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Tag: Kaduna state

  • No territory is under Boko Haram – Buratai

    …says Lake Chad will no longer be their safe haven

     

    As against insinuations from some quarters, Chief of the Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has said that, Boko Haram terrorists are not in control of any territory in Nigeria.

    This was also as he said that Lake Chad which the terrorists have been using as their hideout, will no longer be a safe haven for them.

    General Buratai stated these in Jaji Kaduna State on Tuesday at the graduation of 55 soldiers from Advanced Watermanship Course.

    The army chief however disclosed that, the 55 soldiers would be included in the amphibius battalion which would soon be established to tackle the insurgents in the Lake Chad.

    According to Buratai, “You are all aware of the ongoing event in the country especially, the security landscape between 2013 to mid-2015. I am referring the situation in the north east. However, between middle 2015 to date, the insurgency and terrorist elements have suffered the highest degraduating.

    “They no longer control any territory in particular in our sovereignty; this is due to correct strategies, employment and disposition of the right force with the tremendous backing of the Commander-in-chief, President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the good will of the citizens contributed immensely to the successes achieved so far.

    “There is no gain saying that the focus on effective training adopted in the last 3 years has been the heart of our successes. It is pertinent to say that lessons learnt from our counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations have to a large extent guided our training and our operational planning.

    “Earlier on in the north east campaign known as Operation Lafia Dole, it became evident that we needed to develop the mobile style capability. This informed the development of mobile bridge concept which involves organizing the troops into mobile strike teams. Today, you have witness the employment of mobile strike teams with the incision of troops in small team by air to conduct  raid operations and the subsequent execration through the water body in small groups and parties.

    “You will agree with me that what you have witnessed today is a clear demonstration of the Nigerian Army Capability to deal decisively with the Boko Haram terrorists that are still locking up in the Lake Chad waters. This l sure you that with the level of motivation that l have seen this afternoon from theses gallant troops, the lake Chad will no longer be a safe haven for the criminals.” He said.

    Read Also: Buratai cautions troops against social media use

    Buratai however promoted the soldiers to their various next ranks, as their reward for their courage to participate in the special course.

    Meanwhile, the visiting Chief of South African Army (CSAA) Lt Gen. Lindile Yam in his remarks said Nigerian military has to be emulated for.

    “I am delighted to note that the relationship has been started between the two Armies and to note to Lt Gen. Buratai on my visit to the Chief of Air Staff and Naval Staff on Tuesday, l marvel at the relationship between the 2 militaries on how it has grow multi fold and the results that it bears.

    “The Chief of Army Staff visited me early this year and already, l have notice here now when the opening is being done here, I can remain affection, you just put your foot once and things happen.

    And l notice that the change round of the strategy in technical of the Nigerian Army in dealing with the insurgency and especially Boko Haram that has informed that the green figure head in the headquarters on the things that I took for granted only intellectually discussing them and using a lot of English, you put a tomb on them and therefore l thank you a lot for bringing me here and honouring me and for putting the badges on your elites soldiers.” He said.

     

     

  • ‘Those opposing direct primaries are opposed to Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade’

    Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial district said on Tuesday that party members, including governors who are pressing for the use of indirect primary for the nomination of candidates for the various offices ahead of the general election stand as direct antithesis to the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption at all levels.

    Senator Sani, who led other aspirants for various offices from Kaduna state including a governorship aspirant to present a petition to the national leadership of the party said the use of direct primary was the only way to show support for the President’s fight against corruption, adding that the argument of the governor about the security situation in the state not favoring direct primary was not trainable.

    While saying that all the aspirants from the state were favorably disposed to the use of direct primary for the nomination of candidates, Sani however warned that the governor may cause violence during the primary to justify his insistence.

    However, it was observed that aspirants for the Senatorial and House of Representatives seats from Kaduna south Senatorial district we well as aspirants loyal to Governor Nasir El-Rufai were not part of the signatories to the petition.

    He informed the Leadership of the party that the processes that throw up the current ward, local government and state executive of the party was still being challenged in court by aggrieved members who were excluded from participating in the exercise.

    He said that the Delegate System, otherwise called Indirect Primaries will rely on the whims and caprices of a few individuals that now control the party after emerging from ward, local government and state congresses that have been widely rejected by party members as a sham.

    The petition reads: “We the aspirants and stakeholders of the Kaduna state Chapter of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) present our best compliments to you and wish by this letter to inform Your Excellency of our collective decision to adopt DIRECT PRIMARIES as the preferred mode of nominating candidates at primary elections into all elective positions in the state.

    “Your Excellency, as all keen observers of the politics of Kaduna State know, there have, over the past three or so years, been a significant amount of disquiet in the camp of the APC. A disturbing level of apathy and anomie now pervades the party as a result of the profound sense of marginalisation and, in some cases, outright exclusion which is experienced by many critical stakeholders as well as members of the party.

    “The Delegate System, otherwise called Indirect Primaries will rely on the whims and caprices of the few that now control the party after emerging from ward, local government and state congresses that have been widely rejected by party members as a sham.

    Read Also: ‘Buhari’s govt good for youths’

    “Hundreds of party members who bought forms with a view to vying for various wards, local governments and state party executive positions were deliberately excluded from the process and in some Instances even intentionally blocked from submitting their forms. Nor were they even consulted ahead of the so-called processes of affirmation of officials of the party.

    “Instead, the names of all party executives were single handedly written by the Governor. That alienated many of our party members and caused mass exodus from the party.

    “These selected party executives under the tyrannical hold of the Governor have been complying only with his (the Governor’s) biddings, limiting access, communication and association to only those candidates in the favoured book of the Governor.

    “A great number of members of the party executives have been appointed to serve as campaign coordinators of the Governor’s preferred candidates at various levels, while those deemed to be sympathetic to the cause of the people other than the Governor have been shown the way out.

    “Majority of the members of our party, armed with facts that are stark and incontrovertible, are now in court seeking judgements that would, from all indications, set aside these sham congresses.

    “And since it is a trite legal dictum that you cannot build something on an illegality, it means that for Kaduna State at least, the indirect Primaries system relying as it would on these bogus congresses is Dead on Arrival (DoA).

    “It would have come to your notice Your Excellency that the proponents of Indirect Primaries in the state, particularly the Governor and his cohort, rely on the excuse that the current security situation in the state makes direct primaries impracticable and risky.

    “This argument is not nearly as clever as it should be considering that it outrightly contradicts claims by the same Governor that Kaduna State has been made secured.

    “Besides, the argument flies in the face of logic because if security challenges are sufficient ground not to adopt and conduct Direct Primaries, then it follows that the 2019 general election ought not to hold at all.

    “If anything therefore, we use this opportunity to forewarn of the possibility that violence may be fermented by the governor and his hatchet men to undermine the conduct of free, fair credible direct primaries in the state.

    “Your Excellency, we the undersigned are particularly in opposition to Indirect Primaries because of the weakening effects of its corruptive tendencies. The entire process begins and ends with vote buying.

    “And, as it is always the case where the will of the general electorates are subverted, the best candidates for the tasks at hand never get recruited. it is our humble opinion that the forthcoming 2019 general election is too crucial for the APC, and Kaduna State too strategic, for us to confront the array of near formidable candidates of the opposition with anything less than our very best candidates.

    “Indirect Primaries stand as direct antithesis to the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption at all levels. Our party, having touted the change mantra must shine the light into those dark places in our electoral system where the corruptive influence of ill-gotten wealth is used to subvert the will of the electorate and perpetrate the vicious circle of corruption, bad governance and weak and dysfunctional institutions and processes.

    “In all, Your Excellency, we see our decision to adopt Direct Primaries in Kaduna State as the panacea to the current deep fault lines and obstacles to building a strong virile, people-rooted APC. Direct Primaries is the most assured means of throwing up the most popular candidates that will deliver Kaduna State for the APC come 2019,

    “As we respectfully look forward to your kind support for our decision we ask, You Excellency, that you please accept the assurance of our highest regards.”

    Signatories to the petition include Senator Shehu Sani, Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Sani Saleh, Senatorial Aspirant Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Alhaji Aliyu Silver, Senatorial Aspirant Kaduna North Senatorial District, Hon. Shamsuddeen Shehu Giwa Senatorial Aspirant Kaduna Central Senatorial District and Hon. Rufai Chanchangi Member Representing Kaduna South Federal Constituency.

    Others are Bar. Mohammed Musa Soba Member Representing Soba Federal Constituency, Sir Jalal Falal, a governorship Gubernatorial Aspirant, Hon. Usman Ibrahim (Sardaunan Badarawa) Senatorial Aspirant Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Hon. Hassan Samdi Aspirant Kaduna North Federal Constituency, Hon. Umar Isa Aspirant Kaduna South Federal Constituency, Hon. Aminu Sa’ad Aminchi Aspirant Kaduna South Federal Constituency, Hon. Yusuf Ali (Raba Gardama) Aspirant Kaduna South Federal Constituency, CP. Sani Magaji Aspirant Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Hon. Rufai Surajo, Aspirant Kaduna North Federal Constituency and Hon. Sani Abdul Doka/Gabasawa Constituency.

  • Jallo tackles Osinbajo over comment on IBB 

    …says no gov’t has performed like IBB’s

     

    Former National Democratic Party (NDP) chairman in Kaduna State and a die-hard supporter of former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) during the build up to 2011 presidential race, Hassan Mohammed Jallo, has tackled the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo over the VP’s recent public comment against the past regime of IBB.

    Osinbajo who was answering questions from Nigerians at a town hall meeting in Minnesota, United States last Sunday, had spoken on how huge funds went down the drain in previous administrations, which earned much and invested little in infrastructure.

    Read Also:Osinbajo tackles Obasanjo, IBB, Jonathan over oil cash

    On OPEC statistics on oil revenues accruable to Nigeria under successive administrations between 1990 and 2014, the Vice President said not much had been done in terms of infrastructure, despite the huge oil revenues.

    He said: “Under the IBB/Abacha administrations (1990 – 1998) Nigeria realised$199.8 billion; under the Obasanjo / Yar’Adua governments (1999 – 2009), the country got $401.1 billion; and during the Jonathan administration (2010 – 2014), Nigeria got $381.9 billion from oil revenues.

    “The question that we must all ask is what exactly happened to resources? The question that I asked is that where is the infrastructure?”

    However, addressing journalists on Monday, Jallo who said he is for IBB till eternity, advised Osinbajo to retrieve his comment, particularly against IBB administration.

    He said this was because IBB’s achievements were too lofty not to be noticed by any Nigerian, adding that the Aso Rock, the seat of the Federal Government was built by IBB.

    He listed few of IBB achievements out of 277 items to include construction of ECOWAS Headquarters, Abuja international airport phase 1&11, Nigerian Dockyard Snake Island, Lagos,  National Assembly, Abuja, Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, boreholes for 1004 Housing Estate, Third mainland bridge, Lagos.

    Others, according to IBB supporter, was the removal of Decree 4 on the press, establishment of Nigerian Broadcasting Commission along with Nigerian Telecommunication Commission which has powers to give private license.

    Jallo challenged the number two citizen to tell him the most productive and widely accepted Nigerian leader other than the former military president.

    He said, “It is unfortunate that since the declaration of intention of IBB to contest the 2011 presidential elections, certain negative reaction and stories are being made by very few unprogressive Nigerians, but the glorious image of IBB as an excellent God fearing leader, father, peacemaker, diplomat and a living legend of our time remains positive in the minds and memories of the Nigerian majority.

    “There is no respected statesman as much as IBB in Nigeria and that is the role he is playing. He is ready to support whoever emerged the flag bearer of PDP presidential race because he is a founder and a card carrying member of the party.

    “I will continue to react and redirect whoever makes derogatory comments on my leader (IBB) because no Nigerian leader dead or alive had achieved what IBB had achieved for the country”.

  • Woman drags ex-husband to court over abandonment of daughter

     A 40-year old house wife, Aisha Alhassan on Monday dragged her ex-husband Murtala Ishaq before Magajin Gari Sharia Court in Kaduna over alleged abandonment of his daughter for 20 years.

    The complainant told the court that since the birth of the daughter 20 years ago, she had been shouldering the girl’s responsibilities.

    “We divorced 20 years ago when Asiya was an infant, since then, he had never cared for her needs.

    “I fed her, clothed her and even paid her school fees without any support from him”, she narrated before the court.

    The woman said that her daughter had to forfeit a Polytechnic admission opportunity because she could not afford the initial registration fees of N65, 000.

    She prayed the court to compel Ishaq to henceforth take full responsibility of his daughter.

    The defendant, however, denied the allegations, saying he had always performed his parental responsibilities.

    Read Also: Dissolve my 2-year-old marriage, woman tells court

    According to him, a court had given him custody of the child 20 years ago but that the mother forcefully took her away, a situation which made him to reduce his support for the child’s upkeep.

    “They told me that the girl had gotten suitors who are interested in marriage and I gave my consent, but the mother insists the girl must go to a higher institution.”

    Ishaq told the court that he is a poor man and could not afford to finance the girl’s studies in a higher institution.

    He however told the court that he would have no objection to his daughter’s quest for further studies if the would-be husband could shoulder that responsibility.

    The judge, Malam-Musa Sa’ad adjourned the case to Sept 4, to enable the complainant present her witnesses.

    NAN

  • Flood ravages three Kaduna LGAs

    Houses in three Local Government Areas of Kaduna State were on Friday ravaged by flood after a heavy downpour.

    Mr Ben Kure, the Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, said during an assessment of the affected areas that no life was lost to the flood.

    He attributed the flooding to blocked drainage with refuse and construction of structures along water channels.

    According to him, the agency has being mandated to visit areas affected to ascertain the level of damage.

    He listed the affected areas as Abubakar Kigo road in Kaduna North; Barnawa in Kaduna South; Karatudu, Narayi and Sabon Tasha in Chikun Local Government Areas, among others.

    He said that no fewer than 30 persons were displaced by the flood at Romi and are now taking shelter at the community primary school.

    Read Also: Flood: 3 feared killed, hundreds displaced in Yola

    “We will ensure that the IDPs are taken care of in collaboration with other stakeholders for their wellbeing,” he said.

    Kure therefore called on residents to be more vigilant as the raining season was not yet over.

    The flooding occurred after a downpour on Thursday evening which lasted till Friday morning.

    The incident came days after NEMA and the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) had issued an alert that some local government areas in the state were likely to experience flash flooding.

    KEPA had warned residents on Tuesday of the affected areas to be on the alert and vacate to safer places.

    The official number of houses affected by the flood is yet to be announced.

    NAN

  • El-Rufai: Kaduna budget has been consistent 

    Governor Nasir El Rufai has aligned the fiscal year of Kaduna state with the calendar year, by submitting budget proposals on time to the state assembly since he assumed office.

    A press statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan Thursday, said that El Rufai has been receiving a lot of commendations for submitting the 2019 budget estimates to the state assembly on Wednesday, about four months to the end of 2018.

    Read Also:El-Rufai proposes N155bn budget of continuity to Kaduna Assembly

    According to the statement, the four month period will enable Kaduna State House of Assembly to make wherever adjustments it deems necessary before the end of the year.

    The governor’s spokesman also described the legislative arm of government as “a worthy partner in the task of making Kaduna state great again.”

    It will be recalled that Governor El Rufai had presented a revenue and expenditure estimates of N155.8 billion, tagged “Budget of Continuity”, to the state assembly on Wednesday. The proposal is made up of N62.3 billion recurrent expenditure and N93.5 billion capital expenditure.

    Highlighting the 2019 budget estimates, Aruwan pointed out that “it was based on the zero-budget principle and it maintains a propoportion of 60% to 40% capital and recurrent expenditures respectively.”

    The spokesman also noted that education and health sectors were allocated 27.15%  and 15.02% of the proposal respectively.

    The statement reiterated that the allocation of a huge chunk of the 2019 budget to education and health sectors “underscores El Rufai’s commitment to promoting equal opportunity, human capital development and improving infrastructure in Kaduna state.”

    The statement further pointed out that “El Rufai has been consistent in submitting draft budgets to the state assembly on time, reducing the cost of governance and shifting priority to capital investments as well as human capital development since he assumed office.

    “In 2015, His Excellency, Malam Nasir El Rufai presented the 2016 budget estimates to Kaduna State House of Assembly in October, four months after assuming office, ” the statement recalled.

    According to Aruwan, the governor has maintained this tradition and the allocation of more resources to capital expenditure, including the social sector, since 2015.

     

  • Emir drums support for Girl-child education

    The Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris on Thursday canvassed more support for girl-child education, saying it is necessary for societal development.

    The monarch made the remark when an NGO, Arewa Youth Trust Foundation paid him a courtesy call in his palace in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    The Emir said: “it is of course true, if you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate the society, because she is a mother and the first teacher of a child.

    “Mother is a pace setter, foundation and pillars upon which children build their entire live, therefor, if she is educated, she will make sure she raise educated children, thereby liberating and emancipating the society from ills of illiteracy.”

    He urged parents to encourage their children including the girl-child to pursue both western and Islamic education for the benefit of not only their immediate family but also the society.

    Idris pledged his total support to individuals and groups holistically involved in promoting girl-child education, and in addressing the welfare of orphans and fighting drug abuse.

    He lauded the efforts of the Arewa Youth Trust Foundation at sensitising and creating awareness in the areas of health, education, peace building, social investment and advocacy on policies.

    “I am impressed by your gigantic efforts at designing and executing programmes that educate the youths to become useful to themselves and the society.

    “These are important and laudable programmes that would give the youths a sense of direction and a sense of hope for a brighter future,” the emir said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NGO had organised series of sensitisation campaigns covering education, health, economy and peace building among others aimed at transforming the youths.

    Earlier, Chairman of the Foundation, Alhaji Fahad Ahmed-Chikaji told the emir that they were in his palace to thank him for accepting to be the Grand Patron of the organisation.

    “Your Royal Highness, we are here to seek royal blessing and to thank you for accepting to be the Grand Patron of our noble NGO, we are indeed grateful.

    “We also want to use this medium to highlight some of our activities which include; promoting girl-child education, assisting the orphans, fight against drug abuse and advocacy campaign against some diseases among others.”

    Ahmed-Chikaji promised that the foundation would sustain the series of programmes it runs for the benefit of youths, society and the nation at large.

  • Troops kill five bandits, recover arms in Birnin Gwari

    The troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna on Thursday said it had eliminated five bandit and recover arms in Birnin Gawri local Government areas in Kaduna State.

    The Deputy Director Army Public Relations 1 divisions Nigerian Army, Col. Muhammad Dole, made the disclosure in a press statement in Kaduna.

    Dole said the troops of the Division, under Operation WHIRL PUNCH, responded to a distress call about an armed robbery along Birnin Gwari–Funtua road.

    “While on pursuit of the armed robbers, they were ambushed by suspected bandits. However, they fought their way and overpowered the bandits, who hastily withdrew into Kwuyambana forest in Zamfara State.

    He said during the pursuit of the bandits in the forest, the bodies of five bandits were found.

    ”Among the eliminated bandits was a notorious bandit from Zamfara identified as Sani Danbuzuwa.

    “Regrettably, we lost one soldier and two were injured. The wounded soldiers were evacuated and they are responding to treatment at the military hospital in Kaduna.

    ”After thorough searched of the ambush area, the following items were recovered: 1 x AK47 rifle, 3 magazines, 87 rounds of 7.62mm (special) 1 G3 rifle, 4 magazines, 61 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO).”

    He also disclosed that a wanted kidnapper and expert in negotiations for ransom, called Yinusa Suleiman, from Sambuwa village was apprehended by troops on Aug. 14.

    “He is currently assisting the security operatives in further investigations,” he said.

    Dole restated the troops’ commitment to ensuring security and safe passage to all commuters along highways of Kaduna–Abuja and Kaduna–Birnin Gwari roads as well as the adjoining towns and villages.

  • El-Rufai proposes N155bn budget of continuity to Kaduna Assembly

    Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna state on Wednesday proposed a budget of N155.8 billion to Kaduna State House of Assembly for 2019 fiscal year made up of recurrent expenditure of N62.3 billion and capital expenditure of N93.5 billion.

    The budget, tagged budget of continuity, allocates 42.8% to the social sector with 27.15% of the board budget allocated to the education sector, while the health sector gets 15.02% in line with the demands of United Nations’ agencies.

    Though the budget is 28% reduction from N216.65 billion budgeted last year, Governor el-Rufai pledged that his administration is set to complete all the projects it started and pay up all its contractual obligations before the end of the year, as election approaches in the first quarter of 2019.

    Speaking while presenting the budget on the floor of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, el-Rufai said, “the proposed 2019 budget size is N155,865,339,539.77 with recurrent expenditure of N62,339,040,309.19 and capital expenditure of N93,526,299,230.58 representing 40% as recurrent expenditure and 60% as capital expenditure.

    “The 2019 budget keeps faith with our commitment to human capital development through investments in the social sector, which takes 42.8% of the budget. Social sector spending is mainly on education which is allocated 27.15% and health on which we propose to spend 15.02%.”

    According to the Governor, the key targets of the budget from fiscal perspective are, “ensuring the actualization of the development priorities of the government as articulated in the state development plan and respective Sector Implementation Plans (SIPs) and maintaining a favourable proportion of capital to recurrent expenditure.”

    Others likely targets are, “ensuring adequate provision is made to complete 2018 projects in 2019; expanding the revenue generation capacity of the state; and maintaining a sustainable debt position in line with Federal Debt Management Office (FDMO) criteria.

    Read Also: Odds against El-Rufai’s re-election

    “Mr. Speaker, we will strive to complete every single project we have started in each of our 23 local government areas, and to pay the contractors we have commissioned to work for us. We will continue to cut the cost of government and ensure that our people are the ultimate beneficiaries of public resources.”

    Assessing the performance of the 2018 budget, Governor El-Rufai said the government was able to promote equality of opportunity to give ordinary people and their children a fair chance in life.

    “We have taken painful but necessary actions to ensure that only qualified teachers are in our public primary schools. We are renovating and rebuilding schools. This year, we have made significant strides towards completing our project to refit 255 primary health centres.” He said.

    The Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Abdullahi Shagali in his response commended the state government for ensuring that Kaduna state is more sustainable, “we are proud of the direction your government is taking.

    “It is a tough time but our government has achieved a lot in making the state stronger and protecting the vulnerable. We assure you that we will commence work immediately to ensure passage of the bill in not too long time.”

  • How PDP will win in 2019 – Makarfi

    A presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has warned the People’s Democratic Party against picking a candidate that has money against a trustworthy candidate that has credibility.

    Senator Makarfi urged delegates of the PDP to vote wisely at the forthcoming party primaries if they want to garner votes in the presidential election.

    Makarfi who spoke in Bénin City while addressing Edo PDP delegates said certain criteria should be used to eliminate some aspirants from the race.

    The former Kaduna State Governor disclosed that he is traveling round the country on road in the course of his campaigns to have a mental state of road and infrastructural situation across the country.

    This, he stated, was to enable him not to waste time in addressing the problems when he is elected President of the country.

    Senator Makarfi cautioned that the role he played to stabilise the PDP should not give him automatic presidential ticket.

    He said he did not defect from the PDP in 2015 even when he knew he would lost the election.

    Read Also: We must restructure Nigeria – Makarfi

    According to him, “That I did service to the party should not give me any automatics right. Every other member of the party should have equal right to come and seek for this ticket and go around and communicate with you.

    “That is why I do not take my campaigns by air. I go by road to take mental note of roads condition across the country. That made me not to waste time as Governor to address the infrastructural needs of Kaduna State. That is why I am loved by the people of Kaduna.

    “I am also taking mental note as I canvass for support of party men and women to nominate me as the party’s candidate.

    “I knew I was going to lose election in 2015. My former chairman told me to leave the PDP but I said no. I told those that want to leave to go but that they will come back. I decided to contest and loose. I didn’t think about myself but about those that looked up to us as leaders. We need to be there for the party and do whatever we need to do for the party because someday you win, someday you loose.

    “I stayed with the party I will continue to stay with you. All of us are qualified, and when you have so many people qualified, you have to use criteria for elimination. When use those criteria, you end up using location which is my own.

    “People say Markafi does not have money then go and sell yourselves. Whatever comes to you don’t cry.  I have not seen leaders that get responsibility because of the money he or she has. If you want to go out for money, go out for money. If you want to be a good leader choose public service.

    “No past Leader of Nigeria became president because of the money he or she has. The issue is credibility and goodwill. I am not lacking in either credibility or goodwill. I know what I have until the décision is made. It is a choice the party will not regret taking.

    “If you put a credible trustworthy individual, votes will come from all nooks and crannies but if you do otherwise people will pull away and no one individual can stand alone. Let us vote wisely.”