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Tag: Governor Abdullahi Ganduje

  • Kano spends N600m on PG scholarship

    Kano State Government has spent over N600 million on its joint tuition-free post graduate scholarship between the State and French Embassy in Nigeria.

    This covers four batches of Kano indigenes, mainly lecturers, from the state’s tertiary institutions sponsored under the agreement.

    Speaking while presenting travelling documents to the 4th batch of beneficiaries, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said the programme was initiated to support teaching in the tertiary institutions owned by the state.

    Ganduje, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, said the government was spending a lot to ensure that lecturers get the best of training required to improve their performance.

    “Under this programme, a lot of money has been spent based on 60/40 percent agreement where French Government used to take 60 per cent while Kano State Government takes 40 to ensure that our lecturers from tertiary institutions get the best training. So far, with this batch, by the time everything is being paid, over N600 million has been spent on the programme,” he said.

    Ganduje said all the candidates had been admitted to the top ranking universities in France, which he believed would certainly benefit the state in a couple of years.

    He praised the heads of the various tertiary institutions for their commitment towards promoting equality and fairness in selecting participants for the programme.

    “We usually mention how our students emerged best students when they go for this programme. I think we have to give this credit to you. Why I said this, is because of the transparent nature and prudence being used in terms of selecting these students,” said Ganduje.

    To the students, Ganduje urged them to put in their best to make not only the state but thecountry proud of their performance while aborad.

    In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor Kano University of Technology, Prof Shehu Musa Alhaji, said students were chosen on merit, saying, “so far the first, the second and third sets of the students that have been sent from Kano had made the state proud”.

    Speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Mustapha Sani Musa from Kano University of Technology promised to perform beyond expectations.

    “I want to express our appreciation to all people that have contributed in one way or the other in giving us yet another opportunity to acquire further training which will be of great benefit to our dear state,” he said.

  • ‘APC will decide on zoning for 2023’

    Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje spoke with reporters in Abuja on the challenges facing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), zoning and other partisan issues. TONY AKOWE was there.

    What are your achievements as governor of Kano State in the last four years?

    During the last four years in Kano State, we witnessed alot of developments. But, I will just mention the very conspicuous ones because there are projects which you can see and programmes which you may not see. But, may hear about. We tried as much as we can to improve the outlook of Kano metropolis. Kano, being a mega city,  transportation, issue of road network and security and water supply are very important. In other to improve the transportation system and road network, we had to introduce a number of new designs in form of road inter-change. We introduced flyovers, constructing a flyover of almost two kilometres to Sabon Gari and an under pass at Kofar Ruwa and another one at Madobi road and Zoo road. We also constructed hundreds of kilometres of roads across the various local government. In the area of youth employment, we embarked upon the training of our youths in different skills and give them employment. For instance, we under took a survey and found out that most of the motor mechanics in Kano are road side mechanics and in the present transportation system, vehicles are computerised. So we signed an agreement with Peugeot Automobile Nigeria to train at least 1000 auto mechanics engineers. We took 75 to them, they spent one years and graduated and were given certificates and empowerment. All of them are gainfully employed now. We took another 200made up of 150 boys and 50 girls who have graduated and so, women are now auto mechanics in Kano. We have taken another 250 made up of 200 boys and 50 girls who are expected to round up by November this year after which, we take another set. We also undertook another research to find out the skill that will give our youth automatic employment after training or become self employed. We identified 24 different skills and we employed a consultant to advice us on what to do with that.

    What are your plans for the future?

    What is important now is how do we take Kano to the next level?  We have declared primary and secondary education free and compulsory, including girls education across the state. Infact, we are holding stakeholders summit on education in Kano state on the 3rd of September and the Vice President is coming to declare the summit open. What we intend to do is to ensure that instead of our population becoming a liability, it will be an asset. I am sure that you are aware of the almajiri issue. It is a serious issue in Nigeria today and breeding a lot of security issues. We decided to discuss with those who are operating the almajiri system so that we integrate it with our educational system. They have agreed and will be part of the summit. We made it compulsory because any child of school age in Kano must go to school. But Kano, being a commercial centre, we have influx of almajiris from all over north, from Chad and Niger. So, we are submitting a memo to the Northern States Governors Forum so that we have common legislation on the movement of almajiris from one state to the other. Unless we do that, the problem is difficult to solve in isolation and I believe that the memo will get the blessing of the northern states.

    On agriculture, we are clustering our irrigation scheme and construct farm centres and irrigation facilities provided there. On the herdsmen/farmers clashes, we have succeeded in curtailing it in the state and has resolved the issue of cattle rustling and given amnesty to the fulanis who are involved in that. Now, we are going to construct farm settlements so that the herdsmen will no longer travel from one place to the other.

    How can the herdsmen farmers’ clashes be querted?

    We have been saying that as a way of solving the problem of herdsmen/farmers clash, the federal government should ban the herdsmen trekking from the northern part of Nigeria to the south because along the way, you get so many problems. Unless if they are domiciled in one place, then the issue of having peace and stability remain questionable. Not only that, the herdsmen men in Nigeria need to improve because herdsmanship is no more a socio-cultural issue, it should be a socio-economic issue. But the way they are managing it is socio-cultural because they have not succeeded in fighting poverty and poverty  had not succeeded in fighting them. You cannot call a herdsman, a poor man because his moving with cows that worth millions of naira. But if he trek thousands of kilometres you cannot distinguish him  from a poor man. That is why I said that he has not succeeded in killing poverty and poverty has not succeeded in killing him. Resettling the fulanis is the solution. Already, I have sponsored 75 of their children to Turkey to learn artificial insemination which they are practising all over now. Also, when they are settled, there is need to introduce new system of rearing cattle.

    You created new emirates in Kano State that have created controversy. What would you say are your reasons for doing that?

    The new Emirates has attracted a lot of attention and I think it is important for me to talk about it. There are three basic reasons why we created the new Emirates. First, it is because of history and demand by the people in the new Emirates. Secondly, to widen and deepen the participation of the traditional system in governance so that the traditional institution is no more an institution of rigalia, but an institution that is functional, work with the people  and assist the government in the implementation of important programmes and projects. Thirdly, we want to create mini cities in the state so that some big towns can develop into cities while Kano mega city will continue to grow, while other towns are improved upon to become cities. By so doing, we believe it will improve the socio economic development of the rural areas. If we are talking of compulsory education, who will help you to ensure that all children goes to school? It is the Emir, the District head and the village and ward heads. It is the village heads that will help you in security system because the security agents alone cannot do it. It is also to improve the cultural activities. From the information we recieved, thousands things were bought during this sallah because of the decentralisation of the sallah celebration to major towns. The emirates have been created to involve them in governance which is very good.

    But, there are those who believe that you created the new emirates because of the role the emir played during the election by not supporting your re-election bid…

    The Emir of Kano has no problem with the creation of new Emirates in Kano. Of course, he had a problem with anti corruption agency in the state and the committee did its own work and submitted a report to the state government. Many people have been appealing to allow peace and stability in the state. The state government has already said that we do not intend to remove the Emir of Kano. But at the same time, we are sceptical in controlling the anti corruption agency because it is an independent body. But I believe there is peace and stability in the state. The role the Emir played during the election has to do with his own conviction. What is important is that we have won the election and we are not going to look back. So, the creation of Emirates has nothing to do with that misunderstanding. Afterall, Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory created Emirates. But, Rimi was a much younger and radical politician, but he was not as experienced as we are. That was why his own emirates could not survive. But this time, I want to assure you that even though it is in the court, it will survive. This shows experience in politics and governance.

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has said the party should abandon zoning for competence in 2023. What is your reaction?

    The way I looked at it is that it is an issue between idealism and realism. Idealism is a situation whereby things should be done in accordance with ideas. If things are done like that, then everybody should have equal treatment and everybody has equal chance to contest and then, what the people decide should be done. Now, the issue of realism. Nigeria is a multi ethnic, multi religious country with several geopolitical zones. In reality, people are yearning for participation of different political zones and not the politics of North and South. So, the reality of the situation is that people are crying of marginalisation in the leadership of the country. But, the idealism is that people should participate and be elected based on their capacity. So, it is not the governor of Kano state that should decide whether it is idealism or realism. It is the party that will determine which should be applied in Nigeria and you know that it is a political strategy. So, the political party should decide which option to follow.

    Some people have said the herdmen killing people across the country are not Nigerians. What is your take on this…

    I believe that there are three type of herdsmen in Nigeria. The first is those who are coming with thousands of cattle from West African countries and you dont expect them to carry the food for the cattle. Along the way, they have to cut trees and provide food for the cattle and that create some problem. They are attacked by farmers and along the line, they have learnt to attack farmers as well. They go about with their families on horses and donkeys  and also carry arms and have graduated into being bandits. That is one category of herdsmen who are coming from West Africa. That is an ECOWAS problem which Nigeria should negotiate. The second is the herdsmen who are from the northern part of Nigeria. They trek through the north central zone to the south. They normally dont have alot of cattle like the ones coming from West Africa. Those ones too create problems because of trekking from one place to the other. The third one are those herdsmen who are born in places different from places of their socio-cultural and socio-religious origin. I am sure that in the south, you can get some fulani herdsmen who are born there and are not trekking to come to the north, but are permanently there. They also have problems because when their young ones cannot go to school, they can also cause problems. This is my own classification and I am doing it because I am a fulani man. So, I know what it feels to be a herdsman and business should not continue as usual. Herdsmanship should be a socio-economic venture and not a socio-cultural venture as it is right now.

    What is your take on the call for revolution by a section of Nigerian youths?

    This is unconstitutional and it is the creation of the opposition to some extent and those tribalists, especially when you consider what happened to the former Deputy Senate President in Germany. So, it is in the imagination of all those who wants to destabilise Nigeria. It is also the hand work of those religious extremists like El-Zakzaky people. If you know what happened in Iraq, you will discover that it is all about revolution. But, in Nigeria, we have elected a government. We have a constitution. We have a legislature and if you want to change the government, you go through the constitution. That is the most agreed change of government in all countries of the world. So, the call for revolution should not be taken lightly. They should be taken to court and treated according to the rule of law.

    Also, you spoke of the influx of almajiris to Kano state. Are you saying that these almajiris are brought to the state from other places?

    As I told you, we undertook a survey and found out that most ofthem are not from Kano. Some are from Niger, Chad, Katsina, Borno among other. The almajiri system is not flushing in the north east because of the effect of Boko haram. So, sometimes, you find a trailer load of almajiris being off loaded in Kano. That is how we had such large population of almajiris in Kano. There are a few of them who are from the rural areas of Kano.

    You party, the APC can best be described as a house of commotion. There are insinuations that some of the governors are not happy with the national chairman and they are plotting his removal. Are you aware of this?

    I am not aware of governors working against the national leadership of the APC. I have not heard of any such thing. The Progressive Governors will soon meet with the national Chairman because he has invited us for a meeting. So, I have not heard of any gang up against the national leadership and if it exist, I am not aware of it and I am not a party to it.

  • Alleged $5m bribe: Kano Assembly probe panel to appear before court

    THE committee probing Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje for alleged bribery is to appear in court.

    Baffa Babba Dan Agundi is the Chairman of House of Assembly Investigative Committee on the allegation by publisher of an online news platform, Daily Nigerian, Mr. Jaafar Jaafar.

    Agundi and the committee members will appear before  the High Court on November 12 on a suit filed against them.

    A pro-democracy group, Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, last Monday, sued the committee and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

    It prayed the court to prevail on them to stop the investigation.

    Addressing reporters at the Assembly complex, Agundi said: “We are here today to give the position of the Kano State House of Assembly and the committee investigating alleged bribe taking by the governor of Kano State.

    “One, we have received a court process filed by some lawyers, who named themselves Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria.

    “Secondly, we are going to put in our appearance before the court on Monday to respect the rule of law, to respect the Kano State High Court of Justice and, particularly, the court that gave this order to Kano State House of Assembly.

    “It is important to note that the court did not stop the committee from doing its work. The court only pronounced that the status quo be maintained.

    “You can translate it to your own understanding. There is no order that specifically said ‘stop work.’ So, I think the committee can continue with its work and we are putting our appearance by Monday, as I said earlier.

    “It is also important to understand that the Constitution is very clear. Sections 128 and 129 empower Kano State House of Assembly to embark on any kind of investigation that it deems appropriate when something like this arises.

    “So, I think we are working within the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we are working within the rules of Kano State House of Assembly.

    “So, we will respect the court by putting our appearance on Monday and the committee will continue with its work.”

     

     

  • Ethnic harmony as Abia honours Ganduje

    Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II and other dignitaries were in Abia State where Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje was honoured for protecting the Igbo amid ethnic tensions last year. SUNNY NWANKWO reports

    It was reward for a great gesture. But when Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje was honoured in Abia State with the title Agu ne che mba I Igbo land or protector of the people in Abia State, it was more than one good turn deserves another.

    Ganduje brought his influence to bear last year in Kano when some youths ordered the Igbo in the state to leave or be forced out. He protected the threatened Igbo people in the state, and because of that, much havoc was averted. Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II was also in Abia for the event, as were several dignitaries. Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was represented at event.

    The title was conferred on the Kano governor by a coalition of Igbo traditional rulers led by their chairman, His Eminence Eze Eberechi Dick.

    Ganduje’s intervention in those tense days as well as Ikpeazu’s efforts prevented what many believed would have been a tragic outcome, given the fact that a secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the extremist Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) were poised for a showdown.

    Ganduje’s new title helps to foster unity between the Southeast and the North.

    The chairman, Southeast Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Eberechi Dick, the Eze Udo 1 of Mgboko Ngwa Amaise Autonomous Community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State bestowed the honour on Ganduje at his palace, an event that attracted Sanusi II, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other celebrities.

    Dick used the opportunity of the event to call for unity and harmonious co-existence of the Southeasterners and their northern counterparts.

    Two days before the conferment of the title, members of pro-Biafra agitation group, Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) warned Ganduje not to step into the Southeast..

    Ganduje accompanied by his wife Hafsat and her Abia counterpart, Nkechi Ikpeazu. At the event also were Kano State information commissioner, Garba Mohammed and several Igbo leaders in Kano State.

    Speaking with journalists, the Southeast traditional rulers’ chairman denied that the title had any kind of political undertone, adding that the unity of the country was nonnegotiable. He stressed that the country would function better when there is peace and harmony among members of various ethnic groups.

    Speaking on the title given to Governor Ganduje, Eze Dick said, “We, the traditional rulers in the East decided based on the report and plea of our people residing in Kano, to honour the governor of Kano, Umaru Ganduje with chieftaincy title for the way in which he has been making sure that their lives and property are protected.

    “The title is significant because it will go a long way to show that we the Igbos are united with our brothers in the North. Our wealth in Kano is too much and since the governor brought out his strength to secure our wealth, we appreciate it.

    “Whatever MASSOB is saying, we the fathers know that this governor has done us no bad. He is a good man. I advise MASSOB to look onto us the royal fathers, we can never mislead them. Our brothers in the North love us. We shall always protect them here and I know they’ll reciprocate it over there.”

    Eze Dick also used the opportunity to call on the federal government to pay attention to the deplorable roads in the Southeast which he had promised to attend to in one of the traditional ruler’s visit to Aso Rock.

    “I’ve gone for a lot of mission on behalf of Ndi-Igbo. I’ve gone with notable traditional rulers in Igbo Land to see Buhari to present some of our needs to him and he assured us that he will take care of them. We have asked him to touch our roads, rail and also appoint our people where necessary. Azikiwe said he wanted one Nigeria so that our people will continue to do their businesses anywhere freely and we stand on that one Nigeria. It has no political undertone at all. We are not politicians. It’s done to foster peace.”

    In his speech, Ganduje said, “I cherished events like this that seeks to bring us together and strengthen our unity despite our diverse rich cultures. It has always been my firm belief that diversity should not be used as an instrument to divide. We cannot subscribe to the Machiavellian principle that differences in language, customs and laws divide people, making them difficult to hold together.

    “On several occasion, I turned down offers by many different organizations and traditional institutions to give award or confer on me traditional title. However, I gave it a second thought after critical examination considering the excellent working relationship we have with His Highness, Igwe (Dr.) Boniface Ibekwe, Eze Ndigbo Kano towards promoting the cause for peaceful co-existence not only with the Ndigbo but other ethnic groups resident in Kano.

    “Our brave, collective pursuit in uniting this nation, underscores the fact that for as long as we have a common purpose, will find no obstacle big enough to stop us from marching on. I personally commit, in my capacity as the governor to support all effort in ensuring that this country continue to remain one.

    “It has been my personal conviction that anyone who chose to come to stay in Kano should never be addressed as non-indigenes. And in ensuring that my conviction is real, we appointed senior aides into the government from major ethnic groups living in Kano.

    “In fact during the heights of the quit notice served by Coalition of Arewa Youth, I had to personally intervene by summoning series of meetings at the Government House, Kano to not only douse the simmering tension, but harmoniously resolved the crisis.

    “We have also introduced an Annual Inter-Religious and Community Conference towards strengthening Inter-Faith and Community Relations for Harmony, Peace and Sustainable Development in Kano State.

    “Your Excellency, His Eminence, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me say here that the decision by His Eminence to confer on me a traditional title has no political undertone whatsoever. I am not aspiring to be the President of this country.

    “My willingness to accept it is merely based on need to wax stronger, the longstanding relationship between the people of Kano, the Ndigbo and other ethnic nationalities.”

    The host governor, Okezie Ikpeazu represented at the event by the Secretary to the State government; Dr. Eme Okoro said “we promise to abide by this move made by our traditional rulers in keeping this nation peaceful and united.

    “What has happened today will go a long way in making things better for us all as Nigerians. From this move, it’s obvious that from now henceforth, Kano is the home of Abia people while Abia will always be a home for the Kano people.”

  • How Ganduje saved Kano Speaker from impeachment

    Sunday Oguntola reports on the huge political horse trading that led to the resolution of a leadership crisis at the Kano State House of Assembly last week. Additional report by Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

    AS G24 lawmakers walked into the Kano Government House last Tuesday night, the last thing on their minds was reconciliation with the faction loyal to Speaker Yusuf Atta. As far as they were concerned, the Speaker and other principal officers of the House of Assembly were as good as gone.

    They knew they had the upper hands. They were not only in the majority but also clearly more clinical and strategic. The Speaker and his principal officers looked helpless, completely down and out. But as it turned out, they were banking on a last-minute intervention from Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to pull through.

    The intervention came but it was almost too late. Investigations revealed that the governor decided to wade into the leadership crisis that rocked the Assembly because of the massive political implications. Sources close to his camp said he knew the collateral damages the crisis would cause might be too far-reaching and difficult to manage.

    The governor, it was learnt, was bothered his political adversaries might capitalise on the crisis to alter control of the state politics. It was this fear as well as the suspicion that the crisis was triggered off in the first place by political hawks that made the governor step into the messy situation, our correspondent reliably gathered.

    The gathering storms

    Led by former Speaker Kabiru Rurum, members of the G24 faction accused Atta of alleged financial embezzlement, incompetence, localisation of activities of the House and not carrying the members along.

    They vowed only impeachment of the Speaker would save the House from disgrace. Rurum, who handed over to Atta in July 2007, is a veteran in political warfare with mass followership in the House. They were unconfirmed reports he was plotting to return as Speaker of the Assembly.

    He was believed to have realised Atta is a political lightweight that can easily be thrown away with the massive support he (Rurum) enjoys from other lawmakers. He led the faction on Tuesday morning to the Assembly Complex where the sack of Chief Whip of the House, Labaran Madari, representing Warawa Constituency and the Deputy Majority Leader, Muhammad Butu-butu, representing Rimin Gado/Tofa constituency was announced.

    The declaration came amid sealing of the complex by Police operatives acting to forestall breakdown of law and order. Sources in the know confirmed the ‘sacks’ jostled Atta and his camp. “It made them realise the G24 opposition faction meant business and was bent on having its way,” a lawmaker, who craved anonymity confirmed last Friday.

    Sensing it was losing out, the Speaker reportedly ran to the Government House to seek intervention of the governor, who was said to have also become uncomfortable with the dangerous dimension the crisis was assuming. The crisis, impeccable sources said, originated from the just-concluded ward congresses in Kano where most of the lawmakers lost out.

    More than 80 percent of the Assembly members were said to have failed in their bid to retain control of political structures in their constituencies, leading to insinuation that the Speaker was responsible for the development. Members who lost out alleged the Speaker was working with political forces to forestall their return to the House.

    While some of them believed the Speaker was in league with Ganduje to cut them to sizes, others were said to be working with the assumption that their alleged closeness to former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso could have been responsible for the loss of control at the congresses.

    Kwankwaso and Ganduje have been locked in a perpetual control for political power in the state with the former governor alleged to be working towards leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    As the sentiments settled among members on the losing side, it was learnt they became more determined to hit Atta and Ganduje where it would cost them more by effecting a change in the Assembly leadership. The governor was initially reported to be indifferent to the crisis until strategists in his camp explained the implications to him.

    The battle for compromise

    It was based on this that he summoned a meeting with the warring factions to broker peace last Tuesday night. At least two sources at the meeting confirmed it was as stormy as tough. “Everyone was edgy and felt justified in his position. Nobody was ready to shift grounds or concede anything,” one of them stressed.

    The governor, according to reports, decided to allow both factions vent their grievances. He realised it would be counterproductive to gag discussions or agitations on either sides, it was learnt. The meeting, which was reportedly on for over four hours, considered many issues affecting political temperature of the House.

    “The G24 faction was insistent the Speaker has been running a one-man show and inaccessible to members. The members believed the Speaker was too amenable to certain forces in the state. They also felt they needed some strategic influence in the House to coexist,” a source confided.

    The Speaker’s faction was said to have been disturbed by the alliance of Rurum with the G24 since he was privy to the emergence of Atta. The faction’s members believed Rurum, who was saved from impeachment in July 2017 over allegations of financial impropriety, was being ungrateful and overtly ambitious.

    After much haggling, the governor was said to have told the lawmakers to be prepared to cede grounds for their collective political destiny.

    Someone at the meeting said: “He told everyone if one of them goes down, everyone goes down. He said our political destinies are intertwined because at the end of the day, it is Kano Assembly that will bear the brunt.

    “So, it is better we all slow down on personal interests for collective peace. Besides, he said anything that will affect the political fortunes of APC in the state will ultimately hurt everyone.”

    The plea for collective political gains as against personal interests was said to have struck the right chord among the lawmakers who began to soften on their demands and high grounds. After much horse-trading, it was resolved some sensitive positions should be ceded to the G24 members.

    But the governor was said to have pleaded for the retention of the Speaker. His argument was to have two Speakers in less than two years will send the wrong signals to political watchers as well as portray the state as volatile. Besides, he said it will make people assume he is not in charge of political activities around him.

    The G-24 members were said to have insisted the Deputy Speaker, Engineer Hamisu Chidari, must give away with at least two other principal officers to give them a sense of belonging as a condition for peace in the Assembly, a demand the governor and speaker’s camp easily acceded to.

    To save face, Chidari, who has been in the House for 15 years, said he resigned for the sake of peace. According to him:“Being the longest serving lawmaker in the House, I decided to sacrifice my position so that we can have peace in the house.

    “I have been in the House for 15 years now. I served in different capacities as principal officer for 10 years and four years as chairman of business committee of the House.

    “So, when a meeting was summoned by the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and APC leadership, I stepped down from my position in order to broker peace between the two warring factions.

    “I thanked God for making my decision to yield a positive result. I am happy that the crisis is now over courtesy of my action.”

    It was on this basis Rurum announced the truce on Wednesday. He said his group has agreed to shelve their plan to impeach the Speaker after the governor’s intervention. According to him: “We wish to inform you that the Executive Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, as well as party leadership in the state, have waded into the crisis that engulfed our assembly.

    “They also ensured that the crisis ended in a no winner no vanquished state. As loyal legislators of this Honourable House, who respect the supremacy of the leadership of the Executive Governor and party leaders in our state, we wish to state that we are in agreement with the decision taken.”

    To prevent a change in the agreements reached, he further announced it was resolved: “1. That Yusuf Abdallah Ata (Fagge constituency) should remain as Speaker. 2. That Kabiru Rurum (Rano constituency) serve as Deputy Speaker.

    “3. That Mohammed Bello Butu-butu (RiminGado/Tofa constituency) serve as Majority leader. 4. That Bappa Babba Dan Agundi (Kano Municipal constituency) serve as Chief Whip. 5. That Sanusi Usman Bataiya (Albasu constituency) serve as Deputy Majority leader. 6. That Ayuba Labaran Durum (Kabo constituency) serve as Majority Whip.”

    The resolutions, according to feelers, is an intricate balancing act to ensure Ganduje retains support of the House as well as placate opposition lawmakers bent on aligning with political antagonists for a big hit.

    The sentiment among some lawmakers and party chieftains that Atta and Rurum might not be able to work together was disabused as the two reportedly hugged and vowed not to rock the boat.

    It was gathered Rurum promised to support Atta and the House to cooperate with Ganduje for the collective peace and development of Kano State.

    After the pulsating intervention meeting, G-24 members and the other faction emerged with smiling faces. But only the political initiates know so much have gone into arriving at a truce. On Thursday, the plenary session hitherto adjourned to June, resumed in a peaceful atmosphere.

    The session, which kicked off at about 11: 29 am saw in attendance members loyal to the Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya factions, including the only PDP representative, Hon. Abdullahi Muhammad Chiromawa, who said his participation in the crisis was to effect positive change in the House.

    Our correspondent observed the plenary session lasted for about an hour as members were seen exchanging pleasantries devoid of any rancour or ill-feelings among them.

    The speaker, while announcing the change, said: “I received information that a new Deputy Majority leader and the Chief Whip have been appointed to the House in persons of Hons Muhammad Bello Butu Butu and Hon. Baffa Dan-Agundi of Kano municipal constituency as the new Chief Whip, Hon. Sanusi  Bataitya to serve as Deputy Majority Leader and honorable Ayuba Labaran Durum to serve as Majority Whip.”

    In his acceptance speech, Rurum said: “I accept this position as the members of the assembly unanimously agreed. I will try my possible best to harmonise the house and I thank Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and all stakeholders who intervened.

    “Today, Thursday, marked 11 months since I stepped down as the Speaker of the House and am back as the Deputy Speaker and as expected of us, I would discharge my responsibilities without fear or favour and carry out my responsibilities as expected.”

  • Fulani groups divided over Kano gov’s offer on cattle breeding

    Fulani groups divided over Kano gov’s offer on cattle breeding

    The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association yesterday welcomed the open invitation  of the Kano State government to cattle breeders to relocate to the state for the purpose of continuing their business.

    Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had said earlier in the week that he is ready to accommodate as many cattle breeders as possible in the Falgore Forest for their business.

    Spokesman of the  Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ngelzama Usman, described the gesture as a welcome development, although it does not sit well with the Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association, a vibrant offshoot of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association (MACBAN).

    Secretary General of the  Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association, Alhaji Saleh Bayari, said the offer is neither feasible nor acceptable because the Fulani,like other Nigerians, have a right to live and do business in any part of the country.

    He said restricting them to one corner of the country is an infringement on their right.

    The Fulani in Enugu State are also not disposed to leaving the state for Kano or any other part of the country.

    Their spokesman, Alhaji Sanusi Sambo, said they are at home in Enugu because the people and government of Enugu State are very hospitable and have created a  conducive atmosphere  for them to operate their businesses.

    Usman, speaking on the phone, told The Nation that Falani are peace-loving people.

    His words: “It is a welcome development because at a time when some people are chasing our members  out of their states, some other governors are opening wide their hands and embracing our members.

    “This is not coming from  Kano State alone. Even the governor of Kogi State  has also opened  the door to our members. This goes to show that our members are not terrorists.  Our members are peace-loving people who are going round the country doing their legitimate business.

    “They move with their cows which are their only source of livelihood together with their wives and children.

    “You don’t  expect a pastoralist who moves about with his family and only source of livelihood to go about fomenting trouble.

    “This is the narrative we want the media to be passing on. What is going on in the media is against our members, but we are happy now that the media is trying to balance the whole thing.

    “We really appreciate the governor of Kano State and hope that other governors will also do the same.”

    In a separate interview, Alhaji Bayari said: “We are quite appreciative of his (Ganduje’s) concern for our people, but if we all continue on that note, we will not have a country.

    “We will not have a country, or a nation because it simply means that tomorrow, when you harass some Yoruba  who have  been living in Jos for generations, or some Igbo  living in Kano or Sokoto, their state governors will just tell them to relocate.

    “Then, at the end of the day, we would have as many countries as the number of tribes that we have in Nigeria and that would not augur well for us as a country.

    “By following Governor Ganduje’s directive, we are going to end up polarizing the country on the basis of sentiments rather than nationalistic feelings and callings.”

    Spokesman of the  Miyetti Allah in Enugu  State, Alhaji Sanusi Sambo, said: “As you can see many of us were born here. Many are inheriting the cattle business from their fathers.

    “We cannot just relocate to another place. Even though in Kano we may be meeting our people, it will take us long to get used to them.”

  • CCB verifies Gaduje’s assets

    CCB verifies Gaduje’s assets

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    The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has verified the declared assets of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and 125 other government officials in Kano State.

    The Director of CCB in the state, Alhaji Umar Saulawa, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Wednesday.

    He said the state’s Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, as well as local government chairmen were among others whose assets were verified.

    Saulawa said that the verification exercise was conducted with the bureau’s Federal Commissioner-in-charge of North West Zone, Alhaji Ibrahim Manzo.

    He said that the essence of the verification was to make corrections where necessary.

    The director thanked the governor and other public officers for their turn out during the exercise and called on others to emulate them.

    He listed members of the state House of Assembly as well as heads of government boards and parastatal agencies as constituting the next batch in the verification exercise.