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Buhari to Nigerians: You won’t miss me too much, Tinubu will maintain my momentum
Pesident Muhammadu Buhari on Monday urged Nigerians to be hopeful of more developmental strides as the incoming adminstration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would continue to build on the momentum he left in the last eight years he ran a government on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The President, told participants at the Presidential Fleet Review, 2023, at the Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos, that he was pleased with the Nigerian military’s combat readiness.
Assuring that he had the confidence that the Tinubu, who was due to take over from him on Monday next week, three months after being declared winner of the February 25 presidential election would continue to provide crucial support to the Nigerian Navy, maintaining the positive trajectory achieved during his own tenure, he expressed immense satisfaction with the array of naval assets on display and combat readiness of the Nigerian military.
The last of such exercise in his tenure, the Presidential, said he ecognied the nation’s pride in the navy’s numerous achievements during his eight-year administration.
His words: “I have no doubt that the incoming administration of President-elect, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu will sustain the current tempo of my administration in giving the Navy necessary support to effectively carry out its assigned tasks. My best wishes to our Navy for protecting our maritime domain and the economic prosperity of Nigeria. As I leave office on 29th May, I wish you all fair winds. ONWARD TOGETHER and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’
Stressing that under Tinubu’s leadership, the Navy would continue to acquire new assets, expand shipbuilding for export purposes, promote indigenous production, intensify the fight against piracy, and address issues pertaining to crude oil theft in Nigeria’s maritime domain, he noted the significant reduction in piracy over the past seven years, leading to Nigeria’s removal from the list of piracy-prone countries by the International Maritime Bureau in March 2022.
Buhari, while applauding the application of technology in securing the maritime domain, which facilitated intelligence-driven deployment of naval ships and enhanced their effectiveness, specifically commended the diligent prosecution of MT HEROIC IDUN, which was detected and apprehended for attempting to load crude oil without authorization offshore Bonny in August 2022.
He noted that this successful interdiction further reaffirmed the navy’s commitment to protecting the country’s resources, acknowledging the significance of the diverse ships and helicopters on display, which he noted symbolised the nation’s maritime power and its preparedness to carry out the Navy’s constitutional roles.
Praising the impressive combat displays staged by elements of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, alongside a combination of assets from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force, he said: ‘‘I expect this to translate into actual capability to dominate Nigeria’s maritime environment and secure the vast resources therein for the socio-economic development of our great country.’’
The President, while highlighting the strong link between maritime security and economic prosperity, said given that the maritime environment served both as a storehouse of resources as well as medium for maritime transport in the country, the importance of the safe and secure utilisation of these resources to drive national prosperity and support Nigeria’s aspirations for a thriving Blue Economy, must not be lost.
On the administration’s efforts in recapitalising the Navy Fleet in the last seven years, the President listed the acquisition of 20 capital ships for the Navy, comprising encompassing Offshore Patrol Vessels, Landing Ship Transports, Hydrographic Survey Vessels, Seaward Defence Boats, helicopters, as well as over 300 Inshore Patrol Vessels and Assault Craft.
The President, who also inaugurated several notable additions to the Navy’s fleet, including a new helicopter, NN410, manufactured in Italy, as well as the landing ship transport NNS KADA, constructed in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, thanked the People’s Republic of China for the generous donation of NNS IBENO, highlighting the importance of mutual military cooperation with partner nations, which has also encouraged local shipbuilding efforts by the Nigerian Navy.
He declared that the Nigeria Navy’s endeavors in indigenous shipbuilding, in line with the nation’s local content development plan, have yielded positive outcomes, stating: “Our naval engineers were wholly responsible for building 3 Seaward Defence Boats namely, NNS ANDONI, NNS KARADUWA and NNS OJI. In December 2021, I performed keel laying foundation for the construction of 2 Seaward Defence Boats, which will be ready by 2024.
‘‘At this rate, I have no doubt that our Navy will soon commence construction of larger ships for itself and other navies in the region and beyond. This achievement is a great pride to Nigeria and an impressive contribution to national development.”
Dwelling on the theme for the 2023 Fleet Review, Fleet Readiness for National Prosperity, the President explained that it emphasised the Navy’s ability to respond to threats in maritime spaces and the Gulf of Guinea, highlighting its pivotal role in promoting national prosperity.
He commended the Navy for effectively deploying these vessels, resulting in successes in combating crude oil theft, conducting counter-drug operations, and addressing piracy, while also expressing gratitude to the Government and people of Lagos State, as well as other maritime stakeholders, for their crucial support in facilitating the Fleet Review.
He added that more than half of Nigeria’s maritime trade passed through Lagos ports, which served as a lifeline for the nation’s industry and economy, which made fostering cordial working relations becomes even more imperative, while congratulating the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, and the entire naval personnel for their exceptional organisation of this historic event.
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi says he is aware of some evil designs against himself and his supporters in the coming months.
The former Anambra State governor disclosed this in a statement released on his verified Twitter handle on Monday, May 29, 2023.
The release of the statement coincided with the inauguration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s President at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 28, 2023
See full statement:
For all Nigerians, this is a time for deep reflection. It is also a time to re-examine our assumptions, even as we reaffirm our hopes. Let us calmly review our aspirations, in order to recalibrate our expectations and pin down the causes of our missed opportunities and disappointments.
We stand at that critical moment in time when, as a people, we must collectively come to grips with the reality of our injured destiny as well as the reasons for that injury. It is for us to reassess our plight as a young democracy and identify clear pathways to a better and greater future for us all. As we await the verdict of the election tribunal, I urge all Nigerians to use this opportunity to renew their commitment to the Nigerian ideal. That ideal remains noble and worth every sacrifice we can make.
Nigeria remains our only patrimony and it is a patrimony we must protect, rather than violate. We have no other nation but this, so let us remain committed to rescuing and rebuilding it.
The judiciary is part of the democratic enterprise and a critical governance tool for determining the propriety of the decisions and actions of every citizen and every institution of state. To that extent, and for that reason, I urge everyone to treat it with the respect and dignity it deserves.
We expect that the Nigerian judiciary will use the election cases now before it to reaffirm its independence and integrity. It has to do so, for all our sakes and for itself.
Nigerians must, therefore, remain peaceful and law abiding. No matter the depth of anyone’s reservations about what is going on in the polity today, no matter the real and imagined provocations, and no matter the disagreement out there, we should remember that this will not last forever.
I remain committed, and untiring, in my determination to work with like-minded fellow Nigerians to end the curse of missed opportunities and squandered hope that has become our lot here.
I will never shrink from that original commitment, because I firmly believe that we must change from the present politics of criminality, and corruption, in order to make a new Nigeria possible.
I call on fellow Nigerians, especially the youths to remain steadfast, calm, patient, and peaceful. Our journey may be long and difficult but it is worth it in every way. Victory is assured.
We have to work together to move our beautiful country from corruption and criminality to a center of productivity rather than aimless consumption.
I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.
These schemes will aim at degrading our support base and confusing the public. But, no evil campaign will alter the substance of my character; nor diminish my patriotic commitment to a better Nigeria. It is about the future of our youths. it is about ending the Years of Locust.
In all of this, I thank Nigerians, our great party (LP) and the media. The latter, as the Fourth Estate of the realm, has remained a trusted ally.
This Estate must continue to guide our people on the immense promise of a future in a new Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria and protect the troops keeping us safe in this season of vaulting insecurity.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. –PO
Channels
James Faleke, lawmaker and Secretary of the now defunct All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), has revealed that President Bola Tinubu would unveil members of his cabinet within 60 days.
Channels Television, which quoted him as saying on Monday, at the inauguration of of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as president and vice-president of Nigeria was underway at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said the President, would , unveil his cabinet as soon as possible.
Faleke, who promised that the new President would bring a different approach to power, was quoted as saying: “Of course, within 60 days, that’s what the law says. He can announce anytime but I just know he must do it within 60 days.”
Eradication of terrorism, waging war against corruption and battling the crippling poverty in Nigeria, would form the fulcrum of a new Nigeria President Bola Tinubu, says he would strive to put in place as his new government began hours ago after assuming the reins of power as the 16th President, after Muhammadu Buhari handed over to him at an elaborate ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on Monday.
Vowing to defend Nigeria from all forms of terror, as well as end extreme poverty in the country, Tinubu, told Nigerians: “I will do that through job creation and food security and end to extreme poverty. I will ensure that corruption is tacked by strenghtening anti-corruption agencies.”
He also promised that his administration would discourage corruption through the introduction of a credit culture, stating: “Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.”
It was also on a day the President, who had during his presidential campaigns, promised Nigerians that he would remove subsidy on petroleum products, made good his words by announcing suspension on them, adding that the era of payments on fuel was gone, as the 2023 Budget made no provision for fuel subsidy “and more so, subsidy payment is no longer justifiable.”
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