Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), North-
East Zone, has said delegates to the proposed national conference should be elected so as to be accepted and trusted by Nigerians.
The association’s Zonal Chairman, Rev. Shuaibu Byel, said in Bauchi that delegates that were appointed would only be loyal to whoever appointed them to the conference.
Byel said that groups which are responsible for electing their delegates would hold them accountable to their interests and also ensure that such was protected.
The CAN official faulted the Federal Government’s resolve to nominate as many as 492 delegates, and pointed out that nominations would cause serious disagreements.
While noting that there were 55 ethnic groups in Bauchi State who would want to be represented, he said no random nomination could give them a fair representation.
Ekiti
It may soon become a crime punishable under the
law for any husband to abandon his wife after childbirth in any part of Ekiti State.
The wife of the state Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, gave the indication in Ado-Ekiti while on a sympathy visit to one Mrs. Bosede Omole.
Omole’s husband had run away after she was delivered of triplets at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.
Fayemi condemned the manner in which mothers were usually abandoned by their husbands soon after delivery of new babies, especially multiple births.
“Such a behaviour is not only callous and wicked, but a betrayal of the marriage trust between couples,’’ she said.
FCT
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Com
mission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has advised politicians to guard against utterances that can trigger violence as the 2015 elections are gathering momentum.
Jega made the call at a forum on 2015 elections’ coverage organised by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Abuja, recently.
He expressed concerned over lack of civility in the conduct of some politicians, urging them to give priority to national interest in ensuring peaceful political atmosphere before, during and after 2015 elections.
“ The attitude of political class is one of our biggest challenge in INEC, politicians have a responsibility to change their behaviour to stop overheating the polity,’’ Jega said.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government says it has earmarked
N76 million for the renovation of Dutse Open Air Theatre.
The Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Ibrahim Babandi, said this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.
Babandi said that the theatre was being renovated in order to raise its standard.
He explained that the gesture would assist in promoting and sustaining the traditions and cultures of the people of the state.
The commissioner said that an archive library would be built in the theatre so as to document historical events in the state.
Kaduna
The New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC),
Kaduna, has awarded a N740 million contract for the building of a 3-storey shopping complex to Lubell Nigeria Limited.
The Group Managing Director of the company, Dr Ahmed Musa, said the Multi-Purpose Shopping Mall would be built along Muhammadu Buhari Way, Kaduna.
Musa said the building would have 51 spaces of different sizes, adding that space would be provided to accommodate a Bank, a restaurant and at least 62 cars.
He said the building was expected to be completed within 65 weeks.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has constituted a com
mittee to verify complaints on the payment of pension to retired civil servants in the state.
This is contained in a statement issued in Katsina by the Press Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Sani Kabomo.
According to the statement, the committee will be headed by Justice Sadiq Abdullahi Mahuta, a retired Chief Judge of the state.
Other members of the committee included the Chairman, State Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Abdulkarim Abubakar, as well as Alhaji Danyaya Mashi, Alhaji Labiru Musa and Alhaji Sada Abubakar.
Nasarawa
The police have arraigned Ibrahim Abdullahi and
Lawal Jibril, both of Mararaba in Nasarawa State in a Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State for criminal conspiracy.
The two men are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and mischief.
The prosecutor, Joseph Ahua, told the court that Isah Kogi of Masaka, Nasarawa State and Nurudeen Shamsudeen of Jikwoyi, Abuja, reported the matter at ‘A’ Division Police Station, Nasarawa State, on February 1.
He said that on the same date at about 8 a.m., Abdullahi and Jibril conspired and destroyed the foundation of Shamsudeen’s building valued at N205,400, situated behind Medical Centre, Mararaba.
Oyo
The wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence
Ajimobi, has given automatic employment to 88 outgoing corps members under her pet project, Educate A Rural Child (ERC), for their dedication and selflessness during the service year.
Mrs Ajimobi who announced this at a reception organised for the outgoing Batch “B” corps members who served in her office said that the appointment was, however, subject to their willingness to stay in the state to continue with the work they had been doing in encouraging rural pupils.
The benefiting corps members were volunteers under the ERC project put in place by the governors’ wife to bridge the gap in the quality of education to rural children.
Ajimobi said that incoming corps members, who would be ready to go to rural areas and work with ERC, would get stipends monthly from the ERC in addition to their state allowances.
She said the purpose of recruiting corps members, under the ERC, to interface with children, parents and teachers in rural areas had been achieved.
Plateau
The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has donated N10 million to Plateau State Fadama III Farmers’ to aid them in establishing Fadama Micro-finance Bank.
The bank is a brain child of the Fadama III farmers who contributed five percent of their savings to set it up, to enable them to get a one digit interest loan to finance the farming business.
Adesina made the donation on behalf of the ministry in Jos during a visit to assess agriculture facilities in Plateau.
The minister lauded the initiative by the farmers, comprising 75 percent women, and assured them of the Federal Government’s support.
Zamfara
The police in Gusau has confirmed the killing of
16 persons, including a policeman, by armed bandits in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Lawal Abdullahi, told newsmen that about 150 armed hoodlums riding on motorcycles perpetrated the act.
He said the hoodlums had invaded the three villages of Tungar Rakumi, Mallamawa and Kangarawa on Saturday night.
The police spokesman said 12 persons were killed in Tungar Rakumi alone, while the rest four were killed in Mallamawa and Kangarawa.
![L-R: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed, former Governor Of Yobe State, Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim, President Goodluck Jonathan, Managing Director, Suntrust Investment Ltd, Alhaji Mohammed Jibril and Minister of Steel and Solid Minerals Development, Mr Musa Sada, at the inauguration of FMBN Aviation Village in Abuja last Thursday. Photo: NAN](http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/FRED140214-NAT-7-300x178.jpg)
L-R: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed, former Governor Of Yobe State, Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim, President Goodluck Jonathan, Managing Director, Suntrust Investment Ltd, Alhaji Mohammed Jibril and Minister of Steel and Solid Minerals Development, Mr Musa Sada, at the inauguration of FMBN Aviation Village in Abuja last Thursday. Photo: NAN
Nation
Party Chieftain Hails LG Boss’ Dev Strides
Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwuche has extolled the sterling leadership being provided by the Chairman of the council, Hon Iyeko Okporo, describing it as unprecedented.
Hon Chukwuemeka described the council chairman as God-sent, considering his achievements in just 100 days in office.
The PDP chieftain said the chairman has rekindled the hope and trust of the people in grassroots governance.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for enabling his people to have his replica at Akinima.
He explained that the solar water project, the Late Eze Ekpeye Logbo 11 palace fencing, generator house rebuilding and town hall, all in Odiereke Ubie Community can best be described as the hallmark of true leadership.
He said the projects have direct bearing on the basic needs of the people who have suffered untold hardship and bad governance until the saviour came into office.
“ It is thunderous, as you can see the organic support and show of love to the performing chairman. Our people are overwhelmed seeing one of their own touching lives in a special way. As a community ,we have been in the past years without drinking water, but just two months in office, the chairman has provided not just drinking water, but a well-treated solar water project. Okporo is God-sent, no wonder he is nicknamed such. We have compared notes with other chairmen in the past and came to the conclusion that what he is doing in 100 days is overwhelming. Governor Fubara has made us proud by allowing a level playing field that necessitated the emergency of the chairman. You can see the women, men, youths and traditional rulers all saying one thing. God bless Governor Fubara for giving us our own. We owe him prayers and unwavering support,” he said.
In her welcome address, the Ward 9 councillor, Hon Catherine Uriah showered encomiums on the chairman for addressing the basic needs of the people in just 100 days in office.
Hon Uriah also thanked the Governor for allowing the will of the people to prevail in the just concluded local government elections which produced the God fearing chairman.
She said the people of Ward 9 as well as Ahoada West are pleased with the chairman because he is doing well.
She said the people will go to length to show support to him in his determination to redefine governance at the grassroots.
Nation
Group Plans Pilot Farm Programme For 50 Schools
A community-based non-governmental organisation, The Peoples Encouragers Initiative, is planning a pilot farm project for 50 schools in both Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Executive Director of the organisation, Chukwuma Abraham disclosed this at the recent International Human Rights Day celebration at Ahoada, headquarters of Ahoada East Local Government Area.
Abraham said the proposed programme which gulps the sum of N45million was intended to bring the youths back to the land and make them self-reliant.
“We hope to mobilise the factors of production inherent in all the schools through this programme to achieve two basic objectives of building self reliant youths and to create a viable and sustainable stream of income for our schools,” he said.
He said the programmme will also keep the youth busy and impact farming skills, stressing that each of the participating schools is expected to nominate at least two members of staff to coordinate and supervise the programme while10 students will be elected as executive members to administer the programmme on a day to day basis in their various schools.
“Every school has a sizeable portion of arable land to carry out the programme of establishing a functional farm in their chosen area of interest. We are hoping to mobilise an estimated N45 million to enable us set up the pilot farms across the 50 schools within Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas,” he said.
He said the celebration was to draw attention of both the Nigerian government and the international community to the issue of human rights violation, adding that findings by the organisation has shown that insecurity and youth unemployment worsened over the past few years as a result of the insecurity that engulfed the Orashi region of the State. We also found out that the high level of cultism and social unrest within our environment is mostly fuelled by the high use of illicit drugs among the youths. This programme will afford us the opportunity to take a tour through the universal declaration of human rights and reinforce on our youths the understanding that substance abuse can lead to crime, crime can lead to jail term and criminal record can blight their future dreams and life for ever,”he said.
Also speaking, the representative of the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ikporo Freedom urged the students to shun all forms of anti-social behaviours especially during the holiday season.
He also warned them against joining bad groups and stressed the need for the organisation to include private schools in the programme.
The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Council, Hon Ezu R .C . Hezekiah represented by his Deputy, Hon Ununuma Odoi pledged the support of the council to the programme.
He also urged other groups in the area to emulate The Peoples Encouragers Initiative by organizing programms that will impact on the lives of the people.
John Bibor
Nation
NCSU Flays Police Take Over Of Rivers PDP Secretariat
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has condemned the take over of the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State by the police, saying the action is against the tenets and principles of the rule of law.
This is even as the union has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call to order the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike for allegedly orchestrating and instigating the crisis rocking the PDP in the State.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who made the condemnation in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the police have no right to take over the PDP secretariat, as a ploy to provide cover and protection for members of the state executive of the party loyal to Wike, who were recently sacked by a court of competent jurisdiction in the State.
According to him, the action of the police is in clear defiance of a court ruling sacking the party executives at all levels in the State, instead of taking steps to enforce same.
He regretted that the police have consistently been showing that they are not appreciative of the logistic support Governor SiminalayiFubara has been extending to them, by openly demonstrating their bias, loyalty and allegiance to Wike and his supporters, contrary to their rules of engagement, which uphold and recognise absolute neutrality.
He said the Minister is wasting his time if he thinks that he could destroy the State by orchestrating and instigating needless crisis that is capable of making the State ungovernable, and appealed to President Tinubu to call him and his supporters to order.
Commenting on the fate of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the State, who defected from the ruling PDP to the All Progressives Congress(APC), Osumah said their fate is apparently sealed, as the Supreme Court had already given judgment in a similar case, saying, Wike is merely wasting his time by using the lawmakers against Governor Fubara, and causing unnecessary problem in the State.
He said if the Minister and his supporters do not retrace their steps and give peace a chance, the NCSU would have no choice than to mobilise all civil servants in the State, to troop out to the streets and protest against them.
The labour leader stressed the need for the police to vacate the PDP secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, and respect the High Court ruling which declared the congresses of the party in the State null and void.
While reiterating the need for President Tinubu to call Wike to order, Osumah said the President cannot continue to fold his arms and watch the Minister continuously make frantic efforts to destroy his State.
He also carpeted those blaming Governor Fubara administration for the recent gruesome murder of a Chief Security Officer(CSO) and his son in Igwuruta Ali community, saying those making such insinuations and attributing the sad incident to security lapses on the part of the state government, are missing the point.
He noted that by empowering the police in the State with several operational vehicles and other logistics, it was expected that the police would reciprocate the gesture, by living up to their constitutional obligation of protecting lives and property in the State, contending that Governor Fubara has been playing his part of guaranteeing security in the State.
He said the State is generally peaceful and safe, and challenged those criticising the Governor to cast their minds and attention to what is happening in other parts of the country, where killings and other social vices have become the order of the day.
Osumah cited as an example the recent killings in Ebonyi State by Fulani herdsmen as well as incidences of kidnapping and banditry in several other States of the federation, and wondered if Governor Fubara could be held responsible for such anomalies.
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