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The Presidency on Sunday night said that President Muhammadu Buhari and governors in the North West were working out strategic plan to end insurgency in the zone and the Northern region.

This is contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

According to him, President Buhari’s administration and the North western state governments were pursuing an urgent revamp of the national security apparatus in the subregion following the infiltration of bandits into areas.

The renewed effort to secure the zone, he said, came on the heels of the recent killing of 34 persons in an attack on Tungar Kafau and Gidan Wawa communities in Shinkafi Local Government Areas of Zamfara

President Buhari, who expressed sorrow over the renewed attacks extended his sympathies to the governments and people of Sokoto and Zamfara states and charged all stakeholders, made up of the federal security agencies and the states involved in drawing up the long-term strategic defence plan to begin its immediate implementation.

He said “Under the plan, states are joining the federal government in supporting the security and military operations by providing logistical support.

“States are providing additional vehicles in addition to those provided from the center. The federal government is establishing new forward operation bases and when all of these come together, the ongoing operations will be scaled up.




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/buhari-state-govts-working-end-north-insecurity-says-presidency/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised that members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who distinguished themselves during the 2019 general election will get automatic employment.

INEC says those who will participate in the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections scheduled for November will get the same reward.

INEC’s Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, spoke Monday in Abuja during the presentation of laptops and phones used by the European Election Observation Mission to 75 corps members who were selected by a panel of NYSC and EU delegation.


Read more here https://thickmatch.com/breaking-nysc-inec-announces-automatic-employment-corps-members/

My Role In Abacha’s Government Was For National Interest, Says Kingibe

Former running mate to late Moshood Abiola in the 1993 Presidential election, Babagana Kingibe has explained that his decision to take a role in the late military leader, General Sani Abachas regime, was for the national interest which he put above his personal feelings.

Kingibe made this known to journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, during a solidarity visit to Governor Babagana Umara on Sunday.

He said that his actions were in line with the teachings of the Muslim faith, which he professed that leadership comes from God which he accepted in good fate.

When we think of the collective good there are times when we have to sacrifice personal interest and join hands in rebuilding society and bringing peace and harmony to our people: I have addressed this issue of why did I join Abachas government and so on.

I know we won the elections on June 12, 1993, I know that injustice was done when those elections were annulled but there is always one guiding principle in my public life which is that the national interest supersedes any other consideration and all my actions have been informed by this consciousness of what is best in the national interest.

The former minister who is from Borno state said he was particularly happy with the magnitude of celebration that took place in his home state to mark the new democracy day, which signifies love and solidarity towards him as a son of the soil and a key player in the events of that year.

I dont think the celebration on the actual 12th of June 1993 was any greater than the celebration of the first democracy day on June 12; And for that I have to thank the Governor who gave the leadership, thank the people of Borno not only for celebrating June 12 as democracy day per se, but I know that they also had in mind that one of their own, their own son was also a critical player, I appreciate the confidence and love.

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.channelstv.com/2019/06/16/my-role-in-abachas-government-was-for-national-interest-says-kingibe/amp/

Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State has called on Nigerians to use the celebration of June 12 as a Democracy Day to promote unity and peaceful coexistence.

Oyetola made the call during a programme organised to celebrate the Democracy Day on Wednesday in Osogbo.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Gboyega Alabi, said the June 12 celebration should be regarded as a period of sober reflection on the selfless service and sacrifice made by past heroes to ensure that the country remained united and indivisible.



Oyetola said President Muhammadu Buhari had done Nigeria proud by declaring June 12 as the nation’s Democracy Day.

“Our President has done us proud. He has set a new agenda for socio-economic transformation of the country.

“The declaration of June 12 is an affirmation of the fact that the present administration believes so much in things that can promote unity and peace the country.

“As we are celebrating the maiden Democracy Day, we must do everything possible to strengthen the peaceful coexistence and unity of the nation” Oyetola said.

The governor also said that the state government was doing everything possible to nip in the bud all forms of criminality in the state.

“We are working round the clock to improve on the security architecture so as to make our security agencies more efficient and productive,” Oyetola said.

Meanwhile, human right activists in the state under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Groups thronged the streets of Osogbo, the state capital, to mark the June 12 celebration.

Mr. Waheed Lawal, the State Coordinator of Justice Now Foundation, while addressing the crowd hailed President Buhari for declaring June 12 a national holiday.

Lawal urged the President to declare MKO Abiola and Kingibe as ex-president and former vice-president.



Read more here https://thickmatch.com/june-12-buhari-done-us-gov-oyetola/

Failure to achieve a consensus among members-elect of the Adamawa State House of Assembly on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may cause the party its right to produce the speaker of the 7th session of the house scheduled for inauguration on (today) Wednesday, June 13.

The PDP, which has 13 members-elect will be in a slight majority over the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has 11 members-elect, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) which has one.

The PDP should, therefore, produce the speaker and other principal officers, but the party had four contenders who by press time on Tuesday, according to an inside source, were yet to agree to a consensus, unlike the APC which had narrowed the number of contenders in its fold to one.

The Speaker before last week when the House officially closed its 6th Session, Rt Hon Kabir Mijinyawa of the APC, is now APC’s sole aspirant to the position of speaker of the 7th Assembly, meaning that he is reasonably assured of the votes of himself and 10 other APC colleagues, unlike PDP’s four contenders who will divide the party’s 13 members in tiny sets.

The four PDP contenders: Hon Simon Isa from Song constituency, Aminu Abbas (Uba Gaya), Sajo Hamidu (Yola North) and Joseph Kwada (Michika) were up to press time said to be each striving and insisting on contesting for the job.

“This inability to achieve a consensus among the PDP members is dangerous for the party”, a source in the party noted, but said efforts were still on for influential non-member of the House to make the PDP stand as one.

“I understand that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri himself is in the picture and may meet with the contending forces sometime later today (June 13),” the source said.





Get more here https://thickmatch.com/adamawas-pdp-may-lose-house-speaker-opposition-apc/

Former Personal Assistant to the late Moshood Abiola, Chief Olu Akerele, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the renaming of the National Stadium after the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Akerele in a statement on Wednesday, said the renaming by Buhari would make the late politician happy in his grave, adding that MKO Abiola was a lover of sports

He further urged Nigerians to support Buhari’s second term, adding that no other head of state had honoured the late billionaire like the President.

The statement read: “Naming the National Stadium after MKO Abiola is commendable. Apart from MKO’S legendary philanthropy, another area where he excelled was in the sporting arena, which earned him the title of Pillar of Sports in Africa.

“President Buhari has truly proved himself as real ‘Daniel come to judgment’ by rewriting the historical roles played by MKO in almost all areas of national development, which some misguided former military officers tried to rubbish in the past 25 years!

“I’m sure that Abiola is happy and will be smiling in his grave now. He has not laboured in vain and his death has also not been without notice.

“President Buhari remains a hero we should encourage so that he would do more.

“Abiola was a lover of sports; the national stadium remained the best sporting monument to bear the late politician’s name.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/june-12-buhari-proved-real-hero-renaming-abuja-stadium-mko-abiola-akerele/

Prince Tony Momoh, a former Minister of Information, on Wednesday accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of reducing the late MKO Abiola to an “ethnic champion.”

According to him, Jonathan reduced MKO Abiola by renaming the University of Lagos (UNILAG), which is located in the South-West after him.

Momoh said this while commending President Muhammadu Buhari for renaming the National Stadium, Abuja after Abiola

He added that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was begged to name the stadium after Abiola when it was built in 2003 but he refused.

He told Independent: “I congratulate Nigerians and all of us who have always believed that Abiola was entitled to be remembered and renaming the National Stadium Abuja after him as Moshood Abiola National Stadium is a befitting monument to his memory. The stadium was built during the tenure of Obasanjo in 2003

“There was appeal by Nigerians to Obasanjo to name the stadium after MKO Abiola, but he refused to do it for reasons best known to him

“Jonathan on his part had an opportunity to name a monument after Abiola and he did by changing the name of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

“By doing this, he was localising the status of Abiola and in a way, ethnicising it. UNILAG is located in the South-West which is populated by the Yoruba, which is Abiola’s tribe

“So, it was inevitable that renaming UNILAG after Abiola will be interpreted as portraying Abiola as an ethnic champion, when as a matter of fact; Abiola won a national or presidential election in which all Nigerians voted. He even defeated Bashir Tofa his opponent in his polling booth.”

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, on Wednesday issued a two-day ultimatum for former commissioners, special assistants and other former political appointees to return all vehicles and properties that belong to government but are still in their possession.
Umahi issued the warning through a press statement signed by Mr Austin Udude, Permanent Secretary-designate in charge of Protocol, and forwarded to him
He charged the ex-commissioners and all other political appointees, who served in his last administration, to do themselves good by submitting the vehicles and other properties in their possession on or before Thursday, June 13, 2019.

According to him: “They are expected to submit the vehicles and other properties before Thursday, June 13, to the Permanent Secretary Designate Government House.”

The statement noted that it is a criminal offence for an appointee to vacate office and still retain government property.

“His Excellency the executive governor of the state, has not
authorised anybody to keep government’s vehicle or property. The affected officials should comply accordingly,” he stated.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/gov-umahi-issues-stern-warning-former-commissioners-appointees-ebonyi/

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has declared the agency has secured 1, 207 convictions in four years and five months.

He however stated the battle against corruption will get tougher as the nation moves to the Next Level.

According to him, the anti-corruption campaign has achieved more results under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him: “The convictions secured by the Commission since the beginning of this administration reflect a positive progression.

“In 2015 the Commission secured 103 convictions, 194 in 2016, 189 in 2017 and 312 in 2018. From January 2019 to date the Commission has secured over 406 convictions and recovered several assets worth billions of Naira.

“Despite this record, corruption remains a challenge in our country. I believe that the fight against corruption requires a multi-stakeholder approach.

“The private and public sectors are critical players in this regard and I am glad some state governors are taking steps to establish institutional mechanisms to fight corruption.

‘’However, institutional mechanisms alone will not eradicate corruption; we must have the passion and the will to make a difference.

“The business environment will never be sustainable if we remain sympathetic to the destructive act of corruption.

“Our captains of industries should strengthen their corporate governance policies to reflect practical anti-corruption principles. Thus, radical reforms are urgently needed for the business climate to attract foreign direct investments.”


Read more here https://thickmatch.com/efcc-secured-1207-convictions-four-years-says-magu/

good bye

Lovechisom55:
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the newly elected presiding officers of the 9th Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on their elections.

This was also as he appreciated his colleagues, constituents, and Nigerians for their support, noting that he had made his point.

Ekweremadu, who took to his social media handles after the inauguration of the Ninth Senate, said: “I congratulate the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan and my successor as Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on their elections.

“I specially appreciate my colleagues, who supported me as I vied for the office again to preserve the hallowedness and honour of the Senate and uphold equity as a priceless ingredient for building a Nigeria of our dreams.

“I have made my point and my colleagues have made their choice. It is now for us all to join hands across all divides to work for the success of the Ninth Senate and National Assembly as well as the peace and prosperity of our nation.

“I am deeply indebted in gratitude to the good people of Enugu West and well-meaning Nigerians, whose support and prayers have seen me this far. They can rest, assured that I will continue to give them quality representation”.

The former deputy senate president was defeated in a contest against Omo-Agege on Tuesday for the Deputy Senate President’s role.




See more here https://thickmatch.com/made-point-ekweremadu-congratulates-lawan-omo-agege/

Senator Ali Ndume on Tuesday pledged to work with the newly elected Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and his deputy, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Speaking immediately after the election, which he lost to Lawan, the Borno South Senator said that he will work with Lawan in the interest of the country.

He described Lawan as a well experienced lawmaker, who is four years ahead of him.

He explained that he happily went into the election for the position of Senate President in line with democratic norms.

Ndume expressed optimism that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not see his action as a rebellion but as an act to deepen democracy in the country.

He asserted that his action made the election of Senate President credible.

Ndume said: “Ahmed Lawan is my brother who is well experienced having been here four years ahead of me.

“I will give him all the necessary supports. I insisted on contesting against him in order to deepen democracy.

“I hope the party would agree with me that what I did was in the interest of democracy and I do know that power belongs to God. It’s God’s will that my colleague becomes the President.

“I will do all I can with others for him to succeed because his success is our success.”

Ndume was the main challenger to Lawan in election that Senator Ahmed Lawan won 79 votes.

For Ndume, election time is over.


See more here https://thickmatch.com/breaking-ndume-pledges-work-lawan/

The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) has advised Nigerians to shun investing in visa lotteries, warning that such schemes are scams.
NAPTIP’s Director (Intelligence) Public Enlightenment, Orakwue Arinze, made the call while briefing journalists at a one-day international conference on illegal migration and trafficking in persons conference, organised by the Nigerian Young Professional Forum, on Tuesday in Abuja.

He, however, decried inadequate funding of the educational sector in the country, attributing it to why Nigerians patronise visa lotteries and indulge in illegal migration.

To avoid scams and issues associated with such lotteries, the agency admonished those craving to go abroad by all means not to patronise visa lottery advertorials.

“I want state governors to invest more on education; free functional and accessible platform for quality teaching and learning.
“Any child that is out of the umbrella of educational protection can be picked by anybody.

“There is no visa lottery anywhere; it is a scam Nigerians should stop investing in it.

“You see that thing called visa lottery, please run away; there is nothing of such.

“America visa lottery stopped a long time; there is no Canadian visa lottery, it is not in existence.

“To arrest anyone is not our priority response.

“The arrest is to educate Nigerians that those things are lies and scams,” he said.


Read more here https://thickmatch.com/naptip-warns-nigerians-visa-lotteries/

Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday prayed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar against his Feb. 23 re-election.

Buhari made the prayer through his Counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, in a motion adopted and argued on Tuesday before Justice Mohammed Garba-led five-man panel in Abuja.
Olanipekun submitted that the petition was fundamentally defective, adding that his client won the presidential “square and clear’’.

He explained that the allegations advanced by the petitioners were mere theoretical assumptions that could not stand the test of critical legal debate.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tribunal also entertained the president’s motion that sought to effect amendment on the identities and addresses of counsel representing him.
Another of Buhari’s application seeking to mandate the tribunal to entertain all interlocutory motions before the commencement of proper hearing of the main petition was also adopted and argued.

Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition brought by PDP and Atiku against a “flawless’’ election that won by Buhari.

Mr Yunus Usman, SAN, Counsel for INEC said that the electoral commission would standby the declaration of the second respondent (Buhari) as winner of the Fbe.23 presidential election.

Usman said the petition challenging the outcome of the exercise was “misguided’’, adding that the allegations of fraud made against the electoral body was “mischievous’’.
NAN reports that INEC’s application is challenging the jurisdiction and competence of the tribunal to entertain the petition.

Usman further urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition as the petitioners failed to include the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as a co-winner in the election.



“ The failure of the PDP and Atiku to include Osinbajo’s name as party should not be overlooked because whatever affects the president affects his running mate,’’ Usman said.
NAN also reports that three other interlocutory motions filed by the All Progressive Congress were argued and dispensed with.

Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Counsel for the APC had urged the tribunal to strike out 18 paragraphs of the petition with frivolous assumptions among other prayers.

He submitted that the competence of the petition was questionable, adding that it would soon become a mere “lame duck’’.

Meanwhile, Dr Levi Uzoukwu, SAN, Counsel for the petitioners prayed the tribunal to discountenance all the arguments canvassed by the respondents, describing INEC’s position in the matter as “unusual”.
The presiding judge, therefore, fixed June 13 for the petitioners’ motions to be heard.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/atiku-vs-buhari-happened-court-tuesday/

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad has congratulated Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe North on his emergence as the Senate President.

Lawan Tuesday was declared winner of the election to the office of the Senate President of the 9th National Assembly after he polled the highest number of votes.

This followed a hitch-free election on Tuesday at the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly.

The election, which was presided by Mohammed Ataba-Omolori, saw the Yobe Senator scoring 79 votes after ballots sorting.

Reacting in a tweet, Ahmaad congratulated Lawan and thanked Senators for voting.

Ahmad on his Twitter page wrote: “Sen. Ahmed Lawan: 79, Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume: 28

“Thank you our friends from the other side.”



See more here https://thickmatch.com/9th-assembly-buharis-aide-reacts-lawan-emerges-senate-president/

Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade is set to be replaced as the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, SSG.

According to a government house source on Monday, the SSG needs to vacate her position following the re-election of Prince Mathew Kolawole as the 13th speaker of the State Assembly.
It was gathered that Kolawole, who is from Kabba Bunu and the SSG ( Yagba East), are from the same region hence the need for another part of the state to occupy that position.

The source further confirmed that the SSG will be replaced by a former APC aspirant for Lokoja/Koton Federal Constituency, Alhaji Seidu Akao Salihu,

“The State exco is still deliberating on who will replace the SSG. But from all indication, she will be removed. From the look of things, she will be compensated with the position of a Senior Special Assistant to the governor.

“The SSG has tried for this government and also this government has done well for her by appointing her into this juicy position. I believe when the governor returns back to the State, it will be officially communicated to the public ” the source hinted.

Just last week, some party faithful from Lokoja/Kogi/Koton Karfe have allegedly accused the Gov. Bello-led APC government of neglecting their people in the appointment of people into juicy offices in his cabinet.

The President of Lokoja/Kogi advocacy for good governance, Comrade Ibrahim Haruna, in an interview with newsmen last week, said that the exclusion of a section of the state in governance is the “mother of all corruption”.
Haruna said that all well meaning Kogites, especially the people of Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency, irrespective of their ethnic and other considerations, have been supportive of the APC administration, but wondered why the party leadership are neglecting a people whose votes brought them to power.

“But the truth is that corruption stares us in the face on a daily basis, especially with regards to exclusion and disregard to the plights of our people in a matter they are supposed to be key players. I don’t want to talk much, but that is my position. What we are seeing now is the mother of all battle against our people,” he declared.


See more here https://thickmatch.com/gov-bello-moves-replace-kogi-ssg-shops-appointee/

The ninth Plateau State House of Assembly has elected Hon. Abok Ayuba, a 33-year-old 500-level student of Law at the University of Jos, as its speaker.

Ayuba was elected on Monday at the Assembly’s inaugural sitting.

The newly-elected Speaker, who represents Jos East constituency, was unanimously elected by members without subjecting it through electoral process.

The election followed a nomination by the member representing Jos North-North constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Baba-Hassan, and was seconded by member representing Jos North-West constituency, Hon. Esther Simi Dusu.

Similarly, the Assembly re-elected the immediate past deputy, Hon. Salleh Yipmong, representing Dengi constituency as its Deputy Speaker.

In his acceptance speech, the newly-elected Speaker thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed on him and promised not to fail them.

Ayuba assured fellow members that his leadership will not discriminate based on tribe, religious, gender or political affiliations.

“As speaker of this noble assembly, I promise to serve with the fear of God, trust and humility,” he stressed.


Get more here https://thickmatch.com/plateau-9th-assembly-elects-33-year-old-final-year-student-speaker/