I Have More to Offer than Buhari, Says Moghalu
A presidential aspirant in the upcoming 2019 general election, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, yesterday said he has more to offer Nigeria than President Muhammadu Buhari
Moghalu stated that though President Buhari has every right to seek a second term in office if his political party nominates him, it would be up to Nigerians to judge his performance track record so far.
In a statement issued to THISDAY last night, the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said if elected president in 2019, he would lead a government that would unite Nigeria and build a stable and secure nation.
Henoted that he would also focus on reversing the extreme poverty and high unemployment with effective economic management and restore the country’s standing in the world.
Moghalu also stated that his government would establish a productive innovation-led economy that reduces dependence on oil revenues, establish a public-private venture capital fund with a minimum capital of N500 billion to create jobs by investing in new businesses by unemployed youths.
In the statement, he added that he would also reform the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) by recruiting, training and equipping a minimum of 1.5 million persons with improved remuneration to create safe and secure communities, empower women with a 50:50 gender parity policy in political appointments, and initiate a constitutional restructuring of Nigeria to restore true federalism for stability and prosperity.
The statement added: “My government will establish a productive innovation-led economy that reduces dependence on oil revenues, establish a public-private venture capital fund with a minimum capital of N500 billion (with private sector co-investment to fund could attain a size of N1 trillion) to create jobs by investing in new businesses by unemployed youth, reform the Nigerian Police Force by recruiting, training and equipping a minimum of 1.5 million persons with improved remuneration to create safe and secure communities, empower women with a 50:50 gender parity policy in political appointments, and initiate a constitutional restructuring of Nigeria to restore true federalism for stability and prosperity.”
Ex-Lawmaker Praises Buhari Over Timely Declaration
A member of the seventh House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, has described the early declaration of interest in the 2019 presidential poll by President Muhammadu Buhari as a confirmation of the enormous respect he has for Nigerian voters.
He said the president was quite aware that no one, no matter how powerful, could use his position to rig election, hence, his declaration to give him the ample opportunity to reach out to Nigerians.
The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said President Buhari had again redefined the polity by influencing the unanimous decision taken by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to conduct congresses and hold National convention in consonance with the party’s constitution.
Faparusi, an APC governorship aspirant, also endorsed Buhari’s second term bid assuring that he would work assiduously with other progressive politicians in the state to mobilise not less than 80% of Ekiti voters to back the president.
In a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Faparusi said Buhari’s second term would give him veritable chance to fight corrupt individuals and insurgents who were bent on destabilising the country to achieve certain parochial interest.
Buhari’s Declaration: IPOB Hails Decision
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has hailed the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to run for a second term in office.
The group in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, and sent to THISDAY in Awka said it would be happy for Buhari to return as realising Biafra during his government would be a form of humiliation to him.
It said: “IPOB worldwide view the decision of the bearer and custodians of the name Buhari to seek re-election in 2019 as a welcome development. We have always maintained that the rebirth of Biafra will happen under Buhari or under whoever is answering to his name.”
It said the second coming of Buhari portends goodwill for freedom lovers because God wants to fulfill his divine purpose in the life of Biafrans in 2019 as foretold by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu many years ago.
Minister Slams Obasanjo, Babangida, Says They’re Not God
The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has asked supporters of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) not to entertain fears that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other ex-military leaders may block President Muhammadu Buhari’s chance of coming back.
Shittu, who made the remarks on yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said since the former Nigerian leaders “are not God, there should be no apprehension.”
Buhari had on Monday declared his intention to seek reelection at the closed-door meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party in Abuja.
Buhari said he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to re-contest in 2019, adding that he wanted to give NEC the honour of notifying them first.
However, Obasanjo and former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, had advised the president not to run in the 2019 poll, asking Nigerians to vote him out should he decide otherwise.
While reacting to Buhari’s declaration, the minister, who in January floated a campaign organisation ‘Buhari/Osinbajo Dynamic Support Group’ for the re-election of Buhari and Osinbajo, said the president’s decision to run again was a welcome development.
Ozekhome: Buhari Has Failed Nigeria
A constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari should not have declared for the 2019 election because he has failed Nigeria having performed abysmally between 2015 and 2018.
Ozekhome, also a human rights activist, thus asked Nigerians to reject him at the polls, saying president has failed to deliver his electoral promises to restore economy, fight corruption and ensure security.
He made the call yesterday in a statement he issued in response toBuhari’s declaration to seek re-election in 2019, noting that the speculation that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) “is banking on massive rigging of the 2019 election to win is merely illusory.”
According to him, the plan to rig cannot work. Nigerians are more enlightened today than ever before. They will use their PVCs to vote wisely, notwithstanding any acts of intimidation or coercion. 2019 is just 10 months away. I will keep my fingers crossed to see how it all plays out.
Ozekhome lamented that the economy “is in an all time low,” noting that from an over $500 billion rebased economy he inherited, Buhari led Nigeria into recession and now claimed to have taken it out.
DPC: Buhari Should First Apologise to Nigerians
Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC) has said President Muhammadu Buhari should have offered apology to Nigerians for failing to deliver on most of his key election promises before declaring interest to go for second term.
DPC in a statement issued yesterday by its National Chairman, Segun Peters, described President Buhari’s declaration as insensitive to the plights of Nigerians.
“It is obvious to Nigerians that President Buhari has failed in every aspect of governance. He made hardship the watchword of his government as if the electorate committed a crime against humanity for electing him president of the Federal Republic in 2015.
“His three years reign has taken the country 30 years backward. Nigeria has lost her pride and glory in the comity of nations due to clueless governance with recycled, retired and tired politicians who are out of touch with the heart desires of the people for progressive people-oriented governance.”
DPC said it was time to return the government to the people as power resides in the people.
Group Rejects Buhari’s Presidential Bid
Advocacy group, OurMumuDonDo, yesterday rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration to contest the 2019 presidential elections for the second time under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group in a statement signed by Adebayo Raphael, OurMumuDonDo, Deji Adeyanju, Concerned Nigerians, Ariyo Dare Atoye, Coalition in Defence Of Nigerian Democracy, Bako Abdul Usman, Campaign For Democracy, and Moses Paul for MAD Connect, explained that the gross incompetence, poor leadership and abysmal performance of the economy under President Buhari are clear indicators that would make Nigerians reject Buhari at the 2019 presidential polls.
They said: “Our movement is utterly dismayed by the self-seeking and vain-glorious declaration of President Buhari to rerun for the office of the Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria in 2019. This laughable declaration reeks of the unapologetic demeanor of the APC and their leader despite monumental failure. Even more, it has become obvious that there are more sycophants around President Buhari than truth-sayers.”
He commended the efforts of the security agencies in the state whose members have paid the supreme price and calls for more deployments to the flashpoints in order to enhance their operations.
The governor says the new attacks have engendered new humanitarian crises and calls for more assistance from the federal government, the international community, public spirited individuals, organisations as well as other corporate bodies to tackle the challenges.
PDP Presidential Aspirant, Baba-Ahmed Dismisses Buhari’s Chances
A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, has dismissed the chances of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.
Reacting to Buhari’s announcement to seek re-election next year, Baba-Ahmed, said the president has taken the support of Nigerians for granted and has disappointed in various sectors including security and economy. Nigerians are also much more politically aware and active, he added.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, the presidential hopeful said Buhari’s much touted popularity which helped him clinch the seat in 2015, is now highly argumentative.
“I think the support of many Nigerians have been taken for granted. The average Nigerian has now become more intelligent politically and more aware,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed said it is erroneous for those who have been in power to assume that Nigerians would automatically support and endorse them.