7 strong Nigerians President Buhari cannot 'touch'

President Muhammadu Buhari may be the most powerful person in Nigeria by virtue of his position, however, there are some people he holds in high esteem. For this reason, many have insisted that the president cannot touch these people regardless of whatever wrong the Nigerian public has associated their names with. These people, also, are part of the shakers and movers of the Nigerian political scene, although occasionally from the background, they are behind certain decisions made by President Buhari (which Nigerians get to see).

 Chief Olusegun Obasanjo: Touted as one of Nigeria’s strongest politicians ever, Obasanjo, a former Nigerian president, is one of the ‘untouchable’ Nigerians in this age. Despite the fact that many calls have been made by many Nigerians and different groups for the probe of the former military ruler, he has never for once been invited for questioning by the anti-graft agencies over any form of misappropriation. He has also been within the corridors of power since he became Nigeria’s democratically-elected president in 1999. Chief Obasanjo, a respected Ogun high chief, has also parleyed with every president who has emerged he left the post.



Major General Abdulsalami Abubakar His eleven-month rule over Nigeria (from June 1998-May 1999), especially because of the manner in which he relinquished power to a civilian, has earned him a legendary status in Nigeria. Whether or not he is guilty of any form of corrupt act, Abdulsalami has overseen many of the conflict resolution committees in the country, and was also reportedly among those who aided ex-president Goodluck Jonathan in making that invaluable call to President Muhammadu Buhari to concede defeat in last year’s presidential election. And despite the fact that his name has been consistently mentioned in the infamous Halliburton scandal, there has not been any reason for him to be invited over for questioning.



Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan Nigeria’s former president’s administration has been termed the most corrupt in the country’s history, this is no longer news, but Nigerians have been stunned that he is yet to be invited by the anti-graft. Such was the corruption under his administration that The Economist referred to him as an ineffectual buffoon for watching his ministers and cronies swindle monies under his watchful eyes. The reason for this is not far fetched, he is one of the most powerful Nigerians who remain untouchable for the present Nigerian president. Unconfirmed sources revealed that one of the reasons he made that call to President Buhari after losing the March 2015 presidential election, was because he had been promised a soft-landing as soon as he relinquishes power smoothly. After his loss, he has been invited to countless events, where he has been asked to mentor upcoming leaders, as well as other African leaders on peace and conflict resolution.
 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar One of those fingered in the Halliburton case, Nigeria’s former vice president is surely one of the most powerful Nigerians in this generation. He is not just one of the stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku ranks as one of those who make decisions in the northern part of the country. There were even reports that there was friction between him and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the 2019 presidency, as he was believed to have started parleying with some of his loyalists to take over from President Buhari. But, in spite of all the claims made against Atiku, President Buhari is said to hold him in high esteem and cannot seem to find any fault against him. Atiku is also one of the many philanthropic Nigerians, and this gesture has endeared him to many.

General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Another name mentioned in the infamous Halliburton Scandal, General Babangida is another Nigerian who remains ever powerful. Fondly referred to as ‘Maradona’, the former Military president has been acting behind the scene since he left office in 1993. He is mostly famous in the Nigerian political sphere for his annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential which late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola was believed to have won among other corruption allegations. Many groups and bodies have called for his probe as they believe his regime was the most corrupt of all former Nigerian military heads, but like others on this list, he remains one of those President Buhari is yet to invite for questioning. Perhaps, a day is coming when the Halliburton scandal would be reopened and he would be mentioned for questioning. But at the moment, he remains an untouchable political figure operating from the background.
 
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu The Jagaban of Borgu, as he is fondly called, is arguably the most powerful politician in the country at this moment. The former two-term governor of Lagos state and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), almost single-handedly oversaw the ouster of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections and has attained a legendary status in the country (especially among Yorubas) ever since. But, then, he has been plagued with series of controversial allegations. Many believe that he has many skeletons in his cupboard, but then he has never been convicted of committing any corrupt act. He remains one of the shakers of Nigeria’s economy and about the greatest decision maker in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite the fact that he is only a national leader of the party. Some Nigerians even believe that he is as strong as President Buhari or even stronger.
 
Rotimi Amaechi He is touted as the Lion of Niger Delta, Rotimi Amaechi is one of Nigeria’s most rugged politicians. Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers state, is Nigeria’s minister of transport, having gone through a stern screening session at the National Assembly. His screening was postponed severally because there were reports of corruption allegations against him from certain quarters in his native Rivers state, but when it eventually held, Amaechi noted publicly that he had never collected bribe in his life. President Buhari had been asked to probe the former Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, for corruption as many also believe he dug into the state’s coffers to ensure the APC won the last general elections, a major reason sources say the president cannot probe him. About two weeks ago, there was violence in the Niger Delta state and Amaechi was in the state and allegedly contributed to the malpractice in the election. Yet, the president still rates him as one of his most trusted allies, especially within the APC caucus. Maybe the former governor would be invited for questioning in the coming months, but as things stand now, President Buhari cannot still touch him.
 

Meet Olusegun Obasanjo’s 20 children

The elder statesman in his memoir, ‘My Watch’, revealed the number of children he has in the order they were born. According to him, of the highly-successful 20 children, 19 are biological, except Kunle, who is his nephew. Obasanjo adopted Kunle as his biological child “in every sense of the word to compensate for his mother being deprived of an education by our father”.
“All my children are frightfully independent and self-assertive. I have started observing the same traits in their children, my grandchildren. In their different areas of endeavour, my children have all made a mark. Eight of them have acquired PhD degrees in their individual areas of learning.
 “Almost all the others have one or two master’s degrees. Iyabo, who blazed the trail for all of them, needs to be commended for being a good example and loving big sister,” Obasanjo said in his memoir. As listed by the ex-president in his memoir, his children are Iyabo, Busola, Segun, Gbenga, Deboye, Bola, Kofo, Biyi, Seun, Bisoye, Olu, Dare, Funke, Damilola, Jonwo, Dayo, Funso, Toyosi, Bukola, and Kunle.

Ex-Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu joins APC

Orji Kalu was received at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja today, Wednesday, November 16 by its National Working Committee led by national chairman John Odigie-Oyegun.
The Punch quotes Kalu as saying that he agreed to join the ruling party after pressure from his friends and supporters who wanted him to contribute his quota to building the party in the South East and Nigeria.
Before his move to APC, Kalu had just resigned as a member of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) where he was one-time chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees and PPA’s candidate for president in the April 2007 general elections.
Forbes-listed billionaire Kalu’s defection to APC comes just about a week after reports emerged that former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the ruling party Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly withdrawn his funding for the party. Just recently, Kalu drew the anger of Igbos when he said they were responsible for the backwardness in the South East and not the Federal Government as often blamed. Orji Uzor Kalu said in an edition of The Interview that “Igbos are their own worst enemies.” He said a number of the elite in the region are not only selfish, but that they also get their politics wrong. Meanwhile, the Igbos have called on him to retract the statement.

Reps pass Buhari’s N180bn virement for second reading

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed President Muhammadu Buhari’s N180bn virement request for second reading.

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The document passed second reading without audible protest soon after the Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, presented it for debate.
However, Gbajabiamila was restless on the floor, hours before he tabled the document before lawmakers.

He was seen moving from row to row, lobbying members to pass the virement to allow Buhari move the money in the 2016 budget to the sub-heads it was needed.

The All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Lagos State, spent quite some time with members of the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party, in particular,  explaining the urgency to admit the document to the committee stage.
He was seen making repeated movements from his seat to the seat of the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, to discuss the virement.
Amid the drama and tension on the floor, the presiding Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun, quickly rammed his gavel in favour of the “ayes” vote to refer the virement to the Committee on Appropriation.
The other committees overseeing agencies where the virement would be utilised would serve as sub-committees to the Committee on Appropriation.
Gbajabiamila earlier told the House that the virement would be used to offset shortfalls in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies, especially money meant for the payment of salaries.
He noted, “The Nigerian Air Force needs to cover the foreign exchange differentials in the procurement of its critical equipment and augment the contingency vote, and also to provide for inadequacy in the provision for the National Youth Service Corps in the 2016, among others.”
The President had written the National Assembly on October 25, seeking approval to move the N180bn

‘Buhari is Running The Country On Old Ideas’ — Iyabo Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s daughter and former Ogun State Central district representative in the senate(2007-2011), Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has revealed that nothing has changed in Nigeria and the country is still being run on old ideas. Notable among the old ideas she was referring to was President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that the country should fall back on Oil to find a way out of her current predicament.
Giving an assessment of developments in the country, she said it is sad how a country with so many talented people could be in such mess and that the future actually is frightening.
“How are children and grandchildren going to do in the future when no one is planning for the future?
Do you see the “Change” Nigerians made at the federal level last year leading the country in the right direction?Twice recently I have come across interviews of the President Muhammadu Buhari  and it seems his focus is just on oil and gas. Focusing on oil and gas, a natural resource we have no control over is what got us to where we are and somehow he thinks it will get us out! The time of oil as a king commodity is past and never coming back.
In the history of humanity, the commodity that becomes king changes from time to time. From the time of the OPEC formation in the early seventies till now, oil had been king.
It will no longer be because if we continue using it at the rate, we have in the last 100 years we will not have a planet. Countries that didn’t use their income from oil to generate other sources of income will be in dire straits, hence Nigeria’s economic woes. Taking oil for granted as if it would be at high prices forever is idiotic.
Now if change means more focus on oil and gas as the President is saying then obviously change has not come.”