Godwin Isenyo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he can be Nigeria’s president without visiting the United States of America.
Atiku stated this on Saturday during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa Service when he was asked how he intended to be Nigeria’s president without visiting the US.
He asked whether it was a constitutional provision that one must visit the US before becoming president.
“I can be president without going to America,” he said.
In the interview monitored by our correspondent in Kaduna, Atiku also commented on a statement credited to his former boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, that he (Atiku) would not be President while he was alive.
He stated that Obasanjo was not God, saying that he didn’t lose sleep when he learnt that Obasanjo made such a statement.
According to him, if it is God’s will for him to be president, nobody, not even Obasanjo, can challenge God.
The ex-VP also confirmed that he was denied a US visa when he wanted to travel to that country.
He said he was told by the US that his application for visa was denied because it was passing through administrative process.
He also spoke about a house in the US said to belong to him and auctioned by the government of that country.
Atiku said the house belonged to one of his wives, adding that, “All my wives own houses and that particular house is not mine. It belonged to one of my wives. She sold the house and was never auctioned as it was reported.”
He further spoke on the rift between him and President Muhammad Buhari, saying the President could not control happenings in the ruling All Progressives Congress.
He said that was one of the reasons he left the party and returned to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, where he was a founding member.
Atiku said, “After 2015 general elections, I met the President. I told him that activities of the party have been crippled and there is a need to restructure.
“Also, I advised the President on issues concerning his administration. I said to him, ‘If things continue like this, I will quit’, but Mr. Buhari turned a deaf ear and remained mum.”
On why the government was yet to defeat Boko Haram for eight years, Atiku said if he emerged as president, he would investigate the years the government used in fighting the insurgents.
He added, “If elected Nigeria’s president, I will investigate how the government was unable to defeat Boko Haram. The Federal Government ended the civil war in 30 months, but it is now eight years it can’t not defeat a group of boys who are not trained.
Femi Makinde
The Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, made an historic visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at his palace in Ile Ife on Saturday.
The Benin monarch during his maiden visit to the Ooni’s Palace since his coronation urged President Muhammadu Buhati to stop the persistent herdsmen/farmers clashes in the country which claimed many lives.
The Oba arrived at the palace in Ile Ife at 1.15pm with his chiefs and some dignitaries from the ancient city of Benin. He was received at the residence of Oba Ogunwusi inside the palace before both of them went into the hall where various cultural troupes entertained the monarchs.
Oba Ewuare said, “This visit is to appreciate your imperial Majesty for the honour done me, my family and the entire people of the Benin Kingdom with your personal presence at my coronation.
“This visit should provide us the opportunity to reawaken the cordial relationship between our two kingdoms which seemed unfortunately to have hitherto pulled off since my father’s visit to Ile Ife in the reign of Oba Sijuwade for reasons I am not too sure of. It is my prayer that this visit will restart the cordial relationship, which because of historical affinity, should exist between our two kingdoms.
“We should explore and tap on what unites us rather than what divides us for the advancement of our cultural heritage and social/economic development.
“It is gratifying to note that you and I have already been in regular communication even before this visit. We must increase visits to each other because such will augur well for the desirable close relationship between our two kingdoms.
“Your Imperial Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses and distinguished ladies and gentlemen, may I crave your indulgence to highlight three major issues of national concern. They are the persistent cattle herdsmen and farmer clashes and their attendant criminal activities in the country; human trafficking and illegal migration and social economic pursuit to be indeed eloping underdevelopment activities.
“The aforementioned problems are plaguing the country in unacceptable proportion. These problems are further complicated by our porous borders particularly in the northeastern part of Nigeria and lack of adequate infrastructure and dire need to improve on security architecture of the country.
“While commending the efforts of President Buhari in tackling the insurgency in the North-East , I want to, on behalf of all traditional rulers in Edo State, join traditional rulers in Nigeria, appeal to the President, as a matter of urgency, to intervene in these and other threats to the unity of our country. “
The Ooni said the solution to the security challenges in the country was community policing, saying the people would know their policemen and the policemen would also know the people and understand their terrains very well.
Oba Ogunwusi said, “You all know that we are all from the same parents. We are so interrelated; we have an ancestor and our kingdom have a very common ancestral history. We are very grateful and honoured to receive you.
“We wanted to take you to our common ancestral place where Oranmiyan is still resting till today because we believe he is still with us. But we won’t be able to take you round because of time. We are having security challenges in Nigeria and the way forward is community policing. We should join the government and security agent to find a lasting solution to these problems.
“This is Olokun Week in Ife and Olokun is one of the deities that the Benin people do not joke with. We should see ourselves as one big family. We should uphold our cultures, heritage and tradition. I am very happy that Benin culture and tradition are still intact.”
The two prominent monarchs visited Orun Oba Ado, which the Director of Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Mr. Moses Olafare, des
Tobi Aworinde
The Deputy Coordinator, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Mr. Ayodele Aderinwale, has condemned the marginalisation of about 60 million eligible voters in micro, small and medium enterprises by the political elite.
Aderinwale, who had played an active role in the pre-1999 struggle for the country’s return to democratic rule, made the assertion while giving the keynote address at a dinner to commemorate the 10th anniversary of a non-governmental organisation, Masterpiece Resource Development Centre, on Friday.
He said, “You get the numbers, you win. You win, you have power. You have power, you take decisions. You allocate scarce resources before greedy eyes and grasping hands. Politics in Nigeria is an intra-elite squad. It has nothing to do with the majority of the people.
“It is not about ideological differences; it is strictly about political differences. And so, if you understand all of these bases, they will allow you to do what I call a structured and interpretative understanding of your reality.”
Aderinwale said micro enterprises had, between two and 10 employees, and N5m in terms of assets, while small enterprises had between 10 and 49 members of staff and an asset base of N5m to N50m.
He added, “According to a survey by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria three years ago, we have about 38 million MSMEs in Nigeria. The MSME sector combined accounts for 84 per cent of the total labour force in Nigeria. That is, they employ about 60 million people.
“If politics is a game of numbers; if you (SMEs) desire your society to be organised in a particular way and you have the choice to articulate and push your interests, how come 60 million eligible voters are being kept from taking decisions? How come you are not a voice at the table?”
The Chief Responsibility Officer, MRDC, Mrs. Modupe Oyekunle, while delivering the vote of thanks, appreciated her husband, parents and siblings.
Oyekunle attributed her commitment to SMEs development to her mother’s entrepreneurial skills.
She also appreciated the Serving Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the father of the day, who she said was unavoidably absent.
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