Category: Northern Reports

The Taraba State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sen Emmanuel Bwacha, has declared that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is dead and buried following the defeat of Governor Darius Ishaku at the southern senatorial poll.

Bwacha spoke while kicking off his governorship campaign.

The candidate has an herculean task to turn the table against the more entrenched PDP which has held sway in the state since 1999, but is hopeful of emerging victorious on March 11.

Bwacha’s campaign team was in Zing and Yorro local government areas where it met with the people to solicit support for the APC.

Calling for a change in the state at Zing, Bwacha said: “We have buried PDP in Taraba state. All that has happened to APC in Taraba is temptation from the enemy. There are those who want to reap from where they did not sow. Never be deceived that APC has no candidate in Taraba. The courts have already decided there is a candidate”.

Hundreds of PDP members defected to the APC during the rally.

Bwacha noted that whoever is not satisfied with his candidature should be ready to meet with him in the court of law.

“Do not allow anyone to deceive you that APC has no governorship candidate in Taraba State. I am the validly nominated governorship candidate of APC in Taraba state. We conducted a fresh primary election and I emerged the winner, INEC and all other authorities are aware, and if it means going to court we have the capacity to do so,” Bwacha said.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Yakubu, yesterday confirmed the arrest of House of Representatives Majority Leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa and others for alleged cases of “criminal conspiracy.”

Doguwa has been remanded in Goron Dutse, Kano, Correctional Centre (prison) over alleged electoral violence during last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, police said.

Three persons feared dead as political thugs set the NNPP campaign secretariat in Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State Ablaze on Sunday.

Two persons in a stationary Motor Vehicle inside the building of the Campaign Office of the House of Representatives Candidate of NNPP were set ablaze and burnt to death while the building of Tudun Wada Local Government Area INEC Office was also attempted to be set ablaze when a group of thugs mobilized themselves in large number and attacked it.

Doguwa has been accused of allegedly sponsoring his boys to carry out the violence. But Doguwa denied any wrongdoing.

The lawmaker and other suspects have been charged with “criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt, mischief by fire and incitement of public disturbance.”

The Nation gathered that the Chief Magistrate Ibrahim Mansur of Magistrate Court 54, Nomansland, Kano, refused the bail application by Doguwa’s legal counsel, Mutari Garba Dandago and remanded him in jail till March 7.

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

No fewer than 10 airlines have applied to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 hajj.

Three cargo airlines also applied to transport luggage of the pilgrims back to the country.

This was made known during the opening of application forms as well as the inauguration of Aviation Monitoring and Airline Screening Committees.

The committees were inaugurated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan at Hajj House yesterday in Abuja.

The airlines include:  Aero Contractors, Air Peace, Arik Air, Flynas, Azman Air, Max air, Sky power, United Nigeria Airlines, while the three cargo airlines are: Cargo zeal, Cargo Solo Deke Global Travels, and one other.

The NAHCON boss urged the screening committee to work round the clock to submit its report by March 7, for onward submission to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.

He also charged the committee to ensure that all technical issues regarding airport and aircraft were resolved on time.

Alhaji Hassan said the transportation of pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would commence on May 21.

He advised all intending pilgrims to complete their registration with various State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Agencies and Commissions or through the Hajj Savings Scheme on time.

According to him, the registration for 2023 hajj will be closed in due course so as to meet up with the deadline fixed by the Saudi Arabian Government.

Hassan said: “The terms and references of the Aviation Monitoring Committee include constituting a subcommittee to review all documents submitted by the applicant-airlines and cargo carriers.”

Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, urged the members of the screening committee to justify the confidence reposed on them.

He said if airlines perform well, the rest of hajj operations will be successful.

“I urge you to ensure that the airport you are going to operate from is very much in order. Make early arrangements to do what is right to avoid flight delays or cancellations,” he said.

Chairman of the screening committee and NAHCON Commissioner of Operations,

Alhaji Abdullahi Hardawa, said the committee will work diligently to ensure a successful Hajj operation.

Ahead of the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly Elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning to rig the elections in favour of its presidential flag-bearer, Alh. Atiku Abubakar by recruiting fake National Youth Service Corps Members, NYSC to divert votes in the state.

The Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of APC Campaign Council in the state, Sabo Mohammed, made the allegations when he addressed journalists at a media briefing in Bauchi, the state capital on Friday.

He claimed that the PDP in the state, in its desperation to win the election at all cost, has also planned to cause chaos during the election by using its supporters to intimidate voters, especially in the  APC strongholds.

Mohammed further claimed that the PDP has already assembled computers and Information Communication Technology (ICT) experts to hack the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server.

In his words “We have informed our supporters about this; any corps members they suspect to be fake, should be reported to the security personnel for proper identification to fish out the fake ones recruited for the criminal jobs. We are determined to ensure that every vote counts in Bauchi State. We have communicated to the relevant agencies and our party structure to be on alert to ensure that the rule of law is further entrenched,” he said.

The chairman said the APC is ready to accept the outcome of the election if people are allowed to vote according to their conscience and the election is conducted in a free and fair manner, adding that anything short of that will be resisted and reported to the appropriate authorities.

When contacted, the State Chairman of the party, Hamza Koshe Akuyam, neither picked up his calls nor replied to messages sent to him.

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Plateau State has confirmed the delivery of all sensitive materials to the state and has commenced the deployment of the materials to all the local governments in the state.

Egurube Utopa, Head, Department of Voters Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society Organisations INEC, disclosed this to The Nation in his office Jos yesterday.

Utopa expressed confidence that “INEC office in Plateau is more than ever ready for Saturday’s elections.

The sensitive materials have since arrived in the state; we went to CBN Jos to inspect the materials, and we can confirm that they are available.

“We have commenced the distribution of those sensitive materials to the 17 LGAs of the state as from Thursday in compliance with the INEC timetable.

Utopa also gave the assurance that, “So far, we don’t have any challenge as far as conducting the presidential election is concerned. The BVAs are ready, the personnel are trained and ready to be deployed to the field and all the logistics arrangements are in place. The vehicles that will convey the sensitive materials to the local governments are very much on ground.

“We have just concluded the final meeting with the Inter agency committee on security to ascertain their readiness, and we found they are fully prepared for the exercise.”

It is interesting to note that the people of the state are eager to cast their votes and the state INEC has concluded all necessary arrangements to make the election a huge success come Saturday” he said.

Plateau State Police Commissioner, Mamman Dauda, said his command has concluded all arrangements for Saturday’s elections and have deployed over 10,000 joint security personnel to monitor the exercise in parts of the state.

He made this known to reporters at the State Police Headquarters, Jos, amidst other security agencies on Friday.

The commissioner, who is also in charge of election security, advised those without voting cards to stay away from polling units.

He warned people whose perception of democracy is the application of violence to have a rethink, as the law enforcement agencies under their watch are committed to dealing with such characters within the dictates of the law.

The CP also warned all religious leaders meddling in the election processes through their unguided utterances, to desist from the act, adding that the law will not spare them but deal decisively with them no matter their positions.

He assured all Plateau citizens of optimal commitment of the joint security forces to ensure peaceful elections in the state.

Dauda, while commending journalists for their critical role in the election process, encouraged them to prioritise national security interest above other sentiments and avoid projecting news items that could endanger the State and cause tension that may lead to violence before, during and after the elections.

The CP called on all residents in Plateau State to go out and exercise their franchise without fear of molestation and intimidation of any sort and to also to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the election process.

He also urged all political actors to be law abiding and ensure that all rules in the Electoral Act of 2022 are adhered to.