Buhari consoles Ighodalo over wife's death

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Sunday, commiserated with Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House, based in Lagos, over the death of his wife, Ibidunni.

Ibidun was said to have died in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, in the early hours of Sunday.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said he shared the pain and sorrow of the family at the sudden death.

He prayed God’s comfort for the entire family, friends, and members of Trinity House.

Buhari described Ighodalo as one person who faithfully prays for the country and the government.

He recalled that the pastor sent him a personal letter of condolence when his former Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, died in April.

“Please accept my condolence. May God give you the fortitude to bear the loss, and strengthen you at this trying time,” Buhari told Ighodalo.

SERAP to Buhari - Publish details of N800 billion recovered loot

SERAP has enjoined Buhari to publish details of N800 billion recovered loot.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to order the publication of a comprehensive list of names of people from whom N800 billion in looted funds have been recovered.

The group, in a Freedom of Information Act request, asked the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Minister of Justice and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, to publish the details of spending of the money and the dates of the recovery.

SERAP also urged the president to “direct appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly, thoroughly and transparently investigate allegations that payments totalling N51 billion were made into individual accounts in 2019.”

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said, 

“SERAP notes that in your speech to mark the occasion of the Democracy Day on June 12, 2020, you disclosed that the government’s anti-corruption fight has yielded over N800 billion in recovered loot.

Publishing the details regarding the N800 billion recovered loot and investigating the alleged suspicious payments into personal accounts would be entirely consistent with fundamental principles of due process, and Nigeria’s international anti-corruption commitments.

The information will also reveal the truth of where the money is going and why it is there, and allow Nigerians an opportunity to assess the impacts of any projects carried out with the recovered loot and the alleged payments into individual accounts.”

COVID-19 : Buhari reiterates confidence in Task Force

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his confidence in the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to provide guidance and leadership in tackling the pandemic nationwide.

He praised health workers and other essential services staff who have been a part of the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

During his Democracy Day speech, the President praised those who have been working effortlessly towards containing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

He said that their dedication “is a testament of the courage and resilience of Nigerians as a people and as a great nation and that he was using “this opportunity to say thank you to all of you for your service to the nation.”

He also added that he receives regular briefing from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. The president noted that the national response relies on Science, Data and Experience in taking decisions and explained that it was the data that informed his approval for the ease of lockdown phase to ensure a balance between lives and livelihoods.

“I am confident that the steps being taken by the Presidential Task Force would result in flattening the COVID-19 curve. I, therefore, implore all Nigerians to abide by the approved guidelines and protocols. There is hope for us all if we take individual and collective responsibility,” he said.

Mr Buhari, while sympathising with Nigerians who have lost their loved ones to the virus, acknowledged that many Nigerians have been going through difficult times because of the outbreak.

He said most of the stringent measures introduced at every level of government to contain the virus, was aimed at saving lives.

The president said the overall objective of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 is to ensure that the pandemic does not overwhelm our health systems, while ensuring that we maintain an effective Case Management System to help in containing the spread of the virus.

“There is no doubt that this pandemic has affected the global economy and all known socio-economic systems. It has also brought grief and pain to families that have lost their loved ones. Like many Nigerians, I feel the grief and pain, not only as your President, but also as someone who has lost a close member of my staff and some relatives and friends, he said.

Mr Buhari said the impact of the pandemic has disrupted the nation’s economic system and to ensure it is functioning, while still addressing the spread, the federal government put in place a number of various non-pharmaceutical measures to slow down the spread of the virus, in addition to a progressive re-opening of the economy.

He said the government is determined to turn the COVID-19 challenge into a motivation to action by building a nation-wide public health care system that will help us overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for any future outbreak.

The president said part of the strategy is to create jobs in reducing the effect of COVID-19 on the youth, which is why he directed the employment of 774, 000 Nigerians.

“These youth will be engaged in Special Public Works Programme aimed at cushioning the effects of economic downturn. Each of the 774 local government areas in the country will be allotted 1,000 slots. I am pleased to report that this programme has commenced.

Already, we have begun to look inward and I charge our inventors, researchers and scientists to come up with solutions to cure COVID-19.”

SERAP takes Buhari, Osinbajo to Appeal court over assets declaration

ANTI-corruption advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has taken its asset declaration case against the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the Court of Appeal.

The group is seeking an order of mandamus compelling the Code of Conduct Bureau to make public contents of the assets declaration forms filed by Buhari, Osinbajo, as well as the 36 state governors and their deputies.

SERAP had recently met a setback after the Federal High Court in Lagos threw out its suit.

But displeased with the judgment delivered by Justice Muslim Hassan, SERAP, according to a statement on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oludare, has now gone on appeal.

The group is contending that Justice Hassan misinterpreted the law and “failed to consider that the Freedom of Information Act was enacted by the National Assembly in 2011 to grant public access to public documents.” It said, 

“The learned trial judge erred in law by holding that the Freedom of Information Act is a legislation of general nature in relation to public access to asset declaration forms of public officers. The judge erred in law when he held that SERAP’s application ‘is unmeritorious and it is accordingly dismissed’.

The learned trial judge failed to apply the provisions of Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which allows access to public documents to the facts of this case.

The failure or refusal by the CCB to provide the information requested by SERAP constitutes a violation of their right to freedom of information guaranteed by Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”

"Surrender your weapons or face violent ends" - Buhari to bandits

President Muhammadu Buhari has given bandits an ultimatum to either lay down their weapons or face very disgraceful and violent ends.

In a statement made by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, the President issued the warning over the weekend.

Buhari said more decisive military operations against bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Katsina and Kaduna States will be undertaken.

In the statement, the president also commiserated with Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State over the loss of lives and properties in the state as a result of bandits activities.

The statement reads, 

“President Muhammadu Buhari has assured people and government of Katsina State of renewed efforts, and review of operations, to improve the security of lives and property in the state, and other parts of the country.

The President, in a meeting with Governor Aminu Bello Masari, at the State House on Thursday night, said bandits, who have committed crimes against innocent citizens in the state, and across the country, will not be spared.

President Buhari commiserated with Gov Masari over the loss of lives from attacks by bandits, which include District Head of Yantumaki, Alhaji Atiku Maidabino, and APC Chairman in Batsari Local Government Council, Alhaji Abdulhamid Sani Duburawa”.

Senate defends appointments made by Buhari

The Senate has shut critics of the Presidency and defended the appointments that have been made so far by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. These appointments were of course, approved by the red chamber.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday after plenary, the spokesperson for the Upper Chamber, Dr Ajibola Basiru described the claims that Buhari’s appointment was lopsided as “beer parlour talks".

He urged Nigerians to assess the various appointments made by Buhari based on geopolitical zones instead of looking at them from whether the appointee is from the North or South.

On Tuesday, the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and two senators from Akwa Ibom State openly protested against two appointments made by Buhari, alleging clear cases of nepotism in the choice of the nominees.

But while specifically reacting to the Senate confirmation of a northerner, who is Buhari’s nominees for the position of the Chairman of the Board of Federal Character Commission when the Secretary is already from the North, Basiru said the two officials are from different geopolitical zones. He said, 

“Please do a tabulation of all appointments to be filled up by the Federal Government and the ones that have been done and show empirically, scientifically, how it has been lopsided

I will not with due respect, rely on what people colloquially call, beer parlor discussion.

I want to tell you too that politicians can be mischievous, I am not saying any senator is mischievous.

When you talk of the North we have three zones – North-Central, North-East, and North-West – but when people want to be mischievous when the appointment comes from the North Central and they want to just make it look as if is from the North, they will say this one is also for the North but when it suits them, then they will talk of South East and South West.”

President Buhari is clueless - Wizkid

In a series of tweets posted on his Twitter page today, Monday, June 1, 2020, Wizkid insinuated that Buhari is clueless.

The music star compared Buhari to his counterpart in the United States, Donald Trump. He tweeted,

"Buhari/Trump same person lol only difference be say one sabi use twitter pass the other. Clueless!".

The tweets of Wizkid may be connected to the recent protests in the United States of America and the rape and murder of a young student in Nigeria.

Buhari has done well in job creation - Festus Keyamo

Yesterday, the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo said that the Buhari-led administration has done well in job creation in the last five years.

Keyamo said this when he appeared on Channels Television “Sunday Politics” programme. He stated that the effort of the government has gone unnoticed because Nigeria’s population grows faster than the rate of job creation.

The Minister said,

“The Buhari administration has performed well in its job creation promise. The basic thrust of this government in job creation is to ‘skill up’ people so they can be self-employed and create jobs.

What makes the efforts of the government unnoticed is because Nigeria’s population grows faster than the rate of jobs. The population grows faster than the rate of job creation. On job creation, we have done creditably well."

On efforts made to cushion the effect of Coronavirus on workers, Keyamo added,

“The FG has made a special fund available to cushion the effect of COVID-19. People at the grassroots; the unskilled labourers are a big part of the economy.”

Buhari approves Nigeria, Siemens electricity deal funding

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has given the nod to a German firm, Siemens AG, to begin the concessionary funding and provision of technical support to the country’s power sector.

According to the official twitter handle of the Presidency, @NGRPresident, Buhari had already directed the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Ministry of Power and the Bureau of Public Enterprises “to conclude the engagement with Siemens AG to commence the pre-engineering and concessionary financing aspects of the Presidential Power Initiative.”

The PPI, which transited from the Nigerian Electrification Road Map, first muted in 2018, aims to upgrade power infrastructure in the country as part of efforts to halt frequent blackouts.

“All items to be purchased were provided by the distribution companies and Transmission Company of Nigeria and they will be vetted by a professional project management office,” the Presidency stated.

It explained that the concessionary terms included a three-year moratorium and a “12-year repayment at concessionary (interest rates) through the German Euler Hermes cover, which Nigeria will on-lend as a convertible loan to the other shareholders in the Discos.”

The Presidency added, “All Discos have, directly, and through the BPE, been diligently carried along over the last 15 months to understand in detail the challenges in the electricity system.

“The PPI is a power infrastructure upgrade and modernisation programme agreed to by Nigerian government and Siemens AG of Germany, with the support of the German Government.

Under the PPI, Nigerian government will on behalf of the other shareholders in the Discos invest in infrastructure upgrades in the form of improved payment systems, distribution substations, transformers, protection devices, smart meters, transmission lines, etc.

President Buhari has approved the release of funding for the first part of Phase 1 of the PPI, to kick off the pre-engineering and concession financing work streams.”

The two presidential spokespersons, Mr Femi Adesina and Mr Garba Shehu, did not respond to enquiries by The PUNCH to confirm the @NGRPresident tweets as of 6.05pm.

Buhari mourns Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte

President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned the death of retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte. Justice Karibi-Whyte died on Friday at the age of 88 years in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, noted that Justice Karibi-Whyte served Nigeria with his wisdom, knowledge and experience all through his life as a scholar and a law man.

President Buhari, while commiserating with the family of the deceased, the government and people of Rivers State, as well as his professional colleagues, commended his legacies to the Law and the State, noting that his contributions were not just for Nigeria, but for the whole world.

“President Muhammadu Buhari sends condolences to government and people of Rivers State over the passing of legal icon, author and Professor of Law, Justice Adolphus Godwin Karibi-Whyte.

President Buhari prays that God will comfort all who mourn the legal colossus, especially his family, the academia, Nigerian Bar Association and Body of Benchers, friends and associates, commending his contributions to law and jurisprudence in the country, and beyond, leaving a legacy of integrity and nationalism.

President Buhari notes, with deep conviction, that the legal luminary used his knowledge, wisdom and experience in serving the nation he loved so much, working diligently as a scholar for many years, before transiting to the judiciary, and pursuing his passion of ensuring fairness through the Federal Revenue Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The President affirms that Justice Karibi-Whyte played many historic roles in growing Nigeria’s legal system, strengthening democratic institutions and shaping the policy direction of many governments and international agencies, as he served as Chairman, Nigerian Constitutional Conference, 1994-1995, Counterfeit Currency Tribunal, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities, and Judge and Vice-President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at The Hague.

The President believes the erudite jurist lived and led by example, set a standard for resourcefulness and patriotism, and brought honour to the country, praying that the almighty God will grant his soul a peaceful rest”, the statement said.

Buhari to sit at home to observe Eid prayers with family

President Muhammadu Buhari will remain in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to observe Eid prayers to mark the end of the Ramadan fast this weekend.

The president usually flies to his native Daura in Katsina State to celebrate the annual religious event, with prayers observed in large crowds that gather at the mosque.

However, the presidency said in a statement on Friday, May 22, 2020 that Buhari will be conducting his Eid prayers with his family at home. "This is in observance of the lockdown measures in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, put in place 'to save lives and protect people from all dangers'.

"This is also in line with the directive of the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III suspending Eid congregational prayers across the country as well as the protocol against mass gathering issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19," the president's spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said in a brief statement.