Buhari appoints petroleum minister, to name other ministers Wednesday…

By Sadiya Hamza [New York]

Premium Times Report

 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday named Nigeria’s petroleum minister. And that is himself.

Mr. Buhari said he would personally head the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in the new cabinet.

Addressing some select reporters in New York on Tuesday, after addressing a Global Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism, the President said: “I wil remain Minister of Petroleum.

“I will appoint a minister of State for Petroleum”.

According to him, this step is being taken as part of efforts to sanitise Nigeria’s oil industry, which is said to be plagued by corruption, massive fraud, and crude oil theft.

Mr. Buhari restated his determination to sanitise Nigeria’s oil industry and free it from corruption and shady deals.

He said that the first step in this direction had already been taken with the appointment of a new management for the NNPC and its subsequent reorganisation.

The President said the prosecution of those who misappropriated NNPC’s revenue under past administrations would soon commence.

On Corruption, he pledged that the federal government will fight corruption, because it has been identified as the root of all problems hindering Nigeria as a nation.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, for most part of his tenure, was also the minister of petroleum.

Mr. Buhari had promised to name his cabinet before the end of September.

Since Wednesday is the last day of the month, the President is widely expected to forward names of his minister to the National Assembly today.

Names forwarded to the National Assembly would be screened and approved by the Senate before they are sworn in.

Already, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has indicated that the screening of the ministers would be thorough and comprehensive.

Mr. Saraki gave the hint while welcoming senators to plenary in Abuja after a long recess.

He said that screening of the nominees would be in-depth to ensure that only competent and qualified individuals only occupied the positions.

“As we await the list of ministerial nominees this week, we are prepared to treat the screening with dispatch but with thoroughness,” the Senate President said.

“I believe the presence of ministers will create the space for greater policy engagement with the executive arm of government.

“I want to urge you all my colleagues to ensure that what is uppermost in our minds as we begin the constitutional task of screening of ministerial nominees is the overall interest of our country.”

He added, “Once the list is submitted, let us ensure that we treat it with dispatch and thoroughness. We must not be held down by unnecessary politicking.

“The enormity of our national challenges at this time does not give room for pettiness or politics of vendetta.”

The Exit of An Icon – Gamaliel Offoritsenere Onosode (22 May 1933 – 29 September 2015) …RIP

Gamaliel Onosode

Chief Gamaliel Onosode, the former presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP was reported to have died early this morning. According to VANGUARD, Onosode died Tuesday morning at Gold Cross Hospital, Ikoyi Lagos at about 8:15am

Chief Gamaliel Onosode was a representation of the finest of the finest of a complete gentleman.

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku has described the late Gamaliel Onosode as a true symbol of integrity, an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best of Nigeria’s national values.

“An iroko in the corporate world has fallen,’’ he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while reacting to Tuesday’s passing away of the late former presidential adviser.

NAN reports that Onosode, a chartered stockbroker, administrator and financial consultant, had passed on early Tuesday.

“Gam, as he was called by his contemporaries, was a true symbol of integrity in the boardroom. He was an outstanding patriot and an icon of the best on Nigeria’s national values,’’ Anyaoku said.

He also said Onosode was outstanding in his support for religious activities.

“He was a man of God who deployed a significant part of his righteously acquired resources to supporting the church in his hometown of Ughelli and in Lagos where he lived an exemplary modest life,’’ Anyaoku said.

The former Commonwealth Secretary-General further said Onosode would be missed by the very many people whose lives he touched in many beneficial ways.

“Gamaliel was my best man at our wedding almost 53 years ago. My entire family, which enjoys close relationship with his family, joins his wife Susan and their children in mourning this virtuous man.

“We thank God for his remarkable and fulfilled life, and pray that his soul will ret in perfect peace,’’ Anyaoku said.

Onosode, an Urhobo-born financial consultant was born on May 22 of 1933 in Sapele, a sub-urban city in the current Delta.

He was educated at Government College, Ughelli and the University of Ibadan.

Onosode later emerged in the 1970s as one of Nigeria’s leading educated chief executives, when he was at the helm of affairs at NAL Merchant Bank of Nigeria.

Over the years, he rose to become a leading boardroom player in Nigeria’s corporate environment.

He was a Presidential Adviser to the then President Shehu Shagari and a former President of the Nigerian Institute of Management, and chaired several private and public sector businesses and initiatives.

These include Dunlop Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Presidential Commission on Parastatals and Nigeria LNG Working Committee and Nigeria LNG Limited and the Niger Delta Environmental Survey.

Onosode was a Fellow of the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank, the Nigerian Institute of Management and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

In addition, Onosode was immediate-past and inaugural President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, immediate past Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Uyo.

He holds Honorary D.Sc. degrees of Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Benin and the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

Before his death, he was Chairman of Delta State Think-Tank on Development, Global Missions Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and Governing Council of Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso.(NAN)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gamaliel Offoritsenere Onosode (22 May 1933 – 29 September 2015) was a Nigerian technocrat, administrator and a former presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party of Nigeria.^[1] Educated at the Government College, Ughelli and the University of Ibadan, he emerged in the 1970s as one of Nigeria’s leading educated chief executives, when he was at the helm of NAL merchant bank of Nigeria. Over the years, he has risen to become a leading boardroom player in Nigeria’s corporate environment. He was also a former presidential adviser to President Shehu Shagari and a former president of the Nigerian Institute of Management.^[2][3]

Life and career[edit]

An Urhobo man, born and raised in Sapele, a suburban city in the current Delta State by a disciplined father, he sometimes credited the strict family background and practice as being a complementary factor in his success as a disciplined civil servant and corporate administrator.^[4]

Throughout his career, Dr. G. O. Onosode has chaired several private and public sector businesses and initiatives. He was the Chairman of Dunlop Nigeria Plc (1984–2007), a former chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc (1977–93), the Presidential Commission on Parastatals (1981), Nigeria LNG Working Committee and Nigeria LNG Limited (1985–90) and the Niger Delta Environmental Survey (since 1995). He is also the Chairman of Zain Nigeria, a GSM telecommunications company, the oldest GSM operator in Nigeria.

Onosode was Presidential Adviser on Budget Affairs and Director of Budget (1983). He is a Fellow of the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank, the Nigerian Institute of Management, of which he was President (1979–82). He is also a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, having been elected to membership of its Board of Fellows in 1998.

In addition, Onosode is immediate past and inaugural President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, immediate past Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Uyo and immediate past and inaugural President & Chairman of Council of the Association of Pension Funds of Nigeria. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and holds Honorary D.Sc. degrees of Obafemi Awolowo University (1990), the University of Benin (1995), and the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (2003) as well as Honorary D.D. degree of The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso (2002).^[5]

Public service[edit]

Primarily a business personality, he has seen his career wade through different sectors of the Nigerian economic environment. Though, he was a part of a profligate democratic experiment which was the Nigerian Second Republic,^[6] Gamaliel Onosode tried to bring a disciplined approach to public finance. Towards the end of 1983, when public confidence in the economic direction of the country was eroded and accountability was lacking in government subsidies to public enterprises, he was brought in to find solutions to the lackluster performance of public enterprises, as the head of a Nigerian Commission on public parastatals^[7] and to bring in a disciplined approach to government subsidies. The offshoot of his honest and disciplined approach earned him respect from subsequent administrations. A report which was later tagged the Onosode report, an outgrowth of his role as the chairman of the commission to review Nigerian parastatals was the first in the nation to tackle comprehensively, the industrialisation drive and capital spending which dominated the oil boom of the 1970s and the early 1980s. The report identified five major defects in planning which it believed had become evident by the end of 1983:

• Public capital expenditure rose during the oil boom at a much faster rate than Nigeria’s physical, technical or financial abilities.
• Huge expenditure on particular industrial projects did not yield expected returns because of “inappropriate choices in their selection, size, design, location and management.”
• Government policies laid too much emphasis on industrialisation, without regard to Nigeria’s resource base and comparative advantage.
• Frequent changes in fiscal and monetary policies created planning problems for the private sector.
• The exchange rate of the naira was not managed “to reflect the basic strength of the economy and the need to encourage domestic production.^[8]

In 1995, he became the Chairman of the Niger Delta Environmental Survey, a non-governmental organisation that conducted scientific studies on environmental and social impact assessment of oil exploration in the Niger delta. The survey was partly financed by Shell. The survey reports which apportioned responsibilities and blame for much of the environmental degradation in the region on oil operators, the federal government and communities has not been made public.

Deacon Onosode is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, and has contributed immense time to see through philanthropic and governing matters concerning the university. He is the former Pro-Chancellor of the University and Chairman of its Governing Council.^[9]

He is also a devout Christian and started Good News Baptist Church in his Sitting Room on 1 Feb.1984. Good News Baptist Church is now a large church of over 2000 people and has become a force to reckon with in the Nigerian Baptist Convention in terms of missions and evangelism. Gamaliel Onosode was the inaugural Chairman of the Global Missions Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention. In addition, Onosode is Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, Nigeria’s oldest degree awarding theological institution, which in 2008 marked 110 years of its existence while the University of Ibadan was 60 years old. On 29 September 2015, he died at the age of 82.^[10]

 

PRESIDENT BUHARI DELIVERS POWERFUL SPEECH AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Buhari Delivers Powerful Speech At UN General Assembly
Clement Ejiofor

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, September 28, addressed the international community at the 70th Session of the United Nation Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.

In his 15-minute speech the Nigerian leader outlined the major objectives set by his administration so far. Buhari spoke about Boko Haram insurgency which he insisted has nothing to do with Islam; he noted that bringing peace to Nigerians was number one goal for the new government adding the joint task force had already recorded a series of successful operations in the northeast.

The politician also reiterated his government’s commitment to tackling the problems “inherited” from the previous administration and referred to corruption as one of the major challenges of the 21st century.

The number one politician of Nigeria pledged to confront the evils of public funds looting and illicit financial outflows. Buhari urged the global community to “redouble efforts towards strengthening the mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of corruption and ensuring the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.”

See the speech in full below:

“I would like, Mr. President, on behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, to congratulate you and your country on your election to preside over the 70th session of the U.N. General Assembly.

“May I also express appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa and the Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon both of whom worked tirelessly to ensure proper articulation of the post-2015 Development Agenda and to maintain the focus and commitment to the ideals of the United Nations. I thank Mr. Ban Ki-moon for his recent visit to Nigeria when we held very useful discussions.

“Mr. President,

“Fifty-five (55) years ago almost to the day, my great predecessor, Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, stood on this forum to declare Nigeria’s desire to develop and maintain friendly relations with all countries. He also assured the world of our country’s commitment to uphold the principles upon which the United Nations was founded.

“Mr. President, my country, Nigeria, has lived by this conviction, even when judgement went against us in territorial disputes with our neighbours. We respected those judgements and abided by them as a mark of respect for the rule of law and the charter of this organization. Nigeria’s record in the U.N. peacekeeping is second to none. I myself as a young officer in the Nigerian Army did tours of duty in Congo and the Lebanon.
“Nigeria has contributed to U.N. peacekeeping efforts in Ethiopia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Darfur. Furthermore, we are proud of our contributions to other activities of the U.N. including the Peace Building Commission, the Human Rights Council and security sector reform.

“We are gratified to note that most countries have pledged commitment to the post-2015 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with their means of implementation. The successor frameworks of the MDGs have come, Mr. President, with lofty aspirations and if I may say so, heroic assumptions! Nonetheless, they target development cooperation by the international community up to the year 2020. And they deserve universal support.

“This is because the SDGs mirror the hopes and aspirations of much of the world. I should stress that for the newly adopted SDGs to be truly global, they must be practical. In this regard, the SDGs’ core objectives of poverty eradication and reducing inequalities must be met within the framework of a revitalized global partnership support by concrete policies and actions as outlined in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

9. Luckily, these two core objectives of the SDGs are precisely at the centre of Nigeria’s new administration’s agenda. It must be emphasized, Mr. President, that Foreign Direct Investment supplemented where suitable by Official Development Assistance as outlined in the Addis Ababa Agenda are necessary, though not sufficient, conditions for accelerated development in countries that are trying to catch up.

10. In this connexion, I would like to appeal to industrialized countries to redeem their pledge of earmarking 0.7% (nought point seven percent) of their GDP to development assistance. With the sole exception of the UK, all concerned countries have, I am told to meet the UN requirement. But, Mr. President, with SDGs we have the opportunity to improve the lives of people not just in the developing world but in all nations.

11. The Secretary General himself has grouped the SDGs into what he calls six “essential elements” namely:
• Dignity
• Prosperity
• Justice
• Partnership
• Planet
• People
“As a prerequisite to these and as we look at history and remember the terrible events that gave rise to the birth of the United Nations in 1945, I would like to propose a seventh:

PEACE

“Peace, Mr. President, is close to the hearts of Nigerians, as we are in the front line in the war on terror. Boko Haram’s war against the people of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon may not attract as much worldwide attention as the wars in the Middle East but the suffering is just as great and the human cost is equally high.

“This is a war about values between progress and chaos; between democracy and the rule of law. Boko Haram celebrates violence against the weak and the innocent and deplorably, they hide behind their perverted interpretation of Islam. Boko Haram is as far away from Islam as any one can think of.

“Many of my colleagues attending this forum would want to know how our new government intends to tackle the huge problems the government has inherited. Friends of Nigeria and foreign investor partners will be encouraged to know that the new government is attacking the problems we inherited head-on.

“We intend to tackle inequalities arising from massive unemployment and previous government policies favouring a few people to the detriment of the many. We intend to emphasize quality technological education for development and lay foundation for comprehensive care of the aged, the disadvantaged and the infirm. But for now terrorism is the immediate problem.

“Accordingly, Mr. President, Members of the General Assembly, the new Nigerian Government which I have the honour to head, moved with dispatch to put in a bold and robust strategy to defeat Boko Haram. Nigeria and her neighbours Cameroon, Chad and Niger plus Benin are working together to face this common threat within the regional framework of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. We have established a multinational joint task force to confront, degrade and defeat Boko Haram.
“We have driven them away from many of their strongholds, killed or captured many of their operatives or commanders and freed several hundreds of hostages.

“Mr. President, one of our major aims is to rescue the Chibok girls alive and unharmed. We are working round the clock to ensure their safety and eventual reunion with their families. Chibok girls are constantly on our minds and in our plans.

“Mr. President, terrorism is by no means the major or the only evil threatening and undermining the wellbeing of societies around the world.

• Corruption
• Cross border financial crimes
• Cyber crimes
• Human trafficking
• Spread of communicable diseases
• Climate change
• Proliferation of weapons

are all major challenges of the 21st century which the international community must tackle collectively. Let me reaffirm Nigerian government’s unwavering commitment to fight corruption and illicit financial flows. By any consideration, corruption and cross border financial crimes are impediments to development, economic growth, and the realization of the wellbeing of citizens across the globe.

“Nigeria is ready and willing to partner with international agencies and individual countries on a bilateral basis to confront crimes and corruption. In particular, I call upon the global community to urgently redouble efforts towards strengthening the mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of corruption and ensuring the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.

“Mr. President, the world is now facing a big new challenge: human trafficking. This is an old evil taking an altogether new and dangerous dimension threatening to upset international relationships. We in Africa are grieved to see on international networks how hundreds of thousands of our able bodied men and women fleeing to Europe and in the process thousands dying in the desert or drowning in the Mediterranean.

“We condemn in the strongest terms these people traffickers and will support any measures to apprehend and bring them to justice. At the same time, we are very appreciative of European governments notably Italy and Germany, for their understanding and humane treatment of these refugees.

“Last year, our continent faced the dreadful occurrence of Ebola. We sincerely thank the international community for the collective efforts to contain this deadly disease. We are not out of the woods yet but we would like to record our appreciation to the United States, United Kingdom, France and China for their outstanding assistance in arresting the spread of Ebola and care of those infected in collaboration with host countries.
Mr. President,

“Nigeria fully subscribes to and fully endorses Goals 13, 14 and 15 of the SDGs regarding Climate Change. In Nigeria, desertification and land erosion and degradation leading to biodiversity loss are real threats to our environment and we shall propose under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission a regional approach to combat these environmental challenges.

“We look forward to the UN Summit on climate change in Paris in December 2015. This summit should provide optimism to humanity on addressing the looming threat faced by many communities around the world.

“Mr. President,

“We are witnessing a dreadful increase in conflicts fuelled by availability of small arms and light weapons. I call upon all member countries to demonstrate the political will needed to uphold the UN charter. For a start, a robust implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty will guarantee that small arms and light weapons are only legally transferred. Arms traffickers and human traffickers are two evil species which the world community should eradicate.

“Mr. President,

“As we engage in these annual debates, we need remind ourselves of the principles that led to the founding of the United Nations. Among those are peaceful coexistence and self-determination of peoples. In this context, Mr. President, the unresolved question of self-determination for the Palestinian people and those of Western Sahara, both nations having been adjusted by the United Nations as qualifying for this inalienable right must now be assured and fulfilled without any further delay or obstacle.

“The international community has come to pin its hopes on resolving the Palestinian issue through the two – states solution which recognises the legitimate right of each state to exist in peace and security. The world has no more excuses or reasons to delay the implementation of the long list of Security Council resolutions on this question. Neither do we have the moral right to deny any people their freedom or condemn them indefinitely to occupation and blockade
Mr. President, delegates of member countries,

“UN is 70 years old. It can count many more than 70 major achievements as the world’s forum and family reunion. It is my hope that in the next 70 years, it will achieve control of climate, help to eliminate communicable diseases, eliminate major and local conflicts and therefore eliminate the problem of refugees, take major steps towards reducing harmful inequalities between nations and within nations and above all, eliminate nuclear weapons.

“Mr. President, as this is my first address in this Assembly, I thank you and the delegates for listening so patiently.”

UN WEB TV. – webtv.un.org THE UN LIVE & ON – DEMAND TV

http://webtv.un.org/watch/nigeria-general-debate-70th-session/4516288621001

Nigeria, General Debate, 70th Session
28 Sep 2015 – Address by His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the general debate of the 70th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 28 September-3 October 2015).
General debate website

BUHARI’S MINISTERIAL LIST LEAKED BARELY 48 HOURS TO THE RELEASE DEADLINE !!!

Buhari’s Ministerial List leaked barely 48 Hours to the release deadline

September 30th is the official deadline set by president Buhari for the release of the Ministerial list. According to Vanguard News, the list has been leaked to the press. below is the unofficial list already leaked out according to Vanguard News. This is more of a speculation since it is not officially validated by the Presidency…

Here is the list which was leaked to the press…

Prof. Tam David West
Femi Falana (SAN)
Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (rtd)
Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola
Wale Edun
Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru
Chief Bode Mustapha
Engineer Segun Oni
Dr Kayode Fayemi
Dr. Abba Ruma
Chief Kanu Agabi
Donald Duke
Babatunde Raji Fashola
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
Rotimi Akeredolu
Oby Ezekwesili
Festus Odimegwu
Engineer Funsho Kupolokun
Yinka Folashade Oredola
Bisola Adegbenro
Isaiah Danjuma (son of TY Danjuma)
Dele Momodu
Kehinde Lawanson
Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN)
Pat Utomi
Charles Chukwuma Soludo

Award Winning Eclipse Sequential Capturing Picture !

After spending 5 hours on a rooftop with an incredible view of Dallas, I was able to create this composite image showing the moon transition from full moon, to full lunar eclipse, and back. Each moon image was shot approximately 10 minutes apart to capture the entire transition. I hope you all enjoy! Feel free to share! — with Donna Kay Farrar.

PHOTO CREDIT DETAILS…

 

Zach Roberts

24 February 2014 · Edited

Website Page: http://www.weathersnapshot.com/weather-nature-photography-…/
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PMB’s NASS Aide Departs New York With Ministerial List!

PMB’s NASS Aide Departs New York With Ministerial List

Abiodun Oluwarotimi – Leadership Newspapers

According to Leadership Newspaper’s report, and In his bid to fulfil the promise to make his ministers known by the end of September, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday handed over the list of his ministerial nominees to his special adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang.

A top Presidency source who is a member of the president’s entourage to the ongoing 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly reliably told our correspondent that the presidential aide departed J. F. Kennedy International Airport in New York last night so as to get to Nigeria and deliver the list to the National Assembly before the promised date.

The source said further that the president who is presently in New York had already briefed the Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki, on the development, stressing that Ita Enang is expected to hand over the list to either the Senate president today at the resumption of the plenary or tomorrow depending on the mood of the upper legislative chamber.

He also confirmed that the list contains names of 36 ministerial nominees as against the earlier statement of President Buhari to appoint only 16 ministers in order to cut costs.

Efforts to get the names on the list with Senator Enang proved abortive.

Photo Credit: Leadership Newspapers

L-R: APC stalwart, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), Prof Joy Ogwu; Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello; Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal; former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; President Muhammadu Buhari and others, during a meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York

Ministerial List: Buhari, Obasanjo Hold Crucial Meeting at UN Plaza, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

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Source: Ministerial List: Buhari, Obasanjo Hold Crucial Meeting at UN Plaza, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

 

Nduka Nwosu and Paul Obi in New York
As preparations for the submission of the ministerial list by President Muhammadu Buhari heats up, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Buhari met on Friday at the United Nations (UN) Plaza in downtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.
The meeting which took place at the 37th floor of the plaza was behind closed doors.

The former president first came in waiting for the president, when President Buhari came, they both moved in with Dr. Kayode Fayemi and other top dignitaries who accompanied the President to the 70th UN General Assembly.

When journalists ambushed the two leaders, they were shielded by their security aides who said it would amount to ‘security breach’ to get to them.

The meeting came on the heels of speculations that the ministerial nominees would be out any time soon.
Speculations at the UN General Assembly meeting were also rife that the discussion centred on several national issues, critical among them is the appointment of ministers in the Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

A source familiar with the meeting informed THISDAY that “the leaders decided to hold the meeting to discuss key national issues, crucial also is the ministerial list,” the source said.

The meeting by the leaders came amid perceived infighting and differences between Obasanjo and APC national leader and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Obasanjo who surreptitiously ditched his former party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and protégée, former President Goodluck Jonathan is bent on gaining some foothold in the Buhari’s government. A move, Tinubu is completely against.

At the UN meeting, there were several other lobbyists wanting to court President Buhari’s attention ahead of the ministerial appointments. It was also speculated that Hon Abike Dabiri who came with Obasanjo was being tipped to replace Joy Ogwu at the UN as her tenure ends soon.

The president who had a busy day made a presentation at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) parley after the plenary session where the Catholic Pontiff, His Holiness, Pope Francis 1 gave his inaugural speech.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo is also expected to speak as a guest at the Clinton Global Initiative, where he is to highlight key components of development particularly centred on the developing world.

9 quotes to help you find success when faced with difficulty

9 quotes to help you find success when faced with difficulty

 

When you are faced with difficulty, these nine quotes by successful people will help teach you how to find your own success despite the odds being stacked against your favor. Learn to appreciate the beauty in hardship and take your life to the next level after reading these nine quotes.

MR. PRESIDENT, NO CHANCE FOR FAILURE AFTER SECOND TIME AROUND…

MR. PRESIDENT, NO CHANCE FOR FAILURE…

The only possibility of failure I am dreading from President Muhammadu Buhari is that of non – replication of himself to carry on when he has to retire.

The coming to see to the problematic Nigeria second time around after more than three decades in the first instance might arguably be attributed to the dearth of his like in all ramifications. If there had been any, there was no acceptance, and frankly, not a lot of people have those characteristics globally known and associated with the our President.

I am prompted to talk about this tonite as a result Malam Ciroma submission, thus:

******************

ADAMU CIROMA ON BUHARI!
“To be honest you can not help but promote Buhari. I mean he cried a few years ago for Nigeria, now reverend Fathers are crying……
Sincerely speaking, for a retired Soldier in the Nigerian Army, who has just one wife, even though his religion allows him to marry more.
For an ex President who declares his assets publicly with no foreign account. For an attractive man who can boast of having no girlfriend or mistress, in a world where having extra marital affairs is the order of the day. And during all these time the devil has not
possessed any of his worshippers to blackmail him. There must be something interesting about this person, and Nigerians want to learn such discipline from this personality. This is not a campaign, this is an intriguing mystery we want to be part of …”- Mallam Adamu Ciroma

*******************

Also, I am drawing from another piece expressing fears about the coming generation, and as reproduced below, partially edited to preserve the original flavour…

********************

“While we have been busy talking about Nigeria of today, I wonder if we have spared a thought
about how this country will be in the next TWENTY-FIVE years. On October 1, 1979, when Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari was sworn-in as President, Goodluck Jonathan was just a 22 year-old undergrad of University of Port-Harcourt. Shagari was 54 years old. Ayo Fayose
was 19 years old. Bukola Saraki was 17. Yemi Osibajo was 22. The generation of the likes of
Shagari, Richard Akinjide, Adisa Akinloye, Sabo Barkin Zuwo, Ifeanyi Nwobodo, Ume Ezeoke, Aki Omoboriowo, Olusola Saraki, Sunday Awoniyi, Garba Nadama, Awal Ibrahim and so on has gone for good! Some of us in our 40s and 50s, when in school, either in the university or secondary school, had lofty dreams, both personal and societal. We were always motivated by
nationalists and inventors who had impacted positively on the cause of humanity. We were
voracious readers of novels and other books.

Nelkon for our Ordinary Level Physics, Lambert for Chemistry, B.O ADELEKE and Goh Cheng
Leong for our Geography, Phebean Ogundipe for Practical English and others like that. We were
always flaunting our knowledge of current affairs. Inter-school quiz competition was the in-thing. Fast forward 35 years on and you are shocked and disturbed. Have you ever spoken to or engaged a 20 year-old boy? Ask him what motivates him and he is likely to mention music,
hip hop to be precise. He has hundreds of downloaded songs on his phone. He can sing all
of them off hand. He knows all the singles of Nice, Neato C, Timaya, Davido, Whiz Kid off head. But he does not know anything about history of nationalism in the country. Ideas about good
society, responsible family and good conduct do not motivate him. He just wants to make money because his friend who does yahoo is rich and rides a good car, an SUV! The things that interest him are things that do not add value. He has google but never uses it for advancement of knowledge but to download porn and other inanities. Yet, in TWENTY years time, they are the
ones that will be contesting to become Governors, Senators, Reps Members and even
President. They belong to a generation that does not care about morality. They belong to a
generation that is motivated only by money and its acquisition. By 2035 to 2040, they will be our Senators, Reps, Governors and so on. I wonder if we have ever spared a thought how this country will look like under them. I told a man recently and these are my words: IF A GUY WHO IS IN LAGOS COULD USE FALSE PRETENCE TO OBTAIN $20,000 FROM SOMEONE IN UNITED STATES, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN IF SUCH A GUY BECOMES A STATE GOVERNOR AND IS IN CHARGE OF AN ALLOCATION HE DOES NOT EVEN HAVE TO OBTAIN UNDER FALSE PRETENCE WHICH HIS STATE IS STATUTORILY ENTITLED TO. I am worried, deeply worried. Are you”?

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There you have it.

I have a deep feeling President Buhari will achieve deeply but not widely. I have a feeling he will succeed in deep-cleansing the rot that Stealing and Corruption has come to be in the live and polity of Nigeria Nation.

I have a great feeling he will succeed in getting back a large chunk of the stolen money by those evil and fit- for- no-positive purpose outgone regime that only came with one objective in mind: To Steal and Desecrate Nigeria Treasury and Nation while foundationing Corruption.

I have a feeling he will succeed in prosecuting them all, and most, if not all of them will spend time behind prison walls. However, to a person who succeeded in stealing Millions, and perhaps Billions, spending time behind bars is just an addendum to his / her Resume’. As a matter of fact, just think about the battalion of ex – this, ex – that that were sharing Aso Rock Villa with ex-President Jonathan Goodluck during his reign. So imprisonment means absolutely nothing to them. As a matter of fact, those Sobs might even be making money as Consultants in Prison Life!

What Mr. president should concentrate on is forcing them to return the stolen money. That will benefit the economy of the nation more than the lesson of imprisonment.

But more than anything and all of the above, the failure of Mr. President to replicate himself, once / yet again, and this time around means the possibility of handing over the baton to those who will get Nigeria Nation back to square one yet again. It would not augur well to see the baton of governance being handed over to the likes of those who live their lives on the aegis of “Luck”. No, not again. Seeing Ekiti State playing out at the national level would not be what anyone with brain properly seared in his / her skull will want to see.

So Mr. President, please endeavour to start the task of replication now since we do not have forever. Failure to do this means a grand failure, second time around. God Forbids.

Wishing you success at your maiden UN outing, Mr. President.