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Tag: Kaduna

  • Katsina, Kaduna, Rivers, Imo APC adopt indirect method to pick candidates

    •Ebonyi to use consensus option

    More state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have adopted the mode of picking candidates for the 2019 elections.

    President Muhammadu Bihari’s home state Katina, Kaduna, Rivers and Imo states have chosen the indirect primary option. Ebony State opted for consensus arrangement but with an indirect system back up in places where they fail to reach a consensus.

    But Kaduna central Senator Shehu Sani rejected the decision of the state executive and stakeholders. The senator said direct primary ought to have been chosen.

    The Katsina meeting endorsed the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari to run for second term.

    The meeting in Imo was presided over by state chairman Daniel Nwafor.

    The motion for the adoption of the indirect primaries was moved by the APC Chairman in Nwangele Local Government Area Jude Mbamara and seconded and seconded by Obinna Egu, member representing Ngor-Okpala Council Area in the House of Assembly.

    At the APC stakeholders meeting in Rivers, members voted to pick their prefered option.

    Indirect primary recorded 106 votes, Consensus got three votes and Direct primary got just one vote.

    The meeting was presided over by Rivers State Chairman Ojukaye Flag-Amachree. It was attended by other members of the State Working Committee (SWC), Senator Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East); and the Deputy National Secretary of APC, Chief Victor Giadom.

    Flag-Amachree said:”I want to announce that members of the Rivers State APC, having sat down and considered all the various options, agreed to go for indirect primaries, based on reasons including insecurity, lack of data base and logistic challenge.”

    Senator Uchendu said: “I am a foundation member of PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and APC. I must praise the Rivers State Chairman of APC (Flag-Amachree) for organising this type of platform for us to air our views.

    “We will definitely not have a safe venue, at which we will call all our teeming supporters together for direct primaries. We know that the government of Nyesom Wike does not want APC to exist in Rivers State.

    “If we gather at a place for direct primaries, we will be in trouble. We know what Wike and his supporters are capable of doing and what they had done over the years. Opting for direct primaries in Rivers State will be putting the lives of APC faithful at risks.

    Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari who announced the decision, said: “indirect primary is the most ideal for us as it is rancour free, less expensive, and addresses logistics and security challenges. Although opponents of the indirect primaries argue that it encourages corruption which I quiet admit, but it still remains the best option within the time limit available to us’’

    State Chairman Shitu Shitu said the “states were given three options—direct voting, indirect (delegate) system and consensus voting.

    ”It is based on that we in Katsina have decided to come together as critical stakeholders to endorse the option we have chosen today and it is unanimously agreed”.

    Senator Sani for the first time since his suspension by the party in 2016, was in attendance at the party’s SEC meeting and was sighted exchanging banters with Deputy Governor. Barnabas Bala Bantex.

    State chairman Emmanuel K. Jekada said, “The ‘Direct Primary method’ is not applicable in the State due to the following reasons: Absence of a comprehensive register of party members; the APC Kaduna party leadership has made spirited attempts to acquire a comprehensive database of party members from the party’s National Headquarters but to no avail. Without a comprehensive membership register, any direct primaries may be disrupted by non-members including individuals from other parties who may come up with fake membership cards to cause confusion in the process.

    “The Direct primary method would result in significant logistic challenges for the party; with party membership running into hundreds of thousands in the state, printing of ballots, deployment of election materials, accreditation, voting, collation and declaration of results would be very expensive with financial cost surpassing a billion naira in Kaduna alone. These are costs that the party may not be able to shoulder in view of the fact that it was not envisaged, and no budget provision has been made for it.

    Senator Sani and his predecesor Senator Mohammed Sani Saleh rejected the sdecision.

    Sani said: “ ‘So far out of these three categories of people, the state executive committee has taken its own stand, it is left for critical stakeholders and aspirants to state their own position on this matter. And as an aspirant to the office of senator for Kaduna central senatorial district, I do not agree to indirect method of conducting the primaries because of obvious reasons.

    In Ebonyi, the resolution was agreed upon at the meeting attended by APC leaders including past members of the national and state assemblies, led by Chairman Chief Eze Nwachukwu.

    The chairman said explained that the security challenges in the state and alleged sponsored attacks on party faithful by rival political thugs would not allow the party to go for direct primaries.

    He added that the party would not be able to grapple with the challenges posed by direct primaries, even though it gives equal opportunity to all registered and card carrying party members to participate in selecting flag bearers.

    Members at the meeting, in a unanimous decision, voted in favour of consensus method as first option for the selection of party’s flag bearers for all elective positions in the 2019 general elections.

    They also voted to adopt indirect primaries where consensus arrangement failed to produce consensus candidate.

  • Kaduna APC adopts indirect primaries

    …Senator Shehu Sani, others kick

     

    Kaduna State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has risen from its State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting and adopted indirect primaries for all its primary elections.

    The only APC Senator from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani however kicked against the decision, saying “I don’t agree to indirect primaries”.

    For the first time since his suspension by the party in 2016, Senator Sani was in attendance at the party’s SEC meeting and was sighted exchanging banters with the Deputy Governor, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex.

    Briefing newsmen shortly after the SEC meeting of its resolution, the state chairman of the party, Air Cdre Emmanuel K. Jekada said, “direct primaries method is not applicable in the state.”

    According to Jekada, “The Kaduna State Executive Committee (SEC) in line with the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC), sat today and adopted “Indirect Primary” as the mode of conduct of the party primary elections in Kaduna state.

    “The ‘Direct Primary method’ is not applicable in the State due to the following reasons: Absence of a comprehensive register of party members; the APC Kaduna party leadership has made spirited attempts to acquire a comprehensive database of party members from the party’s National Headquarters but to no avail.

    “Without a comprehensive membership register, any direct primaries may be disrupted by non-members including individuals from other parties who may come up with fake membership cards to cause confusion in the process.

    “Experience of Direct Primaries from the recently concluded primary elections for councillorship in state where the party adopted direct primaries to select its candidates was marred by significant disruption and controversy and over stretched the security agencies. Using this mode for the upcoming primary elections would definitely not produce the desired results and its credibility may be called to question.

    “The Direct primary method would result in significant logistic challenges for the party; with party membership running into hundreds of thousands in the state, printing of ballots, deployment of election materials, accreditation, voting, collation and declaration of results would be very expensive with financial cost surpassing a billion naira in Kaduna alone. These are costs that the party may not be able to shoulder in view of the fact that it was not envisaged, and no budget provision has been made for it.

    “In order to deepen and broaden the democratic practice, the party looks forward to the adoption of direct primaries in future elections at which time the limitations listed above would have been resolved.

    “Therefore, in recognition of 2a-c above, the State Executive Committee adopted the ‘Indirect’ mode of primaries for nomination of candidates in the 2019 elections in the state. This decision will accordingly be communicated to the National Executive Committee of the party as required.” He stressed.

    Read Also: 2019: Rivers APC adopts indirect primaries

    Meanwhile, Senator Sani and his predecessor in the Senate, General Mohammed Sani Saleh while addressing journalists at the NUJ secretariat after the meeting said, the decision of the SEC is not final, as they, as aspirants have equally submitted their position in favour of Direct Primaries to the national secretariat of the party.

    According to Senator Sani, “The party has just concluded the state executive committee meeting at which they read out a resolution that they prefer the indirect method in the forthcoming primary elections. Well, that is the state’s position and not the final say, national headquarters required that every states executive committees must submit a written request signed by state’s executive committee members, critical stakeholders as well as aspirants to various offices in the state.

    “So far out of these three categories of people, the state executive committee has taken its own stand, its left for critical stakeholders and aspirants to state their own position on this matter. And as an aspirant to the office of senator for Kaduna central senatorial district, I do not agree to indirect method of conducting the primaries because of obvious reasons.

    “One of the reasons is the manner in which the congresses were conducted. It was conducted in such a way that certain individuals were given the opportunity to select the entire executive members from every wards and LGA in the state. It was not free and fair so I don’t think I will be doing justice to myself, to subject myself to general election under that condition.

    “The safest, fairest and best thing is for us to throw this thing open if you are not afraid of the people that you are aspiring to represent, subject yourself to election by them,” he said.

  • NHIS enrollees decry doctors’ attitude in Kaduna

    The negative attitude of some medical and healthcare personnel at Gwamna Awan General Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, have has been flayed by some enrollees of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the state.

    In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Kaduna, the enrollees complained of absenteeism and lateness by doctors and healthcare staff, forcing them to wait long frustrating hours before being attended to.

    A correspondent of NAN monitoring the quality of service delivery at the NHIS unit of the facility reported that no doctor on seat to attend to patients on three different occasions he visited the section.

    According to the report, there was no doctor on seat on August 23, and after long hours of waiting, patients were refereed to another doctor in the main hospital.

    In another visit on August 31, patients were told no doctor was available to see them until September 4; and the doctor did not show up until around 12.30 p.m.

    One of the patients, Malam Yahaya Usman, said he was in the hospital for two consecutive time without seeing a doctor assigned to the NHIS section.

    “Las week I was here around 6am, but could not see NHIS doctor. After waiting for about four hours I was referred to another doctor in the main hospital, because the NHIS doctor did not show up.

    “Today (September 3), I am here since 8am and no doctor showed up. This is 12 noon and the official kept telling us that the doctor is on his way. This is frustrating. What if my case was an emergency?,’’ Usman said.

    Sharing similar experience, Mr Isaac Fishim, another patient, said he also had an experience of being referred to the main hospital after long hours of waiting because of the absence of the NHIS doctor.

    “I came here around 7.30 a.m today (Sept. 4) and this is 12 p.m and still no doctor is around to attend to us.

    “I am appealing to the hospital management to assign more doctors to the NHIS section and ensure that doctors on duty are at their duty post on time, otherwise the NHIS objective would be defeated,’’ Fishim advised.

    On his part, Mr Nathan Bulus, who is accessing the services for the first time since he enrolled in 2017, the experience was discouraging and frustrating.

    “This is the first time I am accessing the service and I have been here since 9 a.m. It is very discouraging that a patient will have to wait long before seeing a doctor,” Bulus said.

    But Mr Jeff Okoye, another patient, told NAN that it was his first experience of waiting for long hours without a doctor seeing to his health needs.

    “I have been accessing health services here and the doctors are usually on their seats at most by 9 a.m, but I am surprise that it is already 12 p.m and no doctor is around to attend to us,” Okoye said.

    Mrs Rifkatu Ayuba also said that it was the first time she had to wait four long hours before seeing a doctor.

    Reacting to the development, an official at the NHIS section told NAN on the condition of anonymity that three doctors were assigned to the section, adding however that they were all on leave.

    The official explained that one of the doctors was expected to resume today (yesterday) but that he just called that he lost a relative and was at the burial, adding “he assured us he will come soon”.

    NAN reports that the doctor later showed up around 12.30 p.m when the patients were already referred to other doctors in the main hospital.

    The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Dogo Nok, said that he would investigate the complaints, noting that it was wrong for three doctors to go on leave at the same time.

    Nok said that although the state government was doing its best to ensure quality service delivery in the facility, the hospital facility was overstretched with dearth of medical personnel.

    He assured of improved quality service delivery, particularly at the NHIS section where enrollees pay upfront for their healthcare services.

  • Hajj 2018: 872 pilgrims from Kaduna return home

    Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board says 872 pilgrims from the state have returned from Saudi Arabia after a successful 2018 Hajj operation.

    The Public Relations Officer of the board, Yunusa Abdullahi, said this in a statement in Kaduna on Tuesday.
    He said the pilgrims returned home in two flights.

    Abdullahi said the first flight brought 560 pilgrims on Sept. 2, while 312 pilgrims returned in the early hours of Tuesday.

    Read Also: Perm Sec to Muslims: be grateful to Allah

    “The 312 pilgrims who are mostly from Igabi and Kubau local government areas of Kaduna State returned via Med-View Airline.

    “The pilgrims arrived with their luggage and will be given five litres of “Zamzam water” each while claiming their luggage at Hajj Transit Camp, Mando.

    “So far, 872 Kaduna State pilgrims have returned home in two flights.”Abdullahi said.
    The News men report that a total of 3,238 pilgrims from Kaduna State performed this year’s Hajj operation.

  • El-Rufai directs new CJ to hire 40 Magistrates

    Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna state has tasked the new Acting Chief Judge of the state to recruit judicial officers as the government has already granted approval to hire 40 magistrates.

    In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, said El-Rufai made the call during the swearing in ceremony of Justice Muhammadu Lawal Bello as Acting Chief Judge at the weekend.

    The governor said that the recruitment of the judicial officers should follow due process, adding that they will reduce the work-load of judges in the state.

    According to him, government has so far “recruited 70 new lawyers into the Ministry of Justice. The government has granted approval to hire 40 new magistrates. We urge the acting Chief Judge to expedite this recruitment, in compliance with due process and in concert with the Judicial Service Commission.”

    The governor further said that his administration has “received recognition for timely resolution of commercial disputes and enforcement of contracts in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business ranking.”

    El-Rufai however pointed out that Kaduna state will benefit “if we can also fast track the conclusion of criminal cases.”

    According to the governor, the administration is aware that there are no enough judges in the judiciary “and this results in the ones we have being over worked.”

    He promised to work with the judiciary towards remedying the situation.

    El Rufai revealed that his government has proposed a legislation to expand the jurisdiction of magistrates to determine matters involving monetary claims of up to N5 million, adding that “our magistrates are currently restricted to cases not above N500,000.”

    He argued that the “expanded remit of the magistrates should eventually reduce the high number of cases that begin at the high court. The Landlord and Tenant Law has also vested in magistrates, matters which were previously handled by rent tribunals. ”

    The governor also stated that Kaduna State House of Assembly has enacted a legislation for a new Penal Code and to domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

  • Corps members in Niger take orientation in Kaduna – NYSC

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Niger says its 2018 Batch B stream II members will take their orientation in Kaduna State.

    It said that this was based on directives to hold the orientation in cluster in 19 States due to the limited number of corps members in the batch across the country.

    This was contained in a statement by Mrs Theresa Arokoyo, the NYSC Coordinator in Niger and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Minna.

    Read Also: Negotiating NYSC

    “The corps members are to take their orientation course at the NYSC Kaduna (Black Gold) orientation camp, one of the venues of the cluster camping exercise nationwide,” she said.

    Arokoyo said that the corps members after the three weeks orientation course would return to the state for posting to their primary places of assignment.

    NAN reports that only 600 corps members were deployed to the state in the batch.

  • NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Wednesday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted moisture in the atmosphere with chances of thunderstorms and rainfall over most parts of the country for Wednesday.

    NiMet made this known in its Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Tuesday.

    It envisaged isolated thunderstorms around the northwestern parts of the country, especially over Nguru, Kano, Katsina and Dutse axis in the morning hours.

    The agency predicted that other parts of the northeast cities would experience thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening hours.

    NiMet said that day and night temperature in the northern region would be in the ranges of 29 – 34 degree Celsius and 22 – 23 degree Celsius respectively.

    It predicted moderate rains over the high grounds of the central cities of Mambilla plateau, Yola, and Taraba axis with localised thunderstorms over Abuja, Minna, Ilorin and Bida axis.

    The agency said that, the remaining parts of the central cities would be in cloudy conditions all through the morning hours.

    NiMet said that cloudy conditions would be expected over the central cities with the exception of Bauchi, Jos, Nassarawa Makurdi, Kaduna, Lokoja, Abuja, Jalingo and Yola that would experience thunderstorms and rains in the afternoon and evening hours.

    It said that day and night temperature in the central states would be in the range of 27 – 31degree Celsius and 22– 23 degree Celsius respectively, except for Jos that would be between 24 and 14 degree Celsius.

    The agency predicted light and moderate rains over the southern cities throughout the forecast period.

    It added that, day and night temperature in the southern states would be in the range of 29- 31 degree Celsius and 21– 23 degree Celsius respectively.

  • Insurgency: We are combat-ready says Chief Of Air Staff

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashai Sadiq Babba Abubakar on Tuesday in Kano said the continuous training and re-training of operational pilots have greatly enhanced the fight against insurgency and other violent crimes in troubled areas like Zamfara, Kaduna, and the North-East regions.

    Speaking during the graduation ceremony of eight operational pilots who were trained on Basic Flying Course 18, at the 403 Flying Training School Kano, said the Nigerian Airforce has graduated 90 operational pilots within the last two years.

    According to him, “So far, in the last three years, we have graduated 90 operational pilots. Meanwhile, 27 student pilots are currently undergoing ab initio Flying Training at 401 Flying Training School, while six have just departed for training in South Africa.

    “Furthermore, about 700 Special Courses personnel have been trained for the defence of the Nigerian Airforce mission critical assets, while many personnel are undergoing engineering and other specialized Airforce-related training both at home and abroad.

    “I must, however, add that although a good number of airforce personnel are currently undergoing various training in over six institutions, with strategic importance of our indigenous training institutions, all to the attainment of my vision, cannot be over-emphasized.

    “This is why we have continued to support these activities that will give you the requisite knowledge, skills and exposure to better fulfill your task.

    “For instance, following the addition of Combat Rolls to 403 Flying Training School, with the re-rolling of L39-ZA Aircraft with combat operations, we gave tactical training to the instructor of pilots. Also we provided the resources needed for the Unit technicians to conduct 400 hours inspection on some of the aircrafts which enabled them to be flying today.”

    Read Also: I will end Boko Haram insurgency in short time – Atiku

    He further stated that, “The most pleasing thing about this ceremony today is that all the pilots, except one were trained here in Nigeria. This single feat by 403 Flying Training School and the Air Training Command, has saved for Nigeria government over $5 million.”

    He recalled that, “On assumption of office as the Chief of the Air Staff, I articulated my vision for the service which is to reposition the Nigeria Air force into a highly professional and disciplined Force through capacity building initiative for effective, efficient and timely employment of airpower in response to Nigeria’s national security apparatus.

    “Indeed, this graduation ceremony of Basic Flying Course 18 and the resurgence of young pilots in the North are good testimonies that the vision has started manifesting. Following extensive training, platform acquisition and reactivation of grounded aircrafts, as well as resuscitation of unserviceable equipment, the Nigerian Air force can now mostly fulfill its roles across the spectrum of the airpower task.

    “Nevertheless, the rebuilding     process continues as we strive to consolidate by enhancing our manpower capacity and improving upon the statutory status of our aircraft fleets.

    “One of the critical drivers of my vision on human capacity development which entails the provision of qualitative training for our workforce is what is manifesting in this graduation ceremony. In this regard, a lot have been achieved.

    “We recently graduated 11 pilots from Westland Aviation of South Africa, 10 pilots from International Aviation College in Illorin, while 43 student pilots have completed their ab initio Flying Training at 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna.

    “I must therefore appreciate the Commander-In-Chief of Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for his continued support to the Nigerian Airforce. Please be assured that we will continue to do our utmost best to meet with the statutory responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of our nation, whether acting singularly, or in concert with other security agencies.

    “To this end, the Nigerian Airforce is committed to justifying the financial and moral support it has received from the Federal Government.”

  • Centre records 95 rape cases in seven months in Kaduna

    Mrs Juliana Joseph, the Director, Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Kaduna, said on Monday that the centre had received 95 cases of sexual assaults from January to July 2018, of which 16 were males.

    Joseph told the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna that 25 of the victims were minors from zero to five years; 28 victims from six to 10 years, and only two fell within 21 to 25 years age bracket.

    She added that two of the victims tested positive to pregnancy, while 15 tested positive to various sexually transmitted diseases.

    “Five cases were received in January, 13 in February, 29 in March, 13 in April, nine in May, 16 in June and 10 in July.

    “Out of the 95 cases, 19 were raped by neighbours, seven by security guards and 10 by family members namely fathers, step fathers, uncles and cousins, and three by school mates,” she said.

    She identified Tudun Wada, Kakuri Kudenden, Nasarawa, Hayin Banki, Gonin Goara, Dan Bushia, Romi and Rigassa as flash point areas with the highest reported cases.

    According to her, the perpetrators are being persecuted by the police, noting that the ugly development could have life time effect on the lives of the victims if continued.

    She urged caregivers to report to relevant authorities whenever someone took undue advantage of young girls or boys, no matter who might be involved.

    She said that SARC services were open to every member of the society for free, adding that a total of 104 cases, including 20 males and 84 females were recorded between December 2016 and December 2017.

    The director called on parents and caregivers to watch over their girls and male-child at all times, adding that every person should be treated as potential suspects.

    “We will only address this ugly trend if the perpetrators of such act were exposed and prosecuted,” Joseph added.

    NAN reports that Kaduna State Government inaugurated the centre in December 2016, to provide psycho-social counselling, forensic examination, medical treatment and legal services for victims of sexual assault.

    The centre, located at the Gwamna Awan General Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, was established with support from U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) under its Justice for All project.

    The centre is being run by the Ministry of Justice, in partnership with Ministry of Women and Social Development, Ministry of Health and other stakeholders.

    The Ministry of Health provides forensic examination and treatment, the Nigerian Police investigates, and the Ministry of Justice provides legal services.

    The Ministry of Women Affairs on the other hand, provides psycho-social counselling for the victims.

  • ‘No automatic ticket in Kaduna’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) says it has not given automatic ticket to any Kaduna senator.

    A statement by APC’s Deputy National Organising Secretary Mohammed Sani Ibrahim said rumours that automatic ticket was given to a senator should be disregarded.

    The statement reads: “The National Working Committee of the APC has not handed over an automatic ticket to any senator in Kaduna State. Automatic ticket does not apply in the party’s constitution, and whoever is interested in contesting has to slug it out at the primaries.

    “As a compatriot, I am disturbed by developments in our party, especially the unfounded rumours regarding candidates as we approach the 2019 elections.

    “More disturbing is the story of the so-called endorsement or automatic tickets that people have been spreading on social media, especially as it relates to Kaduna Central and many parts of the Northwest Senatorial District.

    ‘’For the records, the party’s constitution is supreme and decisions at the national level are not a one-man show as some people wrongly assumed…”