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  • Why you can’t be president in 2023–MURIC tells Osinbajo

    Why you can’t be president in 2023–MURIC tells Osinbajo

    By Joyce Babayeju

    The Muslim Rights Concern has tackled Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on his alleged presidential ambition.

    The Vice President was quoted on Monday as denying that he intended to declare his presidential ambition for 2023.

    However, MURIC has told the VP that it was the turn of Muslims in the South West because three Yoruba Christians have occupied the presidency, whereas no single Yoruba Muslim has been military head of state, president or vice president.

    This factor, according to MURIC, has given Yoruba Christians both political and economic edges and subjected Yoruba Muslims to political marginalisation, social segregation and gross economic disadvantage, leading to abject penury among Muslims in the sub-region.

    This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Monday.

    The statement reads: “The Nigerian Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has denied planning to declare his presidential ambition. The Vice President spoke through his spokesman, Laolu Akande on Monday, 7th February, 2022 (https://dailypost.ng/2022/02/07/2023-osinbajo-denies-planning-to-declare-for-presidency-after-apc-convention/).

    “Nonetheless (the denial notwithstanding), we will like the Vice President to know that it is not his turn yet. Neither is it the turn of any other Christian from the South West. This is because three Yoruba Christians (Obasanjo, Shonekan and Osinbajo himself) have occupied the presidency whereas no single Yoruba Muslim has been either military head of state, president or vice president of Nigeria.

    “This factor has given Yoruba Christians both political and economic edges and subjected Yoruba Muslims to political marginalisation, social segregation and gross economic disadvantage leading to abject penury among Muslims in the sub-region.

    “Muslims in the South West will no longer remain onlookers in matters affecting our welfare and our collective destiny. Any Yoruba Christian or Muslim candidate seeking office will have to consult the Muslim community. Nobody will be allowed to take Muslims for a ride and get elected on a platter of gold.

    “All other things being equal, we would not have worried at all and we would not have brought the religious factor to the fore in Nigeria’s march towards 2023. But the brazen effrontery and undisguised persecution of Yoruba Muslims coupled with the criminal silence from those that matter among Christian leaders, civil society and Yoruba socio-cultural groups have made our stand necessary. Our stand is informed by an urgent need to liberate Yoruba Muslims from the shackles of religious persecution.

    “The last time we checked, the Vice President has not deemed it necessary to check the excesses of his fellow Yoruba Christians who are oppressing Yoruba Muslim women in government offices and persecuting female Muslim students in South West schools. Neither has he uttered a single word of condemnation or sympathy on the matter. What then will be the fate of Yoruba Muslims when Osinbajo becomes the president of Nigeria. Christians in the South West will garner more courage. They will out-herod Herod and for Muslims, it will be from the frying pan into the fire.

    “Even Professor Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo cannot claim that he is unaware of the sufferings of Muslim women and female Muslim students in the South West whose conditions can be compared to that of blacks in apartheid South Africa. Perhaps his silence can be due to his position as a pastor of the Redeemed Church whose declared objective is to plant churches within few meters of each other throughout Nigeria. The starting point may be the forced conversion of Muslim students in Yorubaland. This of course will not be a new development in the sub-region. It happened to our parents and grandparents.

    “We urge the Vice President to come out openly and put an end to the state of confusion. For the avoidance of doubts, we have nothing personal against Vice President Osinbajo. In actual fact, we are among his secret admirers and this can be traced to his loyalty to the President Muhammadu Buhari particularly because of the way he stood by the latter in his trying times.

    “But MURIC is on a mission to liberate Nigerian Muslims from exclusion, isolation and discrimination in all their ramifications. We cannot compromise this principled stand and supporting any Christian from the South West for the 2023 presidency no matter his position or relationship with us will jeopardise this noble objective.

    “Another microscopic clarification which is necessary to preempt professional confusionists and merchants of fake news who may want to mischievously misinterpret this message is that MURIC has not said and will never say we do not want a Christian to be president of Nigeria.

    “This is a democracy, not a theocracy and our society is multi-religious. Both religions should therefore be allowed to lead. However, we are being specific about the South West this time around. This means that any political party can pick a Christian as its presidential candidate from any other zone for 2023 so long as it is not from the South West.

    “It would have been a horse of another colour if no Yoruba Muslim has shown any interest in the presidency come 2023. But fortunately the crème de la crème among Yoruba Muslim politicians have indicated interest. Vice President Osinbajo is therefore advised to allow sleeping dogs to lie.”

  • Nigeria’s next President should be below 60, able to work 14 hours daily —Afe

    Nigeria’s next President should be below 60, able to work 14 hours daily —Afe

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, on Thursday, educated the political parties and voters on qualities to look out for before adopting or voting anyone to become the next Nigeria’s President.

    Babalola, in a three-page statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said that the parties must search for the very best, without mundane considerations in picking their candidates.

    The legal practitioner, who is also the Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, said that the country needed a candidate who would go beyond politics and embrace the principle of a stronger Nigeria.

    According to him, such candidate must be highly educated, up to at least, degree level and must not have history of penchant for corrupt practices.

    Babalola, in the statement entitled, ‘The Presidency: When a Candidate Is or Not Qualified’, said that such a candidate must not be too old and must be of sound health.

    He said the candidate must also be extra-ordinarily brilliant and have sound knowledge of the current affairs, work ethics, leadership experience, good human relations and also have clear cut vision and mission for Nigeria.

    The notable legal practitioner said that the presidential candidate should be fluent in spoken English, such that he would possess the ability to write a speech all by himself.

    According to him, in addition, he must possess the ability to speak off-the-cuff.

    Babalola said, “The candidate must produce evidence that he possesses unquestionable means of livelihood.

    “He should not just be seeking election as a means of securing employment or to offset outstanding indebtedness or use his position as the President to divert government’s funds into his offshore accounts.”

    He further advised that the candidate must demonstrate that “he is willing and prepared to serve the nation without earning salaries, as it was the case between 1960 and Jan. 15, 1966.

    “The sum total of the qualities those who deserve to be voted for as Nigeria’s President are age, health, education, sound knowledge of current affairs, work ethics, experience, human relations, vision and mission for Nigeria.

    “Others are; belief in the need for a new Constitution, oratory power, kindness, friendliness and firmness, previous contributions to development, economic standing and readiness to serve as well as proven ability to solve problems,” Babalola said.

    On age, he explained that any candidate for the post of Nigeria’s President should not be more than 60 years old so that if he has the opportunity of serving two terms of four years each, he would still be leaving office before he turns 70.

    Babalola, commenting on health, said the candidate must be physically, mentally and medically fit.

    “The President should not be a person who will be looking for medical treatment from hospital to hospital around the world.

    “He must be so healthy that he should be able to work for a minimum of 14 hours a day.

    “It is normal that the aspirant for the post of Nigeria’s President must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, obtained from a reputable university.

    “Sound knowledge of current affairs must also be considered.

    “A person aspiring for the post of Nigeria’s President should possess a sound knowledge of Nigerian, African and world affairs for him to be able to speak and debate convincingly on any of them,” he said.

    On work ethics, he said that the occupant of that exalted seat should be able and ready to work for a minimum of 14 hours a day, based on his personal knowledge of the volume of documents, petitions and applications that daily flooded the office of the President, most of which would require his personal and urgent attention.

    “I know, as a fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo worked for a minimum of 18 hours a day when he was at the saddle as Nigeria’s President without leaving any file till the next day.

    “That is how anyone aspiring to be Nigeria’s next President should work.

    “Concerning personal attributes, the aspirant should not be arrogant or opinionated. He should be a good listener, respectful and humble.

    “He must be law-abiding and a respecter of the Rule of Law, vision and mission for Nigeria:

    “The aspirant must be someone who is totally detribalised and who appreciates that the country, Niger Area, now called Nigeria was brought together by Europeans during the 1884 Berlin Conference without consulting the locals and without their consent.

    “He must appreciate that the over 400 ethnic nationalities that makeup Nigeria have their different languages, cultures, religions, customs and values.

    “He must, therefore, demonstrate to the voters that he believes in the evolution of nation-Nigeria from these various ethnic nationalities,” Babalola further stated.

    He, however, called for a brand new Constitution for the country, in which he said the presidential candidate must be a strong believer.

  • 2023: I’ll contest for President – Peter Obi

    2023: I’ll contest for President – Peter Obi

    Former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has said he will contest for the presidency in 2023 if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zones the ticket to the South East.

    Obi who was the vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 election, made this statement through his Twitter handle at exactly 12.30am on February 1, revealing that he will contest if it is zoned to the South East but that if it thrown open, Nigerians will also hear from him.

    “Yes, I will step into the field to contest for the opportunity to serve this great country as President if my party, the PDP zones the ticket to the south. But if it is thrown open, Nigerians will also hear from me,” Obi said.

    Obi’s declaration will make him the second PDP member from the South East to declare to contest after former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim.

    In the All Progressives Congress (APC) three high ranking members from the South East; Senate chief whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige and Ebonyi governor, Dave Umahi, have publicly declared their intention to contest if the ticket is zoned to the South East. The ruling party is yet to make a pronouncement on zoning.

    The PDP however, had in several forah said the ticket will be thrown open, however, its former vice chairman for the South West, Olabode George, said on Monday that after deliberations and consultations, the party will make its decision on zoning on or before June.

    He said that at the inception of the party, it didn’t envisage that a president will emerge from another party, hence, it didn’t take some important issues on zoning into consideration.

    George insisted that there would be wide consultations in the party and the mood of the public will be put into consideration before a decision on zoning is made.

    In an interview in Lagos last week, the state publicity secretary of APC, Seye Oladejo, said it will be unjust for the PDP not to zone its presidential ticket to the South East, considering the fact the zone has remained a stronghold of the party since 1999.

  • President Buhari pays tribute to life, legacy of Ernest Shonekan

    President Buhari pays tribute to life, legacy of Ernest Shonekan

    President Muhammadu Buhari has received with profound sadness the news of the death of a great statesman and former Head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan.

    On behalf of the Federal Government, the President has extended his deepest condolences to Chief Shonekan’s wife, Margaret, loved ones, as well as the government and people of Ogun State.

    As an internationally-respected statesman, President Buhari affirmed that, with courageous wisdom, Chief Shonekan left his flourishing business career to become the Head of Government, at a delicate time when the country needed someone of his calm mien and pedigree to save the ship of state from sinking.

    The President noted that Chief Shonekan demonstrated to all that the love for country and commitment to her development, peace and unity transcend the trappings of office and the transient nature of political power.

    President Buhari believed that Nigeria owes a great debt to Chief Shonekan, the peacemaker, who even at the twilight of his life time never stopped believing and working for a prosperous and democratic country.

    The President prayed that the memory of the departed Head of Government will remain a blessing to Nigeria even as he finds perfect peace with Almighty God.

  • Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo didn’t open a campaign office, we opened it for him – support group

    Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo didn’t open a campaign office, we opened it for him – support group

    A support group within the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, the Progressive Consolidation Group PCG has dismissed reports that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has opened a campaign office ahead of the 2923 Presidential Election.

    Publicity Secretary of the group, Barr. Emmanuel Pippa who disclosed this in a statement issued Sunday evening in Abuja said it was his group that opened a campaign office for the vice president, with the hope of getting him vie for the top job in the country.

    The statement reads; “Our attention has just been brought to online publications alleging that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has opened a campaign office in Abuja ahead of the 2023 elections.

    “We wish to clarify that the said office belongs to our coalition of support groups which strongly believes in Professor Osinbajo as the leader Nigeria needs in 2023, and is determined to get him to declare an interest in running for the office of President as early as possible. Solely for this purpose, our recently acquired administrative office is located in the heart of Wuse area of Abuja.

    “Even though Professor Osinbajo is yet to be acquainted with our activities, we intend to operate through a new organ, The Progressive Project TPP to coordinate youth, women and other groups across the federation. Ours is therefore not a campaign office but a venue for coordination, handling of increasing volume of correspondence and meetings in readiness for the time when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo accedes to our request for him to run and consolidate gains made under President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Party chieftains will of course lead the real campaign when that time comes.
    Being a heartbeat away from the number one job, there are countless APC members and even, non-partisan citizens across the federation who are pushing for Professor Yemi Osinbajo to succeed or highly revered President Buhari, solely in the interest of the nation.

    “We are convinced that Osinbajo’s level of familiarity with the vision, achievements and challenges being handled by President Buhari is second to none, and that such insight would enable a new APC administration hit the ground running in 2023.

    “We anticipate that various new and existing pro-Osinbajo platforms will become part of the group to which their focus appears more relevant”.

  • BREAKING: Our region will produce Nigeria’s next President – Southern Governors

    BREAKING: Our region will produce Nigeria’s next President – Southern Governors

    Governors of the Southern states in the country have jointly agreed that Nigeria’s next President should come from the southern region.

    Southern governors made the announcement on Monday after a closed-door meeting in Lagos held to discuss issues concerning the state of the nation.

    The Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, who made this known while addressing journalists after the meeting said the resolve was made after much deliberation on the happenings across the country presently.

    The meeting which is being hosted by Lagos Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu had in attendance Governor Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Gboyega Oyetola (Osun); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers). Others are Duoye Diri (Bayelsa); Emeka Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom).

    Also, Deputy Governors Philip Shaibu (Edo), Ude Chukwu (Abia), Placid Njoku (Imo) and Kelechi Igwe (Ebonyi) represented their state governors.

    This is coming after the Governors met in May to take the unanimous decision to ban open grazing in the region.

    They also September 21, 2021, as the deadline for the promulgation of anti-open grazing law among its member states.

    Details later…

  • President Buhari Approves Appointments of Abubakar Fikpo as DG NDE, ISSA Aremu Director NILS

    President Buhari Approves Appointments of Abubakar Fikpo as DG NDE, ISSA Aremu Director NILS

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo as the substantive Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). Before his appointment, Mallam Fikpo held the position in acting capacity.

    President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Comrade Issa Aremu as the Director of the National Institute for Labour Studies (NILS). Comrade Aremu has been a notable Trade Unionist who has risen through the ranks in the Trade Union hierarchy in Nigeria.

    The appointments which are for a period of four years take effect from May 18, 2021.

  • Buhari nominates Adolphus as Auditor-General

    Buhari nominates Adolphus as Auditor-General

    President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated Mr Adolphus Aghughu as the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF).

    Adolphus, who has been  Acting Auditor-General since last October, following the retirement of Mr. Anthony Mkpe Ayine, hails from Edo State.

    According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Buhari had already forwarded his letter of nomination to the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan.

    The Auditor-General-designate holds a Masters in Economics. He is a Fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Member, Nigerian Institute of Management and Associate member of Chartered Institute of Taxation.

    He became an Auditor in the Office of the Auditor-General in 1992 and was promoted to the rank of Director of Audit in January 2016.

    In the same vein, the President has nominated Barrister Victor Muruako for appointment as Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).

    This was also contained in the same statement issued by Senator Omoworare and made available to State House Correspondents yesterday.

    Muruako, a legal practitioner had served as the Secretary to the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and currently acts as the Chairman of the Commission. He is from Imo State.

  • CIBN holds virtual AGM, elects Olugbemi 21st President

    CIBN holds virtual AGM, elects Olugbemi 21st President

    The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has elected Prof. Bayo Olugbemi as the 21st President of the institute, alongside other officers whose tenure would run from 2020 to 2022.

    The announcement of Olugbemi’s emergence, along with other elected officers, was one of the highlights of the institute’s virtual Annual General Meeting on Saturday, where it reviewed the 2019 financial and operational reports.

    The meeting which was coordinated and chaired by the Dr Uche Olowu, who Olugbemi will succeed as president, had members participating from across the world.

    Speaking on the 2019 operations, Olowu informed members that the institute had made noteworthy improvement as a reference point in the country and across the globe.

    He said that all the CIBN subsidiaries from the Centre for Financial Studies to the Press were maintaining winning ways and would continue to experience improved performance.

    In the area of capacity building, he said the Institute had reviewed the syllabus of flagship Associate of Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) qualification in conjunction with a top consulting firm (PwC).

    According to him, this is in a bid to keep the ACIB qualification relevant and ensure that the contents meet with global standard.

    He said that the electronic library which consisted electronic books, journals and other resources provided round-the-clock information and had been acquired by the CIBN Library for easy access to its users.

    Olowu said that a former president of the Institute, Dr Olusegun Aina, had been re-elected as a Chairman of the Global Education Standard Board.

    He also said the Institute had expanded its examination centres to Liberia, bringing the number of foreign examination outposts to five, with one in Katsina state, Nigeria.

    In the area of collaboration, Olowu said that the Bankers’ Committee had approved Ethics Certification for staff of banks.

    He said that 87,000 bank staff had registered on the e-learning platform, and a sizeable number had completed the certification programme.

    Members commended Olowu for his two-year leadership (2018-2020).

    At the event, the National Treasurer of the institute, Prof. Deji Olanrewaju, gave the financial highlights of the Institute in 2019.

    He listed some of the following key developments; 7.1% increase in Net Operating Surplus of the Institute from N539million (2018) to N577million (2019).

    Similarly, there was 5.8% increase in total income from 1.47 billion (2018) to N1.55 billion (2019) and 6.9% increase in IGR from N1.16 billion (2018) to N1.24 billion (2019).

    Also, Mr Mark Ariemuduigho of Baker Tilly International Nigeria, external auditors of the institute, gave reports for 2019 financials and stated that the financial position of the CIBN was in agreement with the book of accounts.

    The Chairman of the CIBN Audit Committee, Mr Babatunde Oduwaye, affirmed that the accounting and reporting policies of the institute were in accordance with legal requirements and ethical practices.(NAN)

  • WISTA president tasks incoming executives on team work

    WISTA president tasks incoming executives on team work

    The outgoing President of the Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Mrs Mary Hamman, has urged incoming executives of the association to work as a team and create more awareness.

    Hamman made the appeal in an interview with the our correspondents in Lagos on Thursday, ahead of the election and inauguration of new  executive members on Feb. 20.
    “They should not wait for anyone before taking responsibilities because it will end up that nobody is doing anything.
    “Everybody’s responsibility is  no one’s responsibility. That it why all the executives should be committed and dedicated to the position they campaigned for.
    “The incoming executives should be at alert at all times and try to keep members abreast with what is happening in the maritime industry at all times.
    “I served for four years and during my tenure, we were able to donate fishing boats, engines and other accessories to fisher women in Aguleri, Anambra and Ogbuagu fishing  community in Enugu.
    “Beneficiaries from the two states were very happy to know that there were women who cared about them,” she said.
    Hamman said that the governors of the two states had keyed into WISTA ‘s project and ensured that other fisher women in various communities in the states also benefitted from the association’s support.
    She said that her team was able to create credibility and improved on networking, which had exposed women in maritime to numerous opportunities both in and outside the country.
    The outgoing president said that with new Memorandum of Understanding signed with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the association had been included as part of the technical committee for IMO programmes for gender participation.
    Hamman said funding was a major challenge during her tenure, but the association still managed to sail through.
    She said members’ annual dues and contributions had also supported her tenure in succeeding in many activities, including mentoring students from universities and secondary schools as well as female children to choose careers in maritime industry.
    According to her, another challenge she faced was getting women interested in what they were doing.
    She appreciated members of the association for giving her and the executives both moral and financial support that yielded success during her tenure.