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Tag: Kaduna State Governor

  • I did not call for violence, says El-Rufai

    …says, trailing reactions are false outrage

     

    Following massive reactions that greeted his statement, Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has clarified his comments, saying the reactions that followed his comments were false outrage, which he said must stop.

    In a statement he issued through his media aide, Samuel Aruwan, El-Rufai insisted that his comments were not call for violence, but a powerful defense of Nigeria’s sovereignty.

    The Governor said he merely stood up for Nigeria’s dignity in the wake of those who would traduce their country and reduce it to the status of a colony in their vain quest for power.

    According to him, “A notorious trait of the characters that constitute the opposition in Nigeria is the manufacture of outrage on flimsy grounds. However, contriving anger on false premises and summoning a din of feverish commentary will not alter the facts. Election season is regarded as silly season in some quarters, but it is a very serious moment.

    “When Malam Nasir El-Rufai appeared on NTA’s Tuesday Night Live, he made comments every patriot can understand. He stood up for Nigeria’s dignity in the wake of those who would traduce their country and reduce it to the status of a colony in their vain quest for power.

    “The video of his comments is in circulation. Any fair-minded person with modest familiarity with the English language and unimpaired comprehension can understand it. It does not contain any call for violence. What it is a powerful defense of sovereignty? Are some sections of our political class implying that they will acquiesce in or collaborate with foreign intervention in our country?

    “Affirming that a country will defend itself against needless intervention is the kind of statement you expect to hear from a patriot. It is not a call for violence. Warning about the consequences of meddling in another country’s affairs is legitimate.

    Read Also: Poll: EU replies El-Rufai, says observers invited by FG

    “Non-interference in the affairs of other countries is a basic principle of international law. Threatening to intervene in another country implies the use of force. Those who are basing their electoral calculations on foreign intervention need to be discouraged. Only the lawful votes of the Nigerian people should make or unmake governments.

    “Malam Nasir El-Rufai has issued a powerful call for vigilance and a clear notice that other countries should not mistake the supine posture of the opposition for national weakness.

    “Malam Nasir El-Rufai has stood firmly against those who have been trying to divide Nigerians on ethnic and religious lines. He is resolutely opposed to violence, and firmly committed to peace and harmony.

    “Let the false outrage stop,” El-Rufai said.

  • 2019: My re-election almost a done deal – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on Monday said that his re-election is almost a done deal, despite the risks he has taken on his path to make Kaduna great again.

    The said though, getting re-elected as the governor of the state is not paramount in his agenda, but doing the right thing.

    Read Also:El-Rufai endangering peacefully coexistence in Kaduna, says Ex-CAN scribe

    El-Rufai who stated this while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the 2018 National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) conference holding in Kaduna, said his administration in the past three and half years undertook far reaching reforms in the education, economic and health sectors with outstanding results.

    He said his immediate and utmost priority is to put the state on the right track and sound footing, while his achievements and reforms in all sectors will naturally take care of his re-election to consolidate on the achieved successes.

    According to him, “being re-elected is not important. What is important is doing the right thing and posterity will judge us. From all indications, from everything I have seen because we call regularly, we are very scientific, we don’t guess in the dark.

    “Inspite of all the risks we have taken and all the people we are supposed to have upset, the election on the second of March, 2019 as far as Kaduna State is concern is almost a done deal,” he said.

    In the economic sector, he disclosed that his administration has created lots of jobs and empowered the women folks with soft loan with plans to do more going forward.

    He also informed that plans are under way to recruit no fewer than 3000 health workers to further boost the health sector.

    On the ease of doing business, the governor said, before he took over the mantle of leadership, Kaduna state occupied the twentieth position in ranking on ease of doing business in 2014, “but as at 2018, Kaduna State occupies the first position in the ease of doing business”.

    In the area of security and Judiciary, he disclosed that his administration has so far hired 75 lawyers to boost the state judiciary sector, just as a said, his administration has removed the tenure system for directors and permanent Secretaries to open doors for young people.

    The 3-day NACOFES conference organized by the Federal Account Allocation Committee in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance is expected to among other paper presentations look into alternative sources of revenue generation outside oil.

    Mr. Ben Akabueze, Director General Budget office of the federation, Mr. Shettima Umar Abba Gana. Ag. Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Tue Mab Lee, Senior Economist, World Bank Group, Mr. Asishana Okauru Esq. Director General Nigerian Governors Forum and Mr. Tunde Abdulkareem FAAC Post Mortem Consultant all gave goodwill messages at the opening ceremony.

  • Community replies El-Rufai over relocation threat

    The Gonin-Gora community of Chikun local government area of Kaduna State has replied the recent statement credited to Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai where he threatened to demolish and evacuate the community if the youths of the area don’t desist from attacking motorists that ply the route during crisis situations.

    It would be recalled that the governor during a Hausa radio program recently threatened to evacuate and relocate Gonin-Gora, a community with well over 300,000 residents if the youths in the area attempt to block Kaduna-Abuja high way and attack innocent travelers.

    Read Also:El-Rufai’s policies responsible for Kaduna crisis, says NLC

    The alleged threat by the governor generated lots of controversies as to why the governor had to narrow down the threat to only Gonin-Gora community as volatile area at the wake of any crisis in the state and exonerated other volatile communities like Tudun Wada, Mararaban Jos, Rigasa and Kabala West.

    Meanwhile, addressing newsmen at the palace of the late Sarkin Gonin Gora on behalf of the leaders and elders of Gonin-Gora and environs, the Sarkin Yaki Gora said, Gonin Gora residents are peaceful adding that, the governor pronouncements is an attempt to give dog a bad name to hang it.

    The text of the briefing jointly signed by Alhaji Baba Ali (Dallatun Gonin Gora), John Auta (Ciroman Gonin Gora) Sule Fulani (Wakilin Fulani) and Zakka Auta (Wakilin Atyap) said, “it is unfortunate that while the communal clash was going on at Kasuwan Magani and later spilled over to Kujama, Mararaban Rido and Sabon – Tasha, rumours were already being peddled inside Kaduna and certain areas of the town that killings, mounting of roadblocks and attacks of innocent motorists as well as kidnapping of passersby was going on unabated in Gonin-Gora.

    “Indeed, all these false allegations and rumours are not new to the people of Gonin-Gora as this has always been the case whenever trouble is in the offing.

    “What transpired in reality is that through-out the violent clash on the 18th October, 2018 at Kasuwan Magani and its subsequent spill-over to places like Kujama, Mararaban Rido and Sabon-Tasha on 20th, 21st and 22nd respectively, Gonin-Gora and its environs remained calm and peaceful.

    “It is in the context of these realities that we in Gonin-Gora are baffled and shocked by the reported threats of His Excellency Governor Nasir El-Rufai to demolish and or evacuate the Gonin-Gora settlement on account of violence to and molestation of travelers which, to the best of our knowledge never ever occurred during this crisis.

    “We are sure that it is either that the governor has been misinformed or ill-advised by people hell-bent on giving Gonin-Gora a bad and gory name in order to hang it,” he stated.

    “Indeed, during this tense period the acting Sarkin Gonin-Gora and his ward heads appealed to the residents, and the youths in particular to remain calm and law-abiding. It remained so until Friday, 26th October, 2018 when news about the killing of Agom Adara started circulating.

    “On that fateful day, unknown to the leadership of the Gonin-Gora community, a handful of miscreants around Buwaya out of pure mischief took the law into their hands by mounting a road block immediately after the bye-pass overhead bridge coming from the toll gate from Abuja.

    “This happened to be at about the same time that His Excellency, Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his convoy were coming from the direction of Abuja where he encountered many motorists that had been caught up by the twenty-four hour curfew that had been imposed as well as the impromptu blockage mounted by the miscreants.

    “On reaching the spot with his convoy and other motorists trailing behind him, the governor stopped and ordered the police to dismantle it to allow the motorists pass into Kaduna town.

    “The leadership of Gonin- Gora community wishes to restate the community’s resolve to promote peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding and inter- faith solidarity not only within the Gonin-Gora settlement and environs but with all our neighboring settlements.

    “Our leaders will continue with our proactive interventions in educating our youths and all other members of our community on the primacy of the maintenance of peace, compliance with lawful orders and the pursuit of cordial inter-communal and inter-faith,” the community said.

  • nPDP members leaving APC won’t reduce Buhari’s votes in 2019 – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai on Tuesday said that the threat by the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) members to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) won’t have any negative impact on President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire to win the Presidential election next year.
    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    The Governor said “I don’t agree and I want to go back to 2003. What are we talking about? Who are these new PDP people that are threatening? This is Kwara, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Rivers but I don’t think Amaechi is part of them.
    “So let’s take these four states, go back to 2003 and check. Buhari then under ANPP won in all these four states. Go back to 2007, Buhari won  in these four states. Even when Shakarau was running as a presidential candidate in 2011, Buhari defeated him in Kano.
    “And, I have no doubt in my mind that even if the people threatening to leave, leave, it will have absolutely no impact on the presidential elections, the president will win Sokoto, Kwara and Adamawa easily.

    Read Also: Ignore Baraje’s nPDP threat, Kwara APC urges Buhari

    “Kano is already in the bag, I mean if you saw the crowd that welcome the president without the former governor Kwanasho, Kano has always been the president’s base.
    “To me that is not the issue, the issue is that they have written, they have expressed grievances, some of the grievances are legitimate and should be looked into. But to threaten to leave the party is neither here nor there.
    “If they are honest with themselves they know that President Buhari  will win those states with or without them. But if you have a grievance, we are a party and politics is a game of addition not subtraction, so we don’t want to loose anyone.
    “So, I think those the letters were addressed to ought to study it and look into what is reasonably possible to accommodate them because politics as I said is a game of addition.” he said
    Asked why he deployed electronic voting in his state for the APC Ward congresses, he said “I didn’t come about it, it was the chairman of the state independent electoral commission, Dr. Saratu Dikko Audu, who was my chemistry teacher in the university that proposed the idea of electronic voting. Because, she felt that since we used the card reader in the 2015 elections, the next logical step is to connect the card reader to an electronic voting system and we supported it.
    “They went on a study tour to Brazil, India to study their own voting systems and they finally ended up with a manufacturer in China. The same  manufacturer that manufactured the card reader, designed and manufactured the electronic voting machines for us.
    “The independent electoral commission of Kaduna State, brought in 300 of the machines and spent some months going round the state, market places, people’s homes to test the use of the machines to show that ordinary people can use it. It cost us a lot of money, the entire election cost us in the region of N4 billion.
    “But, mind you with the electronic voting now we don’t need ballot paper, so we saved N1.7 billion in ballot papers alone. And, these machines can be used for three or four more elections because they can last for 10 years, all we need is to upgrade the software to add more parties and so on.
    “So, we believe that overall is good value for money and it has worked very well. What we are very happy about is that ordinary people could use it, the interface was friendly, simply and you can finish voting for the chairman and chancellor in less than 15 seconds.” he said
    On what difference it made in terms of credibility, he said that it gave people the confidence that their votes mattered.
    He added “And for many people that didn’t even want to go out to vote in the elections, curiosity of the electronic voting machines brought them out. It made a lot of difference because the electronic voting machine has a record of how many people have voted and once the time for voting closes, it closes and you cannot take it and add more votes.
    “Of course human factors intervened, some people abducted the presiding officers with the machines and engaged in multiple voting. Some people tried to change the results and of course we are still doing manual collection.
    “But the data in the electronic voting machine can still be used to discredit some of those changes during the tribunal process. And in areas where there were gross abuses in some of the wards and local governments, SIKON has decided that they will be by-elections.
    “One of the problems that led to the human factor problems that I mentioned, was because INEC denied us the use of the Card reader. When we were designing the machine, we had the option of integrating the card reader, so that you come with your voters card, put in your voters card biometrically confirmed that it is your card and then the machine will open for you to vote.
    “But we thought that that will be too complicated since people are used to being accredited separately, it is better we take INEC’s card reader for accreditation and then our machine for voting. But a week to the election, INEC said they are not going to give us the card reader. The reasons they gave to me were not acceptable.
    “I called the chairman and I tried to persuade him to make it available to us but we didn’t get the card reader. I am hoping, I have spoken to him again, that for the bye-elections, the two local governments and the other wards, we are going to get the card reader so that the human link that is subject to abuse would be eliminated and hen you cannot change anything.
    “If you change anything the card reader will expose the number of those accredited and that number must tally with the number of people that voted, otherwise the result gets automatically cancelled. So we are working on that.
    “So I have just seen Mr. President, I have briefed him on this and he has expressed his pleasure at the way and manner as a party in Kaduna, we are allowed free and fair elections. The president believes in free, fair and credible elections and he said it doesn’t matter if you loose some local governments, what is important is for the elections to be free and fair.
    “This is an APC government, it is a government of fairness and justice and he was very happy with the way we conducted the elections with Kaduna so far.” he said
    He disagreed with the claims in some quarters that the electoral law does not support electronic.
    He said “I don’t agree with that. There is an amendment to the Electoral Act that President Jonathan signed a few days before he left office which legitimize the use of the card reader and other electronic systems for voting. So, in my view the current Electoral Act has provision for the electoral voting.
    “But, that is not even what we used in Kaduna. In Kaduna, we enacted our own electoral law that made provision for the for electronic voting machine and card reader, everything was totally legitimized and passed by our State House of Assembly and I think every state can do the same. But, I also believe that the current legal framework allows for it.” he said
    He recommend the use of electronic voting to at the Federal, State government levels and everyone.
    “I have already offered to my colleagues state governors that are yet to conduct local government  elections that they can come to Kaduna and we can give them the machines on mutually acceptable terms.
    “All you will need is to change the software, it will have the logo of the state and the number of parties active in the state and the number of parties active in the state and they can use it. It is easy.
    “At federal level I will recommend it as well because with the card reader and the electronic voting machine, the era of rigging elections is almost over and I think that is when people will have confidence in the process and will come out enmass to vote for their leaders.
    “Having said that, I know we have been working on this for about one year before we got to where we are. Although it is possible for INEC to do it, it will be logistically difficult. But nothing stops them from trying if the resources are available. Because, the machines have already been manufactured, the designs are there, you only need to place the orders to the Chinese and I’m sure they will deliver them in no time.
    “But, you need some months to go round and do some advocacy, to show people how to use it. I think it may be possible to use it in the next elections but I am not INEC. INEC has better appreciation of their logistics challenges I can only give my own opinion about what I think. But, it is something that I highly recommend for adoption through out the country.” he stated

  • 11 slain soldiers buried in Kaduna amidst tears 

    ….as Buratai vows to fish out killers

     

     

    The remains of the 11 slain soldiers killed by armed bandits at Kampanin doka village in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State have been laid to rest amidst tears at the Commonwealth cemetery, Kaduna.

    Armed bandits attacked the said village on the 20th March, 2018 and in the process killed 11 soldiers who were deployed there on military operations against arm banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling among other forms of criminalities, code named “Exercise Ayem AKpatuma” (Cat Race).

    The late soldiers are, Private Olabode Hammed (Ogun state), Private Bamidele Adekunle Emmanuel (Ogun State), Private Owochukwu Christian Chigoziri (Rivers State), Private Adamu Muhammed (Bauchi State) Private Lamara Ahmed (Jigawa State), Private Mubarak Suleiman (Plateau State), Private Bashir Sani (Katsina State), Private Usman Abubakar Jalo (Gombe state), Private Nafiu Iliyasu (Jigawa State), Private Safiyanu Ahmed (Jigawa State) and Private Alhassan Ibrahim (Kaduna State).

    The chief mourner and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Army Headquarters Kaduna, Major General Mohammed Mohammed in his speech described the death of the soldiers as painful but a sacrifice and supreme prize for the people of Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State and Nigeria.

    While condoling the families of the deceased soldiers, he said the military will stop at nothing to fish out the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to justice accordingly.

    Meanwhile, he urged the deceased family not to be discouraged in sending their children to the army as a result of the death of the soldiers.

    “We will remain committed towards guaranteeing the peace and security of Nigeria and Nigerians regardless of situations such as this, we will not run away”.

    While assuring the family and next of kins of the deceased of military support, he further reiterated that their death is not and will not be in vain.

    “We will continue to fight against all forms of arm banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other criminalities in the country”.

    On his part, Kaduna state Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai represented by the Secretary to the State government Lawal Balarebe also expressed his condolence to the family of the deceased.

    The Governor who promised the support of the government also donated Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000:00) to each of the next of kin to the slain soldiers in a single cheque amounting to 5.5 million naira.

    Responding, one of the next of kin to the slain soldiers, Sani Leman Kila described their death as unfortunate and painful but attributes it to the will of God.

    Read Also: Burial for 11 soldiers killed in Kaduna

  • Ignore NUT strike, send pupils to school – El-Rufai to parents

    Ignore NUT strike, send pupils to school – El-Rufai to parents

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has urged parents and guardians to send their children to school irrespective of the NUT strike action, noting that the second term has resumed and teachers are ready to teach.

    Addressing a world press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, El-Rufai said that the strike was aimed at scuttling the ongoing education reforms, adding that the scripts of the 43,000 applicants who applied for teaching job has been marked and the result of the 25,000 teachers to be recruited would soon be released.

    The Governor, who spoke through the Permanent Member in the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Shehu Sani Othman, said that the state government has opened attendance registers for teachers across the state to check those who are absent from their duty post in accordance with civil service rule.

    El-Rufai reiterated that the strike action embarked upon by NUT is illegal, adding that he has directed education secretaries and school administrators to take count of teachers who resumed and those who did not for necessary actions. He, however, warned against politicising the educational reforms embarked upon by his government to protect the future of over 2 million pupils in the state.

    According to him, “Parents and guardians should send their children to school, the second term has begun already. The list of successful candidates who sat for the aptitude test for the recruitment of 25,000 primary school teachers would soon be released. The scripts of the over 40,000 applicants who sat for the examination has been marked and data entry is ongoing.The date for the oral interview will be announced as soon as the result is ready.”

    El-Rufai further stated that teachers who complied with government directive in some schools across the state were being chased out by NUT officials and sending pupils home, thereby, disrupting teaching and learning. He called on teachers in the state for their own interest, disregard NUT strike action and return to work.

    On National Industrial Court order, obtained by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) restraining the government from disengaging any teacher until the determination of the substantive suit before the court, Othman said that the unqualified teachers were sacked before the ruling.

    “Schools are supposed to resume academic activities on Monday, January 8, but the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has directed its members to embark on indefinite strike same day over ongoing reform in the education sector. Among steps taken to reposition the sector was the competency test organised by the state government to determined the effectiveness of teachers in which 21,780 failed and were disengaged.

    “NUT’s main agitation was to allow the affected teachers, who have no business in our schools having failed the competency test to continue to teach. But the Nasir el-Rufai government insisted that teachers that cannot pass primary four examinations must not be allowed near its schools if the future of over 2 million pupils in the state must be protected.

    “In fact, the NUT officials have gone as far as closing down Local Government Education Authority offices in some local government areas. The state government will not accept NUT’s use of force to drive away teachers in their lawful duty post. This is very disturbing because it is against Civil Service Rule to stop government official from discharging his/her official duty.

    “We are, therefore, informing union leaders and erring teachers that government will take appropriate action in accordance with the provision of the Civil Service Rule.”

    Reacting, Kaduna state Chairman of NUT, Mr Audu Amba, said he was not aware of any harassment of teachers by NUT officials.

  • 2019: APC can’t lose sleep over Atiku against Buhari – El-Rufai

    2019: APC can’t lose sleep over Atiku against Buhari – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has said that, All Progressives Congress ( APC ) is waiting for the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to come and contest the 2019 presidential seat against President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that, they cannot lose sleep over Atiku’s ambition.

    El-Rufai also said that, Atiku lied by saying he financed the APC campaigns in 2015. He however challenged the former Vice President to prove his claims.

    Kaduna State Governor stated this in an interview with the Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA), which was monitored in Kaduna on Wednesday.

    Also featured in the short interview on the VOA Hausa service programme ‘Democracy Today’ were the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar himself and former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who has since declared intention to contest the presidential ticket under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    When asked about his intention to contest in 2019, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar simply said, he has not made up his mind, saying that, “when I decide, I will let the world know”.

    But, Sule Lamido in his reaction to Atiku’s return to PDP said, they were happy to have him back, and that, he is not threatened by Atiku’s return.

    According to Lamido, “We are happy that former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is back to PDP. PDP made him and that he is back to the party is our joy. Not only him, in fact, we want others who left the party like the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and former Governors to come back”.

    Asked whether he is not threatened by Atiku’s return, Lamido said, he is not threatened, but his prayer is that, best Presidential candidate will emerge for PDP. “If our interest is to see the progress and development of Nigeria, then, we should also prayer that everyone who left should return home”.

    However, El-Rufai while tongue-lashing Atiku said, “We in the APC were aware from onset that Atiku was going to leave APC back to PDP in the December and we thank God that, he left in November.

    “Atiku had seen that, we in the APC, especially the APC Governors had resolved to support President Muhammadu Buhari to run again in 2019. That is why he left APC, since he was only looking for where to contest for presidency.

    “Even in the 2015 APC primary election, Atiku didn’t come second, he was floored by Kwankwaso. So, even if President Buhari decides not to contest, Atiku knows that the APC ticket is not sure for him. Majority of the APC Governors have endorsed President Buhari as our candidate for 2019.

    “And we thank God, God has continued to improve the health condition of the President. Each time I see him, I thank God and I still pray that God continues to give him sound health.

    “So, by 2019, we are waiting to see Atiku contest, we are waiting to contest against him and see what happens. But, I cannot lose sleep because Atiku wants to contest, because by God’s grace, this is the reign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Agreed, in politics if you lose even only one person, it should worry you, but the utterances of the former Vice President that, APC used his money, who did he give the money to? For me, I know those that supported us with their money and property that we used during election, and I never heard the name of Atiku that he brought a dime. If Atiku said he brought money, who did he give? Let him come and say it and how much did he give and what was it used for?

    “And in fact, if Atiku brought money, I ought to know, because I am part of the leadership of the party and during campaign, myself and former Governor Rotimi Amaechi were at the centre of the presidential campaign. Therefore, we are supposed to know. So, let him mention whom he gave the money and how much?

    “Asked about large number of APC members who are likely to follow Atiku to PDP, El-Rufai said, “Sure, we know that, we cannot rule out the possibility of some greedy people following him, those that are following material things. But, if people will consider how we can work for the progress of our country, everybody knows that you cannot compare Atiku with President Muhammadu Buhari”, El-Rufai said.

  • You’ve made greatest mistake by dumping APC, el-Rufai tells Atiku 

    You’ve made greatest mistake by dumping APC, el-Rufai tells Atiku 

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i on Friday criticised the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said that Atiku has made the greatest mistake made by the movement.

    El-Rufai also said that Atiku was an inconsequential candidate to wrestle power from President Muhammadu Buhari, whom the entire North has rallied behind for 2019.

    The governor spoke with State House journalists after observing the Friday Juma’at prayers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    El Rufai said that the ex-Vice President was simply re-enacting his usual practice of cross carpeting aimlessly.

    According to him, Atiku would not be missed in any way and that he lacked the political clout to pull any of the APC governors to his fold.

    He said “Well, I won’t even say we were in the APC together. Some of us formed the APC, some of them joined because they thought that the APC was a platform for which they would contest election. But when they didn’t get the opportunity, they started looking around.

    “I have heard about what the former Vice President said about leaving the APC. We knew he was going to leave in December but he has left in November which is good because the earlier he leaves for where he belongs the better. He has changed political parties a few times, there is nothing surprising. Before the 2019 elections if situation changes and he thinks he can get the ticket in 2019 he will come back. That is what he has done a few times.

    On claims that Atiku was driven out of the party, he said “No one has driven him out of the party. The APC is an equal opportunity platform for everyone. He has in his statement of leaving the party made reference to the memo I wrote to Mr. President in September 2016, where I was calling on the President to reach out to party leaders that feel aggrieved and I mentioned him, the Asiwaju and many others.

    “The others are still in the APC because they believe in the direction of the party, they believe we have come to save the country from a very bad situation. But the former Vice President is always looking for an opportunity to contest. He is a serial contestant and we wish him luck.” he said

    On possibility of some members leaving with Atiku, he said “I don’t know about the loyalists in the APC that will go with him, but I want to assure you that there is no one governor in the APC that is going to go with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    “The only governor that he would think will go with him; the governor of Adamawa State has already endorsed President Buhari for the 2019 elections. And there are many governors I will not mention the number but a majority of the APC governors have already taken the position that the president should run for a second term in office.

    “And we are grateful to the Almighty God that the question marks about his health have been put to rest, he is getting better every day and we are confident that the way to preserve our party and preserve and advance the interest of Nigeria is for Mr. President to run for a second term. I’m curious to see which APC governor will go with Atiku.

    “As for party loyalists it depends on what you defend as loyalists. We will wait and see how that evolves. But as a governor I want to assure you that not one governor is going to leave the party to go with the former Vice President. That I am sure of. I can speak authoritatively about it because I’m in touch with my colleagues” he said.

    He said that Atiku will never be a threat to Buhari if they run for the Presidency in 2019.

    “He has never been and will never be a threat to President Buhari. Let me say this very clearly, and I have said this to the former Vice President in 2014 Dubai when we met because before joining the APC he sent for me. He told me of his intentions and I welcomed it because politics is a game of addition not subtraction. So the more you have the merrier.

    “However, I told him not to run for the presidency because I believe very strongly this is Buhari’s era. As long President Muhammadu Buhari is in politics I do not see any Nigerian from the northern part of the country that will be able to match him in popularity.

    “The people of the nineteen northern states and Nigeria have decided because of the President’s past history of Integrity and good governance they are committed to him. Anyone standing up to challenge him is wasting his time. God has decreed that this is Buhari’s time and we are waiting for the PDP to give Atiku Abubakar the ticket and we will face in on the field, but I have no doubt that I will not lose any sleep about it,” he stated.

     

     

  • Buhari okays El-Rufai’s sack of teachers 

    Buhari okays El-Rufai’s sack of teachers 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday expressed his support to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, over moves to sack 21,780 teachers.

    The teachers had recently failed the competency test conducted by the state government.

    Speaking during a special retreat of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the challenges facing the Education sector in Nigeria themed: “Education in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects”, the President decried a situation where teachers were not different from their students in terms of learning.

    He also lamented the bad condition of the nation’s education sector with 13.2 million children out of school.

    The President said “To digress a little bit so that you know that I meant what I read.

    “Having been an orphan, I still feel that whatever I did in life so far was built by boarding school. For nine years was in boarding school, three in primary and six in secondary school.

    “In those days, teachers treat their students or children like their own children. If you did well they will tell you, you did well, if you don’t do well they never spared the rod.

    “When I finished my secondary school, I didn’t work for a day, I refused to work for a day, I left home, I refused to work in the local government, and then I joined the army. And the army of that time we went through all we went through up-to the civil war.

    “And then I listened to one of the Nigerians I respect, he said after his training here in Nigeria and the United States, he went to his alma mata, his primary school to see what he could contribute. I won’t mention his name but when he went, he couldn’t differentiate between the students, the children and the teachers.

    “And what El-Rufai is trying to do now is exactly what that man told me about 10 years ago. It is a very serious situation, when teachers cannot pass their exams that they are supposed to teach the children to pass.

    “It is a very tragic situation we are in and this our gathering together to me is one of the most important in this administration.” he said

    The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu stressed that no nation can rise above the standard of its education as education serves as a springboard for every kind of development.

    He said “If education is weak or dysfunctional, society and its development will also be weak and dysfunctional. And all change including our very Change Agenda begins with education; because it is education that shapes, corrects and restores society. But to be able to restore order to society, education has to be made a national priority.

    “This truism is valid for every society and is of particular relevance for our own society which, we all agree is confronted with a litany of challenges and deficits.

    “Education offers us the knowledge, tools, skills and attitudes with which to address and surmount these challenges, to correct and overcome inhibiting deficits, and to put our country on the path of accelerated development and sustainable change. Your Excellency, permit me to share a story l read about the Chinese. In their determination to build, and live in, a peaceful society, they built the Great Wall believing that it would keep invaders at bay; because they thought it was impossible for anyone to scale it, given its insurmountable height.

    “However, within the first century of the construction of the wall, the Chinese were invaded three times. Every time the invaders came, they had no need to climb over the wall; because each time they came, they were able to bribe the guards on duty at the gate, and the gate was opened for them. The Chinese took pains to build the wall but they forgot to build the character of the guards who were supposed to secure the walls.

    “The great lesson of this story is that character-building proceeds wall-building And character is everything: as one of the Orientalists once said: “If you want to destroy the civilization of a nation, there are three ways of doing so: 1) destroy the family structure 2) destroy education and 3) lower role models

    “In Germany and Finland, for example, the highest paid professionals are teachers. They are better paid than judges, doctors, engineers, accountants, and so on. When Chancellor Angela Markel, was asked by the engineers, doctors and judges to pay them the same salary as teachers, she told them, “How can I compare you to those who taught you?” This is the logical perception and attitude that Nigeria’s leadership should have of education am strongly persuaded that if we offer automatic scholarship to students who take education, and automatic employment and a preferential compensation package to those who take to teaching as a profession, our system will improve tremendously. If we give regulatory agencies the teeth to bite and do their work, mediocre teachers will soon disappear from our classrooms.

    “If we insist on professionalism with appropriate deadlines set for those who teach, the situation will improve phenomenally. We can minimize and in due course eliminate mediocrity in the education sector.” he said

    According to him, Nigeria must return to development planning if the nation is to develop.

    “There is need to harmonize the learning and teaching that transpire in our tertiary institutions as well as re-define our national goals periodically. Since independence and up to the time Your Excellency was military head of state, this nation had had National Development Plan and we must return to development planning if this nation to develop; else, it will remain one vast landscape of unconnected contracts, and disconnected researchers unable to connect their work with national development policies and vision.

    “Already, the Federal Ministry of Education has commenced work in all three areas with the publication of our Ministerial Strategic Plan on education, which anticipated, and is therefore in line with, the recently approved Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

    “Our education should drive our national development objectives and we need to carry the universities and other tertiary institutions along. We vocational training centres and give our technical have to revive our attention schools adequate and requisite Mr. President, to achieve the desired change that education needs, there is need for improved funding and a measure of political will in national governance. Such is the weight of the problems that beset our education and the deleterious it has had on our national development efforts that I believe that this Retreat should end with a declaration of a state of emergency in education so that we can face the challenges frontally and squarely.

    “These challenges are not insurmountable: what is needed is vastly improved funding accompanied by a strong political will. The strong political will needed to do all this is present in this government. What this government must now do is to make the funds available.

    “Your Excellency, nobody has the moral and resource capacity to intervene promptly, substantially and sustainably in all areas of education provisioning better than the government. Unfortunately, from 1999 to date, the annual budgetary allocation to education has always been between four per cent and ten per cent. None of the E9 or D8 countries other than Nigeria allocates less than 20 percent of its annual budget to education.

    “Indeed even among sub-Saharan Africa countries, we are trailing far behind smaller and less endowed nations in terms of our investment in education. There is therefore need for a major investment in education in the national interest. A clear guide, Your Excellency, is the costing of the APC campaign promises in education which shows that after four years, would be minimum of one Naira per annum, required to fulfill your thirteen promises.”

    All change, he said,  must begin with education, because, if education is gotten right, other areas of national life in Nigeria will be right and fall in line,” he stated.

     

    Read Also: Kaduna teachers’ sack: Assembly raises probe panel

  • Measles: FG earmarks N3.5bn, target 33m under five children

    Measles: FG earmarks N3.5bn, target 33m under five children

    Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has revealed that, the federal government has set aside N3.5 billion for measles vaccination of 33 million under five children across the country.

    The minister told journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday shortly after he demonstrated the vaccination at Miyetti Allah primary healthcare centre, Rigasa, Igabi local government area of Kaduna State that, N2.5 billion has already being released to ensure the success of the programme.

    Represented by the Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the minister said, the early release of N2.5 billion has enabled the ministry to make adequate preparation for the success of the vaccination between now and early 2018.

    According to him, “measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children especially those under five years of age. Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, Nigeria accounts for the highest burden of measles globally with 3.3 million unimmunized children.

    “This is due to persistently low routine immunization coverage and the fact that several measles supplemental immunization campaigns conducted to provide a second opportunity to reach unimmunized children has failed to achieve the required 95 percent coverage.

    “The federal ministry of health is however confident that, this 2017/2018 campaign will be different going by the high quality preparation and financial commitment by all levels of government.

    “The sum of N3.5 billion was earmarked for this measles vaccination campaign across the country. But N2.5 billion has been released to enable us adequately prepare for the exercise and that is a signal that, the exercise will be a huge success.

    “We are here in Kaduna flagging-off the campaign for the Northwest. For this zone, it will run between Thursday 9th and Wednesday 15th November while we have stagger campaign in the other zones between now and 2018″, he stressed.

    Declaring the exercise open earlier, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said, 1,498,332 children in the state are expected to be vaccinated during the one week exercise.

    El-Rufai, who spoke through his deputy, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex reiterated the commitment of his administration towards provision of quality healthcare services to the people of the state as evident in prompt release of N38, 402,675 as counterpart funding from the state for the exercise.

    According to the governor, “we have released our counterpart funding to ensure each child is vaccinated so they can be prevented from preventable killer diseases.

    “Measles is highly contagious. It can kill children directly through weakening their immune system. Immunising our children remains one of the cost effective means of curbing under five mortality rate in our state and the country.

    “I want to use this medium to appeal to our people to join us in this campaign by avail their children for the exercise because it is a collective action towards survival of our children. The vaccines have been certified okay by WHO and NAFDAC which means, they are safe for the children”, he assured.