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Buhari, Taking Nigeria 30 Years Behind, ACF’s Scribe Laments
The current Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the former Senator representing Adamawa Central, Abubakar Girei, has said that the present administration of Muhammadu Buhari has taken Nigeria 30 years behind.
He made the remarks during an interview with newsmen in Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday.
“We should be comparing ourselves with Singapore, China, etc. Look at where we are living: 20, 30 years behind where we should be as a country in terms of progress and development, so, leadership is very important”, he said.
Giving his assessment of the alarming security challenges in the country under President Muhammadu Buhari, he said: “We should not localise the problems with security in the country to Buhari because it is now that we have a change of government and a government that is dealing with it seriously.
“We have not been having good governance in this country since 1999; it was in 2015 that we had a serious government that is committed to transforming the country.
“Notably, the security has spread to other parts of the country but Boko Haram, this government has dealt with it decisively, but we cannot deny that other forms of insecurity have spread to other parts of the country but all these security challenges are the handiwork of looters, political money bags, failed politicians and their surrogates like Sowore.
He elaborates that, “as a resident of Yola, and an indigene of Adamawa, we know the difference.
“I could not go for a condolence visit at Mubi because of insecurity and even within Yola; going to the mosque was a problem, there are security men everywhere, you have to be frisked and searched just because you want to pray.
“But whether Boko Haram has been defeated completely or not is a different matter, but we have different challenges other than Boko Haram and these are sponsored.”
On his assessment of the President Buhari-led government he said: “We as Nigerians know full well that we are living far behind our time.
“In 2015, when Nigerians trooped out and voted Muhammadu Buhari, we were full of high expectations, I for one thought that by the end of Buhari’s first term, Nigeria will be an El Dorado but we are not seeing it today, so I am very worried.
“Even though the insecurity situation has changed, one would have expected so much such that the country would have moved far beyond where we are today but the government is not listening because so many people have offered useful advice to this government but they have not utilised it.
“For example, we are practising democracy and in a multi-party democracy like ours, I would have expected that Buhari and members of his government would be looking for political solutions to problems bedevilling this country instead of giving military approach to issues because I strongly believe that most of the problems are engineered by the political enemies of this government.
“This is a democratically-elected government, elected for a second term but does not find it necessary to have a national political adviser, that is disturbing for me, because to me the government does not seem to accord premium to finding political solutions to its problems and unless they have politicians who would help them find in- roads to these problems politically, they would find it difficult to make progress.
“So, I will first of all advise Buhari to find political solutions to problems and place premium on it more than the military approach.
“Secondly, we have very serious economic and social challenges that are very clear to everybody.
“The Almajiri issue that has been lingering for decades is something this government can wipe out in two years if they are serious, am saying this because I’m part of the think-tank with the northern governors that has come up with solutions to addressing these issues and dealing decisively with the issue of out-of-school children and poverty is also crucial.
“When these issues are addressed, we would be wiping out the recruitment base for all these security challenges.
“Thirdly, it is important that this government addresses the problem of poverty.
“This government must be praised for some of the initiative introduced in addressing poverty which has not been given proper attention before now, but this government is doing it but they should be more serious about it and they must work in tandem with state governors to address poverty at the grassroots.”
Girei dropped a bombshell for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State saying, the current Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri will dump the PDP for APC, and will be the joker for the party’s victory in 2023.
Girei said he and some APC patriots in Adamawa State have made Fintiri the fulcrum of their grand master plan towards reviving the party’s fortunes and reclaiming the state in 2023.
Speaking on the fortunes of APC in Adamawa State, having lost the 2019 elections, Girei said: “I am an optimist and we are working hard to revive the party.
“The APC in Adamawa was destroyed by APC members in including the former governor, Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla.
“The few people in the party secretariat who supported him to implode the party’s fortunes are all regretting it now because we told them severally that any attempt to field Jibrilla Bindow as candidate of the party will lead to the implosion of the party because we already gauged the mood that Adamawa people will not vote for Bindow and thus APC will loose; unfortunately, they did not listen to us and they are all regretting it now.
“But as I said earlier, we are working hard to rebuild our party but not only rebuild our party but regain its lost glory.
“But fortunately also for us, we are very lucky in a way because we have succeeded in throwing away the useless government of Bindow and we now have a very progressive, dynamic, transparent, sincere young man as governor, who is working hard to rebuild the state and put it on a sound footing.
“One of our targets is to bring him back to APC for the party to win the state in 2023.
“We that are patriotic, dedicated and loyal members of the APC, are doing our very best to re-engineer this party and one of the best ways we think we can do this now, having seen this progressive governor in the opposition party is to bring him to our party and win the 2023 elections with him as the governor, as am already sure we will maintain the power at the federal level.”
Also speaking on the botched RevolutionNow protest, Girei said: “This thing they call RevolutionNow is a ruse because to the best of my knowledge, a revolution is always driven by the people and citizens of a country not by a failed politician.
“This movement was obviously instigated by the looters and criminals who are so scared of Buhari’s stance to clampdown on corruption in his second term.
“Some of them were so corrupt that they would spend N14billion on jewellery, these kind of people would spend much more for the Sowore’s of this world, so Buhari should be commended.”
He added that: “It is unfortunate that our laws are still defective and have not created room for a stiff penalties and even when I was a member of the legislature.
“There is clear a difference between civil protest and a violent protest; a protest that was aimed at bringing government down is not good.
“People have been protesting in this country before, but Sowore said he wanted to bring down the roof, destroy federal, state and local government; while he has the right to protest, his right must not be allowed to trample on other people’s rights who want to live in peace.
“This protest is just an opportunity to create mayhem and lawlessness, and just like El Zakzaky and his men have said it openly that they are out to kill, so police had to do their jobs and prevent the breakdown of law and order.”
The ACF scribe explained that, “this protest was invented by those who are trying to protect their loot and that of their masters.”
The General Overseer of Firstlove Assembly and renowned preacher, Senior Pastor Simeon Afolabi, has highlighted the significance of thanksgiving, saying it remains one of the best ways to show gratitude to God, and also one of the ways to please God Almighty.
Pastor Afolabi gave the indication as the guest preacher at the annual thanksgiving celebration of Holy Hills Church in Port Harcourt last Saturday.
The 2025 Holy Hills Church annual thanksgiving, tagged, “Thanksgiving of God’s Mercies”, witnessed the gathering of christian faithful to celebrate God’s unwavering love and mercies despite insurmountable challenges.
The General Overseer said the essence of thanking God cannot be over-emphasised, considering the good things He is doing for mankind.
The renowned man of God said one of the ways to please God is not to take His act for granted but to thank Him for everything He has done.
He urged churches to endeavour to make thanksgiving their priority so as to attract more blessings from God.
Pastor Afolabi noted that gratitude is a way of God, hence, “it behooves us to do it every moment of the day,” and opined that the Holy Hills Church was on the right track by recognising God’s mercy and kindness through thanksgiving.
In his remarks, the General Overseer of Holy Hills Church and Chief Host, Pastor Sunny Ikonwa said the aim of the annual thanks- giving celebration was to thank God for His mercy, saying, the annual event which is like Christ Mass to his members could best be described as God’s faithfulness upon their lives.
He said the annuall meeting remains God’s project which the church attaches great importance to and ensures its success every year.
He noted that the church under him will continue to sensitise people and preach to them on the way of peace.
The cleric recalled that the church that started under a palm tree has made tremendous improvement by God’s grace.
Pastor Ikonwa said his mission which is doing what pleases his Maker remains his watchword.
The Holy Hills Church pastor said the mercy of God has been able to sustain his people, saying, the prayer of a Christian goes a long way to rekindle the heart of God, stressing that it is for this singular reason that the church had come in His presence with something measurable to it, as a way of showing appreciation.
According to him, anything big starts small just as his church has done.
He said to the glory of God, today, the church has been growing in His direction.
He, therefore, admonished Christians to have hope and faith in God in the face difficulties, urging the government to always put the interest of the people first, as it has everything it takes to make life meaningful for the citizenry.
Pastor Ikonwa noted that government should be able to implement policies geared towards bettering the lives of the people.
The climax of the programme was the cutting of the thanksgiving cake by the General Overseer and his wife .Various organs of the church also made special presentations to God.
The Nigeria Police Force has indicted the dreaded group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the killing of two police officers, and injuring of one civilian who was rushed to the hospital after sustaining bullet wounds in a coordinated attack in Imo State on June 11, 2024.
The State Police Command, had in a press release accused the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) of being responsible for the killing of the two police officers and injuring of a civilian at Akabo community in Ikeduru Council Area of Imo State.
According to the police, the incident was perpetrated in the early hours of the day by the hoodlums. They attacked one Christian Ama Chukwu in front of his shop at 79, Umudike, Umunnemoche Abazu, Akabo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, engaged them in a prolonged gun battle and ultimately repelled the attack. Unfortunately, two police personnel lost their lives in the attack. An unnamed civilian was also critically injured in the attack,and he sustained serious injuries in the course of the shootout.
Some residents who spoke with newsmen said the hoodlums were first noticed alighting from their vehicles and harassing residents for not participating in the seat-in or seat-at-home protests. They said the situation got out of control when they opened fire on an approaching police vehicle.
Another eye witness, IfechukwuOpara, said the gunmen then moved around the village in the community,shooting sporadically to aid their escape. “They were driving around the community in a reckless manner while shooting in the air to scare people away before they finally left”, he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Imo State Police Command, DSP Henry Okoye had confirmed the incident.
He described it as “a senseless, unwarranted and unprovoked act of violence which must not go unsolved.”
According to him, the police would not leave any stone unturned in the quest to arrest and prosecute the criminals.
Subsequently, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, had mobilised a Police Tactical Squad of the Command to track down the killers, and said, “As I am talking to you now, an intense operation is currently going on in Ikeduru Local Government Area with a view to apprehending the hoodlums responsible for the attack.”
DSP Okoye noted that killings were another painful and stark reminder of the sacrifices police officers make in the commitment to secure the country.
As the Ogoni cleanup programme being implemented by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) continues to record significant milestones across thematic areas, the Federal Government says such gestures further demonstrate President Bola Tinubu’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to environmental sustainability and ensuring the Project brings benefits to Ogoni people.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who made this assertion during the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water schemes in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, in line with HYPREP’s mandate to provide potable water to Ogoniland, said the provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life.
The latest commissioning brings the water stations to 16, providing access to potable water to 45 Ogoni communities , a development the Minister explains as part of President Tinubu’s commitment to peace ,environmental justice and socio-economic empowerment in Ogoniland, a beacon of hope for communities long affected by environmental degradation.
Lawal noted that the latest commissioning is restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource .
‘’The provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life. It also signifies a renewed commitment to ensuring that the people of Ogoniland reap the full benefits of environmental remediation efforts.We
will continue to ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to clean, safe and sustainable drinking water. With this initiative, we are not just commissioning infrastructure but restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource”, he said.
While commending the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, development partners, stakeholders and traditional rulers, among others for their relentless commitment towards the actualisation of these projects, he urged communities to protect and take ownership of the projects, emphasising that their longevity and effectiveness depend on their collective efforts of maintaining and protecting them for posterity.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey maintained that the Project remains resolute in its resolve to ensure that it completes and delivers all projects initiated within the time frame for the use and benefit of Ogoni people in line with the directives of the Governing Council and under the leadership of the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
To achieve this, Zabbey explained that “We
continue to work closely with community leaders, youth and women, contractors and other stakeholders to ensure solutions are identified and implementation continues smoothly.
‘’We remain guided by the principle of partnership, dialogue, transparency and accountability, knowing that sustainable progress is best achieved through collaboration and mutual understanding. That is the hallmark of HYPREP,” he said.
He appealed to the people to continue to reinforce peace and understanding, using dialogue as a vital tool for resolving disputes, especially around project sites and within communities, noting that the concurrent implementation of over 100 projects across Ogoniland reflects the seriousness and dedication of HYPREP, a momentum that must be sustained through mutual trust and collaboration.
For the Project Coordinator, the event was an ideal opportunity to provide a project status update to Ogoni people, as he excitedly announced the milestone achievements recorded so far to include environmental remediation-94 percent completion in Phase 1 of mangrove restoration; shoreline at 67.1percent; Phase 2 land remediation at 36.55 percent; potable water-14 completed water facilities inaugurated, supplying potable water to 40 Ogoni communities, while the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities last Saturday increased the number of communities with access to clean and safe water to 45.
Other milestones are the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) at 92 percent complete and the processes of operationalising the Centre has begun with the just concluded colloquium, while the Ogoni Power Project is progressing steadily with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations ongoing. The Ogoni Specialist Hospital is at 76.8 percent with 98.7 percent achieved in the Buan Cottage Hospital. The Ogoni public study being conducted by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); over 7,000 women and youths have benefited from various employment opportunities, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up skits, among other programmes.
Zabbey further hinted of the commencement of some demand-driven skills areas this quarter, which include cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, GIS and commercial diving.
In their separate goodwill messages, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Dumnamene Deekor; Chairman,Great Green Wall, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, MrNwizug Gordon; representative of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development, MrIgoWeli; former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani; and former Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya; all commended the Minister of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup programme.
Earlier, the Minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on Mene Bua Kenwigbara, King D.Y Barile, at his palace, where the former was conferred a chieftaincy title of MeneAnua Le Maa 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom; and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP as Mene doo Letam 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom.
Also decorated were the Chairman of Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari.
Highpoints of the event were the formal commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities by the Minister and the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Tony Attach,represented by MrIgoWeli; the symbolic issuance of education support Items;and the visit to the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park for symbolic tree planting by the Minister; the Project Coordinator; BoT Chairman; Senator Abe; IgoWeli; Director General, NEASRA, Prof Innocent Barikor; and Zina Wiwa, the daughter of the legendary environmentalist; and the visit to the CEER.
In two years, the Minister of Environment, has visited Ogoniland five times to commission 16 water stations, supplying potable water to 45 Ogoni communities and ensuring that other projects get equal attention, a clear demonstration of his unflinching commitment to the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme in line with Priority 3, Deliverable 3 of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and driven under the visionary and passionate leadership of Prof NenibariniZabbey as Project Coordinator.
By: Donatus Ebi
