Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State said that the recent attack on Ganye had created distrust among the people of the area.
Nyako, who was speaking when he visited the affected town to sympathise with the Gangwari of Ganye, Alhaji Umaru Sanda, at his palace, urged the residents to be security-conscious and live in peace with one another.
The governor recalled his inability to resolve a water problem in one of the technical skills acquisition centres in the state because of insecurity.
He explained that after liaising with the Bauchi State Government to bring in some Chinese experts to address the water problem, the foreigners could not come to Adamawa.
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has called on Christians in the state to emulate the preaching of Jesus Christ, which teaches peace, honesty and love for one another.
In his Easter message to the people in Bauchi, Yuguda urged them to bury their ethnic, religious or political differences and live in peace and harmony with one another.
He appealed to the people to continue to pray for an end to the current security challenges that had bedevilled some parts of the country.
The governor said that the period was being observed to remember Jesus Christ, who paid the supreme price in order to save souls.
Yuguda also called on Christians to use the Easter celebrations as sober reflection and self-evaluation towards relating with the Creator and their fellow men.
Benue
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dominic Ajones, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for granting state pardon to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and other Nigerians.
Ajones who made the commendation in an interview in Makurdi, Wednesday said that not all the president’s actions were politically motivated, adding that the presidential pardon to the former governor was in the overall interest of Nigerians.
“Not all the decisions of the president are politically motivated; the idea of granting state pardon to people is a way of emulating Christ Jesus who despite our numerous sins died for our sins.
He said that section 175 of the 1999 Constitution empowered the president through adequate consultations with the National Council of State (NCS) to grant pardon to individuals who had suffered convictions.
FCT
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and other stakeholders have adopted a template of etiquettes and regulations for this year’s hajj.
A meeting on the matter, attended by officials of NAHCON, state pilgrims welfare boards and travel agencies at the National Mosque in Abuja, Wednesday agreed on sets of guidelines for the smooth operations of this year’s hajj.
The Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, said that some of the key areas agreed upon in the guidelines include conduct of pilgrims and activities of flight operators during the exercise.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Mohammed Sani,commended NAHCON for convening the meeting, describing it as a proactive strategy.
Kaduna
The Nigerian Army said it was retraining its soldiers on weapons handling to enhance their efficiency in tackling security challenges in the country.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC)1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Gen. Garba Wahab, said this while speaking to journalists during the Range Classification Training for soldiers in Kaduna Thursday.
Wahab said the retraining would also enable the military personnel to prevent any mishap or accidental discharge while carrying out their duties.
According to the commandant, all soldiers are expected to undergo physical, medical and weapon handling training annually to ascertain their capability.
The GOC also expressed satisfaction with the performance of the soldiers at the retraining camp, assuring the public of the army’s resolve to tackle any security breach during Easter.
Kogi
An Okene High Court in Kogi State, last Thursday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Head of Service (HOS) and the Accountant-General.
Justice Sunday Otu, who issued the bench warrant in Okene, said the three government functionaries had persistently ignored the court summons to appear before it.
He said the HOS, Mr Moses Atakpa; the Attorney General, Mr Joe Abrahams and the Accountant-General, Mr Paul Audu, refused to implement the court’s judgment of May 14, 2012 ordering the re-absorption of 346 state civil servants sacked illegally in 2009.
It held that the affected workers had genuine documents of employment and were legally employed by the state government.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government said it would soon introduce contributory pension scheme as part of the government’s drive to enable workers to enjoy stress-free post retirement life.
Governor Abdulftah Ahmed gave the indication in Ilorin when he received the management of Leadway Assurance Plc, led by its Managing Director, Mr Hassan Odukale.
Ahmed noted in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Abdulwahab Oba, that the scheme had been problematic for the country and its civil servants for a long time.
He said that the contributory scheme would not only ensure that workers contributed towards their retirement but also removed post retirement uncertainties and described the scheme as the future of effective pension administration in the country.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has banned all traditional rulers in the state from residing outside their domains in the interest of peace and progress of their people.
The ban followed the motion by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Godiya Akwashiki (PDP-Nasarawa Eggon West).
The bill to regulate the movement of the state traditional rulers passed the third reading after the adoption of the motion. Akwashiki said that the law would ensure that all traditional rulers resided and presided over issues within their chiefdoms.
Niger
Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State last Thursday swore-in Justice Fati Lami Abubakar as the acting Chief Judge of Niger.
Abubakar’s appointment followed the exit of the Chief Judge, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo, who proceeded on retirement, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.
Aliyu said the appointment and consequent swearing-in of Abubakar as the Acting Chief Judge of the state was in conformity with the powers vested in his office under Section 271(4) of the 1999 Constitution.
Ogun
The acting Vice-Chancellor, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Saburi Adesanya, said the institution would recall 120 lecturers retrenched in 2009.
The institution had in 2009 retrenched 962 teaching and non-teaching staff.
The Vice Chancellor said this in Ago-Iwoye Thursday at a news conference to mark the beginning of the 22nd convocation ceremony of the university.
Adesanya said the process of recalling some of the lecturers became imperative due to the shortage of academic staff at the institution.
He said that new lecturers would also be employed to address the problem of under staffing.
Oyo
The Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Habitat has vowed to continue demolishing illegal structures as well as buildings under high tension lines in the state.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Modupe Omonigbeyin, said in Ibadan on Thursday that government would not relent until there was total compliance.
The permanent secretary, who expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance so far by residents, said they still needed to be encouraged.
“ Before now, Ibadan for example, had the reputation of being the dirtiest city in the country. This is why Governor Abiola Ajimobi embarked on the Urban Renewal Project,’’ she said.
Plateau
The League for Human Rights, based in Jos has demanded N100 million compensation from the Nigerian Army over the alleged “extra-judicial killing” of a 26-year-old NYSC member.
Making the demand in a statement issued in Jos, Wednesday, the group alleged that the corps member, Wagley Dauda, was shot dead by a soldier at NASCO Area of Jos on February 16.
The Director of the organisation, Mr Nankin Bagudu, who signed the statement, said the brutal murder of Dauda at about 11a.m. on the fateful day was done by soldiers of the STF who mounted a checkpoint in the area.
Bagudu noted that efforts to see the STF Commander over the incident had been futile as he had directed the bereaved family to the driver of the cab in which Dauda was killed, claiming that the STF had nothing to do with the death.
Yobe
The Chairman, Coalition of Political Parties in Yobe, Malam Umar Kukuri, said that eight political parties had indicated interest to contest the local government council election in the state in June.
Kukuri, who is also the state chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP), said in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu, that the parties indicated interest to field candidates in the election during an interactive forum organised by the state electoral commission which was attended by the parties.
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.