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Buhari Didn’t Order Siege to Saraki, Ekweremadu’s Homes – Presidency

Published

8 years ago

July 25, 2018

Eric

The Nigerian presidency came out swinging Tuesday against relentless allegations of presidential interference in the affairs of security agencies across the country, admonishing critics and opposition figures to desist from politicising law enforcement.

“It is odd, strange and bizarre that while ordinary citizens can be called up to answer questions or be interrogated, the VIP cannot be questioned without the annoying insinuations of partisanship, persecution or outright politicisation,” presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said in a statement Tuesday night.

The statement came hours after Senate President Bukola Saraki accused security agencies of plotting to prevent a mass defection of federal lawmakers from the ruling All Progressives Congress at Tuesday’s plenary.

The defection later played out almost as planned, but the conduct of security agencies in the hours preceding the exercise elicited suspicion from Nigerians who accused President Muhammadu Buhari’s as the instigator.

Mr Shehu’s message was apparently aimed at checking a widening narrative that cast Mr Buhari as a vindictive puppeteer of security agencies’ operations, especially as concerns political heavyweights whose loyalties are at variance with or lie outside the president’s interests.

Insinuations that Mr Buhari had converted law enforcement agencies to his personal attack dogs has simmered for the better part of his leadership, starting with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s crackdown on those perceived as corrupt.

The agency’s anti-corruption efforts, a crucial part of the administration’s larger campaign against graft, have seen scores of alleged corrupt politicians and their enablers taken into custody. The EFCC said it recovered billions from senior officials in the immediate-past administration, including ministers, security chiefs and shady contractors.

But at the peak of the campaign, independent anti-corruption experts said it became increasingly clear that opposition politicians were being specifically targeted. While corruption dossiers submitted against Mr Buhari’s appointees would be essentially ignored by anti-graft detectives, opposition politicians, especially those in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were being locked up, sometimes for months amidst unsigned or suspiciously-procured remand warrants.

Earlier this year, Transparency International found that Mr Buhari’s anti-corruption tactics actually worsened rather than improving the country’s long-standing corruption perception. The administration’s response to the verdict was mixed, with officials like Mr Shehu dismissing it as politically-motivated while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo took it as a bracer to fine tune their approach.

Mr Buhari’s loyalists with specific and difficult-to-controvert allegations of corruption but whom security agencies have been reluctant to go after included Babachir Lawal, the former cabinet secretary who was caught apparently dipping his hands into funds earmarked for the victims of Boko Haram, and Kemi Adeosun, the finance minister who was recently exposed as forging a national youth service certificate.

Despite the signals pointing to possible presidential interference in the conduct of security agencies, Mr Shehu absolved his principal, saying Nigerians are judging him by the objectionable manner with which past presidents approach law enforcement.

Mr Shehu dismissed allegations of Mr Buhari’s involvement in the onslaught against political foes as an “orchestrated campaign,” insisting strongly that the president does not dictate the direction of activities for agencies.

“This country cannot achieve development in peace when important cases are viewed through a political prism and the law is considered as being applicable to some, and not applicable to others,” Mr Shehu said. “The law of the land is intended for all, not for the poor or those at the lowest rungs of the social ladder.”

Echoes of tyranny blared through the country’s political spectrum on Tuesday morning, following revelations that the homes of Senate presiding officers had been blockaded. Top opposition politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Balarabe Musa, were amongst those who condemned the action of the police and cautioned Mr Buhari against truncating the country’s democracy.

Mr Shehu said the Nigerian Constitution was at play yesterday and not the president, whom he said will not tolerate recklessness from security agencies but will not prevent them from cracking down on individuals —their social status notwithstanding— who have criminal questions to answer.

“President Buhari does not stand in the way of law enforcement either. Under our constitution, he has no powers to stop the investigation of anyone or institution. When they are set to investigate anything and anyone, the best friend of the law is the one who lets them do their work.

“The President’s constant refrain is that he will not tolerate any form of illegality including corruption and the law enforcement agencies have been given complete freedom to identify and bring all culprits to justice. His instructions to them are very clear: Anyone with a case to answer or found guilty should not be spared,” Mr Shehu said.

Mr Saraki has faced allegations he conspired with the suspects of a deadly armed robbery attack in Offa, Kwara State, in April. The police invited Mr Saraki for further questioning over the matter on Monday night, giving him until 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday to turn himself in. But the Senate President failed to comply with the directive, and instead emerged at the Senate where he presided over the plenary.

Mr Saraki said he played down the police’s invitation after he learnt that other security agencies were holding Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu at his residence. Yesterday’s plenary would not have held if the two presiding officers were unavailable.

In June, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr Buhari permitted Inspector-General Ibrahim Idris to take Mr Saraki into custody if the police had enough grounds to do so, especially in relations to the Offa robbery carnage. This revelation had been used to support partisan arguments of Mr Buhari’s critics and supporters alike.

While the critics said Mr Idris’ visit to the president over such a matter showed that he had been taking directives from him on similar matters in the past, supporters focused on the president’s response instead, saying it was a remarkable act done to strengthen the independence of public institutions.

PREMIUM TIMES also uncovered yesterday that the siege laid to the residences of Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu came at the instance of Buhari administration officials.

PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it is difficult if not outright ridiculous to claim that Mr Buhari was given security agencies a hands-off approach, especially after he defended the Zaria massacre of Shiites and the failed assets declaration trial of Mr Saraki.

“Also, take the most-recent instance of the president’s approach to Kemi Adeosun’s certificate scandal, you will see clearly that the president gives direct orders to security agencies or his body language sanctions lawlessness on the parts of security agencies,” Mr Ologbondiyan told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Wednesday morning.

“This government thrives on pretense, pretending not to know that the finance minister is involved in certificate scandal,” he added. “It is a waste of time exchanging words with characters like Garba Shehu.”

Culled from Premium Times

Featured

Why Tinubu Was Absent at Commissioning of Sanwo-Olu’s Projects in Lagos – Presidency

Published

8 minutes ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

The Presidency has come up with reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s absent at the commissioning of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s projects in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Tinubu was noticeably absent at the scheduled project commissioning in Lagos, sparking public curiosity.

However, Sunday Dare, his Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation, has clarified the reason behind the last-minute development.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Dare revealed that the President had to prioritise urgent national security matters over the event.
According to him, although Tinubu is currently in Lagos, he has been deeply engaged in high-level State duties, particularly ongoing security briefings tied to recent developments across the country.

“The president has been busy taking constant briefs and has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security,” Dare stated.

He referenced rising security concerns, including recent unrest linked to incidents in Jos, noting that the President has been closely monitoring the situation and working directly with intelligence agencies.

Dare emphasised that Tinubu remains fully engaged behind the scenes, actively coordinating with security operatives and receiving continuous updates to address emerging threats.

The absence, he stressed, should not be seen as neglect of official duties but rather a reflection of the President’s focus on safeguarding national stability at a critical time.

Tinubu skipped the Lagos commissioning not out of disregard, but to handle pressing security issues demanding immediate presidential attention.

Featured

Benin Republic 2026: Romuald Wadagni, The President in Waiting

Published

6 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

As the presidential election draws very close, one man stands taller than most of the candidates that would be on the ballot paper, or may have been on the ballot paper as far as the presidential election in Benin Republic is concerned. He is the hard working and most Indefatigable achiever, Monsieur Romuald Wadagni.

He us young, able and full of experience, having practiced positive and sincere politics for a very long in his young existence.

Wadagni comes across as the typical chip off the old block, when it comes to genuine leadership qualities and agenda. He has been tested, trusted and ready to take up the mantle of leadership towards providing genuineness and purposeful living condition for the people of Benin Republic.

In 10 consecutive years, since he was 39, Wadagni, has supervised the Finance and Economy ministry without blemish, and has received accolades from far and wide.

It is therefore not a fluke as the 49 years old, Romuald Wadagni was nominated as the ruling majority’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election in Benin.

Consequently, listed below are three things to know about him: 1:he has been the Minister of Finance for nearly 10 years. Romuald Wadagni was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in April 2016. He was reappointed to the position in 2021 with the rank of Minister of State. He is considered one of the main architects of Benin’s economic recovery.

At the end of January 2025, he welcomed “average growth of more than 6.5% in recent years.” In 2018, Financial Afrik magazine ranked him among the 100 African personalities transforming the continent. In December 2024, the same media outlet named him “Best Finance Minister in Africa,” praising Benin’s macroeconomic stability in the face of international crises. 2: He is an expert in finance and accounting. Romuald Wadagni is a chartered accountant. After studying finance, private equity, and venture capital, he began his professional career in 1998 at Deloitte, one of the largest audit and consulting firms in the world.

At Deloitte, Romuald Wadagni rose through the ranks and successively held several positions of responsibility in France, the United States, and then in Francophone Africa. In 2012, at the age of 36, he became a partner at Deloitte. He later led the firm’s expansion across the African continent. After 17 years, he left the firm in April 2016 when he was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin.

He is the heir apparent of Patrice Talon. After two consecutive terms, President Patrice Talon, who can no longer run again, had promised to play an active role in choosing his successor. On August 31, 2025, he officially endorsed his Minister of Finance, Romuald Wadagni, as the candidate of the presidential majority.
This designation was confirmed in a joint statement by the Union Progressiste le Renouveau (UPR) and the Bloc Républicain (BR), the two main parties of the majority. On October 4, 2025, in Parakou, Romuald Wadagni and Mariam Chabi Talata, the current Vice President, were officially nominated during a major rally of the presidential majority. In his speech, the candidate minister promised to “consolidate the achievements” of his predecessor.

Prior to entering politics, Wadagni worked for the consulting firm Deloitte for 17 years. He was first appointed the minister of economy and finance on 7 April 2016, in the first Talon government, and subsequently reappointed in 2021 with the rank of senior minister.

Wadagni was born in Benin in 1976 in Lokossa, the eldest of five children. His father, Nestor Wadagni, a statistician and economist with a degree from ENSAE, had a career in the Beninese civil service before writing a thesis in fundamental mathematics after his retirement.From an early age, he took an interest in manual work and trained himself in bricklaying and mechanics.

After obtaining a scientific baccalaureate in Benin, he continued his studies in France. From 1995 to 1999, he studied at the École supérieure des affaires de Grenoble (ESA) where he obtained a master’s degree in finance, graduating top of his class. During his studies in Grenoble, he met a partner from Deloitte who identified his potential and recruited him into the consulting firm in 1998.Among honours attached to his ebullient services and achievements, are as follows:

In 2021, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named Romuald Wadagni “Best African Minister of Economy and Finance”.

In 2024, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named him “Finance Minister of the Year” for the 4th time in its ranking of “The 100 who are transforming Africa”.

ROMUALD WADAGNI AT A GLANCE

Romuald Wadagni is Senior Minister in charge of Economy and Finance of Benin. He was appointed on April 7, 2016, in the first government of President Patrice Talon and reappointed to this position in May 2021.

Romuald Wadagni is a public accountant certified in France and the USA. He also holds a master’s degree in finance and has completed specialized training in private equity and venture capital.

Before being appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in 2016, Romuald Wadagni had a leading international experience within Deloitte. In France from 1998, then in the United States from 2003, he developed cutting-edge expertise in several fields, serving customers in various sectors of activity (Mining, TMT, Financial Sector, Public Sector, Retail) and various governments and donors.

Wadagni is a handful in service delivery, transformation and economic re-engineering. He is the best suited for the presidency of Benin Republic as election holds on Sunday, April 12, 2026

Featured

ADC Raises Alarm over INEC’s Plot to Prevent Party from Fielding Candidates

Published

3 days ago

April 6, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has revealed the deliberate administrative landmines being deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the Party from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party stated that at the heart of this emerging crisis is INEC’s stated position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. On its face, this may appear procedural. In reality, it creates a direct and dangerous conflict with the clear timelines imposed by the Electoral Act (2026), which provides defined windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements, within which political parties must complete critical electoral processes.

The full statement reads:

We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections. It is based on documentary evidence which we are now placing before the Nigerian public, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the Commission’s own sworn affidavit. Taken together, these documents establish a clear and consistent record of events.

INEC received formal notice of the July 29, 2025 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ADC. It deployed officials to monitor that meeting. It documented the proceedings and received formal reports from its field officers. Following this, INEC updated its internal records and uploaded the names of the new leadership, including Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records.

In addition, the Commission’s sworn affidavit before the Federal High Court, in its response to Nafiu Bala Gombe on 12 September 2025, particularly in Clauses 14 to 19, affirms key legal principles: that the leadership transition had already been completed and recognized, that such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference, that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction, and also recognizes the David Mark-led NWC.

Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous.

The Electoral Act imposes strict timelines on political parties, including the 21-day notice requirement and submission deadlines. INEC itself has fixed May 10 as the deadline for the submission of relevant documents. However, by refusing to receive communication from the ADC within this same period, the Commission is effectively preventing the Party from complying with the law.

In simple terms, INEC is effectively threatening that unless the courts deliver judgment on the ADC leadership issue by May 10, it will prevent the ADC from producing candidates.

This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can then be used to justify excluding the Party from fielding candidates. That is the landmine.

INEC has claimed that its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering the proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court and issuing a pronouncement with clear legal and operational consequences, the Commission has itself undermined the very process it claims to protect.

What is even more concerning is that this position contradicts INEC’s own prior conduct and legal stance. The same Commission that monitored, documented, recognized, and swore to an affidavit confirming the ADC leadership is now acting in a way that contradicts its earlier position.
We therefore call on the Commission to immediately reverse this position, resume the acceptance of all lawful correspondence from the ADC, and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

We also call on Nigerians to be wary and remain vigilant about these dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship on the country.