President Buhari receives in audience Hajia Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations in State House on 9th Nov 2020.
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday said he has mandated his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, to meet with traditional rulers across the nation with a view of addressing some of the demands being made by the youths.
While responding to the recent #EndSARS protest and the mayhem and destruction of public and private property that came in its wake, Buhari tasked Nigerian youths to embrace peace, saying it’s in their own interest ultimately.
President Buhari receives in audience Hajia Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations in State House on 9th Nov 2020.
The President spoke at State House in Abuja, while receiving in audience the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, who’s Nigeria’s former Minister of Environment.
Buhari said: “Our own generation is on the last lap, we are exiting.
“It is in the interest of the youths to keep the peace. They want jobs, infrastructure and development. I have sent a team led by the Chief of Staff (Professor Ibrahim Gambari) to go round the country, talk to traditional rulers, who will then talk to the youths.
“The views of the youths have been heard.”
He added that the current administration inherited severe infrastructural deficits, “and that is what we are fighting to correct. We can’t just sit, fold our hands, and do nothing. We are doing our best within the limits of resources.”
Buhari rued the fact that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shrunk the global economy, noting that “this is something you can’t see, smell, or hear,” but which has wrought devastation on lives and livelihoods round the world.
On climate change, the President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Nigeria was concerned about the recharge of the Lake Chad, which has great implications on security, irregular migration, and livelihoods.
In her remarks, the UN Deputy Secretary-General said she was on a courtesy call with her team to flag interest on challenges that concern the global body, particularly COVID-19, climate change, security, and humanitarian responses to the diverse challenges.
Mahmood Yakubu, Monday handed over to a National Commissioner (North-east), Ahmed Mu’azu, to serve as acting chairman of the Nigeria's electoral body
A re-nominee for chairmanship position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, Monday handed over to a National Commissioner (North-east), Ahmed Mu’azu, to serve as acting chairman of the electoral body, pending the confirmation of former’s re-nomination or otherwise by the Senate.
Mu’azu, who’s in charge of the Electoral Logistics Committee of the commission, received the handing over note from Yakubu at a ceremony which took place at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had in October reappointed Yakubu as INEC chairman for a second and final term, sending a letter to the senate for confirmation of this reappointment.
Yakubu was first appointed by Buhari in October 2015 and assumed office on November 9, 2015, where he has been overseeing the activities of the commission.
Five other national commissioners also bowed out of the commission on Monday.
Mua’zu was born on September 6, 1957 in Gombe State.
He had his early education in Gombe, Kaduna and Maiduguri between 1964-1975.
The Nigerian Senate has warned the Buhari-led Federal Government to dedicate a substantial part of the 2021 budget to create employment opportunities, reduce poverty and ensure food security for Nigerians or risk another agitation similar to the recent EndSARS protest by Nigerian youth.
The warning was sounded by Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture Abudullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West) during the 2021 budget defence session by the Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, in Abuja.
The “abysmally low” budget allocation to the agricultural sector in past years was decried.
Senate President Lawan affirmed agriculture as a potential job creation vehicle.
In his advise, Lawan said the Federal Government (FG) ought to be “practical and radical” in applying its resources to address the urgent needs of the masses.
“Recently, we had some of our youths protesting genuinely. They were seeking the attention of leaders and they got the attention of leaders.
“So, our budget, especially for 2021 should be mindful of what we do to provide employment opportunities for these youths.
“They demonstrated and protested because they could do so, there are so many other people who may not be youthful but are also in the same need and they didn’t protest.
“Let’s meet them where they are. We don’t have to wait until they also start to grumble or protest.
“We should be proactive, we should reach them and most of them are in the rural areas and give them what we can and what they need to some extent within the purview of our resources and keep them there to live a productive life and that is the only way that we can make a difference in the lives of the people.
“And for us, elected people, we are going to be accountable. If we escape this one (#EndSARS protests), the other one is inescapable and I am sure people will know what I am saying”, he said.
Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Abudullahi Adamu also lamented that despite the Maputo declaration that stipulates 10 per cent of national budgets should go to agriculture, the FG’s 2021 allocation to the agricultural sector is less than two per cent of the N13.8 trillion total appropriation.
“In 2021, the sector (agriculture) witnessed a slight increase with a total allocation of N139,458, 322,208.00.
“Over the years, the sector’s allocation has been abysmally low, a far cry from the Maputo declaration which states that a country should allocate at least 10 per cent of their national budget to the agricultural sector.
“This year’s budget proposal only allocated less than two per cent to the agricultural sector.
“The sector’s N139,458,322,208.00 is broken down as follows: Personnel – N68,031,135,074.00, overhead – N3,186,608,895.00, capital – N110,240,253,439.00”, Adamu said.
The Minister of Agriculture, Nanono however argued that the agricultural sector recorded meaningful progress in 2020 and remains one of the fastest growing sectors in the country.
He regrettably admitted the current budgetary allocations for the sector has been low.
Two dismissed corporals were arraigned at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kubwa in Abuja on Monday for the killing of a 69-year old man, Solomon Eze, on May 10 this year.
The Nation’s Nicholas Kalu reports that the ex-policemen, Abubakar Adamu, 28, and Ibrahim Alfa, 36, first and second respondents respectively, both pleaded not guilty in court.
The dismissed police officers who were attached to the FCT Command, are standing trial for shooting dead Eze, an innocent passersby, while carrying out an arrest around Karmo.
An investigation carried out by FCT Police Command was said to have followed the incident and led to the dismissal of both officers from the police service.
The two count charge filed by the FCT Commissioner of Police at the High Court, Kubwa, reads in part, “That you ex-corporal Abubakar Adamu, male, 28 years old and you ex-corporal Ibrahim Alfa, male 36 years old, both dismissed officers under the FCT Police Command, Abuja, on or about the 10th day of May, 2020 at about 4pm at Ereke Junction, Karmo, FCT, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed a criminal offence to wit: culpable homicide punishable with death; in that, on the said date, you both caused the death one Mr Solomon Eze, 69 years old opposite Area Court, Karmo, Abuja, when you Abubakar Adamu shot him in the eye with AK47 rifle knowingly that death is a probable consequence of your act. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 (a) and (b) of the Penal Code Law.”
Prosecuting counsel, Donatus Abah, applied that the two suspects who have been in police custody be remanded in prison custody in Kuje and adjourned the matter to January 25, 2021, Nicholas Kalu of The Nations reported.
File Photo: Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari visits US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington.
The just concluded US presidential election on many accounts births new records that earned it the ‘unprescedented’ label and also reserved it a frontline spot in the history of the one time world-power nation.
President-elect Joe Biden tallied votes not less than 74 million, numbers described as the highest recorded by a candidate in the history of America’s presidential election.
President-elect, Joe Biden and Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris at their acceptance speech event Saturday night, Nov 7, 2020.
Similarly, running mate and now Vice President-elect Kamala Harris shattered the glass ceiling setting new records of not only becoming the first woman, but also the first black woman of Asian root to become Vice President of the United States of America. It was as though she knew of the election outcome before hand when she chose ‘Pioneer’ as her Secret Service call-sign many weeks ago.
In an article published on Sunday by National Geographic, Amy McKeever said: “Even though Joe Biden has secured enough votes to become president-elect of the United States, President Donald Trump has given every indication that he won’t accept the result as fair. Trump also has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power.
“Both moves would be historical firsts if Trump refuses to concede even after all legal challenges are resolved. U.S. history has seen a handful of bitterly contested elections, most recently in 2000, when Democrat Al Gore called Republican George W. Bush to concede in the early hours after election night—only to call back and retract his concession when the race unexpectedly tightened up. While their first conversation was congenial, the second was tense, with Gore famously telling Bush.”
In ways that are familiar to Nigerians, a London based Nigerian journalist, Ayo Akinfe on www.ayoakinfe.com highlights 10 things that would likely have happened had Donald Trump been a Nigerian president.
File Photo: Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari visits US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington.
(1) First of all, many Inec officials would have obeyed his instructions to stop counting the votes immediately the president called for it
(2) Leaders from his ethnic group would have held meetings and declared their unalloyed support for him
(3) Troops would have been dispatched to seize all those ballot papers at the counting centres
(4) Troops, policemen and DSS operatives would have been dispatched to seal off any media networks that defied the order and continued reporting results
(5) The youth from the president’s ethnic group would have held solidarity marches in his support
(6) Counter-marches would of course been organised but troops would have been sent to open fire on them as we saw at the Lekki Toll Gate
(7) Those Inec officials who refused to be intimidated, insisting on showing integrity, would have been picked up by the DSS
(8) The EFCC and Code of Conduct Tribunal would have been used to arrest and bring charges against the owners of media houses who keep announcing results, as happened to Walter Onnoghen
(9) There would have been no shortage of sycophants and praise singers taking to the media to back the president. His own party in particular would be solidly behind him
(10) By now, the uncounted ballot papers would have been destroyed prompting calls for a fresh election. Court orders would have been obtained making this legal
Against the popular finger pointing at Nigerian leaders as the main culprit in the many woes that the most popular black nation suffers, Akinfe differs that: “We complain about Nigeria a lot but refuse to accept that the only problem with Nigeria is Nigerians themselves.
“When I see how leaders of the #EndsSars movement are currently being persecuted and how a shameful meeting in Kaduna recently backed the government, I just shudder.
“Nigerians are their own worst enemies. What is most scary is the number of sycophants wanting to eat crumbs from the oga-at-the-top’s table who will mortgage their consciences for a mess of porridge.”
Also commenting about the heterogeneous ethnic nature of the Nigerian social milieu, a peculiar factor that has been critical in the many ethnic stress experienced from time to time, Akinfe stated that: “One other thing that makes my blood boil is the way Nigerians take sides based on ethnicity and religion. I just hope this latest US saga helps debunk the myth that the problem with Nigeria is bad leadership.
“Our biggest problem is poor followership. Bad leaders like Trump exist everywhere but how far the people are prepared to go to resist them is what makes the difference between good and bad governance.”
President Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his loss in the 2020 election has sparked concerns that the presidential transition would be sabotaged.
The Guardian on Monday reported that a Trump appointee refused to sign off on funding for the transition and the Trump campaign announced an expanded legal strategy in a quest to reverse the election result.
The Center for Presidential Transition, a nonpartisan advisory board, urged the Trump administration on Sunday to begin the handoff to staff supporting Joe Biden, whose victory continued to grow in magnitude as states completed their ballot counts.
“We urge the Trump administration to immediately begin the post-election transition process and the Biden team to take full advantage of the resources available under the presidential transition act,” the transition center said in a letter Sunday.
“This was a hard-fought campaign, but history is replete with examples of presidents who emerged from such campaigns to graciously assist their successors.”
However, neither Trump nor his campaign nor political appointees has the power to stop the transition, and there was no sign that the basic steps toward Biden’s installation as president were at risk of interruption.
But non-cooperation by the Trump administration in the transition could slow the ability of some agencies to act on directives by Biden in essential areas such as pandemic response and the reinstatement of environmental regulations, protections for migrants and international accords, The Guardian wrote.
Stakeholders in South-West of Nigeria meet over insecurity and unemployment. They include the six state governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo; traditional rulers, political leaders and leaders of thought.
Stakeholders at South-west Peace Dialogue which took place in Lagos over the weekend have demanded for the repair of economic assets destroyed in the wake of the #EndSARSProtests that turned bloody in the region.
The stakeholders, including the South-west governors, traditional rulers, political leaders and leaders of thought, at the end of the meeting issued a 13-point communique, called for a comprehensive programme that would address youth employment and empowerment in the country.
The communique, signed on behalf of the participants by Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said: “The security architecture of the country requires adjustment to adequately address the threats and realities of insecurity in the country. There should be more police presence in communities in the South-west states.
“A comprehensive programme that addresses youth employment and empowerment should be prioritised. Closer coordination and complementarity between the States and the Federal Government. Curricular of tertiary institutions should be reviewed, with emphasis placed on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
“We recognise the damaging and negative impact of fake and false news, and we worry about its destructive and dangerous potency. We call on Federal Government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. The 2015 Cyber Act must also be fully used.”
The South-west leaders also demanded a review of reports of past constitutional conferences, including the 2014 National Conference and implement some of the recommendations, especially with reference to security, economy, equal treatment for citizens all over the country.
Lagos State Government hosted the dialogue, which was at the instance of all the six governors of the South-west states, to forge a common front with traditional institutions in addressing the issues that led to the recent nationwide youth demonstration, which ended in violence that shook the region to its foundation.
President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari.
Also, all serving members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from the region and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Adamu, attended the event held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa.
Buhari, in his remarks, said the vigorous manner of the #EndSARS protest indicated the frustration of the youth, who he said had been ignored for a long time in governance. He said the political class must go beyond the lip service and equip the young people with skills that would make them competitive in market.
The President reiterated his commitment to addressing the root causes of the protest, pointing out the reforms which the youths clamoured for would be done and cases of abuses would be pursued to logical conclusion.
He said: “Our government’s effort are emerging from multiple level. The Vice President and governors are designing an engagement framework through the National Economic Council that will be rolled out across States of the Federation.
“Chief among them is police reform across all its dimensions. Community policing as an additional layer that can resolve some of our security issues.”
Speaking at the event, Akeredolu, who is also the Chairman of the South-west Governors’ Forum, said the coordinated violence sparked by the #EndSARS protests shook the South-west to its foundation, given the unrestrained manner with which public assets and infrastructure that had sustained the region’s economy were destroyed by hoodlums.
He said the style of the attacks, especially in Lagos, was worrisome, noting that the peace in the region remained fragile in the aftermath of the violence.
Akeredolu said there’s need to fully restore peace in the South-west and address the issues that made youths to be used by those who orchestrated the destruction.
According to him, “Before our very eyes, what started as a peaceful demonstration turned to a different thing that became a threat to all of us, who are regarded as elite. What we witnessed in the violence showed that something needs to be done to address the underlying issues and come out with solutions. We must be able to sustain the peace in our region at all cost.”
To Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the engagement could not have come at a better time than the present period when the region had just come out from disturbing events.
He believed the dialogue would open a new chapter of peace and prosperity in the South-west.
The discussion went into an executive session in which all the South-west Governors, traditional rulers and heads of security agencies deliberated on the way forward.
Oba Ogunwusi, on his part, applauded the initiative, which he described as “right step” but upbraided the political class for lack of consultation with traditional institutions in decision making.
He said the dialogue would bridge the gap of communication between political leaders and traditional rulers.
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, attacked the unitary system being practised, saying the arrangement had led to insecurity and restiveness.
Also, Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, said security must be fortified in the region to protect the economy of the South-west. He also called for the creation of South-west Development Agenda to revamp and rebuild the destroyed assets.
Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, in his remarks, fingered politicians as the cause of issues that led to the #EndSARS protest, saying unemployment contributed to the problem.
Zimbabwean socialite and businessman Genius ‘Ginimbi Kadungure.
Zimbabwean socialite and businessman Genius ‘Ginimbi Kadungure’ has died on the spot early Sunday morning in a head-on car accident along Borrowdale Road, in Harare, capital of the South African nation.
New Zimbabwe’s Alois Vinga gathered from sources that Ginimbi, who owns Pioneer Gas and PIKO Group, was speeding when he crashed and was helped out of the vehicle, which later burst into flames.
An exiled former minister in the South African nation, Saviour Kasukuwere was said to have expressed bitterness at the passing of the young businessman.
The luxury car that would eventually take his life.
“This is unbearable. A young man who worked hard and enjoyed hard is no more! The flower has wilted! Go well Boss Ginimbi. MHDSRIP,” said Kasukuwere.
According to New Zimbabwe’s Alois Vinga, a relative told the media this morning that the businessman had two other passengers in his car who were “burnt beyond recognition”.
Reports stated that the identities of the co-passengers in the bentley luxury car driven by Kandungure could not be readily established.
Ginimbi’s lifeless body lies on the ground covered by tree branches.
It was said that a relative explained Kadungure was pulled out of the car soon after the crash but died immediately.
The crash happened along a curve just before Hatcliff suburb on the road to Domboshava. The businessman, whose mother died only months ago, owned a mansion in the peri-urban settlement.
In a video that has now circulated on social media since the unfortunate incident Sunday morning, Kandungure was seen hours before the crash preparing to attend a birthday party and later seen driving at night as it was dark.
According to reports, witnesses at the scene of the fatal crash stated that the socialite, who was popular in Harare was speeding.
New Zimbabwe had reported that the driver of the Honda Fit car that got involved in the accident with Ginimbi survived the crash but is said to be in shock.
Security lapses occasioned by the unrest that followed EndSARS protest by Nigerian youth, who demanded government put an end to police brutality and extortion, has put Governors in Nigeria’s South-West on their toes to ensure that the security architecture of the region improves.
The Governors met on Sunday in Lagos to strategise on how to secure the South-West as the aftermath of the EndSARS protest, highjacked by hoodlums who unleashed mayhem nearly collapsed security apparatus in the region.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that In the opening remark of the Chairman, South-West Governors’ Forum, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State), it was stated that the region had gone through a lot in recent times.
Governor Akeredolu said that when the EndSARS protest started in the South-West and other parts of the country, the police were guiding the protesters.
He said that what started as a peaceful demonstration by the youths eventually turned to a different thing, NAN reported.
“In the recent past, our experience has been most worrisome, everybody is worried, everybody is concerned, we have to sustain the peace we have started noticing.
“We are worried. What we are seeing in the last days shows that something needs to be done,´´ Akeredolu said.
“What we have witnessed in the South-West is a great attack on our heritage. We must have collaborate across the board. We need the cooperation of the Federal Government so that this does not repeat itself,´´ the Ondo governor said.
He urged the governors to be up and doing in their duties, adding that the welfare of the people was paramount.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that the South-West region had serious issues of security confronting the people.
Sanwo-Olu said that over 500 vehicles, both public and private were destroyed, hospitals, monarch palace, among others, were not spared.
In his address, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, said the meeting was for those in government to retrace their steps and have a rethink of a better way to engage the youths more to prevent their restiveness.
Gambari noted that President Buhari was aware of the level of destruction to private and public infrastructure in Lagos.
He reiterated the federal government’s commitment to addressing the many challenges and demands of the youths in due course.
Other South-West governors in attendance were Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, his works and housing counterparts, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, among others.
The traditional rulers in attendance include Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, among others.
Buhari said: “Your election is a significant reminder that democracy is the best form of government because it offers the people the opportunity to change their government by peaceful means.
“The most powerful group are not the politicians, but voters who can decide the fate of the politicians at the polling booth.
“The main fascination of democracy is the freedom of choice and the supremacy of the will of the people.”
“Respect for the will of the people is the very reason why democracy remains the best form of government, despite its limitations from one polity to another, and from one society to another.”
“I am thrilled by the fact that you are an experienced politician who had served as Congressman for 40 years and a Vice President for eight years. This is a remarkable track record that gives us hope that you will add value to the presidency and world affairs.”
Buhari also noted that “with your election, we look forward to greater cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, especially at economic, diplomatic and political levels, including the war against terrorism.”
On international affairs, Nigerian President urged Mr. Biden to “deploy your vast experience in tackling the negative consequences of nationalist politics on world affairs which have created divisions, conflicts and uncertainties.”
The Nigerian leader also called on Biden “to introduce greater engagement with Africa on the basis of reciprocal respects and shared interests.”
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose 2019 call with President Donald Trump sparked impeachment investigations, took to Twitter to congratulate President-elect and his running-mate, Kamala Harris.
According to him, “Congratulations to @JoeBiden @KamalaHarris! #Ukraine is optimistic about the future of the strategic partnership with the #UnitedStates. 🇺🇦 and 🇺🇸 have always collaborated on security, trade, investment, democracy, fight against corruption. Our friendship becomes only stronger!”
Also, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said: “We congratulate President-elect @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris and the American people on your election. We look forward to working with you and deepening our bonds of friendship and cooperation.”
On his part, President George Weah of Liberia said: “Congratulations to U.S.President-elect Joe Biden on his historic win. He assumes the leadership of the United States at a very challenging time for the country and the world as we all face a global health crisis. I urge all Americans to forge together in peace and unity.
“As the traditional ally of the United States, Liberia stands ready to further enhance and rekindle our long, historic and unique bilateral relations.
Congratulations!”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a statement, described Biden-Harris’ victory as historic.
“Today marks the dawning of a new day of hope for America. A record-shattering 75 million Americans cast their ballots to elect Joe Biden President of the United States – a historic victory that has handed Democrats a mandate for action.
“In President-elect Joe Biden, Americans elected a leader ready on Day One to finally begin to crush the coronavirus so we can safely reopen our economy and schools. In President-elect Biden, the American people delivered a mandate for lower health costs, a mandate for creating bigger paychecks by rebuilding America’s infrastructure, and a mandate for cleaner government that works for the public interest, not the special interests. And in President-elect Biden, they have elected a unifier who values faith, family and community, and who will work tirelessly to heal our nation.
“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris won with a strong margin, and they will have a strong Democratic House Majority by their side. Working together, we have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress For The People,” Pelosi said.
A former British Prime Minister Theresa May also wrote: “Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Your election marks a new chapter in the history of your country and in the special partnership between our two nations. #democracy The UK & US will always work together to defend our shared values.”
Also commenting on the election, a former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: “The voters have spoken, and they have chosen @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris to be our next president and vice president.
“It’s a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America.
“Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together.”
A former deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, also wrote: “Congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris !
“@JoeBiden is the 46th President of the United States! This is the will of the American people. Real democracies respect the will of the people and the institutions that uphold that will. Anyone else’s opinion is irrelevant now. Americans themselves have spoken.
“In a democracy, no one should be bigger than the voters. America has held elections for 200 years. The Democrats were crushed when @HillaryClinton lost in 2016 and @realDonaldTrump won, but they accepted it. Now that Trump has lost and @JoeBiden won, the same must happen.
“If Trump had won, would the election have been “rigged” and ballots sweepingly described as “illegal”? The whole world is watching the planet’s most powerful country. If this is happening there, what moral standing would it have to censure others on democracy?
“The votes have spoken and, although Trump has the right to go to court, his effort should be channeled in a more professional and responsible manner, not wholesale denunciation of a system that WORKS and always has.”
File Photo: US President Elect, Joe Biden and former boss, ex-President Barack Obama.
The President-Elect of the United States of America, Joe Biden will have series of extraordinary challenges no incoming President ever has the moment he steps into the White House in January 2021.
The newly elected President’s former boss, ex-President Barack Obama said this on Saturday in his reaction after Biden and Kamala Harris, the Vice President-Elect beat Incumbent President Donald Trump in an unprecedented election in the history of America.
“I could not be prouder to congratulate our next President, Joe Biden, and our next First Lady, Jill Biden.
“I also couldn’t be prouder to congratulate Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff for Kamala’s groundbreaking election as our next Vice President”, Obama expressed gladness.
Commenting about the election process that has been described as emotionally exhaustimg, ex-President Obama said: “In this election, under circumstances never experienced, Americans turned out in numbers never seen. And once every vote is counted, President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris will have won a historic and decisive victory”.
Obama expressed confidence about the the competence of his erstwhile Vice President in changing the economic trajectory of a nation that is widely divided at the moment.
“We’re fortunate that Joe’s got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way. Because when he walks into the White House in January, he’ll face a series of extraordinary challenges no incoming President ever has – a raging pandemic, an unequal economy and justice system, a democracy at risk, and a climate in peril.
“I know he’ll do the job with the best interests of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote. So I encourage every American to give him a chance and lend him your support. The election results at every level show that the country remains deeply and bitterly divided. It will be up to not just Joe and Kamala, but each of us, to do our part – to reach out beyond our comfort zone, to listen to others, to lower the temperature and find some common ground from which to move forward, all of us remembering that we are one nation, under God.
“Finally, I want to thank everyone who worked, organized, and volunteered for the Biden campaign, every American who got involved in their own way, and everybody who voted for the first time. Your efforts made a difference. Enjoy this moment. Then stay engaged. I know it can be exhausting. But for this democracy to endure, it requires our active citizenship and sustained focus on the issues – not just in an election season, but all the days in between.”
In the last 3 days, analysts and public commentators have condemned President Trump’s inflammatory comments one of which was his unproven claims of wide spread fraud in an election that is now judged unprecedented in terms of numbers of voters.
“Our democracy needs all of us more than ever. And Michelle and I look forward to supporting our next President and First Lady however we can”, Obama added.
One of the highpoint of this election is the Vice President-Elect, Kamala Harris, who has made history as the first woman of colour, a black woman of South Asian origin, to be elected as the number two leader of the US.
Hours after results indicated that Joe Biden has won the race to Washington with over 74 million votes on Saturday night, CNN reported that President Trump refused to call or invite the President-Elect to the White House. He is not expected to speak as at Saturday night, President Trump is not expected to speak on am election that has taken a disappointing turn. He has demonstrated that he will go to court to contest the result of the election.
The 46th elected president of the US, who crossed the electoral threshold of 270 is expected to address the nation 8pm Saturday.
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