President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Sunday night, told Nigerians that he applied to be the President, hence, he would live up to expectations and deliver on his promises.
The President-elect said he would set Nigeria back on the path of growth, poverty, and policy inconsistency notwithstanding.
Asiwaju Tinubu spoke at the Inauguration Dinner/Gala Night, organized by the Presidential Transition Council (PTC), at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He that though there are many issues confronting the country, including corruption, poverty and policy inconsistency, none of them would be an excuse for nonperformance by his administration, saying there will be no excuses for failure.
According to him, “To the many Heads if State present here, our brothers and sisters, celebrating with us, I thank you, but I want to say clearly for us to take away, what lessons has Nigeria democracy taught the rest Africa, if not the whole world.
“Resilience, determination, courage, love in diversity, though our tongues and tribes differ. Byb tomorrow afternoon, my predecessor is heading to Daura, on the border with Niger, but I have told him not to worry, he will still get a knock on his door. No matter how short a man is, he will see the sky. I will still be able to find him when I need his help.
“Here is a country that has stumbled a number of times, but has never faltered. We can be squeaky like old mama’s car, but we will never break apart. We are just a unique country.
“We must fight corruption, poverty, inconsistencies in policies and many other problems confronting us, but don’t pity me, I asked for the job, I campaigned for it, no excuses, I will live up to the bill deliver. I promise you” he said.
In his speech, the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari, thanked the dignitaries who have come to honour Nigeria, stressing that the success the country just achieved with the election, which produced the incoming set of leaders.
He said that the electoral process has given power back to the Nigerian electorate.
He said, “I congratulate fellow Nigerians who have realized their power that their votes count. I’m looking forward to tomorrow to fly to my base and go back to my cows and sheep, which are much easier to control than fellow Nigerians.
“Your Excellencies, Heads of States and Government, and their representatives that have come to share this day with us, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank very much and I say good bye to you and wish us the best of luck”, he said.
Earlier, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, in company of Tinubu, incoming First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima and his wife unveiled a book titled “Renewed hope, Greater together”.
Some of the world leaders seen at the colourful event included the Presidents of South Africa Sierra Leone, Ghana, Burundi, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Central Africa Republic, Gabon, the Prime Minister of Morocco, Vice President of Venezuela and many more.
Many world leaders are in the country to witness Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inauguration as the fifth President of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and the 16th leader since independence.
Tinubu, a former governor of Nigeria’s economic capital, Lagos State, won the February 25 presidential election, defeating 17 other candidates.
He ran on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party that has ruled the country since 2015 led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu reassured Nigerians and world leaders that he would deliver on his promises.
He spoke last night at the inauguration Dinner/Gala Night organised by the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The President-elect said: “To the many Heads of State present here, our brothers and sisters celebrating with us, I thank you.
“What lessons has Nigeria’s democracy taught the rest of Africa if not the whole world? Resilience, determination, courage, and love in diversity, though our tongues and tribes differ.
“By tomorrow (today’s) afternoon, my predecessor is heading to Daura, on the border with Niger, but I have told him not to worry, he will still get a knock on his door.
“No matter how short a man is, he will see the sky. I will still be able to find him when I need his help.
“Here is a country that has stumbled many times, but has never faltered. We can be squeaky like old mama’s car, but we will never break apart. We are just a unique country.
“We must fight corruption, poverty, inconsistencies in policies and many other problems confronting us.
“But don’t pity me. I asked for the job. I campaigned for it. No excuses. I will live up to the billing to deliver. I promise you.”
Buhari thanked the dignitaries, saying the electoral process has given power back to the Nigerians.
“I congratulate fellow Nigerians who have realised that their votes count.
“I’m looking forward to flying to my base and going back to my cows and sheep, which are much easier to control than fellow Nigerians.”
Some of the world leaders seen at the colourful event included the Presidents of South Africa, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Burundi, Liberia, the Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, the Central Africa Republic, Gabon, the Prime Minister of Morocco, the Vice President of Venezuela and many more.
Presidents and heads of governments who have arrived are Mahamat Idriss Déby (Republic of Chad), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Abdelmadjid Tebboune (Algeria), Nana Akufo Addo (Ghana), Macky Sall (Senegal), Julius Maada Bio (Sierra-Leone), Adama Barrow (Gambia), Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo Brazzaville), Mohamed Bazoum (Niger), Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Joseph Ngute (Cameroon Prime Minister).
The France delegation is led by Minister Delegate for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, Chrysoula Zacharopoulou.
The Japanese delegation is led by Special Envoy to Prime Minister of Japan, Tanaka Kazunori.
India’s Defence Minister Mr Rajinath, will lead the country’s delegation to the inauguration.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said: “The visit of Mr Rajnath Singh reflects the growing bilateral relations between India and Nigeria and signifies India’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria.”
Cote d’Ivoire’s Foreign Affairs Minister will represent the Prime Minister, Patrick Jerome Achi.
United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden will be represented by a nine-member delegation led Marcia Fudge, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
President Muhammadu Buhari will step down after eight years, giving way to a new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The main event of today will be the administration of the oath of office and allegiance on Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola.
There will also be a colourful military parade by officers and men of the Army, Air Force and the Navy.
The new president will take the salute after becoming the Commander-in-Chief.
No fewer than 5,000 dignitaries will witness the ceremony at Eagle Square, which has hosted the swearing-in of presidents since the outset of the Fourth Republic in 1999.
Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007), Umaru Musa Yar’Adu (2007 -2010), Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (2010 -2015) and Muhammadu Buhari (2015 -2019) took the oath of office at the same venue.
It will also be a new dawn in 18 states which will have new governors from today.
In 10 other states, governors will take the oath of office for their second terms.
Ahead of today’s inauguration, President Buhari handed the transition documents and a baton of service to Tinubu on Thursday.
He also conferred on him the highest national award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and Shettima, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Yesterday morning, there was an interdenominational service at the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, attended by outgoing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon and Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the incoming president, who represented her husband.
Also at the church service were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, Senator-elect Godswill Akpabio, and leaders of various Christian blocks in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Head of Transport and Logistics Sub-Committee of the Presidential Transition Council (PTC), Mrs Hadiza Kabir, said 395 vehicles were deployed for the inauguration.
“We have vehicles at the airport and other strategic locations for ease of movement for our guests.
“We have 395 vehicles including SUVs, buses and Sedans. We also have some vehicles from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will convey dignitaries,” she said.
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has counseled Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as he takes over the presidency of the country, not to rush in removing subsidy in Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol because of its socio-economic implications.
NUPENG in a statement by its President and General Secretary, Prince Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, urged the new administration to make all three public refineries functional and should not because of the availability of the anticipatory products from Dangote refinery allow all the hard-earned funds injected into the rehabilitation of the three public refineries (Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna) wasted but concrete efforts should be geared towards making them functional and operate in full capacities to generate returns on the investments.
The statement among others, said “We earnestly implore the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to save Nigeria and Nigerians from the shame and global ridicule of open thefts and sales of the nation’s crude oil in the international markets while the country is reeling in helplessness, hardship, and poverty. The administration should as a matter of urgency address this issue with all vigor and urgency.
The new President needs no further introduction to the tumultuous journey that led to eventual signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill into an Act of the Parliament by Out-going President Muhammadu Buhari with the objectives of having a Petroleum Industry that will be accountable, rewarding and transparent in financials, governance and responsiveness to the needs and yearnings of Communities and stakeholders.
“These desirable objectives can only be achieved with strict adherence in implementation to the spirit and letters of the Act. We therefore strongly plead with the President-elect and his team to give a new narrative to wrong notions that Nigeria governments are no respecter of their laws. Let the Petroleum Industry Act, no matter any perceived shortcomings inherent be implemented until any further amendments are made.
“Without any doubt a major socio/economic policy on the front burner of national discourse and expectation is the recurrent discussion/debate for the removal of subsidy from the Petroleum Motor Spirit.
“As a responsible and responsive Trade Union in the Industry we are very desirous of policy change on the issue of subsidy on PMS, but we are deeply concerned of the failure of the successive administration to do the needful as severally advised and canvassed for by organized labor in order to avoid unintended consequences on the people and the body polity.
“We are delighted that our concerns about the dependence on importation are being addressed by the recently commissioned Dangote Refinery, but we are quick to add that the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should not rush into taking any decision on the Policy change until the products are actually in the market from the Dangote Refinery.
“In same vein the administration should make all three public refineries functional and should not because of the anticipatory products availability from Dangote refinery allow all the hard-earned funds injected into the rehabilitation of the three public refineries (Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna) wasted but concrete efforts should be geared towards making them functional and operate in full capacities to generate returns on the investments.
“It has always been our firm belief that deregulation that is based on local production will not only increase the revenue earnings of the country, but it will also generate employment and make life more meaningful to ordinary Nigerians. It’s also very imperative for the new administration to have robust engagement and discussion with all key stakeholders, most especially the organized Labor on ways and means to mitigate these consequences on employment, inflation and living conditions of the working people.
“Any major policy decision on the removal of the subsidy on this very important economic item should be taken with extra caution in view of the enormous implications and the impacts on the overall economic activities of the nation and other unintended consequences on the ordinary citizens considering the socio-economic importance of the product.”
The force headquarters today (Monday) called on Nigerians to ignore news making the rounds claiming that the InspectorcGeneral of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has been sacked by virtue of a Federal High Court judgment in Awka, on the basis of having attained the constitutional retirement age on 60 years in March 2023.
The Force headquarters stated that the IGP still has the right to appeal the judgment hence the news of his sack is false and unfounded.
A statement in the regard titled, “IGP Not Sacked, Disregard Trending False News” was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi.
It reads, ‘The Nigeria Police wishes to urge the general public to disregard the false news making the rounds on social media alleging the sack of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba by a Federal High Court in Awka.
“The said judgment is subject to appeal and the alleged news is thus false, unfounded, and perceived to be the handiwork of mischief makers.
“IGP Alkali was appointed in a letter-number SGF.20/S.6/83 dated 30th Nov 2021 for a 4-year tenure and his stay in office is within the purview of his appointment.
“It is imperative to note that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, dismissed a suit that sought to compel the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, to vacate his office on March 1, 2023.
“The Federal High Court, in the judgment delivered by Justice J. K. Omotosho, held that going by the provision of Section 7 (6) of the Police Act, 2020, anyone appointed as the IGP has a statutorily recognized four-year tenure.
“It described the IGP’s four-year tenure as sacrosanct, stressing that his retirement as the IGP had nothing to do with age or years of service.
“It is pertinent to state that maintaining the four-year period for individuals appointed as IGP is being institutionalized by the provisions of the law, not on personal grounds to favour an individual, but for the general betterment of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Consequently, members of the public are on this notice advised to ignore the false news making the rounds on social media.
“IGP Usman Alkali Baba remains the Inspector-General of Police and is duty-bound to execute the responsibilities of the office in accordance with extant laws.
“Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police reaffirms the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police to the improvement of policing services within the country as well as the entrenchment of professionalism and community-oriented policing.”
...as efforts by previous administrations to turn things round have failed.
May 29 takes a new form in election years, especially when the baton changes hands from one President to another, or even one political party to another. With the situation of things in the country, tomorrow should not be a day for so much pomp and pageantry, wining and dining. It should indeed be a day for sober reflection on the state of the nation and the way forward.
Few indices of development show that the country is making so much progress. Maternal mortality, infant mortality, multidimensional poverty, inflation, poor electricity supply and even social cohesion remain major challenges – in all, Nigeria has a poor record to the point of being rated the poverty capital of the world.
It is good that the new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has promised to hit the ground running. He is not oblivious of this fact. He said he fully understood the position of things. Governance in a presidential system reflects so much on the personality of the President – how prepared is he; how disciplined is he; how firm could he be and his philosophy of life.
When the late Professor Chinua Achebe said the problem with Nigeria was leadership, he hit the nail on the head. The country has hardly been blessed with progressive, transformational leaders since independence. Most of the leaders have functioned more as dealers, and those who were not “fantastically corrupt” were unable to rein in their men.
Indeed, when Achebe wrote the “Man of the People” after the First Republic to depict all-round corruption by leaders of that era, he had no idea what was coming in years ahead, both under the military and the civilian governments. Yet, no one has been able to trace the loot in the government then to the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa. The same could be said of President Shehu Shagari of the Second Republic.
The buck is now on the desk of President Tinubu, who has as first assignment the choice of men and women to assist him in running the ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government. He must locate people of unimpeachable character, who share his philosophy in setting the ship of state sailing. Then, having set his priorities, he has to once again sell his agenda to the people.
Then, he has a duty to tackle the insecurity that has almost done the state in. In the North East, insurgency subsists, even though tamed to a large extent. But in the North West states of Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and even Kebbi states, banditry is the order of the day. The bandits raid homes and communities at will. Schools are regularly violated and the traditional institution has been compromised to the point that one, in Zamfara, turbaned a prominent member of the ‘club’. Soldiers and military officers are said to be supplying information to the men of the underworld.
The new President has given insight into what he would do, including mass recruitment of men into the armed forces, reform and beefing up the number in the Nigeria Police Force and equipping all the security forces adequately. He has promised to leverage technology in fighting the war that has turned many to refugees in their own country. The war against brigands has not been limited to the far North. In the North Central, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau and Kogi states have been regularly raided by these men with the state appearing helpless.
In recent times, areas of the Federal Capital Territory bordering Niger State have not been spared. The criminals were so audacious that they sacked the Kuje Prison on July 5, 2022, to free their men awaiting trial for mass murder. Bloodletting in the land must stop if the confidence of the people in their government to secure their lives and property is to be restored.
As James Carville said while advising former United States President Bill Clinton in 1992, we could use the phrase: “it’s the economy, stupid”. To say that the Nigerian economy is in the doldrums is an understatement. With the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), a state agency putting multidimensional poverty at about two-thirds of the people, the new President has his work cut out for him.
He may not have a magic wand. He is not expected to come up with a miracle. All jaded policies of the Buhari administration such as the Conditional Cash Transfer by which a pittance of N5,000 handout is given some of the most vulnerable in the society, the market money and similar policies should be recalibrated to stimulate rather than stagnate the economy. In their place, a better-thought-out programme meant to move the mass of the people out of the poverty bracket must be put in place.
It is good that he has already sounded the note that the subsidy on petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) would be removed very soon despite the implication for the people. But what has to be done must be done in view of the fact that about N7 trillion would have been expended on the subsidy. What informed people await are the palliatives that would cushion the effect on the people and the sincerity that would attend the implementation.
It has also been pointed out that the multiple windows of foreign exchange leave room for manipulation and round-tripping. In the interest of the economy, this must stop. Even the industrialists who are touted major beneficiaries of the Import and Export windows have decried the policy as they had to fall back on the parallel market to purchase their raw materials.
Then, there is the electricity supply. It is shameful that despite the promise by successive governments to ramp up generation, transmission and distribution, including the partial privatisation of the distribution and generation sectors, nothing positive has come out of it all; yet billions of dollars have been pumped into the sector. We still supply less than 5,000 megawatts to households of more than 200 million Nigerians, and industries. This, experts have said, must change if we are to give a boost to the economy, empower industries to employ the teeming unemployed youths who, of recent, have been finding their way out of the country in search of greener pastures.
It’s not only about the economy. The President must find a way of connecting with the people. He has to regularly communicate with them and sell his government’s policies and programmes to them. The government must be transparent in all its dealings.
The new president has projected a track record during his stewardship of Nigeria’s flagship state of Lagos. Many expect him to show his acumen in running the country.
We look forward to how long it would take him to make key appointments, restructure agencies of government and come up with a blueprint for general restructuring of the Nigerian federation to conform to the template adopted by other plural societies.
Arise, Nigerian compatriots. Obey the clarion call of the country. It is a call on all to rally round the government, give it a chance to prove itself, in the interest of all. It is a country of great potential, but these potentials in mineral and human resources must be converted into actuality. It is the only way forward.
Farewell Speech by His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-In-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria
AdminMy fellow Nigerian brothers, sisters and friends of Nigeria.
I address you today, in my last assignment as a democratically elected President of our great and well endowed nation, with a deep sense of gratitude to God, a great deal of appreciation to the Nigerian people and a modest sense of fulfilment.
Today we mark and celebrate another peaceful transition of power from one elected government to another in our steady march to improve and sustain Nigeria’s democracy.
This year we witnessed the most keenly contested Presidential Elections since the first Republic and this demonstrates that our democracy is getting better and more entrenched witheach election. We must as a nation improve and sustain gains we make in the electoral process, on an incremental basis for Nigeria to take its rightful place among Nations.Our democracy provides for, allows and encourages seeking redress for perceived injustices, enabling some candidates and political parties that did not agree with the resultsto go to court.
Irrespective of the outcome of the various cases, I urge all parties involved to accept the decision of our courts and join hands to build a better Nigeria.
I salute the doggedness and resilience of all the Presidential Candidates and their political parties for believing in our judicial system by taking their grievances with the election
results to court.
In the course of the campaigns, we had argued and disagreed on how to make Nigeria better but we never disagreed
or had any doubts that Nigeria has to be better.
As your President, I call on all of us to bring to bear the strength of our individualism, the power of our unity, the convictions of our beliefs to make Nigeria work better and
together with one spirit and one purpose.
To my brother, friend and fellow worker in the political terrain for the past ten years - Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I congratulate you on the realisation of your dream, which was
propelled by a burning passion to put Nigeria amongst the leading nations of the world.
You have indeed worked for this day and God has crowned your efforts. I have no doubt that your passion for excellence, reliance on competence, fairness in relationships, commitment to equity, loyalty to the country and desire for Nigeria to be globally relevant would come through for you, under God’s guidance, as you lead our country to levels higher that I am leaving.
You are the best candidate among all the contestants and Nigerians have chosen well.The last eight years have been an exciting experience in my desire and commitment to see a Nigeria in which public goods and services are available, and accessible within a united,
peaceful and secure nation.
Fellow Nigerians, on the strength of your over-whelming support for me and my political party, I started this journey with a great deal of promise and expectation from you. I never intended to be just politically correct but to do the correct things that will make meaningful impact on the lives of the common Nigerian.
This high expectation was not misplaced because, like the ordinary Nigerian, I had grown tired of watching the country progressively moving away from the path of correctness.
To ensure that our democracy remains resilient and our elected representatives remain accountable to the people, I am leaving behind an electoral process which guarantees that votes
count, results are credible, elections are fair and transparent and the influence of money in politics reduced to the barest minimum. And Nigerians can elect leaders of their choice.
We are already seeing the outcome of this process as it provided an even playing field where persons without any political God-Father or access to money defeated other well
resourced candidates.
The Nigerian economy has become more resilient due to the various strategies put in place to ensure that our economy remained afloat during cases of global economic downturns.
You would all recall the supply chain disruptions and economic downturn that the world witnessed between 2020 and 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deftness of our
response to the pandemic still remains a global best practice.
Furthermore, we increased the ability of the poor and rural Nigerians to earn a living, provided more food for millions in our villages and gave our women opportunities to earn a living.
Young men and women in urban centres were also supported to put their skills into productive use. Our administration also provided an enabling environment for the private sector to engage in businesses for which their return on investments is guaranteed.
The private sector proved a strong partner in our drive to build a resilient and sustainable economy as evidenced by the growing number of turn-key projects in various sectors of the
economy.
In the course of revamping the economy, we made some difficult choices, most of which yielded the desired results. Some of the measures led to temporary pain and suffering for which I sincerely apologised to my fellow countrymen, but the measures were taken for the over-all good of the country.
Mindful of the need to ensure adequate infrastructure to drive economic growth, we completed age-long projects and processes notably amongst which are the Petroleum Industry
Act, completion of some power projects, completion of the second Niger bridge and various important roads linking cities and states.
Our battle to ensure that all Nigerians live in a safe and secure environment have achieved considerable results. As I complete my term in office, we have been able to reduce the
incidences of banditry, terrorism, armed robbery and other criminal activities considerably.
To sustain the gains made so far, I call on all Nigerians to be more vigilant and support the security agencies by ensuring that our values defined by being your brothers’ keeper govern
our actions.
Up-till now, I still grieve for our children still in captivity, mourn with parents, friends and relatives of all those that lost loved ones in the days of the senseless brigandage and carnage.
For all those under unlawful captivity our Security Agencies are working round the clock to secure their release unharmed.
Fellow Nigerians, you know how dear the desire in my heart to rid the country of corrupt practices that had consistently diminished our efforts to be a great country.
I did pursue this commitment relentlessly, in spite of the expected push back. I am happy that considerable progress had been made in repatriating huge sums of money back to the
country and also taken over properties illegally acquired from our common wealth.
To improve service delivery, we began the implementation of a number of reforms aimed at producing an Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-oriented (EPIC) Federal
Civil Service and the results are beginning to show.
On the international scene, Nigeria’s influence continues to grow as exemplified by notable Nigerians occupying headship and leadership positions in renowned global bodies.
Our democracy is built on and continues to thrive on the principles of separation of powers. The leadership and members of the National Assembly deserve my appreciation for their
patriotism which did not detract from their roles as a check to the executive arm.
I also want to use this opportunity to express my appreciation to a good number of Nigerians who provided their support and encouragement to help me navigate the exciting
journey in moving Nigeria forward.
I can not and will not forget the millions who prayed for me during my illness in my first term of office. I am constantly praying for you and for Nigeria to thrive in peace.
As I retire home to Daura, Katsina State, I feel fulfilled that we have started the Nigeria Re-Birth by taking the initial critical steps and I am convinced the in-coming administration will
quicken the pace of this walk to see a Nigeria that fulfils its destiny to be a great nation.
I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015.
I thank you all. And may God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The 9th Senate has congratulated the President - elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his vice, Alhaji Kashim Shetima for scaling the hurdles of the general elections and now destined to be sworn as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Senate also congratulated all Nigerians who participated in the electioneering process, whether as voters, policy makers, umpires, politicians, commentators, or legislators.
In the statement of the Senate handed over by its spokesman, Dr Ajibola Basiru, the Senate said that while we rejoice with your Excellency we are not oblivious of the arduous tasks of State before your incoming administration.
"We are rejoicing with your Excellency and we pray it will be your Excellency that God will use to move this nation to where it should be among the comity of nations and take the nation to greater heights in all spheres.
"Nigerians will hold your Excellency responsible to your promises of food security, power generation and supply, massive job creation and youth employment, among the myriads of needs confronting our nation.
"Nigerians will not be bothered about ethnicity, religiosity, or any other sentimental colouration, of any kind, if they see genuine hope of transformation.
"Nigerians are hungry and crying, as never before for hope, and we pray, they may see hope in your slogan : Renewed hope."
The statement continued "while commending you to the hands of the Almighty God, we also say you should take heed in your appointments so that you can put in place those who will key into your set out agenda and work for Nigerians".
Appointments: The senators counselled must be based on justice, merit, competence, and balancing by all means.
The Senate who also congratulated all elected representatives of the people at all levels be it as Governors, Senators, Representatives at national or at State levels, encouraged them to cooperate with the President -elect, and play their parts well.
The Senate particularly congratulates the incoming Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, and wife of the incoming President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who are both active contributors to the success of the 9th Senate.
Nigerians will not now quickly forget the predictable budget circle, the Deep off-shore and inland basin production sharing contracts, the Companies and Allied Matters Act, the Police Act, Petroleum Industry Act, Electoral Act and 16 ammendments to the Nigerian Constitution assented to by the President among 104 other bills passed into law that emerged from the 9th Senate.
The Senate therefore urged Senators in the 10th Assembly to work hand in hand with the incoming president to make Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Upon leaving office tomorrow, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and ministers, among others, would go home with billions of naira as severance package. The development happening in a struggling economy has sparked outcry.
The funds represent their total disengagement benefits as prescribed by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, RMAFAC.
Meanwhile, wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has emphatically made a case for some entitlements for former First Ladies like former Presidents.
Aisha explained that wives of former leaders deserve special provisions while in office and when they leave.
She said when pressure comes, nobody wants to know whether you are out of the (Aso Rock) Villa or not.
The First Lady spoke at the launching of a book in Abuja, titled: ‘The Journey of a Military Wife’, authored by the President of Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association, DEPOWA, Mrs. Vickie Irabor.
She said: “I married my husband as wife of a former President. I am going in a few days as a wife of a former president a second time.
“They should consider us as former First Ladies. They should incorporate the First Ladies, give us some privileges that we deserve as First Ladies, not just former Presidents.”
Commending Irabor for the book, Buhari’s wife noted: “It is a factual, emotional book that will help officers’ wives navigate their lives.
“It underscores women as agents of stability for the nation as the nation battled insurgency and other security challenges.
“It’s a guide and reference for military wives and the need for better support for military widows.
”Insights from the book will help readers appreciate the challenges of the military family”
RMAFAC, which has reducing cost of governance as part of its mandate, is saddled with the responsibility of prescribing salaries, allowances and benefits for political office holders.
Section 32 (d)
Since its establishment by Decree 49 of 1989, the Commission has been proposing salaries and allowances for this category of public office holders.
Specifically, Section 32 (d) of Part 1 of Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution empowers the Commission to propose the revenue formula fitting for public office holders.
The last time the salaries of political office holders and other designated officials were reviewed in 2008, it was stipulated that political office holders would earn 300 percent of their annual basic salary upon disengagement.
The President, upon relinquishing power, according to the Remuneration Act of 2008 documents seen by Sunday Vanguard, would receive N10.54 million, representing 300 percent of his annual basic salary. His total package, basic salary and allowances, is N1.2 million monthly.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has N1.1 million monthly pay, which translates to N12. 1 million yearly is entitled to 300 percent of his basic salary. Going by RMAFAC formula, he would go home with N9.09 million.
44 ministers
Similarly, 27 ministers and 17 ministers of state in the Buhari administration would benefit from the package.
A breakdown as seen by Sunday Vanguard showed that each of the senior ministers gets N6.08 million while junior ministers are entitled to N5.87 million each. There are currently 44 ministers.
When put together, the total amount for the outgoing ministers is N258.08 million.
This is outside of the severance pay of the several Special Advisers in the Presidency who, also like ministers, are members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as well as the Senior Special Assistants (SSA) and Special Assistants.
Analysts could not put a finger on the exact amount the severance package for the federal officials would cost Nigerian tax payers in an austere economy but, nonetheless, said it would run into billions of naira.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that the entitlements have been built into the 2023 Budget but might not be paid by the outgoing administration.
Aso Rock sources said the incoming administration will be the one to pay as there is a process to follow.
Additional take-home
For state governors, while their severance entitlements are also covered by the RMAFAC provision, which also prescribes 300 percent of their annual basic salary, they would earn additional take-home.
This was made possible by the approval of what is widely regarded as jumbo pension by many state legislatures over the years.
Each of the 36 state governors earns N2.2 million as annual basic salary, according to RMAFAC. This doesn’t include several allowances.
However, relying on constitutional provisions, state Houses of Assembly enacted pension laws that mostly provided luxury take-home packages for former governors.
Notwithstanding the RMAFC provision, outgoing governors are entitled to life pension, vehicles, domestic aides, mansions in their state capitals and Abuja, and other allowances among others.
Outrageous
The perks are not the same across the states as some, especially in the South, are deemed in many quarters to be outrageous,
In line with these provisions, 18 outgoing governors are entitled to these in addition to the 300 percent of their annual basic salary as earmarked by RMAFAC.
They include Simon Lalong, Plateau State, Darius Ishaku, Taraba State, Aminu Masari, Katsina State, Abubakar Bello, Niger State, Abubakar Bagudu, Kebbi State, Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna State, and Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State.
Others are Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State, Dave Umahi, Ebonyi State, Ben Ayade, Cross River State, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State, Badaru Abubakar, Jigawa State, Bello Matawalle, Zamfara State, Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State, Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State, Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State, and Samuel Ortom, Benue State.
Majority of the helmsmen were found not to have initiated the jumbo pension laws as they mainly inherited them from their predecessors.
But multiple sources close to the concerned officials said the entitlements would be paid after their exit.
“It is their entitlement as stated by the law. I can tell you that oga isn’t worried because it takes a process. No one should deny them their entitlements. They worked for it. People shouldn’t see a problem where there is none,” one of the sources said.
However, Nigerians are outraged that amid the poor economic situation in the country occasioned by alarming inflation and huge debt burden, the outgoing public officers’ packages would cost a fortune.
In separate chats with Sunday Vanguard, activists berated Buhari and other political office holders for not rejecting the package given the current hardship in the land.
Their anger was further accentuated by the popular verdict that Buhari is leaving Nigerians poorer while the governors’ successors would contend with unpaid salaries, pension and debts.
Jumbo pension, an affront to Nigerians – SERAP
Deputy Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, said any outrageous amount would be regarded as an affront to Nigerians.
“The law is clear. For the President, he is entitled to pension by the provision of the constitution but the quantum of the pension, which is a severance package, is what will now be considered appropriate or not. In the face of Nigeria’s growing public debt and growing poverty in the land, any amount that is considered too much will be an affront to the good people of Nigeria”, Oluwadare said
This nonsense must stop – Odumakin
Expressing her disgust, President of Women Arise for Change Initiative and the Campaign for Democracy, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, said: “There are multiple viewpoints to this sick culture. First, there is the angle of those who were not voted into offices. For instance, appointees should not get a kobo. Second, of those voted into office, the President and Vice President should be protected and granted a level of comfort after office because they must have taken decisions that might expose them to danger in their post-office life.
“The cost should be debated before approval. It is so obscene that people who had retired and collected benefits are again retiring as public office holders and yet collecting jumbo packages for lacklustre performances in high office.
“In the meantime, regular people who didn’t steal, kill or destroy are dropping dead in pension queues. And the pension is miserable. Yet they worked for 35 years or till they hit retirement age. But here comes someone who has been here for eight years. He gets rewarded afterwards till death. This nonsense must stop.”
They don’t deserve it – Adeniran
Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said: “They are living a life of opulence even as poverty is ravaging Nigerians. They seem not to bother about the degenerating state of families and individuals. They do not look in the direction of things that would make life convenient for an average Nigerian, they make life more difficult. “Generally, the leaders have pillaged the resources of this country too much for them to go away with it. They are supposed to return some of their earnings to the coffers of the federation instead of going away with a huge sum of money at the end of their lacklustre tenure. Unfortunately, the constitution provides them the power to exploit the weakness of the mass of the Nigerian people. “It is a lopsided distribution of this country’s wealth that widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Basically, they don’t deserve it at all. It is obscene and immoral. Even if the law gives them the opportunity, they should have been moralistic in their thinking and empathise with the average Nigerian to say that they have been impoverished while we were in office, we should not impoverish them further even after we exit office.
“They don’t deserve it because they have not done anything to enhance the livelihood of the poor. Only some of the politicians seem to have conscience but none of them have protested the obscene award of severance allowances that they are making for themselves.
“They don’t deserve it because their performances do not earn it. Those who have worked for 30 or 35 years do not have access to their gratuity and pension and many of them die in poverty. “Those who were engaged in four or eight years have to go with more than 200 years earnings of some of the civil servants who oil the wheel of progress of governance.”
The wife of the president-elect, Sen Remi Tinubu has said her family does not need Nigeria’s wealth to survive, adding that she and her husband, President-elect, Bola Tinubu need the grace of God to govern.
She also said that they need the prayers from Nigerian people as she reiterated that Tinubu’s government will do the right thing.
Tinubu made this known at the 2023 presidential inauguration inter-denominational church service at the National Christian Center, Abuja on Sunday.
According to the former Lagos state senator, the wealth of the country belongs to all Nigerians.
As she said she was humbled by her husband’s victory at the polls, Tinubu added that it was time for the country to unite in renewed hope and expect the best.
She said, “God has been merciful to us. I can tell you on my own that we never believed this could happen. But thank God for giving us hope, for giving us the resilience to continue in the race of life.
“Asiwaju is 71 and I will be 63. I bet I will be one of the oldest first ladies Nigeria would have. We need the grace of God and we need everyone to do what Nigerians are expecting.
“Today, God has really proved himself as he did on the night of the primaries and put his seal on it. Because, when I saw the votes count to be 1,271, I said God it means you are here.
“I was humbled to my rock bottom. And to believe that this is the seventh consecutive democratic transition Nigeria will be experiencing shows that this is a time of perfection for Nigeria.”
She also said her husband’s Inauguration on Monday will he added the seventh consecutive one since 1999 which symbolises perfection.
She, then, prayed that they would set the country on the right path with the help of God.
Tinubu said, “Perfection in the sense that, in the word of God, I remember for over two years we have been praying in our churches, according to Isaiah 43:18-19, that we should not remember the former things, that God is going to do a new thing. A new thing came and we still kept arguing with God. Who can argue with his maker? No one.
“Today we have heard in Psalm 133:1-3. Except there is unity, lessons cannot flow down. This is the time for Nigerians to come together, for us to be renewed in our hope again. To hope in Nigeria as our young children have sung here today. They are expecting the best for Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s wealth is the commonwealth of all. It belongs to everyone. God has blessed my family. We don’t need the wealth of Nigeria to survive but to do the right thing. And I promise you on this altar, that with your help, with the help of God, who will set this nation on the right path.”
The outgoing Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has said his eight years working as the number citizen in the country “have gone by very quickly.”
He also added that his desire alongside his principal President Muhammadu Buhari’s quest was to fix Nigeria.
Osinbajo stated this on Friday evening in his remarks at a valedictory dinner organised in his honour by the staff of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
The Vice President was accompanied to the dinner by his wife, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, whom the VP described as “my most potent weapon.”
According to a statement on Saturday by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said, “I’m honoured to have worked with such incredible people; everyone put in exceptional hard work.
“I personally interviewed most of you that worked with me. I wanted people who had a heart for this country, a genuine love and concern about the progress of this nation.
“Eight years have gone by very quickly, I must say,” he added.
“Here we are today a few days to the inauguration. There are many great experiences, great things that have happened and I’m glad we’ve come this far.”
He appreciated the OVP staff for their dedication and patriotism, as he also highlighted the selfless service of his Police and Security Details, civil servants, his Chief of Staff, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, and Special Assistants among others.
Osinbajo also expressed gratitude to everyone for their support throughout the eight years of the Buhari administration.
He was also presented with gifts at the dinner event including hand written valedictory notes from staff members.
The statement added that the VP also recalled how God saved him and 11 others with him from the helicopter crash on February 2, 2019, in Kogi State.
He also recalled a similar chopper forced landing in Gwagwalada in June 2018. Then, the chopper conveying him and members of his “Main Party” from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, made a forceful landing a few seconds after take-off.
“I’m truly grateful to the Almighty God,” the VP said.
Earlier Friday afternoon, the Vice President, at the Presidential Villa, had gone round on a farewell visit to the respective offices of the staff in the Office of the Vice President.
More...
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, wife of the President-elect, Oluremi Tinubu, are at the presidential inauguration interdenominational church service holding at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.
Also present at the church service are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, Senator-elect Godswill Akpabio, among other dignitaries.
It is one of the events leading up to the Monday, May 29th inauguration ceremony of the President-elect Bola Tinubu and the Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima.
The service also has in attendance Christians from several denominations, members of different government agencies and parastatals, outgoing and incoming government officials among others
Leader of Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF), Chief Edwin Clark, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as the worst leader Nigeria has ever had, accusing him of failing to see the entire country as his constituency.
Speaking on the Buhari administration during a farewell press conference in his residence in Abuja on Sunday, he said the outgoing president violated his vow his inauguration pledged to be fair to all parts of the country.
Quoting Buhari’s statement where he said, “Having just a few minutes ago swore on a holy book, I intend to keep my hope and same as President to all Nigerians. I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”, Clark noted that the president only observed it in breach.
The elder statesman said: “In the past 8 years, President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated in most cases that he did not belong to the whole country but to a group; his tribe and religion, which is contrary to what he said in his inaugural speech that he belongs to everybody.
“For instance, he appointed fourteen out of seventeen security Chiefs from one section of the country. So, the declaration that “he belongs to everybody and nobody”, was a sham. I make bold to say that the reverse has been the case, “he belongs to some people”, but not the entire Nigeria.
“Even in simple matters like extending the good wishes of the government to notable personalities in the country on their birthdays or other landmark attainments, the Muhammadu Buhari administration was selective and biased in who it chooses to recognise or consider worthy of goodwill messages.”
As the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intensifies operations at drug joints and routes nationwide ahead of the May 29 inauguration of new administrations across the country, its operatives have intercepted a consignment of 32 pieces of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), being taken to bandits’ camp in Niger state.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Rtd) has since ordered the immediate transfer of a suspect, Musa Muhammadu caught with the explosives on Monday 22nd May along Wawa road, Kainji, Niger state to the military.
The spokesman of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that, barely a week after NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos International Airport intercepted a consignment of 30.10kg methamphetamine going to London, UK, another shipment containing 379grams of the same illicit substance
concealed in false bottom of six black soap containers, packed in a carton containing local hand fans, heading to Cyprus in Europe, was recovered at a courier company in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), in the Agency.
In Adamawa state, the statement said, operatives on stop and search patrol along Michika- Bazza road on Friday, arrested a Cameroonian, Ndawai Emma Ngalou with a pair of Nigerian Army camourflage uniform bearing Sunday U and two ATM cards belonging to Turaki Mohammed and Ekene Izuegunam.
Two ladies, Bilkisu Yusuf and Kauna Katsina were on May 22 arrested in Ningi town, Bauchi state with 11,080 pills of tramadol, while Uche Shadrach was arrested with 20,480 pills of the same pharmaceutical opioid on 24th May along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state on his way from Onitsha, Anambra state to Minna, Niger state.
In the same vein, two suspects: Surajo Adamu and Muhammad Ali were arrested on Friday with 379,200 tablets of Diazepam in Alimosho area of Lagos, while the Lagos International Airport Command of the Agency took custody of 22 cartons of Tramadol 225mg weighing 1,144.30 kg and 12 cartons of Tramadol 120mg with a total weight of 320kg, all containing 2, 317, 400 pills transferred to the Agency by the Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, on 25th May.
In Delta state, NDLEA operatives supported by men drawn from the Nigerian Army, NSCDC and the Police on 24th May raided the notorious Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA where three suspects: Eunice Eneh, Animan Ifeoma and Chuks Webema Dennis were arrested with a total of 343.9kg cannabis recovered from them.
A similar mop up operation in Bayelsa also led to the arrest of a wanted suspect, Ozoemena Egbochue at the Swali market in Yenagoa on 22nd May following the earlier arrest of his sales boy, Morgan Eredeowei with 11,748 pills of tramadol and diazepam.
While commanding the officers and men of the Agency across all Commands nationwide for their professionalism and synergy with other law enforcement agencies in the mop up operation, Marwa urged them to sustain the offensive action even after the Monday 29th May handover ceremonies.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abia State has suspended the industrial action embarked upon by workers in the state three weeks ago.
The union in a statement sign by Comrade Paschal Iheme Nweke, Chairman of the NLC Caretaker Committee and Comrade Pastor Emma Alozie, NLC secretary in the state, said the decision was made after due consultations with the national leadership of NLC following an emergency State Administrative Council Meeting of the Abia chapter held on Saturday, 27th of May.
At the meeting, the Governor-elect, Alex Otti reportedly made some promises to the workers.
The statement directed all workers to resume work immediately, effective from midnight of Saturday.
Members of the Abia NLC had a few weeks ago embarked on indefinite strike over non- payment of several months of accumulated salary arrears.