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Tag: Babangida Aliyu

  • Niger governor backs extension of emergency rule

    Niger governor backs extension of emergency rule

    The Chairman, Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for extension of emergency rule in the troubled north eastern part of the country.

    He, however, opposed the dismantling of the democratic structures in the three affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, saying such action will be unconstitutional.

    Aliyu spoke on Wednesday after he was screened for the National Assembly election by the National screening committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the party secretariat in Minna.

    The Niger State governor argued that the extension of emergency rule in the affected states should not be viewed from the point of performance of the security operatives in the region but from the perspective that Nigeria should do what is right in the eyes of the international community.

    Aliyu explained if emergency rule is not extended, human rights activist will accuse the Federal Government of abuse of human rights which will discredit the nation in the international community.

    He said, “What we should understand is that what we are facing is a guerrilla war with this terrorism. Terrorist do not respect the rules, when you need to fight the people, you need to declare state emergency.

    “If you do not declare state of emergency you are susceptible to human rights abuses. There is a misconception on declaration of emergency rule, the rule did not say political structures should be dismantled.”

     

     

  • Northern governors tell Jonathan to declare war on sect

    Northern governors tell Jonathan to declare war on sect

    Governors from the North yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare war on Boko Haram, the Islamic sect whose insurgency has killed thousands.

    Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Chairman of the Forum, spoke in Kaduna at the inauguration of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation Office building.

    He said the North’s woes started with the assassination of the Sarduna of Sokoto in the January 15, 1966 coup.

    He said Boko Haram members had declared war against Nigerians and they must be fought as enemies, adding:  “They are no more terrorists but rebels, who have declared war against their country and have acquired illegal territories; we must therefore crush them.”

    “Unfortunately, our job is complicated by the present predicaments in the country – Boko Haram, insecurity and abject poverty, among others, Aliyu said, adding:

    “Therefore, we must as leaders all come together on bipartisan or non-partisan basis to encourage Mr. President and the Federal Government to declare total war and eliminate Boko Haram in our midst before the 2015 elections.”

    “I have heard many people saying that Boko Haram are Nigeriens; any Nigerian, and any citizen that picks arms against his country should be declared as non citizens.

    “There is a limit to what the government can do. If being proactive, we have been doing that. But to declare total war is in the hands of federal government and the President. We must go back to our constitution. National conference has been held; we must go back and look at the issues raised with the aim to correct the difference between the federating unit and the federal government.

    “Boko Haram is no more terrorists as it affects all of us. It not the issue of APC or PDP, we need to put our heads together,” he stressed.

    Speaking on the state of Northern economy, Aliyu said, “We also need to come to terms with the reality that the nation cannot depend on the oil economy; we must continue to diversify into agriculture and solid minerals.

    “We must also pursue the issue of state police so that we can have a stronger and rational say in the security of our states and account for our actions and inactions”. He said.

    He however commended his colleagues, members of the NSGF and the Board of Trustees of the foundation for the unflinching support, cooperation and encouragement, making it possible for his chairmanship to record the monumental legacy in the annals of modern Northern Nigerian history.

    “Like Sardauna, we must individually and collectively keep our date with history and write our own scripts for the appreciation of the unborn generations.

    Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero called on the 19 states in the North to initiate a harmonised development plan that will ensure rapid economic growth and infrastructural development of the region.

  • Cash crunch ‘threatens 31 states‘

    Cash crunch ‘threatens 31 states‘

    •Nigeria not broke, says minister

    Thirty-one of the 36 states may be unable to meet their obligations to workers and citizens, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu warned yesterday.

    States have been finding it difficult to pay their wages and meet other expenses due to the shortfall in the allocation being shared from the Federation Account. Only five states, Aliyu said, are viable.

    A meeting last week of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) was aborted because there was no cash to share.

    Aliyu, speaking in Minna, the state capital, through Acting Commissioner for Finance Hassan Abdulahi, was afraid that the development will affect the payment of this month’s salary.

    Aliyu, who spoke at the opening of the fourth National Congress and Workshop of Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN), alerted civil servants of possible delay in the payment of salary.

    Abdullahi said: “We were in Enugu for three days and on the third day they called us into a room and told us to go back to our states because there no money to share.”

    The governor described the development as “very unfortunate” and advised that something urgent should be done to restore sanity.

    He urged governors and the private sector to pursue aggressive wealth creation as a way of stopping the problem been faced whenever there is a drop in the projected price of crude oil in the international market.

    But Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said yesterday that the rescheduled FAAC meeting will hold today to share the available cash to tiers of government.

    The minister assured Nigerians that the country is not broke.

    She gave the assurance in Abuja at a ministerial news conference where she noted that the continued fall in revenue would not jeopardise the implementation of the 2014 budget.

    She noted that the administration was “putting in place contingency plans so that our economy remains stable.  Right now, we have fluctuations in the price of crude oil and when that happens, it means that the money that comes into the coffers is a little bit small.  Does that mean that the country is broke? If we are not able to pay salaries to people or meet other obligations, then we can say the country is broke, but we have not got there. Nigeria is not broke”.

    She said the Excess Crude Accounts (ECA) would rise from $4.41 billion to $6.31billion with an additional $1.55 billion saving added to the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

    According to her: “Oil price has come down but it is not beyond our capacity to deal with and we are dealing with it by diversifying the economy. Nigeria is a country that is dependent on one commodity (oil) and that product is dependent on how much the buyers want to pay.  We had a yoo, yoo kind of expenditure pattern before 2003 but after that, even when there was a fall in the price of crude from $140 to about $35 or $38 between 2003 and 2008, our economy remained stable because we had accumulated about $22 billion in the Excess Crude Account.”

    In the interim, the minister of finance said: “We may have to cut down on some of our expenditures.  We may have to mobilise more revenue; we have to look at the fiscal policy; we have to look at the monetary policy.”

    Already there are contingency plans put in place to forestall any immediate adverse effect on the budget but for next year, there would be an increase in the revenue benchmark target for both the Federal Inland Revenue Service( FIRS) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    She did not disclose the exact revenue target for the agencies but explained that the FIRS had realised N44 billion out of its N75 billion target while Customs has realised N713 billion (between January and September) out of the N1.23 trillion target set for them this year.

    “We must shift the economy to non-oil revenue and we are already working hard on non-oil. Our revenue to GDP ratio is below that of other countries. We need to work very hard on non-oil and deliver on non-oil sector”.

    The finance minister said “last year, 60,000 ghost workers were weeded out and saved government about N160 billion. The ministry has written to  the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to trace those that needed to be held accountable and we are ready to assist the ICPC on any issue that borders on transparency.”

  • Remi Oyo was a role model, says Aliyu

    Remi Oyo was a role model, says Aliyu

    Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu has described the late Mrs. Oluremi Oyo as a role model for women in the media.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Israel Ebije, Aliyu said the former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) would be remembered for her role in repositioning media practice in Nigeria.

    He urged women journalists to emulate her hard work, discipline and determination, adding that her attitude to work earned her great heights.

    The governor said: “Mrs. Oyo competed favourably with her male counterparts and attained enviable heights within and outside the newsroom. She was a thoroughbred media icon, who raised the bar of professionalism to enviable heights. She was indeed an accomplished professional.

    “Her death is a great loss. It is sad that her demise came a few weeks after another talented media manager and journalists, Dimgba Igwe, was knocked down by a yet-to-be-identified hit-and-run driver in Lagos. Her death is a huge loss to the media.”

    Aliyu said the late Mrs Oyo belonged to the class of patriotic journalists, who placed national interest above personal interests.

  • Niger schools to resume October 10

    Niger schools to resume October 10

    Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger has directed primary and secondary schools in the state to resume for the new academic session on October 10.

    Aliyu gave the directive when he received a delegation from the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, West African Examination Council and National Examination Council in Minna Wednesday.

    The governor said the extension from the September 22 date given by the Federal Government was to allow the children to celebrate the Muslim Eid-el-Kabir festival with their parents and loved ones.

    “It seems the time of resumption will coincide with the Sallah holidays. So, if  the Sallah is going to be October 4 which is a weekend, then the children can resume on October 10,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the governor as saying at the forum.

    Aliyu also urged the educational bodies to be alive to their duties of improving the standard of education in the country.

    He decried the poor performance by students in examinations, adding that efforts should be made to redress it.

    “Everybody has a stake in reversing this ugly trend. Individually, we must contribute our quota towards making a change we want to see in our children and wards,” Aliyu said.

    Responding on behalf of the delegation, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, said they were in the state for a consultative meeting.

    Ojerinde said the state was chosen as venue of the event due to its unique priority on education, especially the girl-child education.

  • Photo: NEC meeting

    Photo: NEC meeting

    L-R Governor of Kogi State Idris Wada, Director General MDGs Precious Gbanoil and Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu during the National Economic Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN.
    L-R Governor of Kogi State Idris Wada, Director General MDGs Precious Gbanoil and Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu during the National Economic Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN.
  • She was a patriot, says Aliyu

    She was a patriot, says Aliyu

    Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has lamented the death of former Information Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili.

    Aliyu described the former Director General, National Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) as a fountain of knowledge and professional expertise, who promoted servant- leadership during her national service.

    The governor, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Israel Ebije, said the late Akunyili was a good example of a true Nigerian, who despite her ill health, was ready to offer her fountain of knowledge at the ongoing National Conference.

    “Professor Dora Akunyili was a leading example of patriotic leader who believed in the Nigerian project and continued to champion her belief even till death.”

    He urged Nigerians to emulate the Professor of Pharmacology, and prayed for the repose of her soul.

     

  • Niger’s economy on the upward swing – Aliyu

    Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has said the state’s economy would be among the most developed by the 2020.

    He stated this in Abuja on Thursday during the celebration of his 7th year in office.

    The event was organised by the Civil Society Alliance of Nigeria.

    Aliyu declared that his administration had laid the foundation for good governance in the state.

    The governor, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Ahmed Ibeto said it is important to highlight the guiding principle for programmes and projections in every economic sector in the state.

    Stressing that one of the cardinal points of his administration was to improve the quality of lives of the people, the governor said relevant laws had been passed by the state legislature to ensure sustainability of development projects.

     

  • Boko Haram: Aliyu seeks IBB, Gowon, Shagari, others’ intervention

    Boko Haram: Aliyu seeks IBB, Gowon, Shagari, others’ intervention

    Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu wants former Nigerian leaders of Northern extraction to help in resolving the Boko Haram insurgency now into its fifth year of destruction.

    Dr. Aliyu who doubles as Chairman, Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) asked Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, to team up with the northern governors in confronting the danger posed to the collective interest of the country by the sect.

    The governor who spoke at the first convocation of the state owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai said it was time to restore peace to the north.

    “We are inviting you because of your experiences and knowledge of this country. We need you to give us the political will to help us fight this battle,” he said.

    “We also need you to help the federal government and make sure that we fight Boko Haram and defeat it within the next three months. We believe that with your wisdom, we are capable of doing that.”

    The NSGF chairman lamented the bad image which the Boko Haram insurgency has given the country and name being given to the country.

    He added:”Please sirs, do it to save Nigeria and do it very soon. We are aware of these security challenges have given us a bad name and image to the extent that Nigerians are being killed abroad and nothing is done about it just because they feel we kill our own ourselves.”

    General Abdulsalmi Abubakar who was at the ceremony did not respond but nodded as if in agreement with the governor’s plea.

    Aliyu told the 1,732 graduating students that as pioneer students of the institution they would be the yardstick for measuring its academic and moral quality.

    Eight of the graduating students had first class, 324 had Second Class Upper while 902 Students made second Class Lower.

     

  • We must see Boko Haram’s end, says Aliyu

    We must see Boko Haram’s end, says Aliyu

    The Chairman of Northern States’ Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu has said all the nation’s arsenal should be deployed to fight the Boko haram sect.

    The governor urged the Federal Government to expose the sponsors of the sect, which has killed thousands of people and destroyed property worth billions of naira.

    Aliyu spoke yesterday when he received the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage report at the Government House in Minna.

    The governor noted that ending the sect’s activities would lead to the exposure of its collaborators.

    The NSGF Chairman noted that despite the assistance from the international community on the fight against insurgents, “what we really need to win the war is the political will”.

    He added: “We must fight them (Boko Haram members) to the finish. I hope in the process of fighting them, we will be able to know who originated, those who sponsor, those who collaborate and those who assist the Book Haram and, by extension, it behoves on us to fight extremism in any form, whether in religion or in politics or in our culture.”

    The governor stressed that those who kill in the name of a Jihad have totally missed it.

    He said the concept of Jihad is not about killing one another or kidnapping people.

    Aliyu said: “We must fight extremism. Anyone who is an extremist is not good for us. We must bring such people back to the path of sanity.

    “We should (also) fight extremism in politics. You cannot keep quiet when things are not going right, if you can change it; if you cannot report to the authorities.”

    The governor added that Nigerians should not allow those who are jealous to take over the society.