₦airaland Forum

A Facebook post by one Tokunbo AremoOdua has been shared across other platforms and forwarded on WhatsApp many times.

The post claimed that the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu initiated ECONET, Treasury Single Account (TSA), tax digitalization, Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and economic summit to proffer solutions for economic prosperity in Nigeria.

It also claimed that Tinubu was the first and last governor to govern his state for years without federal allocation during the Obasanjo Administration.

As of the time of this report, the post had amassed about 317 likes, 69 shares, and 247 comments and has reached multiple groups on WhatsApp.

Verification

Checks by Daily Trust revealed that while Tinubu played a role in the evolution of ECONET in Lagos State, it does not mean he brought ECONET to Nigeria. He was Governor of Lagos State when the federal government auctioned the telecommunication network through the Nigeria Communication Commission. Lagos was mentioned as one of the two states that supported the licence fee financially.

Victor Asemota, a popular tech twitter influencer also stated that “Lagos state was only involved in its founding through the acquisition of secondary shares, after much deliberations. The then governor did not commit to Cybertel until after Delta State, Oceanic and the Akwa Ibom State government had gotten involved.”

Also the claim that Tinubu introduced the TSA in Nigeria is false. Rather, it was proposed by the federal government in 2012 during the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration and was fully implemented by the current administration to consolidate all inflows from all agencies of government into a single account at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Similarly, the claim that the former Lagos State governor started the economic summit in Nigeria is not true. The Nigeria Economic Summit Group was incorporated in 1996 by Chief Ernest Shonekan.

The that Tinubu created the independent power project in the country is equally false. It was introduced by the federal government to combat the power shortage in the country.

Daily Trust also found the claim that Tinubu was the first and last governor to govern his state (Lagos) for years without federal allocation misleading. The then former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led government only withheld the local government funds of Lagos State when Tinubu created LCDAs against the approval of the federal government.

However, a claim in the post that Tinubu pioneered LCDA is true

Conclusion

Daily Trust can confirm that while it is true that Tinubu created LCDA, he was not the pioneer of other initiatives contained in the claims made by the author of the post. Therefore, the claims are largely false.

This fact check was done in partnership with the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD).

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION HEADQUARTERS, GUSAU

SPECIAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT.

Following increase in the activities of bandits in various parts of the state and the government commitment to ensure adequate security and protection of lives and property of the citizenry in the state, particularly during this rainy season, government has resolved to take further measures to deal with the recent escalating attacks, kidnapping and the criminal levies being enforced on our innocent communities.

This act of terrorism has been a source of worry and concern to the people and government of the state. Therefore, in order to deal decisively with the situation in our respective communities, government has no option than to take the following measures:

A. Government has henceforth, directed individuals to prepare and obtain guns to defend themselves against the bandits, as government has directed the state commissioner of police to issue license to all those who qualify and are wishing to obtain such guns to defend themselves. Government is ready to facilitate people, especially our farmers to secure basic weapons for defending themselves. Government has already concluded arrangement to distribute 500 forms to each of the 19 Emirates in the state for those willing to obtain guns to defend themselves.

B. People must apply from the Commissioner of Police, license to own guns and such other basic weapons to be used in defending themselves.

C. A secretariat or centre will be established for the collection of intelligence on the activities of informants.

D. people are strictly warned and advised to make sure that any information or intelligence about an informant must be true and nothing but the truth, as all information on such informants must carry correct data on the suspects, including their pictures, correct names, address, occupation and witness to testify the genuity of the information given, as government is taking punitive measures against any one found as informant. Any person who give wrong information against anybody, will be served the same punishment with an informant and will be treated as such.

E. Government has requested the state House of Assembly to pass, as matter of urgency, the informants bill before it, to enable government take the drastic measures on informants as contained in the bill.

F. Government has ordered for the recruitment of 200 additional Community Protection Guards in each of the 19 emirates of the state, making it 500 per emirate, to increase their manpower and strengthen its force and capacity to deal with the bandits.
To further ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of these measures, as well the proper implementation of these measures, government has also decided as follows:

1. Formation of a special committee to receive intelligence on the activities of informants.
This committee has the following composition:

1. Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe Sardauna Dan Isa ( Lamidon Kaura), SSG as Chairman

2. Alh Ibrahim Sulaiman
Chief of Staff to the Governor - Member

3. D I G Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe
Commissioner Security - Member

4. Ibrahim Magaji Dosara
Commissioner Information - Member

5. Hon Nasiru Masama
Commissioner Youth - Member

6. Sani Abdullahi Wamban Shinkafi, Honorary Adviser to the Gov - Member

7. Hon Abubakar Mohammed Dauran, Special Adviser Security - Member

8. Hon Sanusi Wanzammai
Commissioner, State INEC - Member

9. Captain Mai Riga T/ Mafara - Member

10. Sani Gwamna Mayanchi - Member

11. Bello Bakyasuwa Soja to serve as the secretary to the committee and their terms of reference will be given to them by the office of the SSG on Monday.

2. Formation of additional paramilitary unit to support control and command to properly and effectively reinforce the operations of our community protection guards CPG.
This newly established unit has the following structures and appointments:

1. Retired Commissioner of Police Mamman Anka as Commandant - General

2. Capt Aminu Mada rtd - Deputy Commandant General Operations

3. Sulaiman Lawali Zurmi - Commandant Operations

4. Bashir Nafiu Gusau - Commandant Mobilization.

5. Alh Aliyu Na'ibi Karakkai - Commandant Surveillance and Intelligence.

Other members of the control and command centre of the Community Protection Guards are.

6. Shi'itu Makera T/Mafara

7. Bello Dankurmi

8. Dogo Na Bukkuyum

3. Re - constitutimg the state committee on prosecution of banditry related offences.
Government has also reconstituted the state committee on prosecution of bandits related offences as follows:

1. Dr Sani Abdullahi Wamban Shinkafi as Chairman

2. Ibrahim Sulaiman
Chief of Staff to the Governor - Member

3. Rtd Justice Nasiru Umar Gummi - Member

4. CP Mamman Anka rtd - Member

5. Engr Mamuda Aliyu Maradun - Member

6. Rep of the Nigerian Army - Member

7. Rep of the Nigeria Police - Member

8. Rep of the DSS - Member

9. Rep of the Civil Defence Corps - Member

10. Rep of Hunters - Member, while

11. Barr Aminu Junaidu Kaura
Hon Attorney General and Commissioner for justice - Secretary to the committee.

Furthermore, in view of the deteriorating security situation in Mada, Wonaka, and Ruwan Bore Districts of Gusau local government, as well as Yandoto emirate in Tsafe local government, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Matawalle MON, Barden Hausa and Shattiman Sokoto, has approved the immediate closure of all.markets and Kara in these districts and Yandoto emirate indefinitely. In addition this, government has equally banned riding of motorbikes and selling of petroleum products in Mada, Wonaka and Ruwan Bore districts, as well as Yandoto emirate. Henceforth, all filling stations on the affected areas are hereby closed with immediate effect. Anybody found riding motorbike within the areas is considered as bandits and security agencies are thereby directed to shoot such persons at sight. Security agencies are by this announcement directed to ensure strict compliance. Anybody found violating this order should be dealt with according to the rule of law. Government would not condone any act where innocent people are being killed.
Government is also using this medium to thank all those who honoured and respect the peace dialogue in what ever form. In the same vein, those who refused to honour and respect the peace dialogue are here by warned to allow peace within our respective communities. Government is hereby directing the military, police, civil defence and other security agencies to mobilise their operatives and take fight to the enclaves of the criminals with immediate effect.

Signed

Ibrahim Magaji Dosara
Hon Commissioner for Information
Zamfara State

25th June 2022.

The Secretary-General,
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria,
Durumi,
Abuja.

Dear and Very Reverend Father,

OBITUARY: THE LATE REVEREND FATHER VITUS BOROGO

It is with a heavy heart, but with total submission to the will of God that we announce the death of Rev. Fr. Vitus Borogo, which sad event took place today, at Prison Farm, Kujama, along Kaduna-Kachia Road, after a raid on the farm by Terrorists. Until his death, Fr Vitus (aged 50) was the Chaplain of the Catholic Community of the Kaduna State Polytechnic, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Kaduna Chapter.

Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna condoles with the immediate family, the NFCS Family of Kaduna Polytechnic, and indeed the entire Kaduna Polytechnic Community; and assures them of his fraternal closeness and prayers.

Details of his Funeral arrangement will be announced as soon possible. Meanwhile we commit his soul to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and call on all men and women of goodwill to continue to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul and for the consolation of his bereaved family, especially his mother.
Fraternally,

Rev. Fr. Christian Okewu EMMANUEL
Chancellor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday released the list and particulars of candidates vying for several positions at the federal level in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.

The names of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Governor of Ebonyi, David Umahi and Niger Delta Minister, Godswill Akpabio were missing from the list.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has affirmed Bashir Machina as the winner of the ruling All Progressives Congress primary for the Yobe North Senatorial District.

A certified true copy of INEC’s report from the May 28, 2022, election showed Mr Machina scored 289 votes out of 300 delegates, corroborating the politician’s public claim that he won the primary and legally emerged candidate.

The document, certified by the electoral office on June 23, 2022, did not mention Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President who has been labouring to steal Mr Machina’s mandate in collusion with the party’s national chairman Abdullahi Adamu.

Mr Adamu had listed Mr Lawan as the candidate of the APC for Yobe North senatorial election slated for February 2023, claiming that a primary had secretly held in which Mr Lawan purportedly emerged winner.

Even though Mr Machina has been certified winner by the electoral office, he still expects additional fights ahead when INEC will post candidates standing for election across different political parties in the coming weeks. INEC had said it lacked the powers to pick a candidate in an election, even though its authentication was necessary to certify that an election held.

Mr Lawan started making attempts to seize the ticket from Mr Machina after losing at the ruling party’s presidential convention, which was won handily by Bola Tinubu on June 8.

A lawmaker representing Kano Municipal in the House of Representatives, Sha’aban Sharada, on Thursday, asked a Federal High Court in Kano to disqualify the Kano State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Nasiru Gawuna, over alleged violation of the Electoral Act 2022.

Mr Sharada, who is the chairman House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, was the only challenger in the Kano APC governorship primary last month. He scored only 30 votes while Mr Gawuna scored 2,289 votes.

The state chapter of APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were joined in the suit as co-defendants

The plaintiff raised concern over the conduct that allowed the political appointees of the state government to vote during the primary. He alleged that the action contradicted section 84 (13) of the electoral Act which disqualified their participation in the primary.

The Judge, Liman M. granted leave to two motions filed by the plaintiff, one of which was the permission to serve Mr Gawuna a notice of the suit by substituted means.

The plaintiff’s lawyer alleged that Mr Gawuna deliberately refused to collect a notice of the suit when sent to him.

Mr Gawuna is the incumbent deputy governor of the state.

The court also granted the plaintiff an order of abridgement of the hearing from 30 days to 15 days to enable the court to expedite the process

Electoral Body, INEC Frustrates Efforts By Machina, Udom To Challenge APC’s Choice Of Lawan, Akpabio In Court, Refuses To Release Certified True Copies Of Reports To Senatorial Candidates

There are speculations, particularly on social media, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have substituted Rev Fr Hyacinth Iornem Alia with Sen Barnabas Gemade as the governorship candidate of the Party in Benue State for the 2023 general elections.

It would be recalled that shortly after the party’s direct primary which threw up Fr Alia as its governorship flag bearer, controversies had continued to trail the process as some aggrieved aspirants had petitioned the party and went ahead to approach the court to seek redress.

The development had since cast a doubt as to whether or not, the alleged winner of the primary would fly the party’s flag during the general election in 2023.

Reacting to the news on Tuesday evening, the state secretariat of the party, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Dan-Morgan Ihomun insisted that Alia remained its guber candidate.

The APC while accusing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of flying the ‘rumour’ urged all her teaming supporters across the state not to be moved by the desperate kicks opposition party in the state which it noted, had occupied itself with the winner of the APC governorship primaries, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.

“People of the state can recall that ever since joining the APC and going ahead to win the party’s governorship primaries, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has remained the nightmare and boogeyman of the PDP with the state chapter praying that they rather not have him on the ballot in 2023 which is the only way they can signal any hope of maintaining their grip on the state’s treasury,” the statement read in part.

However, in a telephone chat with our Correspondent on Wednesday, Media aide to Sen Gemade, Solo Dzuah confirmed the report of the likely emergence of his principal as the party’s guber candidate but noted that his principal would only be party to any arrangement that follows due process.

Dzuah hinted that a meeting was ongoing at the National Secretariat of the party at the end of which the governorship flag bearer of the party in Benue State would emerge even as he expressed optimism that his principal would be favoured in that meeting.

“It’s true that he (Gemade) is going to be the candidate (of the party). However, the process is still ongoing at the national secretariat of the party by the National Working Committee. But since I don’t attend such meetings, I may not have the details as at when it will finally come to fruition,” Dzuah said.

JUST IN: @NGRSenate DEFECTIONS:
a. Sen. Francis Ezenwa Onyewuchi (Imo East Senatorial District) officially notifies the Senate of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Party to the Labour Party (LP).

2/ Continuation of @NGRSenate DEFECTIONS:
b. Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika (Bauchi Central Senatorial District)officially notifies the Senate of his defection from the All Progressive Congress (APC) party to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The Commissioner for Education in Anambra State, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, has lashed out on a job-seeking teacher who reportedly sought clarification about the recently concluded teacher’s recruitment exercise in the state.

The teacher was said to have called the commissioner on phone for enquiries regarding the exercise which was held across three centres in the state on Saturday.

But Mrs Chuma-Udeh, a professor of English, shouted at the applicant accusing her of being indisciplined and disobeying the instructions of the recruitment exercise.

The recorded phone conversation has gone viral on social media.

“Madam, you’re an idiot. You mean the computers are doing what? I received a report by 12 noon that you people refused to stand in line. You refused to be identified, and you mobbed.

“You people were trying to get into the hall at the same time, you refused to be disciplined up till this moment, and you have the effrontery, you stupid woman, to call me on phone and talk rubbish?” Mrs Chuma-Udeh was heard yelling at the applicant.

She continued, “Get out of my phone you filthy thing. You really want to be a teacher? How will you tell your students to conform to instructions, when you cannot stand in line and move into the hall?

“Please, I have no pity for you and I have nothing to say to you. We have already examined up to 1, 400 candidates and…. You are all hooligans.”

The commissioner’s outburst was said to be a reaction to a reported stampede that occurred at Nnewi Examination Centre, one of the centres where the recruitment examination was held.

In the centre where the applicant reportedly sat the examination, the stampede began when some applicants surged to enter the hall before others.

Soludo reacts
Meanwhile, the state governor, Charles Soludo, has reacted to the controversy.

He said the job-seeking teacher resorted to raining curses and abuses on him and the commissioner after she failed the examination which prompted the response by the commissioner.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime, Monday night, the governor accused the applicant of editing the viral phone conversation out of frustration to blackmail the commissioner.

Mr Soludo stressed that his administration was committed to the conduct of a “seamless and transparent ongoing recruitment exercise” for teachers in the state.

He explained that the commissioner’s comments were as a result of the “uncouth language” and “other unprintable words hurled at the commissioner” by the applicant.

“As public officers operating in public space, the commissioner has apologised for her inappropriate choice of words in the said voice note,” Mr Soludo said.

The governor vowed not to be distracted in giving qualified teachers the opportunity to serve the state and contribute in shaping the future of school children.

The House of Representatives has rejected a motion seeking to cause the National Assembly to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the amendment made to Section 84( of the Electoral Act 2022.

The House at plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, directed the mover of the motion, Hon. Ben Igbakpa, from Delta State to “follow proper procedure.”

Recall that the honourable members, shortly after the primary elections, had criticised the amended Section 84( of the Electoral Act 2022 after most of them failed to clinch tickets to enable them to return to the House in the next political dispensation.

The development had made most of the legislators angry, prompting some of them to mull overriding the President.

Nuhu Ribadu, one of the aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last month’s primary in Adamawa State, has asked a Federal High Court in the state to cancel the exercise won by Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani.

Binani had defeated Ribadu and other heavyweights in the election fraught with controversy.

Due to Binani’s absence in court, the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice A.M Anka, ordered substituted service on her.

The order followed an ex-parte application filed on the 20th of June, 2022, by I. M. Dikki Counsel to the Plaintiff.

Ribadu dragged Binani and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging vote buying and over voting during the APC primaries.

Daily Trust learnt that the bailiffs of the Court tried to serve the respondent with the process but could not have access to her hence, the ex-parte application.

Counsel to Ribadu asked the court to nullify the primary.

The suit was adjourned to the 29th June, 2022, for hearing.