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Tag: Kashim Shettima

  • Day Kashim Shettima shocked his boss

    Day Kashim Shettima shocked his boss

    • By Victor Izekor

    The story sounds like a tale from The Arabian Nights. But it is nothing of a fiction. Rather, it was an incident that took place some years ago between Kashim Shettima (now Vice President) and Prof. (Venerable) Bankole Ogunbameru who was then a teacher and Shettima’s boss at the University of Maiduguri.

    So marveled was he at the event that Prof. Ogunbameru admitted that he was shocked. “Kashim Shettima did what Napoleon could not have done,” he said. Elucidating further, Ogunbameru said: “I was the Head of Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Services, University of Maiduguri when Hon. Kashim Shettima was employed as a graduate assistant.

    “Immediately he assumed duty, he gave me his letter of admission to the University of Ibadan (UI) for Master of Science (M Sc) degree programme in Agricultural Economics. I warmly and wholeheartedly congratulated him.

    “I counselled him to put in his very best to excel academically at the University of Ibadan as a worthy ambassador of both our department and university. He guaranteed me that he would not disappoint me and, indeed, he did not let me down.

    “After counseling him on certain issues, I asked him to apply to the university for sponsorship. With a smile on his face, he told me that he would sponsor himself. I told him about the implications of sponsoring himself.  ‘What is the implication? he asked.

    “I said it simply means you are not obliged to come back to the university after the successful completion of the programme. He assured me that he would certainly come back

    “Within a record time of two academic sessions, he successfully completed the M Sc Agricultural Economics programme. Indeed, he kept to his words by returning to the department.

    Read Also: Why I wept during my son’s inauguration as governor – Oyebanji’s father

    “He was immediately upgraded as an Assistant Lecturer. It is noteworthy that Hon Kashim Shettima graduated with a cumulative Grade Point Average that qualified him to proceed for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph D) degree in Agricultural Economics. Undoubtedly, he is a very straightforward, frank and trust worthy gentleman.

    Prof. Ogunbameru continued: “When he wanted to withdraw his services from the university, he followed the due process to the core. In fact, he did something that Napoleon could not have done.

    “At the beginning of the academic session, he was paid the house rent allowance by the university. However, he applied for the withdrawal of his service four months before the expiration of his tenancy.

    “He told me he would refund the balance of four months house rent allowance to the university. I pointed it out to him that the university management knew that the most pious landlord would never refund the money to him.

    “I further tried to make him understand that the best a landlord would do was to ask him to look for someone to complete his tenancy. To my greatest surprise Hon. Kashim Shettima insisted that he would refund the balance.

    “I could vividly recollect what he told me: ‘Sir, I have decided to refund the money because I want to leave the system on a clean slate. Per adventure I come back to the system tomorrow, my conscience will be clean and clear.’

    “Yes, he left the University of Maiduguri on a very clean slate. He completed his marking schemes and results were given to me before he disengaged to take up an appointment with the Commercial Bank of Africa.

    “Of a truth, Hon. Kashim Shettima graduated from the University of Maiduguri based on both “character and learning. Consequently, it is not a surprise that wherever he worked, he gave the University of Maiduguri a good image. We are very proud of him.

    “Even in governance, he is adjudged by both the youths and elders of the state as trying his best to turn things around for better in Borno State. This is justified by the commendable and people-oriented transformation projects and programmes, particularly in education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, health and infrastructural development.

    “What he needs from all and sundry are our fullest support, genuine cooperation and fervent prayer to succeed.”

    On his first contact with Kashim as a teacher, the professor said: “In one of the continuous assessments that I gave his class when he was in the final year, he quoted from six different authors to buttress his points.

    “I resolved to ascertain the accuracy of the quotations. I wrote “see me” on his answer script. Immediately he received the script from the Class Representative and read the instruction written on it, he showed up in my office.

    “Unknown to him why I invited him, he wanted to panic. Of course, it is not uncommon for any student to wonder why a lecturer should invite him/her to see him.

    “With a smile, I asked him if he actually read the books he cited in his answer script. The answer was in the affirmative. I then asked him if he could bring any two of the books to me; that I was interested to read them.

    “Behold, he brought them the following day and I read the quotations therein. That is exactly what started my endearment to him. I identified him to be a brilliant, confident and respectable student who could read extra books in order to acquire more knowledge.

    “No wonder, even when he was a banker and a commissioner, as early as 6am every Monday, he continued to text inspirational quotes to me. In fact, the text used to wake me up at times.

    “He generally ended each quotation with ‘Sir, I wish you a very successful and pleasant working week ahead’. Even as an executive governor of the state, he still periodically finds time out of his very tight schedule to text messages to me.

    “Most of his quotes are from renowned world leaders such as the American presidents, Abraham Lincoln, J.F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who have impacted positively on the lives of their people.

    “Consequently, it does not surprise me at all that Hon. Kashim Shettima now behaves and governs like those world leaders.”

    He went further: “Kashim always backs up his ambition with hard work, trusting that with God Almighty, all things are possible.

    “He is a great aspirant and a goal getter. He has never been satisfied with little. With strong determination and commitment, he always aspires to a higher level or higher achievement.

    “Once he starts a project, he makes sure he completes it successfully. It gladdens my heart that I am not alone to have hope that Hon. Kashim Shettima is an asset to Borno State in particular and Nigeria in general.”

    According to Prof. Ogunbameru, “Kashim Shettima can be very emphatic when discussing important issues. He has double advantage in making his points to be convincingly clear. He is gifted. He uses both his right and left hands effectively to demonstrate and illustrate points. What an oracle, he is!!!”

    The above comments or narrations on Shettima by Prof. Ogunbameru, his old teacher and boss, are extracts from the testimony of the professor on Kashim titled “ALL THAT I KNOW ABOUT HON. KASHIM SHETTIMA AS HIS TEACHER” as contained in the book “BEYOND THE SAD TALES 2 – SHETTIMA’S years in Borno”.

    •Victor Izekor, a journalist and analyst, writes at victorizekor@gmail.com

  • Borno’s worries

    There are many Nigerians who never believe that we are at war as a nation. Boko Haram, for all its savage flares, rings abstract to them because they don’t know the victims: a dead relative, a maimed neighbour, an embattled home, a razed village, a limp athlete. They hear but do not fear because no gun rattles the next street, nor does a pregnant woman, blood on her face, run half-blind across their terrace.

    But for those who live in Konduga, where buildings lit up recently like a Christmas bonfire with body bags as harvest, war is real. Ditto to Bama where farmers only thrived when they put fear and flight ahead of planting a grain of wheat.

    It reminds one of a history course at the university called The History of the Far East. I asked myself, would those who woke up, fished and died in Cambodia or Japan regard their homes as far? In political science, they regard some wars as low intensity conflict and others as high intensity conflict. If you lose your only home in a hamlet after a scuffle, it cannot make headlines. But it is your own world war three.

    I wonder if, somehow, the war in Borno State is not sliding into a low intensity war in the eyes of those who should win it. As one who has been in that part of the country quite a few times, it gives one cause to worry. Barely four years ago, Lai Mohammed thumped his chest that the war was over and the Buhari administration had turned a national disaster into a fest.

    Today it is a different story, and it has been so for a while. The greatest tragedy is that the nightmare is becoming a routine. The goons attack a village, people die. We mourn. We move on.  Our soldier rolls back a horde of attackers; we celebrate as though the war is over. We move on. Meanwhile, the nightmare aches.

    The information minister shies away from the topic. Even the chief of army staff goofed about the army’s morale as though it was the fault of his soldiers’ faintness of heart.  We cannot underestimate what this does to governance. No one understands this more than the man who is now in charge of running the state. Governor Babagana Zulum was, as commissioner, in charge of reconstructing the state when the army seemed to have retained a grip on the territories. I called him the Marshall Plan commissioner after the United States general who rebuilt Europe from its world war ruins.

    Under the former governor, Kashim Shettima, we saw quite a few episodes of conflict between the centre and state. The governor at that time cried that the Nigerian army was inferior to the insurgents. They were better armed, better organised, and better motivated. At a point, as many will recall, the ragtag mullahs had taken over most of the state. And they loomed within a few miles of the state house. We were on the verge of a first in this country, where a military coup would involve men defiling the Koran, men overthrowing the name of patriotism, and men who did not love their neighbours or pretended to care. Jonathan had no answers and we called him clueless.

    The governor enjoyed a breath of peaceful breadth when the insurgent retreated into a silence. And with Zulum, he embarked a tremendous infrastructure work, with education, agriculture and a slew of many accomplishments.

    But even towards the last embers of Shettima’s reign, the insurgents devised a strategy. They came first with “innocuous” girls blowing themselves up in markets and mosques, and they started to regroup and recruit and excavate resources from shadowy places. Suddenly they built redoubts of terror in bushes and across the borders.

    Enter Zulum, and the war has taken up notches. It must be frustrating to him that he has toured the 27 local governments, and has embarked on an avalanche of activities since May 29. Yet for Zulum, how did it feel that in a feisty place like Konduga where he has constructed a school, distributed food items in IDP camps, built healthcare  and housing units and turned the dry lands into watery boreholes. Then the people had to kneel under the fires of insurgents who laid waste some of the gains. In Bama, he has rehabilitated the technical college, rebuilt its bridges and excavated the Banki town. Yet we know that the goons made forays into the land.

    Whether it is a prominent place like Gwoza, Chibok  and Biu or relatively little known places like Ngala, Dikwa, Mafa  and Bayo, the professor governor’s fingers are at play. But so is the threat of the Boko Haram army. Primary schools, hospitals, water, IDPs, et al, are getting facelifts, but the air of fear ripples in the ear.

    War and development are antipodal, and it is high time that the federal government realised that the first condition to improve the welfare of the people is peace. Yet Governor Zulum, just like his predecessor, has provided funds and equipment and welfare to the army. But who is even accounting for this.

    A source tells this essayist that many people in Borno believe that Borno State may be retreating to the turbulence of 2013 when the state government had to “channel energy to rebuilding more than 30,000 houses, hospitals, shopping malls, local government secretariats, police stations, palaces of traditional rulers. It seems the insurgents are trying to take us back to that era.”

    Such a scenario does not only destroy, it discourages. That is the state of affairs in the first few months of Zulum’s stewardship. President Buhari, who has devoted so much treasure into this battle, should ask for the account books and audit the soldiers. So this war does not become what Obasanjo, with gleeful mischief, prophesies will last many more years. We don’t want the fulfilment of what George Orwell quipped in his novel, 1984, where it states roguishly that “War is peace.” To those who profiteer, isn’t  this a war of peace, while most families faint and fail.

    We don’t want this war. Neither do the soldiers. As Plato noted, “Only the dead have seen the end of a war.” We want our soldiers to see the end of this one.

    Ly(i)on of the tribe

    In Bayelsa, we are seeing the beginning of a temper. But for now, it is within the opposition APC, where Heineken Lokpobiri, who once was a son of the party has turned rogue with the party hierarchs. He was a minister nominated by the same group he is now warring. Biting the finger that fed him? Now Heineken will now have to battle a sober lion, growling ominously for a battle.

    His name David Lyon, a name perceived as a double threat with Biblical implications. Lyon often interpreted as the maned beast, the lion, also is the name of one Europe’s cultural and historical cities, dating back to the warrior age of the Roman Empire. Today it sometimes competes with Paris in France. So, Lyon wants to turn Bayelsa into the city of David as the lion of the tribe.

    Lokpobiri will have to do more than going to court to contest open primaries whose virtues were first sold to the nation in this column by this essayist. The next few days will determine whether Heineken can fight a ly(i)on.

  • How to rescue Southwest from criminals, by Omatseye

    The Editorial Board Chairman of The Nation Newspapers, Mr. Sam Omatseye, has said the creation of a civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) is a potent measure to checkmate kidnappers and other criminals in the Southwest.

    He said the deployment of drones to track down men of the underworld in the region has become expedient with the woes of the intelligence agencies to stem insecurity afflicting the country.

    The frontline journalist said if these measures are taken, they would boost the intelligence gathering for security agencies in combing the hideouts of kidnappers, killers and other criminals.

    Omatseye said the abatement of the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast was boosted by civilian JTF constituted by former Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima in collaboration with the military.

    The multiple award-winning columnist, who was represented by Obanla of Ijesa Isu Ekiti, Oba Gabriel-Oso Adeniyi, spoke yesterday while delivering a lecture, titled: To Secure, First We Have To Love: Herdsmen, Kidnappers, Boko Haram and the Climate of Fear.

    The occasion was the maiden edition of a public lecture organised by the Faculty of Arts, Ekiti State University (EKSU) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He added that the bombings and killings in the Northeast, particularly in Borno State, could have persisted but for fearlessness of the locals who formed the civilian JTF for robust intelligence gathering.

    “With each afraid of the other, we can’t stop banditry or herdsmen crisis, or even Boko Haram. We need a leadership of fairness and fearlessness.

    “What did the former Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima do to drive out Boko Haram among the people? They were the civilian JTF. We need drones as intelligence when the military has failed us.

    “We need to create civilian equivalents of the JTF in the Southwest and other parts of the country. The JTF can gather intelligence about the whereabouts of these killers; the drones can then monitor where exactly they are and the Air Force and soldiers can go to work,” Omatseye said.

    Read Also: Omatseye delivers Igbinedion varsity lecture

    He added: “On the military level, why are they not using drones to target and isolate and knock out hoodlums? Are they not human beings? Are they not living among us? Are they spirits?”

    On why the herdsmen clashes and kidnapping might be difficult to resolve or permanently stamped out, Omatseye said: “Do we have the political will that will give us permanent peace to these crises? If we have the political will, then there will be peace; otherwise, there won’t be.”

    The frontline journalist disagreed with the call by the Prof Ango Abdullahi-led Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that all herders in the South should return to the North for their safety.

    “Sending herders away from the Southwest or any other part of the South is not the solution. If they go, where would they be settled? Where would the South get cow meat from?

    “I believe we must learn how to coexist. But we must also build an atmosphere of mutual trust for us to be able to benefit from each other.”

    Omatseye advised Nigerians to see security as everybody’s business and not the sole responsibility of the government and security agencies.

    Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Olubunmi Ajayi said no society, which puts value on human lives, would underrate insecurity with its current tension across the country.

    “This is an issue that bothers all the citizens of the nation, regardless of race and tribes. So, it is the right issue to discuss,” she said.

     

  • Buhari arrives Maiduguri on state visit

    President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in Maiduguri as part of a one-day official visit to Borno.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential jet on Thursday landed at the Nigerian Air Force wing of the Maiduguri International Airport at about 10.45 a.m.

    The president was received by Gov. Kashim Shettima, his Deputy, Usman Durkwa, members of national and state houses of assemblies, and some top government officials.

    Other dignitaries that received the president were the Minister of State for Works, Alhaji Baba Shehuri, Maj.-Gen. Johnson Akinrouluyo, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, heads of security agencies, community and religious leaders.

    Buhari was in Maiduguri to inaugurate various projects executed by the Borno Government in Maiduguri metropolis such as Borno State University; Maiduguri Industrial hub, schools, roads and re-modeled Maiduguri Specialist Hospital.

    The president would also pay a courtesy visit to the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.

    Read Also: Buhari unveils 400-seater Lagos Theatre

    Meanwhile, hundreds of Maiduguri residents were on the the streets to welcome the president, as Borno Government declared Thursday public holiday to enable residents welcome the president.

    The state government had constructed over 40 Mega schools to cater for the over 50, 000 children orphaned by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The schools, designed with e-learning facilities and modern gadgets were constructed in the 27 local government areas of the state.

    One of the schools has been named Muhammadu Buhari Academy.

    NAN

  • Senate Presidency: Borno behind Lawan, not Ndume, says Shettima

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima on Monday threw his weight behind the candidature of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the President of the ninth Senate.

    Shettima, who spoke to reporters in Abuja, said his decision to back the candidature of Lawan is line with the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The APC has already endorsed Lawan (Yobe North) as the party’s choice for the Senate President.

    Shettima insisted the decision of the APC about who becomes the President of the ninth Senate must be respected as way to enforce party discipline and cohesion.

    The governors, who said that it was not true that Borno elders were backing Senator Ali Ndume to emerge Senate President, noted that as the first citizen of the state he made wide consultation before his decision to support Lawan.

    He said: “I hail from the same state with the distinguished Senator Ali Ndume. And I appreciate the fact that politics is local. But politics is also national. And I believe the blood that binds us together supersedes whatever we might harbour.

    “But I fully aligned with the aspiration of my party, to the aspiration of President Muhammadu Buhari and by the grace of God we are going to mobilise all our goodwill to see that we are fully on board.

    “We are for Senator Ahmad Lawan, we are for Femi Gbajabiamila and all other senators and other House of Representatives members endorsed by the party.

    “We are for party discipline that allowed everyone to aspire for political offices. We believe that we must respect the party. All of us won under platforms. There is no provision for independent candidate.

    “I don’t know whether anyone has won under an independent platform. Except may be Senator-elect Ifeanyi Ubah who brought in an anonymous party and won.

    “So, I feel honored by the visit but honestly this visit is unwarranted. I am fully onboard. I am for Senator Ahmed Lawan for Senate president.

    “Well, I am the first citizen of the state I have made wide consultations with our leaders from Borno before resolving to back Senator Ahmed Lawan.

    “And most importantly, let’s be brutally honest, Muhammadu Buhari is the single candidate in the country that most of us from the North won election by aligning with Muhammadu Buhari.

    “So, we have no basis to undermine him or to disrespect him. People like Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Sen Ifeanyi Ubah, Sen Francis Alimikhena won in spite of Buhari not because of Buhari.

    Read alsso: 9th Assembly: APC clears Lawan, others to consult PDP colleagues

    “But most of us from the North have no basis not to align ourselves with President Buhari and whoever he enforces.

    “He has endorsed some of the best hands we have in the system and where we hail from, Sen Ahmed Lawan is one of the best hands we have.

    “It is a reality. He has been in the National Assembly since 1999, he has the experience, exposure, pedigree, intellect to redefine the process. He is the best amongst equals.

    “He is level headed, calm, matured and we need such quality of leadership to drive the 9th Senate.

    “We, the people of Borno, the elected representatives of the people of Borno and we are the representatives of the people.

    “We are not at war with Senator Ali Ndume, he is my kinsman but we will continue to prevail on him to align himself with the aspiration of the party. We are not at war. We belong to the same paternity.”

  • Senate Presidency: Shettima backs Lawan

    Borno State Governors Kashim Shettima Monday threw his weight behind the candidature of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the President of the ninth Senate.

    Shettima who spoke to reporters in Abuja said that his decision to back the candidature of Lawan is line with the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The APC has already endorsed Lawan (Yobe North) as the party’s choice for the Senate President.

    Shettima insisted that the decision of the APC about who becomes the President of the ninth Senate must be respected as way to enforce party discipline and cohesion.

    The governors who said that it was not true that Borno elders were backing Senator Ali Ndume to emerge Senate President noted that as the first citizen of the state he made wide consultation before his decision to support Lawan.

    He said, “Thank you so much. I have very little to say. Ordinarily I am not even supposed to come here because there are three things to be combated.

    “I hail from the same state with the distinguished Senator Ali Ndume. And I appreciate the fact that politics is local. But politics is also national. And I believe the blood that binds us together supersedes whatever we might harbour.

    “But I fully aligned with the aspiration of my party, to the aspiration of President Muhammadu Buhari and by the grace of God; we are going to mobilize all our goodwill to see that we are fully on board.

    “We are for Senator Ahmad Lawan, we are for Femi Gbajabiamila and all other senators and other House of Representatives members endorsed by the party.

    “We are for party discipline that allowed everyone to aspire for political offices. We believe that we must respect the party. All of us won under platforms. There is no provision for independent candidate.

    “I don’t know whether anyone has won under an independent platform. Except maybe Senator-elect Ifeanyi Ubah who brought in an anonymous party and won.

    READ ALSO: Senate Presidency: Adeyeye urges APC to discuss with Ndume, Goje, others

    “So, I feel honored by the visit but honestly this visit is unwarranted. I am fully onboard. I am for Senator Ahmed Lawan for Senate president.

    “Well, I am the first citizen of the state; I have made wide consultations with our leaders from Borno before resolving to back Senator Ahmed Lawan.

    “And most importantly, let’s be brutally honest, Muhammadu Buhari is the single candidate in the country that most of us from the North won election by aligning with Muhammadu Buhari.

    “So, we have no basis to undermine him or to disrespect him. People like Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Sen Ifeanyi Ubah, Sen Francis Alimikhena won in spite of Buhari not because of Buhari.

    “But most of us from the North have no basis not to align ourselves with President Buhari and whoever he enforces.

    “He has endorsed some of the best hands we have in the system and where we hail from; Sen Ahmed Lawan is one of the best hands we have.

    “It is a reality. He has been in the National Assembly since 1999; he has the experience, exposure, pedigree, intellect to redefine the process. He is the best amongst equals.

    “He is level headed, calm, matured and we need such quality of leadership to drive the 9th Senate.

    “We, the people of Borno, the elected representatives of the people of Borno and we are the representatives of the people. “We are not at war with Senator Ali Ndume, he is my kinsman but we will continue to prevail on him to align himself with the aspiration of the party. We are not at war. We belong to the same paternity.”

  • NASS: APC governors endorses Lawan, Gbajabiamila – Shettima

    Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno says former governors in the ninth National Assembly have endorsed the candidature of Sen. Ahmed Lawan for the seat of Senate President.

    Shettima, who confirmed this development when he fielded questions from newsmen in N’Djamena, Chad, said the affected senators-elect had also endorsed Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila for the position of Speaker of the House Representatives.

    The governor also revealed that all the Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect from Borno state have endorsed candidature of Lawan and Gbajabiamila.

    He, therefore, dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that former governors in the national assembly were against the election of Lawan and Gbajabiamila as leaders of the two chambers of the national assembly.

    According to Shettima, the only way APC governors can show appreciation to President Buhari is for them to support his programmes and political decisions.

    “All our governors including those coming to the senate are 100 per cent in support of our party’s stance as far as election of new leadership for the national assembly is concerned.

    “As far as Borno is concern, we are in alignment with the aspirations of Mr President and that of our party.

    “Whoever the party endorses for any position, we will solely stand behind such a person because party discipline is absolutely essential for the sustainability of our democratic experiment.

    “If everyone is to vote according to his own free will surely that would be a recipe for disaster or confusion.

    “So, we have to align ourselves with the aspirations of the president,’’ he said.

    The governor, who was part of President Buhari’s entourage to meeting of member nations of the the Community of Sahel – Saharan States (CEN SAD) in N’Djamena, expressed the hope that the body would come out with lasting solutions to the challenges of insecurity in the affected areas.

    While commending President Buhari for his role in promoting peace and stability in the region, the governor enjoined member nations of the CEN SAD to intensify efforts in addressing the problems of terrorism and banditry along the Lake Chad basin and beyond(NAN)

  • Senate president: Buhari, APC leaders pacify Goje

    LEADERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have moved fast to nip in the bud any disaffection on Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan’s choice for Senate President.

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with one of the leading contenders for the job, Sen. Danjuma Goje.

    Besides, top APC leaders, senators and senators-elect have held series of meetings with Goje to prevent him from being “hijacked” by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    It was learnt that Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima and Lawan’s supporters met another aspirant, Sen. Ali Ndume, to prevail on him to accept Lawan.

    Parliamentary Support Group Chairman Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, who wanted to be Senate president, is backing the President and the APC on the candidature of Lawan.

    The President, APC governors and party leaders have spent the last 24 hours clearing the intrigues surrounding Lawan’s recommendation for the job.

    It was gathered that the President personally coordinated the initiative to keep the party’s caucus in the Senate united ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly in June.

    Eleven meetings have been held between Tuesday and yesterday to reduce tension among APC senators-elect, The Nation learnt.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We are getting closer to an amicable resolution of all issues/ grievances on the recommendation of Lawan. There have been meetings in the last 24 hours on the need to respect the wishes of the President and APC.

    “As the leader of the party, the President has been in charge of the initiative. He has had audience with Goje on why Lawan was picked and the need for all stakeholders to work with him.

    “Some APC governors, top leaders of the party and senators-elect have also reached out to Goje. We want to avoid any rancour in the party and reduce tension. We know the PDP is waiting in the wing for any slip but we won’t allow it.

    “We will come out with power-sharing formula in a way that all stakeholders, including Senate presidential aspirants, will be fully integrated.”

    A senator-elect from the Northcentral said: “When some of us met with Goje, he simply said: ‘If that is what the President wants, I will not drag it. As at this stage, I cannot afford any crisis.’ He is so patriotic about it.”

    Regarding Sen. Adamu, a senator-elect from Northcentral said: “The former governor has really keyed into Lawan’s project.”

    Read also: APC: why we picked Lawan for Senate President

    But a rapprochement could not be fostered with Ndume who left Abuja on Tuesday for his Borno State home.

    A senator-elect from the Northwest added: “Sen. Ndume is away; we are expecting him back on Thursday. But Lawan’s strategists have raised a team to meet with him on why the President and APC took the decision on the Senate presidency.

    “In fact, Governor Kashim Shettima has volunteered to discuss with Ndume to allow the choice of Lawan.”

    The APC is battling to keep its members united to avoid a repeat of the situation of 2015 as being allegedly plotted by PDP.

    “We will not allow the opposition to break our rank this time around. It is a global convention that the party that has more members in the parliament will produce the leadership.

    “We have the majority; we will not succumb to the tyranny of the minority this time around,” a source said, adding: “Notwithstanding, we will extend the olive branch to PDP senators-elect. We are also talking to them to come on board.”

  • Borno gov- elect pledges security, rebuilding, resettlement

    Borno Governor- elect, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has pledged to remain committed to the rebuilding and resettlement drive of the state ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency with millions of displaced persons.

    Prof. Zulum is the immediate past and pioneer commissioner of Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, a ministry created by Gov. Kashim Shettima to handle specific issues with the plight and challenges of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

    In his acceptance speech, he extended olive branch to his colleagues within the APC aggrieved during the primary elections and his opponents.

    He emphasised his administrations priority on the security of lives, just as he promised massive youth empowerment through job creation.

    “Our administration of continuity will place security of lives at the top of all priorities.

    “After all, the number one essence of government it to secure lives and create an atmosphere where citizens are not only safe but they actually feel safe.

    “Insha’Allah, we shall attach similar priority to provision of infrastructure and to rejuvenate the economy of the state. We will build the capacity of more youths and create more jobs for them.

    “We will increase access to public healthcare, quality and affordable education. We will strengthen agriculture to create verse opportunities.”

    He added: “Resources as scarce and needs of societies compete. However, I believe that where there is a sincere will, there will always be options to find the ways.

    “We all have responsibilities towards the rebuilding of Borno State. By we, I mean every resident of Borno across party lines.

    “I shall be willing to work with everyone, including those who contested with us. I believe that what works better is cooperation rather than confrontation.”

    He added: “It is universal that politics involves disagreements whether on principles, ideologies or in trying to get the votes. Politics is a contest and grievances do emanate from contests.

    “Fellow citizens of Borno State, I will on a final note like to say, that no matter our passion and commitment, Allah will at the end, decide what happens.

    “I appeal to all of you to constantly put us in your individual and group prayers.

    “I besiege you to pray all the time that Allah guides us to be the kind of leaders that will justify your overwhelming mandate.”

  • Shettima decries low voters turnout

    Borno state governor Kashim Shettima has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the governorship and State House of Assembly elections but however regretted the low turnout of voters in Maiduguri.

    According to the governor, the turnout of voters in the rural areas is more than what was witnessed in Maiduguri metropolis.

    Shettima has also praised the people of  Ngom and Kubu Villages  of Mafa local  government area   for coming out en-masse despite Friday attacks on their villages  to vote for their son, the APC governorship candidate in the state.

    He expressed confidence that his party, the APC will emerge victorious at the poll, adding that, “Prof Zulum will Isha Allah emerge victorious and continue with the good work of building Borno which we have started”.

    Read Also: Shettima, Ndume, Kyari win Senate seats

    Shettima who spoke with journalists after casting his vote at Alhaji Kukawa Polling Unit in Jabbamari area  of Lawan Bukar Shehuri ward Maiduguri said, ,”actually the election was impressive but  with low turnout within the state capital while outside the state capital, people impressively turn out enmasse to vote for APC and their candidates”.

    He  added that “Borno will soon regain it loss glory as home of peace and all the destroyed communities will soon bear a new look as government  has planned and institutionalized machinery for the immediate reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of all the remaining IDPs and rebuilding of basic infrastructural facilities ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents in the remaining communities that are yet to return”.

    He noted that government will also release additional funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools, hospitals and roads to link most of the major communities displaced by the insurgents.