The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gaidam

  • Boko Haram: Gaidam urges synergy among security agencies

    Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has called for better synergy among security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram.

    The governor spoke at a two-day National Sensitisation Workshop on the implementation of National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) for Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe States, at the Government House in Damaturu.

    He regretted the April 12 clash between troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and men of the Mobile Police Force (MPF), where several policemen and a soldier died.

    According to the governor, both military troops and the police are a key component in the fight against insurgency and should not disagree.

    “At this point, I would like to appreciate the important role played, and sacrifices being made by the security agencies and the vigilance groups, who subject their persons to risk to protect the honour of other law abiding citizens.

    “However, I should also stress that in order to carry out their duties well, the security agencies cannot succeed without working in harmony. In this respect, I condemn the April 12 clash between soldiers and mobile policemen.  “Let me express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the officers who died, sympathise with those who sustained injuries and hope that proactive steps will be taken by the headquarters of the security agencies to forestall a recurrence,” Gaidam said.

    As a way to nip any security challenge in the bud, Gaidam called on the Commissioner of Police, Sumonu Abdulmaliki, to re-introduce orientation programme for vigilance groups on rudiments of arrest and treatment of suspected criminals.

  • Gaidam inspects renovated school

    Gaidam inspects renovated school

    Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has said activities of Boko Haram insurgents will not stop him from changing the face of education in the state.

    Gaidam, who was on an inspection tour of renovated secondary schools at Guyio Kura in Bade Local Government, said he is focused on bringing back schools that were destroyed by insurgency, adding that “Boko Haram is already history so there is no need to be afraid of anymore”.

    The governor was happy with the high spirit of the students and encouraged them to study hard to become responsible people.

    “After the construction and renovation of the structures, I will employ more teachers to raise the quality and standard of learning in this school,” Gaidam said.

    The governor also directed the Ministry of Education to improve the feeding arrangement for the students.

  • Gaidam relisGaidam relishes DfID partnership

    Gaidam relisGaidam relishes DfID partnership

    Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has spoken glowingly of the state’s partnership with the Department for International Development (DfID), an overseas aid arm of the United Kingdom.

    The organisation has been helping the state in reconstructing the state which has been badly damaged by Boko Haram insurgents.

    With support from the DfID-sponsored State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Capability (SPARC), the Gaidam administration instituted reform programmes tagged Yobe Socio-Economic Reform Agenda or YOSERA.

    The state also brought together members of its executive council, heads of government agencies and members of the House of Assembly for the same of speeding up the reform process.

    At the inauguration of the team in Abuja, Governor Gaidam said the state has been collaborating with SPARC for the past five years in carrying out various reforms in the state. This partnership, he said, has impacted positively on our governance system in the state leading to the adoption of Result Based Management (RBM) system to guide YOSERA, the state’s development plan.

    He said further that the collaboration has given birth to a better Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for tracking budget performance by establishing institutional structures, drafting policy framework and building human resource capacity. The creation of the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in the State Ministry of Budget and Planning is one of the outcomes of that process.

    He said: “As part of efforts to internalise the lessons learnt through our collaboration with SPARC, our administration has made it mandatory for MDAs to conduct their activities in a transparent manner and this has checked diversion of funds, misappropriations, revenue leakages and misuse of public funds.  In addition, we have formed Committees to verify execution of contracts, payment of outstanding pensions and gratuity and conduct of Bio-metric enrollment for verification of staff and salaries with the aim of eliminating ghost workers.

    Furthermore, we have set machinery for the establishment of Integrated Personnel Management Information System among others. To cap all our efforts of embracing reforms, we have formed a Governance Policy Advisory Committee under the Chairmanship of the Secretary to the State Government for the purpose of advising on and coordinating reform programmes.  The cumulative effect of these reforms in Public Finance Management is the high standards of accountability and prudence manifested in the ability of the State Government to remain above board and keep paying salaries, overhead costs and even service some capital projects at a time when many States cannot pay staff salaries. From the foregoing I can say that the easy part of the job has been done to our satisfaction. What is left are tough bones that are hard to chew. This requires us to act boldly to advance the reform efforts despite the difficulties and be eager to take on challenges and progress steadily, while at the same time, staying on course.  If we stay on our own path, we will overcome all difficulties and obstacles, make new achievements and finally reach our goals as enunciated in my May 29, 2015 inaugural address.”

     

  • Governor Gaidam, emir, others lay wreaths for fallen heroes

    Governor Gaidam, emir, others lay wreaths for fallen heroes

    Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, yesterday led the commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Damaturu, the state capital.

    The event held at the Quarter Guard of the Government House Damaturu where the governor inspected a guard of honour mounted by officers and men of the 233 Battalion.

    Highlights of the occasion was the laying of wreath by Governor Gaidam together with the GOC 3 Division, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Aliyu represented by Col. A. T. Mohammed; the state Commissioner of Police, Zannah Mohammed; Director State Security, Mr. William Oluba; the Emir of Damaturu, Alhaji Shehu Hashimi II Ibn Umar El-Kanemi and the state Chairman of the Nigeria Legion, Captain Ibrahim Gadine (rtd).

    Prayers were offered for the souls of the dead soldiers by both Christian and Muslim clerics followed by the release of a pigeon by Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam after a 21-gun salute.

    The sum of N9.2 million had earlier been realised during the fund raising ceremony in preparation for the Remembrance Day celebration in the state, with the highest donation of N5 million coming from the state government.

  • Gaidam to spend N88.93b

    Gaidam to spend N88.93b

    Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam yesterday presented N88.93 billion Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly.

    Tagged: ‘Budget of Reconstruction and Self-reliance’, it is 10 per cent above last year’s N80.6 billion.

    Gaidam said the budget would be financed by Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N3.59 billion, with Statutory Allocations of N38.5 billion, including SURE-P, Value Added Tax (VAT) and internal loans of N35.58 billion.

    Recurrent expenditures took the lion’s share of N47.79 billion, while capital expenditures stood at N41.14 billion or 46 per cent.

    Justifying the increase, the governor said: “We need more funds to execute projects. It is also based on the optimism that our financial situation will improve.

    “Other areas of attention include avoidance of waste by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). This will plug leakages, check corruption and prioritise development needs.”

    The Speaker, Adamu Dala Dogo, assured Gaidam that the bill would be given accelerated hearing.

  • Tribunal affirms re-election of Gaidam

    Tribunal affirms re-election of Gaidam

    The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal for Yobe sitting in Abuja yesterday upheld the re-election of Yobe State Governor. Ibrahim Gaidam.

    In the judgment read by Justice Mojisola Dada, the tribunal held that the petitioners – the PDP and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Waziri Maina – failed to prove their case.

    The tribunal dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

    Justice Dada said none of the 27 witnesses called by the petitioners  could lead credible evidence to establish or prove the allegations before the court.

    She said the petition was incompetent owing to the elicited facts that the entire allegations contained in it were “imprecise, vague and speculative’’.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the petitioners had asked the tribunal to annul the April 11 re-election on the grounds that he was not validly elected as the poll was fraught with irregularities and monetary inducement.

    Respondents to the petition were Gaidam, APC, INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the state, Abu Zuma, and the governor’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Zakari Deba.

    Counsel to the petitioners, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), had told the tribunal that more than 300,000 registered voters were disenfranchised.

  • Alleged N15m bribe: Tribunal ends trial without Gaidam’s ADC’s testimony

    •Fixes Sept 22 for adoption of final written addresses

    The Yobe State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has concluded its trial in the petition challenging the declaration of Ibrahim Gaidam as winner in the April 11 election.

    The tribunal ended the trial on Friday without the testimony of the governor’s Aide-de-Camp Zakari Deba, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), accused of paying N15 million into the bank accounts of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Abu Zarma.

    As was the case with Zarma on Thursday, Deba, whose lawyer, Titus Ashaolu (SAN), told the tribunal that his client was ready to present his case and testify, failed to attend the proceedings.

    Deba and Zarma are named as the fourth and fifth respondents in the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election, Adamu Waziri and his party. Other respondents are: Gaidam, his party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Waziri and the PDP alleged, among others, that Gaidam, in a bid to compromise the REC, made Deba to pay N15 milling into Zarma’s two accounts with two prominent banks.

    Ashaolu, on Thursday, told the tribunal that his client was on his way to Abuja, praying that proceedings be shifted till Friday.

    But, on Friday, many of those hoping to hear details of how and why the alleged payment was made, were disappointed when Ashaolu announced that his client was no longer willing to testify.

    He said: “We met with our client yesterday (Thursday) and, having perused the evidence on record, led by the petitioners and the 1st and 2nd respondents (Governor Gaidam and PDP), we discovered that there is no cause of action against the fifth respondent (Deba) to warrant him being put in the witness box.

    “Earlier, we had raised a preliminary objection, which we will further amplify in our written address, to the extent that this tribunal has no jurisdiction to try the fifth respondent and that all actions alleged against the fifth respondent do not affect the conduct of the election. We are closing our case.”

    Zarma’s lawyer, Abeny Mohammed (SAN), on Thursay, gave a similar excuse for his client’s absence.

    Mohammed said: “The short adjournment afforded me the opportunity to review and evaluate evidence adduced to by the petitioners. Our conclusion is that we are not calling any witness but to rest our case on the case of the petitioner. I, therefore, close the case of the third and fourth respondents (Zarma and INEC) in this petition.”

    In the course of the trial, the petitioners called officials of the banks and an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who testified on the transaction and confirmed the payment.

    “We recommended that Deba and Kukawa be prosecuted for attempting to bribe Zarma,” Odofin said.

    On Friday, after Asaholu closed his client’s case, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Mojisola Dada announced the end of trial in the petition. She gave the respondents seven days, within which to file and serve their final written addresses; the petitioners, seven days to file their reply addresses, and extra three days for the respondents to reply on point of law.

    She adjourned till September 22 for the parties to adopt their final written addresses, following which a date will be chosen for the judgment.

  • Gaidam opens defence at tribunal

    Gaidam opens defence at tribunal

    The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for Yobe State sitting in Abuja, yesterday granted Governor Ibrahim Gaidam his request to open his defence tomorrow.

    Mr. Adamu Waziri, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sued Gaidam, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard-bearer, seeking the nullification of his election.

    He alleged that the process of the re-election did not comply with the Electoral Act of 2010 and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) election guidelines.

    Waziri accused Gaidam of bribing INEC officials.

    At the resumed hearing yesterday, the petitioner told the tribunal that he had closed his case after calling about 20 witnesses.

    The defence counsel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), urged the tribunal to grant his request to open his defence tomorrow.

    The tribunal Chairman, Justice Mojisola Dada, granted the defence counsel’s request and adjourned hearing till tomorrow.

     

     

  • Gaidam refutes report on Boko Haram

    Gaidam refutes report on Boko Haram

    The Yobe State Government has refuted media reports that Boko Haram insurgents are in control of five local governments areas in the state.

    The government, in a statement signed by Abdullahi Bego, the Director of Press Affairs to Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam, noted that the reports were false, misleading and totally out of context of what Gov. Gaidam said to the National Economic Council meeting.

    He said: “While security is still a concern and more work needs to be done, there is not a single local government council in Yobe under the sway or control of the insurgent Boko Haram.

    “In the course of his brief to the National Economic Council, His Excellency Governor Gaidam has recounted a point in time when two out of the 17 local government areas of the State had come under the pale of Boko Haram. That was several months ago.

    “Governor Gaidam has noted, however, that as a result of the gallant and salutary intervention of our nation’s armed forces and other security agencies, those two local government areas, namely Gujba and Gulani, were freed and liberated from insurgent stranglehold.

    “His Excellency the governor did of course ask for additional troops and weaponry to be deployed to Yobe State. He made this request only within the context of the need to sustain the momentum against Boko Haram and ensure that terrorists and insurgents are denied a chance to further harm our people.”

    He reiterated Gaidam has on many occasions commended the armed forces and other security agents for doing a commendable job under very challenging circumstances. “Their determination to root out Boko Haram and free our state from terrorist, insurgent and criminal activity is not in doubt,” he said: adding the determination has been further reinforced by the recent changes in the military made by President Muhammadu Buhari.

  • Gaidam appoints SSG

    Gaidam appoints SSG

    Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has appointed Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    The appointment, contained in a statement by the governor’s Director of Press, Abdullahi Bego, said it was with immediate effect.

    Wali’s appointment has ended the speculated ambitions of the former  SSG, Babagoni Machina and others, such as the ex-Commissioner for Education, Mohammed Lamin and Mustapha Gajirima.

    The announcement has also sealed the ambition of the governor’s Chief of Staff, Saleh Abubakar and a retired federal permanent secretary and ex-SSG, Hassan Saleh.

    Until his appointment, Wali was a permanent secretary (Administration) at the Governor’s Office, where he served as the acting Secretary to the State Government, following the dissolution of the Executive Council on May 28.