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Tag: Katsina State

  • How President Buhari, wife will vote on Saturday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Daura, Katsina State, says it has concluded arrangements for Saturday’s  Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Hajiya  Aisha are expected to cast their votes at Sarkin Yara A  Electoral Ward in Polling Unit 003, in his hometown  Daura.

    NAN also reports that Sarkin Yara A has 9,242 registered voters with polling unit 003 comprising only  898 voters.

    INEC said that 187 was Buhari’s serial number on the  permanent voter card  with which he would be identified by the relevant officers before he would be allowed to cast his vote.

    Read Also: Why Buhari is Nigeria’s best choice, by Tinubu

    He will be participating in the exercise for the fifth time as a presidential candidate  under different political platforms since he ventured into politics in 2003.

    He lost three times and  subsequently won in 2015, defeating the incumbent president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan who was seeking re-election after the completion of the first four years in office.

    The former president conceded  defeat even before the then Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, formally declared the winner of the presidential race .

    NAN reports that the ancient city of Daura  is peaceful and normal business activities are going on and enthusiastic feelings among the people who are anxiously waiting for D-day .

    NAN

     

  • 2019: Katsina Women pray against vote buying, insecurity

    Ahead of the 2019 General Elections which begins Saturday February 16, Women in Katsina State on Tuesday trooped out in the numbers to the NYSC Arena by the Arts and Craft village in Katsina to pray against electoral devices including vote buying, insecurity, insurgency, and to usher in peaceful election and co-existence in the state and Nigeria

    The Commissioner For Women Affairs, Dr Badyya Mashi whose Ministry organized the event said It has become necessary for the state and the country to seek the face of God in the march towards the impending elections and ensure that the country march forward as one progressive united entity, after the elections

    She condemned the practicing of vote buying and selling and urged the women to shun such evil electoral practice saying that every true Muslim that remains God fearing knows that vote buying and selling is a sin against God and Humanity

    She said ’’Whenever you are approached or called upon you should shun vote buying and selling, every one that attend this prayer meeting should take the message home for those who are not here’’

    ‘’Those approaching you with money for vote represents evil and do not wish our country well so I charge you in the name of God to reject them with a clean conscience and self denial, lets vote for continuity and wellbeing of this nation under god’s watch.

    Read Also: Atiku promises Katsina people’s jobs, security

    ‘’We know that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari and Aminu Bello Masari have been fair and just to all and have prioritized our expectations, we must support and re-elect them in the impending elections’’

    Governor Aminu Bello Masari who attended the event as a special guest urged the women to protect their votes, shun vote buying and selling and ensure that they re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday.

    The Women Commissioner also appealed to Mothers to check the movements and activities of their children on Election Day, to ensure they were not used to perpetuate violence and thuggery. The Prayer event was also attended by notable Islamic Clerics including Sheik Labaran Imam Salauwa, Dayyabu Inam; others were Hajia Zanmzam Hadi Balarabe and Malama Lami Jibia

  • 2019: Police withdraw VIP attachees, warn operatives on loitering in Katsina

    Ahead of the 2019 General Elections which begins Saturday February 16, the Katsina State Police Command on Monday withdrew police personnel attached to very important personnel, VIPs and Politicians in the state during the elections

    The newly posted Commissioner of Police for the State Alhaji Sanusi Buba who handed down the directive in a press briefing held at the command headquarters in Katsina said no Politician will be accompanied to the polling station in the state to the polls

    On the preparations made so far for the impending exercise, he disclosed that operational deployment of personnel is currently underway with additional number received. He also announced the strengthening of cooperation with sister agencies.

    The CP further warned voters to either go home after voting or stay within 300 meters of the polling station after casting their votes

    He said’ ’we are determined to handle any infractions, while appealing for cooperation and that nothing untoward will ensue any tango between the Police and the public. Any personnel found loitering will face serious consequences’’

    Read Also: Three in police net for child trafficking

    ‘’The Police High Command is determined to ensure successful elections and at the command level we are more than willing to ensure that the orders of the IGP are carried out to the letter’’

    Alhaji Buba also solicited the support of the Media and relevant stakeholders describing their cooperation as most invaluable and that their partnership will help promote a crime free state. He further assured citizens of an excellent conduct of policing activities during his tenure

    He said ’’under my watch the Police will work under the ambit of the 1999 constitution. We are going to deploy community policing strategy to reduce crime in the state and this and this we are going to achieve with honesty’’

  • SDP guber candidate, 15 others back Masari, Buhari

    The Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Katsina State, Alhaji Muazu Dahiru Rafindadi, and 15 other gubernatorial candidates of have thrown their weight behind Kastina StateState Aminu Masari and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Addressing newsmen in Katsina on Sunday, the candidates said their decision was based on belief the two candidates of the APC can lead both the state and the country to the Promised Land.

    The SDP candidate further added his decision was also a follow up to the resolution of the party leadership at the National level to queue behind President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the country to the next level.

    Read Also: Why Falae resigned as our chairman, by SDP

    He said: ’’Since the ideologies of both parties are nearly the same and seeing that we also share the same passion and vision with the Governor on the best way to develop the state, we were left with no choice than to step aside and allow the Governor to lead the state to the next level’’

    In a related development, the Shi’ite Youth Political Forum, Katsina State Chapter, hashas decla l support for Buhari and Masari in their second term bid.

    The leader of the Group, Alhaji Mallam Aminu Bara’a made the declaration when he leads the Forum to a courtesy visit to Secretary to Katsina State Government, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwan.

    He noted every patriotic Nigerian must agree that the Buhari’s Administration has laid solid foundation for the progress of this country which needs continuity.

    The Shi’ite youths leader also maintained that they have decided to rally round PMB and ABM because of the various achievements so far recorded by their Administration.

  • North West APC to increase Buhari’s vote haul

    A The North West Chapter of the All progressive Congress (APC) has promised to increase President Muhammadu Buhari’s vote haul to 12m from the previous 7.5m vote the area gave him during the 2015 general elections.

    The chapter spoke ahead of the APC Presidential Campaign Mega rally on Thursday February 14th in Katsina.

    Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari who was represented by the State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shittu Shittu made the above disclosure during the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), empowerment program held at the old Government House, where no fewer than 1,000 indegenes were empowered with equipment and capitals to establish small businesses.

    He said that the region would not be lagging in expectations to deliver, and has since embarked on aggressive campaigns at all levels to ensure victory for the party. He observed that with current crisis rocking the party in Zamfara and parts of Sokoto and Kano the party, has no choice than work hard to ensure a sweeping victory in the zone

    Meanwhile, additional one thousand people who are spread across the state were also given various equipment and items to begin small scale enterprises.

    The empowerment which began with people in the Katsina senatorial zone of the state is expected to be extended to people in Funtua and Daura zones during the week.

    The Katsina empowerment exercise saw some beneficiaries going home with ten thousand naira each (N10, 000) while some were given various equipment including sewing machines, pumping machines and grinding machines.

    The beneficiaries, who were both men and women, were expected to use the equipment to start their business entrepreneurs and become fully engaged instead of depending on others for survival.

    An elder in the state and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abba Ali, who spoke at the occasion, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of whatever they were given.

    The NPA Managing Director, Hajiya Hadiza Usman who was represented at the occasion by Mallam Musa Abubakar, said the empowerment was part of efforts to augment President Muhammadu Buhari’s government steps at creating jobs for Nigerians, also to develop Katsina state,

    Earlier the NPA has installed 282 Solar lights  for  282 Almajiri schools spread across the thirty four local government areas of the state and distributed 500  chairs to primary schools   and given point of lay chicken to women in the state, among others.

  • Presidential poll will be walkover for Buhari, says El-Rufai

    The February 16 presidential poll would be a walkover for President Muhammadu Buhari, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has declared.

    He spoke when a pro-Buhari group, Forward With Buhari, led by its National Deputy Chairman (North), Senator Lawali Shaibu paid a him a visit in Kaduna.

    El-Rufai, who received the group at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Goverment House in Kaduna on Thursday said, he has no doubt that the President will be victorious in the election.

    He said: “Kaduna is the home town of the President. It is true that the President is from Katsina State, but he is more of a Kaduna state person.

    “Kaduna is more passionate about returning the President. We will not only return him, Kaduna people will give him 90 per cent of their votes.”

    While lauding the group for its efforts, he urged members to consolidate on what the party has done in terms of canvasing for votes in the coming elections.

    Shuaibu said the idea of the door- to- door campaign they are embarking on was influenced by brain cracking to ensure that Buhari comes out victorious in the forthcoming elections.

    Read Also: Choosing between Buhari and Atiku

    The Buhari -led administration, he said, deserves a second term judging by its performances in all sectors.

    According to him: “In the history of governance in Nigeria, APC under President Buhari has done tremendously well in all the six geo political zone. Buhari’s laudable projects have direct bearing on the lives of people in the country.”

    He explained their support was based on the President’s numerous achievements, saying that without any doubt Buhari will floor his opponents based on the support of Nigerians.

    “Buhari’s re-election would ensure continuity in the positive affairs of the nation.

    “What we are doing in Kaduna today is to add value to what the President has come to do when he visited the state for his rally sometimes ago, and with what we are seeing Kaduna seems to be a state that will give good number of votes to Mr. President in the coming elections.

    “Throughout our campaign in Kaduna, we are going to ensure that there is no use of hate speeches,” he stated

  • INEC to deploy NYSC staff in 34 LGAs in Katsina

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Saturday in Katsina state dismissed fears that it will not be posting NYSC staff or conduct elections in the local Government areas affected by the recent upsurge in security challenges saying it had already conducted a workshop for senior security operatives in the state and training for about corps members selected for the exercise and therefore ready to deploy them in the 34 local government areas of the state

    The INEC training officer in Katsina State, Alhaji Abdul Azeez Hammed told the Nation in an exclusive interview at the training session being held at Kofa Sauri Primary School for about 1650 corps members, that a total of 7000 corp members were to be trained as electoral supervisors and are to undergo 3 day training in the state preparatory to the conduct of the general elections in the state

    He said “I am not aware about any plan not to conduct election in any part of the state or that the agency is not deploying the corps members and security operatives in any local government areas for now we are training the supervisors the training of Presiding officers who are mostly lecturers and academic will come up November 6th’’

    “There is a noticeable improvement in the level of security in the state and so INEC is certainly preparing to conduct elections in every part of the state, if the present momentum is maintained’’

    In a related development, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been commended by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), for its unflinching support to INEC, especially during election duties, and the continued cordial working relationship between the two agencies

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Katsina State, Alhaji Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa who gave the above commendation recently in Katsina while addressing the officials of the scheme during INEC training exercise, stressed that without the support of the officials of the NYSC, it would be very cumbersome for them to control the Corps Members.

    The INEC boss further assured that the security of corps members will remain paramount and compulsory in their plans for the election process.

    Meanwhile the State Coordinator NYSC Katsina State Hajiya Ramatu Sanda has charged corps members to maintain and uphold the integrity which the National Youth Service Corps NYSC has established over the years by doing the right thing during the fourth coming general elections.

    Hajiya Sanda made the call while addressing the corps members on election matters told the corps members to be extremely careful and be self-disciplined during INEC duties.

  • Kano free of polio in 53 months, says Commissioner of Health

    Kano state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso on Saturday said Kano state has been free of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) outbreak for 53 months.

    According to him, the state is participating in the January 2019 sub-national Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign owing to outbreak of polio in neighboring Jigawa and Katsina states.

    Dr. Getso who addressed Reporters during a Press Conference said the three-day campaign will kick-start on Sunday January 27.

    He added that, “Kano is at risk of infection from its neighbouring states where many cases of circulating Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus (cVDPV) has been isolated because Kano has long stretch of borders with Jigawa and Katsina states.

    “Kano has high population dynamics occasioned by high volume of commercial activities. Kano has busy markets with possibilities of sales of empty vaccine vials. Also, Kano has highly populated metropolitan Local Government Areas.”

    He further stated that, “I want to emphasize that this campaign will involve administration of mOPV2 vaccine targeting all children aged 0—59 months in the 35 Local Government Areas. It is, therefore, important that parents and care-givers bring out all the eligible children to the vaccination posts earmarked for this campaign in their areas.”

    Read Also: 11,000 corps members for polls in Kano

    Getso said, “it is on record that a lot of resources have been committed into Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) with a view to meeting all eligible children for immunization and it is now 53 months without recording a single case of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in Kano state.

    “Our commitment and efforts in strengthening Routine Immunization over the last three years are yielding positive results. For two consecutive quarters now, Kano state has consistently emerged as the best improved state in the country in Routine Immunization service delivery.”

  • Katsina govt says insecurity may affect 2019 general elections

    The Katsina State Government has admitted that the present state of insecurity which has gripped the state may affect the conduct of a peaceful general election in the state if not properly tackled by a combined synergy of actions involving security agencies in the state through ground and air operations

    Dr Mustapha Inuwa who is the secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the 10 man Security Committee, which also included the Emirs of Daura and Katsina, set up after an an extraordinary security meeting that comprises security chiefs and other stakeholders, told newsmen at a briefing in his office that movement of personnel and materials to especially the affected frontline state s will be hampered by insecurity

    He further listed the affected frontline Local Government Areas that borders Zamfara to include: Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Dandume, Faskari, Sabwa and Kafur.

    Read Also: Katsina under siege by armed robbers, bandits – Masari

    He said’’ certainly the security situation will threaten the general elections especially in those affected local government areas because if you post personnel to the affected area, he may refuse to go there in fear of his or her safety’’

    Inuwa further outlined several emergency measures taking by the Government including reaching out for cooperation with neighboring states like Kaduna, Zamfara and Kano states, clearing the forests located especially within the urban centers which he said has become a hideout for criminals, awareness campaign amongst inhabitants of the rural areas through traditional rulers and district heads and equipping security agencies

    Meanwhile, the state government has requested the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris to make available Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) and related equipment to police personnel to enable them deal with the rising cases of kidnappings, banditry and rustling in some parts of the state.

    The state government also said it discovered that the lack of synergy between the police, military and other security agencies in the state was responsible for the rise in cases of kidnappings, banditry and rustling especially in council areas sharing the border with the Rugu forest.

    The Nation recalled that Governor Masari had during an extraordinary security meeting that comprised of security chiefs and other stakeholders lamented the rise in insecurity, adding that security reports showed that one or more of the mentioned crimes were perpetrated in some parts of the state on a daily basis.

    On the issue of Cattle rustling, he said government was considering the possibility of carrying out an enumeration of the number of cattles in the affected areas and their owners, as same would serve as a check on the issue.

     

  • Katsina under siege by armed robbers, bandits – Masari

     

    The Katsina State Government on Wednesday lamented that the state was under siege by bandits, armed robbers and kidnappers.

    Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State said this during the opening ceremony of an extra-ordinary security meeting in katsina.

    “The citizens are on daily basis being harassed by bandits and kidnappers that are on rampage in the state.

    “The Katsina Government organised this one-day joint security and stakeholders meeting to proffer solutions to the state’s current insecurity challenge.

    “Our state is currently under serious siege by armed robbers, kidnappers and armed bandits who arrest rural people at the grassroots at will and demand ransom, which if not paid, they kill their victims.

    “The people of Katsina in the 34 local governments now sleep with one eye closed and the other opened.

    Read Also: Katsina APC rep defects to PDP

    “Our state is in a dangerous situation. Travelers are afraid of being stopped on the highway and arrested by kidnappers who demand ransom,” Masari said.

    Masari said the situation was so bad that some thieves stole some electrical equipment near the Government House at the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Katsina.

    “I am calling on all stakeholders to come out with solutions that will assist the security agencies to discharge their duties,” he said

    The governor urged the stakeholders not hide any criminal, and reveal vital information about criminals during the meeting.

    “This time around, we should be able to make sacrifices that will make our state safe and will allow people to go about their lawful business without fear of being arrested by armed bandits and kidnappers.

    Soldiers, the Police, Department of Security Service (DSS) and other security outfits and traditional rulers attended the meeting.

    NAN