

The National Food Security Council, which is chaired by the president, has Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu as vice chairman as well as the governors of Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Ebonyi and Delta States among other top officials as members.

The council’s objectives include developing sustainable solutions to the farmers-herdsmen clashes; climate change and desertification and their impact on farmland; grazing areas and lakes, rivers and other water bodies; oil spillage and its impact on Niger Delta fishing communities; piracy and banditry; agricultural research institutions and extension services and the problem of smuggling

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigeria-s-journey-turbulent-in-last-3-years-buhari.html

Falmata Goni, 30, a mother of 5 witnessed how her younger brother led a gang of insurgents to kill their parents for refusing the group’s ideology.

Falmata explained that Bakura (her younger brother) killed their parents at Gulunmba village near Bama town, and later took her to Sambisa forest because he claimed to have inexplicable affection for her.

Daily Trust gathered that Falmata escaped from her captors to Konduga after several months with insurgents in Sambisa.

Recalling her experience during a community dialogue session sponsored by UNICEF and jointly implemented by International Alert and Herwa Community Development Initiative in Maiduguri, she said, “I was traumatised by my own blood brother who brought his gang to kill our parents in my presence after they had warned him to desist from his mission. They beheaded my father and mother. Now I don’t have anyone, my husband and children have been missing for three years now.”

She said before she was forcefully taken to Sambisa, her husband and two children had been missing after an attack on their village. “So, I don’t even know exactly where they are.”

The Programme Officer Herwa CDI, Bulama Kadai, appealed to all who were victims to embrace peace as the only solution to the conflict.

She said their challenge now was to support Falmata especially for livelihood and material assistance.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-my-brother-beheaded-our-parents-for-warning-against-b-haram.html

where are the rest?