₦airaland Forum

Nigeria-must go not Ghana-must go.

good one

RIP

Alhaji Yusuf Buratai, the father of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, died yesterday at the age of 106. Alhaji Buratai, according to family sources, died early yesterday at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital where, sources said, he was on admission for four days and underwent surgery over an undisclosed ailment.

He left behind one wife and 15 children, including the COAS.

The late elder Buratai’s funeral prayer was conducted after the Juma’at prayer at the mosque where he was until his death, said to have been observing his five daily prayers in the congregation, adjacent to his house at Bags Road, Maiduguri. He was interred at the Gwange Ward General Cemetery at 2:30 pm.

The World War II veteran, on retirement from the military before Nigeria’s independence, worked as a messenger with the Northern regional Minister of Information. Early callers at the funeral prayers included Governor Kashim Shettima, Deputy Governor Usman Mamman Durkwa who was accompanied by some state commissioners, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the GOC 6 Div. Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim M. Yusuf, Senator Bala Na’Allah, Director of Army Intelligence and Maj. Gen. Tarfa.

Others included the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Abubaka Kyari and the Chairman House Committee on Army, Mukhtar Betara Aliyu.

The federal government delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) comprised the Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan’ali, the Chief if Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Senator Muhammad Ali Ndume, among others.

Maj. Gen. Monguno described the late Alhaji Yusuf Buratai as having lived a good and worthwhile life worthy of emulation, and described his death as a moment for stocktaking for all to appraise their lives.

Governor Shettima thanked President Muhammad Buhari for sending a high-level delegation which, he said, was expressive of the president’s love for Borno State.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commiserated with the Buratai family over the death in a statement by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina.

The president said the late elder Buratai’s service to Nigeria would always be appreciated and remembered and expressed the belief that his years of service to the nation epitomized by courage, skill, determination and devotion had been rightly bequeathed to his son, who is diligently serving the country.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/coas-buratai-s-father-dies-at-106.html

Letters, messages, and all kinds of intrigues have recently coloured the relationship between ex-leaders Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, with President Muhammadu Buhari. This has sparked various narratives, some of which say it is all power play at high levels. But what does all this mean for the political landscape?

Die-hard supporters of the three retired generals - President Muhammadu Buhari, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida - insist that there is no love lost between the trio. However, not all Nigerians, especially the youth who are seen as key to electoral victory, are aware that Obasanjo, IBB and Buhari have many things in common. For those who know them, a disagreement between them should not be seen as strange. All three ‘warring’ retired generals have reached the zenith in their military career, and have fought in the Civil War between 1966 and 1970.

Obasanjo, born on 5th March, 1937 is now 80; Buhari, born on 17th December 1942 is now 76; and IBB, born on 17th August 1941 is now 77-years-old.

The only point of departure is that while Obasanjo and Buhari were at different times Head of State, and thereafter elected president, IBB only served once as Head of State, but later changed the title of his office to Military President, without testing his electoral worth at the polls.

Obasanjo’s bombshell

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, which is about a year from now, Obasanjo dropped what has been described to be a bombshell two weeks ago, in what many describe as a new agenda that will continue to dominate the political space as the elections draw nearer. Many Nigerians believe that he is a lucky Nigerian, and he too has at different fora attested to this, saying God always answers his prayers, even though his opponents keep making reference to his failed third term attempt.

Obasanjo seems to have attained notoriety in letter-writing to Nigerian leaders, but little did many Nigerians know that he would deploy his sword-like pen to reach out to President Buhari. To the shock of many political observers, he in the long statement pointedly asked Buhari to go home and rest and shelve the idea of contesting the 2019 election even though the latter has not declared his intention to run.

Obasanjo’s incontrovertibly shook the political space, given the endorsement Buhari received from him in 2015. In fact, the former leader, who openly tore his PDP membership card, did not hide his objection to the decision of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 election, who he had earlier warned in a scathing letter, to retrace his steps. Buhari became his favourite to win the 2015 election, who he viewed as having the experience and knowledge to lead Nigeria.

Obasanjo said, “The circumstances [Buhari] will be working under if he wins the election are different from the one he worked under before, where he was both the executive and the legislature - he knows that. He’s smart enough. He’s educated enough. He’s experienced enough. Why shouldn’t I support him?,” Obasanjo said, in the letter to Jonathan way back before 2015 elections. That endorsement was seen in other quarters as more of an esprit de corps for a military colleague.

In retrospect, while Obasanjo was enlisted into the Nigerian Army in 1958, Buhari joined in 1961 and they both rose through the ranks to become generals, and heads of state at different times.

While Obasanjo was Head of State from 1976 to 1979, Buhari also occupied the position in 1983 to 1985. With the trajectory of their military and political lives, many observers would have expected the sustenance of their camaraderie. But there seems to be no love lost between them. From 2015 till now, it appears the tide has changed and President Buhari seems to have entered the infamous black book of Obasanjo.

In the well-circulated statement, Obasanjo rated the Buhari administration low in the fight against corruption which was the major fulcrum of the administration’s campaign just as he accused him of nepotism and lacking the understanding of internal political dynamics.

“The situation that made Nigerians to vote massively to get my brother Jonathan off the horse is playing itself out again. First, I thought I knew the point where President Buhari is weak and I spoke and wrote about it even before Nigerians voted for him and I also did vote for him because at that time it was a matter of ‘any option but Jonathan’,” Obasanjo wrote. He therefore asked Buhari to take a deserved rest in 2019.

In the letter, titled ‘The Way Out: a Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement’, Obasanjo wrote: “President Buhari needs a dignified and honourable dismount from the horse. He needs to have time to reflect, refurbish physically and recoup and after appropriate rest, once again, join the stock of Nigerian leaders whose experience, influence, wisdom and outreach can be deployed on the side line for the good of the country. His place in history is already assured. Without impaired health and strain of age, running the affairs of Nigeria is a 25/7 affair, not 24/7.”

He continued: “I only appeal to brother Buhari to consider a deserved rest at this point in time and at this age. [He] does not necessarily need to heed my advice. But whether or not he heeds it, Nigeria needs to move on and move forward.”

The Buhari administration was tactful in its response to Obasanjo, probably with the intent not to drag the debate beyond. “For the record, Chief Obasanjo is a patriot, and he has proven this time and time again. We appreciate what he said concerning the administration’s performance in two out of the three key issues that formed the plank of its campaign: Fighting corruption and tackling insurgency. Specifically, the former President said President Buhari must be given credit for his achievement so far in these two areas. We thank him for this,” the Presidency said. But Buhari’s supporters did not take it lightly.

Malam Mohammed Lawal who served as Deputy Director, Coordination/Implementation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in 2015, which worked for the emergence of President Buhari, said people like of Obasanjo are uncomfortable with President Buhari’s ‘pro-masses’ approach to governance. He also accused the ex-president of attempting to sabotage the current administration.

“[Obasanjo] thinks the Buhari era is like the late Yar’adua era or the Jonathan era that he planted. We will not fold our hands this time around. If the Federal Government is careful in speaking out, we the supporters of President Buhari will not sit down and just look,” Lawal said.

Another Buhari supporter, Aminu Dan Malam, said Obasanjo’s ranting will fizzle out. “He is not a kingmaker, and has never been one; and contrary to insinuations, Buhari’s popularity is soaring. Just look at the sea of people that turned out to receive him in Nasarawa State few days ago. And importantly, Obasanjo never won an election on his own because he has never been a party man. First, he came as military head of state through the support of other generals such as T.Y Danjuma. In 1999, he never knew anything like PDP, he was in prison when they brought him out and crowned him and in 2003, Atiku Abubakar who was then vice president would have smartly taken over the PDP ticket,” he said.

Malam added: “And the circumstance that led to the emergence of late President Umaru Yar’adua is not something that we should revisit; the case is the same with the second coming of Jonathan. So, Obasanjo should simply keep quiet; he is envious of Buhari.”

Many say the Obasanjo-declared Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), which he said is not a political party but an alternative to unseat Buhari, is simply out to cause confusion. The movement, greeted with suspicion and misgivings, posed a question: What is Obasanjo after? While many politicians and political observers align with Obasanjo on some issues raised in his letter, they are not convinced about the sincerity of the former President.

This is why the formation of the coalition being championed by some ex-governors, especially former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) and Donald Duke (Cross River) has been greeted with snide remarks by major political players, who see the group as being populated by the same old politicians of the ruling party, and PDP stock.

Assessing the letter, Barrister Monday Ubani said Obasanjo’s advice to Buhari not to contest is not binding, more so when the ex-president is not known to have followed advice when he was in power. “[Obasanjo] is not a minister, he is not in government. He is just an elder statesman. There are issues which he raised, accusing him of running a government of the north, that appointments are a bit lopsided. There was allegation of herdsmen who are also killing with so much impunity and the government has not sent the military the way it did when the IPOB issue arose. But one also cannot forget Obasanjo and his government in a hurry. He was the first person to say that he has ministers who he has appointed to advise him, but that he is not bound to take their advice.”

Ubani also wondered: “Is his advice laced with poison, or is it offered with some sense of altruism, or for selfish interest? Even though some of the messages he passed have some measure of truth, my problem with him as a messenger is that those things he was advising about, he was more guilty of. Whatever problems we are facing today in Nigeria, Obasanjo played a very big major role in creating them. But we cannot throw away all the messages. Sometimes we overlook the messenger and take the message.”

A chieftain of the PDP in Lagos said the promoters of Obasanjo’s ‘coalition’ are jokers. Declining to be named, he said, “They are just wasting their time. They want to adopt the strategy of the APC and I don’t see them making any impact.”

A university don, Dr. Kayode Esuola, told Daily Trust that the coalition would not work as it was formed by the same political elites that have contributed to the mess Nigeria has found herself in. According to him, the coalition is a conspiracy of the elites that is bound to collapse in no distant time.

“Ideologically speaking, one will not really expect it to work. It is the same coalition that manifested in a different scenario to form APC that has disappointed everybody today, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo,” Esuola said.

The Babangida letters

The letter(s) written by IBB, called ‘Maradona’ because of his slippery approach to issues has also remained a subject of dispute.

Babangida, in a statement he personally issued in Minna, Niger State, distanced himself from an earlier one issued on his behalf by his spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, which claimed that the ex-military ruler had advised Nigerians to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. “Let me categorically state that as former president and statesman, I have unfettered channel of communication with the highest authorities without sensational public correspondence, therefore those views expressed over there are personal views of the writer,” he said.

Babangida described his statement as ‘My Counsel to the Nation,’ a caption seen many as a move by the ex- president ‘to tactically depart from how ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo passed his message to Buhari. According to him, “Recent happenings and utterances by political gladiators is alarming and not in the interest of common man that is already overstretched and apparently living hand-to-mouth due to precarious economic conditions. I am a realist that believes in all issues in a democratic atmosphere are sincerely discussed and resolved in the spirit of give-and-take.”

IBB, who joined the Nigerian Army on 10 December 1962, is a retired general who was president of Nigeria from 27, August 1985, to 26, August 1993. He joined the Army just one year after Buhari, who was enrolled in 1961.

Babangida was a key player in most of the military coups in Nigeria (July 1966, February 1976, December 1983, August 1985, December 1985 and April 1990). He took over from Buhari after a purported palace coup, and some people are jokingly saying he wants the incumbent out this time around through the power of the pen.

A look at Babangida’s second letter is not much a departure from the initial one issued by his spokesman. Credible sources said Afegbua is only a victim of circumstances, saying as a professional journalist, “he wouldn’t have created the story because he stands to gain nothing from it.”

In a phone interview with the Daily Trust on the day the two letters were released, Afegbua, who has become the guest of the Police and DSS said he stands by the first letter. “The statement is in order. IBB did not hold any press conference in Minna. It was overzealous people that issued that statement of his denial. I wouldn’t issue any statement without his approval. Go ahead with the statement. I have spoken with him and he said he has not recanted the statement,” he said.

Analysts believe that considering their personal and collective experiences, the recent exchange between Obasanjo, IBB and Buhari is not surprising for students of politics, who believe that many factors might have come into play, including patriotism, ego clashes, and to a certain extent, greed. While some say he should bow out when the time comes, many feel he should be allowed to take a decision or whether to run again or not, considering that the ultimate decision lies with the electorate.

While Obasanjo will never vie for the presidency, IBB publicly retired from active politicking. Buhari, who is now on the saddle, still has the room to go for a second term. And that is probably why Nigerians have not heard the last of this battle of generals.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-inside-the-war-of-the-generals.html

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday approved the compulsory retirement of Honourable Justice A. F. A Ademola of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court and the dismissal from office of Honourable Justice O.O Tokode of the Benin Division of the Federal High Court.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said this followed recommendations from the National Judicial Council (NJC).

He said the disciplinary actions on the two Justices were in pursuance of section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

According to Shehu, "Justice O.O. Tokode is also to refund all salaries and allowances earned illegally from 2nd December, 2015 when he was sworn-in as a Judge of the Federal High Court to date."

He said the president urged judicial officers to be alive to their responsibilities and eschew corruption in the discharge of their duties.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-fires-justices-ademola-tokode.html

A housewife, Hadiza Ibrahim, has pleaded with a Sharia Court in Minna to dissolve her marriage as she does not love and cherish her husband.

Ibrahim told the court that she had warned her husband, Mai-Anguwa Aliyu, from the onset that the ‘arranged marriage’ was destined to hit the rocks as she was forced into it.

“I am begging this court to dissolve our marriage because I don’t love and adore my husband.

“I warned him from the beginning, when he and my father pressured me into it, that the marriage was never going to see the light of the day.

“It was an arranged marriage and what’s the point of being in it when I don’t feel anything for my husband?

“Nothing will make me go back to him, even if he is given the chance to try and settle things with me,” she said.

Aliyu, however, maintained that he still loved his wife and would not want them to go their separate ways.

He prayed the court to give him more time to try and prevail on his wife to have a second thought about opting out of the marriage.

The Presiding Judge, Ahmed Bima, advised the couple to give peace a chance and settle their differences with patience and understanding.

Bima, however, cautioned against marrying a woman against her wish, saying that such could be counterproductive.

He adjourned the case until Feb. 22 to give room for both parties to reconcile their differences.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-i-don-t-love-my-husband-i-was-forced-to-marry-him--divorce-seeking-wife-tells-court.html

Mallam Yusuf Buratai, the father of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, is dead.

He passed away in a hospital in Maiduguri.

The Nigerian Army disclosed this In statement by its spokesman, Brig. Gen. SK Usman to newsmen in Maiduguri on Friday.

It read:"Good morning all,

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihirrajiun. This is to inform you of the passing away of the father of the Chief of Army Staff, Alhaji Yusuf Buratai this morning in Maiduguri."Brig Gen. Usman said.

Another source added that the deceased has been hospitalized for days before he passed on.

According to source of late army General had a successful surgery in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH but gave up thereafter.

Late Yusuf leaves behind 14 children, including the chief of army staff and many grandchildren.

He was also a military personality having been a non-commissioned officer in the West African Frontier Force.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buratai-loses-father.html

RIP

ok

RIP

Chai!

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, yesterday advised wealthy Nigerians to take advantage of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) to regularise their tax status and escape unsavoury consequences.

A statement from the VAIDS office quoted Mrs Adeosun as saying in her speech in Enugu during the hosting of VAIDS by the Enugu State governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, that the federal government had compiled data on property, bank accounts, shareholdings and other income sources of individuals and corporate entities.

“From our records, there seems to be a few big men and big women from this part of the country who may need to think very carefully about making a VAIDS declaration. We have been compiling data on property, bank accounts, share holdings and other sources that suggest that many people have not been paying the right taxes. VAIDS is an opportunity to regularize,” she stated.

The minister alleged that some wealthy Nigerians had moved huge sums of monies out of Nigeria without paying any tax on them, warning that such people would soon be exposed.

“The good news for government, which is bad news for the tax evaders, is that globally, nations have agreed to share data under the Automatic Exchange of Information. This means that while sitting at our desks in Abuja, we are getting information about assets that the owners thought were well hidden from the tax authorities.

“As you know, Nigerians are entitled to keep their wealth anywhere in the world, including under their mattress, but what the law requires is that they pay tax on their income as they earn it,” stated the minister.

She lamented that Nigeria had a poor scorecard in tax payment. “When oil came, we abandoned the old systems of tax collection that had provided most of our infrastructure since colonial days. Currently, we have just 14 million taxpayers out of 70m who are economically active.

Actually, we have 74m registered voters. So many who should be paying are not paying anything.

“Also, some who are paying something are not paying the correct amount. It may seem smart for a businessman to get a tax clearance certificate for N200,00 when he earns millions, but I can tell you without fear of contradiction that not only is this illegal, such people are cheating themselves and future generations,” she said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-ll-expose-tax-debtors-through-bank-accounts-shares---adeosun.html

The Senator representing Kaduna North Senatorial Zone, Suleiman Uthman Hunkuyi, has said he will not campaign for Governor Nasir el-Rufai in the next elections.

The senator, who is in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as El-Rufai, said as far as he was concerned, the battle line had been drawn between them.

Hunkuyi spoke to his supporters at his residence in Kaduna where he unfolded what he called the ‘APC Aspirants Forum’ which he said he would float as a platform to unite all aspirants who were not among those being sponsored by the governor in the next elections.

Sen. Hunkuyi said he was offering to lead the forum as he was not with El-Rufai and called on all those he said were not among those being sponsored by the government to come together and unite so as to challenge those that controlled the government.

He said the people should not be afraid as it was only God that gave power, adding that those hated by the Kaduna State Government should cross over to his forum.

A different group, APC Akida, led by the likes of Senator Shehu Sani, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and Mr. Tom Maiyashi, had been at daggers drawn with El-Rufai for long.

Hunkuyi said APC was formed because people wanted to move away from impunity, injustice and stealing of government funds, but alleged that what was happening now was worse as people were being denied their rights to participate in the electoral process through imposition of candidates.

Hunkuyi said he would ask all his supporters not to vote for the governor, alleging that El-Rufai had turned his back on those of them that worked for his victory in 2019.

“Whoever steals your right to vote has not only stolen something from you but has stolen you as well,” he said.

The senator said from the look of things, history was about to repeat itself as it was in his house that the first meeting which led to the formation of a committee that later dissolved into the APC and worked for the victory of the party in the 2015 elections all started.

He said this time around the focus and the time had changed as they could not continue to tolerate a government that had turned its back on elders.

Sen. Hunkuyi further said members of the forum should cooperate and unite to save Kaduna from the problems it found itself in.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/hunkuyi-floats-aspirants-forum-to-checkmate-el-rufai.html

Sai baba

A sister in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajiya Aisha Mamman, is dead.

Mamman, 75, died in the early hours of Thursday.

The Information Officer of the Daura Local Government Council in Katsina, Alhaji Salisu Haro, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura.

He said the deceased died at 11:30 a.m. at the Federal Medical Center in Katsina during a brief illness.

Haro said that the deceased was the wife of the late Alhaji Mamman Danbaffale, the elder brother to Buhari.

He said that Mamman was survived by eight children, including Fatihu Mamman, a staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission and Hajiya Rabiya Mamman, a nutrition officer with the Katsina State Government.

Haro said the deceased had since been buried in Daura in accordance with Islamic injunction. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-loses-sister-in-law.html

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A member of the National Caucus of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Nkire, has voiced belief in the ability of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu to heal wounds and unite the party as quickly as possible.

Chief Nkire backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of the APC national leader to reconcile warring party leaders in the APC.

He said although disagreement and marginalisation were normal in every large family, there was the urgent need to solve them “before it’s too late.”

Nkire, a former National Chairman of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), who joined the APC in 2013, said it was unfortunate that most party leaders who got into government forgot their compatriots who suffered together with them to win elections and produce the president “instead of ensuring that no Trojan was excluded.”

He expressed hope that Senator Tinubu would advise relevant authorities to help stop a “sad situation where senior and prominent party members who spent their time and money to bring the APC to power were left roaming from house to house, looking for political appointments.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-tinubu-can-heal-wounds.html

The artist was tried to preached against worshiping of masquerade

godisgood200:
Didn't i see a masquerade there?

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Insufficient supply of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol has continued to compel many fuel stations in different part of the country to ration the product causing queue of vehicles at retail stations to soar.

A record of daily PMS truck out to Abuja and environs since January 1, 2017 showed that PMS supply to retail outlets have been fluctuating since the beginning of the year.

The data obtained by our reporter in Abuja showed that in the last one week, daily PMS truck out has average 101 trucks but up 140 trucks were supplied late January.

However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had in December said normal truck supply to Abuja was 70 daily claiming that additional trucks of petrol had since been deployed to Abuja.

This comes as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Abuja Zone has commenced daily monitoring of all retail stations in the city to ensure products received are sold to the public.

Speaking after inspecting some filling stations in the federal capital on Tuesday, the DPR Zonal Operations Controller, Abuja, Mr. Abba Misau said he would personally lead the operation to monitor fuel stations on a daily basis.

“There should not be any reservation for any customer. Whatever the type of customer you have to sell the product to the public. We cannot accept that anymore and we will continue to monitor,” he said.

Visits to some major, independent, NNPC leased and affiliate filling stations in major locations in the FCT particularly Kado, Utako, Jabi, Kuje, Lugbe, Central area and Wuse showed that while some stations dispensed the product others did not sell because of shortfall in supply.

At a Conoil station located in Kado District the manager of the outlet Henry Ode said the station received only one truck containing 33,000 litres PMS compared to about three trucks the station received in the past.

Already, black marketers have taken over the streets of Abuja and neighbouring states selling the product at over N300 per litre.

According to NNPC’s spokesman Ndu Ughamadu, the two managers of Azman filling stations in Nyanya and Kuje, two suburbs of Abuja, were arrested after close monitoring by the team for diverting trucks of petrol meant for their stations to unknown destinations.

Ughamadu said in a statement that the marketers have been handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.

“In addition to prosecution, the filling stations would pay a N250 fine for each litre of petrol diverted.”

“The Task Force has also arrested six persons in the Central Business District, Abuja, for hawking petrol in jerry-cans. Three of the arrested persons - Samaila Umar, Atlahim Abdullahi and Bashir Sani - were charged and prosecuted at the Area Court, Gudu, where Justice Sidi Bello sentenced them to two-month imprisonment or a N2,000 fine which they promptly paid,” he said.

Similarly, the DPR in Kaduna, has said that the persistent fuel scarcity being experienced in Kaduna State and other states is largely due to shortage in supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The zonal operations controller, Alhaji Isah Tafida while addressing the press yesterday at the Zonal office in Kaduna, said, Kaduna state receives an average of 30 trucks of PMS per day which is below the state sufficiency requirements of 70 trucks per day.

“Marketers who are also in the habit of hoarding fuel with the sole intention of selling at night and at exorbitant prices will have themselves to blame as the department will not hesitate to dispense such products to the public for free,” he noted.

He disclosed that 18 companies have been sanctioned for fuel diversion, 30 companies who hoard fuel forced to open and sell, 50 companies selling above pump price penalised and made to pay fine while 80 other companies under dispensing fuel also sanctioned accordingly.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/petrol-scarcity-lingers-as-nnpc-dpr-search-for-solution.html

The Senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, Sen. Shehu Sani has described the Bola Tinubu's Reconciliation Committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari as the last chance for peace in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting on his twitter handle, Sani wrote “Asiwaju’s APC reconciliation committee is the last penalty kick for peace and unity within the Party.”

Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity the president‎, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday said National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would help in resolving disagreements among party members, party leadership and political office holders in some states of the federation.

Asiwaju's APC reconciliation committee is the last penalty kick for peace and unity within the Party.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) February 6, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UW_eaRMUs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug5CLFhIEHk

An unprecedented crowd yesterday barricaded the Muhammadu Buhari International Market in Karu, Nasarawa State, as President Muhammadu Buhari arrived to commission the market named after him.

The crowd defied all security measures put in place to have a glimpse of the president.

President Buhari visited Nasarawa State to officially commission projects executed by Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

He was earlier in Lafia, the state capital where he commissioned some projects.

At the Muhammadu Buhari International Market in Karu, the president moved towards the crowd and stepped out of the gate for some minutes to the thunderous chants of “Sai baba, said baba.”

There was a similar situation in Lafiya when the people turned out to catch a glimpse of the president shortly after he left the Emir of Lafia’s palace.

Responding to the resounding welcome, President Buhari said at a school he commissioned, “I am pleased to be with you today and overwhelmed by the warm reception accorded to me.

“I am not surprised with the kind of enthusiasm and show of love for me; this is a home coming. Today I am obliged to Governor Tanko Al-Makura’s proclamation that indeed Nasarawa State is my political home,” he said.

“People of Nasarawa have always been with the change movement…In 2011, they decided to vote for change and they voted for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in order to have a government of the people; and in 2015, they voted for continuity.

“Since the inauguration of Governor Al-Makura in 2011, which I attended personally, I have been following the trend of events in the state and the reports I receive are of execution of many projects. Accordingly, during my 2015 campaign, I noticed the transformation in Lafia Metropolis,” he said.

“Earlier this morning, I commissioned an electronic library, a fire service facility and township roads, and now I am commissioning a special needs school. Later I will also commission a model healthcare centre and the Karu International Market. This is the change people of Nasarawa State voted for,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/supporters-troop-to-catch-glimpse-of-buhari-in-nasarawa.html

The Christian life is portrayed as a race by the writer of Hebrews. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1,2. Many Bible Scholars feel that the Apostle Paul was probably the writer of Hebrews because verses like these are closely related to many of his other writings. In other cases, Paul compares himself with the racers and competitors in the Isthmian games which were celebrated in the city of Corinth. This comparison made an allusion which was well known to the people of Paul's day and therefore was a great teaching metaphor.

The competitors who ran in these games were duly qualified both by character and ability. The distance and width of the course were clearly marked out. The prize that was to be won was set forth. Judges were chosen and sworn to judge impartially. The starting signal was given and the race was run. The winner was carried to the judge, the prize was given and a crown placed on the winner's head. The name of the winner was proclaimed to the great assembly of people.

The Christian race is so compared. The Christian must be qualified both by character and ability. The Christian must pursue the course with patience and perseverance. After completing the race the successful Christian is brought before the Judge where he/she is rewarded and crowned with glory.
The Christian race is not any race, but a particular race. It is, "The race set before us". The course of the race is the road of life. The length of it is a lifetime. The width of it is the size of the world. This course has many challenges and many temptations to turn the runner aside. The riches and cares, the company and amusements, the pleasures and influence of the world are all dead weights which must be "laid aside" so they don't hinder the Christian runner.

The progress of the Christian in this race depends on several things. The Christian must keep to the course and not turn out of the way. Some run the race well for a while and then turn aside. The Christian must stay on course. The middle of the course is the safest place to run. Constant progress must be made and the runner must continue patiently under all difficulties. The prize must be kept in view.

https://christianlifeministry..com.ng/2018/01/rewards-of-christian-life.html

A member of the Board of Trustee (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Buba Galadima in Abuja openly campaigned for one of the newly registered political party, the National Rescue Movement (NRM) urging Nigerians to join and believe in the party.

He made the call during the formal launching of the party and presentation of its vision.

‘’NRM is a party that doesn’t believe in tribalism and nepotism. It is a party for Nigerians of all seasons. Senator Saidu Mohammed Dansadau is a man of integrity, a man of intellect and a fighter. For those of us who have worked with him, he is a diligent man. The NRM will do what is right for the party and our country. I, therefore, recommend the new face of politics in Nigeria," Galadima said.

Speaking earlier the National Chairman of the party Senator Saidu Dansadau dismissed the ruling APC as a colossal failure whose performance has fallen short of expectations of Nigerians.

He said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has failed in tackling insecurity, revamping the economy apart from fuelling mutual ethnic distrust among Nigerians.

"Today, the bind of unity of the country is under intense strain. Strident agitations of all kinds from several quarters suggest the balkanization of the country along ethnic lines. Hitherto silent fault lines have developed into the gulf, sowing suspicion and deep distrust, shaking the foundations of our unity and threatening the peace and security of our dear country.

‘’Insecurity and vices of frightening shapes and dimensions assail the land. Every patriotic Nigerian believes, the nation isn’t moving in the right direction. This country has never been as divided as it is now.

‘’All these are manifestations of accumulated years of bad leadership and of hollow commitment to the principles of patriotism. They have

robbed our country of direction or focus, allowed impunity, nepotism and mediocrity to be the blocks of a once promising nation.

‘’In the absence of natural disasters, our leaders have invented some man-made ones and through misadventures, have saddled the country with every imaginable vice, from wanton and dastardly killings, with no regard for the sanctity of human life, to kidnappings, armed robbery, ritual killings, insurgency and other economic despoliation," he said.

While urging Nigerians to vote out the APC to experience a turnaround in their individual fortunes, he said the state of affairs of the nation calls for urgent action, the nature of which must be beyond partisanship to rescue the country and its people from the morass in which it is currently entrapped.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-apc-chieftain-campaigns-for-new-party.html

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