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Tag: Kingibe

  • Kingibe denies sponsoring protests in Abuja

    Kingibe denies sponsoring protests in Abuja

    Senator Ireti Kingibe on Friday denied sponsoring the ongoing protests in Abuja.

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had raised the alarm that an unnamed Senator was one of those behind the Abuja protests by supplying them with food and water.

    But Kingibe who represents the FCT on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) said the video being misconstrued was recorded six weeks ago during the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) protests at the National headquarters of the LP in Abuja.

    The FCT Senator who disclosed this in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Kennedy Mbele, said: “I am shocked and outraged by the blatant lies and misinformation being spread by mischief-makers!

    “The video being circulated is from over six weeks ago, during a Labour Party NWC meeting when the NLC was protesting outside the Labour Party office.

    “As stakeholders, including Senators, House of Reps members, and Mr. Peter Obi, we went out to engage with the protesters and address their concerns.

    Read Also: Protest: President should address the nation, says coalition 

    “Now, these deceitful individuals are trying to pass off this old footage as current, claiming that Mr. Peter Obi and I were leading protests in Abuja yesterday.

    “This is a malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us. Let me set the record straight: Mr. Peter Obi is not in Abuja, and I haven’t left my house since Wednesday due to illness, much less distributed food and water at the protest grounds, though that would be noble for whoever did.

    “I condemn this orchestrated attempt to spread falsehoods and cause confusion, using it as the basis to claim I sponsored the Abuja protest.

    “It is a shameless and irresponsible act that will not be tolerated. We will not stand idly by while our names and reputations are dragged through the mud by these unscrupulous individuals,” the statement said.

  • Senate will invite Wike over Abuja insecurity -Kingibe

    Senate will invite Wike over Abuja insecurity -Kingibe

    Senator Ireti Kingibe representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has said the Senate will invite the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike to address the growing level of insecurity in Abuja.

    She informed the Senate will summon Wike and the heads of security agencies to testify over the rise in crimes in the nation’s capital during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Sunday.

    The Senator said: “When the Senate resumes, I plan that the (Senate) FCT committee specifically needs to sit with the two ministers and the security agencies for them to give us their plans concerning security.
    “It is not that I am hoping. I know he will be summoned. But whether he responds or not is a different matter entirely. But as the chief security officer of the FCT, he should have a plan.

    Read Also: Between Deji Adeyanju and Wike

    “He should be able to tell us, the committee, and specifically me, that this is the plan for protecting the people of the FCT. Between him, the police commissioner, and the head of the DSS, they must have a plan.”

    The lawmaker, who assumed office last year, praised the FCT’s security authorities for efforts to eradicate crimes.

    She added: “I must commend the security agencies for doing something when we started to scream. But the truth is a little bit earlier, I tried to draw their attention and I was told that it was exaggerated and I said it couldn’t be because what I’m telling them, I did not get from social media. I got it from my constituents. But I’m glad that everybody, we are now all seem to be on the same page.

    “They’re trying to take it all seriously, but a lot more needs to be done. Catching the kidnappers is just the symptom. We need to get to the root cause of what is causing all of this insecurity.”

  • UPDATED: Tinubu, Alaafin of Oyo, others in Aso Rock for Abiola’s investiture

    The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Jonathan Zwingina were among the early arrivals at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

    They were in the State House for the investiture ceremony of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, late Chief Moshood Abiola and other heroes of democracy.

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Adeyemi Lamidi, also arrived the old Banquet Hall of the State House at 8: 50 a.m

    The Federal Government will confer a posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on Abiola.

    The late foremost human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Abiola’s running mate in 1993, Amb. Babagana Kingibe, will also receive the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) award.

    Fawehinmi will be conferred with a posthumous GCON award.

     

  • June 12: I feel greatly honoured, says Kingibe

    Running mate of the late Chief Moshood Abiola in the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, has described Federal Government’s declaration of the day as Democracy Day as a great honour.

    He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that a national honour would be conferred on Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the election, himself and the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

    Kingibe, currently in Saudi Arabia for the ‘Lesser Hajj’, however, declined further comment on the issues.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone that he preferred to concentrate on his religious rites for now.

    He said: “I really appreciate this. I will love to express my feelings. But right now, I am in Makkah praying to make peace with my Maker.

    “There will be time enough to share worldly thoughts with friends,” the former Secretary to Government of the Federal Government (SGF), said.

    On his part, former General Secretary, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, said the day June 12 was declared national Democracy Day was the happiest day of his life.

    Kokori told NAN that the recognition of the date would go a long way in deepening Nigerians’ faith in their country.

    He said: “This declaration is not an ordinary one. It is going to encourage Nigerians to contribute selflessly to the social, political and economic emancipation of their country.

    “No matter what anyone may say, President Muhammadu Buhari has, through this act, restored the hope of Nigerians in Nigeria.”

    Buhari on Wednesday announced the replacement of May 29 with June 12 as National Democracy Day, in recognition of June 12, 1993 presidential election believed to have been won by Abiola.

    The late business mogul was also conferred, posthumously, with Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).

    Kokori said that Buhari was the last person he expected would recognise June 12.

    “Ordinarily, one would have expected such a national service to come from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who himself went to prison, though for a slightly different reason.

    “But here we are and when all hopes were seemingly lost, someone came and did justice to the struggle.

    “I cannot claim personal glory for roles played during the struggle in spite of countless tribulations, but the honour goes to NUPENG, and the union will come out with official reaction to this landmark gesture,” he said.

  • Alleged missing NIA $202m: Drama as Kingibe forces House panel into closed-door meeting

    Alleged missing NIA $202m: Drama as Kingibe forces House panel into closed-door meeting

    Chairman of the Presidential panel on National Intelligence Agency (NIA) restructuring Ambassador Babagana Kingibe yesterday refused open interaction of his panel members with the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Public Safety.

    The presidential committee was summoned by the Sani Aminu-led House committee over the status of $202 million intervention fund allegedly missing from the agency’s coffers.

    The committee is also investigating the propriety or otherwise of the appointment of Ahmed Abubakar as new NIA Director-General (DG).

    At the beginning of the meeting, Kingibe, who arrived at the meeting with members of his group, was shocked on discovering the presence of reporters.

    He was offered a seat by an official of the committee, which he refused, querying whether the committee wants to make a public show of the meeting with the media presence.

    “No, I won’t sit down. What is all this? Do you people want to make a show of us?” he queried

    When the committee’s aide advised him to go and see the committee chairman, he refused, saying the chairman should be informed that the panel members were around.

    On introduction, Kingibe said the cumulative working experience of the members of his panel could not have been less than 175 years, adding that having made an oath of secrecy in and out of the office, all the past NIA DGs and the incumbent would rather prefer to discuss with the committee behind closed-doors.

    Six members of the panel attended the hearing.

    At this point, the House committee chairman asked the reporters to vacate the room for an executive session.

    Kingibe and other members of the panel, however, hurriedly left the venue after about two hours of discussion.

    On his part, the House committee chairman told reporters that there was progress, refusing to go into specific details.

    “The investigation is still ongoing; we are making progress,” he added.

    The committee had raised the alarm over a missing $202 million belonging to the agency, which they vowed to recover.

    Part of the ways to track the funds, according to the committee, was to interrogate persons or groups, past and present DGs of the agency, as well as the Kingibe’s panel, which had a presidential mandate to restructure the agency.

    Aminu had told reporters after a meeting 10 days ago that “first, there was the issue of $43 million found in an Ikoyi, Lagos apartment said to belong to the NIA. Then, there was the $44 million allegedly missing from the NIA’s coffers, which the House  of Representatives mandated its committee on Public Safety and National Security to investigate.

    “Even the National Security Adviser said it was when our committee began its investigation they got the information that the NIA got $289 million.

    “You know, we had a meeting with the NSA today (Friday). We later discovered since last week in our meeting with the past Acting NIA DG that the $44 million is not missing.

    “If you remember, there was this $44 million, which is among the $289 million approved to the then Director-General; that is Ayo Oke. Just April last year, they discovered $43 million in Ikoyi. He tried to say that the $44 million and $43 million are part of the $289 million.

    “But for us, we are still working to see where the remaining $202 million was placed. We only know about the $43 million now, the one discovered in Ikoyi and the $44 million in their vault. In the course of our investigation, we’ll come up with where the $289 miliion really is, not the $43 million and not the $44 million but the entire amount.

    “For me, the money ($202million) is still missing.”

  • Kingibe, Jiga, Imam eye SGF

    Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, Ambassador Baba Jiga, Alhaji Kashim Imam and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu are among those eyeing SGF in the Buhari Administration, it was learnt yesterday.

    A party source said these eminent Nigerians were leaving no stone unturned to get the position, which is considered a key appointment.

    However, it was learnt that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership wants a candidate from the South. According to the source, the agitation for the zoning of the position to either the Southeast or Southsouth gathered momentum, following the emergence of the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate Leader from the North.

    Kingibe, seasoned diplomat and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jiga and Imam are from Borno State. Onu, a former university teacher and Third Republic governor of Abia State, is from Abia State.

    The source said: “The three politicians are eminently qualified for the position. They have experience. But, the President and the party will brainstorm on the appointment and the President will make the right choice.”

     

  • Northeast leaders to govt: don’t extend state of emergency

    Northeast leaders to govt: don’t extend state of emergency

    •Ciroma, Kingibe, others slam security

    Leaders of Borno and Yobe states – two states battling, along with Adamawa, the Boko Haram insurgency – yesterday alleged complicity of security forces in sect members.

    They blamed the Federal Government for failing to rise up to the battle and lamented the sect’s wanton killings.

    The leaders urged the Federal Government not to extend the state of emergency declared in the states beyond April 19 when it will expire because, there is no for justification for it.

    Speaking under the aegis of Borno -Yobe People’s Forum, a non-partisan, non-religious association, in Abuja yesterday, they demanded answers to many attacks that had claimed hundreds of lives in the zone.

    A former Chief of Air Staff ,Air Vice Marshall Al Amin Daggash, who spoke on behalf the group alleged that there were instances that suggested that security agents either had the knowledge of the attacks before they happened or neglected to act proactively to prevent them.

    With the former military chief were elder statesmen Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe and Alhaji Shettima Mustapha. Ciroma is from Yobe. The others are from Borno State.

    The group demanded to know “who authorised the withdrawal of security personnel from the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi (Yobe State), hours before the attack that claimed the lives of 59 innocent children”.

    They also wondered why security reports from the communities on impending attacks were ignored or not promptly responded to by security personnel.

    Dagash said: “Are the authorities unaware of helicopters dropping arms and ammunition, food and medical supplies to areas well known to be strongholds of the insurgents?

    “How were the insurgents able to attack the Maiduguri Air Force Base and demobilise as well as burn planes and other military installations, despite existing state of emergency and curfew in the town? How could 20 to 30 Toyota Hilux vehicles move in a convoy freely with subsisting curfew and still go undetected?

    “How did a little band of rag-tag misguided youths metamorphose into a well kitted, well armed killing machine moving freely in convoy, of vehicles and supported by helicopters?

    “How did the Shilka Tank, a multipurpose self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery weapon positioned to secure Giwa Barracks fail to function, resulting in heavy loss of lives both civilian and military, as widely reported in the media? Are we dealing with fifth columnists in this crisis?”

    They insisted that the state of emergency declared in the three Northeast states should not be extended after April 19 because it has failed to achieved the desired result.

    The state of emergency will be one year old on that date.

    AVM Daggash noted that about 18 communities had been attacked by insurgents in the last one month, with heavy civilian casualties..

    “The continuous bloodletting has led to the loss of over 17,000 lives. Statistics released by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) showed that over three million people have been displaced by the insurgency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in the first three months of this year.

    “Most of the victims are women, children and elderly. These developments underscore the urgent need for the government, the international community, as well as all Nigerians to arrest the brewing humanitarian crises in the area,” he added.

    AVM Daggash called on the government to unmask sponsors of Boko Haram and probe the genesis of the crisis “with particular regards to those who master minded, encouraged or financed it”.

    The leaders recommended the implementation of the recommendations of Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari and Taminu Turaki Presidential Committees. “It is the considered view of many commentators that had the reports been implemented, the insurgency would have been largely contained,” AVM Daggash said.