The House of Representatives on Thursday called on President Buhari to immediately sign into law the bill which seeks to establish National Commission against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons with the view to curb the influx of illegal weapons into the country.
The lawmakers who gave the charge during the debate on a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje also urged President Buhari to rescind the Executive Order which seeks to remove, revoke and banish all firearms certificates and licenses throughout the country.
In her lead debate, the lawmaker expressed grave concern over unabated insecurity challenges which led to the death of thousands of innocent citizens, resulting from terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across the country.
She further noted that insecurity which was hitherto confined to the North East and North Central states have spread to the North Western States and all other parts of the country.
She equally noted that in response to the local and international outcry and concerns for Nigeria security situation, Mr. President signed an Executive Order to remove, revoke and banish all gun certificates and licenses throughout the federation.
Worried by the development, Elendu-Ukeje argued that the omnibus order targets legal gun owners and their guns without institutional actionable policy or plan to mop up small arms and light weapons that are at the center of these crimes.
According to her,
“the House is convinced that the high number of illegal guns is responsible amongst other factors for the increase in crime”.
Speaking in support of the motion, Hon Edward Pwajork said that the President should only go after those who go about with unlicensed weapons and those with valid licenses.
He said that the Executive Order signed by the President would only exacerbate the level of insecurity in the country.
Also in his contribution, Hon. Sunday Adepoju stated that the security agencies should ensure that all ammunition outside the legally licensed ones were recovered.
On his part, Hon. Pally Iriase, Deputy Chief Whip said that the insecurity in the land was so pervasive and so government should take proactive measures to address the challenge.
He noted that the cardinal objectives of governance “is the security of lives and properties” and added that the timing of the Executive Order was wrong.
Consequently, the House presided by the Speaker Hon. Yakubu Dogara put the matter to a voice vote which was overwhelmingly voted for by the lawmakers.
To this end, the House urged President Buhari to
“sign into law the Bill on the Establishment of a (National) Commission against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which is not only a domestic law but also a treaty obligation so as to help curb the inflow of illegal weapons that had been used in the theater of wars.”
The Green Chamber also urged
“President Buhari to, in the interest of the Nigerian people who are left vulnerable to the activities of mindless criminals, terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, to please reverse that decision as it strips the people of the rights to life and self-defense.”
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) on the invitation of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz.
The Presidency in a statement on Wednesday revealed that President Buhari has accepted the invitation of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, the ruler of Saudi Arabia & Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to perform the Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) in the Kingdom.
To this effect, the President, accompanied by close personal aides, will embark on the journey on Thursday, 16th May.
He is expected back in the country on Tuesday, 21st May.
Umrah is an optional but recommended pilgrimage to Makkah that can be made at any time of the year.
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja said he is conscious of the weight of responsibility on his shoulders and promised not to disappoint Nigerians in providing effective and result-oriented leadership that safeguards and ensures a better life for all citizens.
He spoke after attending the daily Tafsir (Quranic interpretations) marking the month of Ramadhan fast at the State House Mosque.
President Buhari said the reality of his office weighs heavily on his mind at all times, and he will keep working to deliver an improved life to Nigerians.
The President said he knows what to do and will not fail Nigerians.
President Buhari expressed gratitude to all Nigerians for the opportunity to serve a second term in office. He said their expectations for giving him the mandate will be met.
“The expectations of Nigerians will be met. I will not let them down. I will continue to do my best,” he said.
The President reiterated his earlier message on the occasion of Ramadhan to Nigerians that discipline should be the watchword of every citizen. He advised citizens to use the fasting period to reflect and be more constructive in purpose by promoting harmony.
He said the fasting period also provides a good opportunity for charity.
In his remarks, Chief Imam of the Mosque, Sheik Abdulwaheed Sulaiman gave thanks to Almighty Allah for allowing the general election to take place peacefully throughout the country. He called for repentance and prayers to avert the current security challenges confronting the nation.
He said the security incidents are a test from God
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent greetings to Nigerians in general and Muslims in particular as they commence the month-long Ramadan fast.
The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said the President’s greetings followed the sighting of the lunar month of Ramadan.
Buhari called for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of the country.
According to the President, Islam is a religion of peace that upholds the values of tolerance and mutual coexistence without a place for hatred and violence.
He, therefore, urged Muslims to use the period to build a relationship of friendship and harmony with fellow citizens of other faiths.
The President prayed to Allah for the continued peace, progress, and the well-being of the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed the reports that his London trip was to compile the list of persons to be appointed as ministers during his second tenure.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the president stated this on Sunday in Abuja after a 10-day private visit to London.
Buhari stated that he did not discuss the issue of the appointment of new cabinet ministers with anybody.
The president said:
“I didn’t discuss with anybody. So, I don’t know how they knew about it. I didn’t discuss it with anybody.’’
On the possibility of introducing a fresh approach in the fight against insurgency and banditry, the president maintained that the acting Inspector-General of Police was doing his best to curtail the menace.
“I have just seen the IG, I think he is losing weight; I think he is working very hard,’’ he said.
The president also declined comment on the kind of people that would constitute his next cabinet.
President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to receive congratulatory messages over his re-election from more African leaders and the United Kingdom.
Mallam Garba Shehu, President’s spokesman in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, said, King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco, in a message, described President Buhari’s victory as an affirmation of the level of confidence Nigerians have in their President.
The King promised to work with President Buhari to advance the interests of both countries.
‘‘Your re-election is a testimony to the level of confidence that you enjoy among the people of Nigeria, attributable to your wisdom, experience in politics, sense of engagement and devotion to the service and the protection of the interests of the country especially as they relate to the prosperity, wellbeing and security of your people.’’ King Mohammed VI said in his congratulatory message.
The monarch expressed satisfaction with the existing cordial and fraternal African relationship linking the two leaders, their people, and nations.
He reiterated his determination to work in concert with President Buhari to reinforce the mutually beneficial relationship between Morocco and Nigeria and to give it a new impetus to serve as a model on the African continent.
Also, President Alpha Conde of Guinea described the re-election of President Buhari as a dose of hope for the West African region.
Conde expressed confidence that the cordial relations between Nigeria and Guinea would continue to get better.
President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, who was the first leader to call President Buhari minutes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner of the 2019 presidential elections, said he looked forward to working with the Nigerian leader to further strengthen Nigeria-Niger relations.
Buhari has also received congratulatory messages from Presidents Nana Kofi-Addo of Ghana and Macky Sall of Senegal.
The UK Government has also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on securing a second term as president.
A statement from the British High Commission in Abuja on Wednesday, quoted the Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, as saying “I offer my congratulations to President Buhari on securing a second term as the Nigerian President.
“The UK is a long-standing friend and partner of Nigeria and the Nigerian people and a stable and prosperous Nigeria benefits Africa and the world.”
Baldwin commended Nigerians for their resilience and commitment to democracy.
She said the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were consistent with the results obtained through the civil society Parallel Vote Tabulation process.
“Along with our international partners, the UK believes the Nigerian people can have confidence in the result.”
She, however, recognized the concerns expressed by Nigerians on the conduct of the electoral process, in particular logistics and results collation, and reports of intimidation of electoral officers.
The minister urged any party or individual who wished to challenge the process to do so peacefully and through the appropriate legal channel.
“We encourage Nigerian authorities to examine all allegations of wrongdoing carefully, and take the necessary action against individuals found responsible’’.
She also condoled with the families and friends of those who lost their lives in election-related violence.
“No one should die in the exercise of their democratic rights,” she stated.
She reiterated the continued support of the UK Government to Nigeria and its civil society
“in drawing lessons from these elections and strengthening its democracy”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday declared President Buhari the winner of the 2019 Presidential Elections.
The President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has released an official statement in response to the Postponement of the 2019 Presidential Election from Feb 16 to Feb 23.
Read his statement;
I am deeply disappointed that despite the long notice given and our preparations both locally and internationally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections within hours of its commencement.
Many Nigerians have traveled to various locations to exercise their right to vote, and international observers are gathered.
INEC themselves have given assurances, day after day and almost hour after hour that they are in complete readiness for the elections. We and all our citizens believed them.
This administration has ensured that we do not interfere in any way with the work of INEC except to ensure that all funds were released to the commission.
We now urge INEC to ensure not only that materials already distributed are safe and do not get into wrong hands, but that everything is done to avoid the lapses that resulted in this unfortunate postponement, and ensure a free and fair election on the rescheduled dates.
While I reaffirm my strong commitment to the independence, neutrality of the electoral umpire and the sanctity of the electoral process and ballot, I urge all political stakeholders and Nigerians to continue to rally round INEC at this trying national moment in our democratic journey.
I, therefore, appeal to all Nigerians to refrain from all civil disorder and remain peaceful, patriotic and united to ensure that no force or conspiracy derail our democratic development.
I have decided to move back to Abuja to ensure that the 14.00 hrs meeting called by INEC with all stakeholders is successful.
Muhammadu Buhari
Daura, February 16, 2019
Barely four days to the presidential election, the apex northern sociocultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has finally endorsed the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) President Muhammadu Buhari.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the headquarters of the forum in Kaduna shortly after a meeting held under the Chairmanship of Malam Adamu M.Fika, Chairman Board of Trustees of the forum, the forum resolved that “ACF believes that President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a second term to consolidate on his achievements”.
The text of the briefing which was read by Alhaji Musa Liman Kwande Ag. Chairman NEC reads in parts; “ACF takes note of the state of the political situation as the nation goes into another round of elections, where tensions are heightened as a result of intense campaigns, lobbying, and horse-trading among political actors.
“ACF takes special note that major political parties have nominated prominent northerners, for the February 16th 2019 Presidential Elections. The Forum has carefully studied the antecedents of major presidential candidates, the manifestoes and policy documents of their parties, alongside the need for social, political and economic stability in the country.
“ACF is therefore, of the view that certain attributes such as clarity of thought, unity of purpose, content of character and morality of the candidates, their leadership qualities, performance and general acceptability of the candidates contesting for not only the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but also for other elective offices should guide voters in making their choices”.
The decision on who to elect should not be based on any form of inducements, mob hysteria, intimidation or false promises, but by calm and deliberate consideration of the candidates’ qualities of leadership, performance and moral standing in their public and private lives.
Furthermore, other considerations such as the capacity to tackle security challenges, fight corruption, and boost the economy by way of diversification away from over-dependence on oil, by infrastructural development in order to promote growth. The integrity of the candidate to raise the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations is equally important in the election.
“ACF notes, the strides were taken by the Buhari administration to improve and reposition the nation economically. A few examples are The multi-billion Dollar Mambilla hydropower project, the exploration of oil in Gongola Basin of the Benue trough, the Baro inland port, the North East Development Commission, the ongoing rail line projects nationwide, and other critical infrastructural development projects.
“Consequent upon the contributions of the incumbent government to the economic and infrastructural development of the nation, and the government’s achievements in combating insurgency and other insecurity problems bedeviling the country, ACF believes that President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a second term to consolidate on his achievements”.
ACF also called on the politicians and their supporters as well as the electorates to avoid all forms of violence before, during and after the elections, stressing that violence is never a solution to any grievances.
“Violence not only destroys our democratic process but also lives and property. Democracy is a contest of ideas and reasons” it further stressed.
ACF also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to live up its promise and assurances for a credible, free and fair elections.
The forum equally called on the Police and other security agencies involved in providing security to the election process to remain neutral and professional in their conduct.
Those who attended the meeting were Alh. Adamu Fika, Board of Trustee (BoT), Gen I. M Wushishi Chairman ACF leadership selection Committee, Alh. Musa Liman Kwande, Ag Chairman, Ambassador Adamu Muhammad, Deputy Chairman BoT, Senator Abubakar H. Girei Vice Chairman NEC, Anthony N .Z Sani Secretary-General, Engr Abubakar G. Umar Deputy Secretary-General and Alh. Muhammad Ibrahim National Publicity Secretary.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Gombe state says it has concluded arrangements for the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari to the state, scheduled for Saturday.
Malam Kabiru Ibn-Mohammed, the state Publicity Secretary of APC, disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Friday.
He said the President, who would be coming for Presidential campaign rally, was expected to receive some high profile politicians from the opposition parties.
According to him, on arrival, the President will be expected to visit some critical stakeholders in the state like the Emirate Council among others.
He said if not because the President wanted to fulfill some democratic ingredients, no need for him to come because he had the support of Gombe people already.
The state party image maker appealed to the general public to be peaceful during the rally, reminding them that “democracy is not a game of bitterness.“
“APC believes in peace and fair play, rally round and be in peace for the coming of your dear President, the person you love most, “he urged then people.
A man, Abdullahi Yada’u, has divorced his wife after failing to convince her not to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s presidential election.
Mr Yada’u, a resident of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, told BBC Hausa Service on Thursday that he divorced his wife, Hafsat Suleiman, because she insisted on voting for Mr Buhari.
The president is seeking re-election on the platform of his party, APC.
Mr Yada’u stated that previously, both of them supported Mr Buhari in the 2015 elections. But this time, he felt disappointed with the administration and decided not to vote for him again, he said.
“I told her that she must not vote for him but she insisted which led to a quarrel which attracted the attention of our neighbours, I slapped her and told her to choose between voting for Buhari and staying with me. She ran away.
“Later her parents called me and I narrated to them what transpired between us. But still my wife insisted on voting for Mr Buhari, that’s how I divorced her in the presence of her parents.”
Ibrahim Suleiman, the wife’s elder brother, said they felt very sad over what transpired between the couple. We decided to deal with him but our father stopped us from joining issues with him, he told the BBC.
“He really disgraced us. They have been having issues even in the previous election. She is the one that convinced him to vote for Buhari, now he insisted on voting for Mr Atiku Abubakar. We decided that we will not allow her to go back to him again,” he said.
Mr Abubakar is the main challenger to Mr Buhari in next month’s election.
Reno Omokri, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s former aide has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Government is afraid of Human Right activist Deji Adeyanju, hence the detention.
The police arrested Adeyanju over accusations of being involved in a murder case from the 2000s, on 13th December.
An Abuja high court judge, Justice Sandhi, on Friday, ordered that he immediately and unconditionally, be released by the Police, because the allegations against him, do not warrant that he be kept in detention. However, a magistrate court sitting in Kano, in a separate ruling, ordered that Adeyanju is remanded in Police custody.
Hassan Fagge, chief magistrate said he lacked the power to take hearing on the case, and issued an order for Adeyanju’s remandment in custody till February 6, 2019, when the matter could be heard at a higher court.
Reacting to the development, Omokri said Adeyanju’s 2017 Resume or Resign protest made president Buhari cut short his 108 day stay in London and returned to Nigeria the next day.
For this he says, via his Twitter handle that the government is afraid of Adeyanju, and as such has decided to put him away.
Fear of Adeyanju Deji’s 2017 Resume or Resign protest made Muhammadu Buhari cut short his 108 day stay in London and return to Nigeria the next day. Buhari Government is afraid of Deji’s impact on the 2019 elections which is why they have locked him up until February #FreeDejiAdeyanju
Fear of @adeyanjudeji’s 2017 Resume or Resign protest made @MBuhari cut short his 108 day stay in London and return to Nigeria the next day. Buhari Government is afraid of Deji’s impact on the 2019 elections which is why they have locked him up until February #FreeDejiAdeyanju
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) December 21, 2018
Former media aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of bribing his wife, Aisha with a presidential appointment.
The 44 years said the appointment of Aisha into the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse is to keep her quiet after she raised an alarm that a 2 man cabal is holding her husband hostage and has taken over his government.
The bestselling author made this accusation on his twitter handle. He concluded by asking with the bribery of ‘appointment’ would work.
His tweet read;
A week after @aishambuhari raised the alarm that a 2 man cabal is holding her husband hostage and taken over his government, her husband, President @MBuhari appoints her into the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse. Will this bribery work? #RenosDarts
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) December 10, 2018
The Enugu West Senatorial Candidate under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) and immediate past senior advisor to President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reform Sector and National Coordinator, Open Government Partnership Barrister Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku Nwagwu has applauded the president over his rejection of assent to the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
In a statement issued to COLOSSUS GISTS by Barr. Juliet Ibekaku said that President Buhari has taken a timely decision that displays leadership wisdom to save the country from political implosion.
According to her, the decision also saved INEC from a booby trap that would have put the commission in a very tight situation.
“Amending rules that would be applied to the conduct of an election that is barely two months away is a deliberate attempt unconsciously or consciously to raise the stake very high for INEC to meet up with.
“Leadership requires critical analysis before critical decisions are taking, and in this case Mr. President should be applauded for avoiding this booby trap,” she said
Mrs Ibekaku maintained that signing the Bill would have also required INEC reviewing higher its budget for the conduct of the election so that it can accommodate the new requirements by the stipulations of the amended act, which were primarily new electronic requirements that must be acquired before the elections and apart from an additional cost, which may not be approved by the National Assembly, such new requirements are also not items INEC can work into a supermarket and buy overnight.
“I, therefore, call on well spirited Nigerians to disregard the propaganda and false alarm by those who want to discredit Mr. President out of office at all cost.”
President Buhari participates at the Corruption Risk Assessment training for Leadership of National agencies in the African Union and the presentation of the report of the corruption risk assessment of Nigeria’s e-government system in Abuja on 10th Dec 2018.
President Muhammadu Buhari has identified glaring endemic corruption that engulfed the country prior to the emergence of the All Progressives Congress led-government as one of the factors responsible for his victory in the 2015 presidential election.
The president stated this when he declared open the Corruption Risk Assessment training for heads and senior officials of Anti-Corruption Agencies in the African Union on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Buhari observed that the pervasive nature and devastating impact of corruption across the country before the election was dysfunctional.
He, however, said that his administration was taking steps to institute integrity and transparency in the processes of governance and would hold those indicted for plundering the nation’s resources to account for their actions.
“When we assumed office in May 2015, the pervasive nature and devastating impact of corruption on the Nigerian nation had become dysfunctional.
“The momentum for our electoral victory could not be separated from the revolt of the people against glaring endemic corruption.
“During the past several months, we have been taking steps to institute integrity and transparency in the processes of governance and holding those who have plundered our commonwealth to account for their actions.
“However, the costs of recovery and sanctions are also enormous. While commendable successes have been recorded, it has become manifest that corruption fights back.
“With enormous stolen resources, elements have attempted to compromise law enforcement institutions and pervert the course of justice,” he said.
According to the president, the fight against corruption is a battle for the souls of African countries, which he says, must be won.
He noted that since independence, the African continent had suffered from severe consequences of corruption, saying; “it is imperative that we take steps to reverse the trend”.
He, therefore, enjoined leaders to continue to implement policies that would build resilient systems to withstand an assault by corrupt officials.
The president said that Nigeria, for its part, had taken steps in this direction.
He said the measures included full implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN), the Open Government Partnership, various Executive Orders, strengthening of Anti-Corruption Agencies and permitting their full autonomy.
“It is in this context of building robust preventive systems that we must understand this initiative which aims to train leaders of anti-corruption agencies in the African Union by deploying Corruption Risk Assessment Methodology for corruption prevention in our countries.
“Corruption Risk Assessment seeks to identify corruption-prone processes and procedures in organisations and recommend appropriate remedial steps.
“The methodology places a premium on prevention as an effective complement to enforcement in the war against corruption.
“In 2016, through support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria acquired the capacity to conduct training on Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA).
“Since then, the Academy has conducted a number of these training,” he said.
The president said that the training session was essentially an orientation on the benefits of deploying the CRA Methodology in the fight against corruption.
He, therefore, urged participants to embrace it and also take steps to widen the knowledge and skills imparted by supporting the training of Risk Assessors for their countries.
He noted that the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria had a robust curriculum and expertise cutting across the spectrum of anti-corruption training which could be adapted for other countries taking into consideration national specifics.
“To further strengthen this institution, the Academy has our support as it moves towards its objective of being an African Centre of Excellence in anti-corruption training and capacity building.
“I would like to point out here that the training on CRA can only have meaning when the Risk Assessors are put to work,” he said.
Buhari described the endorsement of his major opponent in the 2019 presidential poll as inconsequential and lacking in substance, saying that the moment the so-called resolution was announced, he got calls from well-meaning leaders from the region asking him to disregard it, as it was without any substance
COLOSSUS GISTS recalls that Igbo leaders had, at a summit in Enugu State on Wednesday, reportedly endorsed Atiku’s candidacy for the 2019 presidential poll.
President Buhari said that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), got it right from the very beginning – that the major problems facing the country were mainly on security, corruption and the economy.
A statement by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, quoted the president as saying:
“We have done so much. Given the chance, we will do more. Given every chance, we will tell Nigerians where we were in 2015 and what we have achieved up to now. We will not get tired of speaking about the golden opportunity Nigeria lost during 16 years of the PDP. We earned money, which we didn’t use.
“The state of infrastructure we inherited was terrible – no roads, the railway was killed and power (also was killed). They lacked conscience because anybody with a conscience will not do what they did. We will report them to Nigerians. Let anybody lead this country but not the PDP. They were so reckless with the resources of the country.
“If you ruin the economy, send your children abroad to get an education, won’t they come back? I said it 30 years ago that this is the only country we have. We must stay here and salvage it together.”
The leader of the delegation, Engineer Emeka Ekwuosa and the national chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, informed President Buhari that the Igbos and Southeasterners generally understand the good things he is doing for Nigeria, which they said had unfortunately been misunderstood.
They promised to mobilise support for him in the South East, saying that his re-election will be a national consensus.
As the nation moves into election mode with the commencement of election campaigns next week, President Muhammadu Buhari has again, given assurances of his determination to lay a foundation for free, fair and credible elections in the country.
Responding to a speech by a delegation of Imams and senior Islamic scholars from the 36 states of the federation at the State House on Friday, President Buhari said that a number of measures put in place have seen the gradual improvement of elections, as in Edo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States from what he described as “dismal and unacceptable levels witnessed in Rivers and Kogi States.”
According to the President,
“What I want to assure Nigerians is that I will continue to pressure the Police and other agencies to do their best to ensure a conducive atmosphere for free and fair elections.”
On the issue of security raised by the religious group, President Buhari said he will continue to nudge security agencies to find lasting solutions, stressing, however, the need for community and religious leaders to play a part in identifying criminals in their midst.
The President thanked the Muslim religious leaders for recognizing the various achievements of the administration especially, in dealing with security, fighting corruption and progress in agriculture.
“I am not satisfied with the reporting of agriculture. Millions of our citizens have returned to the farms with many leaving white collar jobs for opportunities in agriculture,” he noted.
The leader of the delegation, Dr Khalid Aliyu, who is the Secretary-General of the Jama’atul Nasril Islam, had lavishly praised the President’s achievements in key areas of his campaign in 2015 namely, security, corruption and the economy.
According to him, “So far, so good, the government has gone a long way in meeting its promises.”
GARBA SHEHU
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, stated that his vision and objectives for Nigeria are very clear and he is on course to achieve them.
Speaking when he received members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by its President, Reverend (Dr,) Samson Ayokunle in State House, Abuja, President Buhari said he is doing his best to fulfil his electoral promises of securing the country, fighting corruption and resuscitating the economy.
President Buhari said that fighting corruption takes longer time especially with the need to adhere to the rule of law.
“It is on record that some cases initiated by the anti-graft bodies since 2003 are yet to be concluded. We will, however, not be discouraged. Where monies have been recovered, such monies will not find their way back to the looters as I have directed EFCC to account for every money it has recovered and put them in a dedicated account,” President Buhari said.
Responding to the request of the CAN for an overhaul of the intelligence gathering system, President Buhari said the burden of intelligence gathering involves everyone especially district heads, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and especially religious leaders that are very close to the grassroots. He added that bandits who are operating in various communities live among the people and enjoined leaders of thought in various communities to avail security agencies of information about the criminals.
President Buhari also told the visitors that he had assurances from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that the 2019 elections will be free and fair as he has been a victim of fraudulent elections and beneficiary of a free and fair election in the past.
“When I decided to put on this Agbada to see what the people are seeing in it, I tried three times, 2003, 2007 and 2011, but the fourth time, in 2015, I succeeded. We thank God and technology in the form of permanent voters card and card reader because what they used to do was to look at constituencies, award the votes and then they will say whoever didn’t agree should go to court. When people are looking for what to eat, where do they have the money to go to court to pay the SANs?” President Buhari said.
On farmers and herders clashes, President Buhari told the visitors that the government was working towards finding a lasting solution to it.
The CAN delegation had lauded the President for his efforts in fighting corruption, the initiatives to stem the tide of unemployment, the various efforts aimed at revamping the economy, the fight against Boko Haram terrorists and the implementation of the Bank Verification Number and the Treasury Single Account.
They, however, called on the President, to, ensure that the security agencies are non-partisan as we head to 2019 elections; restore peace to troubled spots in Northern parts of the country especially in the Garshish District of Plateau State, and institute a judicial panel of enquiry to look into the killings in the North Central particularly the murder of Major General Idris Alkali (rtd) and the Royal Highness of the Adara Kingdom in Kaduna, Dr Maiwada Raphael Galadima.
They also called on the President to; ensure that Nigeria does not go back into recession; urgently resolve the issue of minimum wage and to task the security agencies to ensure the release of Miss Leah Sharibu and other Chibok girls still in captivity.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
President Muhammadu Buhari has been conferred with the prestigious Polio Champion Award in recognition of his uncommon commitment and leadership in the polio eradication programme in Nigeria.
Rotary International President, Mr Barry Rassin, who is on a four-day official visit to Nigeria, presented the award to President Buhari, Thursday, at State House, Abuja.
The Polio Champion Award was instituted by Rotary International in 1995 to recognize and appreciate Heads of Governments and organisations that have played a key role in polio eradication around the world.
The last recipient of the Award was Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada. Other past recipients include Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Receiving the award, the Nigerian leader, while thanking Rotary International for the honour, lauded their commitment to humanitarian work across the globe.
‘‘Rotary International is well known to my generation. Your work is really humanitarian; no amount of materialism can pay you for what you have been doing and we thank you very much.
‘‘I am pleased with the efforts of Rotary International, you are champions of the weak, and I pray that God will abundantly pay you for your humanitarian services. I am also pleased that I have a competent Health Minister, who supervises the work,” the President said.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Rassin, while commending the President for providing significant leadership in the efforts to eradicate polio in Nigeria, advocated for increased political and financial commitments at all levels for routine immunization and primary health care strengthening.
He also commended President Buhari for his commitment to Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) by expanding the presidential task force on polio to include state governors shortly after he took office in 2015.
‘‘You are an inspiration to your country’’, the Rotary president, who was accompanied by his wife, Esther, and other senior Rotarians in Nigeria, told President Buhari.
He said Rotary has contributed $1.7 billion to the global effort to eradicate polio, of which $270m was expended in Nigeria.
‘‘We have come a long way from 1985 when polio was crippling 350,000 children annually in 125 countries of the world to 27 cases in two countries. But even one child paralysed by polio is one child too many. We need to end polio now,’’ Rassin said, adding that Nigeria has not recorded any case of polio in the last 27 months, nine months away from ‘‘possible certification of eradication.’’.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
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