ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE SWEARING-IN OF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION AND MINISTERS AT STATE HOUSE, ABUJA, WEDNESDAY 21ST AUGUST 2019 Protocols: Today marks another milestone in the history of my second term in Office, after Nigerians overwhelmingly voted the All Progressives Congress during the 2019 general elections. The outcome of the election was a clear testimony of the strong confidence of our people in this Administration, and we must not let them down. Over the past four years, we have made enormous progress in tackling difficult challenges faced by the country. We have exited the country from recession, restored economic growth, curbed inflation and shored up our external reserves. As a result, we have witnessed eight quarters of consistent growth over the past two-and-a-half years, providing more opportunities to more Nigerians. Nigeria Embassy seeks trial of Ekweremadu’s … [Read more...] about Ministerial oaths taking: Buhari’s full speech
Nigerian 2019 general election
Swing in investors’ confidence depresses capital importation
By Nkiruka Nnorom Capital importation into the country has remained depressed over the years following the swing in investors’ confidence in response to the nation’s macro-economic development. This is even as the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, fluctuates through significant growth rate and marginal growth and then a slide into recession, all within the two-decade of democratic dispensation. Available records showed that in 2007 when the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, started computing data on capital importation, the figure stood at $9.6 billion, it rose to $11.2 billion in 2008, but fell to $5.7 billion in 2009 following the global economic crisis. It started a slow recovery in 2012 and shot up to $21.3 billion in 2013 (the highest Nigeria has ever seen in capital importation to date). In 2014, it fell to $20.75 billion preparatory to the 2015 general election and then recorded huge declines to $9.6 billion and $5.12 billion in 2015 and 2016 respectively … [Read more...] about Swing in investors’ confidence depresses capital importation
Sowore: This is gangsterism, but we’ll fight back — Falana
Uproar as DSS re-arrests Sowore, Bakare in court, plots fresh charge By Ikechukwu Nnochiri In a dramatic fashion, operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, on Friday, forcefully re-arrested the convener of RevolutionNow protest and pro-democracy activist, Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare (aka Mandate). Operatives of the secret service swooped on the defendants immediately trial Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned their trial till February 11. They were arrested at the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, barely 12 hours after they were released from detention on the order of the court. Pandemonium ensued after plain-clothed security operatives accosted Sowore and Bakare as they were stepping out of the courtroom. Sensing the foreboding danger, Sowore, who regained his freedom Thursday evening after he had spent about 124 days in custody of the DSS, quickly ran back into the courtroom as Justice Ojukwu was about to commence proceeding on another … [Read more...] about Sowore: This is gangsterism, but we’ll fight back — Falana
DSS: They want to kill me in detention, Sowore cries out
Uproar as DSS re-arrests Sowore, Bakare in court, plots fresh charge ….this is gangsterism, but we’ll fight back, says Falana By Ikechukwu Nnochiri In a dramatic fashion, operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, on Friday, forcefully re-arrested the convener of RevolutionNow protest and pro-democracy activist, Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare (aka Mandate). Operatives of the secret service swooped on the defendants immediately trial Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned their trial till February 11. Also read: Court orders AGF, EFCC to respect status quo over Yari’s assets They were arrested at the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, barely 12 hours after they were released from detention on the order of the court. Pandemonium ensued after plain-clothed security operatives accosted Sowore and Bakare as they were stepping out of the courtroom. Sensing the foreboding danger, Sowore, who regained his freedom Thursday evening after … [Read more...] about DSS: They want to kill me in detention, Sowore cries out
Tinubu and 20 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria
By Tunde Rahman Twenty years in the life of a nation may be a short period of time. But when such a span of time embodies something meaningful and impactful, it is extremely noteworthy. And so Nigeria at present is celebrating two decades of uninterrupted democracy since the democratic restoration of 1999. Considering where the country is coming from- a long period of coups and counter coups, 30 months civil war, three previous short-lived attempts at democratic rule, military dictatorship of the worst form, occasioning all kinds of experiments and fraudulent political engineering including an annulment of a free and fair election and then a brutal dictatorship during which many were either killed or maimed- having another democratic resurgence lasting 20 years, and still counting, is indeed significant. Operating a democracy, the best form of government mankind has evolved, has never been easy anywhere, talk less in Nigeria. For our democracy to have endured all of 20 years means … [Read more...] about Tinubu and 20 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria