Politics
No one can stop my passion, zeal to improve Nigerians’ livelihood – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of the week reiterated the determination of his administration to uplift the quality of life of the citizens in spite of the harsh socio-economic realities.
He said that the passion and zeal for improving the livelihood of Nigerians had not dwindled, calling for more steadfastness as Nigerians.
The president gave the assurance when he received former State Chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.
He, however, urged political leaders to stay focused and uphold the ultimate objective of promoting interest of the country.
The president said the self-centeredness that led to the loss of about a million lives between 1967-1970 must not be allowed to repeat itself.
The president, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources, had also consented to the acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited by Seplat Energy Offshore Ltd., a Nigerian outfit.
ExxonMobil, the parent company had earlier entered into a landmark Sale and Purchase Agreement with Seplat Energy to acquire the entire share capital of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited from Exxon Mobil Corporation of the U.S.A.
The agreement would also enable Seplat Energy to acquire share capital from Mobil Development Nigeria Inc., and Mobil Exploration Nigeria Inc., both registered in Delaware, USA.
Mr Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman stated on Monday in Abuja that the president’s consent was in consonance with Nigeria’s drive for increased indigenous participation in the energy sector.
Also on Monday, the president congratulated the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Sports Federations and Associations on the performance of Team Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Team Nigeria posted an impressive outing at the competition, finishing seventh on the medals table with 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze.
On the same day, Buhari forwarded the name of Muhammad Sabo Lamido to the Senate for confirmation as Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts, for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
Buhari, in a letter addressed to President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, said Lamido was being nominated due to the death of Hassan Gambo, who occupied the position until his demise.
The president also received the new Executive Members of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
At the meeting with the NMA officials, Buhari disclosed that the Federal Government had disbursed N100 billion to indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare investors as loans to expand their capital base.
He said it was also meant to boost local production of medicines and medical consumables.
Buhari stated that the loan was extended through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s support to the private pharmaceutical sector.
The president also announced the appointment of former Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Dr Habiba Muda-Lawal, as Special Adviser to him on Policy and Coordination.
Buhari also hosted the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organization, Simon Lalong, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Lalong, who is also the Governor of Plateau, said he was in the Presidential Villa to thank the president for approving the University of Jos as a national cancer centre.
He also lauded Buahri for granting presidential pardon to the former Governor of the state, Joshua Dariye.
According to him, the people of the State will remain grateful to the president for delivering a lot of democratic dividends to the State.
Also on Wednesday, President Buhari joined members of staff and political appointees in the State House in congratulating the Permanent Secretary, Tijjani Umar, on his 59th birthday.
The president congratulated Umar, his family, friends and professional colleagues on the auspicious occasion.
Buhari appreciated Umar’s efforts, sacrifices and dedication to effective management of the State House.
Buhari unveiled the 2023 National Population and Housing Census Project Document, aimed at promoting robust and informed national conversation on procedures for the census.
He unveiled the document at the National Stakeholders Summit on the 2023 census, organised by the National Population Commission (NPC), in collaboration with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday.
Buhari also hosted representatives of victims of Kaduna train abduction in Abuja, on Thursday.
According to the president, the Federal Government was doing everything within its powers to ensure the safe return of the remaining abducted passengers of the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train.
He said, ”since the terrible and cowardly attack by the criminal elements on March 28, the nation had joined them to endure a period of difficulty and emotional pains.”
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Buhari also explained his reason for discarding the use of lethal military force in extracting the remaining abductees.
The president, therefore, condoled with the families of the victims and those who lost their loved ones.
Buhari also on Thursday received the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray and his Management Team, telling them the kind of sub-regional body West African leaders desire and must have.
Buhari, also on Friday in Abuja, received the Management of BUA Group at the State House led by the Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu.
He also inaugurated the National Crisis Management Doctrine (NCMD), to bridge the gap created by extensive deployment of security services through fostering collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The NCMD, which was developed by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in coordination with relevant MDAs, would ensure greater successes in tackling national crisis.
The president concluded the week with a closed-door meeting with Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo in the presidential villa, Abuja, on Friday.
Uzodinma, who spoke to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting thanked the president for graciously granting his request that the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Owerri be converted to Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Teaching Hospital.
He also disclosed that he sought president’s approval for the Alvan Ikoku College of Education to become Federal University of Education, Owerri
The governor spoke extensively on the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.
HE urged the media to pay more attention to issues like the depletion of the country’s crude oil output and the unsettling security situation in the country.
The ongoing political drama in Rivers State has seen a member of the State’s House of Assembly, Hon Enemi Alabo call the state governor, Simi Fubara, “small man”.
It was gathered that this followed Gov Fubara’s storming of the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters with a view to forcefully influencing the thoughts and actions of the state lawmakers.
A visibly angry Hon Alabo recounted how he went to school together with Gov Fubara and how he worked hard to ensure his emergence as governor, expressing disappointment at Gov Fubara’s action.
Hon Alabo said, “Let me today dare Sim Fubara for the first time. You had the guts to break the gates of the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters and force yourself into the quarters, threatening and harassing people. Shooting and putting fear into people, into wives of Assembly members and their children, just to assert yourself. You are such a small man.
“You burnt the hallowed chambers of the House of Assembly, we did not answer you, you attacked the residence of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, where four people were killed, we did not answer you, you demolished the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, we did not answer you, we thought it the madness of a minute.
“You know where I live, you know my apartment, why didn’t you come?
“I have respected our friendship for so long. I have refused to comment about you, I have respected your office as governor.
“I have always remembered that while I worked with Zenith Bank you were my friend, I have always remembered that you and me did a Masters Degree together, I have always remembered how much I worked for you to be Governor, how I mobilized professionals from all works and corners of life to support you. I remember that the only time you had the opportunity to present your blueprint to Rivers people, it was me!!! I orchestrated that, Yes!!! You have done enough.
“Now, let the heavens fall, I will never bow to baal. You are such a small man.”
The Osun State Government has denied media reports that she borrowed the sum of sum of N10 billion.
The government made the denial in a statement in Osogbo on Monday under the signature of the Spokesperson to the State Governor, Olawale Rasheed.
It read, “Our attention has been drawn to a report by the Nation Newspaper alleging that Governor Ademola Adeleke has taken a loan of over Ten Billion Naira. We strongly affirm that the story is not true.
“Governor Adeleke has not at any point since assuming office taken any loan either through a resolution of the State Executive Council or that of the State House of Assembly.
“The ongoing multi-billion-naira infrastructure projects across Osun State have no loan components. They are all being financed through state resources. The dualisation of roads, the overhead bridges, the school and health centres upgrades, and several roads projects are being funded through special project account created by the State Government.
“What the newspaper report referred to as loans taken by Governor Adeleke were World Bank Development financing which were inherited from the previous administrations and which are national projects operated through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Economic Council among others.
“Such programmes of World Bank and multilateral institutions development includes Ilesa Water project; establishment of Osun Investment Promotion Local Business Offices across nine Federal Constituencies; O-Cares For Agricultural Support Services; World Bank On Saber For Development Of PPP; World Bank On Saber For Establishment Of Osun Investment Promotion One-Stop-Shop.
“Others include World Bank On O-Cares Projects For Coordination Of State Cares (O-Cares) Activities; World Bank On Rural Access And AgriculturalMarketing Project (Raamp 3) for Rural Development Projects; World Bank For Community And Social Development Project On O-Cares; World Bank For Labour Intensive Public Workfare On O-Cares and World Bank For Social Support Programme (Cash Transfer To Indigent Elderly On Osun Covid-19 Action Recovery And Economic Stimulus) – (O-Cares).
“As can be seen from the above, all the projects are related to the World Bank country programme for Nigeria which targets subnational entities using the mechanism of the Nigerian Governors Forum and the National Economic Council. Previous Governors in Osun State joined in the implementation of the projects which Governor Adeleke inherited.
“In line with his principle of continuity of policies favorable to the public, the Governor sustained the projects as Osun cannot opt out of a national scheme in which all states of the Federation are involved.
“No responsible government will abandon a series of World Bank projects which are already household names across the Federation and which have benefited so many residents.
“We reaffirm again that Governor Adeleke has not borrowed a kobo since assuming office. Inherited liabilities and contracts cannot be tagged on the Governor of the Year on Infrastructure.”
The Lamidi Apapa wing of the Labour Party (LP) has raised objections to the Nigeria Labour Congress’s (NLC) appointment of an interim chairman for the party in Gombe State, labeling the decision unacceptable.
Additionally, the Julius Abure faction expressed ignorance of the appointment, citing the presence of an existing substantive state chairman in Gombe.
This development exacerbates the existing rift between the NLC and LP leadership, with recent tensions culminating in accusations from the NLC against LP National Chairman Julius Abure of unilateral control over the party’s affairs.
Under the leadership of its National Secretary, Chris Uyot, the NLC political commission intervened by endorsing Sani Abdulsalam, the former Gombe LP Chairman reportedly ousted by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee for alleged anti-party conduct.
Uyot announced Abdulsalam’s appointment to oversee the party’s affairs until local government elections are held in the state.
A copy of the letter detailing this decision was sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Department of State Services, Gombe State Police Command, and the Secretary to the Gombe State Government.
The letter partly read, “To whom it may concern. We bring you fraternal greetings from the NLC political commission. We write to communicate the appointment of Alhaji Sani Abdulsalam as interim Chairman of LP in Gombe.
“His appointment is for the period up till the conduct of local government elections in Gombe State. Thereafter, a more substantive state transition committee of the Labour Party in Gombe State will be constituted.
“While we look forward to your cooperation, please accept the renewed assurance of our highest esteem.”
In a telephone conversation on Sunday, Abayomi Arabambi, the spokesperson for the Apapa faction, distanced themselves from the arrangement.
Arabambi emphasized that the NLC lacked the authority to enforce any individual on the party.
He stated, “The NLC political commission is not a party. We intend to take very drastic constitutional action against them. Already, we have warned them not to disobey the constitution of our party. They are merely a pressure group.
“No section of the LP constitution ceded the control of the party to the NLC or TUC. Furthermore, it is rather unfortunate that while some well-meaning members of the party are striving and making attempts to steer the ship of the nation on the path of growth and genuine development towards the repositioning of our party for victory in 2027, the NLC and its political commission are determined to destroy, tear down and demolish the party on the quest for personal aggrandisement.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, echoed similar sentiments.
He affirmed that the LP already had a legitimate state chairman in Gombe and revealed that the Abure-led NWC was not informed about the recent development.
Ifoh clarified that Abdulsalam, the endorsed figure, was previously removed from his position as state chairman due to alleged anti-party actions.
He stated, “We are unaware of this development as the Labour Party maintains its leadership structure in Gombe State. We have LP chairmen established in all 36 states and the FCT. In Gombe, we are already working with a chairman recognized by INEC.”
“Anybody can come out to claim he appoints somebody. Just like INEC, we are not aware of it. The so-called appointed person, Abdulsalam, was a former chairman disengaged by LP for anti-party activities.
“A new leadership was elected into office after his exit. But because of the conflict we had with the NLC, the same man went around to congress and they recognised him.
“However, I think it is a mere recognition and not an appointment in the true sense. But we are not interested in joining issues with anybody in the media. For now, we are gradually working towards resolving the crisis between LP and NLC.”
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