The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bola Ahmed Tinubu

  • Tinubu appoints seven new executive directors for NTA

    Tinubu appoints seven new executive directors for NTA

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed seven new executive directors to steer the affairs of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

    The appointments, announced in a statement issued on Friday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, are part of the President’s efforts to reposition the nation’s broadcast industry.

    Ayo Adewuyi has been reappointed Executive Director, News, while Bar. Ibrahim Aliyu takes charge as Executive Director, Special Duties.

    Other appointees include Malam Muhammed Fatuhu Mustapha, Executive Director, Administration and Training; Mrs Apinke Effiong, Executive Director, Finance; Mrs Tari Taylaur, Executive Director, Programme; Mr Sadique Musa Omeiza, Executive Director, Engineering; and Mrs Oluwakemi Fashina, Executive Director, Marketing.

    Mrs Effiong brings expertise in financial marketing, treasury management, accounting, and reporting, while Mrs. Taylaur is an accomplished audio/visual creator, producer, and showrunner.

    Read Also: FCT Budget: Wike commended for rebuilding trust, confidence in public officials under Tinubu

    Mrs Fashina is a seasoned integrated marketing communications professional and chartered marketer.

    The appointments are expected to inject fresh ideas and expertise into the NTA, driving growth and development in Nigeria’s broadcast industry.

    The statement noted that the appointments take immediate effect.

  • Tinubu appoints seven new executive directors for NTA

    Tinubu appoints seven new executive directors for NTA

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed seven new executive directors to steer the affairs of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

    The appointments, announced in a statement on Friday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, are part of the President’s efforts to reposition the nation’s broadcast industry. 

    Ayo Adewuyi has been reappointed Executive Director, News while Bar. Ibrahim Aliyu takes charge as Executive Director, Special Duties.

    Read Also: FCT Budget: Wike commended for rebuilding trust, confidence in public officials under Tinubu

    Other appointees include Malam Muhammed Fatuhu Mustapha, Executive Director, Administration and Training; Mrs Apinke Effiong, Executive Director, Finance; Mrs Tari Taylaur, Executive Director, Programme; Mr Sadique Musa Omeiza, Executive Director, Engineering; and Mrs Oluwakemi Fashina, Executive Director, Marketing.

    Mrs Effiong brings expertise in financial marketing, treasury management, accounting, and reporting, while Mrs Taylaur is an accomplished audio/visual creator, producer, and showrunner. 

    Mrs Fashina is a seasoned integrated marketing communications professional and chartered marketer.

    The appointments are expected to inject fresh ideas and expertise into the NTA, driving growth and development in Nigeria’s broadcast industry.

    The statement noted that the appointments take immediate effect.

  • Tinubu rallies governors on massive food production

    Tinubu rallies governors on massive food production

    Governors yesterday got President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s backing to embark on massive food production amid rising costs.

    He urged the state helmsmen to work together to meet the needs of citizens.

    They are to consult on how to achieve food sufficiency and revert to him within seven days.

    The President promised to provide the needed support to ensure that Nigerians are relieved.

    He made the rallying call during the 142nd National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.

    The President was guest at the NEC meeting, a statutory organ of government, statutorily presided over by the vice president.

    Giving emphasis to the urgency of massive food production by state governments, which are in control of the land for farming, the President said: “Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us to meet the needs of our people.

    Read Also: Democracy requires constant nurturing, vigilance – Abdulsalam

    “Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late.

    “We are ready and able to support you in the form of the mechanisation of your agricultural processes and the provision of high-quality seedlings.

    “We are prepared to provide solar-powered irrigation facilities to support our farmers across seasons, but we must now produce.

    “We must produce the food our people eat, and it will require coordination and intentionality between members of NEC.

    “There is nothing we are doing that is more important than producing high-quality food for our people to consume, buy, and sell.

    “We create jobs in the production of it. And that is before we generate wealth by exporting the excess. It is not beyond us to achieve this for Nigerians.

    “How much support do you need from me and in what form? I am prepared to provide it. But we must achieve the result.

    “We must deliver on our targets at all levels. Please report back following your consultations and submit to my office within seven days.”

    Also yesterday, President Tinubu approved the immediate rollout of the National Construction and Household Support Programme to cover all geo-political zones.

    According to a statement issued after the meeting by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the decision was aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, strengthening the economy by creating opportunities in the real sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, and construction, as well as providing urgent economic relief for Nigerians

    Under the programme, the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will traverse Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos, is prioritised.

    Other road infrastructure projects, such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is underway, and the Trans-Saharan Highway, which links Enugu, Abakaliki, Ogoja, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Abuja, are also prioritised.

    The President okayed full counterpart financing for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway to traverse Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Borno, as well as for the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway, which will traverse Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Niger, Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano.

    Within the Sokoto-Badagry Highway corridor, there are 216 agricultural communities, 58 large and medium dams spread across six states, seven Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), 156 local government areas, 39 commercial cities and towns, and over one million hectares of arable land.

    Other items under the National Construction and Household Support Programme include a one-off allocation to states and the Federal Capital Territory of N10 billion for the procurement of buses and compressed natural gas (CNG) uplift programme.

    Others are the delivery of N50,000 uplift grant each to 100,000 families per state for three months; provision for labour unions and civil society organisations; and the deployment of N155 billion for the purchase and sale of assorted foodstuff to be distributed across the country.

  • Tinubu commissions roads in A’Ibom constructed by NDDC

    Tinubu commissions roads in A’Ibom constructed by NDDC

    In a landmark event, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to completing all abandoned projects in the Niger Delta region. 

    The President made this declaration while inaugurating a 600-meter bridge, 6.87km road in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State.

    Represented by the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, the President praised the renewed focus and unity of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board and management. 

    “This is the first time since 2002 that the NDDC board and management are united and focused on commissioning projects that benefit the people of the Niger Delta,” Akpabio said.

    The Senate President noted that under the Tinubu administration, the NDDC has made significant strides, including connecting five local government areas in Ondo State to the national grid by commissioning a transmission station in Okitipupa. “The substation will serve 64 communities,” he added.

    Akpabio called on the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to go beyond road construction and focus on empowering women in the communities with soft grants to help them preserve their farm produce, particularly fish.

    In his address, Dr. Ogbuku stated that the NDDC has been commissioning a series of projects across the nine states of the Niger Delta to commemorate President Tinubu’s first year in office. 

    “We have commissioned transmission stations, roads, and bridges as a gift to the people of the Niger Delta from the President,” he said.

    The NDDC has also been providing free healthcare and enhancing e-learning in primary and secondary schools by delivering 48,000 tablets to the region.

    The Honorable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Abubakar Momoh, expressed his joy at the project’s inauguration, stating that it would trigger economic activities in the surrounding communities. 

    “We are fully aware that before now, the 20 communities were disconnected. With the construction of this road, they can easily access themselves, and that means the economic activities will increase and lead to the development of this area,” Momoh said.

    The Minister also noted that the performance bond signed between his ministry and the NDDC management has yielded tangible results, as evident in the projects being commissioned. 

    “President Tinubu is deeply committed towards the development of the Niger Delta, and he has given an instruction that all abandoned projects and legacy signature projects will be completed,” Momoh added.

    The inauguration of the 600-meter bridge and 6.87KM road  in Ibeno is part of the Tinubu administration’s renewed focus on the Niger Delta region, underscoring the President’s commitment to addressing the long-standing developmental challenges in the region.

  • Mr President, fix security you fix Nigeria

    Mr President, fix security you fix Nigeria

    By Mike Kebonkwu

    The state of insecurity in the country is real and has come at a huge cost with businesses folding up or relocating to neighbouring countries, farmers leaving their farmlands to urban centres to become mendicants, and people paying heavy ransoms.  We now value palliatives as means of livelihood.  The Muhammadu Buhari-led government and his predecessor were unmitigated disaster on the scorecard of security and the economy.  Everyone is gripped in fear as security and law enforcement agents are themselves hunted and killed by criminals. 

    On March 27, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made history when he broke from the mould by going to the graveside of the slain soldiers gruesomely murdered by some criminals in Okuama community in Delta State to pay his last respect.  The presence of the president was beyond politics and more than just a mere ceremonial.   It was a bold and eloquent statement that indeed, he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic.  It was a sombre occasion and testamentary to the state of insecurity in the country. It was not the burial of any other citizens but Nigerian Army soldiers and gatekeepers of our nation killed and mutilated in a Nigerian community. Days after that gruesome killing of the soldiers, six police officers were also reportedly killed in similar manner in same Delta State. 

    The life of every Nigerian matters; and the oath of service as president is to protect every citizen and the territorial integrity of the country without ceding an inch of our land to criminals.  There should be equal treatment to everyone and no selective justice and anyone with grievances should ventilate it in a lawful civilized manner.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Jail term, fine, other consequences for mutilation, abuse of naira notes

    Our land is soaked in blood and no one is living in safety but we are able to carry on because we do not just have any other choice.  Those who can afford it have since voted with their legs and living in safety in other climes albeit as second class citizens. Innocent children are kidnapped from their schools and taken into captivity where they are traumatized; and some of them never make it back alive.  Mr President should seize every such opportunity to send clear and unambiguous message to the world and to everyone that cares, that those criminals behind insecurity in the country will be pursued to the gate of hell. 

    Mr President, if you fix security, you would have fixed Nigeria.  The insecurity in the country is both political and criminal, and the two are intertwined.  The insurgents, bandits and cultists wielding automatic weapons and terrorizing the country today were political thugs of yesterday hired and bred by the politicians and used for rigging elections. Some of them are mercenaries from neighbouring countries brought into the country for sole purpose of election and now let loose as marauding herders and bandits abducting and kidnapping for ransom. 

    After the Okuama killings, the military has been accused of double standard in the face of what appeared like revenge or reprisal killings.  Again, this criticism may not be entirely objective but it has merit.  The army got itself caught up in the web of media campaign and propaganda by publishing pictures of the slain soldiers and circulating it in the media which had not been the practice.  Many more officers and soldiers indeed have been killed in the past without any media hype.  The military owes it a duty to wean itself from the Nigeria’s bad politics. 

    However, the point must be made that law enforcement and security agents should not be lightly attacked and killed and be expected to be ignored.  In the same way, communities that offer sanctuaries to criminals to attack the symbol of the state should be ready for the consequences.  We are losing the country to criminal cartels that have political connection and influence, with access to the media.

     Moving forward, Mr President should demand from the Security Chiefs the proper security mapping of the country and task them on the blueprint to deal with it decisively.  Reports have it that the insurgents in the northeast are still able to attack troops even in their locations.  Bandits and herdsmen have gone berserk and are on the rampage in Kaduna State and the entire Middle Belt. The fear of the “unknown gunmen” is the beginning of wisdom in the southeast.  We do not know the difference between the IPOB militants and the Eastern Security Network, a bunch of people that have almost formed parallel government.  Niger Delta has become a boiling point lately and there is resurgence on the attack on security personnel.  From Edo State to the entire West, abduction, kidnapping and ritual killings have become the order of the day. 

    By the way, we understand that the school children from Kuriga at last have been released but there has been hush about the figure or number released.  We do not know whether the release was on a sweetheart deal without payment of ransom because the government itself is quite ambivalent.  The reality of today is that the criminals are digging in and more emboldened; security has not improved.  When we begin to travel without fear on the road and our farmers go and return from farm without incident, we will know that security is returning back to normalcy. 

    What should government do to deal with insecurity?  First equip and motivate the police and the armed forces.  Those who favour negotiation and pacification of the criminals may have their point but that is not the business of the military whose training and duties are well defined.  When military commanders begin to argue for pacification, de-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration of criminals, they have lost the essence of their military bearing and veering into the realm of politics and religion; leave that for the Imams and Pastors.

    Insecurity cannot be tackled by media campaign and propaganda on the number of criminals, bandits and insurgents killed. The insurgents, bandits, kidnappers are operating from bushes and forests belonging to known communities and their ranks are swelling.

    They use motorbikes and sometimes even trucks; they restock and replenish their provisions; they use mobile phones and are connected to internet and social media.  To claim that they are not accessible questions the integrity of our security forces and the police. We cannot afford to cede political power to criminals; the state should not discuss with them on their own terms.  The security agents should softened them up sufficiently and they will submit at negotiation table and take the humble pie.  It must be understood that whenever there is trade off with criminals, the state is weak.

    Mr President, you have made history by achieving your life time ambition of becoming the president of the country amongst other solid achievements. Your victory did not come on a platter; you snatched victory from the jaws of lions.  You do not need a second term; you already have your name in the Hall of Fame of Nigeria’s leaders even if you leave office today.  If you have to write your name in gold, then fix security.  You have what it takes to do that; it requires gut and steel heart which you possess with envy.

    The scale of insecurity is spiralling out of control.  Many people are screaming that the military approach is not the solution to fighting insecurity.  But one dares says also that offering cake and chocolate to criminals is not the remedy to insecurity.  As the pacifists will always argue that killing criminals has not been shown to reduce crime but at the same time they cannot also show that not punishing criminals has improved or reduced statistics of crime and criminality.  Punishment serves as societal revulsion of acts that endangers the life of the society not necessarily that that it would be deterrent but a just desert, and punishment for the act done.

    Mr President, do not entertain any more excuses, there is no much time left. Get brave, patriotic and courageous military commanders and intelligence chiefs who will take on the behemoth behind the insecurity without looking at religion and tribe and give them marching orders, and let them have your back. The security agents and police including the Department of State Services know where these criminals are; they are not spirits. People take ransom and provisions to them in their hideouts.  They operate on motorbike; they do not have refineries in the bush.

     If the national assembly could appropriate over one hundred and sixty million naira  SUVs for each and every member, it should not be too much to invest in equipment and tracking devices to locate the position of these criminals and make Nigeria safe.  We should get our priorities right.   The government should not yield ground to criminals and their sponsors.  Take on the criminals and their sponsors and the heavens will not fall; individuals and groups should not be greater than the state.  Mr President, you can do it!

    • Kebonkwu Esq is an Abuja-based attorney. He writes via mikekebonkwu@yahoo.com

  • Kidnappers should be treated as terrorists, says Tinubu

    Kidnappers should be treated as terrorists, says Tinubu

    • Judges to get 300.3% salary raise

    Kidnappers should be treated as terrorists, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared yesterday, condemning as reprehensible the acts perpetrated by kidnappers.

    The President made the declaration at a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

    Reiterating the government’s resolve to defeat banditry, the President described those engaging in the abduction of children as cowards, incapable of confronting the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces. 

    “‘We must treat kidnappers as terrorists. They are cowardly. They have been degraded. They look for soft targets. They go to schools and kidnap children and cause disaffection. We must treat them equally as terrorists in order to get rid of them, and I promise you we will get rid of them,” a statement by the President’s spokesman Ajuri Ngelale quoted him as saying.

    At the dinner were two former CJNs, Justice Mahmud Mohammed and Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    On the review of judicial officers’ salaries, the President pledged that his administration would continue to implement reforms to improve the welfare and working conditions of judicial officers.

    The statement reads: “I recognize that the judiciary has one of the most unrewarded responsibilities. They are yet to modernize equipment and recordkeeping, and their progress towards improvement is slow.

    “When you look at the career path of a judicial officer, they cannot practice the vocation for which they were trained after retirement.

    Read Also; Tinubu appoints Garba Laka Counter-terrorism center coordinator

    “While the framers of the law may have their reasons, I perceive this differently and see this from a fair compensation angle that should benefit all.”

    President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the judiciary for their dedicated service to the nation, acknowledging their role in upholding the respectability of the judicial arm of government.

    “We will continue to support one another and bring Nigeria to that glorious dawn,” he said.

    The CJN commended Tinubu for the honour of hosting judicial officers to a Ramadan dinner, his commitment to judicial reforms, and for improving the welfare of judicial officers.

    “May the Lord continue to bless you and your administration; let your ship land and berth beautifully; we shall continue to pray for your administration because there are many good things in the pipeline for Nigerians,” he said.

    Justice Ariwoola commended the administration for achieving a significant milestone by appointing a full complement of 21 justices to the Supreme Court, a feat he described as unprecedented.

    Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, expressed gratitude to the President for forwarding the executive bill titled: “Judicial Office Holders, Salaries and Allowances, etc, Bill 2024”  to the National Assembly.

    Highlighting the stagnant state of judges’ salaries and emoluments since 2007, Fagbemi commended the President’s courage, determination, and compassion in taking decisive action.

    Fagbemi said: “It takes a man with a great heart, determination, and consideration to do what the President did. More than 300.3 percent increase has been given to the judges. The President has done his own part, never mind that the bill is still with the National Assembly.

    “In my short stay as the Attorney-General, I have come to observe that anything that concerns the judiciary, you are very much interested in it, and I thank you for your abiding interest in the judiciary.”

  • Tinubu: Nigeria has better days ahead  

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday reflected on Nigeria’s journey as an independent nation and predicted a better future.

    The one-time Lagos governor said:  “What Nigeria overcame in the past has given us the confidence and courage to believe that we can achieve even more.”

    His reflections were contained in his goodwill message to the nation on its 59th Independence Anniversary.

    He said Nigeria has the wherewithal for its citizens to enjoy a democratic, prosperous and just existence.

    The message, titled: “Nigeria @ 59: What we’ve overcome gives us confidence in a better future”, was released yesterday by his Media Office.

    It reads: “Today we celebrate the 59th birthday of our beloved nation. We stand today with our feet planted firmly in the present but with our gaze both on the past and toward our future. Looking back at the last 59 years, we have faced steep challenges yet have marked great progress nonetheless.

    “What we have overcome in the past gives us the confidence and courage to believe that we can achieve even more as we cast our eyes to the future.

    Read Also: Tribunal victory: Tinubu congratulates Ogun governor

    “This day that we mark is truly a day to celebrate the independence of a nation of resilient, strong and industrious people who have decided to join together in common purpose that each of us may enjoy a democratic prosperous and just existence.

    “As Nigerians, let us recommit our energies to building a better Nigeria and rededicate ourselves to the vision of our nationalists who saw greatness in this country and worked assiduously to advance it.

    “The journey to our greater destiny has begun and I enjoin you all to support one another and President Buhari’s administration in this journey. I ask you all to remain committed to our highest national purpose so that we may continue to strengthen our national institutions and our very country.

    “I congratulate all Nigerians on this 59th Independence Anniversary and urge you all to come along in the march to the Next Level.”

  • Tinubu predicts victory for APC in Kogi, Bayelsa

    National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said that the party would win the governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

    Tinubu who spoke in Benin City at the 90th birthday of Chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom said he expects victory for the APC in both states.

    He said there was no other political party in the two states.

    Tinubu said the broom would come together to sweep away the debris of the past to secure electoral victory.

    Read Also: Why Lagos is magnet point for investors, by Tinubu

    According to him, “I expect nothing less than victory in Kogi and Bayelsa States. Who is the other party?”

    On complaints that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has not done well for his people, he said, “If you don’t have complaints in politics, then there is no democracy so we only pay attention to the noise in the market because we have so many apples, oranges and various fruits of different character but there is one thing that is consistent.

    “This is a market of many branches and this is the broom; they will come together as a bunch to sweep clean all the debris of the past, that is it, we are going to win.”

  • Tinubu seeks stronger nation

    NATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advised Nigerians to shun divisive tendencies and build a stronger nation.

    Speaking after observing the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the Dodan Barracks ground in Ikoyi, Lagos, Tinubu said: “Differentiation or stagmatisation is not going to help the country.

    “What today teaches is all about sacrifices that we all must make to really have our prayers answered.

    “No one was able to dictate to whom he would be born to, how he would be born and where he would be born. We are proud Nigerians and that is what should be paramount.

    “Let us be proud of our country, dedicate ourselves to the growth and prosperity of our country.

    “Yes, if we say things are hard, it means we will work harder to make it better, not to destroy what our founding fathers have done and put together in the spirit of one nation and one destiny.”

    He advised Nigerians not to forget the part of the first stanza of the old nation’s national anthem which states:   “Though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we must stand”.

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mudasiru Obasa, and minister-designate Babatunde Fashola also spoke after the prayers.

    Fashola described the season as the time to come together as a people and make sacrifices for the development of the country.

    He said: “This is the time to come together in the spirit of the season.

    “This is the time to sacrifice, to get behind our leaders and to come together among ourselves to build our country and make it what we expect it to be.”

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat echoing the Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou Nolla, called for an end to the security challenges facing the country.

    So, the fundamental thing is peaceful co-existence among all of us whether Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo or whatever.

    “All of us are Nigerians. We must live in peace and we must unite as a people,” Hamzat added.

    “The imam had said it clearly: it is enough of all these killings. It is enough of these kidnappings and it is enough of all the bad things.

    “So, if anybody says Allah Akbar and you kill somebody, it’s either you are insane or you don’t understand Islam. Islam is a religion of peace.

    “So, the message to all Lagosians and to Nigerians is that we must live peacefully. All the religions–Christianity, Islam preach peace. We should live in peaceful environment.”

    According to the deputy governor, without peace, no progress and development can be achieved by anybody.

    Obasa urged Nigerians to make sacrifices for the nation to move forward.

    He said: “We must love one another and help each other. I believe if we live in tolerance, definitely, we will be able to build a nation of our own.”

    Muslim faithful in their hundreds converged at the prayer ground for the religious ritual.

    The prayers, which started at exactly 9:00 a.m. were led by the grand chief imam of Lagos State.

    The Northeast governors and some clerics called for prayers to overcome the various challenges facing the country.

    They called for the intensification of prayers to God for permanent peace to return to the sub-region.

    Making the call in their Sallah messages to the people, they said with complete submission to the will of God, the challenges were surmountable.

    They also called for respect for one another to enable the achievement of the desired unity necessary for the resolution of grey areas.

    Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya prayed for bumper harvest and sustainable peace.

    Read Also: Eid-el-Kabir: Make sacrifice for development, Tinubu urges Nigerians

    He expressed optimism that his government would overcome the challenges he met on ground when he assumed office.

    In Yobe, Governor Mai Mala Buni called on the people to pray for peace and unity, as well as support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during the festive season.

    He renewed his call on insurgents to surrender and get reintegrated into the society.

    Commending the military and other security agencies over the successes recorded in the counter-insurgency operation and peace building process, the governor urged the people to pray for the repose of the souls of the fallen heroes.

    Adamawa State Ahmadu Fintiri called on the people of the state to be tolerant and live peacefully with one another for the development of the state.

    He said: Tolerance and living in peace with one another is our source of strength and a solution to our challenges. I therefore call on Muslim faithful to use the lesson of this great day of Eid-El-Kabir by emulating the good teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).”

    In Kogi, Governor Yahaya Bello urged the people to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice which signifies the essence of Eid-El-Kabir.

    He said: “We join Muslims around the world to celebrate this year’s Eid-ul-Adha to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. This occasion calls for sacrifice, love and the need to leave in peace amongst ourselves.”

    The governor also enjoined the people to continue to pray for peace and prosperity of the nation.

    “We should join the pilgrims in offering special prayers for greater security, peace, unity and progress in our dear state and country, as well as for the peaceful and successful conduct of the next  gubernatorial elections in Kogi State.”

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike urged Muslims to emulate the Holy Prophet Mohammed by imbibing the ideals of sacrifice as exemplified by the Prophet.

    He urged Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance which will promote peace across the country and enhance national development.

    The governor assured the people of Rivers State that his government will cooperate with the security agencies to ensure that all citizens celebrate the Sallah in peace and harmony.

    Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni tasked citizens to show love, kindness, respect to each other, as Borno Gov asks citizen to remember troops making sacrifices for the state.

    He called on citizens of the state and Nigerians as a whole to showing kindness, respect and generosity to one another, noting that for the people to achieve a happy society, the examples of Prophet Ibrahim must be emulated with total submission to the commandments of God.

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq appealed to Kwarans to sustain the tempo of peace existing in the state for overall development.

    Speaking at the Ilorin praying ground yesterday, the governor said the prevailing peace would attract investment and socioeconomic development.

    AbdulRazaq, who was represented by his Chief of Staff Adisa Logun, urged residents to guide the existing peace jealously.

    “If you notice Kwara was so calm before this sallah. It has never been so calm and we will work hard to sustain it,” he added.

    Logun urged the people to remain peaceful and support the state government in its quest to provide the dividends of democracy to the people.

    In Kaduna, Governor Nasir El-Rufai called on Muslims to reflect on the meaning of the festival of sacrifice and exhibit sacrifice to lift Nigeria out its woes.

    Malam El-Rufai said that, in troubled times, there are poignant lessons from the act of absolute faith in Almighty Allah that the festival commemorates.

    Urging Muslims to celebrate the festival with modesty, the governor called for a renewed commitment to exemplary conduct, goodwill and peaceful relations with other members of the great family of humanity.

    Prof Zulum was in Gubio Local Government Area where he spent the greater part of the day, raising public confidence after soldiers of the 5 Brigade repelled dozens of Boko Haram fighters who stormed the council at 6pm, leading into seven hours of gun battle that ended 1am. The governor’s trip came after he set aside activities lined up for the sallah celebration, including a lunch with stakeholders of the governing APC and a traditional visit of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi to the Government House, which usually takes place at 4pm on every Sallah Day.

    Zulum postponed the Shehu’s visit till today, putting security first.

    The governor, alongside a member of the House of Representatives representing Gubio, Kaga and Magumeri Federal Constituency, Usman Zannah and some government officials, first visited headquarters of the 5 Brigade in Gubio town where a meeting, hosted by the Brigade’s commander, Col I.A Ajose and attended by the theatre commander, operation lafiya dole, Major General Benson Akinroloyo and the caretaker chairman of Gubio, Zannah Modu Gubio and other government officials, was held.

    The caretaker chairman informed the governor that were it not for a gallant resistance by soldiers of the Brigade, the insurgents could have gained control of Gubio on the sallah Eve.

     

  • Olakunrin died serving the poor, says Tinubu

    THE National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Friday described the late Mrs Olufunke Olakunrin as a woman of exceptional character.  He urged Nigerians to emulate her virtues.

    At the commendation service held for her at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, he said Olakunrin gave her best to humanity.

    According to him, Olakunrin was closer to the ordinary people than the rich and the mighty, noting that she did her best to better lives of those who came her way.

    He said the deceased was full of compassion and quick to forgive those who crossed her path.

    “To know Funke is to know an exceptional human being. People will also attest to her goodness and nobleness. She cared for the poor more than she cared for the rich. She came to be an honour to her parents any family.

    “This bright star was taken from us in the most terrible way.

    “Funke and I shared great moments and I benefitted immensely from her wisdom. This bright star was taken away from us in a very  terrible manner.

    “I pray that the Almighty God will give the family and the father the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

    Read Also: Let’s use our diversity for prosperity – Tinubu

    Speaking, Pastor Tunde Kolade said the late Olakunrin did not die in vain, noting that all must make their paths clean.

    “We should be prepared to meet our maker. Those of us who are still alive still have every opportunity to change in order to occupy the mansion our Lord has prepared for us.

    “It will not be healthy for us to suffer here and suffer after we quit this vicinity. We must strive to do what is good and godly because nobody knows when the trumpet will blow,” he said.

    Present at the event were Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel; Afenifere chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo; former Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria, Akin Osuntokun; Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode; APC chieftain, Pius Akinyelure;  Hon. Jide Benson and others.