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Buhari gives reason he won’t miss Aso Rock

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President Muhammdu Buhari has said he will not miss Aso Rock much because he is being harassed, noting that his efforts to make the country better is not good enough and appreciated by some people.

Buhari said this while speaking at a private dinner organised by his family and very close associates on Friday, to celebrate his 80th birthday tagged “Celebrating A Patriot, a Leader, an Elder Statesman.”

When asked what he (Buhari) will miss about the presidency when he leaves, Buhari said: “I wonder if I am going to miss much. I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still my best is not good enough.

“Because there are people around that think that they can intimidate me to get what they want instead of going through certain systems to earn whatever they want to earn. And they are some people who want to be clever by half.”

President Buhari described the claim that he was dead and Jibril Aminu from Sudan’ occupying the presidential villa in Aso Rock, as a joke that was not funny.

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According to him, some Nigerians have a way of creating humour to feast on something they do not understand, adding that the rumour that he was dead and one Jubril from Sudan was the work of of some mischief makers to demonstrate their cheekiness.

Asked if he heard about the crazy rumour a while back that he was not Buhari, he replied, smiling, “Yes! People said I am somebody from Sudan. I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves.”

Also asked whether he finds such things funny, the President said: “No. It’ is not funny because those who made those statement, they just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue.

“Our main issue is to do the infrastructure, make people aware that they need to work hard to live well. They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on.”

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Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has vowed that he won’t disappoint President Muhammadu Buhari if elected president of the country in 2023.

The APC flag bearer thanked President Buhari for sacrificing a lot for the progress of Nigeria.

He said, “You have been at the helm of the affairs of this country at a critical time. We have seen a life of commitment, dedication, patriotism and honesty. Mr President, you have done well for your country. Our nation has seen the difference, the leadership that you demonstrate.”

He said they belong to the class of leaders who came and served their country with commitment, dedication patriotism and honesty.

He likened him to leaders like “Charles De Gaulle of France, Franklin Roosevelt of America, Winston Churchill of Great Britain and Buhari of Nigeria.”

The APC flag bearer who was in attendance with his running mate, Kashim Shettima, said: “The leadership you have demonstrated reminded me of the speech you gave at the Primary Convention when you won the nomination. You thanked the people with all humility and said even if you had the money, you would not have paid. But that is because, they know who you are, a man of integrity, great commitment, transparency and a exceptional humility.”

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Tinubu prayed that “God will continue to spare you to see the history as you want it for the country, the ship of this nation will be on the right course. You will live long to enjoy a nice evening of democracy that you brought about.

“When you talk of PVC, card reader, transparency and honesty in the electoral process like you did, we can only promise not to let you down. Enjoy 80 till you celebrate other birthdays.”

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Five pro-Wike commissioners quit Fubara’s cabinet

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A fresh wave of mass resignations has hit the Rivers State Government headed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara after five more commissioners, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have resigned from the governor’s cabinet.

 

Those who resigned are Chinedu Mmom (from the Ministry of Education), Gift Worlu (from the Ministry of Housing) and Jacobson Nbina (from the Ministry of Transport).

 

Inime Aguma resigned as the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation saying “there is no room for progressional development in the work place”.

 

Austin Ben-Chioma also resigned as the Commissioner for Environment “due to the political crisis befalling our dear Rivers State and other personal reasons”.

 

Mmom and Worlu cited a toxic working environment as the main reason for their exit while Nbina cited “unresolved political crisis” in the state as his reason for exit.

 

The five persons were among the commissioners who first resigned from the governor’s cabinet last December in the wake of the political crisis in the state but were readmitted into Fubara’s cabinet following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.

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Earlier, three commissioners, Zacchaeus Adangor, Emeka Woke and Alabo George-Kelly also resigned from the Ministries of Justice, Special Projects and Works respectively.

 

Governor Fubara recently announced a plan by his administration to set up a panel of inquiry to probe the governance of the state under the Wike administration.

The governor accused his opponents of deliberately sabotaging his administration while he was hoping that the issue in the state would be resolved amicably.

 

The move was the latest twist in the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state. The development has seen a deepening of the feud between Fubara and the state House of Assembly.

 

Last week, lawmakers loyal to the governor elected a new speaker. Fubara had also issued an executive order relocating the sitting venue of the Rivers State House of Assembly to the Government House, citing safety concerns.

 

The feud is due to the fallout between Fubara and his predecessor and current Minister of the FCT Nyesom Wike. President Tinubu had waded into the crisis last year but the imbroglio appears to be far from over.

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Atiku condemns FG’s plan to use N20trn pension fund for infrastructure projects

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Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, has condemned the Federal Government’s plan to use Nigeria’s pension fund to finance infrastructure projects.

 

In a post on X on Wednesday, Abubakar said it is a misguided initiative that must be stopped immediately.

 

On May 14, Wale Edun, the finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, said the government has unveiled a strategic plan to harness the N20 trillion pension fund and other locally available resources for infrastructure development in Nigeria.

 

Edun said it was a significant step towards driving economic progress and addressing critical infrastructure needs.

 

However, Abubakar warned the decision could have devastating effects on the lives of Nigerians who have worked hard, saved money, and now rely on their pensions after retiring from service.

 

“My attention is drawn to a disturbing disclosure by the finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun, as he addressed state house correspondents after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting at the presidential villa on Tuesday, 14 May,” Abubakar said.

 

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“There is, according to the minister, a move by the federal government to rev up economic growth by unlocking N20 trillion from the nation’s pension funds and other funds to finance critical infrastructure projects across the country.

 

“The minister has indicated that although “the initiative is expected to attract foreign investment interest over time”, domestic savings are his ‘immediate focus’ for now.

 

“He provided no useful details, such as the percentage of the funds to be mopped up from the pension funds, for example.

 

“Even at that, this move must be halted immediately!  It is a misguided initiative that could lead to disastrous consequences on the lives of Nigeria’s hardworking men and women who toiled and saved and who now survive on their pensions having retired from service.

 

“It is another attempt to perpetrate illegality by the federal government.”

 

FG MUST ABIDE BY PROVISIONS OF PENSION REFORM ACT 2014

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Abubakar said the government must be cautioned to act strictly within the provisions of the Pension Reform Act of 2014 (PRA 2014), along with the revised Regulation on Investment of Pension Funds Assets issued by the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

 

“In particular, the federal government must not act contrary to the provisions of the extant Regulation on investment limits to which Pension Funds can invest no more than 5% of total pension funds’ assets in infrastructure investments,” Abubakar said.

 

“I note that as of December 2023, total pension funds assets were approximately N18 trillion, of which 75% of these are investments in FGN Securities.

 

“There is NO free Pension Funds that is more than 5% of the total value of the nation’s pension fund for Mr. Edun to fiddle with.”

 

He said there are no easy ways to address the challenges of funding infrastructure development in Nigeria.

Abubakar added that the minister needs to implement the necessary reforms to regain investor confidence in the Nigerian economy and to leverage private resources, skills, and technology.

 

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate rises to 33.69%

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The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 33.69 percent in April, as prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages soared.

 

The NBS shared the inflation data in its consumer price index (CPI) report on Wednesday.

 

“Looking at the movement, the April 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.49% points when compared to the March 2024 headline inflation rate,” the NBS said.

 

“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.47% points higher compared to the rate recorded in April 2023, which was 22.22%.”

 

Details later…

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