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Buhari will do two terms – Osinbajo

By Luka Binniyat and Levinus Nwabughiogu

ALL Progressives Congress (APC) Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), has pooh poohed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ attack to the APC Presidential Candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) saying that Buhari would do two terms and would not spare corrupt APC members, if elected.

Speaking in Kaduna, yesterday, Osinbajo, who denied signing a resignation letter, said Buhari would draw a line between his relationship with party members and governance, if elected.

He spoke against impressions in some quarters that most of the leaders of APC are corrupt.

Osinbajo, who chaired a town hall meeting between the APC leaders and religious leaders in the North-West zone of the country on behalf of Buhari also spoke on Buhari’s alleged decision to a term, saying, he will “by the grace of God run two terms in office”.

The response essentially followed questions from the members of audience who were a mix of Muslim and Christian clerics on whether Buhari had actually pledged to do one term should he win.

He said: “On the various issue of corruption, what General Buhari has said categorically is that as far as he is concerned, the day he is sworn-in as president, he would have drawn a line. Anybody who runs foul of the law, anything that is beng investigated before will continue as it is. “If you are found to be corrupt, you will receive the consequence, no matter who you are. Whether you are his brother, sister, his friends there will be consequences. That is what he has said and I think that is in line with the position of the party.

“There is no way he is going to sign any agreement, so let us be very clear. I don’t even need to ask him that. Buhari will never be part of any under hand deal. I know him well enough that he will never sign anything of such. The man is healthy and strong and by the grace of God, he will run two terms in office”, he said.

Asked to clarify his widely rumoured agreement with the national elder of the APC, Mr. Ahmed Bola Tinubu to resign from office after six months, Osinbajo said the speculation is domiciled in the imaginations of its peddlers.

“Do not take any of these things seriously at all. By God’s grace, we will win election and you will observe for yourself,” he said.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/buhari-will-do-two-terms-osinbajo/#sthash.723RrK3o.dpuf

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Court stops media from airing damaging documentary on Osinbajo

Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, restrained the Africa Independent Television (AIT) from further broadcast of defamatory documentaries on the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN). Tsoho also extended the restraining order to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and any other broadcast station under the control of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), to stop airing similar videos forthwith. The court granted the interim order after entertaining an ex-parte application brought before him by Osinbajo’s lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday. The Professor of law turned politician had in the suit accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of sponsoring the documentaries against him to cause disaffection in the eyes of the public having adjudged him a threat in the forthcoming general elections. AIT and NTA had, for weeks running, aired a documentary detailing the “atrocious” past of the APC presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The station also had a similar documentary on a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, chronicling his series of alleged financial misconduct. Osinbajo insisted that the said documentaries, which allegedly contained untrue information and injurious falsehoods, constitute a personal attack on his person. He argued that the videos were being aired in violation of his fundamental human rights, especially as it bears on the dignity of the human person, right to privacy and family virtue and right to life and/or livelihood as provided in Sections 33, 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He had, therefore, prayed Tsoho for an order of interim injunction restraining AIT, NTA and any other broadcast stations under the control of BON from further disseminating and broadcasting the damaging videos. He said, “Unless the respondents are restrained in the manner requested in this application, damages will be grossly inadequate to compensate or redress the unquantifiable, unwarranted and malicious damage to the applicant’s right to the dignity of the human person, right to livelihood and privacy guaranteed and protected under Sections 33, 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” After listening to submission by Falana, Tsoho ordered that NTA and AIT and any other broadcast station under the control of BON should forthwith stop the broadcast of the damaging documentary which the applicant complained of until the determination of the substantive suit.

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International research firm favours Buhari to win March 28 election

A study conducted by an internationally reputed political risk research and consulting firm, Eurasia Group, has favoured presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), to win the March 28 presidential election against its earlier estimation.

A statement issued on Saturday by the group’s Practice Head in Africa, Philippe de Pontet, noted that although it had earlier expected President Goodluck Jonathan to narrowly win the presidential election, a number of factors had since changed thus swinging the pendulum towards the direction of Buhari.

Eurasia, which analysed the electoral chances of the two leading candidates in the March 28 poll, said, “We change our election forecast from a narrow win for incumbent Goodluck Jonathan to a victory for opposition leader, Muhamadu Buhari (60% probability). The electoral map is tilting towards Buhari in the swing regions of the southwest and middle belt, while high turnout in his core northern base will offset Jonathan’s
advantage in the Niger Delta.

“While a Buhari administration’s reliance on technocratic, business-oriented senior officials will lead to constructive policy initiatives, we keep our long-term trajectory at neutral given the downside risks to oil production and policy
implementation challenges. Buhari edges ahead. We had long viewed Goodluck Jonathan as a favorite to win reelection, but a number of factors now lead us to believe the edge has swung in Buhari’s favor.”

It said, “our expectation of a narrow Jonathan win was predicated on several factors that are losing some saliency late in the campaign. Chief among them is the incumbency and financial advantages of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While this still helps Jonathan, its impact is blunted by the intensity of support for Buhari, lackluster grassroots campaigning by the PDP, and new anti-rigging measures by the electoral commission.

“New permanent voting cards and card readers will sharply reduce the level of rigging seen in 2011, when Jonathan beat Buhari in a landslide. Equally important are the enthusiasm gap between the candidates and widespread desire for change. Tepid support for Jonathan, even within his own party, means there is no guarantee that patronage will translate into votes,” it noted.

Source

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Buhari’s Speech At The Annual Lagos State Annual Thanksgiving Service

Your Excellency our host, the Governor of Lagos State. Your Excellencies here present. My Lords Spiritual and Temporal, Pastor and Mrs. E.A Adeboye; Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am honoured to participate this year at this Annual Lagos Thanksgiving Service. I thank the Governor of Lagos State and especially his dear wife – Her excellency, Mrs. Bimbola Fashola – for this very kind invitation.

I am happy to note that this yearly thanksgiving – although it is a Christian service, yet it brings together Nigerians of all faiths. Christians, Muslims and those of other faiths gather here annually, just to thank the Almighty God. This is as should be. Religion must never be used as an excuse to divide, to oppress others, or to gain unfair advantage.

All my life, I have expressed the belief that all Nigerians must be free to worship God according to their beliefs.

The duty of government is not religion. The duty of government is to ensure peace and security for all Nigerians regardless of tribe, race or religion.

This is the commitment that we all must make especially on this day of thanksgiving.

The Nigeria of our dreams is one where, we can all sit like this and rejoice together, and thank God together. The Almighty God will help us to achieve that country of our dreams.

I wish you all a happy and joyful 2015. The year 2015, will be a year of success and victory for us all. Thank you.

General M. Buhari.

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Nigerians Are Fed Up But APC ‘Will’ Bring Change – Osinbajo

Professor Osinbajo, who is also a pastor, said that the state of the nation had presented the APC with a chance that had never been, saying “it is the best that has ever been”.

Giving his political aspirations, his party’s manifesto and how it would be achieved, the Professor said that there was no difference in the roles that he played as a pastor, professor and politician.

“The reason I function as a pastor is essentially because I want to touch the lives of as many people as possible with the love of Jesus Christ and we must, in every situation we find ourselves, be able to help the poor, be able to help those who can’t help themselves and stand up for justice.

“I will do same as a political leader. All of these roles must be played in the same way and with the same motivation. As far as I am concerned, it is all the same,” he said.

There have been claims that the presidential candidate of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, is a religious fundamentalist, but Professor Osinbajo dismissed the assertions, saying that “General Buhari is a very credible individual that does what he says”.

Unfair Claims

He listed General Buhari’s antecedents, explaining that his administration in 1983 was hailed as a saviour of what was going on at a time.

“General Buhari is a very credible individual that does what he says. He believes he must be careful with commitments he makes and he always wants to fulfil that commitment. Over the years, he has come to embraced the tenets of democracy. He is in every way someone that should be trusted with democratic governance.

“I think that it has been over 20 years since 1983. We cannot judge a man with what he was in 1983 and today.

“I think the claims that Buhari is a fundamentalist is unfair.

“The PDP has done a fairly good job in making it appear that he is a fundamentalist. I think that is unfair.

“No one has ever accused General Buhari of being an Islamist.

“He has never been a fundamentalist. When he was in office, his deputy was a Muslim. They were under pressure to join the Organisation of Islamic Countries but they refused. Seventy per cent of the members of his cabinet were Christians. He worked very well with Christians,” he said.

Lack Of Accountability

Professor Osinbajo also exonerated General Buhari from the post-election violence of 2011, insisting that a statement by Buhari at that time could not have triggered the violence.

“It is unfair to hold General Buhari for the post-election violence that took place after the 2011 election.”

On what the APC would do differently if elected into power, Professor Osinbajo said that the performance of the APC in the states it had its members as Governors had demonstrated that good governance was not rocket science.

“It is the first time that a party will say that his policies are guided by what the man on the street wants.

“We are looking at how the government can better the lives of the people directly while encouraging business and industry to do the same. “So at the core of the APC’s manifesto is the common man. The man on the street.

“We will have social security. We will focus on jobs for the young people, Universal Health Insurance, conditional cash transfers for the poorest people in the society and explore several options for power. Power makes it difficult now for industry and business to take-off in Nigeria,” Professor Osinbajo said.

He also said that the APC would further privatise the power sector’s transmission which he emphasised was an important process in power generation.

On Security, the APC Vice Presidential candidate said that the party would tackle the poverty in the north to ensure that the Boko Haram sect do not find young and poor youths to recruit.

The Nigerian economy is said to have maintained a steady growth, but Professor Osinbajo said that the economy would have grown more if the problem of the economy had been tackled.

“The problem of the Nigerian economy is management of the resources and that is critical with the way the APC government would deal with issues. Some of the issues surrounding the economy is complete lack of accountability.

” What the government needs is accountability. Resources must be managed well. If you don’t fight corruption and make people face the consequences of corruption you will find the same problem.”

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Osinbajo Slams Jonathan's Adminstration

Vice presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said the daily loss of 400,000 barrels of crude oil to oil thieves and organised criminals was because there is no law and order in Nigeria.

Osinbajo linked the ‘prevailing oil theft’ to the increasing rise in poverty rate in the country.

Osinbajo made this remark at the first annual lecture series to mark the 73rd anniversary of the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye at the 10 Degree Event Centre, Oregun, Lagos The Nation reports.

Osinbajo, who spoke on the theme, Harmonising Virtues to Gain Heaven and Earthly Prosperity, said the loss of 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day was unexplainable and unacceptable in a sovereign country.

He said the oil theft simply “shows that there is no law and order in Nigeria. In orderly society, the daily loss of 400,000 barrels of crude oil will not be possible. It demands urgent action in order to save our country.”

According to Osinbajo, the activities of oil thieves and economic saboteurs “have compounded poverty level in the country. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data, more 112 million Nigerians are extremely poor.

“Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa. Yet, more 60 per cent of our population are extremely poor. We are one of the 33 poorest country in the world. Currently, more than 80 per cent graduates are jobless.”

Osinbajo also linked the oil theft trend to the country’s worsening social indices, citing the astronomic increase in the infant mortality, which he said, was put at 3.9 million between 2009 and 2014.

Osinbajo also expressed disappointment at the enormousness of corruption in the country, which he said, was disturbing and unbelievable, citing the subsidy petrol scam of over N2.6 trillion; the kerosene subsidy scam of $7 billion and the missing excess crude account fund put at one billion dollars.”

He, therefore, said the country’s diverse challenges “present personal and communal obstacle to commonwealth, prosperity and happiness, which he said, God ordinarily expected human beings to create.”

Osinbajo appealed for fairness, equality and justice for all his countrymen irrespective of tribe, religion and political persuasion which he said, should be upheld Nigeria would overcome her prevailing challenges and crisis.

He urged Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, political and religious differences to imbibe a culture of selfless service; by giving priority to education; embracing hard work, integrity, care for the downtrodden, love their enemies and humility, without which he said, growth and development would be a mirage.

It will be recalled that Yemi Osinbajo promised a social security scheme for every elderly or disabled Nigerian and 720,000 jobs if elected into office as vice President with his running mate Gen. Buhari.

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Jonathan postponed elections to frustrate Buhari – NY Times

The United States-based New York Timessays the postponement of the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission was orchestrated by President Goodluck Jonathan to frustrate Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the All Progressives Congress.

The newspaper, which has won 114 Pulitzer Prizes, further stated that Jonathan appeared to be afraid of the increasing popularity of Buhari, who most Nigerians would likely vote for.

It said this in the editorial of its Monday edition titled, “Nigeria’s Miserable Choices”.

The publication said, “Any argument to delay the vote might be more credible if President Goodluck Jonathan’s government had not spent much of the past year playing down the threat posed by the militants and if there were a reasonable expectation that the country’s weak military has the ability to improve security in a matter of weeks.

“It appears more likely that Mr. Jonathan grew alarmed by the surging appeal of Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler who has vowed to crack down on Boko Haram. By dragging out the race, Jonathan stands to deplete his rival’s campaign coffers while he continues to use state funds and institutions to bankroll his own.”

It said INEC’s excuse that elections were postponed because security forces wanted to fight insecurity would have been taken in good faith if Jonathan had been tackling insecurity effectively since he took office.

The 164-year-old newspaper said that Jonathan had become so unpopular that Nigerians were not afraid of the idea of a former military dictator returning as President.

It however said that Jonathan had become worried about the rising insecurity and was willing to accept help from western powers.

The newspaper warned that election postponement might increase the level of insecurity rather than reduce it and that Nigeria’s democracy would not survive an electoral crisis.

It said, “Beyond security matters, entrenched corruption and the government’s inability to diversify its economy as the price of oil, the country’s financial bedrock, has fallen and has also caused Nigerians to look for new leadership.

“Nigeria, the most populous African nation, and a relatively young democracy, cannot afford an electoral crisis. That would only set back the faltering efforts to reassert government control in districts where Boko Haram is sowing terror.

“The security forces may not be able to safeguard many districts on Election Day. But postponement is very likely to make the security threat worse.”

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Buhari Dares Jonathan to Publish PWC Forensic Report on NNPC

•  Alison-Madueke expresses satisfaction with corporation’s accounts, promises to release report

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
 
The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to make public the report of the forensic audit on the alleged missing $20 billion said to have been unremitted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

But despite the challenge and the growing suspicion over the management of the funds of the NNPC, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, yesterday, defended the accounting system of the corporation declaring that she is satisfied with the level of transparency of the records in the organization.

According to her, it took a lot of determination on her part for the NNPC to even get to this stage and to open itself up to the sort of forensic audit that was conducted as well. She noted that, “All in all, I am on one hand pleased that PriceWaterHouseCoopers, PWC, has finished the in depth audit they did. On the other hand, I am very disappointed.

She said her disappointnent stems from the fact that fellow Nigerians had painted the NNPC with the image of deeply corrupt organization even though the NNPC had not been as transparent as it is now in the last 25 years.

Alison-Madueke who expressed readiness to publish the entire forensic report blamed the current distrust of the NNPC on the many years of non-disclosure and obscure operating procedures recorded in activities in the oil and gas sector.

According to her, “I have said it clearly, over and over that years of non-transparency and opaqueness in the running of the oil and gas sector in this country, and I’m talking about over the last 25 years or so, have of course created some lapses in procedures and processes which various reforms must come into being to take effect and correct. There are no other ways.

However, Buhari who spoke through his Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) asked the president and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government to live up to their flaunted belief in the rule of law and due process, public probity and accountability, by acceding to the request of the National Assembly to submit the forensic audit report from KPMG on the missing $20 billion and go ahead to publish same in mainstream newspapers for Nigerians to assess or query the degree of transparency involved in the controversial transaction.

"Why should the president and the PDP develop the feet of clay like an immovable Colossus when the representatives of the people in the National Assembly asked for copies of the forensic audit report, which public outcry forced the government to procure in the first place?" queried Malam Garba Shehu, APCPCO Director of Media and Publicity in a signed statement on Monday in Abuja.

“So many respected experts on the national economy have condemned the wanton waste of the country’s hard currency earnings at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

"Worse still, those in charge have treated Nigerians with impunity by hiding the facts relating to petro-dollar trade from the taxpayers. Some of them have been gallivanting and globe-trotting around the world in luxury while their compatriots languish in poverty and squalor,” Shehu said.

The APCPCO spokesman questioned the audacity of the president, PDP and NNPC in disobeying the NASS request to scrutinise the KPMG audit of an alleged grossly corrupt government agency (NNPC).

"Is the NNPC a sacred cow? And should the president be an umpire in a game to which he’s a contender, or a judge in his own case?” Shehu queried.

"Is the president and his Petroleum Minister telling Nigerians that no wrong has been done in terms of stealing of public funds? If corruption was established in any form, is anyone listed for punishment? It is pertinent to put all these information in the public domain for third party verification.

" The KPMG report funded by taxpayer’s money is itself a public property. And until this is done, the NNPC under President Jonathan shall remain in public consciousness the abattoir for corruption, immodesty, dishonesty and impunity."

The forensic audit report presented by the Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, had indicated that the allegation of unremitted $49.8bn, $10.8bn or $20bn was false. The report was stated that the total amount that accrued from crude oil lifting was $67bn out of which a total of $50.81bn was remitted into the Federation Account.

The balance, the report stated, was used for petrol and kerosene subsidies and NNPC operations expenses. It also directed the NNPC to remit the sum of $1.48bn, which the report said is “unremitted NPDC signature bonus due for divested assets and taxes/royalties”.

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Buhari: I won’t witch-hunt in anti-corruption battle

Nigerians and the international community got yesterday a glimpse into the Gen. Muhammadu Buhari presidency —if the AllProgressives Congress (APC) candidate is  elected next month.

He explained how he will revamp the economy, tackle corruption and end the insurgency that has taken thousands of lives in the Northeast.

In tackling the twin vices of waste and corruption, which he said “ballooned” under the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration, Gen. Buhari vowed not to “witch-hunt anyone”.

He spoke at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House in London —a renowned stage for intellectual and policy discourses.

In the audience during the 25-minute speech were British politicians, diplomats, journalists and a cross-section of Nigerians.

They included Gen. Buhari’s runing mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, governors, senior party leaders, including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu  and intellectuals.

Gen. Buhari’s speech is titled “Prospect for Demoracy Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s transition.” It focused on the postponed elections, the need for credibility and tranparency and the implications for democracy across Africa.

Former British High Commissioner in Nigeria and the event’s chairman Sir Richard Gozney introduced Gen. Buhari to the audience as “a man of modesty, unusual for a Nigerian politician”, and “having clarity of thought and speech”.

He added:  “Chatham House is more independent than anything you can imagine. It is entirely neutral, it has no political stands. That is why it is a favourite venue for people from across political spectrum to give their view because they get open hearing here.

I am sure that this is why you, General Buhari, and your people have come here today. Whatever you say here will be on the record.

“Gen. Buhari needs no introduction. People know that you were Head of State 30 years ago and what I will highlight is that you know all about petroleum revenue because of the jobs you have done since then and because you know about election and you have contested a few of them.

“My understanding is that you played a major role in unifying the opposition in Nigeria.

When I visited you in Kaduna when I was High Commissioner in Nigeria, two things struck me. One was the modesty of your life style, which is very striking for a Nigerian politician. The second thing was your clarity of thought and speech and we look forward to hearing such clarity from you today as you talk to us.”

Explaining his stance on corruption, which has not really gone down well with chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gen. Buhari assured them that he will not witch-hunt anybody.

“I must emphasise that any war on corruption should not be misconstrued as settling old scores or a witch-hunt. I’m running for president to lead Nigeria to properity and not adversity,” he said.

He promised to open the books of “revenue producing entities, such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Customs and Excise.”

“We will only plug the holes in the budgetry process …they will have one set of books only.

Their revenues will be publicly disclosed and regularly audited,” he said.

Gen. Buhari said with a strong opposition now in place, Nigeria is being liberated from a dominant party system to a competitive electoral polity.

He accused President Goodluck Jonathan of running two economies – one for the afluent, who are few and the other for the masses who live in misery.

“On insecurity, there is a genuine cause for worry, both within and outside Nigeria. Apart from the civil war era, at no other time in our history has Nigeria been this insecure,” Gen. Buhari said, adding:

Boko Haram has sadly put Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals, displacing millions internally and externally, and at a time holding on to portions of our territory the size of Belgium.

“What has been consistently lacking is the required leadership in our battle against insurgency. I, as a retired general and a former head of state, have always known about our soldiers: they are capable, well trained, patriotic and brave and always ready to do their duty in the service of our country.

“You all can bear witness to the gallant role of our military in Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur and in many other peacekeeping operations in several parts of the world. But in the matter of this insurgency, our soldiers have neither received the necessary support nor the required incentives to tackle this problem.

“The government has also failed in any effort towards a multi-dimensional response to this problem, leading to a situation in which we have now become dependent on our neighbours to come to our rescue.

“Let me assure you that if I am elected president, the world will have no cause to worry about Nigeria as it has had to recently; that Nigeria will return to its stabilising role in West Africa; and that no inch of Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy because we will pay special attention to the welfare of our soldiers in and out of service.  We will give them adequate and modern arms and ammunition to work with, we will improve intelligence gathering and border controls to choke Boko Haram’s financial and equipment channels, we will be tough on terrorism and tough on its root causes by initiating a comprehensive economic development plan promoting infrastructural development, job creation, agriculture and industry in the affected areas.

“We will always act on time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester and I, Muhammadu Buhari, will always lead from the front and return Nigeria to its leadership role in regional and international efforts to combat terrorism.”

On the economy, Gen. Buhari said it was worrisome that 33.1% of Nigerians still  live in extreme poverty.

He added: “The fall in prices of oil has brought our economic and social stress into full relief. After the rebasing exercise in April 2014, Nigeria overtook South Africa as Africa’s largest economy. Our GDP is now valued at $510 billion and our economy rated 26th in the world. Also on the bright side, inflation has been kept at single digit for a while and our economy has grown at an average of 7% for about a decade.

 ”But it is more of paper growth, a growth that, on account of mismanagement, profligacy and corruption, has not translated to human development or shared prosperity. A development economist once said three questions should be asked about a country’s development: one, what is happening to poverty? Two, what is happening to unemployment? And three, what is happening to inequality?

“The answers to these questions in Nigeria show that the current administration has created two economies in one country, a sorry tale of two nations: one economy for a few who have so much in their tiny island of prosperity; and the other economy for the many who have so little in their vast ocean of misery.

“Even by official figures, 33.1% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty. That’s at almost 60 million, almost the population of the United Kingdom. There is also the unemployment crisis simmering beneath the surface, ready to explode at the slightest stress, with officially 23.9% of our adult population and almost 60% of our youth unemployed. We also have one of the highest rates of inequalities in the world.”

Gen. Buhari, the economy can develop only if two ills(waste and corruption) were addressed.

He said: “With all these, it is not surprising that our performance on most governance and development indicators (like Mo Ibrahim Index on African Governance and UNDP’s Human Development Index) are unflattering. With fall in the prices of oil, which accounts for more than 70% of government revenues, and lack of savings from more than a decade of oil boom, the poor will be disproportionately impacted.

“In the face of dwindling revenues, a good place to start the repositioning of Nigeria’s economy is to swiftly tackle two ills that have ballooned under the present administration: waste and corruption. And in doing this, I will, if elected, lead the way, with the force of personal example.”

The APC candidate promised  to run a private-sector led economy to salvage the economy.

He said: “In reforming the economy, we will use savings that arise from blocking these leakages and the proceeds recovered from corruption to fund our party’s social investments programmes in education, health and safety nets, such as free school meals for children, emergency public works for unemployed youth and pensions for the elderly.

The anti-corruption agencies will be independent, he said.

“On corruption, there will be no confusion as to where I stand. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed into my administration.

“The institutions of state dedicated to fighting corruption will be given independence and prosecutorial authority without political interference.”

On the allegation that as a former dictator, he might find it difficult to survive in a democracy, Buhari said although he cannot change the past, he could however change the present and the future.

His words: “I have heard and read references to me as a former dictator in many respected British newspapers, including the well regarded Economist.

“ Let me say without sounding defensive that dictatorship goes with military rule, though some might be less dictatorial than others. I take responsibility for whatever happened under my watch.

“I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. So, before you is a former military ruler and a converted democrat who is ready to operate under democratic norms and is subjecting himself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time.

“You may ask: why is he doing this? This is a question I ask myself all the time too. And here is my humble answer: because the work of making Nigeria great is not yet done, because I still believe that change is possible, this time through the ballot, and most importantly, because I still have the capacity and the passion to dream and work for a Nigeria that will be respected again in the comity of nations and that all Nigerians will be proud of.”

On his alleged health challenge, Gen. Buhari said he is fit as a fiddle and ready for the March 28 poll.

He added: “I am very happy that I have been able to visit 35 states out of the 36. I haven’t broken down even though somebody announced me dead yesterday (Wednesday).

“I had a call from Maiduguri that somebody rushed into a friend’s house, crying and saying they had just announced that Buhari died in hospital in London and so, he called me and I laughed my head off.

“Certainly, I will be expecting too much if I don’t expect people to wish me dead. But I am very pleased that I am fit, the doctors have declared me fit and I am going back for the final onslaught.”

Responding to a question, Gen. Buhari said Nigeria cannot afford to break again as a nation because its nationalities have bonded.

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Election Day Fact Sheet

The 2015 Presidential and National Assembly Elections have been rescheduled to 28th March, 2015, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are rescheduled to 11th April, 2015. Polling will be organized in 119, 973 polling units across the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

HOURS OF POLLINGipp
· Polling units will open at 8a.m. for accreditation of voters and close at 1p.m.
· Voting will begin at 1:30p.m. when every accredited voter will be asked to form a queue, and voting will close when the last person on queue has voted.
IMPORTANT: No person will be allowed to vote at a polling unit other than the one where he/she registered and got accredited.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To vote in the 2015 elections, one must:
· Be a Nigerian citizen.
· Be 18 years and above.
· Possess a Permanent Voter Card (PVC)
· Be in the Register of Voters where he/she is assigned to vote
Remember: Voters who do not possess PVC will not be accredited and, consequently, will not be able to vote.

ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE
The Presiding Officer (PO) at the polling unit will:
· Allow voters into the polling unit in an orderly queue.
· Where culture disallows men and women mingling on a queue, create separate queues for men and women.
· Introduce polling agents and poll officials present, including the Asst. Presiding Officer (APO) I who will:
· Request the voter to present his/her PVC,
· Read the PVC using the Card Reader, and
· Request the voter to place appropriate finger on the Card Reader for authentication.
· On being authenticated, the voter will present himself/herself to APO II who will request for his/her PVC,
· Check the Register of Voters for the records of the voter,
· Tick as appropriate on the Register and apply indelible ink on the specified finger of voter’s left hand, and
· Issue the voter an accreditation tag

VOTING PROCEDURE
The Presiding Officer, after setting out the polling unit in the manner prescribed, will:
· Invite voters to form a single queue.
· Where culture disallows men and women mingling on a queue, create separate queues for men and women.
· Request a security agent to stand behind the last person on queue.
· Show the empty ballot boxes to all present, lock up the ballot boxes with seals provided, and declare the poll open.
Upon a voter’s presentation of his/her PVC, one of the poll officials will:
· Issue him/her stamped-and-signed ballot papers, folding the ballot papers vertically with the printed side inwards.
· Apply indelible ink on the appropriate finger of the voter and request him/her to go to the voting cubicle and thumbprint. (Only one voter is allowed at a time in the voting cubicle.)
· The voter will thumbprint a ballot paper in the space provided beside the party logo of his/her choice, and deposit the thumb printed ballot paper into the appropriate ballot box placed in open view.
· After casting his/her ballot, the voter will exit the polling unit quietly.
IMPORTANT: A voter living with disability will be assisted to vote in the polling unit by a person chosen by him/her, other than a poll agent. Where available, visually impaired voters may use Assistive Tactile facilities.

ELECTION DAY OFFENCES
No person shall on the Election Day do any of the following in the polling environment:
· Campaign for votes, or persuade a voter not to vote for a candidate;
· Shout slogans concerning the election, or in support of any party
· Be in possession of an offensive weapon or wear any apparel calculated to intimidate voters;
· Use a vehicle bearing the color or symbol of a political party or candidate;
· Snatch or destroy any election materials; and
· Blare siren.

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No Corrupt Offender Would Go Unpunished – Osinbajo

All Progressives Congress (APC)  vice presidential candidate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has said that the issue of corruption will not be treated with kid gloves by their administration if elected in the forthcoming election.
Osinbajo who said this  at an interactive  session with youths from South West states in Lagos said there would be no sacred cow in its fight against corruption.

According to him, an APC government will address the root causes of corruption, noting that the major drawback of the nation’s  system presently  is unbridled level of corruption.
Osinbajo said the APC government would begin its anti-corruption crusade from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

He added, “Stealing of government funds, lack of accountability would not be condoned beginning with the NNPC because it is responsible for our oil proceeds; NNPC must be transparent; every agency must be completely transparent, so that we know what we are earning, and know where the money is going.”

“The reason why people steal government funds today is because there’s no consequence and that will be very clear in an APC government. “We are prepared to enforce the law, especially the law that deals with corruption; offenders won’t go unpunished no matter how highly placed or influential in the country.”
Osinbajo pointed out that the major problem facing the present government is its lack of political will to tackle corruption.

“It’s not the drop in the price of crude oil in the international market; it’s the economy; when you are thinking of the Nigerian problem, you first think of how to solve the corruption problem because it’s our primary problem.

“If you look at our revenues to run governments, to provide electricity and infrastructure, it’s basically on oil; now if our oil and our proceeds from oil are stolen, it means we can’t fix infrastructure; it means we cannot fix our judiciary system”.

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Call 10 Bring 5

http://call10bring5.com/
This election on the 28th of March , 2015 is about how we go forward as a nation and a people. The site is for supporters of BuhariOsinbajo campaign to remind ourselves about complacency because the job is not finished yet.
It is for us to encourage one another by each of us making calls to at least 10 other people. And explaining the importance of this election to them so that also call 10 other that they in turn ask to call 10 other people.
Ade each caller to in turn commit to coming to the polls on election day with 5 people they have talked to who live in their neighborhood.