Residents of Kuje area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have lamented the prolonged power outage in the council.
Some of the residents who spoke with Abuja Review said that the power failure has almost crippled business in the council, mostly in Kuje town, appealing to the council chairman, Hon. Shaban Tete to rectify the problem.
Mr. Samuel Joseph, a resident of the council, lamented that his business has almost crumbled following the general power failure, which, he said, has lasted over five days. He said his woes were compounded by the fact that he could not get fuel to power his generators.
“We are really suffering in this council,” he said. “This issue of light is a big problem. I operate a restaurant and bar, but we do not have power to cool our drinks and foodstuff in the freezers; now most of our things in my freezers are spoiling by the day, and there is no fuel in filling stations to use for our generators.”
Another resident, Mallam Isah Yahaya, a vulcaniser, lamented that the power outage has crippled his job too, adding that since the power failure in the council, he has not been able to work and his business is suffering.
“My business is really suffering, nobody knows what is wrong with the light. The only thing that we can remember is that the light went off almost immediately after the President and National Assembly election. We believe that most of the transformers in the council are bad and we are calling on the council boss to help us in the council,” he said.
Speaking with a senior staff of the Kuje power distribution company, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the Kuje power source has dropped from 8megawatt to 4megawatt, which has made it difficult for the council to have appreciable power supply.
She further said that most of the electricity transformers in council have become faulty, which has led to the inability to supply electricity light in the council, saying that the engineers in the company are working tirelessly on the transformers and other sources, in order to rectify the problem.
No fewer than 23 communities in Kaduna State will access clean water. This because the generation and treatment facilities of the precious liquid will soon come to life in the state.
That much has been guaranteed by the state government.
It will be a milestone in the state. For nearly two decades, water has been a huge challenge. In 1999, a former governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi requested the Federal Government to rehabilitate and expand the Zaria Water Supply Scheme.
The arrangement was for the Federal Government to (i) rehabilitate the water works;(ii) construct a new 186MCM dam (iii) build a new 150 MLD water works; (iv) construct transmission mains and service reservoirs.
•Parts of the water works
The state government, on its part, was only to rehabilitate and expand the pipeline distribution network.
The Federal Government awarded contracts for the construction of a dam and the rehabilitation of the water treatment plants of 50m litres daily and 10m litres daily (10MLD) which were operating below 30%.
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration awarded these contracts but the projects suffered budgetary constraints and were not completed on schedule.
Eventually the late President Musa Yar’Adua introduced the Water Exit Policy and thus transferred the rehabilitation of the existing water treatment plants to Kaduna State when it was about 80% completed.
Similarly, the construction of the 150 MD water treatment plant and the construction of the service reservoirs became the responsibility of the state government in addition to the pipeline distribution network rehabilitation and expansion
Administration of the then Governor Namadi Sambo awarded the contract for the construction of 150 MLD water treatment plant at the total cost of N15.7 billion. The 150 mld water treatment plant was then billed to be completed in 2011. During the administration of the late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, the contract was revised upward and it also suffered delays as a result of the killing and the kidnapping of foreign personnel of the contractor and the late Governor Patrick Yakowa made frantic efforts to refocus and continue implementing the project.
Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has equally promised to complete the contract. He said his administration would complete (i) the construction of a new 150 MLD water works; (ii) construct the transmission mains and service reservoirs and (iii) to rehabilitate and expands the pipeline distribution network and sanitation facilities.
However, Issues arising from Zaria water works recently have become alarming as allegations and counter allegations keep emanating from all nooks and crannies. Recently, allegations from some quarters was that the project has been abandoned and officials of Kaduna State government were enriching themselves at the detriment of the helpless masses who have been waiting to drink portable water at the completion of the multi billion naira projects.
The gigantic water project when completed is expected to provide water to the entire Zaria city and five other local governments, totalling 23 communities, if completed has the capacity to serve Zaria residents and other neighboring local government areas.
The project is grouped into four construction stages which are 150 million water treatment plant; the construction of transmission mains and service reservoirs; rehabilitation and extension of distribution network.
The Nation’s fact finding mission to Galma Dam in Kubau and Zaria water works revealed that works are ongoing at the sites of the multi-billion naira water project and it is set for completion by 2015.
It is a fact that, the pursuit for substantive and veritable amenities by the electorates in any government is very paramount, most especially in developing countries since such efforts if hinged on the virtues of constructive criticism could reinforce the sensitivity of the Government in policy making.
Recently, a group of Zaria residents alleged that, the water projects was since abandoned and without value to them, since they still depend completely on the commercial water vendors popularly called ‘’Mai ruwa’’ It was one project initiated by the State Government with the objective of providing sustainable water supply and sanitation to the people of Zaria. More so, it aims at ensuring that the state attains the targets for portable water and sanitation as enunciated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) document.
Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, the Commissioner for Water Resources Honourable Ado Dogo denied the allegation, saying, the projects will be completed this year.
The allegation and denial informed our Correspondent’s fact finding mission to the project sites. At Galma Dam, a project of the Federal Government located in Kubau Local Government, the Dam’s Project Manager, Mr. Itzik Zeevi revealed that the Dam with a capacity of 186million cubic meters, a catchment capacity of 250million cubic meters, with an embankment of 2.7 KM, and with a height of 28meters is 98percent completed.
He also disclosed that, the second and third phase of the projects, which are Irrigation and proposed Hydro power, expected to generate 2.7megawatts of electricity will soon commence.
The Nation also observed that, a settlement has already sprang up as a result of the alma Dam, and is named after the Gilmor Construction Company. Abdullahi Sani also known as ‘’Mai kifi’’ a resident of the Gilmor community said ‘’I am a farmer and also a fisherman I came here to fish, am a registered fisherman in the Dam and we are about 200 of us, the business is seriously moving here, at least I have water to irrigate my maize and I also fish’’.
Meanwhile, at Shika Dam, located in Zaria, Engineer Binta Aliyu Yakubu who took our Correspondent on a guided tour of the Low lift pump, extensively articulated the prospects so far and the Challenges. According to her, “the 150 Million Litre per Day (mld) Regional Water Supply being constructed by the state government at Kakeyi village, near the existing 50mld Water Works is meant to tackle the protracted water supply scarcity in Zaria.
“The project is grouped into four construction stages, namely: a new 150 million litre per day water treatment plant; the construction of transmission mains and service reservoirs; rehabilitation and extension of distribution network; and network extension to six other local governments comprising of 23 communities, if completed has the capacity to serve Zaria residents and other neighbouring local government areas. Work is 88 per cent completed and by next year that is 2015 the work will be completed,” she added.
Mr Yakubu, an engneer, further explained that, “the Dam is ready, the water treatment plant is almost ready but this one relies on another one this is phase one and then we have phase two, because when you finish the treatment unit you have to transport the water to the service reservoirs in the town and we have the transmission main that will convey water from this treatment plant to reservoirs for that, the Government secure a loan from Islamic Development Bank, the loan is ready we are even in the process of procuring consultants and awarding the contracts. The loan is 81 million US dollars, then the third phase is that of distribution line, the water will flow by gravity to the distribution mains and to the end users. The Government again has secured another loan from the African Development bank and that one is about 101million US dollars and that is the third lines for distribution lines and sanitation facilities, so we call it water supply expansion and sanitation project’’.
She maintained that, the project was meant to provide sustainable water supply to effectively serve Sabon Gari, Kubau, Soba, Kudan, Makarfi and Giwa in addition to Zaria local government.
Similarly, during the last visit of the Kaduna Governor, Ramalan Mukhtar Yero to the project site at Zaria, work was adjudged to have reached over 80 percent completion with an assurance that it would be completed on scheduled time. From what was gathered from the site engineers and government officials handling the multi-billion naira project during the visit. While on tour of the water project, Yero reiterated commitment to improved water supply noting that it is one of the main objectives of his administration.
The governor strongly believes that no meaningful development could be achieved if the people do not have access to potable water supply. “We have gone far in our efforts to solve the water problem being experienced in Zaria and environs. He also noted that increasing the production capacity without addressing the distribution network, transmission mains and service reservoir will not yield the desired result.
He explained that the government partnered with the African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank to consolidate the gains of the multi-billion Naira Zaria Regional Water Supply Project.
In the the same vein, the Country Director of AfDB, Dr. Ousmane Dore who was on tour of the project with Governor Yero assured the governor of providing support and concluding the project on schedule. He assured of the commitment of AfDB to ensuring the project will rekindle the expectation of the over two million people from Zaria and 6 other local government areas to benefit from the water project when completed.
Meanwhile, on the fears raised on how to transmit and distribute the water to be produced, the Governor said there was no cause for alarm as the dam and water treatment plant under rehabilitation has reached 95 per cent and 85 per cent completion respectively.
At the end of the tour, Yero hinted that the first phase of the civil work for hydropower and irrigation component is completed and promised that the supply of turbine development of 400 hectares of land would be completed soon.
Also speaking, the paramount ruler of the host community Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris expressed anticipated joy on the completion of the project, assuring the state and Federal Government of the support of his people. He observed that the people of Zaria who have suffered water shortage and sanitation would smile after the project is completed and put to functional use.
According to him, it is a pointer to the commitment of government to the socio- economic condition of the people. “The government has shown clearly that it intends to solve the problem of water shortage and help the people to reciprocate by being law abiding,” the Emir stated.
Though Zaria is ancient city with various higher institutions spread around the city, the residents and students had to grapple with the untold hardship of either buying water daily, dig wells, boreholes and occasionally fetch from rivers, which are most often times polluted, water scarcity was one common problem the residents face.
The General Manager of Kaduna State Water Board, Engineer Kabiru Ahmed Rufai, who spoke to newsmen recently on the level of work at the dam site, said the 150 million litres per day water plant will soon be completed and ready for use.
He said, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was ever determined to complete all ongoing projects initiated by previous administrations in the state, especially the Zaria Water Works, considering its desired impacts on the residents.
The chairman of Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Ibrahim Daniel has reiterated commitment of the council to provide skills acquisition for youths in the area.
Daniel, in an interview, stated that apart from the many programmes to be organised in the council for such purposes, the council will also in conjunction with FCT administration create an atmosphere for job creation.
“There is an empowerment programme we will do in conjuction with FCT administration. We will benefit from it and it will help them be creator of jobs.
Although, within the council through the office of the first lady, we have trained them and we will also give them micro loans, to help them continue with the skills they have learnt and teach other ones.
“We want to ensure that there is multiplying effect it. If we have had 15 people that have learnt the skill, now we have about 50 people. Those 50 people will also train others and within a year, we would have trained more people. We have done a lot. We have sent some of them to China were they went to learn some skills,” he said.
On the various projects in the council, the chairman said some of the projects have been completed, while some are at the point of completion, thereby pledged the council’s commitment to complete them in due course, so that the residents will benefit from them.
“We had initiated some projects when we came into office like the boreholes, road projects. We re-awarded Angwan Kashun Road, which has been completed. The Yangoji-Dafa Road also has been completed.
“The Dabo-Bako township road is ongoing. The council has achieved about 60 per cents of the project. The contractor is waiting for mobilization, in order to finish the job. We are aiming to complete it within the second quarter of 2015,” he said.
The cost of inter-tribal war is huge in Taraba State: over 200,000 persons killed, 600,000 forced from their destroyed homes in Jukun and Hausa-Fulani conflicts. Yet, when the crisis abated, the people turned out to exercise their franchise even in their devastated environments. FANEN IHYONGO writes
The enthusiasm to cast their ballots clearly outstripped the agony and gloom of bloodshed. The Jukun and Hausa-Fulani in Taraba State have hacked at one another, killing about 600,000 and displacing over 200,000 in addition to wrecking a staggering number of homes. Clearly, war has exacted its toll on the people. But during the elections, survivors found their way to polling units, some of which located right inside war-ravaged settlements.
Some of the voters were internally displaced persons taking refuge in stuffy relief camps. Some had fled from their destroyed homes but returned to participate in the general election. Their narrative is heart-rending.
Greater parts of southern and central Taraba have been turned into killing fields since two years ago. The most affected councils are Gassol, Bali and Gashaka in the central zone and Wukari and Ibi in the southern part of the state. The worst hit settlements include Tella, Sabongida, Borno-Kurukur, Mai Hulla, Gidin Dorowa, and Wukari which is now a ghost town. The clashes are between Jukun Christians and Hausa-Fulani Muslims, and also between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers.
At least 600,000 residents have been forced to flee their destroyed homes amid continuous violence that has claimed over 200,000 lives, with many residents still missing. But because of the significance of election –the only means through which people can choose their leader by merely casting a vote, survivors of the crisis who fled, savoured the courage to go back and exercise their franchise.
One thing was glaring. They were not happy voting in the rubble that used to be beautiful edifices made from their toil. Anyone could look around and still identify from the charred frames of television and radio sets, burnt books or documents, refrigerators, chairs, stoves and some utensils that were once key valuables in homes. The war experience cannot easily leave their memory. Besides, the atmosphere of the blown-up environment is that of uneasy calm that could scare every mortal stiff.
One victim told TheNation that while he was voting, his heart was visualising the crisis. He said he could still picture how their assailants and killers, wielding guns, long cutlasses and axes, invaded and dislodged them.
“It is something I can’t forget until I’ll die,” he said, adding that he lost three persons to the crisis while his house was destroyed.
At the Ebenezer Primary School Wukari, the presidential and parliamentary elections were held where displaced people were still taking refuge. One of the blocks in the school was used as a polling unit, the other block a relief camp. As the noise that usually accompanies such activities as elections persisted, the displaced persons, largely women and children, stood on the corridors watching the process. What could be their thoughts?
A close look at the displaced persons revealed a pitiable people having the worst of times in their life; they sleep on the floor where mosquitoes bite them at night; they do not have enough food and water to eat and drink; they are always hungry and weak; some are said to be taking illness and dying gradually. They cannot make jokes and merriments because they are resourcefully and emotionally drained. Above all, they are a defenceless and endangered species who are terrified that they could even be killed in the stifling relief camp someday. Yet they have nowhere to go. “If I get another place, I no go deh here,” one victim in the camp who lost her husband to the crisis told TheNation.
Another victim, Mama Aishatu, 67, had difficulties locating her polling unit because of the level of destruction. She desperately approached this reporter for assistance. After referring her to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he asked her what it was like voting in a war-torn environment.
“Fear,” she responded hurriedly, in what seemed to be an already-made answer.
The Kofar Gadu polling unit in Auyi area of Wukari is located in a completely razed estate. The houses are so crushed that you would think bulldozers demolished them. No, it was done by hand with blunt implements. The terror was lamented as the people cast their votes.
So why would a people fight and destroy their own land?
Our investigations revealed that the crisis is not unconnected to land scuffles and religious differences, with a long historical genesis. The crisis assumed its fiercest scale when sacked Acting Governor Garba Umar held sway at the helms. He allegedly stoked the embers of war in the area in a manner his opponents believed was for political reasons. The crisis however began to die down gradually when the new Acting Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi was reinstated in November last year.
Other illustrious sons of Wukari have taken upon them the duty to preach peace for the warring groups to embrace truce and co-habit in harmony. One of such peace ambassadors is Agbu Kefas, a cleric, NIMASA chairman and retired colonel of the Nigerian Army.
Col Kefas who voted at his alma mater, Ebenezer Primary School, which he renovated, said he was home, not only to vote but to educate the people on the significance of the election and why they should embrace peace.
Former Minister of Power, Environment and Niger Delta Affairs Darius Dickson Ishaku is also preaching peace in the state. Ishaku, an architect and flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Takum, has promised the people “a torrential pour of peace” if he is elected governor on April 11. “We don’t want wars in Taraba; we want peace, because we want development,” the candidate says.
Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima has lifted the spirits of commercial bus drivers who are often attacked by Boko Haram insurgents. The governor presented them with 450 buses at 50 per cent discount.
Why is the gesture important? The drivers have been under insurgents’ attack since the end of last year when the terrorists took over every road but one leading into and out of the state capital Maiduguri. The only safe route is the Damaturu-Jos-Kano-Maiduguri highway. But drivers often took the risk to convey passengers and goods on other unsafe roads. It was costly because the Islamists frequently struck, hitting the commercial vehicles, passengers and drivers, many of whom died, while women and children were kidnapped.
In appreciation of the drivers’ plight and also to help their business, Governor Shettima presented 450 Sharon buses to the transporters through their umbrella body, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employees Association of Nigerian (RTEAN).
The motorists were appreciative, showering praise on their benefactor.
Beneficiaries of the buses, according to Kashim, will only repay 50 per cent of the cost of the buses after generating income. They will therefore pay slightly above half a million naira through the union for each of the 10-seater buses that cost N1.1 million.
Shettima in his speech praised the significant role of the union in trying to deliver its services even in the heat of the Boko Haram crisis and the dangers encountered on the highways, adding that such services shouldn’t be neglected.
He said, “Since Borno State started facing the challenges of insurgency in 2009, one group that has remained a silent victim is the National Union of Road Transport Workers. Countless number of commercial drivers who are members of the union have lost their lives on account of moving people from one point to another, to make people succeed in doing businesses, visiting families and keeping our society functional. We all know that once vehicles, especially commercial vehicles connecting states are out of the road, and then a society is brought to a halt. This is because more than 70% of citizens all over Nigeria depend on commercial transport for mobility of trade, social and cultural activities. We depend on commercial transport for the food we all eat in houses and virtually all our house hold items. What really surprises me is the courage of members of the NURTW.
“Drivers under this association defy all fears and convey people, food items and other essentials of life into Borno State in the darkest days of Boko Haram insurgency. Some of them even lose their lives in the process but many others still carry on. A lot of them take the bull by the horns. This is a group that keeps Borno connected to the rest of Nigeria and helps in conveying the needs of our people into Borno State so we can all exist as a society. If anyone recalls the attacks of Boko Haram along Ngamdu, Mainok, Benesheikh, Jos, Potiskum as well as the religious riots in Kaduna and reprisals in the southern Nigeria over the years, then he or she will appreciate commercial drivers under the NURTW, because often times, they were caught on the highways”, the Governor narrated.
He explained his administration’s efforts in the area of roads to boost the activities of commercial drivers and other road users.
“As part of our own measures to make activities of members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) easier, this administration has since 2011 embarked on different road projects to creatively open up Maiduguri which is not just our largest city in the State but with the highest traffic of motorists, many of whom are members of the NURTW. You may recall that it was this administration that constructed ring roads around the Mai Doki Roundabout which has made vehicles coming from the four angles ahead of the roundabout to easily negotiate to the right hand side, and connect to other routes without falling into the roundabout traffic. That has decongested the area. Our administration, it was, which reduced the size of the old Mai Doki roundabout is to create additional lanes and since that was done, the nightmare faced due to traffic has significantly reduced if not eliminated.
“We have also built alternative routes like some sort of internal by-pass, if we can call them so, and these by-passes such as the long one coming from Airport Road by the Revenue Board, linking with Maduganari-Tashan Kano on one part and also linking Secretariat Road at another end, while at third end, the same road connects with Damboa Road through neighboring Eye Hospital.
“We constructed another long stretch of bye-pass connecting Bulabulin, Gwange and Monday market with Gidan Madara and Lagos Street. Both roads were constructed with small but important bridges. These projects have gone a long way in reducing traffic for members of the NURTW and other road users in Maiduguri. We have constructed other road projects including investing over fourteen billion naira on community roads and drainages in places like Bulumkutu from Tsallake down to other sections of the very large and highly populated Bulumkutu which your members now ply without flooding and horrible sites, previously associated with the places.
”I am sure you must have heard or perhaps you know about the Gwange community roads and our slums remodeling programme, in which we use thick interlocks to assemble roads that connect densely located houses with major roads, and all of these have made it possible for members of the NURTW and other road users to be able to access many communities, so as to pick weak and old persons, pregnant women in labour and those in emergency situations that require vehicles picking them at their door steps. Some, if not many of you, have driven cars on top of many roads we built. Time wouldn’t permit me to list the roads but you know them. We have embarked on different highways, inter-villages and township roads in the Southern parts of Borno even though Boko Haram succeeded greatly in stampeding our great plans due to attacks on construction workers to the point that most International construction companies with superior technology abandoned Borno State.
“We had to take our destiny in our hands by importing functional construction equipment to engage in direct labour works. Were it not for Boko Haram we would insha Allah, by now, have gone far in re-constructing the Maiduguri-Konduga-Bama-Gwoza Highway because the project was provided for in our 2014 budget and when it couldn’t be done due to security problems, we carried over the budgetary provision to the 2015 budget and we all know that Bama and Gwoza roads were seized. We came with so much ambition to remodel Borno State and make it an envy of many States in Nigeria, we wanted to make Borno a place every citizen would be proud of and by Allah’s will, we will succeed. Boko Haram will certainly come to a sustainable end,” he said.
“National President of the NURTW, speaking through the state leader, Alhaji Bello Maduganari, said by giving out 450 buses, the Governor has assisted 4500 families because each of the buses would have direct impact on 10 families based on known projections worked out by the Union many years ago. He also said no Nigerian Governor has paid attention to commercial drivers under the union as much as Governor Shettima has done since 2011. The president listed previous support the Governor gave to the union which included N10m and provision of vehicles for operational use by the union’s headquarters in the state.
“Leader of the Road Transport Employees Association in Borno State paid glowing tributes also commended the Governor and pledged continued support to his administration.
Highlight of the occasion was presentation of the vehicles to the beneficiaries and test drive by the Governor.
Some of the commercial drivers were full of praises from Governor Shettima.
President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega have written their names in gold in Nigeria’s history.
They did these through their roles in the just concluded 2015 presidential elections.
While there have been predictions of doom, one of which being that the election would be the basis for the breakup of Nigeria, the actions and conducts of the two men have nipped every prospect of crisis in the bud.
They have not only stabilised the Nigeria, but have also shown to the world that democracy has truly come to stay in Nigeria.
Through their actions, they have ushered in a new era and beamed a ray of hope for Nigeria to move to greater heights.
Beside Jega’s total commitment to birthing free, fair and credible 2015 general elections, he tactically handled a scene during the collation of the presidential election results on Tuesday that would have not only dented the electoral process but set the country on fire.
Party agent to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, besides disrupting the activities of the commission for about forty minutes in the name of protest, also leveled various allegations against Jega.
Orubebe, who held on tightly to the microphone, was shouting on top of his voice and rolling on the floor in front of Jega and his team in the full glare of the world.
The Ex-Minister was probably waiting for security personnel or anybody in the hall to touch him in order to get the opportunity to turn the arena to free for all fight.
But sensing the trap, Jega and the security personnel left Orubebe to carry out the shameful display unhindered.
Orubebe’s actions, within the period, had started sending wrong signals to Nigerians who were glued to their television sets watching the proceedings.
As Orubebe was carrying out the disruption, many Nigerians who were already apprehensive that Nigeria was going to break up as a result of the 2015 general elections started preparing for the worst scenario.
Many shop owners in Area 11 and many areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who managed to open their shops , immediately shut their shops and started rushing home as soon as Orubebe started the disruption.
In the hall, Jega kept mute throughout Orubebe’s display and in the face of accusations. He tactically responded to the issues raised when the situation in the hall was brought under control.
He was immediately able to douse the tension that was being generated across the country by Orubebe’s action.
Jega successfully ended the collation process and declared General Muhammadu Buhari as the President-elect.
President Jonathan, while it became glaring that Buhari had won the election, unprecedentedly called Buhari on telephone that Tuesday to congratulate him even before Buhari was declared winner of the election.
In his statement, Jonathan said: “As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else. I have conveyed my personal best wishes to General Muhammadu Buhari.”
Jonathan’s action immediately changed the mood of the nation as Nigerians’ apprehension and fear of war in the country immediately disappeared.
On Jonathan’s action, the Head of the 2015 Elections Peace Committee, Abdulsalami Abubakar said: “We were at the middle of a meeting with the international observers to try to see how we can still water the tension down, when gladly I called Gen. Buhari that we are going to see him, he told me that Mr. President has called him at about 5:15 p.m. and congratulated him and conceded defeat.”
“We were spell bound and the reason we have come here is to thank President Jonathan for this statesmanship. In the history of Nigeria I think this is the first time where a contestant has called his rival to congratulate him and through this point, President Jonathan maintained a point that the blood of Nigerians is not worth his presidency and by his action he has proved that.”
“He has proved that he is a man of his word because during our interaction on this peace committee he has always maintained that he is going to accept the result of the elections which ever way it is done. And he has proved this,” he added.
Jonathan and betrayals
It is no longer news that President Jonathan has conceded defeat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
But he must have learned one new lesson or the other from his experience from the period he picked his nomination form through the campaign tours to the election day.
Was he betrayed by some of those he relied on in the campaign organisation, some of the PDP governors and key aides who were very close to him?
Could these have been responsible for his loss to the APC in the presidential election in many PDP-controlled states or his loss was due to the massive support for APC in those states that could not be stopped by the PDP?
What happened before the election and during the election is now history as the President has already put everything behind him, looking ahead.
Being a simple man who has ensured peace in the country through his reaction to the outcome of the Presidential election, Nigerians, in no small number, expect that in no distant time, Jonathan’s wealth of experience will soon be available for the African continent and the world to tap into.
Security agents looked set for a long night but instead of violence, the nation’s capital exploded into shouts of victory as Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election. GBENGA OMOKHUNU and GRACE OBIKEREPORT
Security personnel had taken positions across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before the final announcement of results and formal declaration of the winner of the March 28, 2015 presidential polls.
Minutes after two of the last three results were declared by chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega at about 5pm, a drive around town that Tuesday showed that security agents were already in positions in anticipation of wild celebrations by members of the winning party.
Four patrol vans of the Nigerian Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and two police patrol vehicles were stationed around streets adjoining the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Wadata Plaza in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. Scores of armed policeman were outside the building.
There was also the visible presence of the police and the members of the corps outside President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign headquarters at Maitama.
The two secretariats appeared desolate and deserted in complete contrast with its status until recently as beehives of activities by politicians, particularly loyalists of the ruling PDP.
The bustle of political activities appeared to have shifted to the APC Presidential Campaign headquarters in the Central Business District, where jubilant members of the party were already gathering in anticipation of a victory party after the declaration of their candidate as winner.
Security presence, consisting mainly police and other security operatives, was also heavy around the popular Berger, Area 1 and AYA roundabouts as well as locations like Banex Plaza Junction, in possible anticipation of a possible breach of security.
APC supporters were all over the streets in motorcades waving their party’s flag and brandishing the posters of their victorious presidential candidate.
Jubilant street urchins were also seen around Amigo Supermarket in Wuse 2 drumming and chanting victory songs in Hausa as they danced and eulogised the APC presidential candidate.
Sellers of sachet water on that Tuesday evening made a lot of money in Dutse, Bwari area council of the FCT as supporters of the APC used it to celebrate the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential election as they sprinkled the water on themselves and other residents.
The supporters also took charge of the roads on motorcycles, riding sporadically and shouting to whoever cares to hear, ‘Sai Buhari, sai Baba’.
One of the supporters, Zubairu Ahmed who spoke to Abuja Review said that the victory of Buhari was a victory for all of them, adding that he expects good things and positive change in the country.
Another supporter, Seun Omole stated that surely the victory will bring about development in the country, urging the new president not to disappoint the people who have voted and stood by him.
However, many residents urged supporters to be calm in their celebration, so as not to cause any problem in the peaceful environment.
Apart from the fuel scarcity that truncated the lives of residents to a large extent, most residents and Nigerians living outside the capital where convinced that the election would end bloody, so the week witness a mass exodus of residents from Abuja to other states.
By Friday the 27th, the city of Abuja becameý virtually empty, the number of cars plying the road could be counted and other residents that found themselves in town hurried to get home and seal themselves behind their doors but funny enough and to the surprise of many, Abuja turned out to be peaceful on election day.
Although some parts of FCT, just like in other parts of the country experienced late arrival of election materials and sometimes the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, the pocket of residents left in the capital ensured peaceful and unlike in most states, only a few residents bothered to wait for the counting of their votes as a lot opted to retire to their homes.
Mrs Nkiru Ogonna, a resident of Kubwa, spoke of how scared she was seeing all that kind of displayý, “I don’t understand why this boys have to scare us all with this their crazy stunts, I understand that they are excited and celebrating, but I don’t just understand why they have to do all of this, what if they mistakenly hurt innocent passerby’s, what will they say to them? Sorry?”
After all said and done, the election and its outcome in Abuja was violence-free and by Monday after everything was over, the city was still empty and shops still closed because most people who had travelled outside the city had to take their time returning, but surprisingly by the weekend, Abuja was already returning to the busy city that it had been known to be except of course for most of the government ministries which mostly devoid of staff, most of which had travelled for the election and also took the time to stay back for the Easter holidays.
During the election proper, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ade Abolurin had gone round the FCT and even to Nasarawa and Kaduna to monitor the election which was peaceful. The NSCDC men were at every polling units maintaining law and order.
The NSCDC boss had warned officers not to compromise but work assiduously as patriotic citizen and ambassadors.
He assured government and international observers of the corps preparedness to adhere strictly to the rules and code of conduct drawn for its personnel.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, in an interview with our correspondent on the outcome of the election confirmed that no arrest was made during the election adding that the exercise was peaceful.
He said the police force did not leave anything to chance. The police boss advised all to remain peaceful and go about their normal business.
Even the Nigeria Army officers were visible at major highways and all around the FCT.
In Minna, Niger State, eligible blind men and women voters trooped out in large numbers to carry out their civic duty, JIDE ORINTUNSIN reports
Nobody expected anything from them. No politician reached out to them, not even during campaigns. It is on record that no political party or their candidates ever reckoned with them. They remain the ever-forgotten Nigerians. Their condition is pathetic. Majority of them are physically agile; only their sight has failed. So they are never seen to have any electoral value. That is the plight of the blind across the length and breadth of the country.
But during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the visually impaired in Niger State trooped out in large numbers, like other eligible voters, to choose the country’s leaders.
As early as 7am on Saturday they left their colony in Limawa quarters of Minna for the two nearby polling units. With their walking sticks and infant guides, they formed two orderly, gender-based queues and waited patiently for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc staff.
Their accreditation went with little or minor hitches. The Smart Reader Card machines did not pose much problem either. Done with that, they moved in droves back to they colony for a call up to come and vote. This civic duty they carried out with the assistance of their guide to the admiration of able bodied voters and with a high degree of fulfilment on their part.
Led by the Sarki Makarfo (Chief of the Blind) Alhaji Rabiu Abdullahi, they all resolved to be part of the process that will give birth to a new Nigeria. They resolved to live above their limitation. With their trusted guides and some public spirited persons they all cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.
The Sarki said the large turnout of his people was a product of deliberate and conscious mobilisation before the election.
Recounting the efforts made prior to the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections, Abdullahi said,
“We have been relegated. Nobody ever thought of us. We are left in our colony as forgotten Nigerians. Past efforts to fight for recognition have failed to yield positive and desired results and now with the election we felt we should come out en masse to make a statement that our votes can determine who wins and to tell our leaders that we exist.
“We suffered during past elections. INEC, its officials and even other voters never accorded us any special attention; we never knew the procedure of voting. Many times we were disenfranchised; we were even deceived into voting wrongly.
“In the past Politicians used their agents and capitalized on our predicament to lead us to thumb print for the candidates of their own choice and not ours because we are blind.
“Though we can’t see them physically, we however know these politicians and what they have been doing for the society and the election period is when we can express our appreciation to them but unfortunately, we were misled and made to vote for the wrong candidates,” he lamented.
In order not to fall victim again, the Niger State Association for the Blind organised series of sensitaization of their members with the assistance of the Independent National Electoral (INEC). They were educated on what they are to do and things to avoid before, during and even after the elections.
The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Abdulraham Awwal said the association brought leaders of the blind in all the 25 local government areas of the state to Minna to attend “train the trainers workshop” and to fully equipped members of the electoral law and process and by extension educate other members in their locality.
Awwal, a teacher at Niger State School for the Handicapped, Minna noted that the interactive session paid off, according to him, “We were able to make case for our members who are eligible voters. We raised many issues, especially the challenges we use to suffer during elections and at the end we were allowed to come to the voting centres with our aides leading us to cast our votes or get a trusted person at the polling centres to lead and assist us to thumb print for the candidates of our choice.”
The chairman debunked insinuation that the move of the association was motivated by a political party.
Hear him, “We are not politicians, we are not card carrying members of any of the registered parties, we are just a pressure group fighting for our rights and for the need to be related or dealt with like any other human being. We educated our people on the candidates and their parties and we resolved to give our votes to the candidates or party that will take our welfare into consideration so that we too can live a better life”
“With our coming out in large numbers, we hope whoever wins either at the state or national level will not take us with a pinch of salt. We too desire and deserve a better welfare package. If they cannot come and appeal for our votes, our coming out to vote is to send a message to them,” Awwal stated.
The Sarki Maikafo however had a parting shot for INEC. “Though we had a better treatment at our voting centres last Saturday, I want on behalf of my people appeal to INEC to help reduce if not total elimination of the agony we use pass through in previous elections.
“We look forward to a stress free governorship election. We don’t want to go through the same process and rigours of standing on the long queue with the able persons. We should also be seen as human beings and create a separate registration and voting units for us for the forthcoming elections.”
Presidents of Dutse Sokale in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were taken aback when they discovered the corpse of an unidentified woman that was dumped in the area.
Eyewitnesses said the woman in her late 30s, was discovered by passersby at the early hours of Wednesday, adding that the body was dumped behind a building.
Residents, who heard about the incident, thronged the area for possible identification of the corpse. None could identify her until a woman, Mama Sokale, arrived at the scene. She immediately fainted on seeing the corpse. The residents made frantic efforts to revive her. When she came to a start, she explained that the corpse was her sister, Felicia who had come from Kaduna to visit her.
She stated that her sister had arrived on Tuesday from Kaduna without prior information, adding that she had left her in her shop following the erratic behaviour of some youths who were celebrating the victory of Gen. Buhari as Nigeria’s President-elect.
“She arrived at my shop from Kaduna. I did not know she was coming. She told me that she was coming from a burial. When the news came that Gen. Buhari had won the presidential election, I was scared by the way the youth were celebrating. I told my sister that we should go home,” she said.
Mama Sokale further stated that her sister told her that she was waiting behind to see someone; promising to close the shop when she had seen the person.
“I went home and I waited for my sister and she did not come back. I was wondering what happened. I did not know that this is what I will experience today. Someone just called me that there was a corpse and I came, only to see that it is my sister,” she said.
Abuja Review gathered that there was no blood stain or any wound on the body, which might mean that the woman was strangled. The police came to the scene around 9:30 a.m. to pick-up the corpse to the mortuary.
Schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been advised to place more emphasis on agricultural products, safety and environmental management in addition to entrepreneurship.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on School Agriculture, Dr Baraka Sani gave the advice at a tree-planting ceremony at Government Senior Secondary School Jabi District of Abuja.
Sani said the ultimate goal of the ceremony through the National School Agricultural Programme (NSAP) was to build young people who will protect and defend Nigeria, saying that it is her prayer that after the inauguration, they will continue to take care of the plants, with the potential value of Moringa plants.
“The Moringa trees are there for you to nurture. Every member of NSAP is expected to plant 10 of this Moringa plant every year. There is going to be a marking, whereby we can present trophies and badges that would elevate the status of members.
“There is nothing better than seeing the seeds that you planted growing into maturity and you are harvesting from them. NSAP is a very interesting programme which will help young Nigerians to be agriculture and nature-friendly.
“We have done part of the programmes and more interesting ones are coming. There will be quiz, debate and the regional, national and international excursion and the exhibition. So, I call on schools that are in NSAP to hold on to their enterprises and ensure that they succeeded,” she said.
