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Tag: GOMBE

  • ‘PDP government intimidating APC members in Gombe’

    ‘PDP government intimidating APC members in Gombe’

    Habu Muazu is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State. He spoke with reporters in Gombe, the state capital, on the challenges confronting the chapter. Excerpts:

    You recently led a solidarity rally in Gombe in support of the President. What motivated you?

    When the President travelled out to the United Kingdom for medical attention all Nigerians, irrespective of political or religion affiliation prayed fervently for his recovery and safe return. Again we all witnessed the overwhelming solidarity and joy expressed by Nigerians on his return, all over the country people were dancing in solidarity, many kept party politics aside and celebrated the President. We have never had it so good in the north east before the advent of this administration so we have every reason to celebrate the well being and safe Return of President Buhari. Our own celebration should even be double, especially considering the issue of security which the present administration has tackled to the barest minimum. People are now living peacefully,  doing there businesses. Considering that my state is being ruled by the PDP, I took the bold step to mobilised and lead the rally and I thank God it was successful, the turn out was fantastic and amazing, people across party lines defiled the rains and march for over two hours in solidarity with our President that was genuine love and support.

    During the rally, we noticed the absence of some key apc stakeholders, especially those elected on the platform of the party. Were they not inform or the deliberately boycotted the event.

    I don’t want to believe or say they boycotted or shun the rally, may be the notice was too short for them to come and participate due to official reasons, I believe they were with us in spirit and they were in support of what we did. Like I told you earlier, I initiated and mobilise for the rally in collaboration with the leadership of the party in the state.

    Was there any form of financial support from other stakeholders?

    No I financed the mobilisation for the rally with the support of the party, like I said even though Buhari is APC people celebrated his return across party line, let me emphasize I am not aware of any individual that rendered any financial support, may it was as a result of the short notice.

    Considering the massive support the president is enjoying in the state, it was surprising that, few days after the rally, his posters were torn and his bill boards vandalised in the state. What is your take on that?

    It is purely madness and executive rascality. Because the government of the state is PDP,  they decided to use some thugs in uniform call Marshals to destroy our party posters and billboards. They were giving orders from Government house and the executed the dirty work with the aid of security personnel attached to the Government house, this act is capable of raising tension and distorting peace in the state. As law abiding citizens, we quickly appealed to our supporters not to react or take the laws into their hands. I then contacted the commissioner of police to make enquiry on why his men aided the removal of the president posters and billboards, from our enquiries, the police and civil defends officers that guided the Marshals were from the Government House. This act is undemocratic and unacceptable. We are appealing to the head of security agencies to call their men to order to avoid any act that will result in violence in the state.  We allow them to carry the act because we don’t want anything that will distort the peace being enjoy in the state but we should not be push to the wall. The police in Government House should know that their responsibility is to protect the governor and provide security to the facilities in the Government House not to be attacking political opponents.

    We have also informed the security agencies to call the Marshals to order, because they exhibited the same attitude during the local government elections. They came out in their uniforms with dangerous arms, beating APC supporters and vandalising there cars. Even, during the last State Assembly  bye –election in Dukku, they were mobilised in large number to storm the place. Luckily for us, with the quick intervention of the state police command, they were giving orders to turn back . We thank the police for the rapid response that led to a peaceful election. If the state government continue using the Marshals to intimidate political opponents, we will be left with the option of going to court to challenge them.

    With this kind of scenario, how do you foresee the campaigns towards 2019 elections?

    Insha Allahu it will be peaceful and successful, because the masses are becoming more politically aware each and everyday, they are also aware of the empty promises by the present government in the state, the local government system which is the closest organ to the masses as totally collapsed in the state, projects are not being executed at that level, the entire system is not functioning. The only duty of the chairmen is to pay salaries, tell me how can they people support this kind of a government that careless for the grassroots. I am sure by 2019 the people of Gombe will make the right choice. People are now ready to ask questions not to follow a person or party blindly.

    Like I keep saying on the surface it would appear as if the governor is working, but he is only embarking on projects that would put money in his pockets, while hospitals are suffering due to lack of drugs, the civil service system is totally collapsed due to lack of running cost, institutions are also suffering, pensioners are crying, and nobody is asking the governor what he did with the bail out funds and Paris club refunds. The state is highly indebted to the tune of over N70 billion. You can go and do more investigation to verify what I am saying.

    But, with the outcome of the bye- election in Dukku, the pdp is boasting that the defeat of the apc is a clear indication that the party has no formidable structure in the state…

    What happened in Dukku bye- election was not surprising, because the people voted for the candidate not the party. The selection of a candidate is the key to victory, especially in this our political era. People are more interested in following a candidate not party. We are learning our lessons from such situation, remember we also lost senatorial election due to wrong choice. APC is very strong in Dukku, but there were some little mistakes and disagreements but Insha Allah we shall correct those mistakes in future. I must commend INEC , the police and other security outfits, the election was very fair, free and transparent.

    There are insinuation that you are working for a particular candidate for the governorship, who you will handover your structure during the party primary. What’s your reaction?

    That’s a very funny insinuation. I have never seen such a thing. How can I risk myself and resources mobilising for someone from nowhere to just come and take my structure? Is like spending months or years befriending a girl and on the wedding day, you present her to your friend as the groom. Tell me, how will she react or how will her friends and family members react? That insinuation is not true and let me tell you among all those that are presently aspiring for governorship none of them understands the politics of the state more than me. Well, let them continue to stay in Abuja while I continue to work. At the right time, we shall get to know who is in charge. Is not now I started this. I am a mobiliser. I am always in touch with the people. If they think they can just stay in Abuja and come at the dying minute to take over the party in the state, they are dreaming, because we are entirely in a different political era whereby no individual or clique can make you a governor without the support of the masses. I want to change the belief  that you must have a godfather or be a  multi-billionaire before becoming a governor.

    Why is it taking the party too long to resolve its leadership crisis  in the state?

    There is nothing like leadership crisis. We don’t have any parallel group or leadership in the state. We are operating under one working committee. But, it is natural in politics to have disagreements. It doesn’t mean that there is division. We are just waiting for the National Working Committee to give us the go ahead to conduct a mini Congress to elect the few members of the state working committee,  by the time we get the go ahead, you will then understand my position that they issue is just being exaggerated. The leadership crises was simply as a result of some people’s desperation to hijack the party, but we have succeeded in making them believe that the party is above an individual and is for all of us and everyone is important and should be accorded the desired respect. Every party has its own challenges it is normal.

    What is the way forward?

    The only way forward is to keep praying and working towards building the party in the state in order to get power in 2019. We must build confidence in our people on our ability to deliver, that is why I am going round the local government areas mobilizing people and giving them assurance, hope and confidence that together we shall attain victory come 2019 in Gombe.

     

  • Cannabis Plantation: NDLEA arrests 14 farmers in Gombe

    Cannabis Plantation: NDLEA arrests 14 farmers in Gombe

    The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Gombe State on Tuesday said its operatives arrested 14 farmers for cultivating Cannabis in two communities.

    The Commandant of the agency in the state, Mr Aliyu Adole, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe that the farmers were arrested with 413.19 kilogrammes of Cannabis.

    He said nine of them were arrested with 322.6 kg at Kulani village of Balanga Local Government Area of the State, while five were with 191.300 kg at Amkargu village of Taraba State.

    He added that “we have been on farm raid in the past one month and we arrested 14 people with 413.19 kilogrammes of Cannabis from two villages; some farmers have hectares of Cannabis farms, while some plant in their backyards.

    “We also arrested five others with 191.300 kilogrammes of the substance at the boundary village between Gombe and Taraba, headed by an old man of about 76 years who claims that he is 62 years.”

    According to him, all of them will be charged to Federal High Court for prosecution.

  • Bauchi top medals table at North-East Youth Games

    Bauchi top medals table at North-East Youth Games

    Bauchi State on Tuesday has emerged the overall winner of the 2017 U-17 North-East Youth Games elimination held in Bauchi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bauchi State recorded five gold, one silver and two bronze medals to clinch the first position.

    Adamawa had two gold, four silver and two bronze medals to place second in the four events competition, while Yobe came third with one gold and one silver.

    Taraba was fourth with two silver and two bronze medals, while Gombe came last with only two bronze.

    According to the result signed by Welfare Officer of the Tournament, Shehu Abbas, Borno did not participated in the tournament as the state’s officials said they lacked of funds.

    An analysis of the tournament shows that Bauchi took first in male Basketball, male and female Hockey as well as female Handball and female Volleyball respectively.

    Adamawa on her part got first position in female Basketball and female and male volleyball respectively.

    Yobe took first position in male handball, while it came second in male hockey.

    NAN also reports that only four events, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball and Hockey were featured at the three days long tournament.

  • Fed Govt. consolidates Gombe IDPs rehab with food

    After halting the terror group Boko Haram and scaling back much of their atrocities the federal government mapped out a bold plan to rehabilitate displaced persons. First they were profiled and sheltered in camps. Some educational activities have been introduced in the camps for traumatised children whose academic pursuits were halted by the Islamist gang.

    Another initiative of the government is the food intervention plan in the Northeast. No fewer than 40,009 metric tonnes of food items are distributed to the IDPs scattered across the region.

    The distribution team led by Abdulsalam Mohammed of the National Emergency Management agency (NEMA) has been in Gombe over the last one week to distribute about 1,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains allotted to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state.

    Speaking during the distribution exercise at Kagarawal community in Gombe metropolis, Mohammed said the team had been at work for about a week and would go round every community where IDPs reside in all the local government areas of the state.

    The exercise started with the house-to-house enumeration of IDPs, which was conducted a few weeks ago, an entirely new innovation in relief distribution. It is being carried out on a door-to-door basis; that is taking the items directly to the people.

    The IDPs after their enumeration were issued with enumeration cards to serve as proof of their status. This qualifies them for the relief items.

    The whole idea, the team leader said, is to guard against the mistakes of the past, such as diversion, stealing of other people’s rations through impersonation, and ensuring that only those qualified are given.

    Although the distribution at Kagarawal took place at a central location because of persistent downpour, but it was done at the IDPs’ community.

    Each household of six members and below, according to the team leader, is given a single ration of grains, made up of 50 kg of maize, 12.5kg of soya beans and 12.5kg of guinea corn.

    He explained that the food items were given to households or families, which is measured on the basis of six members and below, hence the ration allocated to a family is determined by its size.

    “A family/household is measured on the basis of six members and below. And where there is more than that, the family gets additional ration. For instance, if you are not more than six in your family, we will give you a single ration. If you are up to seven and above or 12 and below, we’ll give you two rations. It will again increase if we have 13 and above or 18 and below,” explained the NEMA Director.

    He called on beneficiaries that the items are for consumption and not for sale, even as he commended the IDPs’ leadership structure and effectiveness.

    The beneficiaries led by their state chairman, Abba Jatto Damboa thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the initiative. They also appreciated NEMA for delivering the goods to those they are meant for, even at their doorsteps.

    They described the exercise as the best food relief distribution they had ever witnessed because it takes into consideration the size of the various families. They said it is unlike the previous ones where even single adults got the same quantity of items as large families got.

     

  • PDP wins Gombe bye-election

    PDP wins Gombe bye-election

    The peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Kawuwa Malala has been declared winner of Dukku North Constituency bye-election in to the Gombe State House of Assembly.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed announced the results in Malala, Dukku Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

    He said Malala polled 7,060 votes to defeat his opponent of the APC, Alhaji-Alhaji Inuwa, who scored 4,023 votes.

    Said further said the candidate of ADPM, Yakubu Abubakar, scored 31 votes while Sirajo Mohammed of LP scored 29 votes.

    The returning officer also disclosed that Mohammed Hashidu of GPN scored 29, Mohammed Mohammed of AA got 08 votes while Abubakar Hashidu of AP got 08 votes.

    He said that PDP candidate, having satisfied the requirement of the law and scored highest number of votes, was declared winner and returned elected.

    Siadu said three polling units with 1,700 votes cast were affected by  irregularities and had those votes cancelled.

    According to him, the cancellation will not affect the election, based on the electoral law.

    Malala expressed his happiness and assured his constituents of good representation at the Assembly.

    He solicited for the maximum cooperation and advice of the people to enable him achieve his electoral promises for the development of the constituency.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election was conducted in 103 polling units across the six political wards of the area,

    The wards are: Hashidu, Jamari, Lafiya, Malala, Wuro-Tale and Zaune.

    Malala replaces late Alhaji Gambo Kabade of the People Democratic Party (PDP) who died in June 2017.(NAN)

  • INEC deploys 450 personnel for Gombe parliamentary bye-election

    INEC deploys 450 personnel for Gombe parliamentary bye-election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had deployed 450 ad hoc staff in Gombe for Saturday’s House of Assembly bye-election in Dukku North constituency.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, made this known in Gombe on Friday while briefing the

    newsmen on preparations for the poll.

    The Dukku North seat in the assembly became vacant following the death of Malam Gambo Kabade, the member representing the constituency, about two months ago.

    Ibrahim said that the ad hoc staff had been trained and would work in the six wards of the constituency during the election.

    He said that accreditation and voting would commence simultaneously at 8 a.m. and that voters were free to stay back after casting their votes, for counting of the ballots.

    The REC said that sensitive material for the election sent from INEC headquarters in Abuja and kept at Central Bank of Nigeria, Gombe, would be taken to the constituency Friday evening.

    He stated that the commission had made adequate arrangement for security to ensure that peace and order prevailed during the exercise.

    According to him, in each of the pooling units, there will be a minimum of five security personnel.

    Ibrahim also said that the result would be announced at the constituency collation centre.

  • Muazu: Gombe is for APC

    Muazu: Gombe is for APC

    Gombe State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Alhaji  Habu  Muazu   has said that the party will win the 2019  election.

    Muazu visited Biliri local government, in continuation of his tour of the state to drum support for his ambition.

    He was received by a large crowd of APC supporters in Biliri, who described him as a true party man.

    Muazu said he was in the locality  to drum support for the APC and  solicit their support towards his aspiration.

    Thanking the people, he explained that the visit would afford him the opportunity for close interaction with them, to feel their pulse, identify their problems and harness ideas on the future of the party.

    He noted that  theAPC has continued to grow from strength to strength in the state.

    Muazu said the party is determined to promote internal democracy by going through normal primaries to enable the people elect candidates of their choice. He stressed that there would be no god-fatherism or automatic ticket for any aspirant.

    While expressing satisfaction with the turn out, he urged the people not to relent in their support for the party, promising not to let them down, if giving the mandate.

    Muazu said if he becomes governor, his administration would sustain equitable distribution of democracy dividends to all parts of the state.

    He said various communities and local government areas would receive their fair share of political appointments and infrastructural development, including youth and women empowerment.

    A stakeholder, Luka Haruna, observed that the APC was initially weak, adding that the party was revived by Muazu’s financial and moral  support. He said the party has become a viable platform for the youths to actualise vision and ambition.

    Haruna said Habu’s action and commitment have shown his readiness to expand the frontiers of the party and defend its interest.

    The Tangale women leader ,Helen  Dantata, and youth leader Dickson Ibrahim said the former PDP youth leader has energised the party.

    They assured that the people of Biliri would continue to give him total support to turn around the party.

    The chairman of APC in Biliri Council, Timothy Seth,  noted that Muazu, in his philanthropist spirit, has impacted positively on the lives of the people.

  • Gombe farmers allege scam in Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme

    The Anchor Borrowers Scheme launched by the Federal Government to diversify the economy from oil to agriculture has run into bad weather in Gombe State. Farmers in the state have accused operators of the scheme of some shady deals and denying the growers the funds provided for them.

    The state chapter of the All Lower Farmers Association of Nigeria (ALFAN) specifically pointed the finger of blame at the state Commissioner of Agriculture and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA).

    The secretary and spokesperson of the association, Malam Sani Idris and two others led by their chairman stormed the state Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to express their frustration.

    He said the loan saga has been lingering for nine months, and all along, both BOA and the ministry have been introducing stringent conditions that are not in tune with what the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) told them about the facility. He said the conditions, which are financial, were so stringent that many applicants were forced to withdraw their interests while those that opted to obtain the facility are currently facing problems in receiving what is due them.

    According to the ALFAN scribe, the demands on them started with Gombe State Ministry of Agriculture asking each of the farmers’ cooperative groups to pay N10, 000 for registrations, N20,000 for consultancy, and another N20,000 to the surveyor for the surveying of their farms.

    ALFAN further alleged that BOA also demanded N3,000 for the opening of individuals’ accounts with the bank and then, N300 each for loan disbursement form.

    They said BOA went on to demand for a down payment of five percent of the expected N250, 000 loans amounting to N12, 500 “at this point, a lot of our farmers withdrew because they could not afford the money; only just over 3,000 of us paid.”

    Idris said the most painful thing is that they would end up receiving N185, 640 as against the N300, 000 or at least N250, 000 they were expecting.

    “The BOA said they will give us farm inputs of N110, 640 and N75, 000 cash; even the inputs, they made their own business because fertiliser is N5, 500 a bag in the market and they forced us to take it for N8, 000 each bag.

    “A 50kg bag of rice seeds is 10,000 and thy force us to take it for N2, 000,000; insecticide in the market is N1,500, they force us to take it for N2, 500. Empty bag in the market is N80.00, but they also force us to take it as N150.00. We don’t know the reason of the deduction of another N3, 640.00,” the farmers alleged.

    Speaking further, the ALFAN Secretary further alleged that they were also charged N71, 500.00 for land clearing, ploughing and harrowing, fertilizers application, harvesting and transportation of rice paddy from the farms.

    Contacted for reaction, Adamu Idris, Manager, Bank of Agriculture said only the state Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Dahiru Buba Biri has the authority to comment on the matter.

    On his part, the Commissioner of Agriculture explained that the initial proposal of N300, 000 came down to about N250, 000 because the amount earmarked for water pumps meant for dry season farming was subtracted from source. He said the surveying of the farms was to facilitate tracking beneficiaries’ farms and farming activities through the Global Positioning System (GPS), while registration is a precondition for the recognition of the cooperative society, under which they could benefit.

    He said the loan is inputs cum cash loan; that is, disbursing inputs to the farmers and then give them the balance of the cash. He nevertheless denied knowledge of the N71,500 cash charged by BOA for land clearing and other services.

    Buba Biri further confirmed that credit facility attracted nine percent interest and that it would be paid in a single instalment through exchange of farm produce after harvest.

  • 2019: Apc ‘ll defeat pdp in Gombe, says Mu’azu

    2019: Apc ‘ll defeat pdp in Gombe, says Mu’azu

    Prince Abubakar Habu Mu’azu is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State. He spoke with reporters in Gombe, the state capital, on the imperative of power shift in 2019. Excerpts:

    You were a very active player in the pdp. Why did you quit the ruling party in your state?

    I left PDP in 2015, shortly before the presidential election because I discovered that the then President and PDP flagbearer was not salable in our zone, due to insurgency, our people felt Goodluck Jonathan was weak in fighting the insecurity activities of Boko Haram that bedeviled the zone, including my state Gombe. My decision to live the PDP was based on the love I have for my people and the country at large, I had no choice but to go with the decision of my people to support President Muhammadu Buhari. My people then had the belief that Buhari will be able to tackle the problem of insurgency and thank God our belief and support was not in vain as he is able to reduced the security challenges to the barest minimum.

    But, do you think,  your party stand the chance of defeating the incumbent party in the state?

    We all witnessed what happened in 2015, the APC overwhelmingly defeated the ruling PDP, so defeating the incumbent is no longer a problem or challenge in Nigeria. Nigerians are becoming more wiser politically, people no longer follow a political party but a candidate that they believe in. Secondly defeating an incumbent is not strange to me or to us in Gombe I was actively involved in the campaign and politicking that led to the removal of Hashidu under the ANPP in 2003 to usher in Danjuma Goje of the PDP. With my experience, determination and support I don’t think defeating an incumbent will be a big deal. Thank God I enjoy the support of the youths and women and even some of our elders with the support I am very optimistic that realising my ambition won’t be a big task.

    You mean even with the internal crises within the party?

    I don’t think there is any big crises in the party. What is happening in Gombe is normal in every political setting. That is party politics and some people are just over exaggerating the situation, we all saw what happened during the last local government elections primaries,  we worked as a team there was no any parallel conduct of the primary anywhere. Also, we have just one caretaker committee with local government executives at local to wards levels. Had it been there is crises we will have factional leadership, beside I am making all efforts to reach out to those aspiring for leadership in the party to come together and see the need of building the party and the response is encouraging.  I am not desperate to be the Governor but I am more interested in building a party that will take power in the state come 2019 and In-sha Allah with the support we are getting and the calibre of people dumping the PDP for the APC we shall make it. I also want to use this opportunity to call on all those who truely believe in the APC to see the  need of sacrificing in building the party. I am assuring you that APC stand the chance of winning in 2019 in Gombe but it depends on the degree of unity, quality of candidates, campaign strategy and effectiveness of mobilisation

    Don’t you think that you are declaring your ambition too early?

    As a politician and one who sincerely believes in party politics,  there is nothing like too early. I don’t want to be an Abuja politician that will come few days to elections and think they will just bring money and buy delegates.  I believe in building the party and my structures within the party and that’s exactly what we are doing. Like I said earlier, people are becoming more wiser in the game, they want to know your past political records, achievements and contributions to the development of the party and the State. Thank God my records are open for everyone to assess, I am not doing this because I want to be Governor but because I am a true politician that is so passionate about the well being of my people. I am not doing this simply because I want to be a Governor you can ask those that know me very well, I am not doing this because I have money but because I believe in the masses and I derive pleasure in being with them. Maybe those that are yet to declare are waiting for permission from their godfathers, they masses are my godfathers, the era of godfatherism is over, I am advising those looking at some politicians as godfathers to have a rethink and return to the people.

    You talked about building the party. Can you tell us some of the personal efforts you are making?

    The must important one is the one I mentioned earlier, I am reaching out and talking to our well wishers and supporters at all levels to see the need of coming together to build a viable party. I am appealing to them to forget the past and be more focus on the future, secondly you know no organisation function without resources, I am contributing in that aspect. Again it was our contribution and commitment that led to the massive support and mobilization the party got during the local government elections, although there was no election because the state electoral commission refused to even bring out the election materials due to fears that we will win the elections. I knew it was a difficult task for an opposition party to win local government elections but I also understand the important of mobilizing and gingering party supporters, that is why I am always on ground to ensure that we have some few activities in order to keep the party alive and moving. My area of specialization in politics is mobilization.

    If given the opportunity to govern the state, what would you do differently from what the  governor is doing?

    I am willing and ready to serve our people. The leadership and supporters of our party recognises my capacity and my sense of commitment in this regard. I intend to come up with innovative ideas to make lasting difference in the lives of our people, I am one individual that don’t see political position as a means of acquiring wealth, money is not always my problem but my desire is to see how I can touch lives and that’s what governance entails.

    If given the opportunity to serve, I will embark on a robust youth and women development initiatives to address the current economic challenges, I will also lay a foundation for the growth of our economy, focusing on agriculture and rural development, provision of basic infrastructure,  potable water and provision of adequate and affordable healthcare services.

    I want to offer hope, through actions, I want our people to be able to feed their homes and I also want our children and youths to afford their potentials.

    Let’s take a look at your background, what was your childhood aspiration, and what inspired you to join politics?

    Sincerely my aspiration in life then as a young man was to succeed my father as the Emir of Pindaga, but as I was growing up as a Prince, seeing what my father was doing, I developed strong passion in helping the people. Along the line I discovered that if I truely want to pursue my passion of serving and helping people I need a bigger and better platform, realising that being an Emir I will be restricted to my domain and there are some things I cannot do. As a strong, vibrant and courageous young man I then opted for politics to fulfill my passion and desires.

    What lessons have you learnt in politics?

    I have learned a lot both the good,  the bad and the ugly but I always feel bad when I see people that struggle in forming a government are not being assist. Politics is a game full of diverse experiences, how best you apply them gives you the desired results.

    How do you intend to consolidate on these experiences and lessons?

    Like I said, I have learnt a lot being an active player in the last three government, right from the period of Adamu Hashidu,  Danjuma Goje and the present government of Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo,  this are 3 different personalities, with different character and style of leadership I have learned a lot from them and I intend to consolidate on these experiences to add value to governance.

    Again, among all those so far contesting I think I understand the people and the State better, having spent all my life in the state. My past experiences with the people and my knowledge of the state gives me an added advantage. And it is very clear with the overwhelming support I am receiving we shall make it.

     

  • Gombe College threaten workers with ‘no work no pay’

    The management of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe State has warned striking lecturers to return to work or risk implementation of the ‘no work no pay’ policy.

    This was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director, Establishment and Council Affairs, Ibrahim Shehu, on behalf of the Registrar.

    Shehu described the strike as ‘uncalled for’, saying it left the management with the option of applying the ‘no-work no-pay’ policy.

    The management accused the lecturers of insensitivity to its constraints, especially with the prevailing financial situation in the country.

    The statement said the crisis, which led to the indefinite strike, began shortly after the current executive of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) was inaugurated in April.

    According to him, the union, precisely on April 19, engaged the management over salary shortfalls (February till date); outstanding payment of Peculiar Academic Allowance (PAA) arrears, and inclusion of some in their monthly salaries, among other demands.

    The statement reads: “The management informed COEASU that the school’s finances could not accommodate their demands at the moment. However, one month PPA and 25 per cent of the Conference Attendance Allowance (CAA) were paid.

    “It was agreed that when the Federal Government releases funds for 2015 promotion arrears and salary shortfalls, these would be paid without delay.”

    But COEASU, barely a month after this, wrote the management, requesting for the payment of the balance of 50 per cent of the CAA, PAA, salary shortfalls and 2015 promotion arrears,” Shehu added.

    He said the management in response set up a committee to negotiate with the union but could not reach conclusive agreement as the lecturers insisted they must be paid balance of the PAA and at least one month’s CAA.