News
Buhari, A Sectional Leader –Presidency
The Presidency, has described as unfortunate and sad the comments credited to a former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, that there will be bloodshed in 2015 if the general elections are rigged.
The Presidency also faulted the comments of Buhari on Boko Haram.
In a statement by presidential; spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, the Presidency said, “the attention of the Presidency has been drawn to unfortunate statements in the media made by former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) in which he allegedly predicted bloodshed in 2015 and labelled the Federal Government led by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as “the biggest Boko Haram”.
“But perhaps the most unfortunate part of the statement was the portion in which Buhari said that, ‘since the leaders now don’t listen to anybody but do whatever they wish, there is nothing the North can do.’
“We find it very sad that an elder statesman who once presided over the entirety of Nigeria can reduce himself to a regional leader who speaks for only a part of Nigeria. We now understand what his protégé and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir El’Rufai, meant when he wrote in a public letter in October of 2010, telling Nigerians that Buhari remains “perpetually unelectable” and that Buhari’s “insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known.” Who can know Buhari better than his own political associate?
“Come to think of it, as the CPC presidential candidate in the 2011 election, how many states in the Federation did he visit to campaign for votes? Buhari never bothered to campaign in the southern part of the country and consistently played up the North-South divide to the chagrin of patriotic and well-meaning Nigerians. As the results revealed, Nigerians will never vote for anyone who wants to divide the country. Is Buhari going to continue to be a sectional leader?
“The Federal Government led by President Jonathan is not Boko Haram. Boko Haram means Western Education is sin. That being the case, one wonders how a government that devoted the largest sectoral allocation in the 2012 budget to education could be said to be Boko Haram. Between 1983, when Buhari forcefully seized power from the democratically elected administration of President Shehu Usman Shagari, and 2012, no other administration has committed the same quantum of resources as the Jonathan administration to education in the part of Nigeria that has witnessed the most Boko Haram-related insecurity.
“Only on April 10, 2012, President Jonathan commissioned the first of 400 Federal Government Model Almajiri Schools, equipped with modern facilities such as a language laboratory, Qur’an recitation hall, classrooms and dormitories as well as a clinic, vocational workshop, dining hall and quarters for the Mallams. As Nigerians read this, more of such schools have been completed.
“We now challenge Major General Buhari (rtd) to tell Nigerians what he has done, whether in his capacity as the head of a military junta or in his private capacity, to bring education to vulnerable children. If he cannot live up to this challenge, perhaps he has to reassess who really is Boko Haram.
“Buhari claims that the Federal Government does not listen. Such an accusation ought not to emanate from a man overthrown by his own hand- picked colleagues in the military for refusing to listen to advice and behaving as if he had a monopoly of knowledge.
“It is on record that the Federal Government led by President Jonathan is a listening administration, hence, its decision to pursue all means of resolving the Boko Haram insurgency including through dialogue.
“When Buhari says that ‘if what happens in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, ‘the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood’, we hereby state that it is Buhari himself who does not listen. He has obviously refused to listen to the Nigerian people, the European Union, the Commonwealth Monitoring Group, the African Union and a multitude of independent electoral monitors who testified that the 2011 elections were free and fair and ‘the best elections since Nigeria returned to civil rule.’
“Indeed, such a reaction from Buhari is not totally unexpected since he has become a serial election loser who has never taken his past election defeats graciously even when such elections were generally acknowledged to be free and fair.
“Still on the issue of Boko Haram, we wonder what locus a man whose party’s Secretary General, Buba Galadima, told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in December, 2010, that the Federal Government is underestimating the support base of Boko Haram, has to accuse a government that has been threatened on camera by the leaders of Boko Haram of itself being Boko Haram?
“Major General Buhari (rtd) also boasts of his knowledge of the Petroleum Industry because of his time as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum. We wonder why he did not boast of the infamous scandal that occurred in that ministry where under his watch billions of Naira (in the 1970s) were reported stolen, a matter which led to the setting up of the Justice Ayo Irikefe panel.
“Finally, we wish to make it known to Buhari that given his reference to ‘dogs and baboons’, perhaps his best course of action would be to travel to the zoo of his imagination because President Goodluck Jonathan was elected by human beings to preside over human beings and it is human beings who will determine what happens in Nigeria at any material time not ‘dogs and baboons’.”
The Nigerian Army says it has taken into custody Christopher Emmanuel, who allegedly assaulted a female vendor, Doshima, in Kula, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue.
This was contained in a statement by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 401 Special Forces Brigade, Makurdi, Capt. Abdullahi Osabo, yesterday.
Osabo said the Headquarters Operation Whirl Stroke took cognisance of the incident, which occurred on May 6 and reported on May 8.
He said the incident might have stemmed from a dispute over an unpaid debt, with allegations suggesting that the soldier claimed the woman insulted him during a phone conversation.
According to him, it is further alleged that this confrontation may have escalated into a physical altercation, which is now under investigation.
“Private Christopher Emmanuel is currently in custody, and a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for human rights abuses and will take disciplinary action based on findings of the investigation.
“The leadership of the Nigerian Army assures the general public and the victim that justice will be served in line with the military’s high standards.
“OPWS strongly condemns any form of indiscipline or human rights abuse by its personnel,” he said.
Osabo urged members of the public to report any instances of abuse by Nigerian army personnel to the Human Rights Desk helpline instead of using social media.
He gave the assurance that all reports of infractions by army personnel were viewed seriously, investigated, and sanctions applied where personnel were found culpable.
“We appreciate your understanding and cooperation,” he added.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will hold a valedictory court session on Wednesday, May 14, to honour the late Justice Emmanuel Ogwuegbu, a former Justice of the court who passed away in October last year.
The session is scheduled to take place at 2.pm in the main courtroom of the Supreme Court.
A statement issued yesterday by the Director of Information and Public Relations of the apex Court, Dr Festus Akande, revealed that the late judicial icon died peacefully in his sleep on October 28, 2024, at the age of 91.
Born on March 16, 1933, in Amainyi, Ihitte-Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, Justice Ogwuegbu rose from a humble background to become a towering figure in the legal profession.
He was appointed a judge of the High Court of Imo State in November 1976, serving as Administrative Judge of the Owerri Judicial Division from 1976 to 1979. He later served in the same capacity in the Aba Judicial Division in 1980.
Elevated to the Court of Appeal in September 1987, Justice Ogwuegbu served in the Ibadan and Lagos Divisions before his appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in April 1992.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the judiciary, he was seconded by the Federal Government to serve on the Supreme Court bench of The Gambia from December 1999 to 2002.
He returned to Nigeria to continue his meritorious service at the Supreme Court until his retirement on 16 March 2003.
The valedictory session will be presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
Tributes will be paid to the late Justice Ogwuegbu by the Chief Justice and other key stakeholders in the nation’s justice sector.
The session will also be attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
A total of 86 Nigerian Army captains will be sitting for the 2025 written promotion examination in Benin.
The week-long examination will run from May 12 through May 16 and is being hosted by the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport (NASST).
Speaking at the opening session on Sunday in Benin, Maj. Gen. Kevin Aligbe, commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and president of the examination saluted the candidates for reaching this pivotal point in their careers.
He described the examination as a major stepping stone to higher responsibilities and called for professionalism, discipline and zero tolerance for examination malpractice.
“The examination is part of the Nigerian Army’s structured promotion process aimed at building a professional, disciplined and merit-driven officer corps, in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision of a capable and responsive force.
“This is an opportunity to make a solid progression in your chosen career.
“Let me assure you that if you have prepared well, you will pass this exam without resorting to any form of malpractice. We expect nothing short of a 100 per cent success,” he said.
According to him, the examination is a key prerequisite for promotion to the rank of major while also urging all participants to give it their best, especially those making a second attempt.
He noted that only three chances were allowed by the army policy.
Mr Aligbe however, warned that any candidate caught cheating, discussing answers in the hall or violating security protocols would be disqualified and made to face further disciplinary action.
He also disclosed that awards and commendation letters, including cash prizes would be given to candidates who rank first, second and third.
He added: “our desire is to see all of you pass”, while assuring fairness and transparency in the marking process.
In his welcome address, Maj. Gen. Adebayo Adegbite, commandant of NASST, said the school was honoured to host the promotion exam.
He noted that the examination marks a critical milestone in the career development of officers.
“You have undergone a rigorous one-month preparatory cadder.
“The mock exam assessed your readiness. We expect good performance.
“Be reminded of the security situation in Benin. Avoid unnecessary movements. Move in pairs and be security conscious,” he said.
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