Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, (5thh from right), was in Yola, capital of Adamawa State today, Sunday, April 15, when Senator Binta Garba (6th from right), hit golden age of 50 and celebrated it with thanksgiving service at the International Praise church in Yola. Also in attendance were the minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi (3rd from left), and senior special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters, Senator Ita Eneng, (2nd right) Photo by Novo Isioro. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari is still grieving over the way the past leaders, provided by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turned Nigeria into a land of poor amidst abundant human and material resources.
The President, who spoke in London today, Sunday when he received the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization, led by Mr. Charles Efe Sylvester, regretted that “failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalize on resources to improve the lot of the people.”
According to President Buhari, wicked people plundered the country, “and kept Nigerians poor,” adding that looking at the condition in which the current administration met the country, without savings and the economy badly vandalized, “we have not done too badly.”
The President said that the damage done to the Nigerian economy in the years of plunder was massive, and that government is doing its best to recover some of the loot.
He made it clear however that it is impossible to identify and recover all.
“If they had used 50% of the money we made, when oil prices went as high as $143 dollars per barrel, and stabilized at $100 dollars with production at 2.1 million barrels per day for many years, Nigerians would have minded their businesses. You could almost grow food on our roads, as they were abandoned. The stealing was so much, and they were so inept that they could not even cover the stealing properly. I wonder how all those things could have happened to our country.”
Buhari expressed happiness that people like Diaspora in London, on their own, have been defending the country.
“You have shown courage and sacrifice. I assure you that your confidence in us won’t be abused, we will do our best to justify it.”
President Buhari particularly commended the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization for deciding to identify with the country, “when you could have stayed here, and being comfortable.”
The Coordinator of the organization, Mr. Sylvester, had said that the group is happy with the achievements of the Buhari administration so far, saying: “you met a difficult situation, but you have overcome most of them. We are happy with the agriculture revolution, the ease of doing business, the anti-corruption war, the employment of youths through the N-Power programme, and the blockage of leakages in the public sector through the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
“We are proud of the speed with which you recovered the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls. It shows you as a worthy general. We are happy that you have declared for 2019. Majority of Nigerians are happy, but agents of corruption and darkness are unhappy. The same God, who healed you when you were ill, will grant you victory in the 2019 elections. You are a General who does not fear combat, either with Generals or non-Generals. We declare our love and support for you. You are fixing the faulty foundations of our country and second term is when you will build the enduring structure.” [myad]
Against the background of the earlier position she was quoted to have taken against her husband for the 2019 Presidential election, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has now made it clear that she is fully in support of the President for the 2019.
She announced: “let me use this opportunity to state that I support my husband in this call to service and will continue to do so.”
The President’s wife, who made a short speech when she was conferred with the Honour of as Vanguard Personality of the Year 2017 in Lagos, thanked the management of Vanguard Media Limited “for this unexpected award, in recognition of my humanitarian efforts towards improving the health and welfare of Nigerians particularly women, children and less privileged.”
Mrs. Buhari was surprised that another reason adduced for the honour conferred on her by the Vanguard was the interview she granted which some people saw as criticism to a government that she has been part of.
“I need to state that my position was a result of my sense of justice and not confrontation or disrespect. I was brought up to stand by the truth and this is how I have always been.
“As we are all aware, Nigerians elected this administration based on the trust and confidence they have on my husband; I therefore feel that we are here to serve Nigeria to the best of our ability.”
Mrs. Aisha Buhari dedicated the award to the people of Nigeria, especially women. [myad]
Africa’s foremost philanthropist and President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has bagged top Corporate Award of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Alumni Association, Zaria in Kaduna State.
The Association’s National President, Professor Ahmed Tijani Mora said at the award ceremony in Zaria that the 2018 Corporate Award was presented to the top industrialist in view of the numerous contributions of his conglomerate to the development of the educational sector in Nigeria,
Professor Mora said that the interventions of the Aliko Dangote Foundation in the educational sector over the years have been unprecedented through, especially, the sponsorship of various scholarship programmes.
Reading his citation, Professor Mora said apart from the $100 million donation to fight malnutrition, Mr. Dangote is a ‘dedicated philanthropist’ who has also “made an initial endowment of $1.25billion to the Aliko Dangote Foundation in March 2014.”
He said that Dangote Foundation has constructed 10 blocks of hostels for ABU Zaria.
According to him, the Association has 12 governors as alumni, adding that one in every four Nigerian is governed by the alumni of the school.
The Dangote Academy, located in Obajana, Kogi State, is yet another contribution of the Group to education to Nigeria, he said.
The Group’s Executive Director Stakeholders Management and Corporate Communication Engineer Ahmed Mansur who received the award on behalf of Africa’s richest person, said that the award will spur the conglomerate to scale up its intervention programmes in all sectors.
Mansur thanked the Association even as he said that the Dangote Group will not rest on its oars in ensuring that the educational sector achieved its rightful place in Nigeria.
He said that the Dangote Group has pumped billions of naira into the educational sector over the years, even as it planned to officially launched another multi-million naira hostel, with the capacity to accommodate 1,440 students at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
It would be recalled that the Group had only recently donated a World Class Dangote Business School worth N1.2bn to the Bayero University Kano, and building another one in University of Ibadan worth N250M.
Earlier, it donated N200 million to Katsina State University while N500 million for Bayero State University Business School in Kano.
Funding was also provided for the construction of a 500 capacity student hostel complex of the University of Science and Technology, Wudil.
The Group also gave N118 million for a squash complex project at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka main campus and another N50 million to the University of Port Harcourt, as well as a N100million for the proposed Otuoke University.
Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University Professor Ibrahim Garba commended the awardees, and added that all hands must be on the deck to rescue the educational sector.
Professor Garba said out of the about eighty thousand applicants yearly, of which thirty thousand are qualified, only 11,500 eventually get admitted due to limited facility.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation has told stakeholders on health that Universal Healthcare Coverage(UHC) is one of the top priorities of the Foundation.
This is coming as the Federal Government through the Minister of Health, and other stakeholders lauded the Dangote Foundation for its positive impact on the country’s health sector.
Ms Zouera Youssoufou who was speaking at the ThisDay Newspaper Healthcare Policy Dialogue Thursday in Abuja, said the Foundation will continue to work with governments and civil society organizations for the development of impactful health sector programmes in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
She said that the Foundation over the years have expended billions of naira in supporting the causes of health through its strides to eradicate Wild Polio Virus in Nigeria, adding that the Foundation has made significant social investments in health, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief.
Recently the Foundation made a pledge to commit $100million to fight malnutrition in some parts of the country, she said.
“Dangote Foundation in partnership with Bill and Milenda Gates Foundation have been supporting the government in the eradication of polio,” she added.
Ms Youssoufou said the Foundation is also trying to woo other private sector operators to commit at least one percent of their profit after tax to support the health sector.
She commended the ThisDay Newspaper for bringing together stakeholders to find solution to the country’s health challenges.
Speaking, Minister of Health Prof Isaac Folorunso Adewole who commended Dangote Foundation and other stakeholders said the Muhammadu Buhari administration is not resting on its oars in trying to achieve a Universal Health Coverage(UHC).
“Healthcare is a key driver of our socio-economic development and that is why our future success depends on our investment in the health sector,” he said.
The Minister also launched the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund(BHCPF) tagged HUWE, saying it is aimed at reaching eight million Nigerians in its start-up phase.
He said the the BHCPF is coming since the National Health Act was signed into law in 2014.
He said the Health Act stipulates that 1% of consolidated Federal Revenue be set aside to support the BHCPF. 50% of the funds are allocated to the National Health Insurance Sheme; 45% to the National Healthcare Delivery Agency and 5% for dealing with emergencies.
Speaking earlier, Chairman and Publisher of ThisDay Newspaper Mr. Nduka Obaigbena said he was elated by the contribution of government and stakeholders after its first dialogue in 2017.
Mr. Obaigbena said Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is about ensuring that people have access to the health care they need without suffering financial hardship
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed assured participants that the funding of the health sector has been on the increase since Buhari government came to being.
Director General of World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghbreyesus said given its large population, Nigeria’s health sector is very central to Africa and the world.
He urged the Nigerian government to prioritize Primary Healthcare, saying its effort on UHC was timely.
Dangote Foundation had committed billions of Naira on critical intervention in the health sector by building hospitals and equipping teaching hospitals.
His Foundation is currently building the biggest maternity wards in Aminu Kano specialist hospital and state of the arts Surgical Operating Theatre and Diagnostic Centre (SDC), at a cost N7 billion, which soon be completed.
The 900-bed capacity maternity at the hospital, reputed for highest number of in-patients in sub-Saharan Africa, has been lacking facilities that may detract from the new SDC being built by the Foundation, hence the decision to carry out the construction and renovation of the auxiliary facilities. [myad]
Lee Engineering and Construction Company, one of Nigeria’s indigenous oil serving companies, has established a $100 million fabrication plant in Warri, Delta State aimed at meeting the fabrication needs of multinational companies in the oil and gas sector.
The Chairman and Managing Director of the company, Chief (Dr) Lemon Ikpea, who broke the news in a statement, said that the vision of the new fabrication plant is to build an indigenous world-class manufacturing and fabrication workshop that will serve the industrial needs of Nigeria and Africa, especially in the oil and gas, and power sector.
Chief Ikpea said that he set up the fabrication company in order to contribute his quota to the oil and gas sector and to tap into the local content drive of the Federal Government.
Under the local content scheme, government encourages indigenous companies in the oil and gas sector to provide services to the big players in the sector and benefit from its financial resources.
The newly completed oil and gas production plant will produce high pressure vessels, heat exchangers, gas-heat exchangers, water bath heaters, glycol, skits, scrubbers, process modules, tanks and flare systems as well as carry out maintenance on existing pressure/process vessels and its components
The Chief Executive said: “if you look around the oil and gas sector, most production are done outside the shores of this country and we don’t have to fold our hands and wait for government’s foreign friends and partners to transfer technology to this country. If they transfer technology to you, who will be buying from them? So they will be reluctant to do that.
“Our mission is to produce high quality, reliable and durable products through competent workforce and best technology within regulatory laws. We intend to change the existing orientation of clients procuring similar components abroad with scarce hard currency and, in the process, boost national economy and reduce procurement lead time.”
Chief Ikpea said that his drive is also to support the government in creating jobs for the teeming unemployed youths and save huge foreign exchange for the nation.
“We decided to key into the local content policy of government, which was enacted into law in 2010. We want government to give more power to the Nigerian Local Content Management Board to ensure that Nigerians fully participate in any investment, expansion and Greenfields to be established in many parts of this country. It is from there that our people will learn, build capacity, learn on the job, and also the government will save half of what is meant to originally go to foreign companies.”
He said that as part of the company’s local content policy, Lee Engineering has so far sent 50 technicians and engineers to The Netherlands for training adding that by the time the fabrication facility is fully operational other trainees would also be sent to The Netherlands and other parts of the world for training in marketing of the products and the and after sale services.
The company boss stated that to further drive home the government’s commitment to the local content policy of government “we are optimistic that Mr. President will do us the honour by coming to commission the project”.
Ikpea said the first move he made with his European partner, which was one of the biggest in the whole of Europe (they service the whole of Europe, America, Middle East and China markets), was to discuss the setting up of this modern facility. He revealed that “they keyed into it immediately. They said this is what Nigeria needs to help boost the oil and gas sector. We have been in partnership with VDNKDI of Netherlands in the last 10 years and it’s been smooth all this while.”
The Lee Engineering boss, who has devoted over 41 years of his life in oil and gas business, said he started his journey in the sector as a junior worker and worked for 14 years before he decided to establish Lee Engineering and Construction company, the mother company of the fabrication plant.
The target of the Ewatto-born businessman is to export the products of his new fabrication company to other parts of Africa, and the rest of the world.
“We are targeting to export to other countries in Africa and the rest of the world. There are refineries in Angola and some West African countries. From there we will expand to the Middle East and to other parts of the world. But the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step and that is what we have done.” [myad]
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr, Kayode Fayemi, has predicted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the governorship election scheduled for July 14after which the current governor, Ayodele Fayose, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will be sent to jail for various offences committed during his leadership.
Fayemi, who declared for the governorship race on the platform of the APC today, Saturday, said that the party will deploy everything within the constitution to ensure that whoever emerges in the May 5 primary will triumph over the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“They said the June 21 governorship poll is free, fair and credible, so that of July 14 will be free, fair and transparent as well. They will accuse us of so many things. They will accuse us of using federal might, but we will not care.”
Addressing the State Working Committee (SWC), led by its State Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, Fayemi said: “we will use local, state and federal power to take over Ekiti from a rapacious and government being run by brigand in Ekiti.
“Those of us who traveled out of Ekiti, we are being insulted, assaulted and mocked on daily basis asking why Ekiti they thought were well read, refined and exposed could make a character like Governor Ayodele Fayose as their governor.
“That is why it is important for us to reclaim our land and restore our values. Each time I move round Ekiti, I see the pains on the faces of the 25,000 elderly persons who benefited from our social security scheme, 600 people who were employed into the peace corps, 10, 000 volunteers who took N10,000 per month, among others but have been cut off from these safety nets by Fayose.
“More than 40,000 persons who were gainfully employed by my government have been disengaged by this present government in Ekiti.
“Under my government, I increased the salary of workers from N5,000 to N7,000 and from N7,000 to N13,000 and later N19,3000. Who will the workers hate between a government that did these and one that is not paying salary for more than ten months?
“They said teachers didn’t like Fayemi. During my time, education is free up to SS3. I paid rural allowance to teachers, Core Subjects’ Allowance, paid scholarship and bursary, paid for WAEC and NECO, but all these have been stopped by a government that has no interest in social investment.
“Today, I can boldly say that there is no town I get to out of the 133 towns and villages in our dear state where I will not point to five projects. If I have not done their road, I would have built schools, or renovate their hospital, but today, nothing is happening.
“Even those projects I did not complete were abandoned by Fayose. There is no single aspirant in APC who will not do much more fantastic works than what we are getting in Ekiti under Fayose among all the aspirants on the APC platform.
“That is why it is important for us to be united. Let me say this, I am a loyal party man and I am ready to support whoever the party fields as the candidate.”
The declaration by Fayemi, which locked down Ado Ekiti, was attended by large crowd of party supporters and admirers, who clad in vests bearing the portrait of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development.
There traffic was chaotic along Ado-Ikere-Akure road for several hours, with commuters spending over one hour to navigate a distance that would take less than two minutes on a normal day.
Fayemi, who was the governor between October 16, 2010 to October 15, 2014, was defeated in the last election held on June 21, 2014 by Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The Minister was the number 37 aspirant to have declared interest in the coveted seat; 21 have collected the nomination and expression of interest forms at the headquarters of the APC in Abuja.
With barely a year to the presidential election and until a while ago, beyond speculations and perhaps clamour for particular favourites, we never knew the aspirants. But, more out of arrogance and jealousy, former President Olusegun Obasanjo (already) descended on those he diagnosed should forget the elections. Jealousy? That is deplorable enough. Yet, we must add envy to Obasanjo’ reasons for his self-imposed political obstruction.
….Obasanjo seems to be more disturbed by the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari, such that within two months, he (Obasanjo) has assailed the man twice even though the sum total cannot be appropriated to more than once.
Largely diminished by the hypocrisy of a man who only failed in his attempt to rule for life after the constitutional limit of two terms, now waging war on another man to go home after only one term, Obasanjo’s notorious letter to that effect failed to impact as much as he expected.
Part of the reason for that abysmal failure was that Buhari directed his men to treat Obasanjo’s unprovoked war with total contempt and it worked. Within weeks, Nigerians seemed to have forgotten everything about him while, in contrast, the tide turned in favour of Buhari as his major constituences all condemned Obasanjo and embraced Buhari all over for a second term even when had not yet expressed interest. Obviously enjoying the backlash (trailing Obasanjo), Buhari gained renewed confidence to attend official engagements at home and abroad and also stole the show at social functions involving his close political associates like state governors and the colloquium marking Bola Tinubu’s birthday in Lagos. Except for the overzealousness of security agences in causing avoidable traffic inconvenience for residents, the Lagos show, clearly much to Obasanjo’s chagrin, served as APC’s fitting response to unite behind Buhari for the 2019 elections
That bit was one with which Obasanjo never reckoned and, instantly, his frustration at the failure to politically cut down Buhari was discernible. In the midst of some “not too youngs” who solicited his support at Abeokuta, Obasanjo’s performance to resuscitate his war on Buhari against the 2019 elections was pathetic. The normally boisterous former President in television accounts of his audience with the young lads was incoherent, jerky. occasionally lost in thought, struggling for ideas, scratching his head and lacking in confidence. Like a boxing champion defending his title and finding his challenger dazed, Buhari chose that moment to land the knockout blow as he announced his intention to run in 2019. Stunned, it’s been total silence from Obasanjo since then.
For the 2019 presidential election, Buhari was to face the strongest opposition from People’s Democratic Party, the political platform on which Obasanjo ruled for eight years as elected President. But for some unknown reasons, Obasanjo dismissed the same PDP, no matter the presidential candidate, as no substitute for APC. Obasanjo, thereby, enhanced the 2019 race for Buhari. In return, the PDP hierarchy is more bitter with Obasanjo than with Buhari. And most unusually with presidential elections not too far away, traditional rulers in the South West have been awarding pass mark to Buhari, an implied rebuff for Obasanjo.
There are certain misconceptions about Obasanjo, which are always cited as justification for his intermitent outbursts against other prominent Nigerians. Obasanjo is passionate about Nigeria? Only to the extent of runnung down contemporaries to enhance his own interests as he feels threatened. The truth, therefore, is that Obasanjo is passionate about himself. Those he had run down in the past were Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari (ass military ruler), Ibrahim Babangida (as military ruler), Sani Abacha (as military ruler), Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and now Buhari again. Obasanjo once publicly demanded of General Yakubu Gowon what the latter forgot in government to make him desire to contest presidential election. Yet the same Obasanjo not only turned round to contest the presidency but also unsuccessfully tried his luck as life president of Nigeria. Was that his passion for Nigeria? Even before President Yar’Adua took ill and died, Obasanjo already commenced running him down on world media merely because he would not allow Obasanjo to run government for him. If, therefore, Yar’Adua had survived and, as of right, tried to seek a second term, Obasanjo would have opposed him. And, of course, Obasanjo opposed the reelection of Jonathan. Is that being passionate about Nigeria?
There is the other most laughable impression that Obasanjo has such electoral or political influence to determine anybody’s political survival. Hence the young ones now dancing round Obasanjo in the hope he can get them elected as President, senators and governors. Except as incumbent President who rigged his reelection for a second term in 2003, when, out of power, did Obasanjo ever succeed in personal aspiration for power even as a military officer? By the way, former American President Jimmy Carter, a major international observer for the 2003 reelection of Obasanjo, stood out as a Baptist clergy, and refused to sign the election result on the ground that the election was not free and fair. Also, as outgoing President in 2007, Obasanjo manipulated the PDP constitution to make only himself (as a former elected President) automatically eligible as chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees with more sweeping powers than the part’y’s national chairman. As soon as Obasanjo left Aso Rock, the PDP hierarchy called an emergency meeting with final plans to remove him as chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees. Obasanjo immediately resigned with the questionable claim that he was no longer in politics. He could not save himself.
How much did Obasanjo contribute to Jonathan’s defeat or Buhari’s victory in 2015? Virtually nothing. Jonathan lost major block constituency in the North because he allegedly did not honour what must have been a gentleman’s agreement of 2011 to return the presidency to the north in 2015. Jonathan demanded any documented agreement he signed to that effect. The North broke from PDP, leaving Jonathan electorally stranded with the key to Aso Rock easily available for Buhari, especially with his overwhelming popularity in the North, couped with home delivery of South West votes by the Bola Tinubu’s political caterpillar. As usual, Obasanjo merely jumped into Buhari’s bandwaggon of a “sure banker” winning candidate to bask in the man’s glory. Better still, Obasanjo can test his current anti-Buhari campaigns for the 2019 presidential elections away from Abeokuta to Ekiti, Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Lagos, Wushishi, Gwandu, Maiduguri, Biu. Kaura Namoda, Sokoto, Kano even Onitsha, Enugu-Port Harcourt road. Rail lines being constructed from Lagos to Ibadan, Lagos to Abeokuta, Lagos to Port Harcourt, Kano to Katsina, etc. A trip along the yet-to-be-completed Lagos-Ibadan expressway will educate him on the difference between his eight-year “no show” and Buhari’s barely three years of purposeful governance. That is the gap winning the showdown for Buhari.
Even as a military officer, his junior lieutenants pampered Obasanjo throughout his career up to Aso Rock. Read General Alabi Isama’s memoirs. After the nullification of the June 1993 elections and Bashorun Abiola’s death, the gang of four, former President Ibrahim Babangida, ex-Head of State Abdulsalaam Abubakar, ex-army chiefs General Theo Danjuma and General Aliyu Gusau, imposed Obasanjo on Nigeria as an elected President even in violation of PDP’s constitution that an aspiring presidential candidate must initiatially win the primaries in local government ward. Obasanjo lost his ward but still was forced on the party by the army generals, who catapulted him to the presidency.
A final example to show that only while in office could Obasanjo display some power. In contrast to the fact that, after leaving Aso Rock, he could not sustain himself as self-imposed chairman of PDP’s Board of Truatees, the same Obasanjo, throughout his eight-year tenure, appointed and removed the party’s national chairman as he fancied. He removed the only elected national chairman who, ironically, oversaw the party’s national convention, which violated the party’s constitution to earn him the nomination, late Solomon Lar. Within a few months, Obasanjo replaced Lar with Bernabas Gemade, who did not last, as he was replaced with Vincent Ogbulafor. Humiliated out of office, Ogbulafor gave way to Audu Ogbeh as the new PDP national chairman, who would not play ball for Obasanjo’s third term agenda. The final choice after Ogbeh fell on retired Col. Ahmadu All. With a bogus electoral or political value of their mentor, aspiring members of the so-called third force will eventually discover that they are on a journey to nowhere.
Overall, Nigerians are being told that the first is not good, the second is a non-starter and yet there is no alternative. Such lack of seriousness was the major reason Buhari was being asked by Obasanjo not to contest the 2019 elections.
The Presidency has distanced itself from information dished out by one Ahmed Salkida on the issue of remaining Chibok girls in the Boko Haram’s captive.
Reacting to the information contained in the series of tweets by Ahmed Salkida, the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said: “we wish to reiterate that the information is not known to the officials of this administration either from the captors of the Chibok girls or the international intercessors who are working with us.
“We wish to confirm that Mr. Salkida is not involved, on behalf of the Nigerian government in the processes leading to the release of the over 100 Chibok girls that have returned to their families, so far , and is not involved in the current processes to secure the release of those still held in captivity.
“If there is any information he has concerning the remainder of those girls, he has, up till this moment not approached the government Nigeria with it. All press enquirers on the subject should, therefore, be directed to Mr. Salkida.
“The facts as known to our officials and the international contacts assisting this process are that the remaining Chibok Girls are there and we are not relenting on getting their release.”
Garba Shehu referred to the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari, which he made on Friday that the government is not relenting in getting the remaining Chibok girls back.
“We will continue to persist, and the parents should please not give up. They are also advised not to lose faith in this government’s ability to fulfill its promise, that the girls will not be abandoned or forgotten.”
Ahmed Salkida was quoted as saying that over 80 of the remaining Chibok girls had died in the hands of the Boko Haram captors.
Leader of one of the leading Islamic sects, Tijjaniya Movement in Nigeria (TMN), Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, has advised Muslims across the country to register and obtain their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) ahead of 2019 general elections.
He said that the PVC is the most sophisticate weapons that can be used by the electorate to choose whoever they want to lead the affairs of the country even as he advised the Muslims to vote for people who have credible record and ability to satisfy their yearnings and aspirations.
The Islamic leader, who spoke today, Saturday, at the 42nd Annual Maulud and Special Prayer for Nigeria, which was organized by Darikar Tijjaniyya Movement in Abuja, said that the voter registration is the right of all eligible citizens to participate in the affairs of the government. He added that it is one of the cornerstones of democracy.
Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi said that the Maulud is meant to celebrate the legacies of the famous leader of the movement in Africa, Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass of Senegal, adding that Niyass has contributed immensely to the development of Islam worldwide and left enduring legacies to the Islamic world.
He said that the event was also organized to pray for the restoration of peace and tranquility in the country, adding that prayer was the solution to all challenges facing the country.
Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari, through the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, commended leaders of Darikar Tijjaniya for their contribution to Islamic scholarship and prayers for the enhancement of peace and harmony in the country.
The President said that Niyass had contributed greatly to the development of Islam in Africa, Asia and in Europe through his write-up.
Buhari gave the assurance that the Federal Government would continue to support the activities of the movement for enduring peace in the country.
He, however, appealed to the leaders and follower of the movement to intensify prayers for the progress and development of the country.
Three men-of-God, Rev. Tunde Afe of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Pastor Taiwo Oladeji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the current Deputy Governor of the state, Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church also of PDP as well as 60 other aspirants have thrown their hats in the ring for the governorship seat of Ekiti State in preparation for the July 14 gubernatorial election.
On the list of the All Progressive Congress (APC) are 41 aspirants, while the state ruling PDP has 11 persons even as the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Accord Party, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Independent Democrats (ID), Young Party of Nigeria and ANRP present the remaining number of persons.
Political observers in the state, however, believe that the figure is expected to deplete by the time all the parties conclude their primaries because of the huge cost involved.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed between April 15 and May 14 for the conduct primaries in the state.
Tthe APC has fixed May 5 for its primaries while the PDP fixed its primaries for May 8.
So far, only 17 persons out of the 41 of the aspirants in APC have obtained nomination forms from the party’s national secretariat, while only six of the PDP’s 11 persons obtained the form. Sources at the state office of INEC told NAN that no fewer than 22 political parties would be participating in the governorship election, as the contest seems to be a straight fight between PDP and APC.
High-profile contenders like former governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi and current Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, are to watch as political events unfold in the state, observers note.
Others are former Ekiti Assembly Speaker, Femi Bamisile, Senator Ayo Arise, son of former governor of old Ondo State, Muyiwa Olumilua, as well Opeyemi Bamidele, Bimbo Daramola and Bamidele Faparusi who had served in the House of Representatives.
In PDP, Professor Kolapo Olusola, is said to enjoy the support and sponsorship of the incumbent Governor, Ayo Fayose. Others in PDP are Senator Abiodun Olujimi, former Minister of State for Works, Dayo Adeyeye and Ambassador Dare Bejide, among others.
APC Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbisun, however, said that there was nothing wrong with the large number of persons seeking to be the state governor in his party, saying it is a sign of absolute confidence the members reposed in the party.
He explained that it is a pointer to the “belief that APC parades more qualified and credible persons in its ranks than any party in the state.”
He said that such a scenario also showed that the party is a platform where men and women of substance could pursue their ambition without hindrance.
He promised that all the interested persons would be given a level playing ground during primaries, adding that none of the aspirants would be short-changed during the process.
Also commenting, the PDP Chairman in the state, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, told newsmen that neither the party nor the governor ever stopped any intending aspirants from pursuing their ambition.
He said that this had been further demonstrated by statements of assurances already given by both the governor and the national secretariat of the party that all aspirants would be given a level-playing ground during the party primaries.
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With barely a year to the presidential election and until a while ago, beyond speculations and perhaps clamour for particular favourites, we never knew the aspirants. But, more out of arrogance and jealousy, former President Olusegun Obasanjo (already) descended on those he diagnosed should forget the elections. Jealousy? That is deplorable enough. Yet, we must add envy to Obasanjo’ reasons for his self-imposed political obstruction.
