Surprisingly, the Shi’ite Youths Political Forum in the Northwest of Katsina State and Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) in Delta region have both endorsed the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari for the February 16 Presidential election.
Shiite declared their support for President Buhari and Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari today, Wednesday, when they paid a courtesy visit on the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa.
The leader of the forum, Katsina State Chapter, Malam Aminu Ibrahim Bara’a, said they have decided to rally their support around Buhari and Masari because of various achievements so far recorded by their administrations.
Mallam Bara’a said that every patriotic Nigerian must agree that the Buhari’s Administration has laid a solid foundation for the progress of the country which needs continuity.
This was even as the SGS, Mustapha Inuwa, said that the APC led administration operates an open door policy, adding that the administration is ever ready to take pieces of advice irrespective of religion.
The Secretary to the State Government insisted that the APC administration has impacted positively on the lives of the populace with it people-oriented projects hence the need for their re-election. Also MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, in a statement said: “although MEND didn’t officially accept the Federal Government’s amnesty programme, President Buhari has, till date, kept faith with a programme that has positively impacted on youth development in the region.
“Amidst other development efforts stalled by funding problems partly occasioned by oil assets vandalism, it is our view that President Buhari’s re-election bid be supported to enable him demonstrates avowed love for the Niger Delta.
“This peaceful approach is not cowardice and we warn militant groups to shun vandalism of oil facilities.
“In giving this support, we know the world is watching and hopes that Buhari will reciprocate rather than fritter away this sufficient goodwill freely given for his re-election.”
The Nigerian Presidency has said that with the explanation offered by the Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru el-Rufai on his earlier ‘body bag’ statement in an NTA programme, the matter should be rested.
“We have taken note of the clarification to a reported earlier statement by the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufa’i concerning opposition call for foreign interference in our domestic affairs and to say that latest statement by him should rest the issue for good. There is nothing more to sneeze at.”
In a statement today by the Presidential statement, Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidency said that the Governor spoke strongly in defense of national interest.
“It is clear that El-Rufa’i, our party the APC and all its candidates have reposed their faith in democracy through general elections. They are all of the view that there is no place for violence against local people or foreign citizens in our midst.”
The Presidency said that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari would cooperate with election observers and would not let the international community down in the conduct of the coming elections.
It assured Nigerians and the international community that the President would do everything within his power to ensure free, fair and credible elections in the country.
The Presidency however said that the opposition PDP ought to own up to the mistakes of their own policies for 16 years which have led the country to a sorry pass that has cost lives, jobs and growth instead of dwelling on diversionary issues.
The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, appeared on an the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) late-night programme yesterday, Tuesday. Responding to a question from the host, Cyril Stober, the governor spoke about foreign intervention in Nigerian affairs. Mr El-Rufai said the country was ready to confront any foreign invader who tries to militarily intervene in the country, and that any such person would be taken out in body bag.
The comment has sparked controversies, with interest groups subjecting it to various interpretations.
The exact answer of governor el-Rufai in the two-hour programme is hereby transcribed:
Before I get to the issue of interference and intervention, I think you raised a fundamental question that I think I would want to comment on. Why are there shouts of rigging of elections? I think my brother …. tried to throw light on that. I mean when a politician faces an election situation and he thinks he is likely to lose, it is quite likely to start crying wolf. It is okay. It is normal. It is human and it is political.
Okay, but what we are seeing in Nigeria, in this election circle, it is illogical because President Muhammadu Buhari has, under his watch, overseen the conduct of several elections. He has seen the election of Kogi, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Anambra, Osun. At least five governorship elections have taken place since President Buhari took over and there is not one instance that anyone from the ruling party or the opposition party or any party for that matter accused the federal government of interfering with INEC’s operations.
So the president I think has a credible track record in non-interference, in the running of INEC, under two different heads of INEC. So, I think anyone that accuses President Muhammadu Buhari or his party of trying to rig elections is being too clever by half or totally irresponsible or reckless because there is no record of the president in interfering in elections. And the best person to ask is the governor of Anambra State. He would give that testimony where the president even intervened to change the security chiefs when the governor complained that some security chiefs were compromised. The president has been trying.
I think in the public interest of Nigerians we should stop being irresponsible and politicising everything. Lets look at the record of this president and INEC. Secondly, I was quite visible in the Osun election and I know what happened in Ekiti and I was also in Edo. And what I have seen on the part of INEC is rapid improvement in their operations. Their logistical capabilities have improved. Their capacity to conduct credible elections has been significantly improved. I was most impressed. I think we are getting to a point, in my view as a politician, where I would not need polling agents on election day. Because it would be nearly impossible to manipulate results.
I am confident based on what I have seen from Kogi to Edo down to Osun One. I mean the first round of the Osun election because I was there. I was not around for Osun two. I think INEC is in a position to conduct a very credible election. Nobody should be afraid. You can only be afraid when you are sure you are going to lose and when you are trying to create a foundation for future crises.
And this is what is worrying me. All the information and signals we are getting from the PDP indicates that, one they know they would lose this election; two they want to illegitimise this result in advance. No one in the PDP can point at the leadership of INEC and say that they are in a position that they want to manipulate election results. There is no record of that after we have elected six governors out of the circle.
So they want to illegitimise the result in advance so that when they lose they would say we told you so. Number three it appears to me and from all the intelligence available to us that they are trying to create a crisis after the result has been announced and they have lost. I think every responsible Nigerian should rise up against this.
Where does interference come in. I now come to Prof. Prof is trying to differentiate interference and intervention.
It is a basic principle of international law that no country should interfere in the internal affair of another country. We can comment on Brexit. That is not interference. But when you come into a country and make statements without facts in an attempt to complicate the internal government of that country that is interference and it is irresponsible.
What we have seen from the three countries the EU, US and UK in response to the suspension of the chief justice and trying to link the suspension of the chief justice to the electoral act law is the most irresponsible piece of diplomatic mishap I have ever seen in my 59 years of living in Nigeria. I have read about international law. I have seen how countries operate. Those statements where coordinated. They were based on no information at all and they were most irresponsible.
And I am happy that the presidency responded to it and as Nigerians, we must understand that these guys can sit pretty in their countries, say things and when the crises happen we are here. We are the victims, our wives and children are the victims. We must rise up and unite and say no to violence in this country.
We have every confidence that INEC would conduct credible elections and we challenge opposition parties to point out what part of the logistical arrangement of the electoral preparations give room for any manipulations. Otherwise they should shut up and go and get people to vote for them.
We all do polls. A poll was released today by the opposition showing that they are likely to win. We have our own polls that show something different. But do not let us use our own internal polls or procured polls to try to delegitimise the election in advance. At the end of the day it is Nigeria’s 84 million registered voters that would line up and vote on the 16 of February. Let us wait for the result and if the results are not what we expect them to be, there is a process to challenge them. We have election tribunals. President Buhari did that three times. He never resorted to violence. He never called for violence. He went to the Supreme Court three times. Let these other parties that are not used to losing elections …. We are used to losing elections. Those of us that came from the opposition, we know the pain of losing elections and the pain of things stolen from us.
But we never resorted to violence. We went through the due process even if it was unfair to us. We accepted the outcome. Let every Nigerian, let us all commit that we have a country and we have institutions and we should allow those institutions to work. If we have a situation that the security forces are biased as the governor of Anambra complained to the president, raise the flag and give the authorities the opportunities to change them. But do not try to create trouble because your children have all been taken out abroad or they are studying abroad and it is the children of the ordinary that would be up on the streets killing one another.
This is my appeal. Now, intervention is the higher form of interference where countries intervene militarily. We have done that in Sierra Leone and Liberia and we only did so because we had the international community actually appealing to Nigeria to go in and restore order. It cost us a lot of money and lives and we never got anything from it. We did it out of good neighbourliness.
Those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person to come and intervene. They would go back in body bags because nobody would come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country. We have got that independence. We are trying to run our country as decently as possible. And we know the history of those countries that are trying to teach us these things. We have read their history. We also know their own stages of development. They went through these challenges. So, let us work together. Let’s advise one another. But don’t lecture us.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has made it clear that he never regrets his comment on foreigners who may want to interfere in the internal electoral affairs of Nigeria and his reference to ‘body bags.’
El-Rufai, who featured on an NTA programme yesterday, Tuesday, had said that foreigners who may be planning to interfere in the 2019 elections will leave in body bags.
Reacting to threat by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pull out of the Peace Accord as a result of such comment, the governor, through his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, insisted his statement was apt.
“When Malam Nasir El-Rufai appeared on NTA’s Tuesday Night Live, he made comments every patriot can understand. He stood up for Nigeria’s dignity in the wake of those who would traduce their country and reduce it to the status of a colony in their vain quest for power,” the statement read.
“The video of his comments is in circulation. Any fair-minded person with modest familiarity with the English language and unimpaired comprehension can understand it. It does not contain any call for violence. What it is a powerful defence of sovereignty. Are some sections of our political class implying that they will acquiesce in or collaborate with foreign intervention in our country?
“Affirming that a country will defend itself against needless intervention is the kind of statement you expect to hear from a patriot. It is not a call for violence. Warning about the consequences of meddling in another country’s affairs is legitimate,” he said.
”Malam Nasir El-Rufai has issued a powerful call for vigilance and a clear notice that other countries should not mistake the supine posture of the opposition for national weakness.
“El-Rufai has stood firmly against those who have been trying to divide Nigerians on ethnic and religious lines. He is resolutely opposed to violence, and firmly committed to peace and harmony.”
With the Nigerian elections around the corner, beginning next week Saturday, February 16 with the Presidential poll, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has redeployed and posted some senior officers to various parts of the country.
A statement by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, listed the officer who have been so redeployed and posted as follows.
i. AIG Wilson A. Inalegwu – AIG Zone 9, Umuahia ii.AIG Abdul Dahiru Danwawo – AIG Maritime iii. AIG Adeyemi O. Ogunjemilusi, mni – Directing Staff NIPPS iv. AIG Maurice A. Yusuf – AIG Research and Planning v. AIG Ibrahim Lamorde, mni – AIG Force Intelligence Bureau vi. AIG Murtala Mani, mni – AIG FORCE CID vii. AIG Tijani Baba – AIG Zone 7, Abuja viii. AIG Dibal Yakadi, mni – AIG Zone 5, Benin ix. AIG Haruna Huzi Mshelia, mni – AIG Zone 3, Yola x. AIG Mohammed Mustapha – AIG Zone 10, Sokoto xi. AIG Musa A. Kimo – AIG Zone 6, Calabar xii. AIG Adeleye Olusola Oyebade, mni – AIG Zone 11, Osogbo xiii. AIG Basen Dapiya Gwana – AIG Zone 12, Bauchi xiv. AIG Karma Hosea Hassan – AIG Staff College, Jos xv. AIG Folawiyo David, mni – AIG Training & Development xvi. AIG Zana Ibrahim, mni – Commandant POLAC, Kano xvii. AIG Chris Ezike – AIG Zone 4, Makurdi xviii. AIG Moses A. Jitiboh, mni – AIG Investment, FHQ xix. CP Mu’azu Zubairu – CP Lagos State Command xx. CP Ahmed Iliyasu – CP Ogun State Command xxi. CP Mohammed Wakili – CP Kano State Command xxii. CP Austin Iwero Agbonlahor – CP Cross River Command xxiii. CP Damian Chukwu – CP Borno Command xxiv. CP Sumonu Abdulmalik – CP Yobe Command xxv. CP Asuquo Amba – CP Ekiti Command xxvi. CP Abiodun Ige – CP Osun Command xxvii. CP Ibrahim Sabo – CP Niger Command xxviii. CP Alkasim Sanusi – CP Taraba State xxix. CP Garba M. Mukaddas – CP Adamawa Command xxx. CP Omololu Bishi – CP Benue Command xxxi. CP Bola Longe – CP Nasarawa Command xxxii. CP Isaac Akinmoyede – CP Plateau Command xxxiii. CP Aminu I. Saleh – CP Bayelsa Command xxxiv. CP Adeleke Yinka – CP Delta Command xxxv. CP Bashir Makama – CP Akwa-Ibom Command xxxvi. CP Awosola Awotunde – CP Ebonyi Command xxxvii. CP Belel Usman – CP Rivers Command xxxviii. CP Bello Makwashi – CP Gombe Command xxxix. CP Abdulrahman Ahmed – CP Kaduna Command xl. CP Bala Ciroma – CP FCT Command xli. CP Akeem Busari – CP Kogi Command xlii. CP Galadinchi Dasuki – CP Imo Command xliii. CP Suleiman Balarabe – CP Enugu Command xliv. CP Dandaura Mustafa – CP Anambra Command xlv. CP Etim Ene Okon – CP Abia Command xlvi. CP Ibrahim Kaoje – CP Sokoto Command xlvii. CP Celestine Okoye – CP Zamfara Command xlviii. CP Garba Danjuma – CP Kebbi Command xlix. CP Undie Andie – CP Ondo Command l. CP Olukolu Sina – CP Oyo Command li. CP Ali Janga – CP Bauchi Command lii. CP Rabiu Ladodo – CP Jigawa Command liii. CP Buba Sanusi – CP Katsina Command liv. Ag. CP Egbetokun Kayode – CP Kwara Command lv. Ag. CP Odumosu Akeem – CP Edo Command
The statement said that the posting and the redeployment of the affected Senior Police Officers is with immediate effect.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) is organizing a two-day workshop to educate judges on Secured Transaction in Movable Asset Act (STMA) and National Collateral Registry (NCR).
The workshop, which is the maiden, according to the CBN, will aim at acquainting judges with appropriate legal and regulatory framework of the STMA Act and its contribution to the national economy.
Information obtained from the CBN indicated that the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad and the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele are expected to make key remarks at the workshop.
Also expected to participate at the workshop, which opens in Abuja on Monday, February, are the members of relevant committees at the National Assembly, Supreme Court Judges, Appeal Court Judges, Federal High Court Judges, the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), State Chief Judges, key Government officials, captains of industry, and officials of the World Bank/ International Finance Corporation (IFC).
The Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), established the National Collateral Registry (NCR) in 2016 in line with the Bank’s mandate on sustainable economic inclusive growth and financial inclusion. The NCR is a financial infrastructure that seeks to deepen credit delivery to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through enhanced acceptability of movable assets such as equipment, machinery, vehicles, crops, livestock, account receivables, inventories, and jewelries.
The Nigeria Police are fully preparing for the 2019 general elections in the country with the holding of a conference for the officers on Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and those in Special Protection Unit (SPU). The conference is aimed at perfecting the plans of the Nigeria Police Force towards the 2019 general elections.
According to the police, the Counter Terrorism Unit was established as a specially trained strike Force with capacity to address the threat of terrorism and sundry insurgency threats to our national security, while the Special Protection Unit is a Police detachment that is dedicated to the provision of specialized security and escort duties for high-risk individuals and corporate organisations that may be under security threat.
The Two Units were established to complement the Police Mobile Force towards supporting the conventional police in addressing critical internal security threats and civil disorders.
The Inspector General Police, Mohammed Adamu, who decalred the conference opened in Abuja today, Wednesday, said that by virtue of their training and expertise, personnel from the Counterterrorism Unit and Special Protection Unit are critical components of the broad election security plan of the Nigeria Police Force.
“It is for this reason that you are all invited here to brainstorm and be briefed on the specific roles that you will be expected to perform during the general elections.
“Within this context of the Strategic Election Security Operational Plan of the Force, you shall be required to deploy your personnel to: i. Provide specialized protection for INEC staff, and NYSC and other ad-hoc personnel of the Commission that will be deployed for the elections ii. Secure INEC facilities across the country. iii. Undertake patrols of the public space before, during and after the elections iv. Act as reserve Forces that could be deployed for rapid response to crisis areas during the elections. v. Provide specialized security for local and international election observers vi. Escort sensitive electoral materials vii. Provide specialized protection to critical national assets during the exercise.”
The Inpector General said that in order to ensure full mobilization and deployment of personnel for these duties, we shall in the coming days prune down or order the withdrawal of SPU and CTU operatives that are currently on non-essential duties including those attached to certain categories of personalities.
“In performing your election security duties, let me assure you that adequate provisions have been made for your welfare. In return, we expect the highest possible level of professionalism from you, knowing that your conducts will be subjected to national and international scrutiny. I am confident, on my part, that you have the professional depth, strength of character and strong sense of commitment to duty which are needed to guarantee your optimal performance and the success of the exercise.”
A team of European Union (EU) election observers have said that they have never been known to interfere in the electoral process of any country and will therefore not start it in Nigeria.
Governor Nasiru Ahmed el-Rufai had said on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme yesterday, Tuesday night: “those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that would come and intervene, they would go back in body bags.”
The governor argued that Nigeria’s sovereignty was sacrosanct and the country also respects other nation’s sovereignty. He said Nigeria only intervened militarily in other countries (Liberia and Sierra Leone) when it had international mandate to do so.
Reacting, the EU team in a statement by the team’s leader, Sarah Fradgley said that the threat would not deter it from observing the general elections set to hold on February 16 and March 2.
“We are aware of the comments by the Governor of Kaduna about non-interference by foreigners during a talk show on the elections Tuesday 5 February.
“The EU only deploys an election observation mission when it is invited to do so by the authorities of a country. The EU has been invited to observe all of the general elections in Nigeria since 1999. Thus this is the sixth time the EU is observing elections in Nigeria.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission invited the EU to deploy an observation mission for the 2019 general elections.
“EU election observation missions give commentary and analysis, and make recommendations about the electoral process. EU election observation missions are impartial, do not interfere in the electoral process, and operate according to a strict code of conduct.
“While the security of EU observers is of paramount importance, and will remain under constant review, EU observers will continue their work across the country in the run-up to – and beyond – the 16 February elections.
“For the last month the mission’s team in Abuja, as well as 40 long-term observers across the country, have followed the elections. We have met with a wide range of candidates, parties, election officials, security agencies, and civil society organisations, and have enjoyed good cooperation at federal and state levels.
“The mission looks at all aspects of the election, including the campaign tone, the transparency of the election administration, the neutrality of security forces, and the independence of the judiciary.”
Traditional rulers from Benue State have acknowledged that President Muhammadu Buhari has been able to tackle the insecurity, especially the herders/farmers clashes.
They advised that proper surveillance should be carried out on the nation’s borders to prevent infiltration of criminals from the neighbouring countries.
The Tor Tiv of Tiv land Professor James Ayatse, he led the monarchs on a courtesy visit to the President at the presidential Villa Abuja expressed appreciation to President Buhari, for the way and manner he has been conducting peaceful campaign,.
He said that there has been no riots, violence, thereby setting good example. “We had a challenging time in 2016. Thanks for your intervention, for accepting our appeal to step up security. Operation Whirl Strike has succeeded in chasing away violent herders.”
He emphasized the need for a closer look at the border to stop “criminals and bandits” from crossing into Nigeria.
Responding, President Buhari said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, will soon commence drilling for a deeper search for oil and gas in the Benue Trough.
This, he said, is the next step following the commencement of drilling in the Kolmani River area, located within Bauchi and Gombe States.
President Buhari recalled that as Minister of Petroleum in the 70s, he had seen “very interesting seismic surveys” that promised oil and gas from the Chad Basin through the Benue Trough down to the Delta region.
He said that for mostly commercial reasons, investment was directed to the Niger Delta given the promise of quicker results.
He narrated past efforts by him as Military Head of State to diversify the country’s sources of oil to strengthen its unity, promising that his administration will intensify efforts in this direction.
The President promised to look at requests for more roads, bridges and tertiary institutions made by the royal father.
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, is still very bitter that Ohanaeze held a meeting and endorsed the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on a day President Muhammadu Buhari was in Anambra State to commission late Dr.Azikwe’s museum.
Governor Obiano, who spoke when the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos branch, paid him a visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, Anambra State, today Wednesday, described the action of Ohanaeze as a big slap not on President Buhari but late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who “remains a world hero of the Igbo.”
The governor advised the Igbo socio-cultural body to maintain the objective for its creation as a nonpartisan organisation with the principal aim of pushing Igbo agenda.
Governor Obiano said that President Buhari is passionate about developing the Southeast and to add one more state to the region.
“I’m in good terms with the President. He has good plans for the South-East, contrary to the perception of some people. He has emotional feeling that the South-East ought to have an additional state.
“I’m also hopeful that the Federal Government would set aside November 16 as a national day in memory of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of this great country.”
Speaking at the event, the Ohanaeze delegation led by its branch president, Nnamdi Nwigwe, said they were in the state to show solidarity to the Obiano-led government.
The group extolled what it called “Obiano’s negotiating power and think-home philosophy,” among other initiatives.
“We are particularly happy with your position on appreciating President Mohammadu Buhari-led administration’s good gestures to the people of the South-East region and Anambra State in particular.
“The completion of Zik Mausoleum, which is a national monument, the ongoing Second Niger Bridge, road projects and other infrastructures lay credence to the fact that the Buhari administration has not forgotten the region.”
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Surprisingly, the Shi’ite Youths Political Forum in the Northwest of Katsina State and Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) in Delta region have both endorsed the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari for the February 16 Presidential election.
The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, appeared on an the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) late-night programme yesterday, Tuesday. Responding to a question from the host, Cyril Stober, the governor spoke about foreign intervention in Nigerian affairs. Mr El-Rufai said the country was ready to confront any foreign invader who tries to militarily intervene in the country, and that any such person would be taken out in body bag.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has made it clear that he never regrets his comment on foreigners who may want to interfere in the internal electoral affairs of Nigeria and his reference to ‘body bags.’
The Nigeria Police are fully preparing for the 2019 general elections in the country with the holding of a conference for the officers on Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and those in Special Protection Unit (SPU). The conference is aimed at perfecting the plans of the Nigeria Police Force towards the 2019 general elections.
A team of European Union (EU) election observers have said that they have never been known to interfere in the electoral process of any country and will therefore not start it in Nigeria.
Traditional rulers from Benue State have acknowledged that President Muhammadu Buhari has been able to tackle the insecurity, especially the herders/farmers clashes.
