The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Reports

  • Lalong: APC bickers over choice of replacement

    Lalong: APC bickers over choice of replacement

    An uneasy calm has surfaced in the fold of the All Progressive Congress  Plateau State over who replaces  Labour and Employment Minister  Simon Lalong in the Senate.

      Before his inauguration as minister,  Lalong was issued with a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) in compliance with an order of a Court of Appeal.

     He was to represent the Plateau South Senatorial zone.

     A group of APC stalwarts led by Diray   Cyril, at a news conference in Jos yesterday said, “We receive with shock and amusement the purported disclaimer duly signed by the Plateau State APC Publicity Secretary; Mr Sylvanus Namang on a purported leaked document for the endorsement of   Bitrus   Kasuwa to replace the  Labour and Employment Minister.

     “Ordinarily, the said disclaimer by the state party should not worry us to put up this piece, but for the benefit of the gullible public and the weighty Party membership issues raised, we are compelled to address the press to put certain misconceptions and politics of exclusion in clear perspective.

    Read Also; Tinubu committed to police reforms, says minister

     “First and foremost, since the writers of the alleged leaked document confessed that their efforts to confirm from Hon. Bitrus Kasuwa Barji about the veracity of his purported endorsement by the State Party were fruitless, the Party should have considered such as fake news and refrain from making statements capable of questioning their neutrality.

    “Suffice it to mention here that, if the statement credited to the state party leadership is true to the effect that she does not know Hon. Bitrus Barji Kasuwa who bought forms and contested the party primaries twice for the position of House of Representatives to represent Kanam, Kanke and Pankshin Federal constituency, then such hasty conclusions leave much to be desired.

     “We expect a non-partisan leadership to have made attempts to find out his membership status from his ward if they cannot pick his unit Party register which is in their possession at the moment to confirm for themselves.

     “The right thing to do is for the party to take stock of all those interested in the Ministerial position and fashion out a systematic approach to harmonize all interests without necessarily casting aspirations on Legitimate Party members. Doing this will improve and strengthen the cohesiveness of the party to squarely face the challenges ahead of us.

     “Most importantly, we strongly believe that the replacement of Labour minister should be an opportunity for Plateau Central zone to present someone like Hon. Bitrus Barji Kasuwa who is a youth with unparalleled vision,  capacity, competence and above all a party loyalist of repute for the position”

     The group added that  “it must be borne in mind that, recent developments show that past Governors from the southern and Northern Plateau have nominated candidates from their zones for ministerial slots and were appointed.”

  • TCN to boost power in Kano, Katsina, Dutse

    TCN to boost power in Kano, Katsina, Dutse

    The Kano region of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)  is to boost power transmission next year.

    General Manager of the region  Bashir Mohammed Gote made the promise while briefing journalists in Kano on the completed and ongoing power projects in the region.

     The region which covers Kano, Katsina and Dutse transmission substations, has a capacity of 600MVA at 330kV and 1295MVA at 132kV level. It is expected to rise to 1200MVA at 330kV and 1800MVA at 132kV next year.

    Gote said: “The region currently has a capacity of 600MVA at 330kV level and 1295MVA at 132kV level. With the ongoing transmission, rehabilitation and expansion programs across the nation, some projects are sited in some of the transmission substations in the region. Some of the projects have been completed this year while some are ongoing.

     “We are constructing 2x150mva 330/132kv and 2x60mva 132/33kV transmission stations at Rimin Zakara Kano. The substation is the second 330/132kV transmission station in Kano. It was completed early this year without a line.

    Read Also: NCDC denies fresh outbreak of COVID-19 in Benue

     “The station is expected to get supply from Kumbotso before the construction of the quad line from Kaduna, but the right of way issue between Kumbotso and Rimin Zakara must be addressed before the line will be completed.

     “The installed 150MVA 330/132kV power transformer at Kumbotso was commissioned last month (November) by house engineers. The installation and commissioning of this transformer has brought up the capacity of the substation to 750MVA.

     “There is also ongoing construction of a 330kV line from Kaduna to Rimin Zakara. The line was supposed to serve as the second 330kV line to Kano, having the capacity to carry 2000MV.

    “Installation of 40MVA 132/33kV mobile power transformer at Jamaare transmission substation is ongoing. This is a new transmission substation where a mobile power transformer was proposed at Jamaare on the Dutse – Azare 132kV line. The station when completed will relieve the Azare transmission substation.

    “Construction of 2×40MVA 132/33kv transmission substation at Walalambe, which began in 2009 will soon be completed it will relieve the transmission station. 

     “When the projects are all done, we expect to have improvement from 600MVA at 330kV and 1200MVA at 330kV by 2024. Similarly, we expect to have improvement from 1295MVA at 132kV and 1800MVA at 132kV.” 

  • Demolition: Kano govt agrees to pay Eid Ground shops owners N3b

    Demolition: Kano govt agrees to pay Eid Ground shops owners N3b

    • We still operate our accounts, says govt

    Kano State government has agreed to pay N3bn as compensation to the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders Association for the unlawful demolition of their property, The Nation learned on Thursday.

     The agreement was reached through an application on terms of settlement dated December 12 and filed on December 13 by counsel for the parties before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

     Law analysts said it was a smart move by the government, to have settled for N3 billion, rather than risking the payment of N30 billion by going on an appeal which may fail.

    But the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Isa Dederi, on Thursday told The Nation that he was not aware of any agreement by the state government to pay victims of the demolition N3 billion as damages.

     He said what he knew was that the Kano state government had appealed against the judgment ordering them to pay N30 billion damages to the trader’ association, promising to make enquiries and get back to the newspaper.

     Some 56 applicants, on behalf of the association, had filed the suit marked FHC/KN/CS/208/2023 in the Kano division of the court, following the demolition of their shops on the instruction of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

     The litigants had sued the state government, the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority; the state Attorney General, the police; the Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 1, Kano; the Kano State Commissioner of Police; Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant; and NSCDC, Kano State Command.

    Read Also; Tinubu committed to police reforms, says minister

    The government has also said the Garnishing Order Obtained by the Victims of Filin Masalaci from Abuja Court was fraudulent, as the state still operates its accounts.

     Recently, the Federal High Court in Abuja was reported to have granted a garnishee order freezing 24 bank accounts belonging to the Kano State government.

    It was gathered the order was granted in response to a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Masalachi Eid Shop Owners and Traders Association for the demolition of their shops by the state government.

     But the  Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Isa Dederi, said there was no way a Court of the same jurisdiction could even sit on a case it has decided on and which was since appealed against.

     He said it was on notice, that the Kano State Government had filed an appeal against the N30 Billion “punitive and compensation judgment” handed down by Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano.

     He noted that “the demolition of the properties was carried out in the overriding public interest,” even as the judgment was delivered in favour of the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders.

     Dederi said he wonders how the same Court of the same jurisdiction would give a Judgement in Kano, “a judgement that was even done out of the jurisdiction of the Court”, and which was also appealed against, and another similar Court could issue another order on the same matter.

     “We filed an Appeal because the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, as it revolved around ownership of the property, and all records of proceedings were transmitted to the Appeal Court.

     ”Even before the appeal, the government had filed a motion seeking a stay of execution pending appeal. So how can the same court even sit on the same case?” he said.

     The Justice Commissioner confirmed that the record of the Federal High Court proceedings had already been transmitted to the Court of Appeal.

     He also said that the Court of Appeal had scheduled the hearing of the motion for a stay of execution in December.

     “It would be futile for the Federal High Court to make any orders on the issue, as the case is pending before the appeal court and it would be akin to a court sitting in appeal on its judgment.”

  • Fed Govt to plant two billion trees

    Fed Govt to plant two billion trees

    The Federal Government has announced plans to plant about 2 billion trees in the country as India earmarked one million dollars in support of three biodiversity projects in Nigeria.

     The three key projects are Biodiversity Business in Omo Biosphere Reserves, Oban Biosphere Reserves, and Shere Hills Reserves, Nigeria, under the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, projects through the Indian/ UN-funded window.

     The Minister of Environment, Malam Abbas Lawal Balarabe made this known  in Abuja at the inauguration of the Steering Committee for Biodiversity Business targeted at poverty reduction, preservation of natural ecosystems, and sustainable development.

        The Minister, who inaugurated the Committee Chaired by Prof Adesola Adepoju at the K-Class Hotel in Abuja said the planting of the trees is one of the many takeaways of the President Bola Tinubu administration from the just concluded COP28 Summit in Dubai, United Arabs Emirates.

    Read Also: NCDC denies fresh outbreak of COVID-19 in Benue

     “We visited the Pavilion of a particular country and observed that they have planted about 32 billion trees in their country to preserve biodiversity and respond to climate change challenges.

     “If a country that is not as large in population and size as Nigeria could plant 32 billion trees, then we can begin the process of planting at least two billion. This will be in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for sustainable development, poverty reduction and environmental conservation,” the Minister said.

     He said the government was committed to addressing critical issues relating to power and energy resources which often precipitated the use of firewood and charcoal in rural areas, forcing the people to engage in indiscriminate felling of trees.

     The Head/Representative of UNESCO in Nigeria, Dr Abdourahamane Diallo said the project was the first to be supported by Indians in Nigeria with about one million United States dollars. He explained that UNESCO would be collaborating with the government, the Nigerian Man and Biosphere (MAB) Committee, and other stakeholders to ensure the success of the projects.

     Diallo said:” National economies depend mainly on services provided by natural resources and biodiversity. Such services include water supply, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forests, and non-renewable energy, amongst others.

     “However, unsustainable land use practices, over-exploitation of natural resources and biodiversity, and ineffectively managed protected areas and their zones, all pose serious threats to the maintenance of ecosystems and habitats. “

     He assured that the projects that would be implemented in various communities across Nigeria would involve the participation of the rural dwellers as they have been captured for empowerment and provided with incentives for survival.

     The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Pramod Kumar Agrawal said India recently supported 15 developing countries in the Sustainable Development Goals programme, noting that the biodiversity project was the first of its kind in Nigeria.

     Ambassador Agrawal said India would continue to identify with initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the citizens, and lauded the concerted efforts by all the stakeholders to ensure the success of the biodiversity projects in Nigeria.

  • NSITF wins best service delivery award

    NSITF wins best service delivery award

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has won the 2023 edition of the best service delivery award organised by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association’s (NECA).

    Managing Director of the NSITF, Maureen Allagoa, who received the award. said the honour will ginger the agency to greater heights, adding that it underscored the huge mileage the NSITF has lately covered in the implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.

    Represented by the NSITF’s Executive Director, Administration, Prof. Gabriel Okenwa, Allagoa said the NSITF would remain steadfast to the unwavering expansion of social security to all Nigerian workers.

     In a statement by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, NSITF, Nwachukwu Godson, on Thursday in Abuja said: “The NECA award is simply a testimony to all we have been doing lately. It is a mirror on our stoic commitment to service delivery, geared towards the enhancement of the welfare and social security of workers. It is a high-water mark in our recent history, and we can only do more. 

     “This management Exco which I lead, has loudly been quiet over various strategic measures, we have taken to re-position the NSITF, and remained unbowed to our challenges, usually blown out of proportion by detractors.

    Read Also; Tinubu committed to police reforms, says minister

     “We are therefore elated that Nigerians through this NECA Awards, which was meticulously conducted through a transparent online voting, has vindicated our efforts.

     “We shall not rest on our oars until we take the ECS to the remotest corners of the nation, where the majority of Nigerians – men and women, daily toil to eke out a living. We have in this wise, strengthened our informal sector department for a greater foray into that sector in order to bring in traders, mechanics, hairdressers, market men and women, carpenters, and others into the elastic benefits of the ECS.

     “We have also recalibrated our strategic objectives to properly align with the Eight Point Agenda of the Tinubu Administration on Poverty Reduction. Gradually, timelines are being worked out to expand into the untapped areas of the ILO Convention 102, including old age, unemployment, and family benefits, among others.

     “We have upscaled our reach on employment injury and invalidity benefits to 670 dependent beneficiaries and 852 disability beneficiaries currently on our monthly payroll, besides a number of deceased dependents who are also under our care, till their last child is 21 years old or graduates from the tertiary institution.

    “The upward trend in our sensitisation drive has moved our enrollees to over 145,000 employers and 7.4 million employees, while claims and compensations have reached to over 103,000 beneficiaries, including 111 persons assisted to their feet with artificial limbs, apart from 11 others sent abroad for further medical treatment. So far, about N6.6 billion have been spent on all of these.”

    Allagoa added that the agency has re-engineered its internal operations for greater efficiency, part of which was the introduction of a monthly online Management Performance Review which resulted in the opening up of new frontiers, with improved interface among the over 5000 staff members of the fund.

    She addded: “This innovation has brought to the forefront, an unprecedented outreach of the ECS at our frontier branches in Yola, Uyo and Ibadan where the NSITF has not only registered new employers and employees but has also stretched the range of ECS benefits to workers.

    “As NSITF therefore continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing needs of workers, the NECA award serves as a catalyst to break new grounds in social security . We remain committed therefore to the standard we have set in service delivery where our Operations Directorate has drastically bridged our turnaround time in access to our enrollees.”

    NECA had earlier at the event said “the awards give the employers the opportunity to achieve the highest accolades available, and to demonstrate their top projects to their peers, the wider industry and the community,” adding that it was a reward to the“ resilience of employers in 2023.” 

    Meanwhile , the Delta State Government has described the Employees Compensation Scheme as a well-conceived initiative of the Federal Government towards the upliftment of workers and pledged to key into the scheme.

    The state government ssid this when the Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Johnson Erijo hosted the management team of the Asaba branch of the NSITF.

    Erijo, who described the thrust of the ECS as compensation, rehabilitation, vocational training, and empowerment in case of incapacitation, said no well-meaning government can ignore it.

    The Manager of the Asaba Branch of NSITF, Onuorah Ifeoma, said the ECS applied to all employers and employees in the public and private sectors at all levels of the three tiers of government.

    She said over 6000 employers and over 73,000 workers are currently registered with the ECS in Delta State. 

    She sought the support of the Delta state government towards the enrolment of the state workforce.

  • Kwara cabinet okays teaching hospital for KWASU, huge infrastructural projects

    Kwara cabinet okays teaching hospital for KWASU, huge infrastructural projects

    Kwara State Executive Council has approved the setting up of a teaching hospital to support the training of medical students and related professionals by the Kwara State University, a major step that involves huge facility upgrades at the General Hospital Ilorin (GHI) which has been adopted for the purpose as well as legislations to guide its operations.

    Commissioner for Health Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam told a press conference on Wednesday that the council observed that recent facility upgrades under the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration had earlier qualified GHI as a postgraduate training health institution and went ahead to approve additional N906.7m seed fund to push through the historic transition. 

    “The proposed seed fund will meet cost of infrastructural facelift and construction of new ones, equipment upgrades, administrative changes, and address manpower needs to support training of medical students, which is complementary to the ongoing postgraduate training,” El-Imam told reporters, adding that “this will be of immense benefits to the people of Kwara State and the nation at large.”

    She said the council approved for the government to present a bill on ‘establishment of the Kwara State Teaching Hospital and related matters’ to the House of Assembly.

    At a council meeting on Wednesday, the government also approved the award of redesigning and wholesale rebuilding of the iconic Kwara Hotel to Craneburg Construction Company Limited to a five-star hospitality facility at the sums of N17b.8bn for a duration of 24 months, according to Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology Hon. Damilola Yusuf.

    To be done through contract financing model to ensure prompt delivery, the construction and furnishing will be the most comprehensive since the legacy was constructed by the Brigadier-General David Bamigboye regime in 1975, clearly giving it an edge over any other facility in the entire North Central. 

    “The contract award followed a long procurement process that began in September 2023,” Yusuf told reporters. 

    Read Also: KWASU engineers convert petrol vehicles to electric use

    That comes as the Kwara State Ministry of Works and Transport also announced immediate reconstruction works on the Wahab Folawiyo (Unity Road) Road in Ilorin, the state capital, following the state executive council’s approval of the overhauling of the major artery road that empties into downtown Ilorin.

    Coordinating Commissioner for Works and Transport AbdulQuawiy Olododo told reporters that phased works on the road, such as asphalt milling, will begin from next week with minimal drags on vehicular traffic at every stage of the work. 

    The contractor will complete work on one lane before working on the other to reduce traffic gridlock, Olododo added.

    He said dozens of traffic management officers will be deployed while government — to lessen the impacts — will also divert traffic through Obbo Road, Coca Cola Road, and Police Road. Some bad spots on the three are to undergo immediate fix, Olododo added. 

    He said further information on traffic management will be communicated to the public as preparation gets underway, assuring the people of adequate care while the work lasts. 

    “We are not demolishing any private properties and business premises not sited on government’s setbacks will not be eaten into in any way,” according to Olododo.

    The road, which history began in 1976, is a great legacy of late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo and George Agbazika Innih.

    The cabinet observed that the artery road has outlived its lifespan as it has started failing after decades of heavy use.

    The council approval of the work fell under the urban renewal and developmental road projects of the administration, conceived to lessen travel time, boost economic growth, give a new look to the capital city, and improve the living conditions of the people.

    Following extensive briefings, including procurement details, the council approved the total reconstruction of the busy Wahab Folawiyo four-lane dual carriageway (Unity Road) in Ilorin — a major step that aligns with the concerns of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq that many of the roads in the capital city have long outlived their engineering lifespan, Olododo said.

    The contract was awarded to the A-list Craneburg Construction firm at the cost of N1,513,528,195.18.

    In what is a preparation for the future of one of the major traffic-prone axis of the metropolis with a concentration of banks and other businesses, the cabinet has also approved the award of construction of a modern flyover to collect the traffic at Unity roundabout to Craneburg Construction at the cost of N8.4bn for the duration of 12 months. 

    The approval comes with a clear instruction to the contractors to have careful plans to execute the project in manners that lessen the typical hitches of any urban renewal projects, Olododo quoted the Governor as telling the council.

    “Because of the peculiarity of that axis of the metropolis, the Governor directed that contractors are to devise means to as much as possible avoid outright closure of the road. They are to pay extra attention to this. This is to ensure convenience for the people amid this huge development,” the commissioner said.

    The cabinet, Olododo stated, observed that the costs of the urban renewal projects in Kwara are characteristically modest, compared to similar infrastructural projects in other parts of the country. 

    The council also approved the revocation and re-award or review of some ongoing road contracts, including Ilesha Gwanara and Owode-Ofaro-Alabe road, for poor performance or delay in their delivery, while it called for speedy completion of others, including the Orisa bridge in Oro Ago in Ifelodun local government area of the state.

    The Governor has also directed that the approaching sections of the road to the Orisa bridge be fixed as soon as possible, while the Iyana Shonga Road in Edu local government are to be evaluated for rehabilitation works, according to the commissioner.

    The government has secured multibillion naira road projects that connect different parts of the state, especially Kwara North and South, the Commissioner added.

    “His Excellency informed the cabinet that work is to begin shortly on some major roads in Kwara North and Kwara South as contractors have been mobilised to site with at least N40bn. This is what His Excellency has attracted as our major gain from some recent policy initiatives of the Federal Government,” according to the commissioner.

    He listed the major roads as Kosubosu-Kaiama-Bode Sa’adu (130km); Lafiagi-Shonga-Bacita (83km); Okuta-Gwanara-Bukoro (32km); and Offa-Ojoku-Afin-Eiyenkorin (49km) which will burst out at Odo-Otin local government in Osun State.

    The commissioner also said that some of the roads and river crossings captured under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project will soon begin, including Afon -Sapati Oko-Igbotele; Mondala-Yowere-Agbonna; Kpandarako-Ginda-Kusomunu-Kachitako-Tsakpata Lealea-Gulufu-Bacita; Lafiagi-Effagi-Pututa; Ajase Ipo-Igbonla-Agbamu-Osun boundary; Ojoku-Illa market; Ijagbo-Aperun-Adeleke-Igbawere; Igbaja-Ofarese-Wale-Agbeku; Gerewu-Eiyenkorin-Okolowo-Express-Peeke-Dongari-Ogundele; Kaiama-Kemanji; and Oro-Sanmora, among others.

    Olododo, meanwhile, also gave updates to the council on some ongoing construction works, saying the General Tunde Idiagbon Flyover is going on steady and will be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

    The government has also continued massive rehabilitation works on at least 70 roads within and outside the capital city in the first phase. The roads include Sawmill Garage; Olorunshogo; Adabata; Emir’s Road; Taiwo-Surulere; Sefura Junction; Airport Sawmil-Taiwo; Ita Merin-Offa Grammar School road; Offa General Hospital; and Irra Road, among several others.

  • Firm plans to establish solar-powered charging infrastructure

    Firm plans to establish solar-powered charging infrastructure

    Independent Capital-a visionary project finance firm has revealed plans for establishing a robust network of solar-powered charging infrastructure to support the operations of its e-trike fleet.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. George Nwangwu, who made the announcement in Abuja yesterday, added that the  innovative strategy will not only tackles the obstacles associated with adopting electric vehicles but would also actively contribute to the establishment of a sustainable energy ecosystem.

    “We are dedicated to reducing carbon emissions, alleviating congestion and improving the overall quality of transportation for the population. Independent Capital aims to create a greener and more efficient transportation ecosystem that enhances the lives of individuals and contributes to a cleaner environment, “he noted.

    According to him, with the company’s fusion of financial expertise, a profound understanding of environmental and social impact, a commitment to reducing carbon emissions and  improving transportation quality, “the company aims to reshape the nation’s mobility landscape for a cleaner and more prosperous future”, adding that “it is charting new territories in the realm of sustainable finance by announcing ambitious plans that signify a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s approach to eco-friendly initiatives”.

    Similarly, Nwangwu said, its strategic approach combines financial expertise with a profound understanding of environmental and social impact, positioning the firm as a catalyst for positive change in the country’s transportation sector.

    He added that the cornerstone of Independent Capital’s visionary plans involves the unbundling of its three-wheeler Electric Vehicle (e-trike) which signals a significant move towards eco-conscious mobility.

    According to the firm’s CEO, in response to the recent removal of fuel subsidies, the Nigerian market is experiencing a fundamental shift, creating an opportune moment for innovative solutions in the e-mobility sector which “Independent Capital is well-positioned to capitalize on this shift by introducing sustainable transportation alternatives that cater to the evolving needs of the market”.

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    Also,speaking, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of the company, Mr. Moses Saromi said “with the e-mobility sector undergoing significant developments, driven by environmental concerns, technological advancements and shifting government policies our firm is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of transportation in Nigeria,”

    He revealed that  the demand for e-mobility solutions in Nigeria is projected to grow exponentially by 15% CAGR and thus, Independent Capital stands at the forefront of providing sustainable alternatives to traditional vehicles and that with  a focus on e-trikes, the company strategically positions itself to capture a significant share of the expanding market to  meet the diverse needs of individual consumers and delivery services to the Nigerian society.

    He added that in  the pursuit of a cleaner and more efficient transportation ecosystem, Independent Capital remains a driving force in the nation’s journey towards a greener future.

  • How Lalong forced me out of APC, by ex-chairman

    How Lalong forced me out of APC, by ex-chairman

    Former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, Chief Letep Dabang, has said he left the party as state chairman due to high handedness of the then Governor Simon Lalong.

    Dabang claimed he had to resign when he realized that there was no internal democracy in APC in the state.

    Speaking to newsmen in his Jos residence yesterday, Letep, who is the political adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, said that he was totally at a loss how the Appeal Court arrived at its conclusion that PDP lacked the structure to nominate candidates for the 2023 general elections.

    He said that even the current chairman of APC, Mr. Rufus Bature, did not purchase any form to contest the position.

    He said: “Well for me, if there is any political party that has no structure, it’s the APC. All of us are living witnesses to how the leadership of the party emerged. In 2021, APC collapsed. No doubt about that.

    “It became obvious that internal democracy was not going to be obeyed. Councillorship candidate, chairmanship candidates were simply selected. And when it got to the congresses, all the election or purported congresses that took place at local and ward levels were stage-managed.

    “There were lots of hues and cries that showed clearly that there was no proper election that produced the current executive of the party in the state. We at a point had to apply to INEC to give us the certified copies as observers of the congress.

    Read Also: Ex-Ebonyi Deputy Speaker defects to APC

    “And the results were appalling, that majority of the wards there was no congresses that took place. It was also obvious that majority of the local government did not obey the tenets of democracy in electing their officers. It snowballed into the ugly situation took place at Crest Hotel where the state officers of the party were nominated.

    “And so I am at a loss why and how they say PDP has no structure. We know the circumstances that prevented us from participating in the local government election and the court said we should go and repeat it.

    “It’s also on record that the congress was successfully held where the current leadership of PDP emerged and in this second congress, nobody complained because there were no issues. I heard people say there was no substantial compliance but who is complaining about this substantial non-compliance. To me, I think some people resurrected what had been buried completely to suit some people’s purposes.”

    The former chairman said that it was because of the way things were going in APC and how the former governor monopolised the structure of APC on Plateau that forced him to resign.

    Dabang however expressed hope that the Supreme Court will look at the issues dispassionately and do the needful. He also asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to look at the cases of the lawmakers sacked by the Appeal Court over issues of structures.

  • A’Court judge defends judgment sacking Plateau PDP Lawmakers

    A’Court judge defends judgment sacking Plateau PDP Lawmakers

    • By: Ahmed Rufa’i

    A judge of the Court of Appeal, Justice Abdulaziz Waziri, has defended the judgment that sacked National Assembly members elected under the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State.

    Justice Waziri, who addressed participants at the 2023 Law Week in Yola, the Adamawa State capital on Tuesday, said critics of the judgment were missing the point as the party had no structure on ground at the point of presenting their candidates.

    According to the judge, who said he was a member of the panel that decided the case, the case against the PDP in Plateau State was not a pre-election matter. He urged the bar and the bench to always stand on the side of the law.

    “Some people may say it was a pre-election, agreed. On issues of qualification, elections can be both pre and post-election matters depending on what you may understand as qualification. The issue in Plateau State is not a pre-election matter per say,” the judge stated.

    Read Also: Hoodlums kill four in Plateau community

    “There was a subsisting court order given by the Plateau State High Court that PDP should go and have their congresses on that day. They flouted they order of that court, they appealed to the Court of Appeal, they could repeal the decision of the lower court, they file an appeal to the Supreme Court, they failed to pursue the appeal and that appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

    “So, the matter as it stood at that time is that they had no structures on ground. So, any candidate they have fielded would have no place to stand in the eyes of the law, so that is what happened,” Justice Waziri said.

    Also speaking at the event, the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Justice Hassan Abdul Rahman, described corruption as a major problem.

    Governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reintegration, Hammandiram Bello, lamented the lack of understanding of the judiciary by most Nigerians.

  • Ogbadibo council caretaker committee celebrates ‘dogged fighter’ Onjeh @50

    Ogbadibo council caretaker committee celebrates ‘dogged fighter’ Onjeh @50

    The recently constituted Caretaker Committee for Ogbadibo Local Government Council has felicitated one of his illustrious sons Com. Daniel Onjeh on his 50th birthday. 

    A statement by the council on Wednesday reads: 

    “Com. Onjeh’s life story is a sterling profile in focus, courage, confidence, determination and integrity. He remains a key source of pride and inspiration to the entire Ogbadibo people, especially the teeming youth.

    “The Economics and Political Science graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon, is undoubtedly one of the finest new breed politicians in Benue South today, and his exploits in partisan politics has inspired several other young people to aspire to public office in Benue South. 

    “We proudly recall that as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students between 2002 and 2003, Com. Onjeh championed the cause for the reinstatement of several politically victimized students across the country. He also led the largest and most peaceful gathering of students in the nation’s capital, Abuja, to protest for an overhaul of the nation’s educational sector. And as President of the West Africa Students’ Union (WASU) in 2006, Onjeh was the only student leader that mobilized and led students to protest against the ignoble third term bid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at Nigerian embassies across the subregion.  

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    “And as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Projects Development Institute, Enugu, Onjeh discharged himself creditably as a staunch exponent of probity, transparency and accountability in public service. 

    “A human rights and development activist of the finest hue, Com. Onjeh is a frontline advocate for the development of Ogbadibo Local Government Council and the Idoma Nation in general. We are immensely proud to identify with his legendary accomplishments in politics, public service and private business. 

    “On behalf of the good people of Ogbadibo Local Government, the Committee wishes Onjeh many more happy and prosperous years ahead in sound health and peace of mind.”