Tinubu Refers To Atiku As 'Former Senate President'

 The presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu, has suffered yet another gaffe during the APC presidential campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, by calling Atiku Abubakar, a former senate president, instead of vice president.

He said: “Atiku, when we made him the senate president, he sold this and sold that.

“He sold our asset, our commonwealth and he embezzled our party money.

“Everything that we had, he sold it and we became skeletons.

“Atiku didn't care.”

Kano Cancer Treatment Centre Built By Kano Govt Commissioned By Buhari

 

Buhari: No Single Administration Can Solve All Nigeria’s Problem

 Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari has said that no single administration can solve all of Nigeria's challenges, IGBERETV reports. 

The President said this during a national dialogue on security, economy and administration of justice organized by the Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja, on Monday, January 30. 

Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, at the event said; 

“ I would say no one government in this country would be able to solve the problems of Nigeria. But as we build on the precedent set by successive governments, not discarding completely what has been put in place, we would in the course of our desire to build a Nigeria of our dreams, be able to pick one or two things, on which we can concentrate and move.

”As a government, the outcome of this dialogue can be transmitted to us so that whatever resolutions are reached, that would become part of the documents that would prepare as we transit and hand over to an incoming government.”

Presidential Election: Only God Can Save Nigeria From Tinubu's Plan - Bwala

 The Atiku Abubakar Presi­dential Campaign Organisa­tion on Monday said Nigeria needs divine intervention to save the citizens from the havoc being planned by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he plans to carry out in the 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu had last week blamed the lingering fuel scar­city in the country on the years of misrule by the Peoples Dem­ocratic Party (PDP).

While also blaming the par­ty for the scarcity of the new naira notes, he claimed that the PDP in its 16 years in power cre­ated the pathway for the scar­city by giving premium motor spirit (PMS) import licences to their friends who are now creating scarcity in the country.

However, speaking with Dai­ly Independent, Daniel Bwala, a spokesman of the Atiku Cam­paign Organisation, wondered why Tinubu is heaping blames on PDP when his party is in charge of governance at the federal level.

According to him, Tinubu’s outburst was due to the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari will not allow him rig the 2023 presidential election.

He said, “APC is a political party that is greatly confused. Which political party is in gov­ernment? Is it not the APC? Are they not the ones with the knife and yam? They are now blaming the opposition for fuel scarcity in the country. This clearly shows the problem that Asiwaju Tinubu is having because the government does not want to yield to him by rig­ging the election.

“We believe the conduct of a free, fair and credible election in 2023 is a test on the Federal Government because Presi­dent Buhari told the United Na­tions that he will leave a legacy of a free and fair election. One of the clearest form of a free and fair election is presenting a platform where people will choose their leaders on the ba­sis of their minds and convic­tions and not because they are induced with money”.

Speaking further, Bwala said Tinubu’s statement in London encouraging APC sup­porters to snatch ballot boxes is responsible for the spate of vi­olence being witnessed across the country.

He said security agencies should as a matter of urgen­cy dismantle Jagaban Army before the conduct of the 2023 presidential election and inter­rogate the national youth lead­er of the APC, Dayo Israel, who launched the militia group.

“Remember, it was the same Tinubu in London that told APC supporters that they should grab, run, snatch and do everything at all cost to win the election and that it is not served a la carte.

“Few weeks after saying that, we have been witnessing violence in different parts of the country. They also set up what they call ‘Jagaban Army’. They even have air force uni­form. I begin to wonder, where are the law enforcement agents in the country?

“It was only uniform that IPOB people wore and the entire army of Nigeria was sent to the South-East to crush them. But now, a political party created an arm called ‘Jagaban Army’ and they launched with their uniform. If you look at the laws of the land, nobody has the right in Nigeria to form a militia that is equal to the armed forces. It is a treason to the state.

“When Amotekun was formed, one of the fights at that time was, why will you allow Amotekun wear uniform? In fact, in the case of Amotekun, they are just normal people wearing uniform for the pur­pose identification. In APC, aside sewing uniforms, they even call themselves ‘Gener­als’. What Tinubu is planning to do to this country only God can save us.

“When he talked about the fuel crisis, that it is created to sabotage his election, it shows that he doesn’t believe in the removal of fuel subsidy. These queues are speculations be­cause when people hear that the prices of fuel might likely go up, they started hoarding and the government is mak­ing every effort to make fuel available.

“Till date, Tinubu is yet to explain to Nigerians how $4 million was transferred by Alpha Beta to a company in England that is linked to a drug baron in Barracuda Co­lombia. That was in 2015. Only God will save us from Tinubu". 

"Tinubu and APC are planning to rig the election. That was why they plotted to remove the INEC chairman and CBN governor but it failed".

Buhari: Foreign Groups Bent On Destroying Nigeria Behind Boko Haram

 President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he suspects international groups that want to destroy Nigeria are behind the plight of Boko Haram we have faced, adding that it is fraudulent even by the name given to the terror group.

He stated this while delivering a keynote address at a lunch organized by the Kano state government on Monday after the commissioning of some federal and state projects.

“When we came into power in 2015, Boko Haram was in control in 13 of the 27 local governments of the state, only four were with the government then.

“More so, half of the local governments in Yobe state were with Boko Haram.

“Today with the help of a patriotic and dedicated governor in Borno state the local governments have been recovered.

“What is Boko Haram? It is very fraudulent. I suspect there’s an international group that wants to destroy Nigeria. If not, how can Boko (western education) be Haram?, the President stated.

Buhari, who was on a state visit to Kano also praised the performance of his administration, especially how it has been able to provide more infrastructure with lesser availability of funds when compared to the past regime.

“I want you to recall that between 1999 and 2019 the NNPC production was 2.1 billion barrels per day at the cost of 100 dollars per barrel. So Nigeria was earning 100 dollars per barrel for 2.1 million barrels a day but look at our infrastructure.

“Some of them 60 years old, look at our power sector, what can advance without infrastructure?

“But those in charge in those years were going around not only in Nigeria but the world saying they are wonderful but they cannot explain what they have done.

“But the cost of petroleum today has gone down to about 37 dollars per barrel which only 1.5 million barrels is produced and yet we have put in place a lot of infrastructure. Look at what we have been able to do” Buhari added.

He finally thanked Nigerians for their support and cooperation as well as the chance to serve them.

Despite Extension, Nigerians Can’t Withdraw Old, New Notes

Despite extension of deadline for the circulation of old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes to February 10, bank customers continue to face frustration, as ATMs were largely empty across the country.

The few that had the new naira notes had very long queues, with customers standing for many hours to take their turns. Even after queuing, some returned home empty-handed as available cash in ATMs was exhausted.

This is as traders in many markets at the nation’s commercial capital of Lagos have refused to accept old naira notes from customers for fear of recording losses in their operations.

Traders, who spoke to The Guardian, demanded that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Government increase availability of the new notes to mitigate hardship.

According to a trader at Oshodi market, Chima Nnadozie, “people still have the old notes and they are finding it nearly impossible to deposit them in the banks due to congestion and overcrowding. That is why some of us decide not to collect the old money again until the new notes are available and easily accessible to all.”

Point of Sales (PoS) operators were, yesterday, in brisk business, as they charged 10 per cent for withdrawals. For instance, anyone who withdrew N10,000 new notes, was charged N1,000; while old notes attracted between N200 and N500. Most operators said they did not have new notes to dispense to customers.

According to a Point of Sale (PoS) operator, Femi Akande, customers who came to withdraw from his stand refused to accept old notes as they preferred new ones

“If customers come to withdraw money and you give them the old notes, they no longer accept it, because they are afraid traders won’t accept it from them,” he said.

A customer said he had queued at two different ATMs, belonging to different banks, but could not withdraw any money because the notes were exhausted before it was his turn.

He said even his attempt to withdraw old notes at the counter did not yield positive results, as he was told that banks were instructed not to pay old notes of the affected denominations.

It was gathered that banks that had bank notes could only dispense the N100 and N50 denomination and pegged Over The Counter (OTC) withdrawals at only N10,000 per customer.

A bank official said they were under strict directives of CBN not to pay any customer more than N10,000 of the lower denominations.

MEANWHILE, the Department of State Services (DSS) has intercepted members of organised syndicates involved in the sale of the new naira notes. DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

Afunanya said the DSS, in the course of its operations in parts of the country, established that some commercial bank officials were aiding the economic malfeasance.

“Consequently, the Service warns the currency racketeers to desist from this ignoble act. Appropriate regulatory authorities are, in this same vein, urged to step up monitoring and supervisory activities to expeditiously address the emerging trends.

“It should be noted that the Service has ordered its commands and formations to further ensure that all persons and groups engaged in the illegal sale of the notes are identified. Therefore, anyone with useful information relating to this is encouraged to pass the same to the relevant authorities,” Afunanya said.

AS members of the House of Representatives await the appearance of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to answer questions over the cash swap policy, the Majority Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano), has expressed suspicion that Emefiele “misled” President Muhammadu Buhari on the redesign of the N200, N500, N1,000 notes.

Doguwa, who is chairman of the House Adhoc Committee, said he believes the President will take the right steps to remedy his action.

The lawmaker, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today yesterday, said the naira swap will frustrate the 2023 general elections and doubted the sincerity of the CBN boss, who was once a presidential aspirant in the APC.

Explaining why he thinks the President was misled to approve the redesign of the three bank notes, the lawmaker said: “Perhaps, the President was presented with misleading briefing and he did not quite understand the implications therein. In such circumstances, the President is bound to act in a wrong direction. That is my suspicion and that is my own understanding.”

The APC stalwart said he met with the President on Sunday and he expressed his dissatisfaction, insisting that the CBN governor’s inability to honour the invitation by the green chamber is an affront to the CBN Act and the legislative arm of government.

Doguwa said the deadline extension by the President goes to confirm that he wasn’t fully briefed on the implications of the naira redesign before the implementation of the policy.

“It (the extension) goes to confirm to you that if the President was actually briefed ab initio of the implications and the outcome of the naira redesign, then definitely he won’t have come now to say let’s extend it by 10 days, which means there is an issue.

“So, I am sure Mr President will be one humble leader to understand when he is misled and he should be able to now come look at the right thing and take the right decision like he is doing now,” Doguwa stated, adding that the House will go ahead to issue an arrest warrant on the apex bank chief should he further fail to honour an invite by the lower chamber today.
 

3 Police Officers Killed As Gunmen Attack Ebonyi/Enugu Border Checkpoint

 Three officers killed as gunmen attack Ebonyi/Enugu border checkpoint

Ebunoluwa Olafusi 
JANUARY 29, 2023 1:40 PM

Three police officers have been killed by gunmen at the border checkpoint along Enugu/Abakaliki expressway. 

The police officers were reportedly shot dead on Saturday night.

The gunmen, who operated in a Sienna bus, reportedly opened fire at the checkpoint, injuring one officer in the leg and killing three.

The Ebonyi police command confirmed the incident.

Chris Anyanwu, the command’s spokesperson, said the attack occurred around 6pm.

“The attack by gunmen at Ebonyi/Enugu boundary took place at about 18:08hrs ” he said.

“Three police personnel of Operation Safer Highway were fatally injured and later confirmed dead.

“The hoodlums operated in two sienna vehicles, drove into the checkpoint, and opened fire on the policemen.”

He said the officer who was shot is receiving treatment at a medical facility in Abakaliki, the state capital.
In December, two people, including a police officer, were killed following an attack on a police checkpoint in Abakaliki.

One of the gunmen was also killed in the attack.