Atiku calls for investigation into allegations President Buhari’s family members co-own Etisalat Nigeria, Keystone Bank

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has called on the appropriate authorities to urgently institute a probe to unravel the hidden faces behind the new ownership structure of multi billion naira telecoms giant, Etisalat Nigeria as well as Keystone Bank.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday , Special Assistant to Atiku on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu said such a probe was necessary in view of reports that members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family now own substantial share in Etisalat Nigeria which has an estimated $2billion (about N727billion at 360 per dollar) of its estimated $20billion global net worth.

Atiku also expressed shock at reports from unimpeachable sources that the first family now plays big in the nation’s financial sector after acquiring mouthwatering shares in Keystone Bank with total assets of $1.916 billion (equivalent to N307.5billion) as well as purchasing about ₦3 billion worth of shares in the new Pakistani Islamic Bank.

“I know that last week was turbulent for President Buhari and I apologize for adding to his woes, but as he is insistent on the myth that he is spotless and anti-corrupt, If this is found to be true, this scandal would break every rule of corporate and public governance, since this will be the first time members of the first family will be openly involved in a once-in-a-lifetime deal that would make them all richer beyond their wildest dreams,” the statement said.

The accusation is coming amidst reported allegations in the media that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government plans to use billions of Naira from the Anchor Borrowers Programme allocated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for farmers, using imaginary donations from 12 million farmers as a façade.

But the presidential candidate of the PDP advised President Buhari to shun the use of state resources and machinery for the upcoming 2019 presidential poll.

Specifically, Atiku said no farmer contributed any N1.7billion for Buhari’s re-election campaign, warning that APC’s decision to use monies meant for farmers to run his campaign is not tidy at all.

“The other day, a man who scored 15,424,921 votes to win the 2015 general election was reported to have been nominated by 14 million APC members at the Presidential primaries for 2019. Now, over 12 million farmers have donated to his campaign. Are they indirectly spewing out outrageous figures of people they intend to claim voted for them in the coming elections? Could that be why the President was flashing an occult double four hand signal that has gone viral? What did the hand signal mean? Does it mean that the President has jettisoned the idea of a free and fair election and telling Nigerians that no matter how they vote, he will return for a second term of four years? In any case , if the farmers who just took a loan through the borrowers anchor programme and have not liquidated the facility can donate this huge sum or any sum for that matter, it means the ‘Association of widows and children of all those slain by Boko Haram and herdsmen will donate N5billion to the Buhari campaign. In fact, the 23.1 million youth who lost their jobs between 2016 till date will donate about N12billion to the Buhari campaign.”

“Assuming but not even conceding that such a huge sum of money was donated to President Buhari by Nigerian farmers as his handlers would want Nigerians to believe, wouldn’t such donation be in contravention of Section 91 (9)of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which says no individual or other entity shall donate more than N1m to an aspirant or a candidate,” Atiku said.

Section 91 (2) of the Electoral Act further states that a presidential candidate can spend a maximum of N1billion.

The law also recommends a fine of N1m or a prison term of 12months or both for any candidate that breaches the provisions of the Act.

‘We have no stand on whether or not President Buhari should run for office. That is his prerogative and that of his party. But we believe it is improper for public office holders to forcefully loot public funds, on behalf of a sitting president seeking a second term in office.

‘’What this means is that there is a ‘war chest’ which apparently is from the national coffers,’’ Atiku said.

He said if President Buhari wants to run for office next year, he should take only from monies sourced from donations by his campaign groups that are independent of government.

‘’Anything short of that – as is currently the case with the use of funds from the CBN meant for farmers will mean there will be no level playing field for all the candidates billed to contest for the presidency during next year’s presidential elections,’’ Atiku said.

Mr. Phrank Shaibu
SA on Public Communication to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
PDP Presidential Candidate.

Atiku, Obi meets Manufacturers and Business Owners in Aba

His Excellency and the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the February 2019 general election Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Peter Obi, Wednesday met with manufacturers and business owners in Aba to discuss and brain storm on how to get Nigeria to work again.

Also present at the event was the Peoples Democratic Party’s chairman Prince Uche Secondus, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and other dignitaries.

Atiku Abubabkar who visited Aba yesterday for a Town Hall meeting with traders and businessmen, in his words stated categorically that “My town hall meeting in Aba with manufacturers/business owners reinforces my conviction that leadership is the next thing our country is waiting for to reclaim its greatness. We will get Nigeria working again when our manufacturers get the support they need to thrive”.

He went further to state that with huge and massive support from government to our SME’s, Nigeria will be better for it.

Pics #AtikuInGombe : Mammoth Crowd Grace Atiku and other Party Bigwigs in Gombe

His Excellency Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the February 2019 election was in Gombe today for the North East PDP Presidential Zonal Rally.

The event was greeted by mammoth crowd of supporters and party’s faithful who turned out in their thousands to get a feel of what is install for them in 2019.

Atiku Abubakar Pledges 40 Percent Appointment to Youths in FEC

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has pledged that under his presidency, 40 per cent of appointment into the federal executive council will be reserved for youths.

Addressing a conference of various groups at a town hall meeting in Lagos Monday, Abubakar specifically said the Ministry of Youth Development under his presidency will be headed by an individual less than 30 years.

Fielding questions at the forum, which afforded young people an opportunity to interact with the leading presidential candidate, Abubakar said he will keep faith with Nigerian youths because they are the future of the country. Nigeria’s estimated 180 million population is largely believed to comprise 60 percent youths.

Answering a question on how he will realise one of the cornerstones of his campaigns, which is anchored on creating jobs, he said, “It is the private sector that creates most jobs. Government gives incentives, for example, lower tariffs and taxes. This is how jobs will be created. That is why I got a first class Vice Presidential candidate.”

Giving an example of his love for youths, Abubakar stated, “I have many children, but only one of them works for government. Others are in my various companies. I believe in creating jobs for the youths. “

Probed by a youth on his plans to ensure that the much-advertised brilliance of his running mate, Dr. Peter Obi was enveloped a cabal or a kitchen cabinet that will not allow him perform. Abubakar explained that it was not hallmark of the PDP to hangout cabals. “As Vice President under President Olusegun Obasanjo, I enjoyed unfettered freedom which led to many of the achievements that was recorded by that government in telecommunications, privatization, due process and other economic policies that grew our GDP steadily by six per cent annually.

“Our government will not be run by a cabal. We will make qualified youths get jobs in places like the NNPC, Central Bank of Nigeria and other government agencies through adherence to due process. Government can’t give jobs to everybody. It is the private sector that creates much of the jobs through an enabling environment created by government.”

Other speakers at the forum were former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose who leads the Atiku Abubakar Campaigns in the South West, the PDP National Chairman, Mr. Uche Secondus, Lagos State governorship candidate of the party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and Dr. Peter Obi.

Also at the event was a former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, deputy director general, PDP Presidential Campaign Organization.

Atiku asks Buhari to resign over alleged ‘economy in bad shape’ comment

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to vacate his post over his alleged confession on Friday that the nation’s economy is in bad shape.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described President Buhari’s confession that the “Nigerian economy has collapsed under his watch as not only a pathetic ploy to attract the sympathy of Nigerians with his false honesty but also, a disguise to get a soft landing from the people he has put under terrible suffering and hardship in the last three and half years.”

“The result, of course, is this late hour confession of failure on the eve of our general elections, in the hope that millions of Nigerians, whom he has condemned to poverty and hardship, will give him a clap for failing abysmally. I dare say that President Buhari has miscalculated badly on this matter because Nigerians are simply fed up with him.”

“The economy has collapsed under his watch and he has by his frank remarks admitted that he has no idea on how to fix it and that is why he summoned the governors to help him. This is really very sad because President Buhari has run out of time and what Nigerians need now is a leadership which has the political will, administrative experience and sound economic acumen to get Nigeria working again,” he stated.

Atiku, who continued on President Buhari’s “confession of the failed economy” said Buhari “has continued to exhibit his cluelessness, incapacity and ineptitude in handling the economy by once again invoking the tired mantra of blaming the past administration and 16 years of PDP rule for his own failure.”

Atiku who was reacting to the outcome of the meeting between the President and Governors of 36 states said “the honourable step to take is for the President to step down from his position.”

He said “the confession by the President that the economy had gone out of control” was a confirmation of the forecast by the British multinational bank, HSBC “which predicted that re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 could plunge Nigeria into deeper economic hardship.”

“Unless those in-charge of the APC and the party’s supporters are, as usual, suffering from some form of self-delusion, it just does not make any sense for them to say that the APC-led federal government had brought succour to the ordinary Nigerian when President Muhammadu Buhari himself has admitted to Governors of the 36 States of the federation that the economy has gone beyond his control,” The statement said.

“Or do we need a prophet to tell us that the president’s admission of the state of the nation’s economy is a vindication of our long held position and indeed the forecast by HSBC recently cited by the Nigerian media where the bank had said a second term for Buhari would greatly stunt the economy of the country?” he asked.

He called on the APC to apologise to all Nigerians “for bringing them nothing but suffering of unquantifiable proportion since 2015, and to make a solemn pledge not to have anything to do with governance, especially with the 2019 elections fast approaching.”

According to him, the hopes for better governance and improved standard of living that many had nursed with the assumption of office by President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2015 has since given way to despair and hopelessness.

“The exchange rate of the Naira to the US dollar when the APC assumed office in 2015 was about 170 (official rate) to the dollar. Today, it is 360 to the dollar. Today, millions of Nigerians, most of them youths, are unemployed, forcing them to become professional beggars who wait with bated breath for FG’s monthly N5,000 handout and N10,000 Tradermoni aimed at bribing them to re-elect the party in the forthcoming elections,” the statement added.

“Power generation has actually dipped from 4,949 megawatts PDP left in 2015 to less than 3,500 megawatts even though Buhari’s handlers consistently claim that 7,000 megawatts is what is currently being generated. What more evidence do we need to know that the APC has been a curse rather than a blessing to our country.”

“It is amazing that, in this day and age when leaders of nations are expected to be creative and think outside the box, by applying new digital tools and embracing new thinking in addressing the emerging challenges to modern governance, our own President is still living in the Paleolithic age of blame game and buck passing as responsible for his failures. What this simply means is that President Buhari was not really prepared for governance and did not even understand the simplest intricacies of running a national economy as big as Nigeria.

“This is really tragic and it is obvious that President Buhari has come to the end of the road and has completely given up on the next steps to advance Nigeria, while those whom his dear wife openly declared misled his administration into this economic quagmire are still drumming up support for his next level of more hardship, suffering, unprovoked deaths as a result of mis-governance.”

He said “the only way out of the nation’s problems is for Nigerians to vote en-mass for Atiku Abubakar whose policy document focuses on job creation, ensuring security, growing businesses, developing power, and water infrastructure, agriculture and education and how Nigeria’s next president will empower women.”

“The next generation of Nigerians are looking up to a visionary and cosmopolitan leadership, headed by a solid and steady leader, that will free up the space, remove unnecessary ancient cum bureaucratic obstacles and launch Nigeria into the competitive global space instead of de-marketing the country in the eyes of the global community. President Buhari should wake up and smell the aroma of the coffee Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is brewing. He is tired and at his wits end and it is time for him to vacate active task of presidency and return to his much cherished sedentary, pastoral and rustic life style in his country home in Daura then leave the rigours and highly strategic art of governance to those who know how to govern and get the economy working again,” He concluded.

I can't wait for the Presidential Debate - Atiku

His Excellency Atiku Abubakar and The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party said on Friday night that he was keenly looking forward to next month's presidential debate, moments after watching the vice-presidential debate in Abuja.

H.E Abubakar expressed satisfaction with the showing of his running mate, Peter Obi, at the vice-presidential debate at Transcorp Hilton Hotels.

"I watched with pride as Peter Obi laid out our vision to get Nigeria working again," H.E Abubakar said on Twitter, adding that he cannot "wait for the presidential debate."

Mr Obi sparred with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and three other running mates in the five-person debate last night, focused mainly on the economy for about two and a half hours.

Mr Obi was widely praised for demonstrating a good grasp of statistics, and Mr Osinbajo received commendations for his ability to focus on what his government had done as against what the PDP did in its 16 years in power from 1999 to 2015.

Although the debate organizers said last week they expected President Muhammadu Buhari to participate at the presidential debate on January 19, there has been no commitment from the president.

It was gathered on Friday night that the organizers have not received indications that Mr. Buhari would take part in the debate, but said H.E Abubakar's public utterances have given them confidence that the main opposition candidate would be available

President Buhari did not honour invitations to debate while running as the main opposition candidate of the All Progressives Congress in 2015.

Concerns that president Buhari would shun debate again this cycle prompted some PDP supporters on social media to have Mr Obi boycott last night's debate. They argued that President Buhari is trying to ride on the energy of Mr Osinbajo, rather than present himself for a similar debate as the most consequential person on the ticket.

2019 Election: Atiku signs Peace Accord

Atiku Signs Peace Accord

Atiku maintained that he was not a converted democrat but a real democrat from the beginning who alongside other leaders fought the military to return this country to democracy.

However, he said that the best way to guarantee peace in any election or human interaction was to ensure manifest justice to all concerned.

Earlier, Alhaji Abdusalami Abubakar, former Head of State and Chairman, National Peace Committee, apologised for not having the PDP presidential candidate at the signing of the peace accord held on Tuesday.

He said the news that the PDP boycotted the signing of the accord was completely wrong.

“I must apologies for the omission or commission, that the PDP was not able to attend that ceremony.

“The news that PDP boycotted the signing of the accord yesterday is completely wrong. I spoke to the presidential candidate and the party officials.

“It was not only the PDP that was not there yesterday, one or two parties were also not there,’’ he said.

He stressed that everybody involved in the project cared for peace and wants a peaceful election in 2019.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the political parties and their presidential candidates, especially, are to commit to issue-based campaigns and to avoid hate speech.

According to the peace accord, they are also to publicly speak against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence.

They are also expected to support all government institutions including INEC and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartiality.

Ibadan Rally Shows South-West Has Abandoned Buhari/Osinbajo – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) says the unprecedented crowd that received its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at the overflowing South West Presidential Zonal rally in Ibadan, Oyo state, is an undisputable pointer that the region has abandoned President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

PPCO said with the outpouring of support for Atiku Abubakar, the people of the South West region have demonstrated that they cannot be subdued by expansionist interests or framed into sectional politics, rather, they are in complete alignment with other parts of the country, in the collective aspiration to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the incompetent, corrupt and anti-people Buhari administration.

The South West people have shown that nobody can buy their conscience with N10,000 or sway them with ethnic preachments, especially the same persons who have been exploiting them and diverting their resources to enrich themselves and family members.

As a geo-political zone that plays leading role in most of the critical sectors of our national life and which has the highest convergence of all sections and interests across our nation, the decision to align with Atiku Abubakar signals the consolidation of the national consensus to vote him as the next President of Nigeria, come 2019.

By this, Nigerians in the South West have reinforced the quit notice which the North-West, North-Central and other zones had already served on President Buhari.

The people of the South-West loudly decried the inept, divisive and overtly corrupt administration of President Buhari for wrecking our once robust economy, destroying our national peace and brought hunger, starvation, escalated violence, and daily bloodletting to our dear fatherland.

The PPCO therefore counsels the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take note of the tide and perish any thought of manipulating the electoral process in the South West or any other geo-political zone for that matter, as they will be overrun by the people.

Finally, the PPCO commends the patriotism being displayed by leaders and critical stakeholders across the nation in rallying behind Atiku Abubakar to achieve the long-held aspiration by Nigerians to vote out President Buhari and usher in a new era of national peace, economic prosperity and rule of law in our nation.

Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) endorses Atiku Abubakar

45 political parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political parties (CUPP) endorsed Atiku Abubakar and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its consensus candidate.

The CUPP made the decision after a closed door meeting at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

Speaking at a world press conference, the CUPP convener and former Governor of Osun state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola said Atiku met the various criteria set for the selection of a consensus candidate.

According to him, “I welcome all of you to this very important General meeting of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP. You will recall that at the inauguration of the steering committee of the CUPP, we were saddled with the responsibility to midwife and supervise the selection of a joint presidential candidate for the coalition.

“In furtherance of this objective, therefore, the steering committee invited all political parties in the coalition to forward to us memoranda detailing their suggested ideas on how the candidate of the coalition should emerge and the criteria to use.

 “The response was very impressive and rich. The steering committee, which as you all know has every coalition party represented in it, distilled the suggestions., the aggregate of which was used to arrive at the result we are about to submit today.”

Criteria for selection

 

He also said “However, before we go into the results, ladies and gentlemen, it is necessary to first enumerate the identified criteria we used in arriving at the choice of presidential candidate for this coalition. In other words, we graded the candidates of all the parties using these criteria;

“The national acceptability of candidate and party, strength of the structure of candidate and party across the country, competitiveness of the candidate’s party vis a vis our major challenger – the APC.

 “Financial strength of candidate and party, access to financial resources, capacity and readiness to prosecute the election across the about 120,000 polling units in the country.”

“Competence, capability, and credibility of the candidate, acceptability of candidate locally and internationally, candidate’s experience in administration, management of economy and politics.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, after a painstaking assessment of what we have across the coalition parties and after processing the candidates’ suitability using these criteria, the steering committee hereby submits that a former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the best and his party the most virile of all the options before us. We therefore chose ‘him as the CUPP candidate for the 2019 Presidential election."

Oyinlola also called on members on members of the CUPP to hit the ground running, adding that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced.

“We have come a long way in this journey. The campaigns have started. The gloves are off and we must hit the ground running. Our main challengers are already in war mood, they have launched what they called THE NEXT LEVEL.”

“We must prove to them that we are the masters in this enterprise and tell them that the Nigerian people would not follow them (the APC) to THE NEXT EVIL scheme they have designed for our country. Millions of our suffering compatriots are looking up to us for deliverance and we must not disappoint them.”

“I thank you all for the confidence reposed in us. I thank the steering committee members for the great sacrifice they made in meeting every Wednesday since the inauguration weeks ago. It is all in the service of our country. My prayer is that Almighty God will crown our efforts with success. We shall be victorious; we shall not be put to shame.“

“There is, however, the imperative of taking the letter and spirit of our MOD down to the state level. A deep appraisal of the recent governorship election in Osun State will tell any discerning mind that it would have been very difficult for the APC to do what it did if the opposition had presented a common front.”

“Indeed, opposition votes combined in the Osun state election, where about 500,000 – almost doubling those of the ruling APC which scored 255,505 votes. So, our suggestion is that whatever we are doing with the presidential ticket should be done in all states for all positions for the good of our people.”

“The modalities can be worked out based on the peculiarities and political realities of each state. We must all realize the fact that it is better and wiser to win together than to lose together,”Oyinlola said.

It should be noted however that Atiku Abubakar emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate during the party’s national convention which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

2019 election a walkover for Atiku, PDP – Shaibu

 The general elections has been described as a walk-over for the former vice President and Presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other candidates of the party.

Mr Phrank Shaibu, a Public Communication expert and close associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar made the assertion while addressing members of the PDP Youth Leaders Organization in Abuja yesterday.

On the kind of campaigns to expect, he said “A large population of Nigerians have been taught new lessons on poor leadership and now have a better understanding of disinformation because they feel the reality of economic pains and hopelessness that have been thrust upon them in the past three years. Consequently, the campaign for 2019 presidential elections will be based on truth.

“Right now, the electorates have grown in knowledge of what choice will be best for them especially on their safety, real economic growth and equity. Nigerians will experience a new trend of issue based campaign. The two major contestants have been tested and their performance cum capacities to deliver well documented.

 “Already, we have a lot of decided voters especially given their sad experiences and difficulties in the past three years under a president that has ruled Nigeria twice with established antecedent of bringing upon the citizenry abject poverty. I believe the campaign focus will be on the few undecided voters. This category of persons when shown and educated on some hidden facts of maladministration especially on gross embezzlement, many shades of corruption, selective justice and deceits will reach early conclusions on which camp to give their mandate.”

“I should think the ruling party’s focus should be more on damage control to enable them offer seeming apologies to millions of Nigerians they have disappointed and the millions they have put in the labour market through their ill performance in government.

So, the issue of campaign promises will not hold water for the Buhari camp as their participation in this election is just for posterity to be subtle in judgment of failure,” he said

Shaibu expressed optimism that the Atiku’s policy document will sell the party to Nigerians in the 2019 general elections, which according to him will lead to a landslide victory for the party.

According to him, ‘’The cardinal principle of any good government or party is the manifesto. Atiku has a robust manifesto which Nigerians cannot resist. Only the PDP manifesto mentions what the party is going to do for the Nigerians.”
he said

Pics: Ilorin Agog as Atiku Storms Town for #PDPNorthCentralRally

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Wednesday stormed the Kwara state capital for it’s North – Central Zonal Rally in Ilorin.

Pics: #GNWAKwara: