Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: President Buhari

  • Buhari, UI mourn Akinkugbe, hail his pioneering roles in medical sector

    Buhari, UI mourn Akinkugbe, hail his pioneering roles in medical sector

    Idowu Sowunmi

    President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday sent condolences to the family of foremost Nigerian Professor of Medicine, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, who, through diligence and humility, has left a lasting legacy on Nigeria’s health sector and academia.

    Also, Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, has described the death of renowned medical practitioner as not only a loss to his family, but the entire academic world.

    Akinkugbe died in Ibadan on Monday at the age of 87.

    The President believed the late Professor Emeritus contributed immensely to the study of medicine in the country, serving variously as Pro-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt; former Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; former Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin; and former Dean of Faculty of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

    Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, joined the Nigerian Medical Association, government and people of Oyo State, and staff of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan in mourning the renowned scholar who studied and taught at some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including University of London, Balliol College, University of Oxford, England, and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

    The President affirmed that the late Akinkugbe would always be remembered for his pioneering roles and contributions to the medical sector, especially the distinguished leadership he provided as Chairman of the Board of Management of University College Hospital, Ibadan, and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

    Buhari prayed God to accept the soul of the departed, and comfort his family.

    Also, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka, while reacting to the death of Akinkugbe, said the academic world would miss the deceased just like the way his family would miss him.

    Olayinka, in a statement, described Akinkugbe as a great Nigerian with passion for his country.

    “The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, mourns the death of the distinguished administrator, international physician, widely respected medical scientist and a man of many preferment, Late Emeritus Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe, who died at 86 on Monday, 15 June, 2020.

    “It is with deep sense of loss but with gratitude to God for a life well spent in selfless service to humanity, that we, at University of Ibadan received the news of the death of late Emeritus Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe today, 15 June, 2020.

    “May I, therefore on behalf of Council, Senate, Congregation, Management, Staff and Students of University commiserate with the Akinkugbe family on the death of their illustrious son, uncle, father and elder statesman.

    “The exit to eternity of our most beloved Prof, will most certainly create gaps stressing that only recently, he bequeathed his entire library to the University of Ibadan.

    “Really, the death of Baba Akinkugbe is not only a loss to his family but the entire academic world who will miss his rich academic and administrative inspiration. It is therefore our prayer that the Good Lord will grant his soul perfect rest,” the statement said.

  • Breaking: Embattled Edo Governor, Obaseki, dumps APC

    Breaking: Embattled Edo Governor, Obaseki, dumps APC

    The embattled Governor of Edo State has withdrawn his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party on whose back he won the governorship seat in 2016 that has now turned its back on him and even determined to stop him from returning to the number one office in the State.

    Governor Obaseki, who announced his leave from the APC this Tuesday afternoon after visiting the State House for the second time in less than a month

    “I have officially resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress after meeting with the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We shall continue the battle to protect the interest of Edo people and sustain good governance in the state”, the Governor stated.

     

  • Shooting in Aso Rock: Buhari orders Investigation in line with rule of law

    Shooting in Aso Rock: Buhari orders Investigation in line with rule of law

    Idowu Sowunmi

    President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a full investigation into a security breach at the Presidential Villa in Abuja in which an Aide-de-Camp to First Lady, Usman Shuguba, fired gunshots last Thursday in a bid to apprehend Buhari’s cousin, Sabiu Yusuf, who was alleged to have refused to self-isolate after returning from Lagos State, where he had gone to see his wife who had just put to bed.

    Prominent Nigerians have expressed concerns over the development and tasked the President to take a decisive action.

    Reacting to the incident for the first time on Sunday, Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, ordered investigation into the matter and vowed that rule of law would be allowed to take its natural cause.

    “Armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House receive the necessary training of especially weapons handling and where they come short, their relevant agencies have their rules and regulations to immediately address them.

    “Having authorised the proper investigation to be carried out into this unfortunate incident by the police, the President has acted in compliance with the rule of law.

    “In this particular instance, the President says the law should be allowed to take its course,” the statement said.

    While acknowledging concerns expressed by several members of the public regarding the recent incident among the occupants of the State House which escalation led to the arrest of some staff by the police, the statement assured that “the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, is not, and was not at anytime in any form of danger arising, either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation.”

    The Presidency added that the incident happened outside the main residence of the President.

    Shehu described the incident as “a minor occurrence,” and condemned some individuals who used the incident to “justify attacks on the government and the person of President Muhammadu Buhari,” saying such attitude “beggars belief.”

    Meanwhile, the President has criticised members of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) for alleging that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that Buhari and governors have failed in their constitutional duty to protect the people.

    Reacting to this statement, Buhari said: “We are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight.”

    NEF, in a statement on Sunday and signed by its Convener, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, had berated the President and some northern governors for not foing enoigh to protect the northerners.

    But the President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, countered NEF’s position.

    “Hearing that title, you would think the body was a conglomeration of true elders. But the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF. It is a quasi-organisation that boasts of no credible membership, and its leader is akin to a General without troops.

    “Before the 2019 presidential election, the one-man army called NEF had shown its antipathy against President Buhari, and its preference for another candidate. They all got beaten together.

    “NEF is merely waving a flag that is at half-mast. President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything,” the statement said.

  • At last, Buhari okays Dongban-Mensem for Senate confirmation as appellate court president

    At last, Buhari okays Dongban-Mensem for Senate confirmation as appellate court president

    Idowu Sowunmi

    President Muhammadu Buhari has finally sent the nomination of Her Lordship, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, Acting President, Court of Appeal to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive President, Court of Appeal.

    Justice Dongban-Mensem is a serving Justice of the Court of Appeal and was recommended, as is the practice, by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the nomination by the President.

    NJC’s decisions were taken at the virtual meeting of members of the council on April 22 and 23.

    READ ALSO: How IPOB is plotting US, UK against Nigeria – Presidency says

    Confirming the news, Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, explained that the nomination was in line with the President’s constitutional responsibility.

    Justice Dongban-Mensem was sworn-in by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, on March 7, a day after Buhari appointed her as Acting President of Court of Appeal.

  • Bandit Attacks: President Buhari to increase military operations in Katsina, others

    Bandit Attacks: President Buhari to increase military operations in Katsina, others

    President Muhammadu Buhari says he will deploy more military operations in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Katsina and Kaduna States in order to check the activities of bandits.

    The President made this known on Thursday when the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari who has been troubled with recent attacks by bandits in his state, visited the State House Abuja.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu Saturday, President Buhari stressed that “bandits, who have committed crimes against innocent citizens in the state, and across the country, will not be spared”.

    Assuring the people and government of Katsina State of renewed efforts, the President stated that security operations in the troubled state and other parts of the country will be reviewed and improved to ensure the security of lives and property.

    The President, commiserating with Governor Masari over the loss of lives to incessant attacks warned “bandits to surrender their weapons, or face disgraceful and violent end’’.

  • AfDB board finds middle ground, supports Adesina, grants US a review

    AfDB board finds middle ground, supports Adesina, grants US a review

    The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) board, decided to opt for a middle ground resolution of the impasse generated by the demand of the United States, a non-regional investor in the bank, for an independent probe of misconduct allegations leveled against the bank’s President, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, whom the ethics committee of the organization has already cleared.
    In a statement issued by the Chairperson of the Bureau of the Board of Governors, Ms. Niale Kaba on Thursday, the board stood its ground on the accuracy of the outcome of an internal investigation that had cleared Adesina of improper conduct, but confirmed it would authorise an independent review of the ethics committee report, as against the US’ “independent probe” in order to please all stakeholders.

    READ ALSO: African Development Bank Presidency: I’ll stand by you – Buhari tells Adesina

    AfDB’s board of governors said it believed the bank’s ethics committee, which produced the report, had carried out its role correctly. But the board has nevertheless agreed to authorise a review.

    “The independent review shall be conducted by a neutral high caliber individual with unquestionable experience, high international reputation and integrity,” it said.

    The AfDB chief who never hid his desire to run the bank for a second term, gained the support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) due to his sterling performance at the bank. In April, Dr. Adesina was confronted with the first resistance to his second term bid in the form of allegations of misconduct by a whistleblower and later a second resistance when the United States rejected an internal process that cleared him of wrongdoing.

    The United States, AfDB’s second-largest shareholder, has demanded a new independent probe into the allegations, rejecting the bank’s investigation over reservations about the integrity of the bank’s process.

    Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the leader of the nation with the largest single share, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has voiced his support and gave his backing to Adesina in his bid for a second term as AfDB president.

    Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari meets African Development Bank’s (AfDB) President, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina

    READ ALSO: Workers Welfare: House pledges support-to criminalise estimated billing

    The board however stressed that the review of the investigation would take no more than four weeks considering the organization’s electoral calendar.

    Owing to the disquiet in Africa’s number one bank, the board of Governors resolved to review the bank’s whistle-blowing and complaints handling policy at a later date presumably to improve the confidence of all stakeholders in its Internal mechanism.

  • African Development Bank Presidency: I’ll Stand By You, Buhari Tells Adesina

    African Development Bank Presidency: I’ll Stand By You, Buhari Tells Adesina

    Idowu Sowunmi
    President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday said Nigeria would stand solidly behind Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in his bid to get re-elected as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
    The President stated this at State House in Abuja, while hosting Adesina on a courtesy visit.
    According to him, “In 2015, when you were to be elected for the first term, I wrote to all African leaders, recommending you for the position.
    “I didn’t say because you were a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Minister, and I belonged to the All Progressives Congress (APC), so I would withhold my support. I’ll remain consistent with you, because no one has faulted the step I took on behalf of Nigeria.”
    The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, pledged that Nigeria would work with all other leaders and stakeholders in AfDB to ensure that Adesina is elected for a second term built on the record of his achievements during his first term.
    The African Union had already endorsed the incumbent AfDB President as sole candidate for the continent, but some other stakeholders are trying to ensure that Adesina is re-investigated on some allegations, and rendered ineligible to run.
    Giving a background to what was happening in the bank, Adesina, a former Nigerian Minister for Agriculture, said the 16 allegations raised against him were trumped up, “and without facts, evidence, and documents, as required by the rules and regulations of the bank.”
    He added that the Ethics Committee of the bank cleared him of all the allegations, and calls for fresh investigation by the United States of America, were against the rules.”
    He said: “My defense ran into 250 pages, and not a single line was faulted or questioned. The law says that report of the Ethics Committee should be transmitted to the Chairman of Governors of the bank.
    “It was done, and the governors upheld the recommendations. That was the end of the matter, according to the rules. It was only if I was culpable that a fresh investigation could be launched.
    “I was exonerated, and any other investigation would amount to bending the rules of the bank, to arrive at a predetermined conclusion.”
    Stressing that the motive was to soil his name, and that of the bank, the AfDB President said he was proud to be Nigerian, and thanked President Buhari for his unflinching support.
    “You helped me to get elected in the first place, and you have supported me robustly all along, and the African Union unanimously endorsed my re-election,” he declared.
    While commiserating with President Buhari on the death of the former Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, Dr Adesina described Professor Ibrahim Gambari, new Chief of Staff as “a man of integrity, and of global standing.”
  • Breaking: Buhari appoints Dongban-Mensem Acting President, Court of Appeal again

    Breaking: Buhari appoints Dongban-Mensem Acting President, Court of Appeal again

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Hon. Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) with effect from June 3, 2020, for a further period of three (3) months.

  • No probe of Abba Kyari’s memos, Buhari is in charge – Presidency says

    No probe of Abba Kyari’s memos, Buhari is in charge – Presidency says

    By Tobiloba Kolawole

    The Presidency has refuted media reports alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari reversed 150 memos signed off by the former Chief of Staff to the President, Late Abba Kyari.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Tuesday, the reports on “presidential directive on 150 memos is fake news”.

    Shehu said: “The attention of the Presidency has been drawn to media reports alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled a number of memos and appointments signed off by his former Chief of Staff. Not surprisingly, these reports have quoted unnamed sources.

    READ ALSO: INEC debunks reports stating electronic voting starts from 2021

    “There is not a grain of truth in these reports and Nigerians should please ignore the insinuations behind them”, Shehu noted.

    The presidential spokesman however reassured Nigerians that President Buhari is in charge and has not at anytime shared presidential power with any of his aides.

    “President Buhari was duly re-elected by Nigerians in February 2019. He has not and will never cede to anyone else, that power and trust given to him by the Nigerian people”, he added.

    On Monday, media reports alleged that President Buhari had initiated a probe of all activities including appointments, memos and approvals signed off by late Kyari.

    READ ALSO: Lagos to evacuate drainage silts as early morning rainfall causes building collapse in Yaba

    Before the death of the former Chief of Staff, many Nigerians assumed that late Abba Kyari wielded too much power within and outside the presidency. In fact, he was touted as the arrow head of an alleged cabal that controls the wheel of governance rather than President Buhari.

  • Photo: FEC holds virtual meeting, approves contracts in Oil & Gas, Education, others

    Photo: FEC holds virtual meeting, approves contracts in Oil & Gas, Education, others

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the contract for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme, Infrastructural Development Water System, and Fire Station at Odukpani in Cross River State.

    The weekly council meeting which held virtually was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and a handful of cabinet members while others participated in the meeting remotely.

    The council also considered and approved contracts from the Ministries of Education, Transportation, Finance, Aviation, Petroleum Resources and Ministry of Works.

    Photos:

    President Muhammadu Buhari presides over Federal Executive Council meeting
    Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at the Federal Executive Council meeting, Wednesday, May 20, 2020
    Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika at the Federal Executive Council meeting, Wednesday, May 20, 2020
    President Muhammadu Buhari presides over Federal Executive Council meeting
    Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi at the Federal Executive Council meeting, Wednesday, May 20, 2020
    President Muhammadu Buhari presides over virtual FEC meeting
    Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed at the Federal Executive Council meeting, Wednesday May 20, 2020