VON DG, Okechukwu lauds IBB over Buhari’s birthday gift

THE Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu has lauded the former military president, Ibrahim Babangida for vindicating disciples of President Muhammadu Buhari on his achievements since assumption of office in May 2015.

Okechukwu said this in a statement on Sunday while reacting to IBB’s surprise birthday gift statement to Buhari on his 76th birthday.

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The VON DG an ardent supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari said they were in league with IBB that the current administration of President Buhari has achieved tremendous success in war against corruption, terrorism and other forms of insurgency, as well as bringing the country out of economic recession.

Okechukwu also noted that Buhari has embarked on massive development of critical infrastructure and revolution in agriculture sector towards self-sufficiency in food production in Nigeria.

According to Okechukwu, even though the South-East did not vote for Buhari, his administration has invested massively in the 2nd Niger Bridge and other federal roads, which previous administration’s employed as a political gimmick.

On IBB’s birthday gift statement to Buhari, he quipped, “Let me join General Ibrahim Babangida and indeed Nigerians to congratulate our dear President Muhammadu Buhari on his glorious 76 years on earth.”

“Most importantly, one sincerely salutes IBB for vindicating us, the Buhari disciples, for stating unequivocally on his birthday message that Buhari has been “an excellent role model to many young aspiring politicians and even to the not too young, because of the way and manner you have managed to sustain the survival of our country as an indivisible one nation albeit in the face of many daunting diversions.”

One is in league with IBB’s rating of a man of uncommon integrity quotient, especially on the truism that, “You achieved great success in the fight against corruption, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in addition to getting our country out of economic recession.

“It is heartwarming that at 76, in spite of the numerous onerous challenges of leadership, you have managed to remain focused and have shown tremendous energy and vibrancy in running the affairs of state with your acknowledged patriotism and commitment to serve our nation diligently with honesty and sincerity of purpose.”

“To me, IBB has echoed the position of the greatest number of our people that Mr President shares the same trait with the former American president, Dwight D. Eisenhower – Gently in Manners and Strongly in Deed. To Buhari’s credit is that he has gently embarked on massive critical infrastructural development of 5,000 kilometers of federal roads, 5,000 kilometers of Standard gauge rail lines, additional 5,000 megawatts of electricity and self-sufficiency in food production.”

Asked when and how he met Buhari, Mr Okechukwu, answered that “it was Rt. Hon. Chuba Okadigbo of blessed memory, who incidentally shared same birthday with Mr President who more or less led us to an association we then labeled TBO, ( The Buhari Organisation) in 2002. Okadigbo predicted when Buhari joined partisan politics that this is the man destined to stop One Party State, which Chief Olusegun Obasanjo then president was constructing. He maintained that only a man with strong character like Buhari who can dismantle the anti-democratic tendencies of Obasanjo, battle rogue culture and return fiscal discipline to management of public finance.”

“How many people in my South East geopolitical zone, where Buhari was not voted for in 2003 and 2007, when he chose Rt.Hons. Chuba Okadigbo and Edwin Umezoke respectively as vice presidential candidates, and in 2011 and 2015; would agree that he would be the president who will assemble the first bag of cement, the first shovel of gravel, sand and first set of rods to lay the foundation for 2nd Niger Bridge? This is the Strong Deed of Buhari, which made some of us to follow him. He is neither a saint nor perfect, but a rare Bird. IBB has vindicated us.” Okechukwu submitted.