Buhari
2015: I’m not desperate, says Buhari Former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari spoke yesterday on the race for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket.Gen. Buhari, 71, who was Head of State from December 31, 1983 to August 27, 1985, told members of the Buhari Support Group (BSG) in Abuja that though he was confident of getting the ticket, he was not desperate for it.
He is expected to formalise his plan to run next week.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar last week became the first aspirant for the APC ticket to declare his interest in the race.
The APC presidential primary is fixed for December 2.
Gen. Buhari, who has run for president thrice, urged his supporters not to be rude to the party’s leaders or other aspirants.
He was accompanied to yesterday’s event by former Kaduna State Military Administrator Col. Hamid Ibrahim Ali, former Minister of Internal Affairs Brig.-General John Shagaya and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Alhaji Umaru Dembo.
He said: “With support, I intend to offer myself for the position of the president of the republic on the platform of our great party. I intend to make a formal announcement soon and I hope I can count on your continuing support and sacrifice.
“However, I would like to point out to you that to be more meaningful, your support must extend beyond my person and always be available to the party and all those the party puts forward because it is the party that is the platform.
“You must at all times remember that the APC is a party with several qualified people for each and all the positions that will be contested, including that of the president. It is the primaries that will determine who eventually represents the party and in which capacity.
“If I get the party’s nomination, I expect you to redouble your effort and commitment until we clinch the presidency. But, in the event that it happens to be one of the other aspirants who wins, I will expect you, as good party men, to extend to him your support. We are a united party and united we shall remain because our strength lies in our unity.
“For this and for other reasons, I must warn all my supporters, volunteers and other well wishers within the party and even out of it not to insult or be rude to any other aspirant or party leader on my behalf.
“My supporters must not engage in any kind of behavior or conduct that will tarnish the image of any leader or promote division within the ranks of the party. Whoever does that should know that he or she is working for the enemy.
The former leader added: “Today, we are in the 15th year of purposeless leadership by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and all we have seen is unprecedented deterioration in the security and law and order situation, astronomical rise and intensity of corruption and in the failure of governance.
“And as we reach this last lap of the journey, I would like to request that we concentrate all our efforts and energy towards realising and achieving change in this country.
“The only way to meaningful change in this country is to vote the PDP out of power to which it was never legitimately elected anyway. The task before us today is wide ranging and very great.
“The first and most important is to take away power from those who have been misusing it. Indeed, except for the call of patriotism, public spiritedness and an abiding love for the people of this country, nothing will today make any honest, honourable and sane politician want to be saddled with Nigeria with an economy in trouble, with its perilous security situation, with its extensive and almost unmanageable corruption and with its pervasive lawlessness. And a government (is there really a government?) that is not working.
“We have made all the necessary preparation to take power from the inept ruling party. For the first time, the credible opposition in Nigeria has come together in order to give the PDP a good run for its money.
Gen. Buhari praised members of the BSG for standing. “We don’t have anything to offer you by way of payback for all your massive and unprecedented support, except our commitment to be even with you at all times and to preserve, protect and discharge the trust you will put in our hands.”
Also yesterday, APC members in the Kaduna State House of Assembly endorsed Gen. Buhari.
Minority Leader Muhammad Ali, who led other APC members to address a news conference, said Gen. Buhari remained the only candidate that could salvage of Nigeria.
Ali said the APC members resolved to endorse Gen. Buhari because he is an incorruptible leader.
“Never in the history of this nation have we come close to a failed state as it is being experienced, owing to the ineptitude of those charged with the responsibility of leading this great nation.
“When General Muhammadu Buhari was the Military Head of State, Nigeria blossomed as a nation and discipline was restored and Nigeria was respected worldwide.
He is expected to formalise his plan to run next week.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar last week became the first aspirant for the APC ticket to declare his interest in the race.
The APC presidential primary is fixed for December 2.
Gen. Buhari, who has run for president thrice, urged his supporters not to be rude to the party’s leaders or other aspirants.
He was accompanied to yesterday’s event by former Kaduna State Military Administrator Col. Hamid Ibrahim Ali, former Minister of Internal Affairs Brig.-General John Shagaya and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Alhaji Umaru Dembo.
He said: “With support, I intend to offer myself for the position of the president of the republic on the platform of our great party. I intend to make a formal announcement soon and I hope I can count on your continuing support and sacrifice.
“However, I would like to point out to you that to be more meaningful, your support must extend beyond my person and always be available to the party and all those the party puts forward because it is the party that is the platform.
“You must at all times remember that the APC is a party with several qualified people for each and all the positions that will be contested, including that of the president. It is the primaries that will determine who eventually represents the party and in which capacity.
“If I get the party’s nomination, I expect you to redouble your effort and commitment until we clinch the presidency. But, in the event that it happens to be one of the other aspirants who wins, I will expect you, as good party men, to extend to him your support. We are a united party and united we shall remain because our strength lies in our unity.
“For this and for other reasons, I must warn all my supporters, volunteers and other well wishers within the party and even out of it not to insult or be rude to any other aspirant or party leader on my behalf.
“My supporters must not engage in any kind of behavior or conduct that will tarnish the image of any leader or promote division within the ranks of the party. Whoever does that should know that he or she is working for the enemy.
The former leader added: “Today, we are in the 15th year of purposeless leadership by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and all we have seen is unprecedented deterioration in the security and law and order situation, astronomical rise and intensity of corruption and in the failure of governance.
“And as we reach this last lap of the journey, I would like to request that we concentrate all our efforts and energy towards realising and achieving change in this country.
“The only way to meaningful change in this country is to vote the PDP out of power to which it was never legitimately elected anyway. The task before us today is wide ranging and very great.
“The first and most important is to take away power from those who have been misusing it. Indeed, except for the call of patriotism, public spiritedness and an abiding love for the people of this country, nothing will today make any honest, honourable and sane politician want to be saddled with Nigeria with an economy in trouble, with its perilous security situation, with its extensive and almost unmanageable corruption and with its pervasive lawlessness. And a government (is there really a government?) that is not working.
“We have made all the necessary preparation to take power from the inept ruling party. For the first time, the credible opposition in Nigeria has come together in order to give the PDP a good run for its money.
Gen. Buhari praised members of the BSG for standing. “We don’t have anything to offer you by way of payback for all your massive and unprecedented support, except our commitment to be even with you at all times and to preserve, protect and discharge the trust you will put in our hands.”
Also yesterday, APC members in the Kaduna State House of Assembly endorsed Gen. Buhari.
Minority Leader Muhammad Ali, who led other APC members to address a news conference, said Gen. Buhari remained the only candidate that could salvage of Nigeria.
Ali said the APC members resolved to endorse Gen. Buhari because he is an incorruptible leader.
“Never in the history of this nation have we come close to a failed state as it is being experienced, owing to the ineptitude of those charged with the responsibility of leading this great nation.
“When General Muhammadu Buhari was the Military Head of State, Nigeria blossomed as a nation and discipline was restored and Nigeria was respected worldwide.
40 Boko Haram insurgents, 11 soldiers killed in fierce encounters
•Three soldiers missing, 15 others wounded
More than 40 Boko Haram insurgents have been killed in Borno State within the last 72 hours in three fierce encounters with soldiers.
Eleven soldiers are believed to have lost their lives in the battles and another one at Shindig.
Three others are reported missing while 15 are receiving medical treatment.
Military sources said the figures were arrived at after mopping up operations in Konduga, Damboa and Benisheik which was the scene of a brutal attack by Boko Haram a year this month. The figures could not be independently confirmed.
Benishek lies to the west of Maiduguri along the Damaturu road.
Terrorists have been trying to invade the state capital through that part and the eastern flank of the city.
About 150 residents were massacred by the insurgents during last year’s invasion.
Shedding light on the latest confrontations, a military source said splinter cells of the sect resorted to carrying out snap attacks on communities in the state.
The source said troops succeeded in beating back the terrorists in Konduga, Beneshiek and Damboa where they made a number of attempts between Thursday and Friday September 25-26, 2014.
“A multi barrel T55 tank, nine rifles, two Machine Guns, two Rocket Propelled Grenade tubes, five boxes of ammunition and other weapons were captured from them while over 40 of the terrorists died in the encounters in the three locations,” the source said.
“Troops also conducted a raid on terrorists’ enclave at Shindig. In all the operations a total of 11 soldiers died while 15 others are being treated for injuries sustained in the battles. Three are still missing.
“The air and land operations are ongoing to clear the terrorists from other communities where their activities have become prevalent recently in the states under the state of emergency.”
Another military source said: “Stubborn, dare devil and ready-to-die terrorists continued to push against the military despite receiving heavy bashing in the last two weeks in North-Eastern Nigeria.
“During the period, many of their top commanders including the one pretending to be Shekau were eliminated.
“Nonetheless, splinter cells continue to confront the military but Nigerian troops vanquished them although with casualties on both sides.”
At press time, troops had succeeded in repelling the insurgents from Konduga.
A third source said: “These insurgents see the occupation of Konduga as a matter of life and death because of their plans to attack Maiduguri. But troops have successfully resisted them.
“We have fortified Konduga and Maiduguri. And efforts are on to curtail the insurgents in Gwoza, Bama and some parts of Adamawa State.”
Following last September’s invasion of Benishiek by Boko Haram, about 150 bodies were evacuated by the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA).
Many of the victims were residents of the town.
Fifteen trucks, 18 other vehicles, eight motorcycles and six bicycles were set ablaze by the sect members, who were said to have numbered about 300.
The terrorists also set ablaze about 150 houses, shops and made away with ten vehicles.
Court jails Boko Haram men 25yrs
The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced three Boko Haram members to 25 years imprisonment each.
But reporters were not allowed to cover the judgment; only lawyers in the prosecution and defence teams were allowed in court.
A source, who witnessed the verdict but pleaded not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, told reporters that the fourth defendant was acquitted.
The court, last December 3, barred reporters from covering the trial of 17 suspected members of the Islamic sect.
Justice Ibrahim Buba made the order, following an application by the Lagos State Attorney-General and prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ade Ipaye.
Men of the Department of Security Services (DSS) prevented reporters from covering the suspects’ arraignment last November 27.
The accused are: Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman, Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala, Kadiri Mohammed, Mustapha Daura, Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya, Musa Audu, Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.
The attorney-general, it was learnt, entered a nolle prosequi (“do not prosecute”) for two of the defendants. They were subsequently discharged.
Later, 11 others were discharged in the course of the trial, following another nolle prosequi by the prosecution.
Only four – the first to fourth defendants – went through a a complete trial.
The suspects were first charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism, illegal possession of firearms and being members of a proscribed organisation.
They allegedly committed the offences on March 21, last year, at Plot 5, Road 69, Lekki Phase I Housing Estate, and No. 24, Oyegbeni Street, Ijora-Oloye, Apapa-Iganmu, Lagos.
They were alleged to have in their possession three packets of explosive construction pipes, 15 detonators and 11 AK-47 rifles with 30 rounds of live ammunition.
Other items also allegedly found on them include 200 rounds of 7.6mm calibre live ammunition, two suitcases containing explosives and a water container filled with explosives.
The offences contravenes sections 13(2) and 17(b) of the Terrorism Act 2013 and Sections 1, 8, 27 (1) (a) and (b) of the Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation, 2004, and punishable under Section 8 of the same act.
The source said the discharged fourth defendant was charged with funding terrorism by agreeing to provide money for the escape of the first defendant from detention.
The source said Justice Buba held that the prosecution did not establish the charge against the fourth defendant.
It was learnt that the judge convicted the first to third defendants on all the counts, sentencing them to a 25-year jail term each.
Before the judgment, reporters, other litigants and lawyers, who came for other cases, were asked to leave the courtroom.
The judge sought lawyers’ views on whether or not it was right to deliver the verdict in the presence of the public.
But Mrs Idowu Alakija, from the Directorate of the Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Lagos Ministry of Justice, noted that since the trial was conducted in camera – for security reasons – judgment should also be delivered as such.
Justice Buba, sought to know what the law stipulates on delivering a judgment in camera and how his colleagues in Abuja handled such cases.
He asked to rise for 30 minutes for a short research on the issue.
When he returned by noon, Justice Buba again asked the parties to address him on the legality of delivering a judgment in camera.
Ipaye reiterated what Mrs Alakija said, adding that since the trial was conducted in secret, the judgment should also be delivered confidentially because a verdict is part of the trial.
The defendants’ lawyers also agreed that the judgment be delivered without the public glare.
Justice Buba asked everyone – except the defendants, their lawyers and some security operatives – to go out of the court room.
Angry reporters, who felt they had the right to report the case since it is in the public’s interest, urged the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) and Administrative Head of the Ikoyi Division, Mr. Bello Okandeji, to intervene.
Okandeji led reporters to the court, but fully armed, stern-looking DSS officials at the door to the staircase said they had orders not to allow anyone in.
The court official promised to speak with the judge later to see if a copy of the judgment could be made available to reporters.
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