Rally Round Semenitari To Move The NDDC And The Niger Delta Forward - SYA

Swift Youth Alliance has called on the elders of Eket Federal Constituency to rally round Mrs Semenitari and president Buhari to move the Niger Delta forward.

In a press release signed by the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Adewole said the Elders should do away with politics and support their daughter to take the NDDC to the promise land.

Below is the full statement of the group:

The attention of Swift Youth Alliance has been drawn to statement credited to “Elders” of Eket Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State protesting the appointment of a Rivers State indigene, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, as the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

We would like to remind the Elders that the NDDC is not solely for a particular State of the Niger Delta and President Buhari has the power and right to appoint whosoever will make his administration to move smoothly just as the former President had the right and power when he appointed Mr. Abia as the Managing Director.   

On the claim by one of the elders and former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Essien Nduese, that the  his replacement in whatever capacity, would have been from the same state as one that had been fired is totally wrong as President Buhari believes more in results rather than sectional leadership.

We want the Elders to tell Nigerians how the sack and replacement of Abia was illegal.

They also claimed that Mrs. Ibim Semenitari is a politician, so politicians are not entitled to hold any position in the country even when they are qualified for such position?

The last statement from the so called Elders has shown that the PDP are behind their agitation with this statement “The forum, however, also condemned what they called an attempt by the Federal Government to use its might to remove Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, through court process.

Nduese stated that Emmanuel was a mandate that had been freely given by majority of Akwa Ibom people, but for unexplained reasons had become subject of mischiefs of agent of the ruling All Progressives Congress in their desperate march to capture oil rich states of Akwa Ibom; Rivers, and Bayelsa, by force.”

Since that Forum said they have faith in the judiciary,I wonder why they are scared of the Federal Government-led APC in the dispensation of justice.

We therefore called on the Elders to support and join Mrs Ibim Semenitari to move the NDDC and the Niger Delta forward.

Finally, we called on the Elders to rally round the Change government of President Buhari to move the Niger Delta to the promise land.

Adewole Kehinde

National Coordinator,

Swift Youth Alliance

08166240846  

Let Join Hands With The Government Towards Building A Virile, Vibrant And Profitable Transportation Industry - Amaechi

Text of the Press Briefing by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on Wednesday December 23rd, 2015.  

Protocol,

We are delighted to welcome you to this first interaction with our media stakeholders in the transportation sector. We are certain this would be the first of many such interactions in the light of President Buhari administration’s commitment to accountability and open government. Since we assumed office as Ministers, I and my colleague – the Honourable Minster of State for Aviation have received briefs from different departments and agencies of the ministry and have also embarked on a fact – finding tour. These briefings and tour have enabled us to firm our workplan and policy direction in line with the determination of this administration to lay solid foundation, and improve critical infrastructure that will reflect on our economy.

The transportation sector holds the key to any economy and forms the basis of all socio-economic interactions. Like many other countries, Nigeria suffers the bane of inadequate transportation but perhaps worse than other countries. Nigeria’s huge population puts enormous pressure on a very poor transport infrastructure that bedevils the nation.

The problems of Nigerian transport system include bad roads, inadequate fleet of busses and trucks; irregular and inadequate trains and airplanes services and congested ports. In line with these, are physical problems such as the dearth of suitably trained transport managers and planners, capital restructuring bottlenecks, serious issues of institutional reforms and ineffective traffic regulations.

The contribution of the transport sector to the Gross National Product is an unacceptable 1.41%. For a sector that plays a major role in the nation’s development, there is an urgent need to exploit the opportunities that abound within the sector to improve its contribution to the national economy.

Countries like South Korea and Singapore have built their economies around a vibrant transportation sector. Although Nigeria is blessed with multiple modes of transportation that is the envy of many, these potentials have largely remained untapped. Our air transport and railways sub-sectors hold the key to unlocking the vast potentials in our cities and rural areas.

The Buhari administration is determined to fully exploit the potentials in the transportation sector. As a first step, the government will pursue the enactment of legislation that will open up the sector to new investments that will lead to economic prosperity. Among the bills that is ready for legislative action is the National Transport Commission Bill – an act to provide for the establishment of a National Transport Commission as an independent multi-modal economic regulator and other related matters. This bill among others have been approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2014.

RAILWAYS

This sub sector has suffered significant neglect in the past though it is the most effective and cheapest mode of mass transportation for both passengers and freight. During the hey days of Nigerian Railway Corporation, railway was the fastest means of transporting mass freight between different regions of the nation thus reducing pressure on road usage; these included petroleum

and agricultural products.

The current state of the railway is an indication of the serious neglect of this important sub-sector occasioned by poor policy initiation and implementation. This has led to the proliferation of privately owned and operated road haulage services resulting in unregulated and chaotic situation on the nations roads. Nigerian Railway Corporation has been effectively reduced to uneconomically unviable venture dependent on government subvention without any return on the huge investments.

The present administration is determined to revamp the railway sector with a view to enhancing national integration by encouraging mass transit of passengers and goods between and across the geographical regions of the country. The immediate impact will be the reduction of haulage of heavy cargoes by roads thus reducing road damage and increasing the life span of roads.

The movement of petroleum products by rail will be re-introduced in 2016. As you are aware, we have commenced and almost completed the narrow gauge rehabilitation which will be retained for the movement of cargoes. At the same time massive investments into the standard gauge to link most parts of the country with faster trains for passenger movements has begun. In2016, we hope to complete work on the Abuja-Kaduna railway lines as Mr. President is highly committed to it. Work will start in earnest on the standard gauge on the following routes:

1. Calabar-Lagos line which will transverse the following towns and cities. Obudu Cattle Ranch-Calabar-Uyo-Aba-PHYenagoa-Otuoke-Yenagoa-Ughelli-Sapele-Benin-Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha-Benin-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Sagamu-Lagos Seaports.

2. Lagos-Kano. Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-Minna-Kaduna- Kano. The construction of new lines and rehabilitation of old railway lines will generate over 250,000 direct jobs and more indirect jobs while having multi-pliers effect on economic activities. With the resuscitation of commercial traffic from Port Harcourt to Aba amongst others, we have begun the revitalization of this key sub-sector of the Nigerian economy.

MARITIME

The maritime sector globally is largely private sector driven with governments providing the appropriate policy and regulatory framework to improve investments and safeguard the nation’s waterways. In Nigeria, the potentials in the maritime sector remains largely untapped. This sector’s contribution to the nations GDP is appreciable. Government will implement policies that encourage private sector participation and investments towards diversification and growth of the nations economy.

Government will streamline all the agencies in the maritime sector for a more effective and efficient performance to meet the expectations of all stakeholders. For example is attempt to improve the clearance of good at the reports within 48 hours time period.

AVIATION

The aviation industry in Nigeria has not been without its peculiar problems in the recent past which includes but not limited to weak airlines and decaying infrastructure. The ministry of transportation in collaboration with relevant parastatals and agencies have drawn up short term plans that are currently being implemented of which the traveling public will take notice of the improvements in the not distant future. These plans include the expeditious completion of on going airports remodeling projects at Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt and the decongestion of airports access roads among several others. The new terminal in Lagos will generate additional 15 million passengers annually making a total of 30 million passengers yearly nationwide. The medium and long term plans will require significant investments to upgrade and expand infrastructures to meet current and future requirements.

As a result of limited resources for capital projects development, government is exploring the possibility of private sector participation to towards the realization of the industries’ potentials.

The ministerial committee on the National Airline has submitted its report the President which the government is studying carefully and will announce its decision in due course.

In June of this year, Nigeria scored 96.45% during the International Civil Aviation Security Audit. Despite this feat, the nation can ill afford to let its guards down considering recent events in the international scene where passenger airplanes have been blown out of the skies. Subsequently in accordance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Security Program (NCASP) and International Aviation Organization (ICAO) annex 17, the Federal Government is looking to overhaul and streamline the security

apparatus at the nations airports for a seamless and more effective security surveillance and enforcement. This will also improve facilitation and passenger experience.. The use of appropriate technology and customized training for security personnel will play a major role in this process. The purpose of all these measures is to work smarter in achieving stated goals and targets.

With regards to the operators and service providers, they must operate within the ambit of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and International Civil Aviation Organization Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) or face the full wrath of the law and extant regulations. This has become necessary as we cannot afford any mishap. Ladies and gentlemen, safety and security is non negotiable.

CONCLUSION

Efforts will be re-doubled towards the recovery of debts owed to the ministry and all its parastatals and agencies to mitigate the effects of dwindling resources. The ministry through its regulatory agencies will ensure strict compliance with all laws and regulations. In this regard there will no sacred cows. All stakeholders in the transportation sector are encouraged to join hands with the government towards building a virile, vibrant and profitable industry.

Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, having toured the various parastatals and agencies; the enormity of the tasks ahead has become much clearer.

The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is in the process of developing a national transportation master – plan that will be implemented as a fulfilment one of his campaign promises to diversify the national economy while improving non oil sector

revenues. While reducing dependence on oil revenues it will also develop the rural economy, reduce unemployment and urban drift.

We understand and appreciate the issues clearly and are committed to ensuring the goals and targets of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government in the transportation sector are met in earnest for the benefits of our people and the nation.

I thank you for listening, God bless you all and the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

RT Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON

Honourable Minister of Transportation

December 23, 2015.

Yuletide: Onu Pays Surprise Visit To Umahi

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has paid a surprise visit to Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi at his country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Neither Onu nor Umahi spoke to the press after the visit which was seen by a large gathering at the Umahi compound ass ending a seemingly political animosity between the two Uburu-born politicians.

The governor belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party while Onu, a former governor of the old Abia State, is a member of the All Progressives Congress.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ohaozara LGA, Justice Ogbonna, described the visit as  a sign of peace and unity in Uburu community.

The visit has put to rest the peoples’ insinuation that Dr. Onu and our governor are not enjoying good relationship, forgetting that both of them come from the same community’’, the council chairman  said.

He described governor Umahi as a special gift to the people of Ebonyi State who has within a short time of his administration recorded many achievements.

Others that paid Christmas homage to the governor were the state Commissioner of Police, Peace Abdallah, a delegation from the Ezza South LGA , Association of Persons with Disabilities, Abakaliki Main Market Traders Association and Governor Umahi’s 1976 classmates in Uburu.

Addressing the people of Ezza South,Engr. Umahi  described the Ezza nation as a major force behind his success at the April governorship election.

He saluted the courage displayed by them during the electioneering period even in the face of intimidation.

Explaining that the appointment of many Ezza people as his cabinet members  was a reward for their strong support and commitment, he promised to energise  Onueke in the first quarter of next year in the ongoing rural electrification in the state.

The member representing  Ikwo/ Ezza Federal Constituency, Chief Lazarus Ogbee, assured Umahi of the continued support of the people of Ezza . He said that the National Assembly would remain focused in 2016 to make good laws that would improve the lives of every Nigerian.

Leave Me To Enjoy My Peace, Atiku Tells Mischief Makers

Former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) Atiku Abubakar advises political mischief makers to allow him enjoy his peace and desist from sinister propaganda designed to draw a wedge between him and President Muhammadu Buhari, in order to cause needless distrust and distractions in the President's government.

Reacting to insinuations by what he calls "political mischief makers and enemies of unity", who allege that he has been hosting political meetings at Burj Al-Arab, Dubai, the former Vice President says contrary to the rumours being bandied around by political opponents, he is currently in Dubai with his family for physiotherapy on his injured knee.

A press statement released by his media office in Abuja on Sunday, 27 December 2015 and signed by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe says the former Vice President is embarrassed by the deliberate falsehoods being spread against him by political opponents who are bent on causing distraction for President Buhari at a time all energies should be channelled into helping the President actualise his change agenda.

Describing rumour mongers as "ill-motivated busybodies that don't wish the country well", the Turaki Adamawa explains that his medical treatment is his private affairs, which should not be politicised by anybody to achieve sinister objectives.

Atiku Abubakar says he is entitled to enjoy his private life, including the right to attend to his health, without being harassed and lied against by political opponents.

Contrary to the insinuations by political opponents, the former Vice President says the success of the Buhari administration has been his preoccupation, and that any true APC member should have the same zeal.

According to him, rumour mongers that seek to cause distrust and distraction in Buhari's government do not mean well for the APC administration.

The former Vice President says with the challenges of providing good governance for the country and creating job opportunities for Nigerians, including reducing the impact of poverty, President Buhari needs all the goodwill and support in this endeavour.

"Whether at home or abroad, the Turaki is preoccupied with his unassailable support to President Buhari and his administration, especially in this critical time, as it works assiduously to turn the fortunes of our dear country around and make Nigeria work for the greater good of Nigerians".

According to Atiku, rumour mongers and mischief makers are toxic to the progress of the APC and the country at large, adding that the campaigns are gone, and therefore, all energies should be constructively devoted to the success of the Buhari administration.

"This is yet another plot of the enemies of our country and democracy to divide, divert attention and distract the APC in its avowed commitment to secure the country, provide jobs for the mass of unemployed youths, build needed critical infrastructure, enthrone a regime of probity and accountability and pull the country out of the economic woods it has been consigned to by locust years of mismanagement."

PDP Leaders Praising Buhari are Afraid Because They Have Corruption Skeletons in their Cupboards -Deji Adeyanju

    

Prince Deji Adeyanju

   

I read the press statement of one of our most respected leaders, Senator David Mark, commending President Buhari and urging Nigerians to give him time, and I ask, when did we all become cowards in this nation? Suddenly, the respected David Mark, who has been a senator since the advent of democracy in 1999 and two time Senate President of our great nation, is suddenly afraid that if he does not patronize president Buhari and sing his praises he might not win the re-run election for his Benue South senatorial district.       

It is disheartening to read some of the comments by people who are supposed to be strong opposition figures in our nation. What these our leaders do not seem to understand is that you do not patronize dictators or appeal to them. You challenge them, you dare them to their faces. You face them squarely. Dictators get emboldened when they see that you are afraid of them. It is the collective responsibility of the oppressed and the victimized to challenge every dictator and see to the quick change of such dictatorial regimes through any legal means possible and not to be begging and appealing to them.     

The other day, it was Senators Stella Oduah and Ben Murray Bruce who were singing the praises of Buhari over the budget presentation. A budget that failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians, address core issues of the economy, unemployment and insecurity; an unrealistic budget, and a budget that has been termed a fraud by our great party, the PDP, but only for our elected senators to take a disparagingly different view from the official position of the party and turn around to praise the president. Some people have said Senators Stella Oduah and Ben Murray Bruce have the right to express their personal opinions on the budget and other national issues but I disagree with this assertion completely. Will a Republican or Labor party senator in the United States of America or United Kingdom disagree with the official position of his party on a fundamental issue such as this and make it public? The answer is never! Senators Ben Bruce and Stella Oduah are no longer private citizens but elected members of the National Assembly on the platform of the People's Democratic Party. They would not have become senators if not for the party on whose platform they contested and won the election. No elected member of the PDP should publicly go against the official position of the party because this is the worst form of indiscipline a politician can demonstrate.

Since independent candidacy is not recognized in our constitution, political parties are the vehicles by which many aspirants ride to power and as such these politicians cannot continue to deride the platform on which they got to power. Have you ever seen or read any APC member going against the official position of their party? If you are afraid of Buhari because you embezzled public funds or have some skeletons in your cupboard while you were in government and cannot speak boldly like an opposition member, why do you not just go and join Buhari in APC like Rotimi Amaechi and others who today have immunity from prosecution because they defected to APC? If you really like the leadership style of Buhari why not go and join him in the APC? You should not be in our great party and be demoralizing our teeming members and supporters.         

The Olisa Metuhs, Ayo Fayoses and Femi Fani-Kayodes' way is the only way to go. Face the dictator, look at him straight in the eyes and tell him to go straight to hell where he rightly belongs. When a terrorist group like the Boko Haram apprehends someone they believe to be an unbeliever, "kafir", and they want to behead him, it would make absolutely no sense to start begging or appealing to them. What is expected of you to do is to look them straight in the eyes and spit on their ugly faces, then face death bravely and courageously knowing full well that you are going to meet your Heavenly Father, and that angels would rejoice when they see you.  It will be despicable of you to be in that ugly situation, then you deny the faith, you begin to beg them, start appealing and accept their own belief. No matter the volume of your tears, pleadings and compromise, they would still behead you.

I therefore urge the leadership of the People's Democratic Party, to henceforth, sound a clear note of warning to every elected member of our party never to go against the official position of the party and be ready to take disciplinary measures against anyone that flouts this warning. Political parties cannot be administered without party discipline.

Merry Christmas to all our members and supporters

“Wike, Appointing The Entire PDP Members In Rivers State As Special Advisers Will Not Save You,” - APC

In view of recent judgments by the Appeal Courts on the National Assembly and Rivers State House of Assembly petitions over the 2015 elections, the outgoing governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike has embarked on a number of illegal actions occasioned by his desperation to remain in power.

Despite having earlier appointed 12 Special Advisers and other Senior Special Assistants, who are mainly with no briefs, he hurriedly allocated functions to 20 Commissioners he had appointed without swearing in for over a month.

Sensing that he is only buying time by approaching the Supreme Court over the nullification of his sham election as governor, Nyesom Wike decided to ask the erstwhile Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly [RSHA], Ikuinyi Awaji-Ibani to step aside while the only RSHA member whose case was settled at the time, Adams Dabotoru Dima, was installed Speaker, the calculation being that the Speaker will become the acting governor should the Supreme Court uphold the concurrent judgments of the Tribunal and the Appeal Court nullifying Wike’s election.

The APC has sadly observed that despite not having a quorum after the recent Appeal Court judgments, the RSHA was forced by Nyesom Wike to illegally reconvene to carry out functions such as confirmation of the appointment of Daisy Okocha as the Chief Judge of the State amongst other illegal actions.

Today, the governor has announced the swearing in of another batch of 15 Special Advisers who will never be allocated any functions because there are no more functions left. The single purpose behind these primitive, puerile and laughable appointments is the feverish desperation of Nyesom Wike to remain in power and the fear of the forth-coming re-run elections.

Therefore, the APC is urging the visibly confused governor to simply take the nominal roll of all PDP members in the 23 LGAs of Rivers State and, in one fell swoop, appoint, swear in and declare all of them Special Advisers. May be, this will make things a lot easier for him and his party.

In a related development, the APC has observed a sharp upsurge in shootings, killings and violence generally since Gov. Wike incited his followers not to report any slap on them to the Police but return such a slap 3 times. The killing of innocent citizens including police personnel has since taken a new turn in the past fortnight. We believe that security agencies would do the needful in establishing the nexus between Wike’s inciting speech and the new dimension of violence across Rivers State.

The APC is happy that Governor Nyesom Wike has taken his lawlessness and obscene lust for power to the Ugwumabiri or marketplace. It is left for the good people of Rivers State and indeed Nigerians generally to see who the real Nyesom Wike is.

Chris Finebone,
State Publicity Secretary

Sat, December 26, 2015

"‪#‎Buharigate‬" As The Limit Of Obstructionist Politics

By Garba Shehu    

As the war on corruption heightens, the political battle-line between the governing All Progressives Congress, APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has sharply been drawn.         

While leaders from both parties voice out their support for the clean-up of the country by ridding it of corruption, the National Working Committee of the PDP seems clearly to be working contrary to the anti-corruption rhetoric of their Board of Trustees. Their public communication organs have, in particular, become increasingly combative against the exercise. All that the President, leading the APC change orchestra is trying to do is to revamp a moribund nation with growth, jobs and recovered looted funds. Sadly, only a few, if any in Wadata House are treating the war against corruption as the extra-ordinary event which it is. Instead, when they speak up, they do so most ardently against it. In a clear demonstration of abstructist politics, they challenge the government in every move it makes, but fail to spell out alternative roadmaps to curbing the monstrous corruption that threatens to consume the country; they rush to condemn and dramatize even the smallest of measures which, given time and patience will manifest through positive outcomes. 

Doing this gives the PDP the illusion of being an effective opposition party but taken in the context of national interest and the mood of the nation, it is doubtful it it is yielding anything beyond limited political returns. To most Nigerians, the cacophonous opposition is just a media spectacle to distract or mellow the President.

After an historic loss in an election to the opposition for the first time in the annals of this country’s political history, PDP has not looked inwards in any serious way to seek its revival. The first and major leap at reform ended disastrously when first, the party establishment rejected a well-timed apology tendered on its behalf for their past failures. Then, the leader of the reform movement got himself mired in allegations leading to court charges of the theft of billions of Naira voted for weapons purchase to fight terror in the North East. Chief Raymond Dokpesi's trial ( and Col. Dasuki's) is no doubt a serious blow to any prospects of a turn-around in the PDP.        

The party did not seek democratize their internal organization, a major reason for their implosion leading to the loss of the election or began thinking innovatively about the challenges of modern day Nigeria, nor have they got a "Plan B" that is inviting to the voters.

It is this failure to reckon with, or look at the real issues confronting the party and the nation that led to their call for an investigation of President Buhari for having been supplied two jeeps by the erstwhile Jonathan administration after the personal bullet-proof jeep he owned was bombed by yet unknown assailants. 

As the Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina said, issuance of the cars,soon after this incident was merely a face-saving move, intended to cover the government's failure to keep its duty to this particular former leader. The law, cited as the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (and other Ancillary Matters), entitles former Nigerian Presidents including General Muhammadu Buhari to “three vehicles to be bought by the Federal Government and liable to be replaced every four years”.       

Cars are just a few in a litany of entitlements written in that law although it is contestable to say that General Buhari had been given his due entitlements by successive administrations as provided thereunder. Regime after regime treated him as if he was not a former Head of State.     

General Abacha came on the saddle and wanted to throw everything at Buhari who, knowing his very nature declined virtually but his military pension. The military in particular treated him so badly that its leaders kept silent when the PDP charged that he didn't have WAEC papers. One shameless Army Records officer said that the former Head of State had no records at all under their system. General Buhari went without a full compliment of armed guards from the army he served at the highest level until the dastardly bomb attack on his convoy in April 2014. It was at this time that the Chief of Army Staff at that time thought it necessary to reinstate the armed convoy to protect him. When they brought the two cars within a few days of his being bombed, the staff of the General were merely informed that this was from the Federal Government in fulfillment of its obligation to him. Since this was an entitlement long-overdue, not minding that it came short of what was expected, there was absolutely nothing wrong on the part of the General for accepting that which was due to him.      

This hashtag “#Buharigate” was intended as a counterpoise to "Dasukigate," the phenomenal corruption scheme by which money intended for weapons to fight terror was shared among PDP leaders. It was a fake intervention and a malicious propaganda against the president, obviously intended to detract from his enormously huge reputational capital, the basis on which the APC nation-wide victory was founded.       

The #Buharigate failed to gain traction because was seen as an opposition overreach and a desperate attempt to tarnish his hard-earned name and nothing more. No serious blogger therefore paid a serious attention to it.          

This baseless allegation that the President had benefitted from the diversion of money intended to fight insurgency under the former National Security Adviser equally underlines the cruel nature of today’s politics, that even the best personal examples cannot keep a leader from the tar brush of the      opponent. 

Apart from seeking to mellow the President, I suspect that the opposition had thought these attacks would revive the collapsed fortunes of the PDP while at the same time projecting their leaders as victims of persecution in the hands of the APC administration.      

What however is encouraging in the country today is that Nigerians have thrown their full weight behind the war on corruption. This itself is an account the constructive nature of the government’s engagement against the vice and the determination with which it is being fought. Adding impetus and flavor is the frustration at the routionisation of corruption by the last administration and their inadequate and impotent efforts to curb and punish high-profile offenders.   

My concluding augment is that President Buhari’s election and war against terrorism and corruption have become a template. In Niger, Chad and Ghana where there will be elections next year, opposition candidates are parading themselves as the “Buhari” of their own country.        

President Buhari must have himself been embarrassed by calls, through newspaper articles, posters and banners in the course of his visits to these friendly countries, saying “we want Buhari type elections; we will wage Buhari-type anti-corruption war”. One Chadian political party published an advertorial asking their government to procure and issue permanent voters cards as well as the use of card readers in the coming election and if the funds were not available, “let us borrow from Nigeria” for the coming elections.      

President Buhari was and is far, far away from, and remains untouched by the “Dasukigate”. “#Buharigate” is therefore a fraud and an unbecoming spectacle designed to tarnish the illustrious record of the President so as to mellow his anti-corruption drive. It failed because it was born out of desperation to gain sympathy by an opposition that can’t heal itself unless it comes to terms with the danger of corruption they thrived in, and the party's internal structures are overhauled and remade to meet the minimum requirements of a democratic organization.

Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity