Business

‘I’m still using my personal cars’ – Aisha Buhari speaks on Alleged Car gift by IGP

Published

7 years ago

October 27, 2017

Love letter to Aisha Buhari Tunde Odesola (Published in The PUNCH on Monday, March 22, 2021) Dear Hajiya, With gratitude to God for a vacation well spent, I, Babatunde Odesola, Esq., heartily rejoice on the safe return of the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, to Nigeria after spending 4,380 hours in the cozy United Arab Emirates city called Dubai, away from the kisses and cuddles of her aged husband, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the scrutiny of his ineffective security forces. Hajiya, I love you. Many people don’t know what we share. They don’t know we were both born on February 17. I’ve sorely missed your dazzling beauty in the last six months that you left the warmth of your husband’s bedroom to enjoy the breathtaking wonder of the 9.7-million-population UAE, a country 11 years younger and 12 times smaller than the giANT of Africa, breathless in the fist of your old sweetheart, Pa Buhari. Going by the stunning beauties of their wives and rumoured concubines, Nigerian Heads of State between 1960 and 1999 appeared more adept at capturing the hearts of beauty queens than providing solutions to the problems of the country. From General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi to General Yakubu Gowon as well as General Murtala Mohammed to General Olusegun Obasanjo and the bloody General Ibrahim Babangida along with the roguish General Sani Abacha, Nigerians can’t forget the vivacious appeal of Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, the wowing beauty of Victoria Gowon, the angelic grace of Ajoke Mohammed, the eyeful chicness of Stella Obasanjo, the shapely charm of Mariam Babangida, the exotic elegance of Maryam Abacha, and the brainy goddess, Lami, whom General Abdulsalami Abubakar hypnotized for a wife. Hajiya Aisha, your beauty is smashing! I really don’t know how these generals swing it, but I’ve truly never seen a general with an ugly wife. The alluring belle from the popular Majekodunmi family in Ogun, Omolola, belongs to the Okuku general, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, just as Ronke Ayuba, the adorable TV star, was general Tanko Ayuba’s. These generals! They just know how to cock their love guns at ladies’ hearts, aim and pull the triggers. Tell me, irresistible Aisha, how did the old Katsina general ‘toast’ and capture the love of an extraordinary beauty like you at just 18, despite the 28 years age difference between both of you? Is he the lion and you, the jewel? Hajiya Aisha, I welcome you back to the hell you left since last September, after the life-threatening shooting that occurred in your Aso Rock abode, upon your insistence that an untouchable aide of your husband comply with COVID-19 protocols. Permit me to ask, madam, have your security guards, whose arrest you protested online after their shooting combat with presidential bodyguards, been released? Your husband’s mouthpiece, Shehu Garba, promised that the shooting would be investigated. Like every one of the electoral promises made by your husband, however, the outcome of the Garba-promised investigation will never see the light of the day, I’m sure. Lady Buhari, I believe you’ll agree with me that if you, of all people, could be so trampled on in your husband’s administration, the brutal killing of scores of innocent #Endsars protesters at the Lekki toll gate by soldiers, last October, attests to the fascist in your husband. Remember, Hajiya, you stridently raised the alarm some years ago that your husband had been held captive by some unknown forces. You insisted that he was no longer in charge of his government. Madam Buhari, except maybe his cows, your husband had never been in charge of anything - not even in his famed military days when General Tunde Idiagbon took charge and he, Buhari, took the glory. When your husband went to sleep after fulfilling his chronic ambition of becoming a civilian President, his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, saw his abandoned presidential shoes, dusted and stepped into them snuggly, taking full responsibility of governance. After Kyari’s death, the shoes were, again, empty, and bandit politicians, killer-herdsmen, Boko Haram, brigands and sycophants have taken turns to wear them, spinning the country madly out of orbit towards hell as various miscued criminals now unleash anarchy in the land while your ‘mai gida’ remains cool, calm and collected like a motionless crocodile. My dear hajiya, your husband has failed Nigeria woefully! Out of tune with reality, your presidential husband always avoids the Nigerian press but his countless embarrassing mistakes in public have necessitated concerned citizens to patriotically ask for his medical evaluation. My First Lady, Nigeria’s situation has worsened since you escaped to the Arabian sanity. Now that you’re back into the lawless country your husband heads, I must warn you that Nigeria’s decline into depravity is now full-blown. Please, Aisha, don’t get into any argument with any security guard as you did last year. A human head now costs N8,000 in Nigeria. If you’re lucky and timely, you can even get one for free among unclaimed corpses left to decay along Nigeria’s highways. Life is worthless in the land ruled by your husband, Aisha. Scores of innocent people are now being killed, kidnapped and broken daily across the country, much more than the victims of war in Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Congo. I love you Hajiya Aisha but I don’t love your husband because he’s an outstanding blunder. I love you because you occasionally speak up whenever your space is threatened. Some may say that’s selfish of you - that you need to always speak up against the vipers of injustice brooded by your husband’s administration. They say, “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” Well, I won’t criticise their opinion. Aisha nee Halilu, do you know that the UAE, like Nigeria, was built with oil money? But the UAE has long left Nigeria behind by diversifying their economy from oil dependency, launching it on science-tech-tourism superhighway. The picture of a rain-beaten church rat placed beside an elephant looms large on the horizon whenever Nigeria is compared to UAE. The wife of my President, the only difference between Nigeria and UAE is leadership, which your husband has tragically failed to give. Nigeria, presided over by your thick-skinned husband, is the strangest country in the world. It’s a place where anyone can disappear without trace. Imagine, a whole you was out of circulation for six months, and there was no explanation from your husband, his friends, relatives and megaphones. Everybody just carried on as if you don’t matter. Aisha, between you and me, I even think they were happy you were nowhere around to squeal on their incompetencies and stagnant governance. During your undisclosed absence, my First Lady, so much water passed under the bridge. African Giant, Burna Boy and Ojuelegba crooner, Wizkid, won Grammy awards. I know your husband sees Nigerian youths as a population of lazybones. I think he’s likely to prefer Dan Maraya Jos music to the music by lazy youths. I was, however, shocked to read a prompt congratulatory message from your husband, extolling the virtues of Burna Boy and Wizkid. Well, I know that the only arm of your husband’s government that’s effective is the ‘Public Service Announcement Department’ that sends out congratulations at the speed of light but sleeps when hundreds of schoolchildren are kidnapped and snores when Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram kill for fun. When EIGHT persons were killed in suspected anti-Asian shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, last week, President Joe Biden and his deputy, Kamala Harris, flew into Atlanta from Washington DC to commiserate with bereaved families. Over a 100 people have died in various breaches of security across the country this year alone, but our President sits tight in Aso Rock, either unmoved or unaware. Aisha, the masses that prayed for the enthronement of your husband as president are now praying to God to break the country and his government. It’s sad, your husband has failed. Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com Facebook: @tunde odesola Twitter: @tunde_odesola

President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, has reacted to an allegation that she received two Sports Utility Vehicles, SUVs, illegally from the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

In a brief response on Twitter, Mrs. Buhari said she was still using her personal cars, but stopped short of categorically confirming or denying the allegation.

Isah Misau, Bauchi-APC senator, made the allegation when he appeared before the Senate ad-hoc committee investigating allegations by the lawmaker against the IGP.

Mr. Misau said the IGP gave Mrs. Buhari the two vehicles, adding that the details of the donation were contained in the documents the police boss submitted to the court in the suit instituted against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the Federal Government.

“I still have some contract papers that the IG himself submitted to the court, where the First Lady through her aide-de-camp. ADC requested a Toyota Hiace and a Sienna jeep. The same day that the ADC wrote, the IG minuted that she should be given two cars. And it is not part of the appropriation. If you look at the appropriation, there is nowhere they said the First Lady should be given two jeeps,” Mr. Misau had told the committee.

“The letter came from the ADC to the wife of the President. The most unfortunate thing is that even in the letter, the ADC wrote that they wanted the vehicles for her ‘private engagements’. They wrote that they wanted Sienna and Hiace but the IG said they should be given two Sports Utility Vehicles. And he supplied the document to the court,” he said.

The police in a statement on Thursday said the vehicles, which they said were not SUVs, were given to police officers serving as aides to the wife of the President.

Mrs. Buhari on Thursday took to her Twitter handle, @aishambuhari, to comment on the allegation.

“I am still using my personal cars,” she tweeted.

She however did not make any comment on whether she received SUVs as alleged by the lawmaker or not.

The tweet was greeted by criticisms and questions from some Nigerians who asked whether she received the cars or not.

One of them @ShedrackFubara replied: “Haha the retractions have started. Aisha the question is: did you ask Idris for vehicles & did he purchase SUV’s for you? Where is Lai Moh?”

@HMCMmadudili replied: “Hello @aishambuhari using your personal cars doesn’t mean IGP didn’t buy you 2 SUV as misau asserted. Come up with stronger defense.”

@shalystar01 also wants Mrs. Buhari to take a stand on the allegation.

“Hello ma, the question is that DID IGP IDRIS BUY 2 PRADO JEEPS FOR U? A simple question that needs YES or NO. Do we need to ask GOOGLE??,” she tweeted.

No further official statement or comment has been made through Mrs. Buhari’s office.

Business

Petrol: MRS Slashes Petrol Price to N935/Litre Nationwide, Enforces compliance

Published

5 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Sahara Weekly

General Buratai Urges Dangote Not To Succumb To Marketers Blackmail, Reveals Why

Petrol: MRS Slashes Petrol Price to N935/Litre Nationwide, Enforces compliance

… Nigerians praise Dangote-MRS partnership

MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, a prominent player in the Nigerian downstream oil industry, has implemented a new petrol price of N935 per litre across all its retail service stations nationwide. This follows an announcement by the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has partnered with MRS Oil and Gas to offer petrol at N935 per litre at retail outlets, following a reduction in the ex-depot price from N970 to N899.50 per litre.

In response, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc has instructed all its outlets to implement the new price immediately, setting up a digital platform and monitoring team to ensure full compliance. The company has also called on Nigerians to report any outlets that fail to adhere to the new price structure.

“Petrol is now being sold at N935 at MRS Filling Stations nationwide. If you find any station not following this price, please report it. Call 08009447853 or email: [email protected],” the company stated in a release.

Emphasising the eco-friendly nature of its products, MRS Oil added, *“We call on all petrol station owners to join MRS Oil Nigeria Plc in improving the supply chain of our beloved country, ensuring product quality and availability in every corner of Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians.”*

Checks by our correspondents yesterday confirmed that the new price had been implemented at all MRS Oil and Gas retail outlets nationwide.

In Lagos, commuters were seen queuing at MRS filling stations to purchase petrol. Many expressed their gratitude to Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil and Gas, urging other marketers to support the indigenous refinery rather than import off-spec products into the country.

Mrs. Ibukun Phillips, a commuter at the MRS station at Alapere on the Lagos Ibadan Express way, could not hide her joy as her husband filled up their car.

“I am very happy today. This is a victory for Nigeria,” she said. “The price reduction is the best gift of the season. But beyond just the reduction, we are buying standard, eco-friendly petrol at a lower rate. My husband and I have decided we will only be using MRS from now on because we are confident in the quality of the product and supporting the economy.”

Commercial bus driver Adio Ajibade described the price reduction as a great relief, especially during the festive season.

“The reduction is a great relief. It will reduce transportation costs and benefit Nigerians. God will continue to bless Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” he said.

A public affairs analyst and university lecturer, Dr. Tunde Akanni, said the collaboration between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil represents a significant step towards improving the affordability, quality, and sustainability of petroleum products in Nigeria.

According to Dr. Akanni, “this move will not only help ease the financial burden on Nigerians but also promote a more environmentally conscious approach to fuel consumption, benefitting both the economy and public health in the long term.”

Business

FIRS ANNOUNCES AN ONGOING RECRUITMENT

Published

8 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Sahara Weekly

FIRS ANNOUNCES AN ONGOING RECRUITMENT.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has rolled out an exciting opportunity for experienced professionals to join its team.

In a public notice via its X handle, the agency announced job openings for positions like Assistant Manager, Deputy Manager, and Assistant Director in fields such as Tax, Public Relations, Legal, ICT, and Risk Management.

Interested candidates are encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and apply via the official portal at careers.firs.gov.ng before January 11, 2025. This recruitment drive is aimed at bolstering public service efforts and maximizing national development.

Business

UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

UBA GMD Calls for Public-Private Collaboration, Joins Aviation Minister to Commission New MMIA Departure Section

The newly renovated departure section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, refurbished by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, was officially commissioned on Friday, December 20th, 2024.

The laudable project, which marks a transformative moment in Nigeria’s aviation sector, underscores UBA’s unwavering commitment to national development and highlights the immense value of strategic public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The ceremony was graced by distinguished stakeholders, including the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; other Directors, and Heads of Agencies operating at the Airport.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba,lauded the collaboration that brought the project to fruition as he emphasised the need for public and private institutions to come together to build and revamp the nation’s assets.

“This renovation is a testament of UBA’s belief in the transformative power of investing in national assets. By modernising our airports, we not only enhance infrastructure but also position Nigeria as a global hub for tourism, trade, and investment,” he stated.

Alawuba took time to highlight the broader economic impact of such initiatives, urging increased private-sector participation in national development. “Public-private partnerships like this demonstrate what can be achieved when we unite for a shared vision of progress and investing in infrastructure catalyses economic growth, improves travel experiences, and creates opportunities across various sectors of the economy,” he added.

Alawuba reflected on the power of unity and collaboration, quoting Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The commissioning of the renovated departure section serves as a reminder of what strategic partnerships can achieve in driving national development and elevating Nigeria’s global standing.”

While commissioning the project, Keyamo commended UBA for executing the project, a feat he termed a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s aviation sector. “This renovated departure section exemplifies the bank’s commitment to elevating aviation infrastructure, improving passenger experiences, and fostering international partnerships. It is a proud moment for the ministry and all stakeholders involved, and I thank the management of UBA for pioneering this initiative,” he remarked.

The minister highlighted other key achievements of his ministry, including compliance with the Cape Town Convention, the launch of a consumer protection portal, and advancements in major infrastructure projects such as the second runway at Abuja Airport and solar energy integration in airport operations.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, commended UBA and other stakeholders for their contributions, adding, “This project reflects FAAN’s dedication to delivering world-class aviation infrastructure. The enhanced departure section not only elevates passenger experiences but also strengthens Nigeria’s competitive position in global aviation,” she said.

She called for more private-sector participation, emphasising that “partnerships like these are essential to transforming the aviation sector into a beacon of excellence.”

The newly renovated departure section boasts cutting-edge facilities designed to enhance efficiency and passenger comfort. This upgrade reaffirms the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s status as a critical gateway to Nigeria and a major hub for international travel in Africa.

United Bank for Africa is Africa’s Global Bank. Operating across twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.