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Buhari Defends UK Trip, Meet Blair …Speaks On Future Of Nigeria, Thursday
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Rivers State, Hon Chuma C. Chinye (left) presenting an award to Executive Director, MCC Nig Ltd., Mr Nelson Jaja (right) during the Garden City Corporate Award, organised by Ministry of Commerce and Industry at Atlantic Hall, Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt recently. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson
The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, has dismissed reports that he visited a London hospital to attend to his health.
Buhari was reacting to the allegation by Governor Ayo Fayose that the APC presidential candidate was being attended to in a London hospital.
According to Fayose, Buhari’s alleged visit to the hospital corroborated his alarm that the former military dictator was sick and lacked the required capacity to rule a complex country like Nigeria.
Buhari, who spoke to our source from London, said: “I am hale and hearty. I am not in any hospital as claimed. I just finished having talks with the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, in his country home. I would be having another meeting with the Awujale of Ijebuland soon. Apart from this, I am also visiting some friends. As you can hear from my voice, I am hale and hearty with some of my friends around me”.
Also, in a statement issued the same day, the presidential campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) debunked Fayose’s claims that Buhari was hospitalised in London.
The party which issued a statement on Saturday to explain Buhari’s itinerary, said contrary to insinuations that he was receiving treatment in UK, the former Head of State was scheduled to hold discussions and interviews with some groups and organisations while in London.
The statement from the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), said Buhari planned to honour an engagement at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House in London scheduled for Thursday, February 26.
According to the campaign organisation, Chatham House will post the event and send out invites on Monday, February 23.
Spokesman of APC campaign organisation, Malam Garba Shehu, said, “We are not even going to engage with Fayose, he is not our type. All we will do is to intimate Nigerians with Buhari’s activities while in London. First, he has met with former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair and his group and there will be other engagements that will follow including the lecture at the Chaattam House in London. We will put out these facts when we are ready and it will shame detractors,” he said.
The statement signed by Malam Garba Shehu reveals that as part of his ongoing engagement in the United Kingdom, General Buhari had an interview yesterday with a local medium, the “All Eyes on Africa TV Show” with Kemi Fajodutimi and met with Tony Blair in the morning of Saturday, February 21.
Shehu said Buhari also visited the London residence of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, at about 1.30 pm UK time on Saturday and returned to his rented flat in the city afterwards.
Meanwhile, the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to call one of his party’s governors, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti to order over his continued pestering of their candidate, Buhari, with falsehood and death wishes.
Shehu said the APC had learnt on good authority that Governor Fayose had hired people in London who had been trailing the movements of the APC presidential candidate while on his working visit in the city.
“Let it be on record that knowing Governor Fayose’s antecedents, we are not leaving anything to chances. The governor who has published death-wish advertorials on Buhari will stop at nothing. If anything should happen to General Muhammadu Buhari while in London or anywhere, the authorities over there in the UK and at home should know who to hold responsible,” he said.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
