Atiku To Mischief Makers: There’s God O

June 16, 2019

Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has vehemently protested a statement circulating in the social media Linkin him to threat to mobilise Nigerians on a nation wide protest if the Presidential election Tribunal does not favour him.

In a statement by his spokesman, Atiku attributed such statement to mischief makers, aimed at discrediting what he called his spotless democratic credential.

In the statement circulating in a section of the media, Atiku was said to be planning to lead a street protest in the event that the election petition tribunal rules against him and his party on the issue of a server for the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“I wish to emphatically state that such a statement did not emanate from me. It is the work of mischief makers who want to mar his spotless pro-democratic record and lay the ground work for their threatened actions against him on false charges of being a threat to national security.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar believes in the Rule of Law and in the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In his almost four decades in politics, he has never taken action or spoken words against democracy and will not start now.

“Atiku Abubakar and his team have confidence in God and thus call on those bent on mischief to have the fear of God and retrace their steps. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. The culture of fear being created now cannot rein in our democracy. Nigeria and Nigerians have a consistent history of outlasting tyranny and will continue to do so by the grace of God.”

European Union Says 2019 Elections Were ‘Competitive’ For All Parties

Editorial staff

June 16, 2019

Foriegn Election observers at AH Unit at Omisore polling centre in Ile Ife.

European Union (EU) has said that the 2019 general elections in Nigeria were competitive with all political parties participating freely.

It said in an executive summary of its report, made public today, June 15: “positively, the elections were competitive, parties were overall able to campaign and civil society enhanced accountability.”

This was contained on page three in its Executive Summary, even as it acknowledged that INEC made a number of improvements, including making electoral participation more accessible through simplified voting procedures.

According to the report, INEC made efforts to strengthen electoral integrity by issuing regulations making smart card readers mandatory.

On page four, the EU noted that the elections were competitive with a large number of candidates for all seats although competition was primarily between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

According to the report ‘‘parties and candidates were overall able to campaign, with freedoms of assembly, expression and movement broadly respected.”

On Page five, the report noted that the EU EOM media monitoring over 46 days showed federal government-owned Radio’s commitment to balanced election coverage.

It said that positively in almost all observations party agents received copies of the results forms, adding that the National Collation Centre for the presidential election was open to party agents and observers, and was continuously televised

On page 37, the report said the national collation Centre for the presidential results was open to party agents, observers and the media with each state’s results projected on a large screen. ‘‘There was continuous live television coverage and the media published the results as announced by INEC, thereby increasing access to results information.’’

Page 41 under section RESULTS AND STAKEHOLDER REACTION, EU SAID: ‘‘YIAGA Africa announced that the results were consistent with its parallel vote tabulation that INDEPENDENTLY projected the results based on a sample of 1,515 polling units. The two leading parties won 96.8% of the valid votes between them.’’

The EU said that INEC has already received a number of recommendations that formed a part of its report.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has hailed the EU report and promised to analyse it fully and act on the recommendations.

In a statement by the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency said that the EU observers were invited to the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and welcomed by the government of President Buhari.

The statement said that such act was a clear indication of the administration’s good intentions, commitment to a pure democratic process, and desire to improve for the next elections.

The Presidency assured that the Commission is in safe hands and happy that they are currently engaged in root and branch reviews of the 2019 general elections and will input lessons learned into its recommendations for electoral and constitutional reforms.

“We believe that the commission conducted a good election and will continue to improve on its processes and procedures.

“While it is regretted that the elections in a few parts of the country witnessed some violence, among other shortcomings highlighted by the EU, we note however that none of these hitches affected the overall outcome of the elections.”

We Don’t Know Anything About INEC Servers – EU Election Observers

Editorial staff

June 16, 2019

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria has said that it doesn’t know anything about servers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that were allegedly used to transmit results of the 2019 general elections.

Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja today, June 15 on the EU election observation mission report, the deputy chief observer for the EU Mission, Hannah Roberts said the Mission relied on results that were released by INEC.

Responding to questions from journalists, Roberts said the EU Mission in Nigeria is unaware of an INEC server by which results were transmitted during the election.

“The EU had to rely on INEC’s explanation in result transmission,” she said while answering the question on INEC server.

Maria Arena had said earlier that EU Chief Observer had presented a final report with recommendations for electoral reforms.

She said the EU EOM had 91 observers on ground for the Presidential and National Assembly elections across Nigeria.

She added that 73 observers were deployed for the Governorship and State House of Assembly election while only 20 observers were used for the supplementary elections.

Following its observation mission, she said the EU EOM had 30 recommendations on how to improve future electoral processes in Nigeria.

“The mission concluded that the systemic failings seen in the elections, and the relatively low levels of voter participation, show the need for fundamental electoral reform.”

The EU report prioritized seven recommendations of the 30, one of which was that Nigeria, “Strengthen INEC procedures for the collation of results to improve integrity and confidence in electoral outcomes.”

Another recommendation was that, “Electoral tribunals cover pre-election cases in order to improve access to remedy and to avoid petitions being taken to different courts at the same time.”

US, Iran Row Scares Saudi Arabia, Calls For Oil Supply Protection

Editorial staff

June 15, 2019

Diplomatic row between the United States and Iran over attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route has raised fears of broader confrontation in the region with Saudi Arabia calling for oil supply protection.

Thursday’s tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman exacerbated the antagonistic fallout from similar blasts in May that crippled four vessels. Washington, already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, has blamed Tehran.

Iran has denied any role in the strikes on the tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said: “there must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat” to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence after the attacks in the Gulf area, the Saudi Energy Ministry reported on Twitter.

The U.S. military released a video Thursday, saying it showed Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were behind the explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous.

“Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat,” U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday.

The United States has tightened sanctions on Iran since Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and global powers last year. Washington’s stated aim is to drive Iranian oil exports, the mainstay of its economy, to zero.

Tehran has said that if its oil exports were halted, it could block the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel of water separating Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the oil
consumed globally passes.

Oil prices have climbed 3.4% since Thursday’s attacks. Ship insurers said insurance costs for ships sailing through the Middle East have jumped by at least 10%.

“The kingdom is committed to ensuring stability of global oil markets,” the Saudi energy minister said in Japan at a meeting of energy ministers from the G-20 group of nations.

Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said ministers agreed on the need to “work together to deal with the recent incidents from energy security point of view.”

President Trump, who pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal under which world powers agreed to ease international sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear work, said any move to close the Strait of Hormuz would not last long.

He also said that he was open to holding talks with Iran, although Tehran said it had no plans to negotiate with the United States unless it reversed a decision on the nuclear deal.

Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in a war. But this has done little to assuage concerns that the arch foes could stumble into conflict.

A U.S. official told Reuters a surface-to-air missile was fired from Iranian territory on Thursday morning at a U.S. drone that was near Front Altair following the attack on the tanker. The missile did not hit the drone, the official said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the United States was “planning various contingencies” when asked if more military forces would be sent to the area, but he added that the focus was on building an international consensus.

“We also need to broaden our support for this international situation,” he told reporters.

As well as blaming Iran for the tanker attacks, Washington has also said Tehran was behind May 14 drone strikes on two Saudi oil-pumping stations. Tehran has denied all those charges.

Britain has backed the United States in blaming Iran for the tanker attacks. On Saturday, Iran summoned the British ambassador to complain about its “unacceptable stance,” the ISNA news agency reported.

Other nations have urged caution. Germany said the video was not enough to prove Iran’s role, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation to determine responsibility. China and the European Union called for restraint.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani renewed Iran’s threat to continue scaling back compliance with the nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact showed “positive signals.”

He did not specify what Iran wanted in his comments to a meeting of Asian leaders in Tajikistan.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal have said they wanted to save the accord, but many of their companies have canceled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States

Source: Reuters.

Femi Adesina: An Effective Link In The Chain, By Chioma Ikejiani

Editorial staff

June 14, 2019

When President Muhammadu Buhari accepted the mantle of leadership of Nigeria in 2015, it was with a mindset focused on transforming Nigeria and uniting all her people for positive national building action. Prior to that, Nigeria was broken and there was need for a renewed effort at national cohesion and consensus building. In pushing to achieve purpose, President Muhammadu Buhari looked towards the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), a professional association of Nigerian editors, to pick their president, Femi Adesina, an erudite newspaper man, who rose from the ranks to become one of the biggest names in Nigeria’s media space, to lead the charge in creating a narrative that would relaunch nigeria into a glorious era.

Adesina’s ascendancy to an office vacated by his friend, Reuben Abati, was of huge significance. He had before him a nation reeking from the effects of broken nationalism to help rebuild. In discharging the functions of that office, Adesina has brought to bear his deep experience in managing information and driving change through positive narrative. In doing this, Adesina comes across as a viable link in the chain that has kept the narrative about the Buhari presidency coming positive. With his deep contacts within the media circles, Adesina, a quiet and deeply reflective fellow, was able to pull the media along towards helping President Buhari to change Nigeria for the better.

At the heart of changing the narrative on Nigeria and driving a new understanding for nation building, the media has come across as being very critical. The role of the media has remained constant. This is such that even when the opposition drives a narrative that goes to denigrate the purpose and vision of government, Adesina has been found to be in the middle managing the situation and helping the media gain better understanding of issues and trends affecting the Buhari presidency.

Though many see Adesina as a personal friend of the President, the friendship has however been one driven by professionalism and deep respect for the opposition view. This was exemplified openly when Adesina held the reigns at The Sun Newspapers. While he deployed his skills in marketing Buhari to the voting public, he also refused to use his powers to foreclose divergent views about the candidate. By allowing that, Adesina helped to create a very healthy rivalry and understanding at The Sun, which in essence, enhanced the professionalism of the newspaper and its writers. Somehow, the newspaper has been the utmost beneficiary of that singular leadership charge by Adesina.

That understanding has been with Adesina since he assumed office as official spokesman of the president. Though he is within official ranks where he could throw his weight around in forcing media owners and operators to come down hard on writers and reporters who share opposing views, or who had deployed their skills to drawing negative, and often dangerous and nationally injurious narratives, Adesina has rather remined truly professional in the discharge of his office. rather, he opened up his office to become a rallying point for all Nigerians who seek genuine information, and education, on the real issues involved in President Buhari’s administration. He is neither combative nor combustive and is in perfect control of his emotions.

Deeply detribalized, Adesina epitomizes loyalty and honesty. Not known to fight for anything, Adesina rather allows the true love of God to radiate through him touching all who genuinely search for meaning. I have been to his office on several occasions and can confirm that he knows no tribe nor religion when he is called upon. This is a quality that has earned him the respect of so many people who have interacted with him. That is why I believe that President Buhari was deeply insightful when he pointed at Adesina as his spokesman.

As President Buhari works his team for the challenges of the ‘Next Level’, he ought to retain Adesina and empower him more to deliver on the task he began in 2015. The implication of this is that Adesina is ably suited to understand the nuances of the Buhari administration and is intellectually gifted to interpret and translate same to understandable nuggets for the public. This is what Buhari now needs as he seeks to take more Nigerians out of poverty by the run of his tenure. Having worked with Buhari since 2015, Adesina has more than a perfect understanding of the president and is in a better position to translate even his body language for Nigerians.

This, I suppose, is what defines Adesina as a super media and communication guru in the Buhari administration. The Next Level, for him, will be to deploy advantages he has had working as a media practitioner in the past three decades, to strengthen the Buhari persona, re-emphasizing the human side of the president. Adesina, an incorruptible media guru that is not given to foul means, remains a veritable link that had glued the media and the presidency, creating a better appreciation of the value and import of Buhari’s policies.

Ikejiani is the publisher of Amoi and a promoter of the diversification policies of government.

If Obasanjo Wished, He Would’ve Immortalized Abiola As He Ran Autocratic Govt – Osita

Editorial staff

June 14, 2019

Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Chief Osita,

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has said that if the former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo had wished to, no one would have challenge him if he immortalized the acclaim winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, late Chief Chief MKO Abiola.

Reacting to claim by Dr. Doyin Okupe that Northern leaders would have frustrated Obasanjo from recognizing June 12 as Democracy Day, Osita Okechukwu said that Obasanjo was rather more preoccupied with his plan to actualize his third term ‘pet project’ than the issue of recognizing late Abiola.

“It is arrant nonsense to say that Northern leaders frustrated Obasanjo from recognising June 12. Baba was solely engrossed with his pet project – the 3rd Term. He loathed MKO Abiola from their childhood days in Abeokuta. He was busy weaving his life president project.

“How can somebody revise the history of a former autocratic president who captured National Assembly, was changing Senate President like rapper? Obasanjo held the governors under bondage, muscled the press and used the EFCC as attack dog. Who on earth could have stopped him if he wanted to declare June 12 Democracy Day?”

Osita, who is also the chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said: “whereas I agree with our big brother Omoba Doyin Okupe that Nigerian politics is so intricate; however one disagrees that Obasanjo only avoided the controversy and furore that would have greeted recognising June 12 as democracy day, while in office.

”Nobody could had stopped him, he ran an imperial presidency. I doubt if he was not in league with the annulment. Abiola narrated to us at Aba, how Obasanjo envied his capacity to pay his primary school fees from the local entertainment band he used in raising money. Abiola slept with us that night at Aba after the campaign.”

New Senate President Vows To Ensure Budget Is Passed Within 3 Months

Greenbarge Reporters

June 14, 2019

The new President of the Senate has made it clear that the 9^th National Assembly will henceforth pass annual national budget within three months it is presented by the President.

He said: “we have campaigned with that and it’s something both of us in the National Assembly have bought into – that we will pass the budget within three months by the grace of God.”

Speaking to news men today, June 14 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Senate President said however that it takes two sides of government to pass the budget in good time and expressed the confidence that the executive side of the government would like to present the budget before the National Assembly in good time, “say in September or early October, and by the grace of God, we in the National Assembly will ensure that we carry out the budget defence and do the remaining parts of the processes and before we leave for Christmas break, the budget would have been passed and Mr. President would have gotten the budget before him to signed and assent.

“This requires sacrifice in the National Assembly and the executive side of the government that we create a window for budget defence only; a dedicate period and timeframe- say a month of which only budget defence would be carried out in the National Assembly.”

Senator Ahmed Lawan said that it is the desire of the members of the National Assembly that every minister, every chief executive officer of every agency to defend the budget of his agency or her agency before going out of the country.

“That window is going to be available within the one month and that is the only window that is going to be available. After that for example, every minister or head of agency who did not come to defend the budget of that institution, the National Assembly would go ahead to work on such a budget appropriately.

“I believe that nobody would take pleasure in wasting the time of this administration. We are in a hurry; we are thirsty to perform. We want to support Mr. President. We want to see Mr. President achieve those dreams that he has and we are going to work full course and full time to ensure that we give him the maximum support that he requires.”

Buhari Commends Ex Military Leader, Abdulsalami For Handing Over Power To Civilian In 1999

Editorial staff

June 14, 2019

, President Muhammadu Buhari has commended former Nigeria’s military Head of State, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar for handing over political power to civilian in 1999.

Buhiar, who greeted the former military leader today, June 14, on his 77^th birthday, said that Abdulsalami’s visionary and selfless leadership style, “and willingness for inclusive growth and development sets him apart for commendation, while the handing over to a civilian government in 1999 secured an enduring place for him in history.”

The President also extolled General Abdulsalami’s commitment to peace, stability and development in Nigeria, and the African continent, “as he continually and relentlessly follows and counsels leaders and communities on values of togetherness and collective vision.”

Buhari described General Abdulsalami as “African elder statesman and global voice,” even as he prayed to God to him longer life and good health to continue to serve humanity.

Senate President Indicts 8Th National Assembly, Says It Did Not Perform To Full Capacity

Editorial staff

June 14, 2019

The new Senate President, Ahmed Lawan has owned up to the inadequacy of the immediate past Senate, saying that it did not perform to its full capacity.

“I am sure we did not perform to our capacity as a National Assembly in the last National Assembly. This time around, we want to perform to full capacity and by the grace of God, Nigerians will see a positive difference in terms of delivery of service to our country men and women.”

Senator Ahmed Lawan, who was answering questions from news men shortly after observing the Friday (Jum’at) prayer at the Presidential Villa today, June 14, noted that the current Senate is aware that expectations from Nigerians are high.

“They want a National Assembly that is very focused, that is very united, that is very patriotic and nationalistic and that is by the grace of God, the National Assembly that we shall have.

“From my interactions with my colleagues when I was contesting, every senator has one massive experience or another. I saw my colleagues exhibited patriotism and desire to work for Nigerians and therefore we hope to have a National Assembly that will work for Nigerians optimally and patriotically.

“, We also hope to have a National Assembly that will work with the executive arm of government in a partnership and synergy to ensure that we perform our functions as a government because we are a single unit. I also foresee a National Assembly that will insists that whoever has a responsibility in government performs that responsibility because it takes all of us to work together to ensure that no part or nobody is left behind. If there is anyone that is deficient it would cost the system.”

No One Can Stop Me From Second Term, I’m The Landlord – Kogi Gov

Greenbarge Reporters

June 14, 2019

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has made it clear that no one can stop him from going for his second term of four years from November this year.

“I am the Governor today and In sha Allah, l will return as the Governor for another four years, after the November 16 election. As for the ticket, the analogy is that the tenant cannot send the landlord out of his house. So, APC in Kogi state was rebuilt by me, after the good job done by our late leader, His Excellency, Prince Abubakar Audu. After his demise, l came, rebuilt it from the scratch to what it is today. That is evident in the last outing of the party where we had 25/25, in the State House of Assembly. We also won seven out of the nine contested positions in the House of Representatives and two out of the three Senators representing Kogi state in the Senate. So, anybody that is making such noise does not disturb me , because, in the market place, noise is allowed.”

Governor Yahaya Bello, who spoke to news men today, June 14, dismissed the insinuation that APC will not give him the ticket to run for second term.

“You know, Kogi politics is the loudest, so people must make noise and you can’t stop that. But surely, l am very good with my party from the local government to the national level. “They know that l am the leader of the party in my state. I have built it and it is very strong. “Anytime, any day, we will win elections in landslide. That l am going to win in the primaries is given by the grace of God, by which ever means, direct or indirect.
“Secondly, in the November Governorship election, we are not just talking of wining, we are looking at the margins. The margin is going to be such that whoever comes far second, will be discouraged to go to court.”

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