President Buhari raises N819.5bn Supplementary Budget for damage control

President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate, seeking the approval of a total sum of N819.5 billion supplementary budget for the 2022 fiscal year to address various infrastructure that was destroyed by flood across the various states of the country.

The letter of President Buhari’s supplementary budget proposal was read yesterday by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, just as it was explained that the money is meant for the capital expenditure component of the 2022 budget with an attendant increase of deficit to N8.17trillion.

With the urgency of the matter, the President of the Senate hurriedly forwarded it to the Senate Committees on Appropriations, Finance, Works, Water Resources and Agriculture for expeditious consideration.

The proposal is designed for a year that has ten days to go, even as Lawan said that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Water Resources and agriculture must today appear before the Senate Committees to enable them to get details about the Supplementary Budget.

President Buhari added that the proposed N819.5 billion supplementary budget will be financed by additional domestic borrowings.

The letter read:

The year 2022 has witnessed the worse flood incident in recent history which has caused massive destruction of farmlands at a point already closed to harvest season.

This may compound the situation of food security and nutrition in the country. The flood has also devastated road infrastructure in across the 36 states and the FCT as well as bridges nationwide that are critical for the movement of goods and services.

“The water sector was equally affected by the flood and there is a need to complete some ongoing critical projects that have already achieved about 85 per cent completion.

“The nine critical projects proposed in the sector cut across water supply, dam projects and irrigation projects nationwide.”

I have approved a supplementary budget of 2022 appropriation of N819.536 Billion, all of which are capital expenditures.

“The supplementary will be financed through additional domestic borrowings which will raise the budget deficit for 2022 to N8.17 .trillion and deficit to GDP ratio to 4.43%.”

Buhari returns to Abuja from US-Africa Leaders’ Summit

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, returned to Abuja after an eight-day official visit to Washington DC, the United States of America, USA, where he participated in the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit.

The President, who departed for the US event from his country home in Daura, Katsina State, last Sunday, was invited to join other African leaders for the Summit by his American counterpart, President Joe Biden.

While in Washington DC, President Buhari participated in a number of high-level meetings and conversations around the US-Africa relations, speaking on critical issues affecting the black continent, including security, climate change, transnational organised crimes and more.

He also engaged in sideline meetings, during which some high-level agreements were reached with America-based businesses, and wrapped up the visit with a townhall meeting with the Nigerian community in the US.

The President was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday, by the governors of Kwara and Bauchi states; AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Bala Mohammed, respectively; the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ramatu Aliyu.

Also at the airport to receive the President were the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; the Director-General of the Department of State Service, DSS, Yusuf Bichi; and other senior security officials.

We’re grateful for your leadership, APC Govs salute Buhari at 80

Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum PGF have paid glowing tributes to President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 80th birthday, saying they are grateful for his insightful leadership.

Pledging to continue to work towards the actualization of an Asiwaju Bola Tinubu presidency in 2023, the governors said Buhari has been able to secure the country.

Chairman of the Forum and Kebbi state Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu in a statement on Saturday said the president’s “patriotically inspiring leadership remain the source of our massive support across every part of Nigeria”.

“We are grateful for your leadership, vision and commitment to move our dear nation forward. Your doggedness and unwavering determination to defend and secure Nigeria as a prosperous and democratic country has immeasurably stablised and restore confidence in our electoral process and party politics.

“Leaders and members of our party, All Progressives Congress (APC) are grateful to have your inspiring leadership role. Accordingly, our party has continued to evolve and both management of party administration and processes of candidates’ emergence are improving, which is responsible for the higher electoral advantages we have comparative to other parties in the country. This accounts for the massive support of Nigerians for all our candidates for the 2023 elections at all levels.

“As we wish you a happy birthday and say a big thank you for your selfless service to our dear country, we reaffirm our commitment to work for the electoral victory of all our candidates for the 2023 elections. We are working hard with the abiding faith and belief to ensure that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our Presidential Candidate emerge victorious and succeed you”, said the governors.

In a related development, Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has saluted President Buhari’s proactive, visionary and astute leadership roles played in Nigeria and across Africa which have resonated well across the globe.

Director, Public Relations of the Corps, DCC Olusola Odumosu in a statement said the CG also extolled the President for doing so much under very difficult economic and social conditions in tackling insecurity in the country and keeping Nigerians safe.

He affirmed that the Corps has steadily enjoyed the president’s support over the years, pledging that the Corps will continue to make the nation proud through its services.

The NSCDC boss thanked President Buhari for approval of funds to acquire operational equipment and gadgets for the Corps, stressing that, this has boosted the morale and capacity of the Special Forces which would be deployed effectively to tackle insecurity in the country.

He assured the President of the Corps’ commitment to continue to protect and safeguard critical national assets and infrastructure and ensuring peace and progress of the country without compromise.

The CG prayed for God’s guidance and protection for the President as he pilots the affairs of the most populous country in Africa and the continent’s largest economy in the remaining months of his administration and for the rest of his lives.

President Buhari departs Katsina State for Washington DC ahead of US-Africa Leader’s summit

President Buhari this afternoon departed Katsina State for Washington DC ahead of US-Africa Leader’s Summit scheduled to hold on December 13 and 15.

The summit which is at the instance of US President Joe Biden seeks to work with “African governments, civil society, diaspora communities across the United States, and the private sector to continue strengthening our shared vision for the future of US-Africa relations”.

In the president’s entourage were Bala Mohammed and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governors of Bauchi and Kwara, respectively, as well as some ministers and other top government officials.

They are expected back in the country on December 18.

President Buhari reportedly sacks NYSC DG six months after his appointment

Less than six months after assuming office as the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, President Buhari has reportedly approved the immediate removal of Brigadier-General Muhammad Kukah Fadah, from office as the Scheme’s DG.

Although the reasons for the removal have not been provided by the presidency for the sacking of Gen. Fadah, credible sources in the Villa told PRNigeria that the NYSC boss’s removal is not unconnected with the fact that Fadah has exhibited ‘glaring incompetence’ in the 6 months he has piloted the affairs of NYSC.

Meanwhile, PRNigeria gathered that the ousted NYSC Director General has been asked to hand over to the most senior civil servant in the organisation, who is to act as DG in the interim.

No official statement to this effect has been released.

President Buhari condemns killing of Imo Traditional ruler, calls for probe

President Buhari has condemned the killing of Eze Ignitus Asor, the traditional ruler of the Obudi-Agwa community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

It was reported that hoodlums invaded the community, killing the traditional ruler and two other residents on Monday, November 14.

The suspects were said to have come in four vehicles and two motorcycles that also had a female accomplice that completed the task with them.

They disguised themselves as people in distress, entered the palace of the monarch before carrying out the attack.

In a statement released by his media aide, Garba Shehu, the President expressed sadness over the incident and said he has directed security agencies in the state to investigate the dastardly act and ensure that the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law.

Commiserating with family, friends, the Obudi-Agwa community, as well as all those affected by the attacks, the President prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

He also acknowledged the spirited efforts by the Imo State Government at improving the security situation and encourages all Imo residents and citizens to robustly support the collective efforts of state actors and members of the local community to keep everyone safe.

”I told King Charles III don’t have a house in the UK” – President Buhari

President Buhari met with His Royal Majesty, King Charles III in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, November 9.

In an interview with newsmen after the meeting the British monarch, President Buhari said King Charles III asked him whether he has a house in the UK or not.

“He (King Charles III) asked me whether I have a house here (in the UK), I said no. I live in Nigeria alone, the only house I have are those I have before I got into government and I am not very much interested in having houses all over the place. I feel much freer when I have nothing” the President said.

On the purpose of his visit to the revered monarch, President Buhari said Nigeria is a large market and it is only wise for the business relationship between the two countries to be nurtured.

“Firstly, we are to meet with the king in Kigali but unfortunately, the meeting was postponed. He is interested very much in Nigeria, maybe because of Nigeria’s relationship with Britain for long, our economic strength, I think we are still of great attachment to them” he said

President Buhari leaves for London for medical check-up

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to leave for London today, October 31, for a medical check-up.

His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, announced this earlier today in a tweet on his verified personal handle.

He said the President will return to the country the second week of November.

CBN has my backing on redesigning of naira notes – President Buhari

President Buhari says he is fully in support of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s move to redesign the naira notes.

Recall that the apex bank’s decision to redesign the N1,000, N500, and N200 notes, caused a stir last week after the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said she wasn’t aware of the decision.

However, in a statement by his media aide Garba Shehu, the President said he is aware of the redesigning and that he is “convinced that the nation will gain a lot by doing so”.

President Buhari said reasons given to him by the CBN convinced him that the economy stood to benefit from the reduction in inflation, currency counterfeiting and the excess cash in circulation.

He said he did not consider the period of three months for the change to the new notes as being short.

People with illicit money buried under the soil will have a challenge with this but workers, businesses with legitimate incomes will face no difficulties at all.”the statement read

Orobo with zero sense – Footballer Abba Bichi calls out Teni for not bowing to President Buhari while receiving her award

Abba Bichi, a footballer and son of Director General of State Security Services, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, has called out singer Teni for not bowing to President Muhammadu Buhari while receiving her Member of Order of the Niger (MON) award, yesterday October 11.

Abba who accused Teni of being arrogant, also described her as an “Orobo with zero sense”.

He claimed that she was disrespectful to the President even when Director-General of World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and other high-ranking government officials bowed to him while receiving their awards.

Abba wrote;

Orobo with zero sense, even her excellency okonjo bowed down her head as a sign of respect to the president and commander in chief of the armed forces, likewise other high-ranking government officials. Who are you not to respect the president? This is disgusting and disturbing. Yoruba people are best known for their respect for elders but it got to your turn and you decided to be arrogant

This may be false news to tarnish the good job of Buhari and El Rufai – Twitter user tells man who said his mother was shot by bandits along Abuja-Kaduna highway

A Twitter user, Ibrahim took to the platform on Monday, August 22, to disclose that his mother was shot by bandits along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

According to him, the bandits also abducted one of his relatives during the attack.

His family member, Saleem Quardir, who confirmed the incident, said the victim was shot and dumped alive along the road.

Commenting on the tweet on Tuesday, a user said it may be a false news posted to tarnish the ‘good job of President Buhari and Governor El Rufai.’

Meanwhile, Ibrahim in an update, said his mother is receiving treatment in a hospital.

I left APC because my rival at the primary insulted my father – Buhari’s Nephew

Honorable Fatuhu Muhammed, a nephew to President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Peoples Democratic Party.

The lawmaker representing Daura/Mai’Adua/Sandamu Federal Constituency of Katsina State in the National Assembly, failed to secure his re-election ticket after polling 30 votes, while Aminu Jamo, his rival secured 117 votes.

Explaining why he left the party, he told Daily Trust that he dumped the ruling party because his rival allegedly ‘abused’ his father. He said;

“I received an audio recording where their candidate (Jamo) called my father, Alhaji Mamman Dan Baffalo, by name and abused him. Alhaji Mamman Dan Baffallo and President Buhari are of the same father and mother.

“Out of the 26 children born by their father, they are the only males that are from the same father and mother. So, abusing my father is abusing the president.

“So, I said since the issue has gone beyond politics to denigrating the dignity of my parents, I cannot take it any longer, and it is not binding on me to stay in the party, so I decided to leave.”

Buhari Swears-in New Permanent Secretaries

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, administered the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office to three new Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Civil Service.

Buhari swore them in at the Council Chamber of the presidential villa, Abuja.The newly Permanent Secretaries are Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, Mr Udo Okokon Ekanem and Lydia Shehu Jafiya.

Nigeria will start producing airplanes before President Buhari leaves office – FG

The Federal Government has said that production of airplanes in Nigeria will commence before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office in 2023.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika stated this on an inspection visit to the Magnus Aircraft Industry in Pogany, Hungary.

He hinted that Nigeria will partner with the Hungarian firm to begin the production., Guardian reports.

“If we venture with them, we may start with assembling plant and later manufacturing”, the ministry’s spokesman James Odaudu, quoted him in a statement.

Giving an appraisal of the Magnus aircraft, Sirika said it is lightweight, good for military training, made of high-strength composite materials and has an aerobatic manoeuvre.

According to the minister, it uses normal car petrol and outperforms any training aircraft of its kind.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the features and readiness to facilitate the production in the country.

Sirika said the partnership will boost the growth of Nigeria as a regional aviation super power as maintenance and repair facilities will attract patronage from neighbouring countries.

President Buhari appoints Osinbajo Poverty Committee chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated a new poverty committee, appointing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as the chairman.

On Tuesday in Abuja, Buhari inaugurated the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) with Mr Osinbajo as its chairman.

Speaking at the inauguration, the president Buhari reiterated his regime’s commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in10 years with a well-researched framework for implementation and funding.

He noted that the NPRGS had already proposed establishing a private equity fund, the Nigeria Investment and Growth Fund, to lead resource mobilisation drive and sustainably manage the resources.

This journey began in January 2021 when I directed the chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to collaboratively work together to articulate what will lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

“I am happy to note that the process of designing this inclusive poverty reduction strategy recognised and addressed past mistakes as well as laid the foundation for a sustainable poverty reduction.

“This would be done through wide range consultations held at all levels of government, development partners, the private sector as well as the civil society,’’ he stated.

He added that the NPRGS would address underlying causes of poverty on the basis of which it developed programmes that would deal with the multi-dimensional nature of poverty.

However, President Buhari admitted that “the major challenge before this National Steering Committee is to translate our good intentions into positive impact of for the average Nigerian.”

He listed the steering committee’s responsibilities to include anchoring collaborative efforts and providing oversight for the implementation of the strategy.

It will also guide Technical Working Group and federal ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies, subnational governments, and other stakeholders on meeting the objectives of the programme.

We’ve lifted 10.5m Nigerians out of poverty in two years – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has lifted 10.5 million Nigerians out of poverty in the last two years.

Buhari stated this during his Democracy Day speech on Saturday, June 12.

“In the last two years we lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty – farmers, small-scale traders, artisans, market women and the like,” he said.

The President said his administration is strongly committed to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

He said; “I will be the first to admit that in spite of our efforts and achievements which are there for all to see, there is still much more to be done and we are doing our best in the face of scarce resources and galloping population growth rate that consistently outstrips our capacity to provide jobs for our populace. Our over-all economic target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is our goal notwithstanding COVID-19.

“I am very convinced that this 100 million target can be met and this informed the development of a National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy. The specific details of this accelerated strategy will be unveiled shortly.”

Buhari disclosed that his administration disbursed N5,000 to 1 million Nigerians using a rapid response register and advanced N20,000 to 750,000 beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer progamme and provided 1.37 million Nigerians with palliatives from the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), a private sector-led organisation established to assist the government in combating COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time the Federal Government released 109,000 metric tonnes of food reserve stocks and 70,000 metric tonnes of grains to the poor and vulnerable in all 36 states of the federation.

“In addition, Government reduced interest rates from 9% to 5% for struggling businesses and extended credit facilities to 548,345 beneficiaries,” he said.

President Buhari wanted to ban Twitter and Facebook at once – U.S. Media

President Muhammadu Buhari had intended to suspend both Twitter and Facebook’s operations in Nigeria after being angered by removal of his ‘civil war’ posts, a report by Daily Beast says.

The US media platform made this known in a special report explaining what it said was the real reason Buhari banned Twitter.

Daily Beast is an American news publication founded in 2008, it focuses on politics, media and pop culture.

President Buhari’s post on both Twitter and Facebook referred to the Nigeria-Biafra war, which led to the death of about three million people, mostly from the eastern part of the country.

After many Nigerians on Twitter reported the president’s tweet, the social media company deleted it on Wednesday, saying it had violated its policy on abusive behavior.

Followed shortly by the deletion of his Facebook video wherein he vowed to treat trouble makers in the language they understood.

Subsequently, the federal government, through information minister Lai Mohammed announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria on the ground that it was used to spread false information and “activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

Many have faulted the suspension saying it violated Nigerians’ rights to freedom of speech and described it as economic albatross.

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But a source told Daily Beast that the removal of the president’s posts on the social media platforms was “embarrassing,” hence the suspension of Twitter.

According to the source, the president planned to shut down Facebook in the country as well, but his aides advised against it to not seem that it was in reaction to the deleted posts.

“He was furious and wanted to deal with both Twitter and Facebook. The action [the social media companies] took was embarrassing to the president,” the media outlet quoted the official in the president’s office to have said.

The action taken by Facebook ultimately triggered the ban on Twitter even though Facebook wasn’t affected, things could change in the near future,” another official was quoted to have said.

Meanwhile, Attorney General of the federation, Abubakar Malami also sought to enforce the ban by threatening to prosecute anyone continues to use Twitter in Nigeria, as many use VPN to bypass the blockage.

Northern coalition ask President Buhari to grant Biafra for ”peace to reign”

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to make a way for the Republic of Biafra so that there can be peace in the country.

The CNG also condemned Buhari’s ‘civil war’ comments as unpresidential.

Recall that after being briefed by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Yakubu Mahmood, on the attacks on INEC facilities in the South East, President Buhari said they will be ‘treated in the language they understand’.

His said in part; “Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

However, the president’s comments have been widely criticised, with microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, deleting a portion of the tweets posted on his verified handle @MBuhari.

Reacting to the comments and tweets, the CNG in a statement by its spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Sulaiman, said the presidential tweet merely amounts to admission of failure and loss of capacity.

The CNG described the president’s comment on criminal gangs that kill, maim and displace tens of thousands of citizens as a clear indictment on the administration and abdication of Buhari’s primary responsibility of securing the lives and properties of Nigerians.

“We find it ridiculous that most parts of the President’s tweet concentrated more attention to infrastructure than on the lives of citizens that are wasted daily with virtually no response from the authorities

The President’s revelation that most of those involved in the current agitation for secession are those who have not witnessed the 1967 civil war is a vindication of our position that the only reasonable option to ensure a more secure future is for the Igbo to be allowed to have their wish for a Biafran nation.

“The fact that the strength of the Igbo agitation rests on youth who are mainly below the ages of 50, with diseased mindset, encouraged by their political, cultural and religious leaders to take up arms against the Nigerian state and Northerners, has rendered the nation’s unity negotiable.

“It is therefore unreasonable for those older Nigerians who are mostly above 70 to insist that the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct whereas the people executing the dangerous Southeast secession agenda are almost entirely below 50.

It is time for the Nigerian state and all stakeholders to wake to the reality that the only remaining option to avoid a civil war is for the Igbo to be allowed to have the Biafra they have used intermittently for decades to destabilize the nation and deny peace to other components of the country,” Sulaiman said in the statement.

The group urged the people of the North in any part of the country to remain calm and resolute, with the assurance that they are taking steps to ensure the actualization of Biafra so the rest of the country would know peace.

“We hereby make allowance of the next 30 days to see how Buhari would make true his threat to deal with insurgency, banditry and above all, the greater threat posed by IPOB or how he will handle the entire Igbo leadership that openly back and embolden them,” he said.

President Buhari appoints new Chief of Army Staff

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff.

This was contained in a statement by the acting Director of Defence Information, Onyema Nwachukwu.

Maj Gen. Yahaya replaces Ibrahim Attahiru, a lieutenant general, who died in an air crash alongside 10 other officers last week.

Until his appointment, the new army chief was the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the counter insurgency operation in the North-east.

We are surprised with the level of insecurity – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the elite and Nigerians to be more understanding of the military as the country grapples with a high level of insecurity.

Buhari said the spate of attacks and kidnappings in the north-west is a “big surprise and disappointment”.

A statement released by Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu, on Thursday, said Buhari made the comment while speaking with journalists at the State House shortly after observing the Eid prayer.

He said the military is making efforts to tackle the situation but that it takes a “very long process” to achieve the desired results.

The president also said his administration is doing its best with available resources.

The statement read in part; “The elite should make the attempt to understand the military. If we order for weapons and armored vehicles, it takes time for the manufacturers. It takes time to ship them and when brought here eventually, they are taken to training institutions, train the trainers before sending them to the field. This is a very long process.

“I expect Nigerians to be more understanding on the issues involved, looking at the time and available resources.

For example, when we came in, in the Northeast, ask people in Adamawa and Borno States and the South South in terms of security. Without security, you can’t do anything. Our big surprise and disappointment are what is happening in the Northwest and we are dealing with it.”