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‘Squandered Weatlh’: PDP Still Has Questions to Answer – Buhari

Published

7 years ago

March 7, 2019

Eric

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) owes Nigerians explanations on how it expended the resources that accrued to the country from oil sales between 1999 and 2014.

Mr Buhari also described the 16 years of rule of the PDP as an era of “unprecedented, irresponsible expenditure”.

He said this during an audience with the leadership of organised labour comprising Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) led by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, who were on a congratulatory visit.

According to the president, the PDP has not been able to successfully explain to Nigerians what they did with the funds during the period they led the nation “as no tangible infrastructure was built”.

Mr Buhari, recalling the negotiations that led to the approval of the N30,000 minimum wage, said he had to ask the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, to remind the workers what his administration met on ground and what it has been able to achieve with minimal resources.

“During your negotiation with the minister of labour and when he briefed us in council on N30,000 minimum wage, I gave an analogy of a mad woman, who went to fetch firewood but then she realised it was too heavy for her to carry, instead of reducing it, she added more,” he said.

According to the president, “we are struggling to survive as a nation. You (workers) knew what this country was earning between 2009 and 2015, you knew the state of infrastructure when we came in. God gave them (PDP) 16 years of unprecedented earnings. Multiply 2.1 million (barrels) by $100 by 16 years. I don’t think the PDP has been able to successfully explain to Nigerians what they did with that money.”

‘Where is the power?’

Mr Buhari said the opposition party spent $16 billion on power and Nigerians are asking: “where is the power?”

”I appealed to you through our mutual friend, the minister of labour, to tell you where we found the country, where we are, and what we have been able to do with the resources available to us,” he said .

“Oil production from 2.1 million barrels per day went down to half a million. The militants were unleashed on this administration, and yet as confirmed by your leader, we had to ensure pensioners who were dying collected their entitlements. So really, there was terrible management of this country in last 16 years and we are just trying to make up.”

Mr Buhari said he was looking forward to labour’s continued support.

“As we go to the polls this weekend, my prayer is that we also conduct elections in a non-violent manner,” he said.

Mr Buhari said the government will remain focused on its promises which remains security, economy and fighting corruption.

”I want to assure you that the next four years will be peaceful, prosperous and corruption free. I therefore look forward to receiving your proposals so that together we can achieve these goals,” he said.

Labour responds

Mr Wabba, in his remarks earlier assured Mr Buhari that the workers are partners in progress.

”Government and labour are primarily partners in progress. The success of government is linked to its workers. And the success of workers is linked to government,” he said.

The NLC president said one of the finest hours of labour with any president of the country was when Mr Buhari’s pressed states to pay salaries and pension.

“We all remember the special bailout, Paris club refund and budget support package you introduced to support state governments during the recession. Your directive during this intervention was state governments must offset accumulated arrears of salaries and pension liabilities. I remember your publicly and openly asked state governors, “how do you manage to sleep at night when the salaries of workers in your state are not paid?

“For us, that was one of the finest moments we have had with any President in this country…I can stand here today and say your intervention was the difference between life and death for many workers.”

Mr Wabba also commended the president for paying off the pension and accumulated entitlements of disengaged staff of Nigeria Airways and many other pensioners whose pension had been left to accumulating by successive governments.

The NLC president urged Mr Buhari to focus on job creation for unemployed youth, provision of affordable power across the country, reactivation and upgrading of the nation’s refineries and pipelines infrastructure, and continued diversification of the economy.

”Mr President should also focus on increased funding for agriculture research, upgrading of hospitals and academic institutions, revitalisation of the public service and revisit the tenure policy which has made the civil service top heavy resulting in indiscipline and stagnation,” he said.

The labour leader also appealed to the National Assembly to pass the National Minimum Wage Act, while also asking the President to thereafter sign it into law within the shortest possible time.

Other demands

Mr Wabba urged Buhari to inaugurate the Boards of National pension commission (PENCOM), National Insurance Fund Trust, the Micheal Imoudu, National Institute for Labour Studies and National Labour Advisory Council.

”These institutes are key pillars in Labour-government relations. The activation of the boards will surely ensure our successes to date are taken to the Next Level. Please be rest assured we are ready to do our bit,” he said.

The N30,000 minimum wage bill has passed the first and second readings at the Senate after President Buhari transmitted the draft legislation to the lawmakers.

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Featured

Sunny Irakpo Launches SILEC International Magazine in America

Published

1 hour ago

December 8, 2025

Eric

Drug Use Prevention Advocate, Founder and President of SILEC Initiatives, and U.S. Department of State Exchange Alumnus, Ambassador Sunny Irakpo, has unveiled SILEC International Magazine (SIM), a groundbreaking media platform exclusively dedicated to reporting drug-related issues across Africa, the United States, and the global community.

The announcement was made during a strategic meeting with partners in New Jersey, where Ambassador Irakpo is currently participating in a series of community-based and public-safety initiatives to deepen his expertise in combating substance use disorders and illicit drug trafficking both in the United States and worldwide.

A First-of-Its-Kind Platform for Drug-Focused Journalism

Ambassador Irakpo emphasized that SIM is designed to shape public consciousness by promoting value-driven storytelling and providing credible information on the rising tide of drug abuse and illicit trafficking—a crisis he describes as “a looming danger destroying the vibrant youth populations of many nations.”

He noted that the magazine will spotlight the work of NGOs, CEOs, advocates, and policymakers, churches, and companies with strong social responsibility particularly from African perspectives, while amplifying influential voices and advancing global understanding of effective anti-drug efforts.

Drawing inspiration from media leaders such as Dele Momodu, Chairman of Ovation Media Group, and Dr. John Momoh, Chairman of Channels Television, Irakpo described SIM as “a beacon of hope and a tool for societal transformation.”

Recognizing U.S. Efforts Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking

Ambassador Irakpo commended the United States for its continued commitment to combating drug trafficking and addiction—efforts strengthened under previous and current administrations. He particularly noted that the U.S. government under President Donald Trump demonstrated “exceptional courage, political will, and capacity in confronting the opioid crisis and the destructive forces fueling illicit drug trade,” encouraging world leaders to emulate such resolve.

He reiterated that addressing substance abuse requires a combination of drug-demand reduction, citizen sensitization, international collaboration, and sustained public education.

A Platform With Social Impact and Youth Empowerment at Its Core

Irakpo highlighted SIM as a top-tier media platform that will not only drive awareness but also create employment opportunities for young people and support underprivileged students—particularly in Nigeria, where more than 20 million children remain out of school due to financial hardship.

He added that SIM will serve as a sustainability engine for the ongoing anti-drug overdose campaigns of SILEC Initiatives, a leading nonprofit that has educated and sensitized communities for nearly two decades.

Experienced Editorial Leadership

As SIM prepares for its U.S. take-off, Irakpo announced the appointment of veteran journalist Julius Eto as Chairman of the Editorial Board. Eto brings more than four decades of experience across Nigeria’s premier news organizations, including The Guardian, ThisDay, The Punch, Daily Times, and The Trumpet.

He will be joined by distinguished academics including Prof. Oscar Odion Odiboh and other seasoned professionals committed to advancing the magazine’s mission.

A Call for Media Reawakening and Global Collaboration

Ambassador Irakpo called for a media renaissance in Nigeria to strengthen societal values and elevate African leadership in global discourse. SIM, he said, intends to claim its rightful place as “an African voice on the world stage.”

With the official launch of SILEC International Magazine (SIM) scheduled for the first quarter of 2026 in the United States, Ambassador Irakpo extended an invitation to corporate organizations, development partners, and well-meaning individuals worldwide to support this far-reaching vision.

“With hope, determination, and the resilience symbolized by the eagle, SIM is prepared to soar across the globe. Members of the public are respectfully enjoined to visit our friendly, rich anti-drug abuse website, www.silecinitiatives.org.ng,” he added.

Featured

How Tinubu Helped to Crush Military Coup in Benin Republic – Presidency

Published

5 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Eric

The Presidency, on Sunday night, said acting on the two requests by the authorities of Benin Republic, President Bola Tinubu ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.

The Presidency, in a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said President Tinubu commended the swift response of the gallantry of Nigeria’s military.

The statement read: “President Bola Tinubu has commended the gallantry of Nigeria’s military on Sunday for responding swiftly to the request by the Government of Benin Republic to save its 35-year-old democracy from coup plotters who struck at dawn today.

“Acting on two separate requests from the Government of Benin, President Tinubu first ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.

“The Republic of Benin, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Note Verbal, requested immediate Nigerian air support “in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and to safeguard the constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”

“In the second request, the authorities in Benin requested the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets within Beninoise airspace for surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination.

“The Benin government also requested Nigerian ground forces, “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority in support of the protection of constitutional institutions and the containment of armed Groups.”

“Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, said all the requests have been fulfilled, with Nigerian ground forces now in Benin.

“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.

He further stated: “Constitutional order was upended in the Republic of Benin, Nigeria’s neighbour, when some soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri announced a coup on Sunday morning. The putschists seized the National TV and claimed they had toppled President Patrice Talon and suspended all democratic institutions.

“It took some hours before the government’s loyal forces, assisted by Nigeria, took control and flushed out the coup plotters from the National TV.

“In his remarks after the restoration of the democratic and constitutional order, President Tinubu saluted the Nigerian armed forces for standing firm as a protector and defender of democracy.

“Today, the Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as a defender and protector of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin on the invitation of the government. Our armed forces acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

“They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country and have made us proud of their commitment to sustaining our democratic values and ideals since 1999. Nigeria stands firmly with the government and people of the Republic of Benin.”

Featured

Ozekhome, Wife Josephine, Celebrate 34 Years of Marital Bliss

Published

17 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Popular Constitution lawyer and renowned human rights activist, Prof Mike Ozekhome, and wife, Lady Josephine Ozekhome, has celebrated 34 years of living together as husband and wife.

The couple took time out to shower love, encomium and affection on each other, celebrating the goodness of Godd upon their lives and home in the last 34 years.

Speaking exclusively to The Boss, Ozekhome noted that on a day like this “I remember how we started; how we weathered the storm together, and conquered together. She is the best companion anyone can have, and I’m very proud of her, and to be her husband.”

Ozekhome once stated that his wife is “a great woman of uncommon virtues and humanity; my jewel of inestimable value, soulmate, sister, best friend and mother.”

While the wife is identified as Lady (Dr) (Senior High Chief) Josephine Mike Ozekhome LL.M, LSM, LL.D. D.Sc., the renowned constitution lawyer, a dotting and loving husband, and firebrand pro-masses Advocate, os identified as Prof Mike Ozekhome SAN, CON, OFR, Ph.D, LL.D, D.Litt,D.Sc., among a host of other watering achievements.