“We have resolved to work with all political leaders that appreciate the need for coming together for a new Nigeria.
“We discriminate against none; our commitment is a new Nigeria that will lead our dear continent out of its present abyss,” he said.
Nwosu added that a committee has been set up to woo more elements into the proposed party.
“We certainly need a new beginning. Pointing fingers of recrimination is not what transformational leaders do. Twenty two political parties have joined hands with the ADC to build a new mega party.
‘The state of the nation is somehow. Therefore, instead of wasting our time engaging in futile debates, we should continue to strategise on ways to develop a new political system and come together to create a collaborative, value-driven ecosystem that prioritizes our people and country,” he said.
A political movement in Kano State, Arewa Renaissance Front (ARF) has raised the alarm over what it called several attempts being made by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) -led administration to frame up the immediate past Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on unsubstantiated allegations of sleaze.
To the group, it is a ploy to cover up for the Governor’s inability to meet up with the expectations of the people, thereby plunging the ancient city of Kano, Northern commercial headquarters, into a new theatre of absurdity.
The group, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Aminu Gawama, accused Governor Abba Yusuf, fondly called Aba Gida Gida and his godfather of witchunting Ganduje through propaganda and state-owned institutions in order to divert the attention of the people from their paralysing inefficiency and cluelessness.
The statement reads : “We at the Arewa Renaissance Front (ARF) are aware of the recent politically-motivated attacks on the person of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.
“We note with concern that the attacks are overtly and covertly sponsored by the Kano State Government, the current governor, Abba Yusuf, and his godfather. “Without a whiff of doubt, we know that the attacks on the person of Dr Ganduje are a diversionary tactic to prevent the people of Kano State and the general public at large from seeing the startling cluelessness and paralysing inefficiency of the Abba Yusuf-led administration which has turned governance in the state to a comedy of errors.
“Kano people are asking: What has Governor Yusuf done to positively transform the state since his coming to power almost a year ago despite the increased fiscal allocations accruing to the state from the Federation Account ? “It’s important to emphasise that the two judicial commissions of inquiry recently empanelled by the state government to probe the activities of former Governor Ganduje in office per alleged misappropriation of public assets and political violence are nothing but mere witch-hunting.
“One is left wondering why the Governor ordered the kangaroo commissions to probe only the activities of the Ganduje administration but conveniently and comfortably exonerated the administration of his former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, from investigation.’’
‘’ Does anyone need a soothsayer to know that it’s a wild goose chase meant to squander the resources of the state? “Of course, it is glaring to all that the rationale for the investigation is ill-motivated in so far that the Kwankwaso administration is exempted from the probe.
“Suddenly, under Governor Yusuf, what is sauce for the goose is no longer sauce for the gander just because the gander belongs to another camp.
“In any case, Dr Ganduje is not afraid of being probed as his records of activities while his tenancy lasted as the Governor of Kano State are an open book for anyone to dissect and peruse.
“It must be stated, however, that such investigation and probe must be carried out by impartial institutions like the EFCC and the ICPC and not the likes of the commissions handpicked by Governor Yusuf , whose final result has long been determined even before the probe begins: To give Dr Ganduje a bad name in order to hang him.
“We state that Dr Ganduje has nothing to hide even as he is currently facing the arduous responsibility of repositioning the APC so that it can fulfil the social contract it entered with Nigerians courtesy of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration.”
The Benue tate government has clarified that the residence of former Governor Aper Aku was not attacked in Gboko.
According to one of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s media aides, Solomon Iorpev, the report on the attack was inaccurate.
He said in a statement in Makurdi, the state capital, that the resudence of Aku’s relative, Ityungu Aku, znd not that if the former governor, was destroyed.
The statement reads: “While the governor of Benue State condemns in strong terms the destruction of any property within the state, it should be clear that the residence that was attacked belonged to Mr. Ityungu Aku, a relative of the former governor, situated in Mbayion near the former Ter Gboko Akaahan Adi’s house.
“Again, While this act is condemnable, it is essential to ensure accuracy in reporting such incidents.
“His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia frowns at such actions by miscreants who don’t have the good of the state at heart but only work mischievously to cause instability within the state and warns such trouble mongers in strong terms desist from misinforming the public or face the full wrath of the law.
“The governor has strongly condemned the attack on the Ityungu Aku family home, describing it as “barbaric and reprehensible” and has instructed the Gboko local government caretaker chairman, Hon Verlumun Avaa to investigate the root cause of the incident and report back promptly for necessary actions.
“His Excellency has extended his sympathies to the family and directed Security agencies in Gboko to apprehend the perpetrators.
“We hope this clarifies the facts surrounding this incident. We urge all media outlets and public figures not to be hasty but verify every information before publications.”
The Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has certified Kwara Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Coordinating Commissioner for Works and Transport Mallam Abdulquawiy Olododo as a registered engineer and member of the exclusive body.
The certification was announced on Thursday by the regulatory body.
Reacting to the development, the Ministry congratulated the Commissioner on the feat
The congratulatory message reads in part, “The Kwara State Ministry of Works and Transport heartily congratulates Engr. AbdulQuawiy Olododo, our dedicated, diligent, and esteemed supervising commissioner on his certification as a registered engineer by COREN.
“This landmark underscores your unwavering focus, exceptional tenacity and remarkable resilience, demonstrated consistently since assuming office. May this achievement birth further milestones and commendations in the future.”
I write to address the recent disinformation triggered by a recent report in the BBC on the Kankan LGEA School in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.
I understand that the BBC report was a standalone story, which did not delve into the context of the peculiarity of the Kwara situation as a result of our history. The Honourable Commissioner for Communications Mrs Bola Olukoju has done justice to the story, and it is hoped that the BBC and our other friends in the foreign media are properly guided on the issue and related ones.
One of the biggest issues His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confronted in 2019 is the mismanagement and stealing of education intervention funds during the previous administration.
Upon assuming office in 2019, however, the Governor addressed the mismanagement of funds that led to the official blacklist of the state from accessing UBEC funds for six consecutive years. His Excellency first paid N450m, which was the balance of the 2013 FGN-UBEC/SUBEB Matching grant diverted by Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed led administration, and this led to the lifting of the ban on the state.
After paying matching grants of N7.1bn in 2020, Kwara State received a substantial intervention fund totalling 14.2 billion naira, representing 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. This was utilized for the construction, renovation, and remodelling of facilities/structures across 605 schools, including provision of both teachers and students furniture, WASH facilities, and digital literacy centres across all 16 local. government areas. 33 schools were also fenced to prevent land encroachment and provide safety for our children.
Having said this, it is important to clarify that only 605 schools out of a total of about 2,187 basic schools in the state benefited from the interventions. Definitely, there is still more work to be done, and this point has been made several times.
The tangible results of these interventions are evident in the significant improvements witnessed in the infrastructural improvement of our basic schools throughout Kwara State when compared with the pre-2019 era.
These interventions can be seen in all the 193 wards across the 16 LGAs.
Notwithstanding the above, the government remains committed to steadily addressing the outstanding deficits in the sector. In 2023, Governor Abdulrazaq again fulfilled the state’s counterpart fund obligation for 2020, amounting to 1.4 billion naira, which was allocated for the construction and remodelling of additional 105 classrooms across the state. More teachers and pupils furniture, with WASH facilities( toilets and motorised boreholes with solar panels), were also provided for our schools.
Furthermore, His Excellency has recently approved the payment of 2021-2023 counterpart funds. The implication of this is that infrastructural upgrades will get to more schools soonest. Kankan LGEA School in Asa LGA and many more schools have been captured.
A Governor who has done this much should deservedly be given his flowers because not only did the administration before him fail to commit funds to the sector, but it, in fact, stole the little grants it received from the Federal Government.
We urge members of the public to continue to support the Governor and his administration as he continues to rewrite the story of basic education for posterity.
Deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, on Thursday, escaped assassination attempt.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, was said to have been attacked in Igumale, the headquarters of his local government area of Ado, during a constituency outreach organised to mark the Easter celebration.
It was also gathered that, for the swiftly intervention of the ‘Operation Whirlwind’ of the Nigerian Armed Forces on peace keeping mission in the area, the assassins would have had their ways.
Some of the suspects were said to have been arrested by the military operation and giving useful information.
“Thanks to the swift response of security operatives present at the scene, the Enone Representative managed to evade harm, averting a potential tragedy. Several of the suspected perpetrators were promptly apprehended, shedding light on the disturbing chain of events,” an witness said.
“I am in shock! I am in a great shock!! I can’t talk to you right now, please”, Agbese told our Correspondent last night.
But Lawrence Oduh, a media Aide to Agbese, confirmed the attack, adding the suspects have also made stunning revelations to the military operation during the preliminary investigation witnessed by the locals.
As of the time of filling this report, there is no official comment from the military operations in Benue or the Army authorities on the matter.
The ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue has been enmeshed with crisis since Governor Alia took over the affairs of the State with members of the National Assembly Caucus at the forefront.
Agbese, who is the spokesperson of the Caucus was seen in December 2023, removing the portrait of Governor Alia from his office in National Assembly, the move which did not go down well with the State Government and some stakeholders..
Kwara State Government has denied it is behind the corruption trial of former Governor Abdulfatahi Ahmed, saying the burden of governance does not permit any distractions or targeting of anyone, including former public officials.
In a statement on Thursday, Commissioner for Communications Bola Olukoju said the trial of the former Governor is the exclusive prerogative of the anti-graft agencies who may have found against him following their own investigations of different transactions involving his administration.
“We find the accusation of the opposition party as cowardly, baseless, and wrong-headed. The right place to prove the innocence of anyone accused of wrongdoing is the court of law, not on the pages of newspapers or through shadow-boxing. They should leave us out of the issue,” she said.
“This administration has moved on from whatever happened in the past, except where historical references are inevitable. Our task is so enormous that we are left with no time to waste.
“Regardless, the truth is that the administration still grapples with the burden of fixing the most basic things, including those that should have been done but had resources meant for them blatantly stolen by these PDP officials.
“An example is the UBEC funds, which were brazenly stolen. We reported a case of a particular N1bn UBEC intervention funds that were withdrawn cash and stolen. The evidence is damning.
“This barefaced and irresponsible conduct led to the blacklist of Kwara by UBEC and set the state back for many years in education infrastructure and many other sectors. As if that was not enough, there had not been any meaningful investments in the basic education until our administration came up in 2019. It is not surprising, therefore, to see a Kankan LGEA School in some parts of the state, in spite of the huge funds we have pumped in the sector. This was the essence of the government’s public communication dated July 24, 2022 and titled ‘Next Time You See an Oke Apomu LGEA School.’
“Even so, our focus has been governance. This is why we feel scandalised by the lack of context in the recent BBC report on LGEA School Kankan in Asa local government. The media owe the public not just a duty to tell a story but to give appropriate context to such stories for lessons to be learnt. Kankan LGEA School, like many of it across the state, did not just get there. They have all been documented, and steps are being taken to put them in shape in phases.
“Between 2019 and now, this administration has paid for and accessed UBEC counterpart funds for years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 to fix school infrastructure in more than 600 locations in the state. This has been confirmed by UBEC itself, and they were done to specifications in the UBEC-SUBEB work plans.
“Yet the gap is understandably huge that it will take many years of such consistent investments to bridge. To date, we have paid counterpart funds for eight years, whereas we have only spent less than five years in the saddle. What this means is that we shoulder the burden of fixing school infrastructure that should have been done since 2014 or earlier. But the funds were stolen under the same people now in the PDP who are accusing the EFCC of witch-hunt.
“This is the context to the Kankan story. While we do not deny that it is our responsibility to fix the deficits and we are indeed doing same, we reject any report that lacks the context to tell the full story and guide public understanding of the issues.”
Kogi Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has launched a security initiative aimed at taming the upsurge in emerging criminal activities in Lokoja, the state capital and major towns.
According to Ismaila Isah,
Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, the operation code named Metropolitan Quick Response is in partnership with the Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Police and the joint task force of security agencies in the state.
At the flag off of the initiative at the government house in Lokoja, Governor Ododo restated the commitment of his administration to deal decisively with criminals in the state.
The Governor noted that the safety and security of lives and property of the people of Kogi state remains a top priority for the administration, stressing that nothing will be spared to ensure that the people of the state sleep with their two eyes closed.
“Today, we are flagging off the Metropolitan Quick Response (MQR) to advance our efforts in the safety and security of lives and property in Lokoja Metropolis and beyond.
“The flag off of the Metropolitan Quick Response operation is part of the evolving security measures to ensure we have a safe environment and to build on the solid foundation of our security architecture in the state.
“As a government, we are resolute in our determination to flush out criminal elements in every nook and cranny of Kogi State.
“Nothing will be spared to guarantee safety and security in every inch of the state and Kogi state will remain unsafe for criminal elements where ever they may be,” Ododo assured.
The Governor commended the gallantry and dedication of all security agencies in the State for their sacrifices in the line of duty, adding that the state government will continue to appreciate their efforts in keeping the state safe.
Ododo called on citizens of the state to be proactive and remain vigilant and to provide credible and timely information to security agencies in the state.
The Governor promised to continue to prioritize technological enablers to enhance capabilities in intelligence gathering to combat emerging security threats in the State.
Pursuant to the avowed resolve of his administration to remain open, transparent and consistently accountable to the people, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State on Saturday, 25 March, held a well-attended townhall meeting with citizens and residents of the state. It was, once again, a time for the governor to render account of his stewardship, almost 10 months after the people gave him their mandate to preside over the affairs of the state.
Typically, Governor Sani was open, blunt and convivial as he interfaced with the people with utmost humility. It was open and participatory governance in full display and the attendees relished every moment of the very crucial meeting. It was therefore with shock that most persons who attended the townhall meeting, received snippets of false narratives that began making the rounds a few hours after, especially to the effect that Governor Sani castigated his predecessor in office, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, at the event. Nothing could be further from the truth. Anyone who was present at the townhall meeting will easily attest to the fact that Governor Sani did not even mention the name of Mallam El Rufai at the meeting. I dare also repudiate in totality, insinuations that at the townhall meeting, subliminal attempts were made by the governor to “expose” or disparage his predecessor. Nothing of such happened.
The general understanding was (and still is) that the townhall meeting was summoned by Governor Sani to personally and compassionately communicate some inevitable policy and programme’s adjustments that his administration had resolved to make in the face of rapidly changing and challenging events. The governor, being the custodian of the sacred mandate of the people, rightly called the meeting, in line with international best practice, to unveil the policy adjustments and to secure their buy-in and of course to take home immediate feedbacks that could further help guide the new direction of the administration.
For starters, it will not be far from the truth to assert that the townhall meeting was triggered by recent events in the state, particularly the unfortunate abduction of 137 school children from the Kuriga community in Chikun Local Government Area of the state. The sad occurrence momentarily placed Kaduna State on not just national but global spotlight. Thankfully, the children have since been safely rescued and returned to the comfort of their respective homes.
Undoubtedly, for Sani and most other right-thinking citizens and residents of Kaduna State, the impetuous and even audacious abduction of such a sizable number of innocent children from their schools by rampaging bandits, among other things, completely changed the dynamics of the administration, going forward. The very discerning and sensitive Sani did not need any special prompting to understand that, for now, the overwhelming consensus is that sustainable safety and security across Kaduna State be accorded huge priority by the government, even as the governor pursues other noble goals.
“The safety and security of our citizens is our topmost priority. The abduction of the Kuriga school children was hurtful and nightmarish. Their return has gladdened our hearts. All praises to Almighty God. The return of the Kuriga school children is a pointer to the fact that when we work collectively, success is guaranteed. The President, National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Army all stood up to be counted. I spent sleepless nights with the NSA finetuning strategies and directing operations. The good people of Kaduna State, and indeed Nigerians from all walks of life prayed ceaselessly for the safe return of the school children,” the governor recalled at the townhall meeting.
Governor Sani then proceeded to unveil a number of urgent measures his administration was putting in place to stave off future attacks, abductions and to generally downgrade the activities of criminal elements that have for so long terrorised the state. “Even as we continue to give the traumatised Kuriga school children all the medical, psychosocial and other support they need. We shall, without delay, commence the implementation of our Safe School Project. We shall merge schools in conflict prone areas with those in safe areas. We shall fence our schools, erect watch towers and draft security personnel to protect the schools and children,” he told the hundreds of attendees at the townhall meeting. The governor was resolute about the urgency of reworking several dilapidated and insecure schools across communities in all the local government areas of the state.
Governor Sani said his administration will be deploying formal and vocational education as potent weapons to curb poverty and insecurity in the state. Education, the governor noted, is a leveler and a tool for economic liberation. “We are determined to decisively address the skills deficits of our people with the construction of Vocational and Technology Skills City in Rigachikun, Samarun Kataf and Soba. We want to reposition our citizens to become competitive in a fast changing and complex world. We want our citizens to have the requisite skills to fill positions in the business concerns we have attracted to the state. We slashed the fees in our tertiary institutions to lessen the burden on parents and ensure that our children continue with their education uninterrupted,” he said.
Aside massively rehabilitating and constructing classrooms in primary and secondary schools across the state, the administration, Sani said, is raising the quality of the state’s teachers through sustained training and retraining. In partnership with Google, Kaduna State is training 5,000 women and girls in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Applied Digital Technology, the governor revealed.
To the delight of the attendees, the governor disclosed that the state is strengthening collaboration with security agencies and fashioning more effective strategies to checkmate and degrade the evil elements laying siege on communities in the state. He revealed that Kaduna is closely and intentionally engaging with neighbouring states to develop joint strategies and carry out joint operations against criminal elements that have been crisscrossing states in the North-west of the country, wreaking havoc and subjecting mostly rural communities to untold hardship. He announced that his administration is meticulously putting in place long-lasting and measurable kinetic and non-kinetic options that would deepen safety and security in all parts of Kaduna State.
The governor also told the audience that with full support of the state government, the nation’s Armed Forces have set up Forward Operation Bases in strategic locations across the state.
At the townhall meeting, Sani reiterated his often-held position that opening up the rural communities in the state and linking them to empowerment opportunities and urban economies would drastically downgrade and possibly decimate banditry in Kaduna State. “We have embarked on massive infrastructural development in the rural areas, while carrying out infrastructure upgrades in the urban areas. I have performed the groundbreaking for the construction of 22 roads across the local governments of Kaduna State. About 832 kilometres of roads are currently under construction,” he said.
Considering the cost implications of the enormous and urgent tasks his administration must necessarily undertake, especially in the bid to secure the state for actual development to commence, Governor Sani was very open about the current financial standing of the state. Kaduna State, the governor disclosed, was contending with huge debt burden, stemming largely from deductions from inherited loans. The financial situation, he said, has become so dire that the state is currently unable to pay salaries.
It could be recalled that in May 2023, while handing-over to Senator Uba Sani, the departing governor, El Rufai openly revealed that he was bequeathing a domestic debt of N80.60 billion and a foreign debt of $577.32 million to his successor. El-Rufai was however quick to add that he left N5 billion and $2.05 million in the state’s treasury.
At the March 25th townhall meeting, Governor Sani confirmed that the state is now deeply burdened by an inherited debt portfolio of $587 million, N85 billion and 115 contractual liabilities. The huge debt burden, the governor said, was eating deep into the state’s monthly Federal Allocation of fund, hence the difficulty in paying salaries to the state’s workers in the month of March. He lamented that due to the rise in the exchange rate, Kaduna State is now paying back almost triple of the debts that were inherited.
He explained that N7 billion out of the N10 billion Federal Allocation due to the state in the month of March was deducted to service the debt. The state was left with N3 billion, an amount which is not enough to pay salaries, as the state’s monthly salary bill stands at N5.2 billion. Even Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is not spared as a popular bank in Nigeria deducts N1 billion every month from the state’s IGR.
In an emotion-laden voice, Sani told the townhall meeting attendees that in his bid to navigate round the debilitating effect of the debt on the smooth running of Kaduna State, he approached President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help facilitate a reprieve of sorts. He said that a very sympathetic President Tinubu reminded him that Kaduna’s debt was a foreign loan and that there was little or nothing the Federal Government could do. Usually, the Federal Government only functions as guarantor of foreign loans procured by state governments.
Sani however said that despite the humongous debt burden on the state government, he was yet to borrow a single kobo in the last nine months of his administration. He said that in almost 10 months, he has continued to meet all monetary obligations of the administrations with funds he inherited. Evidently, with the huge deductions and exchange rate differentials, it has been very difficult retaining funds in the coffers of the state government.
The governor assured the people that the debt burden not withstanding, his administration remained resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development. “Despite the huge debt burden inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development. We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and are sharpening our focus accordingly. I am actually glad to inform you that, despite the huge inherited debts, till date, we have not borrowed a single kobo,” he said.
He also informed the people that on his part, he has been very prudent with the state’s funds. Sani reminded the attendees that he announced that he was taking 50 per cent salary cut the very day he assumed office and that similarly all his commissioners and political aides have all taken huge salary cuts. He noted that most of his commissioners and aides are now much poorer than they were before they took up their respective appointments.
No commissioner in my administration attends any government-funded foreign trip. The few that have had to travel out of compulsion, travelled on Economy Class tickets. As governor, I have not used government funds to buy First Class tickets when I travel. I travel on Business Class or on Economy Class on a number of times that I have had to travel out on official assignments. I have not procured new official cars for commissioners or any of my political aides since I assumed office,” Governor Sani told the audience.
While answering questions from the attendees, Governor Sani bemoaned the actions of contractors engaged by the previous administration to undertake a number of urban renewal projects in the state. “It is a shame that many of the contractors who have been reasonably mobilized have abandoned the jobs they ought to be completing by now. Some of them are even coming to me to be paid more money. I don’t have problem with paying people but I will only pay those who have worked. They must return to site and complete the jobs that they were paid to do,” he said.
Interestingly, the governor had lots of good news to share at the town hall meeting. Chief among these is the fact that his administration has been attracting Direct Foreign Investments and has also been firming up collaborations with reputable organisations and agencies. For one, the very remarkable Qatar Sanabil Project has in such a short period began helping to change the face of Kaduna for good.
According to the governor, under the Qatar Sanabil Project, a Mass Housing Project for the Less Privileged is being undertaken. Apart from houses, there will also be clinics, shops, poultry farms, and farmlands for rainy season and irrigation farming. The flagship project under the Qatar Sanabil Project however is the Kaduna Economic City. When completed, the Economic City will provide world class infrastructure and make Kaduna a reference point in modern accommodation, adequate security and conducive atmosphere for business activities. Through a Public – Private Partnership, Nurus Siraj and Kaduna State Government are developing a 3319 hectares layout at Ungwan Dosa New Extension, Kaduna to provide houses for the people.
He further informed that the Qatar Charity recently carried out an extensive, state – wide free eye surgery for Kaduna citizens; that Zipline has been delivering on-demand medical commodities via drones where needed in due time, saving lives, reducing cost of inventory and serving health facilities across Kaduna State; that the 300 – bed Kaduna ultra – modern Specialist Hospital, a Kaduna State – Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) joint project is nearing completion and that Pfizer is committing $1 million into the Kaduna health sector to help in the distribution of health commodities, especially vaccines and blood.
“We have attracted and still attracting investors and partners. Kaduna State Government has a long standing partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). This relationship has over the years yielded positive outcomes in the state particularly in addressing the issues of maternal and child mortality, malnutrition, water and sanitation, amongst others. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supported the Kaduna State Government in the development of the Kaduna Agricultural Sector Strategy for Achieving Food Systems and Improving Nutrition. We are currently pursuing a collaborative partnership with GAVI to eliminate Zero-vaccination dose children in the State,” Governor Uba Sani disclosed.
Still on education, Governor Sani said aside the establishment of several skills and vocational cities to address skill deficits in the state, his government in collaboration with Kuwait was working to reduce out-of-school children in Kaduna State by 200,000, adding that the four-year programme, which will start in may or June 2024, is a $62 million project that will build 102 new schools in the state and renovate 170 existing ones within a span of four years.
At the town hall meeting, prominent citizens of the state including former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), and the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamali, among other persons, expressed optimism and confidence in the administration of Governor Sani in spite of the challenging times. Agwai, in particular applauded the decision of the governor to make sustained safety and security of every part of the state a top priority.
It is a huge shame that some persons attempted to diminish the essence and beauty of the town hall meeting by resorting to the politicisation of some comments or revelations made by Governor Sani at the event, in the very best interest of Kaduna State. There was really no basis for this cheap political shenanigan. Contrary to the false tale that some persons are trying to put out (but failing woefully at it) Governor Sani never said he was not aware of the loans Kaduna State government obtained. He could not have. In fact, as a senator, he played a leading role in facilitating the loan from the World Bank. He did that in the best interest of the people of the state and he has never ever regretted doing this. However, for the sake of probity and accountability, especially in an era of open governance, the governor needed to give the people an update on the status of the loan and other debts he inherited. Fortunately, Sani is well aware that Kaduna State is way bigger than himself and his predecessor. The people have the right to know and to be well-informed. No wonder the leadership of labour unions in the state, after listening very carefully to the governor at the town hall meeting, resolved not to pressurise the administration any more to pay out wage award to workers.
Even more noteworthy is the fact that the town hall meeting served as a veritable platform for the governor and all concerned citizens of Kaduna State to rob minds on ways to actualise and even accelerate the security, economic and over-all development agenda of Sani’s administration.
Youths from Kogi State have declared they won’t fold their arms and allow those they described as desperate politicians continue to drag the name of an otherwise great state in the mud.
The youths, from the three senatorial districts of the state, under the aegis of Kogi Independent Youths Association, cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to be wary of politicians who they said meant no good for Kogi State but out to use the Commission to achieve selfish objectives detrimental to the wellbeing and unity the state had enjoyed in the past years.
They made these remarks after an emergency leadership meeting, in Abuja, insisting as critical stakeholders, they had decided not to keep quiet but to warn all embittered politicians in the state to stop portraying its image in a bad light before the whole world.
Comrade Mohammed Abdulrazaq, from Igalamela Local Government Area of Kogi State, who spoke on behalf of the youths, stressed that they would not allow “embittered politicians” to turn Kogi State into an ethnic enclave of crisis and would employ every legal means to protect the integrity of the state.
The youths, however, said they were confident that the current leadership of the EFCC would not fall for the antics of the said politicians and would also not allow themselves to be used as a tool to achieve the selfish interests of a few embittered people.
The Kogi Independent Youths Association is made up of about 500 registered members, mainly graduates, with thousands of nominal members and supporters across all the 21 local government areas of the state.
Abdulrazaq said: “We will not wait to gather money for a proper press conference because this is a very important issue. We believe we must use every means at our disposal to speak up, defend the truth, expose the real enemies of Kogi State and warn them to change their ways.
“We are here to caution the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to advise them that they must be wary of those individuals whose intentions are not noble and who are out there to use the Commission as a tool to fight their political battles.
“There are some desperate Kogi politicians who are hell bent on using the EFCC to fight and achieve their selfish political interests and we, as youths of Kogi State, we must not keep quiet because an injury to one is an injury to all.”
In between solidarity songs, the youths stated:”We must not keep quiet on this for a man who has done well for Kogi State. We know and they know that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has done well in the area of infrastructure. We know and they know that the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has done well in the area of youth empowerment, youth inclusion and women inclusion in politics as far as Kogi State is concerned.
“We know and they know that former Governor Yahaya Bello has done well in the area of education, also lifting the face of our institutions in Kogi State. And when he needs a rest now, after serving Kogi State diligently for eight years, we cannot pay him back with this bad coin.
“This is why we are here today to condemn some Kogi State politicians, desperate Kogi State politicians, embittered Kogi State politicians, who feel they can divide the state along ethnic lines. We are saying Kogi State is one and we are one united people. We will not allow them to turn Kogi State into an ethnic enclave of crisis.
“We must stand as youths to fight against this. We are critical stakeholders in the present and future of Kogi State. We are not just leaders of tomorrow but the champions of the change today that is critical to the development process. Of course, if our leaders in the state are quiet on this, we will not remain quiet.
“So we are cautioning and warning all the embittered politicians of Kogi State to stop portraying the image of Kogi State in a bad light in the face of the whole world. Kogi State is not like that and we must also ensure that we maintain the name and integrity of our dear state.”
“If all our demands fall on deaf ears, we will be left with no option than to utilise all legal means to drive home our demands.”
