2016: The Winners and Losers
2016 will surely go down as one of the most significant years in Nigeria’s history. The significance flows from the unprecedented political events of the previous year, when for the first time in the
country’s political history a sitting president was defeated in an election by an opposition candidate. Nigeria achieved its first democratic transition from a ruling party to the opposition. Thus, 2016 was
the year when all eyes were on President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress to prove their mettle. They did in their own way. See stories on pages 77–80
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NEITI: NPDC Owes N68bn, $3.3bn in Taxes, Royalties… Page 6 Sunday 1 January, 2017 Vol 21. No 7927.
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Buhari: Security, Economic Recovery, My Priorities in 2017 Says fight against corruption’ll continue Admits mistakes in handling IDPs
Asks Shiites, Niger Delta to embrace peace
Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that securing the country and taking the economy out of recession would be his main preoccupation in 2017. The president, in his new year message to Nigerians, said security issues afflicting the country would be decisively dealt with. The president thanked Nigerians for their support and assured them that the current pains, "are temporary and will ease when the economic seeds in gestation begin to bloom to fruition." He urged them to continue to support his administration in its effort to transform Nigeria for the good of all. He also appealed to militants in the Niger Delta to embrace peace and come to the negotiation table. Buhari also said his government's determination to wrestle corruption to the ground remained unshaken. This fight, which he said would be guided by respect Continued on page 6
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VICTORY AT LAST?
President Muhammadu Buhari (left) receiving the captured Gboko Haram flag from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, at the Guards Brigade Regimental Dinner held at the Guards Brigade Scorpion Officers' Mess… Friday night godwin omoigui