Sultan Saad Abubakar III said the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari for another four-year term should be seen as what Almighty God had ordained and should not be challenged by anyone.

The Sultan spoke today in Abuja when he led the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria to Abuja to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari. The Sultan is the national chairman of the council.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Feb. 27 declared the president winner of the 2019 presidential election held on Feb. 23.

Buhari was declared re-elected having polled 15,191,847 votes, winning in 19 states, to defeat 72 other candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 11, 255,978 votes.

However, Atiku, who won in 17 states and the FCT to occupy the second position, insisted that he would challenge the result of the election in court.

But the Sultan described the result of the election as the will of the Almighty God.

Your election as president for the second tenure should be seen as what God has destined which no man could have changed that destiny.

This result is the will of the Almighty God and therefore we call on all to give you maximum support for the achievement of peace, development and progress of our dear nation.

The traditional ruler urged the president to reciprocate the gesture of the electorate by making sure that his administration continued to ensure justice and fairness in all its dealings with Nigerians irrespective of their geo-political backgrounds.

We urge you Mr President to reciprocate by continuing to lead with justice and fairness as you openly said in your acceptance speech after the receipt of the certificate of return, he said.

He stated that the council had resolved to continue to offer its unflinching support to the federal governments cardinal objectives of transforming the economy, securing the country and the fight against corruption.

In his remarks, the co-chairman of the council and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, reaffirmed the Councils determination to work closely with the government for the general good of the country.

He challenged the president to listen to criticism of his administration in `a very constructive manner.

He added: We know that you are very passionate about the people of this country especially the common people.

We want to urge you to continue to play that fatherly role. Let the whole nation see you as the true father; let the whole nation see you as the true president that will actually consolidate what has brought all of us together.

Responding, President Buhari sought for more understanding and support from the royal fathers.

The President, who thanked God for an opportunity to serve the nation for another four years, re-stated his belief in Nigerias multi-cultural population and the continued existence of Nigeria as an indivisible entity.

He said: I am very happy that you have come to congratulate me for coming to my second and final term of office. I believe in this system, such a multi-national and multi-cultural country like Nigeria, a country with more than 250, 000 cultures.

According to the President, the traditional rulers have a big role to play in securing the country, because of their unique role in the society.

He, therefore, challenged them to always expose all criminals in their domains

I realise that really if you want the security of the country, which is very important to us and one of our three main areas of focus. As traditional rulers, you know everybody in your constituencies and you know which family has hardened criminals and which family has respectable people so there is no way any government at any level can survive creditably without your support.

This is the honest fact whether people accept it or not.

So, we always depend on you because you know the weaknesses of our system and the society. We certainly need your cooperation on day to day basis to make sure that we consolidate on what we promised the whole country, he added.(NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari said today that he holds former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the highest esteem despite their political differences.

Buhari said this today in a message of congratulations to the former military and civilian ruler, who clocked 82.

The president described Obasanjo as a passionate and great patriot who deserves accolades for his immeasurable contributions to our democracy and national unity.

Regardless of our political differences with Obasanjo, I still hold him in the highest esteem because his contributions to the development of the country overshadow those differences.

Chief Obasanjo gave a good account of himself and inspired his juniors with his wit and other leadership skills.

According to Buhari, Nigerias successful transition to democratic rule in October 1979 was one of Obasanjos remarkable contributions to national development.

As he celebrates his 82nd Birthday, I wish Chief Obasanjo more good health, knowledge and wisdom in the service of Nigeria and humanity, President Buhari said.

Earlier today, Obasanjo said he would continue to criticise President Buhari. He spoke at the event marking his birthday in Abeokuta.

According to him, governance is not a family affair, adding that democracy involves criticisms and consideration of all sides to an issue.

There is nothing personal between President Buhari and I.

In a democracy, you can criticise a policy, a government or a leader because democracy is not a family affair.

If it is my brother that is occupying the leadership role and he is not doing what I believe he should do, he must be criticised and that is what democracy is all about.

I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there.

So if I say anybody in government in Nigeria is not doing well, let that government prove that it is doing well, he said.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday said that the votes of the Akwa Ibom people allegedly stolen during the elections of Feb. 23, would be reclaimed.

Buhari said this during a town hall meeting held in Uyo to thank the people of the state for casting their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the elections.

President Buhari, who was represented by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo encouraged the people to defend their votes during the coming Governorship and House of Assembly Elections.

He decried the circumstances, under which Sen. Godswill Akpabio lost his re-election into the senate in spite of his popularity across the state.

He alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) robbed him and the party of victory.

He assured Akwa Ibom people that all the wrongdoings during the Presidential and National Assembly elections would be addressed.

What happened on the 23rd of February was robbery. The votes of the people were stolen, but we are not deterred.

The president sent me to thank you today. We are going to make sure that everything that was stolen on February 23 would be restored.

It is not possible that Sen. Godwill Akpabio lost. We are in no doubt that Senator Akpabio is the elected senator of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

I and Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the party have been in the opposition for long and we cannot be defeated anymore.

Everyone of you should go out to vote on Saturday and defend your votes, we cannot be cheated; not only you but tell your neighbours to vote for Obong Nsima Ekere and all APC candidates.

Wait for your votes to be counted. It is the duty of the Federal Government to provide security and we will do that. We will recover every one of our votes, he said.

The National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said the party was not in the state to lament but to appreciate the people of the state for doing their jobs and voting President Buhari and Prof. Osinbajo.

He alleged that INEC colluded with some of the electoral officers to deny the state of its electoral victory on Feb 23, even though the people voted for APC.

We have not come here to lament that our mandate was stolen on February 23. We have come to thank you that you voted for President Buhari, and all members of the party. You did your job but some armed robbers in INEC stole your votes.

You think that those who stole your votes will have peace? We have come to reaffirm our commitment with democracy.

We have come to affirm that no robber will go unpunished, but when an electoral umpire is corrupt and collude with the opposition, we have the witnesses and we have lawyers to deal with that.

On Saturday we are not going to wait for them to steal our votes. We call on Akwa Ibom people to protect their votes. We must maintain our sanity even in this hour of provocation.

Those who committed democratic abortion would be brought to book, Oshiomhole said.

The APC governorship candidate in the state, Mr Nsima Ekere, encouraged the people not to be deterred by the Feb. 23 elections, but to go out and vote during the March 9 elections, saying the party was sure of victory.

He said that the people of the state were in need of change, as demonstrated by him during his campaign across the 31 local government areas of the state.

He assured the president that after March 9 elections, Akwa Ibom would not be in the opposition but would be reunited with the centre

Thank you for what you are doing for APC. The people voted for you, that vote is a re-validation of what the people want. You put Nigerias economy back on track.

We are here because we have faith in you and Mr President, the opposition and INEC have no choice than to give us back our mandate.

Whosoever shall attempt to work against the collective will of Akwa Ibom people, we shall collectively resist.

We send a message to the electoral umpire and the other parties that they must respect the votes of the people, every vote must count. Akwa Ibom people love APC, Ekere said.

Source: NAN

Abba Kabir-Yusuf, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Kano State, said he remains the partys flag bearer in spite of the court ruling that nullified the PDP governorship primary.

Kabir-Yusuf, who is the son-in-law of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, made the claim in a statement signed by his spokesman, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, issued to newsmen in Kano on Monday.

The court ruling today (Monday) does not in any way affect the candidature of Engr. Abba Kabir-Yusuf as the case is against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which we believe that the party has taken the most appropriate action of appeal.

As far as we are concerned, our campaign activities will continue till Thursday night, March 8 when the deadline of campaigns will elapse as contained in the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

According to him, the case has nothing to do with him as the party flag bearer, but an internal issue the party had taken step to resolve.

The governorship candidate urged his teeming supporters to remain calm and continue with the electioneering campaigns to ensure victory for the party on Saturday.(NAN)

Source: NAN

Sen. Masud El-Jibril Doguwa, the factional leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, said his group has dumped the party because it has lost its popular appeal among the people.

Doguwa, along with other members of the partys Executive Council defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, five days to the governorship and state Assembly elections.

He said at a news briefing on Monday in Kano, that the PDP as an opposition platform had lost its steam, because all its major stakeholders have been sidelined.

The influence of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kano has been strongly weakened in the face of the persistent war of attrition against those that are supposed to be carried along.

Those who are supposed to be highly recognised for internal cohesion to prevail are not being carried along, he said.

According to him, lack of unity and sincerity of purpose were also responsible for the current mess rocking the top echelon of the party in the state.

He explained that the partys goal of achieving greater success would never be feasible and realistic with dictatorship.

Doguwa said as a prominent political figure who had been in PDP since its inception, he had on other option than to defect as a way of venting spleen.

Since the time the governorship flag bearer came on board, we were never contacted by him on how to go about the business.

All we know is that, every decision taken must reflect our interest as part of the requirement for internal democracy which was not respected by the so-called party hierarchy.

Its a bad omen for democracy, the PDP has completely lost focus and direction, as being portrayed by the cavalier attitude of those who are supposed to be honest, sincere and upright in their conduct.

We have lost our populist appeal in all the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State: we are leaving the PDP because the party is now in a fix, he added.

Doguwa predicted landslide victory for Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and all other APC candidates on Saturday, as the APC is reaping from the rot permeating the PDP in the state.

With the key figures defecting at the eleventh hour, the party (PDP) is on the road to extinction in the state. he predicted.

Source: NAN

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win Saturdays Governorship and State Assembly elections in Kwara with higher margin than the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

The minister, who is the leader of APC in the state, said this on Monday after a meeting with the party leaders from the 16 local government areas.

He said the meeting reviewed the past elections and strategised on how to garner more votes in the Saturdays governorship and state assembly polls.

Mohammed urged voters in the state to ignore the threat by the opposition to disrupt Saturdays poll, assuring them that the government would provide adequate security to protect them.

He said he got the information that the opposition was planning to unleash political thugs to attack and intimidate voters during Saturdays polls.

We have been hearing a lot of things that they have imported a lot of thugs to Kwara to disrupt Saturdays elections.

If anyone does so, he or she will be risking his or her life.

We are appealing to our people that the Federal Government is going to provide adequate security for all, he said.

The APC won the Presidential, all the three senatorial and six House of Representatives seats in Kwara in the Feb. 23 elections.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lost his bid for re-election into the Senate from Kwara Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Saraki lost to Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress, in the senatorial election.

Oloriegbe polled 123,808 votes to defeat the Saraki, who scored 68,994 votes in the four local governments of Kwara Central Senatorial District.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari assured voters in Delta of adequate security in Saturdays governorship and House of Assembly elections and declared the state as a major focus.

Buhari was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the meeting in Warri on Monday.

He said that the issue of security was fundamental to the electoral process.

The president said that special attention would be focused on security to enable the electorate exercise their franchise and check any form of intimidation.

What happened at the Presidential and National Assembly elections was a great victory, but the completion of the victory will come on Saturday when Great Ogboru will become the governor of Delta.

Delta cannot be the same again. Delta was our focus of attention, we wanted to see what will happen.

Delta has proved a very important point that it is ready for a change to the next level.

Security is a fundamental issue and we will pay special attention to it, he said.

The president also urged leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unite, saying when we work together, we will emerge victorious on Saturday.

Also speaking, the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomohole, commended the people for voting massively for the APC in the recent poll.

He urged the voters to be courageous and vote overwhelmingly for Ogboru in Saturdays gubernatorial election.

You have substantially weakened the rigging machine of the PDP.

No one will provide unlawful security. Security operatives should ensure that votes are counted because President Buhari wants to have a cleaner election, he said.

Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister for State for Petroleum Resources, described the occasion as a unifying day for us to come and work together.

Ogboru, in his opening remarks, had urged the government to provide adequate security to avoid a repeat of the violence witnessed in the state during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Security issues should be looked into seriously, if there is adequate security, the electorate will turnout en masse to cast their votes, he said.

Participants, who spoke at the interactive session, all stressed the need for adequate security during Saturdays elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by traditional rulers from the three senatorial districts of the state, religious and opinion leaders as well as market women and youths. (NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured voters in Delta state of adequate security in Saturdays governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at a town hall meeting in Warri on Monday, said that the issue of security was fundamental to the electoral process.

The president said that special attention would be focused on security to enable the electorate exercise their franchise and check any form of intimidation.

What happened at the Presidential and National Assembly elections was a great victory, but the completion of the victory will come on Saturday when Great Ogboru will become the governor of Delta.

Delta cannot be the same again. Delta was our focus of attention, we wanted to see what will happen.

Delta has proved a very important point that it is ready for a change to the next level.

Security is a fundamental issue and we will pay special attention to it, he said.

The president also urged leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unite, saying when we work together, we will emerge victorious on Saturday.

Also speaking, the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, commended the people for voting massively for the APC in the recent poll.

He urged the voters to be courageous and vote overwhelmingly for Ogboru in Saturdays gubernatorial election.

You have substantially weakened the rigging machine of the PDP.

No one will provide unlawful security. Security operatives should ensure that votes are counted because President Buhari wants to have a cleaner election, he said.

Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister for State for Petroleum Resources, described the occasion as a unifying day for us to come and work together.

Ogboru, in his opening remarks, had urged the government to provide adequate security to avoid a repeat of the violence witnessed in the state during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Security issues should be looked into seriously, if there is adequate security, the electorate will turnout en masse to cast their votes, he said.

Participants, who spoke at the interactive session, all stressed the need for adequate security during Saturdays elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by traditional rulers from the three senatorial districts of the state, religious and opinion leaders as well as market women and youths.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night hosted members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to a victory dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those in attendance at the dinner included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, some cabinet ministers and presidential aides.

The president had on Feb. 27 hosted members of the PCC Situation Room to a similar victory dinner at the State House.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Feb. 27 declared the president winner of the 2019 presidential election held on Feb. 23.

Buhari was declared re-elected having polled 15,191,847 votes, winning in 19 states, to defeat 72 other candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 11, 255,978 votes.

Atiku won in 17 states and the FCT to occupy the second position.

Source: NAN

Sultan Saad Abubakar III said the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari for another four-year term should be seen as what Almighty God had ordained and should not be challenged by anyone.

The Sultan spoke today in Abuja when he led the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria to Abuja to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari. The Sultan is the national chairman of the council.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Feb. 27 declared the president winner of the 2019 presidential election held on Feb. 23.

Buhari was declared re-elected having polled 15,191,847 votes, winning in 19 states, to defeat 72 other candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 11, 255,978 votes.

However, Atiku, who won in 17 states and the FCT to occupy the second position, insisted that he would challenge the result of the election in court.

But the Sultan described the result of the election as the will of the Almighty God.

Your election as president for the second tenure should be seen as what God has destined which no man could have changed that destiny.

This result is the will of the Almighty God and therefore we call on all to give you maximum support for the achievement of peace, development and progress of our dear nation.

The traditional ruler urged the president to reciprocate the gesture of the electorate by making sure that his administration continued to ensure justice and fairness in all its dealings with Nigerians irrespective of their geo-political backgrounds.

We urge you Mr President to reciprocate by continuing to lead with justice and fairness as you openly said in your acceptance speech after the receipt of the certificate of return, he said.

He stated that the council had resolved to continue to offer its unflinching support to the federal governments cardinal objectives of transforming the economy, securing the country and the fight against corruption.

In his remarks, the co-chairman of the council and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, reaffirmed the Councils determination to work closely with the government for the general good of the country.

He challenged the president to listen to criticism of his administration in `a very constructive manner.

He added: We know that you are very passionate about the people of this country especially the common people.

We want to urge you to continue to play that fatherly role. Let the whole nation see you as the true father; let the whole nation see you as the true president that will actually consolidate what has brought all of us together.

Responding, President Buhari sought for more understanding and support from the royal fathers.

The President, who thanked God for an opportunity to serve the nation for another four years, re-stated his belief in Nigerias multi-cultural population and the continued existence of Nigeria as an indivisible entity.

He said: I am very happy that you have come to congratulate me for coming to my second and final term of office. I believe in this system, such a multi-national and multi-cultural country like Nigeria, a country with more than 250, 000 cultures.

According to the President, the traditional rulers have a big role to play in securing the country, because of their unique role in the society.

He, therefore, challenged them to always expose all criminals in their domains

I realise that really if you want the security of the country, which is very important to us and one of our three main areas of focus. As traditional rulers, you know everybody in your constituencies and you know which family has hardened criminals and which family has respectable people so there is no way any government at any level can survive creditably without your support.

This is the honest fact whether people accept it or not.

So, we always depend on you because you know the weaknesses of our system and the society. We certainly need your cooperation on day to day basis to make sure that we consolidate on what we promised the whole country, he added.(NAN)

Source: NAN