The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Aisha Alhassan

  • Alhassan showcases govt empowerment programmes at UN

    The Federal Government on Thursday in New York, showcased the social intervention programmes put in place by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari specifically, to empower women in the country.

    The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, at a side event hosted by Nigeria at the ongoing UN Commission on Status of Women, said women’s financial exclusion was becoming a thing of the past.

    The UN Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the event was “Financial Inclusion: Boosting Women’s Empowerment in Changing Economy through Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme”.

    “The Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is conscious of the need to fully integrate women as active participants in the Nigerian economy by expanding their access to credit.

    “In this regard, the Government has rolled out several gender-based social palliatives that would both empower women, and liberate them from the clutches of poverty.

    “The overall aim of President’s Social Investment Programme is to ensure that the human rights of women and girls are facilitated through a range of transformative, comprehensive and inclusive platforms,” she said.

    She said her ministry recognized the enormous contribution of the informal economy sector, which is largely populated by women.

    In view of this the ministry,  in collaboration with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, had carried out various forms of intervention programmes geared towards supporting women’s entrepreneurship development.

    “I am happy to announce to this gathering that to further consolidate on these initiatives and reaffirm his commitment towards improving the productivity and livelihood of Nigerian women, the present administration, under the leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari recently launched a N1.6 billion special intervention fund – National Women Empowerment Fund.

    “The Fund is aimed at supporting grassroots women operating informal businesses by providing start-up and scale-up credit for them.

    “The programme has been rolled out and expected to target about 10,000 women per state.

    “Through this project, an estimated 450,000 dollars is to be disbursed per state through active and functional cooperative, local trade associations and other community based groups.”

    She said there was “a recommitment to utilize 60 per cent of the N697 billion Micro and Small Medium Enterprise Fund for women.

    “In addition, the Victims Support Fund, which raised about 625 million dollars for the rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram will benefit children and women who constitute majority of the victims”.

    The Minister said the Federal Government was also scaling up the training and empowerment of Internally Displaced Persons, especially women and girls in the affected states.

    “Other laudable interventions wothy of mention include the gender responsive budgeting model, which was piloted in five Ministries, Departments and Agencies namely Agriculture, Health, Water Resources, Works and Communication Technology with a record of 3.6 million beneficiaries till date.

    “There is also the major initiative, which is the Growing Girls and Women Initiative in Nigeria (G-Win) E-Wallet Agro initiative, which provided subsidized agro-inputs to women in agribusiness.

    “So far, two million registered women have benefitted from this scheme,” Alhassan said.

    To enhance rural development, the Rural Finance Institution Building Programme has been put in place to boost income and general living conditions for rural households, particularly female headed households, she said.

    The minister added that the programme was in addition to the establishment of the Entrepreneurship Development Centres, which are building the capacity of women.

    “The initiative has so far created 2,078 women enterpreneurs, representing 51 per cent of the beneficiaries.

    “The FADAMA Irrigation project has also been extended to a third phase to increase the income of users of rural land and water resources, especially women,” she said.

    NAN reports that some of the institutions that are responsible for the implementation of the social intervention programmes, namely Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Industry, provided further information on requirements to accessing the funds.

    NAN also reports that the side event was attended by Wives of Governors, Commissioners, legislators, women civil society groups and representatives from other African countries.

    The representative of Burundi, specifically, appealed to Nigeria to use its strategic position on the continent to push for the establishment of a continental bank for women to further empower them.

  • Chibok girls: FG to verify female suicide bomber’s claim

    The Nigerian government plans to send some members of the Chibok community to Cameroon to verify the claim of a female suicide bomber arrested in Borno state on Friday that she is one of the missing schoolgirls abducted in Chibok almost two years ago.

    A statement on Saturday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said that the Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan and Nigerian high commissioner in Cameroon have already swung into action and are receiving a lot of cooperation from the Cameroonian authorities.

    The statement also said that it has been confirmed that one of two girls is claiming to be among the girls stolen from Chibok on 14th April 2014, noting that doubts have creeped into the claim following new information from Cameroon that the two girls were aged about ten years.

    “One of the two is also believed to be heavily drugged and therefore not in full control of her senses,” Garba said.

    Malam Garba also revealed that the Nigerian high commissioner in Cameroon, Ambassador Hadiza Zakari Mustapha had confirmed that the arrested girls may be brought to the Capital, Younde by Monday, at which point the High Commission will seek permission to meet with them.

    The Murtala Mohammed Foundation, the statement said, has offered to cooperate with Nigeriaan government in sponsoring two parents from Chibok who have been selected to embark on the trip to Cameroon.

    The two are Yakubu Nkeki, Chairman of the Parents of the Abducted Girls from Chibok association, and Yana Galang, the group’s women leader.

    “The Nigerian High Commission will receive the two and will facilitate their access to the two girls once permission to meet and verify their identity is obtained from the Cameroonian authorities.” The statement stated

  • Taraba: S/Court give reasons for dismissing Alhassan’s appeal

    The Supreme Court on Monday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in Taraba, Aisha Alhassan, had no locus standi to challenge the nomination of Governor Darius Ishiaku by his party.

    The apex court made the declaration while giving reasons for dismissing the appeal of APC and Alhassan in its judgment on Feb.11.

    Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who read details of the judgment, said the appeals and cross appeals had no redeemable substance.

    The court held that the governor was duly sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest in the election, adding that evidence brought before it had confirmed Ishiaku’s membership of the party.

    “The matter is very simple, the apex court has ruled on matters of this nature at different occasions.

    “There is no way a candidate of another political party who did not participate in the primaries of another political party could suddenly rise to challenge the conduct of such an exercise.

    “It is therefore, clear that the appeals and the entire cross appeals against the election of Governor Darius Ishiaku of Taraba have no redeemable substance,” Rhodes-Vivour held.

    The apex court also declared that the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal grossly misdirected itself by upturning Ishiaku’s victory.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the tribunal had nullified the
    governor’s election and went ahead to declare Alhassan as duly elected governor of Taraba.

    An appeal by Ishiaku set aside the tribunal judgement, prompting Alhassan and the APC to approach the apex court, which dismissed their appeals and affirmed the validity of the governor’s election.

  • Taraba: Court upholds Ishaku’s appeal

    Taraba: Court upholds Ishaku’s appeal

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday invalidated the verdict of Taraba State governorship election petition tribunal which nullified the victory of Governor Darius Ishaku in the April 11 governorship election in the state, saying the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Aisha Alhassan, had no locus standi to question the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conduct of its governorship primaries.

    A five- man panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki ruled that the PDP fielded Ishaku and he was accepted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Although the court admitted the testimony of the INEC officer, who testified that the PDP primaries violated sections 85 and 87 of the electoral law, it held that the APC had no locus standi on the matter.

     

  • Appeal Court ruling on Taraba guber election ongoing

    Appeal Court ruling on Taraba guber election ongoing

    Appeal Court ruling on Taraba guber election ongoing.

  • Taraba: Appeal Court reserves judgment on Ishaku’s election

    Taraba: Appeal Court reserves judgment on Ishaku’s election

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba against the nullification of his electoral victory by a tribunal.

    Justice Abdul Aboki said the court would later announce the date for the judgment in the appeal.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the appeal by Ishaku followed the judgment of the Taraba Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Nov. 7 and awarded victory to Mrs Aisha Alhassan of APC.

    Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN), Counsel to Ishaku, raised four issues in the appeal.

    He said the petition was not accompanied by valid statements as the respondents claimed that it was the fault of the registry.

    Agabi said the respondents claimed that the election was marred with corruption yet claimed victory in the election.

    He said the respondents also pleaded that Ishaku was not sponsored by the party but later agreed that his sponsorship was not supported by any fact.

    He complained that 51 witnesses of the appellant were not reviewed by the tribunal and urged their lordships to allow the appeal.

    Mr Solo Akuma (SAN), Counsel to Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP and Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), Counsel to INEC urged the court to allow Ishaku’s appeal.

    However, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Counsel to Alhassan, filed a cross appeal, saying INEC had no right to clear a candidate for election.

    He urged the court to dismiss Ishaku’s appeal and uphold the tribunal’s judgment.

     

  • Taraba: Bulkachuwa to decide venue for Ishaku’s appeal 

    Taraba: Bulkachuwa to decide venue for Ishaku’s appeal 

    The President of the Court of Appeal Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa is to determine where the appeal filed by Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State would be entertained, The Nation gathered Monday.

    Usually, the Court of Appeal in Yola, Adamawa State has the jurisdiction and entertains the appeal cases from Taraba. But with the sitting of the Tribunal in Abuja on security concerns in the North Eastern region, it was not clear where the appeal would be treated, and only Bulkachuwa can decide on the venue.

    Ishaku filed an appeal for the appellate court to set aside the judgment by the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja which dismissed him from office and handed the governorship to his opponent Aisha Jummai Alhassan.

    The Taraba State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Yusufu Akirikwen Monday said the legal counsel of the governor, headed by Joseph Dauda, has filed three notices of appeals which were already begging for treatment by the Court of Appeal.

    Akirikwen was reacting to reports that Ishaku, who rejected the tribunal verdict, has failed to file his appeal within the constitutional 21 days of filling an appeal.

    “The report is a mischief, meant to mislead members of the public, particularly the teeming supporters of the governor.

    “Where did they get their report from? The only authentic source apart from us would have been the registrar of the Court of Appeal,” he said.

    The Justice Commissioner who displayed three notices of appeal, with official stamp of the court, added that “the first appeal was filed by the governor himself, on November 24; second appeal was filed by the PDP, on November 25; and the third appeal also filed on November 25, was by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Nation gathered that the litigant (Alhassan) also immediately filed a cross-appeal on November 26.

    The tribunal headed by Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, had on November 7, ordered that Alhassan be sworn as governor because The PDP did not conduct a valid primary that threw Ishaku up as the its flag bearer.

    The tribunal however said Alhassan could not adequately prove her allegation of “over voting, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010.”

    Alhassan has filed an appeal that the tribunal erred on this ground.

    “You can cross appeal only when there is a substantial appeal pending. With Alhassan’s cross appeal, it means we have appealed the tribunal judgment,” Akirikwen said and added that the people of Taraba should remain calm.

    “The governor is going to guide and protect the mandate given to him,” he said.

     

  • Tribunal sacks Taraba governor

    Tribunal sacks Taraba governor

    … Declares Alhassan winner of guber poll

    The Taraba State governorship election petition tribunal on Saturday nullified the election of the state governor, Darius Ishaku on the ground that he was not validly nominated and sponsored by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The tribunal headed by Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar ordered that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajia Aisha Alhassan, who scored the second highest votes, be declared the winner of the election.

    It held that by overwhelming evidence led by the petitioners (APC and Alhassan), represented by Mahmud Magaji (SAN), it was discovered that the PDP did not hold a valid primary as required by the Electoral Act.

  • Taraba Guber: Tribunal admits 10 APC witnesses on oath

    Taraba Guber: Tribunal admits 10 APC witnesses on oath

    The Taraba Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Friday admitted 10 APC party agents as witnesses on oath.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party agents appeared as witnesses in a suit filed by the APC Governorship Candidate, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, who is seeking to nullify the election of Gov. Darius Ishaku of PDP.

    Justice Musa Abubakar, the tribunal Chairman, at the resumed hearing, admitted the 10 witnesses presented by Mr. Mahmud Abubakar (SAN), Counsel to the petitioner, and adjourned to August 22, for continuation of hearing.

    However, the witnesses were examined by Abubakar (SAN), counsel to Alhassan, Kanu Agabi (SAN), counsel to Ishaku; Solo Akuma (SAN), counsel to PDP, and Abayomi Akanmode, counsel to INEC.

    The 10 witnesses are Haruna Ahmed, Yinusa Ahmed, Yohanna Calvin, Riman Tsokwa, Idris Ayuba, Akanta Chinda, Adamu Mohammed, Jinadu Suleiman, Aminu Aliyu and Ahmed Usman.

    The agents told the tribunal that they presided over polling units at Takum, Lau and Ibi local government areas of the state.

    They all affirmed on oath that there were irregularities in the April 11 gubernatorial polls in Taraba.

    According to the 10 witnesses, they had submitted a written complain to the Registry at Jalingo on May 15.

    Mr Haruna Ahmed, from Kofar Dogo ward in Takum, said he refused to sign polling unit result sheets because they were “partially mutilated’’, “squeezed’’ and in “dirty forms’’.

    “The election at my polling unit was not properly conducted going by the result I saw on the INEC EC8A forms; they were marred with over voting,’’ said the witness.

    Ahmed also told the tribunal that the accreditation of voters was done by INEC manually and with the card reader machine.

    On his own part, Mr Riman Tsokwa of Takun Constituency 1, told the tribunal that he mentioned the name of his unit presiding officers in his witness statement on oath.

    “The election was free but not fair; it was marred with irregularities, if the areas that are marred with irregularities are checked my candidate (Alhassan) stands elected,’’ Tsokwa said.

    Similarly, Mr Yinusa Ahmed, an agent with Garin Sarki unit in Lau, told the tribunal that though APC is a new party in Taraba it is popular.

    He further told the tribunal that it was announced to them by the INEC officials that APC scored 89 votes in his unit.