Savannah News NG

2019: Tinubu meets Buhari, speaks on APC crisis, Obasanjo, IBB’s letters

February 14, 2018

Tinubu and Buhari

A leader of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has said that his recent appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari to reconcile all warring groups in the party is a great honour.
The ex-Lagos governor also spoke on the recent letters to President Muhammadu Buhari by two former Nigerian leaders.
Mr. Tinubu was appointed by Mr. Buhari last week to bring an end to various internal squabbles among members of the ruling APC across the country.
The former Lagos State governor, who met behind closed doors with the president in his official residence on Tuesday, said he has already started the assignment.
In a brief interview with the Nigerian Television Authority after the meeting, Mr. Tinubu, who spoke about the appointment, said Mr. Buhari has given him free hand to carry out the assignment.
“Democracy is about conflict resolution process. You can’t do it without resolving conflicts. We can’t build it without understanding the conflicts and where we are coming from.
“But we want to leave the country with a legacy. It’s not about Mr. President. That is what he’s telling the country,” he said.
The APC leader, who was accompanied to the meeting by the former interim national chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, also said the decision by Mr. Buhari to ask him to carry out the assignment is one of the best ways to improve Nigeria’s democracy.
He said Mr. Buhari is “one of those rare beings around the country, around Africa who had experienced both worlds: he fought a battle to save Nigeria and came to politics to save Nigeria.

“Very rare people have such an opportunity in their life time and that’s what we talk about legacy; and where we have all the challenges, do what we should do. I am enjoying the challenges so far.”
On the chance of APC emerging victorious in the 2019 elections, Mr. Tinubu said the APC has a better chance and is strongly “determined to prosecute election in a most transparent and democratic manner.
“And we will win,” he said.
Mr. Tinubu also spoke about the recent statements issued by former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida urging Mr. Buhari not to seek re-election.
“I don’t address those shadows. We should let our former presidents join retirees’ club and take pensions but they can participate in our politics if they are interested.
“It is a free world, but this freedom is not served a la carte. They should allow us to move our country forward. It is a challenge to every Nigerian,” he said.

Comments

Inside Lamidi Adedibu’s deserted Ibadan ‘palace’, crumbling political dynasty

February 10, 2018 Adedibu's 'palace' (Photo taken by Oladeinde Olawoyin) A one-storey mosque stood adjacent the main building that was Lamidi Adedibu’s main building. There, he held sway as an oracle and dished out orders that were considered laws at a time in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo State. Time was 3:45 p.m. and this reporter just swaggered into the ‘Molete Palace’ of the late Ibadan politician and stalwart of the then ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party. The afternoon sun baked the skin with fiendish delight. At the entrance of the commodious ‘palace’, about five weird-looking middle-aged men sat on a bench, leaving the gate ajar. A banner displaying Mr. Adedibu’s image occupies a part of the gate, swinging slowly to the rhythm of the afternoon wind. Easily noticeable was a narrow, tarred, deserted road that connects the entire ‘palace’ with the major road linking Molete and Oke-Ado. ...

250 Nigerians die of snakebite in three weeks

November 5, 2017 Agency Report Snake used to illustrate the story. Two hundred and fifty victims of snake bite have died in the last three weeks in Plateau and Gombe states, following an acute scarcity of snake anti-venom drugs in the country. The figure represents the number of confirmed deaths from three snake treatment centres – General Hospital, Kaltungo, Ali Mega Pharmacy, Gombe and Comprehensive Medical Centre, Zamko, Plateau State. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria who visited the three medical outfits, met other victims in critical situations, with some of them left on bare floors as the doctors said they were helpless without the anti-venom. NAN reports that the snake anti-venom drugs – Echitab Plus ICP polyvalent and Echitab G monovalent – had not been supplied to the country since August, throwing the treatment centres into crisis after the last vials were used up in the firs...

2Baba’s publicist, activists urge Nigerian youth on violence-free election

February 14, 2018 Organised campaign by the Initiative for Africa Youth Advancement Advocacy and Empowerment, IAYAAE, themed "Elections without Bloodbath". A publicist to popular Nigerian pop artiste, Innocent Idibia (2Baba), Efe Omoregbe, on Tuesday called on Nigerian youth to act rather than complain about the state of the nation. Mr. Omoregbe spoke at a programme organised by the Initiative for Africa Youth Advancement Advocacy and Empowerment, IAYAAE, themed “Elections without Bloodbath”. The programme, which held at the premises of the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Secretariat, Lagos, was put together to sensitise the youth on the dangers of electoral violence. Mr. Omoregbe in his intervention called to the youth to deploy affirmative action and apply knowledge gathered synthetic programme during electioneering. He told the crowd to rise and act by taking responsibilities without trading blames, saying the Nigeria of today is the nat...