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Tag: consensus

  • Sokoto adopts consensus as Achida heads new executive

    THE Sokoto State All Progressives Congress (APC) elective congress was conducted through consensus at the weekend without any rancour

    New executives under the chairmanship of Sadik Isah Achida, who is the commissioner for Information and Home Affairs, replaced Alhaji Usman Danmadamin Isah.

    Isah has been nominated for confirmation as commissioner by the Sokoto State House of Assembly.

    However, most of the executive members with the exception of a few former, were returned at the congress that ended at about mid-night on Saturday.

    Those replaced include Women Leader Hajiya Fatima ‘Yar Kangiwa with Hajiya Hadiza Abdullahi and Youth Leader Nasiru Italy with Abubakar Yaro.

    Accordingly, positions of vice chairman went to Alhaji Mukhtari Bello Maigona and Publicity Secretary was clinched by Yusuf Abdullahi Ilarus.

    Others are: financial secretary (Aminu Liman Bodinga); legal adviser (Mukhtar Mamuda Yabo) and Bashir Isah Jabo as (organising secretary) and Haruna Adiya emerged as treasurer.

    Senator representing Sokoto North Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko was, however, absent as he was away for Umrah (lesser hajj) in Saudi Arabia.

    However, the adoption for endorsement of the consensus followed a motion moved by House of Representatives’ member Aminu Shehu Shagari (Yabo/Shagari) Federal Constituency and seconded by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Salihu Maidaji.

    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who acknowledged the remarkable support and cooperation of stakeholders, expressed gratitude for the peaceful conduct of the congress.

    He noted that the exercise was all-inclusive in the spirit of sensitivity by carrying every member along for equity to prevail.

     

     

  • Consensus congress in Sokoto

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congresses were yesterday conducted simultaneously and peacefully across 244 wards of Sokoto State by consensus.

    Reacting to the exercise, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who participated in the process at the Veterinary Clinic Venue of his ward in Tambuwal town, said it was a commendable exercise for the APC members in Sokotoý for opting to go by consensus.

    “This confirms that we are a formidable and united political family.

    “The stakeholders meeting we held prior to the congresses had helped greatly with the resolution for consensus”, he stressed.

    According to the governor, all stakeholders played significantly well by giving their maximum support for the realisation of the amicable resolution.”

    Also commenting, Chairman ýLG and wards congresses Committee from the National headquarters of the party, Hon. Isma’il Hussaini, said the committee grouped themselves into four for the assignment.

    According to him” the stakeholders have simplified our work by adopting a resolution for consensus which we are affirming.

  • Re-federalisation: majoritarianism, consensus, and self-determination (2)

    But the legislator has, of himself, no authority. He is only a guide who drafts and proposes laws, but the people alone (that is, the sovereign or general will) has authority to make and impose laws—Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion—John Stuart Mill in On Liberty

    I concluded last week’s column thus: ‘But if none of the country’s institutions is likely to be changed because individuals in power are likely to be beholden to the interests of their specific sections of the country or to their source of livelihood, it becomes logical to listen to those who have been calling for establishment of a constituent assembly to work on a new structure and a new constitution to encode a new political reality. Such approach may move the emphasis on majoritarianism to consensus, a value that has historically been inseparable from the process of making democratic constitutions.’

    The point of today’s piece is not whether Nasir el-Rufai has a right to view what he calls political realities of the country into an albatross around the neck of Nigerians who do not think that it is politically legitimate in a multinational democracy for some sections of the country or groups of citizens to hold down others who they estimate have minority vote. He also has every right to expect and even recommend that legislators vote against meaningful changes that such lawmakers believe can endanger whatever privilege the status quo accords them. It is perfectly within the democratic rights of the Chairman of APC’s True Federalism Committee to express his personal opinions freely. What appears troubling is that Mallam el-Rufai left fellow citizens and fellow party members or sympathisers in the dark as to who spoke to the youths; el-Rufai the person, or the Chairman of APC’s committee on true federalism.

    Undoubtedly, many citizens must have voted for General Buhari to become president on the strength of the pledge of APC to nudge the country to migrate from business as usual model to change of many aspects of the polity and economy that had ceased to function profitably for benefits of the citizenry. More specifically, the manifesto pledge to ‘entrenching the Federalist Spirit in the constitution’ must have attracted the presidential candidate and his party to voters across geographic divides. Should el-Rufai have been understood by citizens as sacralising the status quo on behalf of the APC committee, such understanding or misunderstanding is capable of disturbing voters in various parts of the country who voted for APC in 2015. I could be wrong in my reading of el-Rufai’s speech to the youths in Abuja. I could not catch any hint that he separated his own voice from that of the committee that he chairs and on whose behalf the event at which he spoke was organised. It should not be too late for him to make this importation distinction or clarification.

    Now to Political Science 101 of el-Rufai’s sanctification of Nigeria’s political reality. To pontificate that that lawmakers have the power to vote any issue down or out, even on the basis of self-interest, and in the process create a situation of ‘conflicting argument without consensus’ is to imply that lawmakers, rather than the people, are the sole owners of sovereignty, a situation that has necessitated invoking Rousseau’s words: “But the legislator has, of himself, no authority. He is only a guide who drafts and proposes laws, but the people alone have authority to make and impose laws.”

    Furthermore, the notion that if majority of voters opt for something that is in their interest and that may not be in the interest of minority of voters in a multinational democracy, does this make minority nationalities (voters) that call for a new political structure that they believe can facilitate improvement of the living standards of citizens in their own constituencies and communities irrelevant? Does such use of majority electoral power make the status quo citizens (with minority vote) perceive to oppress them inviolable? Sovereignty in a multinational democracy is not exclusive to majority of voters; it belongs to all citizens. Those who feel they are victims of tyranny of the majority and who desire to be free from such oppression do have the right to seek redress in the name of self-determination. An important matter to worry about as the APC works towards its report on true federalism is whether all Nigerians can be sovereign when a part feels (as those demanding for re-federalisation of the country currently do) to be living in a system that prevents them from self-actualisation?

    It is the danger inherent in flaunting the power of majority of voters on a matter as fundamental as determining the crafting of a constitution to serve as a charter for a multi-nation federal state that needs to be avoided in speaking to youths in a country in search of change. Just like the status quo (or existing reality) is part of the human condition, so is change or alterability of the status quo an aspect of human experience. To insist or believe that the status quo is sacrosanct is to deny Nigeria of claim to a universal experience, the value of creative destruction. With over 50 years of various forms of unitary governance, the whole country or sections of it that feel degraded have a right to demand change and they need not be discouraged by over privileging of the status quo.

    There should be no political reality in Nigeria that is not subject or amenable to change, once the will to give change a chance is there. We need not overlook that modern political organisation provides a space for those who are made to feel impotent by the sheer force of numbers or majority votes in a democracy. Embarking on restructuring requires more user-friendly vocabularies than electoral tyranny of the majority. After over half a century of conflicting views about the architecture of governing our multinational federation, we need to migrate from the force of majoritarianism to that of consensus.

    Our country is too important for its citizens and development of Africa for it to be subjected to the tension of conflicting arguments that can wear the country down by valorising unnecessarily the power of any majority—be it of individual lawmakers or of states or regions. The dichotomy between majority and minority is only capable of accentuating demand for self-determination, which in most cases, always ends up in bigger conflicts for both majority and minority. Insisting on using provisions of the 1999 Constitution to make changes in the architecture of governance and in creating a constitution that citizens feel reflects their values and aspirations may be endangered in the context described by el-Rufai as Political Reality; one that may be resistant to change for reasons of sheer self-interest of persons or groups.

    If by any stretch of imagination, Mallam el-Rufai’s speech to youths in Abuja two weeks ago had (or still has) any connection to the perspective of APC’s Committee on True Federalism, it behoves the party and party leaders to give Consensus the prime of place, rather than the power of majority to dismiss new ideas perceived to be coming from minority of voters. It is consensus that eases conflicts faster and more tearlessly than majoritarianism. A time that our country is at the intersection of status quo and change, it is necessary to recall Josiah Gilbert Holland’s poem about leadership: GOD, give us men! A time like this demands; Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; men who possess opinions and a will; men who have honour, men who will not lie….

    Concluded

  • Nwabueze, Anyaoku, Adebanjo, others set for consensus on restructuring

    •Elder statesmen plan to engage with Fed Govt 

    Eminent leaders of thought have concluded plans to mobilise national consensus on agitations for restructuring to forestall degeneration of ethnic acrimony, it was learnt at the weekend.

    This came to light after Thursday’s media interaction organised by a group of elder statesmen led by Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN in Lagos.

    Already, it was gathered that a high-powered team from southern Nigeria led by Prof. Nwabueze, including former Secretary-General of Commonwealth Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Gen. Alani Akinriade, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, has already initiated “a major tactical national consultation”.

    Others in the team are: Mr. Donald Duke, Prof. Pat Utomi, Prof. Kimse Okoko, Solomon Asemota, SAN, Obong Victor Attah, Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe, Prof. Akin Oyebode, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, Chief Tola Adeniyi and Prof. Sola Ehindero.

    The group’s Head of Secretariat, Olawale Okunniyi, spoke at the weekend while clarifying issues after the inaugural public intervention of the emergent pan Nigerian Movement on Thursday.

    The move, Nwabueze said, was designed to forge a negotiated consensus among critical stakeholders on how best to restructure the country.

    Okunniyi, who also heads the Nigeria Political Summit Group (NPSG, said regional youth groups and ethnic militias are included in the consultation.

    He said: “This stakeholders driven initiative, under the auspices of Project Nigeria Movement is projected to surpass what PRONACO achieved under Chief Anthony Enahoro and Prof. Wole Soyinka between 2005 and 2007; when PRONACO convened a major peoples’ national conference of ethnic nationalities and social groups in Nigeria, leading to the unanimous adoption of a draft peoples constitution for Nigeria on August 26, 2006…

    “It could, therefore, be reassuring to recall how both progressive leaders rode in the same vehicle into the open hands of Chief Anthony Enahoro and other leaders at the PRONACO Secretariat on June 12, 2006.”

    He said the list of the “Northern/Middle Belt team for the national consultation on restructuring is still being composed by the leaders of the North”.

    Okunniyi said the labour movement and other social groups in the country have also been penciled for strategic consultation and mobilisation before a major interface with the Federal Government on the modalities for the restructuring.

  • ‘I support consensus candidate in Anambra’

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant in the August 12 governorship primary in Anambra State, Sir Obinna Uzoh, has pledged to support any arrangement by the party’s leadership to win the election, including having a consensus candidate.

    Uzoh spoke after submitting his nomination form at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

    The politician said he will support any arrangement by the party, but expressed confidence that in the selection of a consensus candidate, he will be the choice, being “the best candidate” in the race.

    He said: “Any arrangement by my party is welcome by me because I am a party man. I will always agree with my party’s decision. So, if the decision of my party is to pick a sole candidate, I need fear no fall because I am of the belief that if one person will be chosen, I will be the one.”

    Uzoh said his experience in public and private sectors stood him out as the best man for the job.

    The aspirant assured the party that his administration, if he wins the primary and the governorship polls, would focus on industrialising Anambra to make it the envy of other states as well as empowering the youths.

    He said: “Having been into business for a long time, I have all it takes to reposition Anambra State. I am not new in the game, having contested for the same position in 2003. I have enough experiences from that mission; even prior to it, I had gathered enough experiences in governance.

    “My mission is to bring good governance to Anambra and make the state great again. I will go beyond the basic infrastructural provisions of social amenities to implementing the party manifesto. It is not a good record that my state has not been privileged to work with the party at the centre.

    “We want to be with the government at the centre so that the state can enjoy the benefits. I believe that with the great leadership like our National Chairman and President Muhammadu Buhari, we can get the dividends of democracy to my people.

    “I strongly believe that I am the most qualified person to govern Anambra State, going by my antecedents, experience as a seasoned lawyer and businessman as well as my experiences public and private sectors.

    “As a philanthropist, I have done lots of things to my people. I believe I will do more than what I have done in the past, if I have the opportunity to serve Anambra. I can tell you that I am mentally and psychologically ready to govern Anambra.

    “You also know that Anambra is erosion-prone. Now that the world is talking about global warming, we need to do something about it because erosion control is very important. You also know that the most important basic need in my state is human capacity building. I have been on this for a long time; I intend to continue.

    “I am a very versatile and well equipped in electricity generation, transmission and distribution. There is a lot of capacity to build industries and manufacture things. We will do our best to bring in electricity generation, distribution and transmission to help my people in the areas of industry and agriculture.”

    Asked if he has any regretted leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uzoh said: “The Constitution of Nigeria says every candidate must run on a party’s platform. I contested the governorship election on the platform of National Democratic Party (NDP) in 2003.

    “Thereafter, I joined the PDP in 2014. I left the PDP for APC when it was formed. I am happy to be in the APC and I am happy to have dethroned the former government of the PDP. I have no regret leaving the PDP.”

  • ‘Consensus emerging for OPEC, non-OPEC to extend output pact’

    Saudi Arabia’s OPEC governor said on Friday there is an emerging consensus among OPEC and non-OPEC countries who took part in a global pact to cut crude output on the need to extend the agreement beyond June to help clear a supply glut.

    OPEC, Russia and other producers have agreed to curb production by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until June 30.

    “There’s an emerging consensus among participating countries on the need to extend the production agreement reached last year” Adeeb Al-Aama told Reuters.

    “Based on today’s data, there’s a growing conviction that a six-month extension may be needed to rebalance the market, but the length of the extension is not firm yet,” he said.

    A formal decision will be taken when the OPEC ministers meet on May 25.

    NAN reports that on April 19, OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo said that all oil producers taking part in a supply-cut pact are committed to bringing global inventories down to the industry’s five year average and restoring stability to the market.

    Barkindo, speaking in the United Arab Emirates, said compliance data in March is showing better conformity by the oil producers with the agreement than in February.

    OPEC and non-OPEC producers agreed in December to cut supplies for six months, helping lift oil prices to about 55 dollars a barrel after a two-year slump.

    OPEC will review policy for the second half of this year at a May 25 meeting.

    Barkindo would not say whether the agreement will be extended for another six months, but that any decision taken would be in the interest of all producing and consuming countries.

    NAN reports that on Dec. 10, 2016, OPEC won the backing of countries outside the oil cartel to join supply cuts for the first time since 2001, overcoming the final major obstacle for a global agreement to curb output.

    The agreement in Vienna was designed to speed the end of the worst oil downturn in a generation by mopping up excess supplies and boost prices, providing some relief to resource-rich nations whose economies have taken a big hit.

    Prices rallied by 15 per cent since Nov. 30, 2016 when Opec’s 13 members led by the group’s largest producer Saudi Arabia, agreed to curb output by more than one million barrels a day.

  • APC: we have no consensus candidate in Bayelsa

    The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said it has not anointed any candidate for the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

    The party debunked a report that former Governor Timipre Sylva had been anointed as its consensus candidate for the election.

    There was a report that APC leadership had settled for Sylva and asked other contenders, including a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, to step down for him.

    But the APC said its candidate would emerge in a peaceful, free and fair primary scheduled for tomorrow.

    APC’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary Timi Frank said the party would not ask any of its aspirants to step down.

    The party chief stressed that there was no going back on its primary.

    He said: “The party has not and does not intend to ask anyone to step down as far as the governorship ticket in Bayelsa State is concerned. The report is preposterous and distractive. Please, ignore it as we are preparing for the primary on Tuesday.”

    Some elders, women’s groups and youths, under the aegis of Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders for Good Governance (CBSGG), yesterday urged Sylva to step down for Alaibe.

    They accused Sylva of failing them when he was the state’s helmsman.

    The group’s Coordinator Ebitimi Jonathan said Alaibe was the best foot for APC in the governorship race.

    He noted that he had all it takes to make a good governor.

    Jonathan said: “Alaibe has not been tested. Like President Muhammadu Buhari, who tried four times before Nigerians gave him their mandate, Alaibe should be given the opportunity to steer the ship of the state.”

    The coordinator recalled that Alaibe performed well at the NDDC.

    He added: “It is time to let him replicate his performance in Bayelsa. He is loved by all. Many people in government have said immediately Alaibe emerges as candidate for the APC, they will leave the government.”

  • Bayelsa 2016: APC rules out consensus guber candidate

    Bayelsa 2016: APC rules out consensus guber candidate

    •Tells suspended members to appeal •’Sylva remains our leader’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State yesterday said it will not adopt any candidate for the forthcoming governorship election.

    Its chairman, Tiwei Oruminighe, said the APC ticket was open to all aspirants willing to go through a strict primary election.

    Oruminighe, who spoke at the weekend at a news conference in Yenagoa, asked members of the party to disregard insinuations in some quarters it would settle for a consensus candidate.

    He said: “On the issue of adoption of candidate and whatever the public must have heard about the APC, we want to reiterate that this party in Bayelsa State will follow strictly what the national party has demonstrated at the national level.

    “We will not make the mistake of saying we are adopting a candidate. There will be proper party primaries to select whoever that will fly the flag and I believe that the leadership in of this party is capable of producing a good standard bearer that will win election for Bayelsa State.

    “I believe this will prove people wrong that we have adopted candidate and that we are not together.

    “This party remains one indivisible unit, very united and we will forge ahead stronger to win the coming election in Bayelsa.”

    Orunimighe also confirmed the expulsion of two party leaders – Chief Richard Kpodo and Mr. Frank Oputu, saying the party stood by the action.

    He said “We still want to affirm to the public that that action of the State Working Committee (SWC) is what we have done as a party and we stand by it. Kpodo and Oputu remain expelled from the party.”

    The party helmsman asked suspended members to follow the process laid down in the party’s constitution to seek redress.

    He said the seven suspended members including the former Secretary of the defunct New PDP, Mr. Godwin Sidi, had the right to fair hearing.

    Orunimighe denied insinuations that the party is monopolised by former Governor Timipre Sylva, who is also the leader of the party.

    He restated that Sylva remained the leader of the party and that the insinuations were unfounded and unthinkable.

    “Sylva is the leader of the party. Somebody must lead at a particular time. As a party, we believe in the ideology that brought us together to form the APC,” he stressed.

     

  • ‘Lawan ’ll build consensus between APC and PDP senators’

    ‘Lawan ’ll build consensus between APC and PDP senators’

    The Senate Unity Forum, led by Senator Barnabas Gemade, has reiterated its support for the ambition of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmad Lawan and Minority Leader George Akume for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President. Gemade spoke with Assistant Editor Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu on the position of the forum.

    What essentially is the Senate Unity Forum?

    The Senate Unity Forum is made up of many senators from all the geo-political zones of the Federation, united in one common course – to actualize the Senate Presidency of Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe State and Deputy Senate Presidency of Senator Dr. Goerge Akume from Benue State. The Senate Unity Forum has decided that these two gentlemen, being the most ranking Senators and by the grace of God, also, the most qualified in the fold of the All Progressives Congress returning to Senate in the Eighth Senate that they are the best people to lead us as leaders and as presiding officers when we are inaugurated.

    What informed this decision?

    We took this decision, very conscious of the fact that the standard of the Nigerian Senate has been improving gradually since 1999 and its stability has also improved dramatically and we would want to maintain that stability as well as continue to improve on the standard and the quality of Nigerian Senate.

    On Monday, May 25, Senator Bukola Saraki displayed a list of 34 Senators-elect that has endorsed his candidacy. When will the Unity Forum publish its list?

    We are not publishing the entire list of all the Senators that have signed in on this project because we know that a lot is still being done and in some cases, so much speculations are being made and indeed, a lot of claims are being made and it is not proper to join anyone in making claims that are not well thought out and well proven. For this reason, even though today, we have about 40 APC Senators-elect that have keyed in on this project, we do wish to launch such a list when thy have all returned to Abuja. We have a large number of PDP and other party Senators-elect that also keyed in on this project. We will like to unveil that list when most of our members that have traveled and those that are already in their own states for the purpose of inauguration of new governments return to Abuja. We do not want to announce to you that we have 40 and then, 22 or 23 appear at the press conference which may have happened  in the past. The day we will give you the list, all those concerned will be sitting with us and you will match the name with their faces.

    What will senator Lawan do differently as Senate President?

    The Senate everywhere in the world is known to be the stabilizing chamber in every democracy. Thank God I have been in the Senate in the last eight years after my eight-year sojourn in the House of Representatives. I believe that this time, the Eighth Senate should be a Senate where independence of the Legislature will be a key thing and cooperative governance and partnership with the executive arm of government would be enhanced.  We have had about eight years of stability in the Senate and that is a thing that I would build on…On the independence of Legislature, until we are able to be independent of the Executive, we cannot properly position ourselves to undertake our responsibilities and discharge our mandate. There is need for us to always build consensus in the Eighth Senate and you will agree with me that the Eighth Senate is unlike any other Senate in the history of Nigeria. That is because you  have 59 APC Senators and 49 PDP Senators in opposition. The gap is narrow and that calls for consensus building and cooperation in and among Senators for anything meaningful to be achieved by the Senate. So, I intend to always build consensus between the two sides. I always believe that the we must cooperate with the executive arm of government. Until there is cooperation between us based on mutual respect and understanding, we may not achieve much. I recall in my first time in the House of Representatives,  there was too much power tussle in the Legislature, particularly between the House then and the executive arm of government and nothing was achieved. We do not want to see a repeat of that. Yet, the National Assembly must not be a rubber stamp. I also believe the cost of government is high and the level of corruption, intolerable. We will join President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption and all corrupt tendencies through legislation to ensure that whatever resources we are able to get is judiciously utilized rather than ending in private pockets.

    Before you unveil Senators backing this project, can we see proof of that support?

    As for proof of support, I want to put it this way, our candidate for Senate Presidency is the only one that two zones went out, publicly held meetings and endorsed. Ahmad Lawan was endorsed by the South West and North West caucus of the APC. The South West has 13 senator and the North West has 20 members under APC. Nobody, out of those zones, came out to deny that there were caucus meeting and Lawan was endorsed and this is to tell you that no matter what percentage that disagrees or are not on board, must be a very small, insignificant number. Now, to the other two zones that have many senators of the APC, which is the North East and the North Central. This is the territory where the contestants are from, and, therefore, obviously, there will be a divided number of vote in these two zones.

    Do you have the temperament required to handle this position?

    I believe I possess the temperament that is required to run the Senate from June 9 by the grace of God. While I have never been a Presiding Officer, I believe that I have learnt a lot from the presiding officers  in the House of Representatives where I had experience working with three Speakers and I have also watched and very closely related with the current presiding officers in  the Senate for the last eight years. So, I believe I have garnered enough experience to deal with issues. As for tensions, I am not praying for tension but I believe that at some times in the Legislature, tempers may rise high. We will always try to control the situation. In fact, we will try to be as proactive as possible by ensuring that issues that could cause tension to be high are not allowed to escalate. I think with that kind of preventive approach, we could reduce the tendencies that could create tension.

    Has the Unity Forum reached out to the 49 Senators of the PDP?

    We have been reaching out to them. Perhaps when we present ourselves after the inauguration, maybe early June, you will see who our supporters in the PDP are but I want to assure you that majority of the PDP Senators-elect are on this ticket. That is to say they have a preference for us. We have already shown the world who we are, that is, the Senate President-designate and the Deputy Senate President-deputy designate. Others who are running  are not able to do so and I believe this an opportunity for Senators and Senators-elect to make up their minds who their presiding officers will be.

    Why is there controversy in number? You claim 40 APC Senators-elect are on your side yet, Senator Saraki, too, claims to have 34 members on his side?

    Let me make it very clear to you that it is the very foundation of the clumsy way of showing you a list with signatures that we do not want to do so because a list with signatures does not prove anything. First of all, you must get the person physically to tell you that ‘yes, my name on that list is by my authorization, the signature on that list was signed by me.’ We want to show you a list when all the people concerned are sitting with us. So, if you are making reference to the fact that one group shows the list and the other does not and therefore, one of them is lying, we will not be the one who will tell you here who is lying. I think it should be your business to find out who is lying and at the appropriate time, I think you will do Nigeria a very good service when you finally have found out who lied to say so publicly in your newspaper. As far as we know, we stand by our figure of 40 and the day we unveil that list we will have the people seated and that day you will photograph them and not just see the list.

  • I will step down for consensus candidate, says Hamidu

    I will step down for consensus candidate, says Hamidu

    An governorship aspirant in Zamfara State,  Alhaji Saghir Hamidu, has promised to step down for any consensus candidate selected by stakeholders.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said, since consensus candidacy is part of democracy, he will embrace the option, if it is the wish of the party.

    The politician said religion will not shape thhe the election in the state.

    He promised to focus on education, agriculture and youth development, if elected as the ghovernor. He also promise to construct an airport to enhance socio-economic activities.

    Hamidu said: “Out of the 10.5 million children out of school in Nigeria, Zamfara State has one million. We can’t continue to watch, something has to be done before the figure escalates, I will work to establish functional vocational training centres to support youths with viable ideas.”

    Reflecting on the dwindling internally generated revenue, he said efforts must be made to expamd the revenue base.

    He added: “States can’t continue to rely on dwindling federal allocation, we must start to look inwards, the IGR is too small to breach the shortfall from federal allocations, we must explore the gold resources available in the state to develop our citizens.

    “Zamfara state does not encourage investors, the absence of airport in the state is driving investors away, we need to work on creating one.”