Armed bandits have attacked and killed Senator Kabiru Marafa’s sister and abducted her husband in Zamfara state.
Details shortly...
Tag: Marafa
-
Saraki, Marafa disagree over N2.4b daily fuel subsidy
SENATE President Bukola Saraki and Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Chairman Senator Kabiru Marafa yesterday disagreed over the alleged daily payment of N2.4 billion to subsidise fuel.
Marafa told reporters in Abuja that the country does not pay up to N2.4 billion to subsidise fuel daily as claimed by Saraki.
The Senate President had claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was spending N2.4 billion to subsidise 50 million litres every day.
Saraki, at a programme aired on African Independent Television (AIT) yesterday, noted: “It is shocking and alarming that the current administration in the country claimed that Nigerians are consuming 50 million litres of fuel every day and for two years, they did it without appropriation.
“What type of integrity are we talking about when a government claims to have been spending N2.4 billion.
“We have a committee set up to look into it but we have always met a brick wall.
“For two years, we made several cases to the executive that the subsidy claims must be presented for appropriation because we cannot continue to rely on the arguments by the executive that it was only spending money on under recovery.”
Marafa, in an interview with reporters, sharply disagreed with Saraki.
The Zamfara Central lawmaker insisted that findings by his committee showed that Nigerians were not consuming more than 30 million of litres of fuel per day.
He also noted that it was not possible for the country to spend up to N2.4 billion ever day to subsidise fuel consumption.
Marafa said: “It is not possible to spend N2.4 billion on subsidy in Nigeria every day. Even though we don’t have the exact figure, but it ranges between 25 to 35 million per day, depending on the circumstances.
“Even, if we are selling 30 million litres per day at N145 per litre, it will amount to N4.3 billion. If you say that government is subsidising by N2.4 billion, are we saying that government is selling at half of the amount?
“The landing cost of PMS (Petrol) is N180 – that means government is subsidising maximum N40 naira per litre. If you multiply that with 30 million litres, it cannot be up to N2.4 billion.
“I don’t want to join issues with the Senate President. I don’t know the particular committee he mandated to carry out his investigations, but if he said so, it must be for the purpose of winning elections.”
-
‘Stay away from our efforts on security’
Zamfara Government has advised the Senator representing Zamfara Central, Sen. Kabiru Marafa, to stay away efforts of state and federal governments in addressing security challenges in the state.
The government gave the advice in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Relations, Mr Ibrahim Dosara, in Gusau on Friday.
The development followed the senator’s perceived negative comment on the recent decision of the state government to engage 8,500 youths as members of civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) on security in the state.
The lawmaker was quoted as saying that the recruitment was part of plan by the state government to use the youths against any opponent in the 2019 general elections in the state.
The government accused Marafa of “publicly denouncing’’ its widely-accepted new strategy, being applied for the lasting solution for peace in the predominantly rural areas mostly hit by activities of bandits in the state.
“In the first instance, Sen. Marafa closed his eyes to all the efforts by Gov. Yari, President Muhammadu Buhari and all security agencies have been making to curb security challenges facing the state.
“The Senator was vocally out in any fora he was opportuned to speak, to condemn both Yari and Buhari in this regard,” the statement added.
Read Also: PDP kicks as security searches Atiku’s jet on return from Dubai
It maintained that “the decision to recruit the 8,500 civilian JTF was taken based on the advice of the Presidency and some governors who had similar bitter experience, but succeeded in similar strategy of employing the JTF’’.
It disclosed that the state Council of Chiefs, Council of Ulamas and the State Security Council approved the recruitment.
“Therefore, the action is within the ambit of the law, and intended to bring to an end, the enormous security challenges in the state.
“Moreover, the civilian JTF are to work with the security agencies fighting the 10 years old menace, providing intelligence, assisting in locating the bandits’ camps, etc.
“The senator is hereby enjoined to face his remaining political calculations in Nigerian politics and allow the government, traditional institutions, security agencies and the public to continue working hard for a peaceful Zamfara state,” it said.
The state government had a fortnight ago resolved to engage 500 youths from each of the 17 emirate councils in the state, who would receive training on intelligence-gathering and dissemination.
They will also arrest suspected bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers and other criminals so as to rid the state of criminal activities.
Already, the recruitment exercise has commenced and the state government has promised to give the youths a monthly stipend of N15, 000 each.
NAN
-
Don’t sell APC guber ticket to highest bidder – Marafa warns
The crisis rocking the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be far from over.
A front line governorship aspirant in the state, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa , on Friday dissociated himself from a meeting convened by the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole with Zamfara governorship aspirants on Thursday.
Marafa who was reacting a publication on ” Oshiomhole meets Zamfara Guber aspirants, as party considers Lawal”, claimed that Oshiomhole met with the nine governorship aspirants in Abuja on Thursday.
The Zamfara Central senator in a statement said that he was not aware of the meeting.
He said,”My attention has been drawn to publication headlined: “Oshiomhole meets Zamfara Guber aspirants, as party considers Lawal.
” I want to state emphatically that nobody invited me to any meeting after the failed attempt to conduct primaries/consensus as at 12am Sunday 7th Oct 2018.
Read Also: Obasanjo has right to support any candidate, says Falana
” I want to restate further for emphasis that there was neither election nor consensus reached among APC aspirants in Zamfara state.”
Marafa insisted that he would not be party to any move to trade with the APC Governorship ticket of Zamfara, saying that due process and rule of law must be religiously adhered to.
He said, “I will not be a party to any attempt by anybody to sell the tickets of APC to any desperate politician(s) by anybody.
“I will resist any attempt by anybody to do so. May Allah (SWT) guide us to the straight path and give us the ability to act justly and fairly,” he said.
-
Marafa: no APC primary or consensus in Zamfara
A Zamfara State governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kabiru Marafa, has said the party did not hold a primary in the state.
Marafa added that attempts to produce a consensus candidate for the party also failed. He noted that any attempt by the party to field a governorship candidate for the 2019 election would certainly lead to a law suit because there was no consensus candidate.
Marafa said: “Though I am not a lawyer, but I consider it treason for a sitting governor to call for the continuation of an election that was cancelled and going ahead to collate and announce results.
“If the governor was the President of Nigeria and he does what he is doing in Zamfara, the country will be on fire. Supposing Governor AbdulAziz Yari were former President Goodluck Jonathan and in 2015, decided to announce the year’s results himself in defiance to INEC, imagine what would have happened!
“Nobody has the right to cancel, collate and announce results other than the body constitutionally empowered to do so. We are all products of the constitution and we should play by the rule. There was a process that produced him as governor, he has the constitutional rights, but you cannot dabble into other people’s rights no matter what. I think what the governor did was absolutely wrong.”
“I read the letter by INEC where he quoted sections of the law that influenced their decision to bar the APC from fielding candidates. I also read the response by the APC National Chairman. I believe the chairman is being misled by the APC electoral committee that went to Zamfara.
“But as a stakeholder who was present, and witnessed the process, there was no election in Zamfara on October 7. There was also no consensus from anybody or by anybody. So, the election committee reported in the contrary. I think that was absolutely wrong.
“I always stand by the side of the truth. I want to say the truth even if it is against me. I’m an APC member to the core and I am still with the APC notwithstanding that the chances are becoming bleak, may be for me as a politician. But I believe in the party. But if the party does anything wrong, I should have the courage to say this thing is wrong.”
-
Marafa: There was no consensus in Zamfara APC primaries
Sen. Kabir Marafa (APC/Zamfara Central), has said that there was neither election nor consensus in the botched All Progressives Congress (APC), primaries in Zamfara.
Marafa was responding to claims by the APC National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, that the party arrived at a consensus in Zamfara before the Oct. 7 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC had written to the APC conveying its decision to bar the party from fielding candidates in Zamfara in the 2019 general elections, citing its failure to meet the deadline for the conduct of primaries.
Responding through a letter dated Oct. 10, Oshiomhole had told the commission that although party members bickered over the conduct of the primaries, they arrived at a consensus.
But Marafa, who was a governorship aspirant in the primaries, disagreed with the APC chairman, saying that Oshiomhole might have been misled by the committee sent to conduct the exercise.
“The only thing I saw wrong in the letter is the assertion that there was consensus among the aspirants during the primaries.
“The governorship ticket had nine aspirants. I recall that four withdrew, but there was no consensus among the five left, until the close of primaries by 7 p.m.
“The primary election committee really tried to bring about consensus, but the two factions of the state chapter of the APC could not agree.
“What I am saying is that if you force any consensus or say there was one, there is going to be revolt.
“An aspirant forced out of the race on the ground of consensus has the right to go to court and contest that claim. I don’t want to see that happen.”
Marafa said that if APC had the legal backing to field a candidate in Zamfara without election or consensus, it should go ahead, otherwise the party should explore other options.
He said that INEC, in its letter to the party, cited relevant provisions of the Electoral Act as the basis of its decision to bar the APC in the state.
He pointed out that any argument over the commission’s decision should be based on what the law says regarding the situation in Zamfara.
“So, if APC has the right to field candidates without these two issues, so be it; we should be allowed to field candidates.
“But, if we cannot, because of these two issues, then that means we cannot.
“Any attempt to make it look otherwise will only put the party in a more precarious situation, which I think is avoidable.
“So, if we are not allowed to do it, then we will look at other options. Those that don’t have other options can stay around for another four years,” he added.
Marafa, however, refused to disclose the “other options” available to him.
“I will keep the options close to my chest until the right time,” he said. (NAN)
-
Marafa blames Yari for violence in Zamfara
ALL Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa yesterday threw his weight behind the decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on cancellation of Wednesday’s governorship primary in Zamfara State.
The decision followed the recommendation of Professor Abu Fari-led governorship primary committee.
Marafa, who is one of the aspirants in a statement, blamed Governor Abdul Aziz Yari for the violence that erupted in some parts of the state during the exercise.
He noted that the insistence on the continuation of the exercise despite the violence orchestrated by those who should have ensured peace was the height of lawlessness and wickedness.
Marafa said the primary election was postponed thrice and that after an exhaustive meeting with all security agencies, nine governorship aspirants, INEC and the committee sent from Abuja on Tuesday, it was unanimously agreed that the election should hold on Wednesday.
He noted that after the distribution of election materials, the aspirant agents raised the alarm that ballot papers given to them were not up to 10% of the registered party members in their wards.
Marafa added that the development forced the committee chairman to summon an emergency meeting in the office of the Commissioner of Police to address the issue.
He said: “In attendance at the meeting were all the aspirants and heads of other security agencies. The chairman called the National chairman of APC, Chief Adams Oshiomhole, who spoke individually with all the aspirants. In the end, all the aspirants agreed that the ballot papers should be set aside and direct method of people queuing behind the candidate of their choice be adopted.
Marafa said the National Chairman thereafter gave approval that the system be employed.
He said: “the election went on smoothly in many wards and results started coming in, then suddenly violence erupted in major towns where desperate government officials organised thugs to attack party members, especially women.”
The development, he said, forced the chairman of the election committee to quickly cancel the election to halt the crisis.
“It is pertinent to mention here that the governor’s candidate lost in all the wards where elections held.
“Hours after the cancellation, desperate Governor Yari went on air to announce that election will continue today (Thursday) without even condoling and sympathising with the families of the deceased and the injured persons,” he said.
He urged APC members of the party and the people of the state to remain calm, abide by the decision of the national committee and await further announcement.
-
I’m fully prepared, says Marafa
Chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Kabiru Marafa yesterday said that he was fully prepared to take part in governorship primaries of the All Progressives (APC) in Zamfara State.
Marafa, in a statement, noted he and millions of his supporters across the state were participating based on the assurances that the exercise would be conducted through direct mode as directed by the leadership of APC.
Marafa had earlier raised the alarm that he would not participate in the exercise on the allegation that the executive in the camp of Governor Abdul Aziz Yari would be used to coordinate the exercise.
He said: “We are participating because they have assured us that the primary will be conducted through direct mode.
“Two, they have assured us that the executive in the governor’s camp are not going to coordinate the primary election.
“Based on these promises made by the party at the National level, INEC and security agencies, we are going into the election. I’m urging all my supporters across the state to come out to vote for me.”
The Zamfara Central Senator expressed optimism that he would win the poll.
“The way our party members trooped out on Thursday for the grand rally of my campaign, shows that they are solidly behind me. Insha Allah, (by God’s grace), I will win,” he said.
-
I’ll remain in APC- Marafa
The senator representing Zamfara Central, Alhaji Kabir Marafa, has said that he and many other federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are not interested in dumping the party for any reason whatsoever.
Marafa who had been named in various media reports as one of those on their way out of the APC said he has “never entertained any such idea.”
“I don’t know where someone got the idea from; it is very embarrassing to me,” the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) told The Nation.
He added:”I have never discussed such intention with anybody and I do not attend their (Reformed APC) meetings.
“I have not done anything in that direction so there is no reason why anybody should include my name.”
Emphasizing his commitment to the APC which he joined as a founding member, Senator Marafa expressed confidence that the party will not only overcome current challenges but that it will grow stronger.
-
Yari denies planning to kill Marafa
Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari has denied planning to kill Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central).
According to him, he was speaking politically when he threatened to kill Marafa. Yari vowed to kill Marafa’s political ambition in 2019.
This followed Marafa’s allegation that Yari and his deputy are responsible for the insecurity in the state.
According to Yari, Marafa was only playing politics with the security situation in Zamfara, without contributing anything to end the challenges. He added that Marafa was seeking unnecessary relevance ahead of 2019 elections.
Marafa on Wednesday accused Yari and his deputy of running criminal gangs who have been laying siege on the state.
The governor, who spoke yesterday through one of his Special Advisers, Salisu Isah at a news conference in Kaduna, said Marafa should be held responsible for whatever happens to him (Marafa).
He said: “Yes, we will kill him politically; we will bury his political ambition in 2019. He wants to be governor but he will not get it; he won’t even return to the Senate.
“It is irresponsible and cheap blackmail for Senator Marafa to say that Governor Yari and his deputy are responsible for the insecurity in Zamfara state.
“During his inauguration, Governor Yari said his administration’s key priorities are to address the insecurity in the state, especially cattle rustling, kidnapping and banditry, which has denied the people of sound sleep for many years.
“There is no record anywhere to shows the senator’s contributions towards addressing the problem. What is in public domain is his politicking and noise making to seek undue relevance and hypocritical display of fake loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari”.
“The Senator should not be taken seriously because the allegations he raised are baseless, mischievous and unfounded. Instead of him to look for ways to assist the government, he is busy making noise and seeking undue relevance…”