₦airaland Forum

The Arewa Youth Federation has dissociated itself from the call for revolution, advising youths from the region against allowing themselves to be used. The group said the call was against a democratically elected government, saying “activism is not madness and must be done within acceptable standards.”

Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, the president of the group, Adamu Kabir Matazu, said: “We commend the Department of State Services (DSS) for their prompt arrest and detention of Omoyele Sowore and we call on the DSS to investigate his connection with Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB and their known collaborators in Nigeria should immediately be arrested for questioning because we suspect they were hired to destabilize our country by some foreign interests or some faceless politicians who lost out in the last general election.

“We also want to warn those misguided youths that are in league with Sowore to desist from this madness and shouldn’t allow themselves to be used or hoodwinked by people who no longer have stake in Nigeria. They need to understand that activism is not madness and we are ready to counter-march them fire for fire and we can go to any length to defend our emerging democracy against any individual, groups or foreign interests who want to serve as agent of instability in our nation.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dont-allow-yourselves-to-be-used-arewa-youths.html

The Presidency yesterday told promoters of revolution that regime change cannot be effected without election, saying days of revolutions and coups are over. A group known as Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria plans a “revolution” march today with the aim of bringing “regime change.”

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu in a statement said President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration respect and uphold the right of every Nigerian to peaceful protest and civil campaign- whether to raise awareness on issues, and even oppose the government.

“It is the inalienable right of all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do so. “There is, however, a difference between peaceful call to protest and incitement for a revolution. “The organisation championing this planned action is not fronted by any serious public faces. We call on the sponsors and organisers to have the decency to come forward and make their identity known – out of respect to all Nigerians – so that Nigerians can be fully aware in whose name this “revolution” is being proposed and who the beneficiaries may be.

“Less than six months ago, Nigeria held simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections. Both contests were won resoundingly by President Muhammadu Buhari and his All-Progressives Congress party. The campaign was observed, and results were confirmed by international election monitoring groups and observers.

The result was even contested by the losing presidential candidate and his party in Court,” he said. He said the ballot box was the only constitutional means of changing government and a president in Nigeria. “The days of coups and revolutions are over,” he said. He said those making the “revolution’’ call hide behind the veil of social media modernity.

“But without revealing the identity of their sponsors this shadowy campaign is no better, and no more democratic, than the days of old. “The President calls on all those who seek to use and hide behind everyday citizens to attain power through undemocratic and violent means, which has been alluded, to come out clearly and be identified.

“They should lead their march in person. Only then will they begin to have the right to call themselves leaders before the people of Nigeria,” he said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-to-protesters-era-of-coups-revolutions-over.html

No fewer than 3,000 people have been rendered homeless as flood submerged more than 66 houses in Orsu Obodo in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State since last Friday. The flood followed three days of torrential downpour in the state.

Among the displaced were women, children and the elderly. One of the victims, who simply gave her name as Regina, said the residents had gone to bed on Friday night while it was raining heavily without any inkling that the river was going to overflow the bank. “We were still in bed when the water started rushing into our homes and in less than 30 minutes, the whole place was covered by water. “We could barely savage our property as we tried to save our lives first; we were not expecting such misfortune because our farms are submerged as well,” she said.

Speaking on the incident, the lawmaker representing Oguta state constituency, Frank Ugboma, called for urgent intervention from relevant government authorities to resettle the displaced persons and alleviate their plights. The lawmaker, who visited the flooded community to ascertain the level of havoc wrecked by the flood, expressed regret over the incident and urged the state government to provide immediate succour for the displaced people.

“This is the constituency I am representing; our land is a flood prone area but I assure my people that I will surely present this problem to the floor of the house”, he said. The lawmaker appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for its intervention in providing relief materials and other assistance to the flood victims.

The Head of Imo/Abia operations office of NEMA, Mr Evans Ugoh, while speaking on the incident, urged government to muster political courage to demolish some houses built on the waterways in the area. He confirmed that about 60 houses were submerged.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-over-60-houses-submerged-in-flood-as-3000-people-become-homeless.html

*Call for migration to modern agric system

Eminent Nigerians arose from a 2-day roundtable meeting on Tuesday iMinna, Niger state with a call on the federal government to adopt dialogue in conflict management rather than over reliance on the military.

In a communiqué read by former Military Governor of Rivers state, General Anthony Ukpo, participants at the roundtable agreed that every part of Nigeria is bedevilled by one form of extreme violence or the other with increasing erosive effects on the Nigerian state. It said recourse to military option to conflict management often resulted in the escalation of crisis in the face of glaring deficits in personnel and equipment to fight asymmetric warfare. It equally advocated for the establishment of a National Mediation Council and Mediation Centres at the state level to foster peaceful coexistence and inter-group harmony.

The meeting supports the migration to modern agriculture systems by crop and livestock farmers in order to boost profits and encourage economic transformation. “The role of the military should be limited to defending Nigeria and not doing police jobs as now witnessed all over the country. The police and related paramilitary organizations should be better trained for playing their traditional roles,” it said. It said that Nigeria needs to accelerate the process of recruitment of additional security personnel, especially the police in which the numbers are inadequate for even normal policing work.

The forum also advised federal and state governments to ensure clear separation of religion and the state as stipulated in the 1999 constitution adding that they should adhere to the rule of law in addressing issues of religion and security. In his closing remarks, the convener of the roundtable and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to keep the country together in peace and harmony.

He advised Nigerians to always obey the laws of the land and avoid unnecessary hate speeches that could escalate conflicts in the nation. He assured that the recommendations of the forum would be forwarded to appropriate authorities for implementation and thanked participants for their patriotism in proffering solutions to the problems confronting the nation. He said that invited participants who could not attend the roundtable will be invited for another forum adding that dialogue is a continuous process in peace building and conflict resolution.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/insecurity-eminent-nigerians-call-for-establishment-of-dialogue-council.html

The Federal Government has designed compulsory competence assessment training for all civil servants in the country to authenticate their qualifications, effectiveness and suitability in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs). The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita has said this at the formal launch of Redesigned Training Modules on Structured Mandatory Assessment -Based Training Programme (SMART-P) and Leadership, Enhancement Advancement Development Programme (LEAD-P) yesterday in Abuja.

Oyo-Ita said without such trainings Nigerian workers may lack requisite skills to drive the economy and sustain the ongoing reforms, conceived to repositioning the Civil Service. According to her, the compulsory trainings that will come in different modules have been designed in an adult-friendly way to arouse interest in all cadres of the service and also achieve the desired results; and that the training modules are filled with contents that are mere routine and academic as they were not based on the real work place requirements. “Despite the series of training programmes going on across the service, civil servants still lack the requisite knowledge and skills required for their jobs.

In most cases, training modules are filled with contents that are mere routine and academic as they were not based on the real work place requirements,” Oyo-Ita said. She said while there have been trainings in the civil service over the years; such trainings were not tailored to build in workers the relevant skills required to drive the economy.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-to-probe-qualifications-competency-of-workers.html

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President Muhammadu Buhari is considering assigning the Defence portfolio to the Kano-born Major-General Salihi Magashi (rtd), a ministerial nominee with vast military experience and who held many senior command positions while serving in the Nigerian Army, Daily Trust on Sunday has gathered. Buhari, last week, forwarded the names of 43 ministerial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation as ministers. A total of 31 nominees have been screened by the lawmakers, with three billed to face the lawmakers on Tuesday.

Even though no portfolios were attached to the nomination sent to the Senate, the senators grilled them based on their professions, working experiences/previous positions they held, among others. Sources around the president said Magashi who was asked questions on security issues, including infighting among service chiefs, is likely to head the Ministry of Defence. The president’s likely choice for the Defence job, Magashi, who is the only retired Army general among the 43 ministerial nominees, was screened on Thursday.

Barring any delay, sources said the cabinet may be inaugurated on Wednesday as the Senate had announced that the screening of the nominees would be concluded on Tuesday. It was further gathered that immediately after the conclusion of the screening, the senators will confirm the 43 nominees and communicate same to the president same day. So far, 31 out of the nominees have been screened. Nine out of the 12 remaining nominees have been penciled down for screening tomorrow (Monday) while the last three will have theirs on Tuesday morning. It is expected that the federal cabinet would be expanded to accommodate the 43 nominees.

In 2015, there were 36 ministers. Fourteen of them were junior ministers. At the moment, there are 23 ministries, namely, Trade and Investment, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Budget and National Planning, Labour and Employment, Agriculture, Education, Power Works and Housing, Niger Delta and Petroleum. There are also ministries of Science and Technology, Health, Solid Minerals, Foreign Affairs, Environment, Water Resources, Transportation, Aviation, Justice, Information and Culture, Communications, Youth and Sports, Women Affairs and Defence.

Uchechukwu Ogah, who is the Abia State nominee, is likely to be assigned to the Ministry of Petroleum based on his background and exposure. Ogah, who is the president of Master Energy Group and a former banker, was grilled on the oil and gas and the banking sectors when he appeared for screening on Wednesday. It is believed that the president may name him as the minister of state for petroleum.

Muhammadu Musa Bello (Adamawa) is most likely to return back to the FCT Ministry. When he appeared before the Senate, he pleaded to be allowed to take a bow and go, thus he wasn’t asked any question. Credible sources around the president said the return of the former chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to FCT ministry is as “sure as daylight.”

Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Kaduna), like Bello, is likely going back to the Ministry of Finance where she held sway after Kemi Adeosun left unceremoniously in 2018, following the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate scandal. An accountant by profession, Zainab was not grilled when she appeared before the Senate on gender ground. In 2015, she was the Minister of State for Budget and Planning. If she is not assigned to Finance Ministry, she may go to the Budget and Planning.

Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, is said to be considered for the Ministry of Niger Delta. Until his defection to the APC in 2018, he was the minority leader of the Senate. His efforts to return to the Senate would soon be determined by the court. He is likely to replace Usani Usani (Cross River) as the Minister of Niger Delta. Sequel to the tradition of the Senate, after a brief remarks, he took a bow and left during his screening.

Dr Chris Ngige (Anambra), a medical doctor and former state governor, who was described as Igbo leader when he appeared before the Senate, is likely to retain his ministry. To the Presidency, Ngige’s performance in the ministry was satisfactory, thus he may be reassigned there. Another source said he may likely be moved to Health or Works ministry. Sharon O.

Ikeazor (Anambra), a lawyer and the current executive secretary of the Pension Transitional Administration Directorate (PTAD), could become the Minister of State for Justice or Finance. Adamu Adamu (Bauchi), the immediate past Minister of Education, is most likely to return to that position.

However, being an accountant in whom the president has much trust and was in charge of the APC campaign funds, he could become the finance minister. At the Senate on Wednesday, he was asked questions on education, corruption war of the president, among others.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-buhari-will-assign-ministerial-portfolios.html

Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, on Monday confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has paid the balance of N30.8 billion bailout fund earlier requested to the state government account. Bello disclosed this at the Government House, Lokoja while delivering an address during the ground-breaking ceremony for the building of a chapel for Christians within the premises of the Kogi Government House.

Daily Trust reports that the administration of former governor Idris Wada had applied for a bailout of N50.8 to offset salaries of workers but the money was not released to him on alleged ground of political intrigues in the build up to the 2015 Kogi governorship election.

The CBN eventually released N20 billion of the amount to Governor Bello upon assuming office in 2016 leaving the balance of N30.8 billion which was just released to the governor. Bello thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the latest request for bailout as well as the CBN governor for ensuring the release. He also commended the Attah of Igala for leading traditional leaders to the president to make case for release of the fund.

“At this juncture, let me announce that we have our bailout of N30.8billion in our account”, he said. He said his administration would continue to prioritise education, saying, “We believe strongly that in education, and especially basic education, lies the quickest route to redemption of the North from today’s existential problems”.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bail-out-fund-bello-confirms-release-of-n30-8bn-to-kogi.html

Congratulations sir

hmmm

OBJ bro

The General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Bulama Biu, has asked Boko Haram insurgents to give peace a chance. Speaking Saturday at the Command Guest House in Maiduguri, Borno State, at a grand reception in his honour over his accelerated promotion, he said: “I call on Boko Haram members to give peace a chance and lay down their arms and come back home so that they can be reintegrated back to the society as there are many opportunities for them.

They can aspire to become what they want to become. They can even aspire to become president of this country.

“We are not going to be detracted by the activities of Boko Haram terrorist and their collaborators. “This war is a must-win the war, there is no development without peace as Borno deserves peace, northeast deserves peace and Nigeria at large deserves peace.”

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara, represented by his deputy, Usman Kadafur, said the state remained indebted to the military for bringing peace back to the state “and our heart will continue to be with those that paid the supreme price to ensure that peace comes back to our land.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/goc-to-b-haram-give-peace-a-chance.html

good one

hmmm

A famous Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has lost his daughter, Maryam Ahmad Gumi, Daily Trust has learnt. She died on Monday in Abuja after battling with sickle cell anemia. According to Malam Tukur Mamu, who made the announcement on behalf of the family, the late Maryam will be buried today after Zuhur prayers.

He noted that her funeral prayer will take place at the residence of the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi.
Mamu said Maryam had been battling with the sickness since before the commencement of the just concluded Ramadan. He prayed that Allah grant her peace and admit her into Aljanatu Firdausi.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-famous-islamic-scholar-sheikh-gumi-losses-daughter.html

have killed dozens of children in two months in the area. Most of the victims are children from 2 – 3 years old, according to locals in the area. The villagers told our reporter that they did not know the actual cause of the outbreak that kills their children on daily basis.

Daily Trust gathered that the outbreak, which began in May, led to the death of about a hundred children, according to the village head, Alhassan Hamidu. He said most of the children were buried without being taken to hospital because there was no functional hospital in the remote village. The village head appealed to the government to come to their rescue and save their children from dying. “We are really disturbed because the children kept dying. As we speak today [Sunday], we buried three children and this thing started two months ago.

We are appealing to government to come and help us,” he said. ‎One of the parents, Multala Al’usari, who lost his one and half year old Daughter, Zainab, told our reporter that the people in the community were now afraid as they were not sure if measles were responsible for the death of the children. “We all thought it was measles that is killing our children and so we rushed to inform the Local Government health officers but they didn’t visit us until the situation became worse and we don’t even have a functional Primary Health Care centre in the village. “Let me tell you, since the outbreak in May, we have so far lost about hundred children in the village because hardly a day passes by without us burying four children. Most of these children are of age 2-3 years old.

“We are all worried because the whole thing looks strange to us. My daughter was among the victims and she started running temperature before she died,” he said. The Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Ado Zakari, confirmed the outbreak but said the figures quoted of the dead children were not as high as the locals mentioned.

He promised to get official figures as he said already, a team from the ministry had been sent to the community to make assessment. “The figure was not up to that but we have already sent a team to the community for assessment. We have taken some support to the area but it’s not enough.

This is why I will join the team tomorrow to see for myself. “So, we are aware of it and we are already taking action because the measles have been going on in some local governments in the state. But I will be there myself and will let you know whatever it is,” he said

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-measles-kill-dozens-of-children-in-kaduna-community-in-two-months.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the killing of 37 persons by bandits in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Commiserating with the victims of the attacks, the government and people of Sokoto State, the President vowed to respond fiercely against “these brutal and remorseless enemies of humanity.”

“This frequent and large scale killings of poor villagers by gangs of mass murderers must be met with the fiercest force the government can mobilise,” Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, quoted the President as saying. He announced that troops had been deployed to the affected areas and aerial security measures put in place.

“The Police commissioner as well as the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has since visited the affected local government area, Goronyo. “The Presidency is consulting with states racked by this tit-for-tat violent attacks with a view to complementing the security measures being put in place by getting the communities to dialogue with one another. “The results we are getting from Zamfara State where this sort of engagement is ongoing at the instance of the local authorities working with the police and other security agencies are very encouraging.

“Other states in the federation where there are similar security challenges are encouraged to emulate Zamfara in the hope that the solution to the problems will be found,” he said. He said the Buhari Administration will continue to encourage dialogue and disarmament of communities and bandits, but will not tolerate any situation where the spirit of ceasefire is made a mockery of by continued violence against innocent people.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-condemns-sokoto-killings-plans-new-security-measures.html

RUGA issues forever gone...

Experts say building ‘not handled by pros’ It was dark. The dust was choking, and oxygen was depleting. But for Khamis Kabiru Nalele, who was buried under tonnes of concrete and steel, that was the least of his worries. To his right lay motionless his pregnant elder sister Amina. A little further ahead, he heard his father’s slow but deep moans, and urged him to stay awake. “I could only hear the sounds my father made. My elder sister Amina and I were together in a section of the drugstore when the building came crashing on us,” said Khamis, 17, a survivor of the three-storey building that collapsed on Butcher Line, Monday in Jos North LGA of Plateau State.

Khamis had been rescued from the rubble when a combined team of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nigerian Red Cross, security agents, and residents pulled him out, almost six hours after the incident. But his sister Amina, who managed the pharmacy, and his father Kabiru Nalele, who had gone to supervise some repairs on the building, had died, entombed in the rubble alongside ten others.

At the time he was rescued, Khamis was hyperventilating, insisting the rescue workers reach out for his father and sister instead. But knowing the other two could not be saved, rescue workers had prioritised Khami’s rescue, after which he was rushed to the hospital. By Tuesday afternoon, when search-and-rescue operations ended, NEMA announced that 12 people had been killed, with four injured, following the collapse of the building which belonged to Rufai Nalele, Alhaji Kabiru’s son. While the ground floor of the building had served as a pharmacy, the three top floors were residential apartments occupied by members of the Nalele family.

Khamis told Daily Trust Saturday that labourers had been invited to fix cracks, adding that they had informed the family that by removing a particular glass window, the surrounding wall within the Pharmacy was going to crack. “But we didn’t know it was the entire building that would crack, and shortly after they removed the window and stepped out, while another man was fixing the door, the building crashed down. It was sudden; I didn’t hear the warning signs.

I just found myself pressed down by a heavy object,” he said. For neighbouring houses, however, the sound had been thunderous, and dust had clouded the area for over an hour, as youths trawled through the debris, using bare hands and small tools, mostly uncoordinated, but determined to break pathways in search of survivors. Maryam Aminu Bako, a neighbour to the Naleles, said: “I heard the sound and immediately peeped through my window when I saw the building coming down.”

During the search-and-rescue, and while Khamis drifted in and out of consciousness, he said his father’s phone rang constantly, and as his hands wondered in the rubble, he found the phone and reached to the outside world, alerting rescue workers that indeed there were survivors in the rubble. “I could hear the chaos all over, the sounds as they tried to dig us out,” he said. Though the teen told Daily Trust Saturday that he was still trying to make sense of the entire incident, he has been certified fit and has returned home, to mourn his lost family members.

The late Kabiru’s younger brother, Alhaji Habibu Lawal Nalele, said the house belonged to Kabiru’s son, Rufai Nalele but Kabiru, the family patriarch who lived around Mango Street had gone there with some labourers to fix the cracks on the building. “He had gone there with his two sons, Rufai and Abdulrahman. But shortly after, the two left the father and others in the building before it collapsed. From what I gathered, Kabiru had also stepped out and returned shortly before the building came down,” he said.

Kabiru had died alongside two of his children, Amina and Safiya, while Rufai had lost two of his sons and a wife. “Others we lost include our elder brother’s daughter and all in all, the Nalele family lost eight people. There was also a drug company rep that died, and a female customer.” But what followed was outrage at the seemingly poor professional judgement in building storey buildings within Jos metropolis. The incident had led to a social media campaign championed by youths to identify and call the attention of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) to mark and demolish seemingly ambitious but poorly constructed buildings.

Though many had claimed the Nalele building was originally an old structure in which three additional floors were constructed on top, Habibu Nalele, the deceased’s younger brother said the building was barely three years old and that his brother had demolished the old structure before he reconstructed the building. He however confessed that he believed the cracks from the building were responsible for the collapse.

Governor Simon Bako Lalong’s declaration for the JMDB and the Ministry of Lands and Survey to move from street to street with security agents to identify and mark for demolition buildings that were not properly structured was backed with action on Thursday morning when another poorly-structured building was brought down by authorities. A weak part of the two-storey building complex located at Mango Street had already caved in a week before, but shop occupants on the ground floor had been undeterred and continued to occupy the building despite the imminent danger.

By Wednesday evening, our correspondent observed the shop owners evacuating their goods having received an eviction notice from JMDB which was backed by a demolition action the next morning.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cracks-heralded-building-collapse-that-claimed-12-in-jos.html

RIP

Good for them

The tenure of incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State ends on January 26, 2020. In view of that, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the governorship election on November 16, 2019. According to the timetable, the notice of election is to be out on August 17, 2019, collection of forms CF001, CF002 by political parties at the INEC headquarters is scheduled for August 18 while conduct of party primaries including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries have been scheduled between August 18 and September 5. Commencement of campaigns by political parties is scheduled for August 18 while the last day for campaigns is November 14. Though the election comes up in November, intrigues and permutations among political gladiators are already high.

A lot of underground consultations with party delegates and other stakeholders are ongoing ahead of the primaries which would determine the flag bearers of the various political parties. Some campaign posters, billboards and banners have started springing up in Lokoja, the state capital and other parts of the state, especially within the strongholds of the various gladiators.

Yahaya Bello, who has declared interest to seek a second term under the platform of the APC, will be slugging it out with other contenders at the primaries and perhaps, at the main election if he succeeds in picking his party’s ticket. However, the immediate hurdle before the governor is how to secure the party ticket, given that some gladiators have indicated interest in it, amid concerns about alleged moves by some forces at the national leadership of the party to deny him the ticket.

Those jostling to wrestle the ticket from Bello include a former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Jibrin Usman (rtd), a former Director General of Nigerian Space Agency, Prof Seidu Mohammed Ogah, a brother of late Abubakar Audu, Prince Yahaya Audu and a sports administrator, Sani Lulu. Ahead of the primaries, one major issue dominating the political space in the state is the modalities to be adopted in the conduct of the primaries of the APC.

While the APC executives and some party stakeholders who are believed to be loyal to the governor have agreed to adopt indirect primary, other stakeholders, particularly the other aspirants and their supporters, want the direct primary method where all party members would decide who becomes the party’s flag bearer.

Their argument is that the indirect primary method would give the governor an “undue advantage” over other aspirants. But Bello has said he is not perturbed by whatever method adopted, saying he is confident of clinching the party’s ticket at the end of the day.

The governor while addressing State House correspondents in Abuja recently, said, “I am the governor today and Insha Allah, l will return as governor for another four years after the November 16 election. As for the ticket, the analogy is that the tenant cannot send the landlord out of his house. So, APC in Kogi State was rebuilt by me, after the good job done by our late leader, Prince Abubakar Audu”.

In an effort to brighten his chances at the primaries and perhaps gain more grounds ahead of the main election, the governor recently embarked on some reconciliatory moves with some estranged stakeholders in the party. He was also at the Aso Villa recently with some traditional rulers from the state who told President Muhammadu Buhari that they were in support of Bello’s second term bid. Should Bello succeed in picking the APC ticket, his major opponent would arguarbly be whoever emerges flag bearer of the main opposition PDP. No fewer than 30 aspirants are seeking to fly the PDP flag in the election.

Among the motley crowd of aspirants in the PDP are a former governor, Capt. Idris Wada, his brother, Engr. Musa Wada, Senator Dino Melaye, security expert, Dr. Joseph Erico Ameh, a businessman and son of former governor Ibrahim Idris, Abubakar Idris, a Quantity Surveyor, Aminu Suleiman, a former Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly , Emma Omebije, a former Commissioner for Health and erstwhile President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Idris Omede, another former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Aliyu Aku and a former bank executive, Dr Victor Alewo Adoji.

The permutation is that the PDP will pick its flag bearer from Kogi East Senatorial District (Igalaland) which has the largest voting population in the state. Bello, who is of the minority from Kogi Central Senatorial District, might be facing a fierce contest and no doubt, needs to work harder to emerge victorious at the poll if he eventually picks the APC ticket. The majority Igala, who lost the grip of power in the state after many years of political dominance following the sudden death of Prince Abubakar Audu who was already coasting home to victory in the November 2015 governorship election, are said to be doing all they can to retake power.

It will however not be a tea party to wrestle power from Bello who will be leveraging on the power of incumbency, financial muscle, retinue of political appointees, support groups, state/National Assembly lawmakers and other political stakeholders who would be working to brighten his chances. The outcome of the last election in which the APC won the presidential election, clinched seven of the nine House of Reps seats, two of the three senate seats and won all the 25 state assembly seats, may have given some ray of hope to the governor.

But that notwithstanding, one major factor that will determine his chances is his ability to handle the thorny issue of workers’ salaries and pensioners who are currently being owed some arrears. His leadership style and overall performance in terms of providing the needed socio-economic and infrastructure development during his first term would go a long way in determining his chances.

In the final analysis, the power to decide who becomes the next governor of Kogi State after the November 16 election ultimately lies with the people.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kogi-2019-bellos-chances-in-november-poll.html

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State, says his administration has no problem with implementation of the new national minimum wage for workers. Masari gave the assurance on Friday, when he received the new leadership of the state chapter of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). He said that the government would look into the guidelines when released and work with the state allocation to ensure implementation.

The governor, however, called for upward review of states’ revenue from the Federation Account to accommodate the new N30, 000 minimum wage. “When the guidelines are ready, the NLC leadership in the state will be invited to ascertain the new salary structure for the workforce. “Sincerely, I do not have problem with the new minimum wage, you know how much is being given to the states and local government councils,” he said. Also unveiling further plans aimed at citizens’ welfare, the governor said the administration would revamp the state Water Board to tackle water scarcity confronting residents.

“The government had upgraded Ajiwa Dam, we are now working on the treatment plant and we have changed two new pumps. “We are building another treatment plant so that we can have adequate water supply for residents.’’ Earlier, the NLC Chairman, Mr Hussaini Hamisu, told Masari that they were in Government House to introduce themselves as the newly elected officials of the union. Hamisu spoke on the need for urgent implementation of the new national minimum wage by the state government.

He urged the government to centralise payment of salary of Katsina State Water Board employees. He also urged the governor to consider appointing one of the union members as Special Adviser on Labor Matters. (NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-have-no-problem-with-minimum-wage-implementation-gov-masari.html

The Republic of Korea, through its grant aid and technical cooperation agency, Korea International Cooperation Agency, (KOICA), has organised a three-year training programme for 45 Nigerian police personnel. The training titled “Strengthening the Capacity of Nigeria Police Force in Forensic Training” is expected to start from 2019 to 2022, with annual participation of 15 officers undertaking a 3-week course in Seoul, Korea, a statement by KOICA said.

The statement said the Korean Ambassador, Major-Gen. Lee In-Tae (rtd.) stressed the importance of national security to economic advancement. Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu commended KOICA for supporting the Nigeria Police in critical security areas.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/korea-to-train-45-police-on-forensic-investigation.html

Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria yesterday in Lagos protested the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky. They asked the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to tell President Muhammadu Buhari to release their leader. The protesters, led by the IMN’s coordinator for the southwest, Muftau Zakariya, besieged the popular traffic intersection in Maryland/ Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way along the Ikorodu Road.

“We are ready to die if our leader is not released. If they are ready to kill us, we have 21 million lives to offer. I know that they do not have 21 million bullets to shoot at us. It is true that there are 21 million shiites in Nigeria and if they kill our leader, which country will they have to rule by 2023.

“Buhari got to the office because the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, assisted him. It was Tinubu that started the movement and spent his money to ensure that the party assumed power. “So, we are calling on Tinubu to talk to the president, who is a member of his party, to free our leader. If he allows the president to continue to kill our members, there will not be Nigeria in 2023.” The sect’s members in Abuja and Kaduna also yesterday carried out a similar protest.

In Kaduna, the protest started around 2pm at Jos road and spread to Kano and Kontagora roads around the Kaduna Central Market. When the news of the protest spread, people started running for their lives as shop owners hurriedly closed out of fear.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/shiites-to-tinubu-tell-buhari-to-release-zakzaky.html

chai! buhari why?

hmmm

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says though the armed forces have effectively contained the territorial ambitions of the Boko Haram terrorists by substantially degrading their capacity to attack and wreak havoc, the sect remains intent on shedding blood and sowing fear. According to the vice president, “There is also the threat of the Islamic State of West Africa Province ISWAP in the Lake Chad Islands and parts of Southern Borno.”

He spoke yesterday as the reviewing officer at the passing-out-parade of 187 Direct Short Service cadets of Course 28/2019 at the Nigerian Air Force Military Training Centre, Kaduna. “Also, more often, these days, these insurgents are focusing on soft targets, opportunistic attacks on isolated military units as well as on increasingly sophisticated propaganda aimed at making them out to be more organized and lethal than they really are,” Osinbajo said.

He said disunity could undermine present and future efforts towards creating a secured country, urging Nigerians to disregard all those preaching narratives of divisions along ethnic and religious lines. He said: “We must resist all who try to destroy our present gains and in particular our future. The future of our country is bright; all we need to do is to keep focused not to allow anyone to preach any division amongst us. If we remain stable and united, everything that we desire for our great country will be ours.

” He noted that the graduating cadets were passing out at a time the nation was grappling with insurgency in the northeast as well as kidnapping and armed banditry in other parts of the country. “You will therefore have come to terms with the fact that the days and weeks and months ahead of you will be extremely busy, as you fulfil your responsibilities to the military and the nation,” he said.

“But to do so effectively also means that you must take the time and trouble to fully understand the nature of the threats that confront us, the narratives and philosophies that underlie those threats”. He said President Muhammadu Buhair, in collaboration with state governors, had been reviewing the security architecture of the country.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/b-haram-remains-intent-on-shedding-blood-creating-fear-osinbajo.html

A mentor to many