The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the placement of travelling restrictions on 50 high-profile Nigerians.

The party gave the rejection in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Saturday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan described the restriction as a ‘draconian step’ clearly targeted at members of the opposition parties, business community, religious leaders, former political leaders and traditional rulers, perceived to be averse to President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid.

He added that the ‘decree’ was a direct clampdown on the country’s democratic order and an overthrow of rights of citizenry as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“We hope this is not a ploy to harm certain eminent Nigerians on the claims of resisting travel restrictions.

“The whole world can now see how fascism is fast taking over our democracy and judicial system and how the Buhari administration, by fiat, has directly ordered that citizens be secretly trailed.

“Their movements and financial transactions are restricted by government agencies, without recourse to due process of the law,” he said.

Ologbondiyan said that the Presidency had gone into panic mode since the popular emergence of Atiku Abubakar as PDP presidential candidate and the spontaneous jubilation his emergence evoked across the country.

He said that the party maintained that the resort to total clampdown on the opposition and PDP supporters would be totally unacceptable.

“What this means is that all Nigerians, particularly opposition members, members of the business community and religious leaders have become endangered and stand the risk of state violence under the APC administration,” he said.

Ologbondiyan alerted the international community to take note should any harm befall any opposition leader, key members of the business community and religious leaders across the country, as Nigerians march towards the 2019 general elections.

NAN recalls that Buhari had mandated the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to implement the Executive Order 6 (EO6) in full force following the instant judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the order.

According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President, Media and Publicity, a number of enforcement procedures were currently in place.

Shehu disclosed that the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies had placed no fewer than 50 high profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list.

They are to be restricted from leaving the country pending the determination of their cases.

He added that EO6 was specifically directed to relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that all assets within a minimum value of N50 million or equivalent, subject to investigation or litigation are protected from dissipation by employing all available lawful means, pending the final determination of any corruption-related matter.

“The Buhari administration reassures all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians of its commitment to the fight against corruption, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the general principles of the Rule of Law.

“Accordingly, this administration will uphold the rule of law in all its actions and the right of citizens would be protected as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has frowned at the activities of some individuals using religion and ethnicity for cheap political gains, saying such persons were fraudulent politicians and should not be trusted.

The president, who stated this at the closing of the 3-day Interfaith Conference on “Religious Harmony in Nigeria: Towards the 2019 General Elections’’, in Abuja on Saturday, said such politicians did not always mean what they said.

Buhari narrated how he was cheated (politically) during his previous attempts to occupy the presidential seat in 2003, 2007 and 2011 by those he described as members of his religious and ethnic groups.

He opined that most Nigerian politicians were more materialistic in nature than religious or ethnic champions, saying that they only use religion or ethnicity for selfish reason.

The President rhetorically cited the 2015 APC presidential primary where dollars were disbursed to delegates to edge out of the race as well as one of the just concluded party primaries where dollars were also used by aspirants to secure presidential ticket.

“The question of religion and ethnicity is fraudulent. Some people are not sincere they don’t mean what they say.

“I’m telling you and some of you know during my primary (in 2015) my opponents said naira had finished and people were given dollars.

“Even in their late primaries recently dollars were being given, nobody takes naira.

“Really, it’s materialism that we will fight to make sure that we stabilize every level and do justice to our country.

“But, what I found out regrettably is that we refused to learn by other people’s experience and we are refusing to learn from our own mistakes,’’ he said.

Buhari also enjoined religious leaders to always avoid partisan politics or political controversies to avert losing their status and public respect.

He called on traditional rulers to enlighten their subjects and encourage them to ask questions and seek clarifications before going out to vote.

He said: “Having witnessed the roles our religious leaders have been playing so far, I appeal to them to eschew partisan politics and appeal to their respective members to read the manifestos of each political party, discuss and pray for God’s guidance before casting their votes.

“Religious leaders should not be seen to involve themselves in partisan politics or political controversies. Otherwise they risk losing their status and public respect.

“On their part, traditional rulers are also requested to enlighten their subjects, encourage them to ask questions and seek clarifications before going out to vote.

“As your President, I will request that you encourage your subjects to come out and exercise their voting rights as responsible citizens.

“To all of us politicians, I ask that we discharge our political responsibilities with integrity, bearing in mind that we will one day give an account to God, the Almighty.’’

According to the President, the nation has moved on, the era of free money, lack of transparency and accountability is over!

He said, “we deserve continuity; we deserve a better future for the coming generations.

“I sincerely hope 2019 will move us closer to these goals and so I look forward to a peaceful, fair and credible elections come 2019.’’

In his remarks, the co-convener of the event and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, urged politicians to always promote religious harmony so as to move the nation forward.

“We will also follow utterances of political leaders. There must be no violent before, during and after the general elections,’’ he warned.

He particularly called on President Buhari to ensure that the 2019 general election was free, fair and credible.

The sultan pledged to submit the recommendations of the conference to the presidency for possible implementation.

John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, another co-convener, identified selfishness on the part of some Nigerians as the root cause of the nation’s problems.

According to him, the nation needs moral revolution if meaningful development and transformation must be recorded.

He said that politics should not be seen as an avenue for making money, saying that those looking for money should venture into competitive businesses.

In their separate goodwill messages, former Heads of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar lauded the efforts of the organisers of the conference for promoting peaceful co-existence among the diverse socio-political groups in the country.

They advocated that no politician should be allowed to use religion or ethnicity to promote disunity among Nigerians.

In his keynote address, Archbishop Justin Welby the Archbishop of Canterbury, stressed that it was the responsibility of religious leaders to speak up and condemn all forms of violent activities during political campaign or elections.

He said Nigeria must take up its leadership role in Africa by way of conducting free, fair and credible election in 2019 and beyond.

NAN

The Consul-General of Ghana in Nigeria, Mr Maxwell Awiaga, says the relations between Nigeria and Ghana is still intact despite the efforts of some miscreants to cause rifts between the two Nations.

Awiaga made this known on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, there will always be a smooth and strong relationship between the two countries as it has always been in the past.

“Ghana and Nigeria relationship is excellent since creation of the world, as Ghanaians migrated from Ile-Ife and went along the coast to Ghana.

“We were as well colonised by the same colonial masters and run almost the same educational and governing system, and that was what bonded us together.

“There are a lot of Ghanaians doing well in Nigeria, same as Nigerians’ businesses thriving well in Ghana.

“We cherish our relationship with Nigerians and we will continue to cherish it as the same blood runs in our veins.

“When we talk of the heroes of Ghana’s independence, we cannot do without mentioning some Nigerians that assisted us in that struggle,” he said.

He, therefore, urged citizens of both countries to continue to live with each other in peace and harmony.

NAN reports that the two nations are the largest economies in West Africa and their relationship is a very crucial one.

However, a recent dispute between the two countries concerning the status of Nigerian traders in Ghana is a reminder of past bilateral tensions that have occasionally worsened political and economic relations.

The government of the two countries have since moved to resolve the disputes.

NAN

Titi Abubakar, wife of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday urged women to vote for credible leaders in the 2019 general elections.

Abubakar, who is also the founder of Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation(WOTCLEF), said this while speaking at the 2018 Diocesan Women Conference of the Church of Nigeria ( Anglican Communion) in Abuja.

The 19th annual conference had the theme “Be a living epistle”.

She advised them to participate actively in the forthcoming election and also contest for leadership positions.

She said, “through this, we shall raise a generation of conscientious leaders who will have the fear of God in them to do all the needful to develop our dear nation.

“We as women must rise up to the task of reshaping our country by providing our intuitive ideas to support the developmental ideals of Nigeria.

She further challenged them to endeavour to raise good children, capable of taking leadership positions in the future.

“We must endeavour to raise good children and of course inspire them to do the same to their children.

“Through this, we shall raise a generation of conscientious leaders who will have the fear of God in them to do all the needful to develop our dear Nation.

“Trust me my dear women; for Nigeria? There is Hope!

In her address, Mrs Nkasiobi Okoh, the wife of the Primate and National President, Mothers’ Union/Women’s Guild of the church, also urged women to be living epistles.

Okoh also advised women to render service unto the Lord heartily and in accordance with His standard.

She reminded the women that God did not create anyone to be a liability and for this reason, everyone should discover and key into God’s purpose for her, being guided by His standard.

She, however stressed that every woman as a “Christian daughter, wife, mother and grandmother, you have roles to play at all levels’’, stressing that being a Christian woman is a calling.

“Do your work with passion and every sense of responsibility for we shall be accountable to the Lord.’’

Okoh further charged the women to make God the ultimate goal of their service; employing all the good virtues God had endowed them with.

She implored the youths ahead of the 2019 general elections not to allowed themselves to be used for election violence.

She reminded them of their obligations to their fatherland to actively participate in the elections.

NAN