2019: Drop your Presidential ambition for now, Buhari begs youths

ABUJA – AHEAD of the 2019 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari has told the youths to drop any ambition of running for Presidency in the next year’s election. President Muhammadu Buhari (M) Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha (6th R) Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari (7th R) Sponsor, ‘NOT-TOO-YOUNG-TO-RUN BILL’ (NTYTR-B) in the Senate, Sen Abdulazeez Mutala-Nyako (5TH R) Sponsor, NTYTR Bill in the House of Representatives, Rep Tony Nwulu (4TH R) Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (3rd R) Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau ( 2nd R) Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate) Sen Ita Enang (2nd L) Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (House of Rep) Suleiman Kawu (r) Leader of the NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN GROUP, Mr Samson Itodo (7th L) and others after the signing the Not Too Young To Run Bill into law by President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday President Buhari who made the plea Thursday, when he signed the “Not Too Young To Run” bill into law at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa Abuja, told the youths to stop any campaign for the forthcoming Elections and keep their Presidential ambition till 2023. He also expressed surprise that the age limit for senators and Governors which presently is 35 years was not reduced but said that that aspect would be revisited. President Buhari described the youths as Nigeria’s most important resource with energy, intelligence and talents that will drive the development of the country. He also described the occasion as very significant for the country especially the young people as regards the role they play for the growth of democracy, politics and national life. This is as the leader of the Not Too Young To Run, Samson Itodo has told President Buhari to impress it on his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to observe internal democracy in carrying out of their activities. The President at the occasion said, “We are gathered here for the signing of the “Not Too Young To Run Bill”, a landmark piece of legislation that was conceived, championed and accomplished by young Nigerians. “The coordinators of the Not Too Young To Run movement have now established a formidable legacy – which is that, in our maturing democracy, if you really want to change something in Nigeria, and if you can organise yourselves and work hard towards it – you can achieve it. The outcome of such efforts is this remarkable feat. “These efforts have resulted in the heroic task of enshrining in law, a reduction of the minimum ages for elective office in Nigeria. “Eligible age for aspirants for members of the State Houses of Assembly will be reduced from 30 to 25 years; “Eligible age for aspirants for members of the Federal House of Representatives will be reduced from 30 to 25 years; and “Eligible age for aspirants for Office of the President, will be lowered from 40 to 35 years. “Surprisingly, the age limits for Senators and Governors was not reduced, as originally proposed by the sponsors of this Bill. This is an issue that may need to be addressed going forward. “Nevertheless, your focus and contributions have now successfully increased the quality and maturity of Nigerian democracy and expanded the playing field for youth participation in politics. “You, the young people of Nigeria, are now set to leave your mark on the political space, just as you have done over the decades in entrepreneurship, sports, art, media entertainment, technology, and several other fields. “You are undoubtedly Nigeria’s most important resource – not oil, not agriculture, not solid minerals – but you and all of us. Your energy, intelligence and talent are what will drive and develop Nigeria, long after we are all gone. “This is an opportunity for me to affirm that this Administration will continue to do everything in its power to make Nigeria work for you. “You may all know that

OBASANJO'S RESPONSE TO BBC HARDTALK: WHY IGBOS ARE ANGRY WITH NIGERIA:

“My friends who are not from the East of Nigeria where Igbos come from often ask me why there is so much anger in the East and among Igbos. Some wonder why, despite the famed Igbo” wealth’ and enterprise all over Nigeria, the people still complain that Nigeria is unfair to them. Some insinuate that the anger comes from the loss of the 2015 election by Jonathan who the Igbos heavily backed. And why is it that the current generation of Igbos are so angry as to contemplate carrying arms against the country? With lots following Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB with his secessionist message. Those not following Kanu may despise his antics and rhetoric but are sympathetic to his underlying message. And what is that message? That Igbos don’t feel wanted in Nigeria. That decades of official marginalization and discrimination should be stopped or they should be allowed to take their chances in a new nation. First, for those who think this is all about Jonathan and Buhari. It is not. Igbos were disappointed that Jonathan did not win. But those whose candidates lose elections lick their wounds. It is allowed. It happens when your candidate loses election. Why did the Igbos invest so much emotions in Jonathan, a non-Igbo from Ijaw? It was more because of the fear of their experience in the past 50 years. Nigeria has placed an embargo on any Igbo man becoming Nigerian president and Igbos understand this. Jonathan was the next best thing. Other parts of Nigeria have supported their sons to the presidency. Some have bombed Nigeria into submission to get their sons to Aso Rock. Igbos have little capacity to blackmail Nigeria to the presidency. They chose Jonathan as their “Igbo”. But that’s not to say that they are angry enough because he lost to contemplate going to war on his behalf. Jonathan was not really the model of a President the Igbo would go to war for. And even his Ijaw people have accepted his loss. So? Igbo anger has been building up in Nigeria since the 70s. As kids, people made choices in other parts of Nigeria school years based on the narrative of the Igbo place in Nigeria. They knew about the glass ceiling against Igbos. After the civil war, despite the “No winner, no vanquished” program, Nigeria placed glass ceilings and no-go areas for Igbos. The war reconstruction program was observed more in the breach. There was the “abandoned” property program that was introduced to drive a wedge between components of the former South-East Nigeria. While the country was too embarrassed to put the discrimination program down in an official gazette, it was there for anyone who cared to look. It was evident in the Igbo police officer who stayed in one position while less qualifies juniors progressed to become his bosses. It was evident when no Igbo qualified to become the Inspector General of Police, or lead any division in the armed forces. It was there when "sensitive" or "lucrative" positions were shared in Nigeria and Igbos were conspicuously absent. It was there when Igbos were only fit enough to be made Minister of Information until Obasanjo administration came to power. And even recently, it was there when Buhari appointed 47 people to man the critical roles in his government and no one from the South east was there. Any time there is a federal appointment in Nigeria, its usually the east that is left to shout. It was there from Buhari first term as a Military Junta to his second coming and any other time in-between. The Igbo elite called it marginalization. Other Nigerians countered by saying no part of Nigeria was getting enough. Marginalization was universal. But they forgot something. The Igbo cry of marginalization was official policy. It was expected. It was programmed. And occasionally, key government officials let it slip that Igbos should not complain. After all, they fought a war with Nigeria. Talk about No Victor, No Vanquished. There was a Victor alrig

Muslim group warns Christians after Trump tackles Buhari on killings

Muslim group warns Christians after Trump tackles Buhari on killingsPublishedonMay 1, 2018ByIfreke InyangThe Muslim Rights Concern(MURIC) has criticised US President, Donald Trump, over hiscomments on the killing of Christians in Nigeria. During a joint press conference with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, Trump said the USwill not accept the attacks on Christian communities inNigeria.Reduce Your Belly Size At Night With A Simple MethodNew Vision Discovery That is Leaving Optometrists Speechless(Do This Tonight)Sponsored by RevcontentIn a statement issued on Tuesday, Ishaq Akintola, director, MURIC, said Trump’s statement, “is prejudiced, parochial and unpresidential”.Akintola also claimed Trump, “is luring Nigerian Christians into bolder confrontation,” with Muslims.“It is sheer interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. Trump has a bully’s instinct,” the statement read in part.“If this is the same Trump who called African countries ‘shithole’, the same American president who threatened to wipe out North Korea, the same US leader who banned Muslims from entering his country, the same Republican who said, “Torture works, ok folks?”, Nigerians must be wary of America’s involvement in their affairs.“We should remember that Nigeria did not get the required support from the moderate and cool-headed Barrack Obama in its war against terrorism. We should therefore not expectany from Trump who treats vulnerable nations with contempt and has no respect for African countries. Unless Nigerians unite, this country will become America’s ‘shithole’.“Trump’s comment on killings in Nigeria implies that he would prefer that it is Muslims alone who are being killed. We refuse to believe that a whole American president does not know the true situation on ground in this country. He who knows but pretendsnot to know has his own secret agenda. Nigerian Muslims are not intimidatedby Trump’s comment. We only sympathise with those who will be gullible enough to become Trump’s ‘suckers’. Posterity will judge us.“Nigerian Christians should not allow themselves to be deceived by Trump’s comment. The advanced countries of today will not compromise the secret of their technological advancement. Western countries will not teach us what will benefit our people. They will only teachus what will divide us in order to further render us debilitated, impoverished and helpless.“Nay, they will give us fish but refuse to teach us how to fish. They will scatter us like wild oats and then give us weapons to kill ourselves. Then, under the guise of rendering humanitarian services, they will take over our land, our oil, our rich culture and force homosexualism and lesbianism down our throats but at that time, it will be too late to resist. Mark our words.“Trump is only using religion to turn Nigeria into another Iraq. Just as formerUS President Bush used Sunni-Shiite dichotomy to destroy Iraq just to lay his hands on Iraq’s oil field, Trump is also eyeing Nigeria’s oil. His plan is to use Christian-Muslim divideto set Nigeria ablaze. But Nigerians should rememberthat decades after the invasion of Iraq, that country is yet to experience stability. Years after the killing of Ghadaffi, Libya is yet to find its feet. The gunsare still booming in Syria and the world holds its breadth each time North Korea sneezes.“It is our contention that Trump is luring Nigerian Christians into bolder confrontation with their Muslim neighbours. We warn that the West African sub-region will be shaken toits foundation if Nigerian Christians swallow Trump’s bait. The extension to Nigeria of America’s crusade which brought ruins to Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya and Sudan will have dire consequences on the wholeAfrican continent.”