The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu says President Muhammadu Buhari should be allowed to concentrate on good governance not talking about succession plan.
Tinubu stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
According to him, well-meaning citizens will not talk about the 2023 politics now, saying Nigerians must assist the president towards ensuring speedy transformation of the country.
“We have just finished one election and Mr President is busy sorting out the Budget, working for the people of this country.
“Of course, restlessness of politics is going to be there, but any lover of this country will not talk about the succession plan yet. That’s the truth.
“We concentrate on working for the country; help the President to help the country. There’s nothing more than that.
“We cannot use 365 days in a year to work on politics, it’s not possible. Anybody talking about that now is just completely restless and not focused on the agenda of nation building and development of our country,’’ he said.
On alleged third term agenda, Tinubu said he believed Buhari’s words distancing himself from the plot.
According to him, Buhari has the character and the experience to resist such temptation even if anybody suggested it to him.
Tinubu recalled that himself along with Buhari had been in the trenches resisting a plot for third term by a former President to extend his tenure.
He said: “Any reasonable politician, who had worked with President Muhammadu Buhari will know that he will not (tamper with the Constitution).
“Detractors are always suspicious and will make accusations, but I was in the trench, in the struggle for democracy.
“I was in the trench and in the opposition with Muhammadu Buhari, till the Third Term agenda of a former leader of this country failed. I know he will never…
“He has the courage and the character to refuse such a temptation even if offered to him. I believe in him and I believe Nigerians should also believe in him.
“He doesn’t need to say it to me, I’ll argue it in the corner and everywhere they bring such a thing up.
“However, it’s very good to hear it from him. I say congratulations to a man of character and integrity. The challenge of turning the ship of this nation around is a continuum and a continuous effort and that is what we should get ourselves concerned with.
“Yes, politics is intoxicating, it’s flamboyant, it’s interesting, but we cannot continue in perpetuity one after the other, we have to relax, show concern for the people of the country and see to the efforts of the President that will manifest in the new, united and prosperous country. We are still not there.’’
The APC chieftain also played down talks about clamour for zoning of the Presidency to a particular geo-political zone of the country.
Tinubu said it was too early for a party that had just won an election to start talking about zoning, and that it was better to allow it address the issue of governance.
Insurgency: Gov. Zulum opposes relocation of Borno communities
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has called on military authorities to rescind the decision to relocate Minok and Jakana communities in Kaga Local Government Area of the state.
Zulum made the call when he visited the affected communities on Tuesday.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mainok and Jakana communities located on Maiduguri-Damaturu Road, witnessed resurgence of insurgency activities in recent weeks.
In furtherance of its clearance operation against remnants of the insurgents, the military planned to relocate inhabitants of the communities to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri.
Zulum disclosed that he received information that the military authorities had planned to relocate the communities to IDPs camps in Maiduguri.
“I call on the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Burutai, to refrain from the action.
“In as much as possible, we need to commend the Federal Government’s effort in the counter insurgency operation, but we are not in support of displacing these communities.
“We are fully behind the military and police with a view to condone and search exercise in the communities to arrest and prosecute all those involved in nefarious activities.
“But we do not want the communities to be displaced,” he said.
Zulum noted that such action would compound the humanitarian crisis in the state, adding that adequate arrangements must be put in place to facilitate smooth relocation and resettlement of the affected communities.
“The Federal and State Government, the National and State Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA and SEMA), humanitarian and development partners should be notified.
“The police, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and other security agencies should also be notified so that we can make adequate arrangements.
“I am sure that no information had been passed to the police, the Department of State Security Service (DSS), as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) with respect to the planned evacuation of Jakana and other communities to Maiduguri.
“Therefore, the government of Borno State is not in support of the move,” Zulum said.
Zulum, however, warned the communities against collaboration with the insurgents and urged them to support the military and security agencies to end insurgency.
The governor also reiterated his commitment to support the military in the ongoing clearance operation to rout remnants of insurgents in the state.
“Maiduguri-Damaturu Road has not been closed since 2011, and Jakana community not displaced.
“Therefore, displacing these communities means that commuters plying the road are not safe for it entails blocking the road.
“We are pleading with the Federal Government to ensure protection of the the communities on this highway. We appeal to them to ensure protection of life and property.
“People should freely move around while supporting their desire to punish all those culpable,” Zulum added.
Expert cautions Nigeria against adopting Eco as single currency
Mr Godwin Eohoi, a Financial Expert on Tuesday cautioned Nigeria against joining other Francophone countries to adopt Eco as their single currency.
Eohoi gave the warning while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
NAN recalls that eight West African countries had in December, 2019 agreed to change the name of their common currency to Eco, thereby effectively severing the CFA franc’s links to former colonial ruler France.
The countries include Benin republic, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
This development was announced by the President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara during the visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to his country.
All the African countries that decided to adopt Eco are former French colonies, except Guinea-Bissau.
The countries had set four primary criteria to be achieved by each member country: that a single-digit inflation rate should be maintained at the end of each year.
“A fiscal deficit of no more than four per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be maintained.
“A central bank deficit-financing of no more than 10 per cent of the previous year’s tax revenues should be maintained.’’
NAN reports that the conditions have yet to be met before the countries decided to adopt Eco as their single currency.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed said that the Federal Government was studying the change of West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) currency, Eco to be used as ECOWAS single currency.
Eohoi, also the Registrar, Institute of Finance and Control of Nigeria (IFCN), said the perceived involvement of France in the matter should be a concern to Nigeria.
He explained that all the countries that had adopted Eco as single currency were virtually colonised by Franc, hence the need for Nigeria to weigh the options before going into it.
“I am glad to know that Nigeria said it would study it before taking a decision, the country should not rush to grab this kind of thing without critical evaluation.
“The way the whole thing started and driven by ECOWAS was good but the way it is going now, Nigeria should not because of unity of African countries rush into it.
“Nigeria must weigh the options, I mean merits and demerits of this moves to the economy of the country,’’ he said.
The expert advised that the interest of the country as well as the benefits to its citizens should be paramount.
According to him, from the way things are going, it seems there are political undertones.
He said all these countries were targeting Nigeria’s market because of its huge population.
On not meeting the conditions of the single currency, Eohoi said that if all the countries involved did not meet the requirements, the implementation would be null and void.
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