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The Jigawa chapter of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate in the Saturday’s Presidential elections.

Dr Shamsuddeen Aujara, PRP’s Deputy Governorship Candidate in the state, disclosed this in a statement in Dutse on Wednesday.

Aujara said the party and its members were convinced with the policies and administrative style of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led government at the centre.

“Although in PRP we don’t have a presidential candidate, we spread our wings to different political positions.

“However, we cannot leave our respected followers and other Nigerians who genuinely believe in progressive change in the vacuum.

“On this, our stand with the presidential election is to adopt and rally behind the APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari as our sole candidate.

“We are convinced by the polices and administrative style of the APC-led government at the centre.

“And apart from the presidential election, the PRP will remain firm, strong and active,” Aujara said.

The candidate further advised people of the state to come out en masse and vote in a peaceful manner.

“We ask the good people of Jigawa to come out en masse and vote in peaceful manner, respect rules and regulations and accept the elections outcome as we pray for the best,” he said.

NAN

President Buhari: tipped to win 70-80 percent of the votes

President Muhammadu Buhari will secure between 70 and 80 per cent of total votes to be cast in Saturday’s presidential election, Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters said.

Enang, who spoke with State House correspondents on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said Buhari has demonstrated his commitment towards a free, fair and credible election.

He said the greatest re-assurance Buhari gave Nigerians is his stance that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ought to have been ready having being preparing for three and half years for the election.

“This has shown that Buhari is a democrat and is not in any manner capable of being accused of working in tandem to postpone the election.

`He is a true democrat; and that he is confident as all of us are that in the Saturday’s election, all Nigerians, great majority of Nigerians, 70 to 80 per cent of Nigerians will vote for him.

“From the campaigns on the field, all the feelers we had, the support we got from the East, the West, the South, the North and all parts of the country Buhari is the best person to go for a second term as president.

“This makes us confident. I am sure that in every state of the federation, Buhari is able to show what he has done.

“ In every state of the federation, the president showed that he is not partial, that he is not in any manner tilted in favour of one state against the other,’’ he said.

The special assistant said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is upbeat on victory going by the level of support it has garnered across the country.

According to him, Buhari has shown that he is a president for all and exclusively for none.

Enang said the president is for the rich, the poor, the unable, and every strata of the society as he has identified with everybody.

He said there were pointers that the APC would not only win presidential election, but secure the majority of seats in the House of Representatives and the senate.

On whether there would be sanctions against INEC, he said what the commission deserved is support and comfort to conduct a credible election.

On interference from the international community, Enang said that there is need to maintain diplomatic protocol.

“And when you are in a country, you are subjected to the laws of that country; there are limitations and red lines, which you must not cross.

“When you cross the red lines in diplomacy, you are capable of being declared persona non grata.

“But Nigeria has not gotten to that stage and that is why it is issuing simple reminders as to what is the best international practice in diplomacy,’’ he said.

On destruction of electoral materials in some states, he said he was confident that INEC would replace them before the rescheduled date for the poll.

He also expressed optimism that APC would win in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

NAN

President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo: Buharinomics puts economy on firm, solid footing

The Fourth Quarter 2018 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) results released recently by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has put the Nigerian economy on firm, solid footing. Here are 10 salient points to note about Buharinomics:

*The economy has recorded continued progress since it emerged from recession in 2017. Current result shows a Real GDP growth of 2.38% compared to 1.81% in Q3 last year, representing the strongest growth since the economy slipped into recession in 2016.

*For more than five decades, Nigeria has paid lip service to diversifying the economy, from sole dependence on oil. The latest result shows that economic growth has continued to be driven by the non-oil sector, which grew by 2.70% in Q4 2018, up from 2.32% in Q3 2018. It represents the strongest growth in the sector since Q4 2015.

*The non-oil GDP growth was driven by Quarrying and Other Minerals, followed by Telecommunications, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Construction. That is diversification in progress, real time, no matter what the naysayers may say.

For more than five decades, Nigeria has paid lip service to diversifying the economy, from sole dependence on oil. The latest result shows that economic growth has continued to be driven by the non-oil sector, which grew by 2.70% in Q4 2018, up from 2.32% in Q3 2018. It represents the strongest growth in the sector since Q4 2015.

*While the non-oil sector actually drove GDP growth, the oil sector contracted with crude oil and gas GDP reducing by -1.62%. This shows that with good governance, focus, prudence and accountability, the life of the country need not depend on oil ad infinitum.

*The NBS report further shows that Services GDP growth recorded its best performance in 11 quarters, growing by 2.90% compared to 2.64% in Q3 2018 and 0.10% in Q4 2017. Overall, while growth in the economy was moderated by the contraction in the oil sector, 39 out of 46 economic activities recorded positive growth in the quarter under review.

*The improved GDP growth can be attributed to Government’s continuous implementation of the policy initiatives in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which has boosted the performance of the non-oil sector.

*The growth in Q4 2018 GDP is consistent with the improvements in other macroeconomic indicators, including inflation, capital inflows, foreign trade, external reserves, amongst others.

*Headline inflation has been trending downwards from 18.55% as at December 2016 to 15.37% in December 2017 and further to 11.44% in December 2018.

Those who do not see any good in something not initiated by them toil endlessly to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that nothing good is happening on the economic front. But facts are stubborn things. The more they try to deny the facts, the more they rudely stare at them in the face.

*The total value of capital importation into Nigeria stood at $2,140 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. This translates to a full year capital inflow of $16.812 billion compared to $12.228 billion in 2017.

*Although the economy is now growing, more must be done to deepen its diversification and make it less vulnerable to external shocks. That is an unflinching commitment of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Those who do not see any good in something not initiated by them toil endlessly to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that nothing good is happening on the economic front. But facts are stubborn things. The more they try to deny the facts, the more they rudely stare at them in the face.

With the Buhari administration, economic Eldorado beckons. Nigeria is inexorably set for that Next Level.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described as absurd, the lies, propaganda and accusations against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Osinbajo said on Wednesday night while responding to questions at an Interactive Session and Engagement held at Muson Centre, Lagos on Wednesday night.

The interactive session tagged: “Unveiling The Truth”, organised by young Christian group, had some Christian leaders in attendance.

Participants used the occasion to ask plenty of questions bothering on insecurity, economy, blaming of past administrations, social welfare for the unemployed, corruption, and timing of TraderMoni.

Other questions bothered on Next Level slogan, farmer/herders crisis, lopsided federal appointments, Islamisation, Buhari’s commitment to addressing critical issues in the country among others.

Responding, Osinbajo said that President Buhari was committed to addressing the problems facing the country such as security, economy and fixing critical infrastructure and fair treatment of all sections.

He said Buhari is addressing farmer/herders crises and has no intention at all to Islamise the country.

“President Muhammadu is possibly one of the most committed people I have ever met. He is committed to seeing that resources of this country are used for this country.

“In general terms, we find that there is fairness in the distribution of appointments. Many of the accusations against Buhari are not true.

“Sometimes, people listen to propaganda and if we look at the facts, things are totally different. On Islamisation, first of all, it is untrue, it is propaganda.

“Anybody who complains that President Buhari is propagating Islamic agenda, how is that possible?

“A lot of these are just propaganda. Never listen to these. Many of these are absurd, they are deliberate propaganda. They come from the same source. Don’t believe them. Let’s be fair,” Osinbajo said.

The vice president, who urged Nigerians not to fear or doubt the good intention of the President, advised Nigerians to stop spreading rumours about things that never happened.

Osinbajo noted that the major cause of farmer/herder crisis remains pasture and water which the government has made concerted efforts to address.

On accusations of lopsided federal appointments, Osinbajo said that the Southeast with five states has five ministers more than some regions with higher number of states.

On TraderMoni, he said that the National Assembly does not need to approve money for it as it is a programme of the Bank of Industry meant to lift many Nigerians out of poverty.

On the timing of implementation of the National Social Investment Programme, Osinbajo said it kicked off after the budgetary allocation was passed by the National Assembly in 2016.

According to him, the party never promised N5,000 monthly stipends for the unemployed but for the vulnerable which is ongoing.

He said the NSIP has engaged so many youths in its N-Power programme and government has the plan to increase the number to 1.5 million young Nigerians in the Next Level out of 1.7 million people churned out of tertiary institutions every year.

On criminality, the vice president said that the way forward is local policing and intelligence as well as immediate arrest and prosecution of criminals in the country.

On security, he said that the country has made significant progress and moved forward from what the situation was before the 2015 general elections.

The vice president said that the APC Next Level slogan centres on job creation, power, making credit more available to entrepreneurs, agriculture, infrastructure and others.

The vice president urged Christian leaders to jettison thinking about any Islamic agenda and Islamisation, saying many Christians are in the cabinet of President Buhari.

He said that the media should desist from spreading rumours, decrying fake news about Buhari being another person from Sudan.

Addressing the accusation that the present administration often blames previous administrations, Osinbajo said that the country can not move forward without considering the past.

According to him, corruption remains the bane of national growth and development. He said most of the woes confronting Nigerians were caused by wastefulness of past governments.

The highlight of the interaction were high praise led by choir and power-packed prayer for the country and general elections led by Bishop Wale Oke.

The participants prayed for God’s mercies on the country and God’s protection on the vice president especially from the recent helicopter crash.

The Nation

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has described reports that he has resigned as fake news.

Speaking via his Twitter handle on Tuesday, Osinbajo said he remains committed to the service of the Nigerian people under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He urged Nigerians to disregard the rumour.

“The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai yesterday said those seeking to undermine the forthcoming general elections would be treated as enemies of Nigeria.

This is coming on the heels of remarks by President Muhammadu Buhari that he had instructed the military and the police to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers and thugs.

But the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar described the president’s order as unlawful which should not be obeyed by the military.

Speaking at the Army Headquarters in Abuja during a meeting with Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and Directors, Buratai also the army is bound to obey orders from constituted authority.

“It is unfortunate to hear persons who are aspiring to rule this country again inciting the army to disobedience. We have consistently stated our position in the political dispensation to remain neutral and apolitical,” he said, adding that “direct and public incitement of the Nigerian Military against democracy and constituted civil authority will not be tolerated, I request such persons to withdraw this inciting statement.”

Though the Army chief did not mention Atiku’s name, his comments were seen as a reply to the former vice president.

“The act of electoral thuggery, snatching of ballot boxes, illegal possession of elections materials and similar crimes are intended to mar an election and create deliberate avenues for post-election violence and mayhem.

“Such actions can also become more damaging when they are widespread, leading to destruction of lives and property,” Buratai said.

He added that “The unity of Nigeria is not negotiable, hence those who seek to undermine our democracy by interfering in our electoral process must be seen as enemies of Nigeria and dealt with appropriately.”

He said electoral sabotage in previous elections were often planned and orchestrated by politicians and the Army had been cautious in its approach. “However, This time around the Army will adopt a proactive posture that ensures that similar incidences do not even arise,” he said.

Loyalty must be 100% – Buratai

The COAS said two weeks ago, the officers held an Operations Conference to strategize on the 2019 general elections earlier slated to commence from February 16.

“Unfortunately, the election did not hold as planned and has been postponed to hold on 23 Feb 19 and 9 Mar 19. This shift in date has necessitated a need to review some of the decisions taken at the last conference and also to reiterate some of the directives Passed to you in light of the postponement of the elections,” he said.

According to him, “Our role is aptly captured in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and we must defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity as well as act in aid of civil authority when called upon to do so.

“The foundation of military professionalism is discipline and without discipline an army cannot stand. One of our core values is loyalty to constituted authority. Loyalty must be hundred per cent.

“I shall leave you in no doubt as to our resolve to bequeath a professionally responsive army to Nigeria and Nigerians.

“Should any officer or soldier have doubts as to his loyalty to the Nigerian State as presently constituted, such a person has up to 22 February 2019 to resign. There is no room for indiscipline or disobedience to lawful orders in the NA today.

“In addition to my earlier directives to you in the last Operations Conference, I wish to lay emphasis on the following actions that all commanders are to abide by.

Commanders must deal decisively with any electoral crime or action that would be inimical to National Security.

“Commanders are to ensure that they and their personnel do not hobnob with politicians at any level.”

‘No military escort for politicians, retired officers’

Buratai said “there will be no military escort for any politician and all NA personnel are to stay clear of retired military officers especially those who are now politicians until after the elections.”

Daily Trust reports that many retired military officers have joined partisan politics. Only recently, over 70 former military administrators and officers endorsed President Buhari for reelection.

He said commanders must ensure they key into the Army Elections Security Monitoring Situation Room to send and receive near real-time information on events, as they occur in their Area of Responsibility.

“Commanders are to conduct extensive patrols within their Area of Responsibility. They must ensure that all flash points within the area are dominated.

“Commanders must in conjunction with the NPF enforce the restriction on movement within their Area of Responsibility.

“All vehicles must be searched and suspicious persons or vehicles arrested/impounded and later handed over to the NPF.

“I have laid emphasis on these few points to remind everyone that these are delicate times and the Nigerian Army must support Nigeria’s march towards enduring democracy,” Buratai said, adding that the Nigerian Army must continue to remain apolitical, professional and responsive in the discharge of its constitutional roles.

Daily trust

OWERRI – As Nigerians continue to wait patiently for the weekend’s Presidential/ National Assembly elections, a Pan-Igbo socio- cultural group, “New South East People Consultative Parliament” (NSEPCOP), has queued behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid for re-election.

The group argued that a short-cut for the South East to realise a president of Igbo extraction in 2023 is for the people of the zone to support the re-election project of Buhari.

Speaking in a town hall meeting organised by the group, its  President-General, Udo Agboh, noted that the nation’s presidency had since 1999 rotated between the North and the south, but regretted that the South East had not had a single slot whenever the exalted office comes to the south.

Agboh, a former Commissioner for Agricultural, Petroleum, Environment and National Resources, argued that it would amount to a travesty of justice should the presidency elude the Igbos in 2023 and advised the South East not to commit a political blunder that would block their lofty quest and agitation in 2023.

He stressed that it was only through the re-election of President Buhari that the envisaged Igbo Presidency project  would come to fruition in 2023.

The Director –General claimed that NSEPCOP has well over 300,000 members from the five states in the South-East geo-political zone and that the group was the new voice of the South-East given its large followership.

On why he and a few delegates from the group visited President Buhari recently, Agboh said that, the visit to Aso Rock was to draw the attention of the President to the 2023 Igbo presidency project and to lend their support to his administration.

Lending his voice, the coordinator, South-East of the group, Emeka Oduenyi, stressed the need for Igbos to key into the process of realising Igbo presidency in 2023, saying that all hands must be on deck to achieve it.

Oduenyi advised that the Igbos should ignore anything that could distract them from achieving the 2023 Igbo Presidency.