Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Some groups and individuals in the North-East geo-political have kicked against the use of ethnic nationalities as representatives at the proposed National Dialogue.
They made their opinion known at the North-East Public Hearing on the conference, organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue said such representation would defeat the purpose for which the conference was convened.
In his presentation, Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, is saying that the use of ethnic nationalities was not feasible.
“Bauchi State alone has over 50 ethnic groups and a state like Taraba, among others, has over 100. ‘Therefore, it is not possible to have every tribe represented, as this can create room for chaos,’’ he said.
Borno
The Borno State Government on Monday, expressed delight over Federal Government’s promise of a possible assistance to victims of Boko Haram insurgency attacks in the country.
Governor Kashim Shettima who stated this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, Mallam Isa Gusau, in Maiduguri said he “received with cheers” the announcement by Jonathan that government would soon provide assistance to victims of Boko.
The governor said he was excited on hearing the news that the presidency was working toward setting up a committee to work out modalities for assisting Boko Haram victims.
“The victims of the crisis, especially those residing in Borno who were worst hit by the insurgency, deserve all forms of support from government and the private sector. This is because no material assistance can adequately replace their loses,” he said.
Ekiti
Afenifere chieftain and Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has warned the state government against any plan to frustrate the trial of suspects in the murder of Foluso Ogundare in Emure-Ekiti.
Ogundare, a supporter of House of Representatives member and All Progressive Congress governorship aspirant, Opeyemi Bamide, was shot by suspected political hoodlums on Sunday, November 3, 2013 in Emure Ekiti at the meeting of Opeyemi loyalists.
The police in Ekiti last week said they had arrested the suspected killers. Adeyeye alleged that the government was planning to make a “no-case” submission through the state Ministry of Justice when the suspects get to court.”
In a statement on Monday by the Director General of Adeyeye’s campaign organisation, Bisi Kolawole, the PDP chieftain said, “Chief Adeleye Awolumate, Kehinde Fajuyi, Michael Ipinlaye, Ayo Murphy Jeje, Mrs Juliana Adewumi and Foluso Ogundare are all victims of political violence.
FCT
President Goodluck Jonathan last Monday in Abuja decorated his Aide De Camp (ADC), Ojogbane Adegbe, with a new rank of Colonel
At the ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the president charged Adegbe to do more to justify his promotion in the Nigerian Army.
“When you are given higher authority you are expected to perform according to your status. “We hope that whatever you have been doing very well you will even do more.We wish you success in your career.You are a privileged colonel, otherwise, they would not be here.”
Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the ceremony, Adegbe thanked God for the opportunity and the promotion.
Oyo
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday in Ibadan swore in 12 newly-appointed commissioners, urging them to exhibit high level of integrity, commitment and service to humanity.
Oyo State House of Assembly had on Thursday ratified the list of the 12 commissioners sent to it by the state governor. The commissioners comprised five members of the former cabinet and seven new ones.
One of the new commissioners, Oyefunke Oworu, was a former Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Investment and Cooperative, while Gbade Lana was the former Chairman of the state Library Board.
Those recalled include Adebayo Ojo, Dapo Lam-Adesina, Zacheaus Adelabu, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin and Adetutu Adeyemi-Aigbe, while the five new ones are Prof. Solomon Olaniyonu, Adewale Olujide, Adedeji Akande, Umar Alao and Abiodun Atanda.
Lagos
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called on the Federal Government to do all it can to improve the funding of Nigerian prisons.
The governor made the call in Ikeja while handing over four buses to the Nigerian Prisons Service, to enhance its operational efficiency.
Controller of the Prisons Command in the state, Mrs Kate Ononye, led other officials to receive the State Government’s donation.
The governor said that proper funding of the prisons was imperative to strengthen criminal justice administration in the country.
Kaduna
Some groups in the North West have called for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), saying it was the best option in the search for a new Nigeria.
The groups made the call in separate presentations at the public sitting of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue in Kaduna.
One of them, The Katsina Group said the SNC would afford Nigerians the opportunity to take ownership of the conference and the decisions arrived at.
Its spokesman, Alhaji Kabiru Yahaya said the group was dissatisfied with the current state of the nation and would welcome open, frank and engaging discussions to move the country forward.
Katsina
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented relief materials worth millions of naira to Katsina State Government for distribution to flood victims in the state.
The Coordinator of the agency for North-West zone, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, presented the materials to the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Katsina.
Ilallah, who was represented by Alhaji Mannir Gidado, an official of the Agency, said the relief materials were meant for distribution to flood victims in the local government areas that were affected by the disaster.
Responding, , Executive Secretary, SEMA, Alhaji Hassan Rawayau who received the items on behalf of the state government, commended NEMA for the support.
Kebbi
The Federal Ministry of Environment says it will train unemployed youths as forestry guards in Kebbi state as part of measures to protect the 100 kilometre shelter belt project in the state.
The ministry’s controller of environment in the state, Mr Ijioye Adekunle, said in Birnin Kebbi that the shelter belt project was established in Arewa and Dandi local government areas of the state.
He said that the engagement of the youths as forestry guards was in line with the Federal Government’s shelter belt programme adding that the second phase of the project would involve the provision of perimeter fence, water and security along the stretch of the belt.
He said the project which would involve 130 kilometres of five rows of trees with an interval of three metres was conceived to encourage planting of trees in the desert-prone areas to curtail environmental degradation and boost livestock development.
Kogi
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, has urged political leaders in Kogi to adopt proactive measures to address any breakdown of law and order in the state.
Maku made the call at a Town Hall Meeting in Lokoja to end the tour of projects in Kogi by the National Good Governance team.
The minister stressed the need for leaders in the state to support the peace efforts by government to douse tension often generated as a result of political activities.
He advised that security must not be taken for granted, stressing that Kogi is the heart of the nation and we must not tolerate any disruption of peace in the state.
Plateau
Lecturers at the University of Jos have voted for continuation of the on-going strike by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) in the country.
Chairman of the chapter, Dr. David Jankam who made this known last Monday while speaking shortly after the congress of the chapter said members did not see any substance in the dialogue with the federal government to warrant calling off the strike.
Sokoto
A Sokoto-based “large scale” water vendor, Chairman of the Katsina State Indigenes Association ( KTSIA) Alhaji Aliyu Daura, has introduced a scholarship scheme for youths in Sokoto city and its environs.
Daura said on Sunday in Sokoto that the first batch of 30 beneficiaries, all of them indigenes of Sokoto State, received N5,000 each.
According to him, beneficiaries of the gesture need only to be students of tertiary institutions of learning who have duly registered in their respective schools.
“These are indigent youths in the Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, across Nigeria. I always tell them the importance of education, as well as maintaining law and order so as to have lasting peace in Nigeria,” he said.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) lastTuesday said it had registered 36 private security guard companies across the state for training.
The Head of the command’s Department of Private Guard Companies Training, Mr Aroworo Michael, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondence in Gusau.
“Two of the 36 registered outfits are indigenous while the remaining 34 have their headquarters outside the state,’’ he said.
The NSCDC official said the exercise was part of the agency’s mandate to register, train, supervise and monitor private security guard companies in the country.
“As part of our office activities, we have a dog section where we train dogs in various security techniques,” he said.
L-R:1st Vice President, National Assembly of Djibuti, Mr Mohamed Hoomed, former UN Undersecretary, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and former President, African Development Bank, Dr Babacar Ndiaye, at the 1st Africa Legislative Summit in Abuja last Monday. Photo NAN
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.