The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Minna

  • 2019: ADP aspirant pulls out of guber race in Niger

    One of the gubernatorial aspirant under the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Niger state, Comrade Mohammed Saba Yabagi has stepped down from the gubernatorial race citing bias, lack of recognition and not being carried along in the activities of the Party as his reasons.

    Speaking to newsmen in Minna, Yabagi said his gubernatorial aspirant is politically castrated because of the selfish interest of the people from his zone adding that the decision to step down was after due consultations.

    “I wish to inform my dear supporters and well wishers that I have come to the conclusion to honorably step down for some obvious reasons.

    “First is to give way to party supremacy and internal democracy, second is bias and lack of recognition from my zone (Niger South) by the party officials from the zone and this has shown clearly that all my contributions to the zone is not welcome.

    “That being the first and youngest governorship aspirant of ADP in Niger state, after serious mobilization of youths from different crannies of the state, yet, I am not being carried along in party activities at the zone, there is no unity of purpose, no equality of aspirant, no respect of candidature all because of selfish interest from the zone, my aspiration is politically castrated. ”

    Pledging his commitment to the party, Yabagi further declared that although he is pulling out of the gubernatorial race, he and his supporters will continue to support and dedicate their energy towards the success of the party in the forthcoming elections.

    “I crave the indulgence of my supporters to understand that this is not the end of the journey, rather, a continuation from another chapter. For me and my supporters, we shall continue to dedicate our energy towards the attainment of the success of the party in the forthcoming 2019 elections as we remain committed,sincere and honest. “

  • PDP Primaries: Those anticipating chaos will be disappointed – David Mark

    Former Senate President and PDP Presidential Aspirant, Senator David Mark on Thursday said that those anticipating chaos and disintegration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be disappointed as the PDP will emerge stronger and more united after the Presidential Primaries.

    Speaking to newsmen in Minna, Mark said that onlookers are anticipating that a lot of things would go wrong during and after the primaries as some have even gone to the length to predict that the Primaries would be explosive.

    He however said that the aspirants seeking the Presidential ticket of the party have absolute confidence and faith in the Party leadership in providing free, fair, credible and transparent primaries.

    “Nigerians need to stop presuming there will always be problem. It is a presumption on the part of onlookers that there will be chaos and not the participants themselves. Those outside are the ones presuming that it is going to be explosive, it won’t be free and fair but those of us who are the aspirants, have every confidence in the party structure and party hierarchy, that they will organise a very free, fair, credible and transparent primaries.

    Read Also:2019 Presidency: Jonathan backs David Mark

    “So do not bother too much. I think we are over reacting, we are anticipating too much that things will go wrong”, he said.

    The Senator expressed confidence that the winner of the Presidential primaries in PDP will get the support of other aspirants stressing that PDP will come out stronger, bigger and more united after the primaries.

    “PDP will have a very healthy primaries and we have decided that whoever emerges as the Candidate, the rest of us will unite solidly behind him. Whoever wins will get the support of the rest of us. Whatever problem may emerge, we will realize it among ourselves and come out stronger and more united. ”

    Addressing the PDP Delegates at the PDP Secretariat, Mark assured them that he will ensure that PDP does not disintegrate when he becomes President urging them to vote for the best.

  • Court remands welder for attempted kidnap

    A Magistrates’ Court in Minna has ordered the remand in prison custody of a 28-year-old welder, Shamsudeen Nasiru for attempted kidnap.

    Nasiru is standing trial on a two-count charge of criminal intimidation and attempted kidnapping.

    The Police Prosecutor, Inspector  Gunduma Ibrahim, had told the court that one Alhaji Sadiq Hussaini of Mokwa town reported the matter at the State CID Minna on Sept. 23.

    Ibrahim stated that the complainant was said to have received a call from an unknown person threatening to kidnap him if he did not pay an advance ransom of N6 million.

    Read Also:Court workers to begin strike Thursday

    He said that the complainant paid N600,000 from the amount demanded.

    Ibrahim added that the police swung into action and arrested the accused person after some investigations.

    He noted that the offences contravened sections 397 of the penal code and 3(3) of the Kidnapping and Cattle rustling law of Niger state 2016.

    Nasiru, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Prosecutor thereafter prayed the court for adjournment as investigation into the matter was still ongoing.

    In his ruling, Magistrate Ibrahim Shabafu, ordered the accused person to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case until Oct. 11 for further mention.

  • 2019: PDP is now on the right track – Tambuwal

    Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambwal on Tuesday declared that the People’s Democratic Party is on the right track in providing quality leadership for the nation.

    He acknowledged that he left the PDP because of impunity, clear issues of misgovernance and lack of respect for the tenet of democratic principles adding that he had since discovered that the issue of bad governance is worse in the ruling All Progressive Party (APC).

    Speaking to newsmen after addressing the Peoples Democratic Party PDP delegates to the forthcoming national convention of the party at the PDP Secretariat in Minna, Tambuwal said, ” there were issues of mis-governance that borders on tenets of democracy, in the course of time we began to see clearly that the bad leadership issues in the PDP are rearing their heads in the APC

    “However, the PDP on its part started coming together to reform itself so we see a better PDP than the APC and that is why we left APC.”

    The Presidential Hopeful said his decision to seek for the presidency of the country “is in national interest and a personal sacrifice. I had the opportunity to retain my seat in the APC in Sokoto state but I decided to sacrifice this because the country needs fixing.”

    He then declared that he will convincingly beat President Buhari if he is fielded by the party for the 2019 polls stressing that he had all the advantages to defeat Buhari.

    Read Also: Saraki, Kwara guber aspirants meet in Ilorin

    Tambuwal urged the delegates to vote for a Candidate with experience and capacity in order to bring the much desired change Nigerians are yearning for as there is chaos currently in the country due to vision less leadership.

    Speaking on the state of the nation, the Presidential aspirant said Nigeria is currently in chaos and it requires the collective responsibility of all leaders to come together in order to salvage the Country from crashing as it apparent that the Nation is in grave danger adding that the Country is greatly endowed but lack visionary leadership to harness its abundant resources for the benefit of the vast majority account for the poverty ravaging the country.

    “It is our collective responsibility as leaders to come together to rescue our Nation from disintegration.”

  • Farmer jailed for stealing 13 crates of eggs

    A 28-year-old farmer, Amisu Bello, is to serve six months in prison after a Magistrates’ Court in Minna, Niger, convicted him of stealing 13 crates of egg.

    Bello was docked alongside one Shefiu Yahaya on a two-count charge of theft and receiving stolen property, contrary to Sections 288 and 317 of the Penal Code Law.

    The Police Prosecutor, Emmanuel Ogiri, had told the court that one Isa Azeez, the Manager of IK Farms, Gidan Mangoro, Minna, reported the matter at the Kpakungu Police Station on Sept. 17.

    Ogiri said that Bello went to IK farm and stole 13 crates of eggs and when he was arrested, he confessed to having previously stolen 12 crates on five different occasions.

    He also said that police investigation revealed that Bello was in the habit of selling the eggs to Yahaya, the second accused person.

    When the charges were read to them, Bello pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency while Yahaya pleaded not guilty.

    In her ruling, the Magistrate, Ramatu Adamu, sentenced Bello to six months in prison with an option of a fine of N10, 000.

    Adamu also ordered him to pay N17, 000 to the complainant as compensation.

    He, however, discharged and acquitted Yahaya of any wrongdoing after establishing the fact that he bought the eggs at their market value without the knowledge that they were stolen.

  • NiMet predicts nationwide thunderstorms, rains for Saturday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted that thunderstorms and rainfalls would prevail over most parts of the country on Saturday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Friday, predicted prospects of thunderstorm and moderate rains over the central states in the morning hours.

    It also predicted scattered thunderstorm over Abuja, Lafia, Jos, Minna, Bida, Ilorin and Lokoja during afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 25 to 30 and 16 to 24 degrees Celsius.

    The agency predicted thunderstorms over the northern cities with cloudy morning over Maiduguri, Dutse, Nguru, Potiskum and Adamawa axis.

    Read Also: NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Wednesday

    It further predicted that northwestern cities would be cloudy while thunderstorm was envisaged over the northeastern part with day and night temperatures of 27 to 32 and 20 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, thunderstorms and moderate rains over the southern region in the morning with light rains over southwest inland.

    “Thunderstorms are envisaged over southeast inland and moderate rains over the coastal cities in the afternoon and evening hours with day and Night temperatures of 27 to 31 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively,” NiMet predicted.

  • Security guard jailed for removing party bill boards

    A Minna Magistrates’ Court in Niger has sentenced a security guard, Musa Isyaku, to three months imprisonment for removing APC bill boards in Minna.

    Isiyaku, 35, was docked on a charge of mischief, contrary to Section 327 of the Penal Code.

    The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Ahmed Ali, told the court that Isyaku was arrested on Sept.8 by men of the Chanchaga Security Committee while removing the bill boards.

    Ali said the convict, who is also a resident of Chanchaga Community, was handed over to one Salihu Adamu, an APC youth leader in the area, who handed the convict to the police.

    The prosecutor said the convict destroyed and removed some APC bill boards placed along the Minna-Suleja highway.

    Read Also: 61 aspirants pick PDP nomination forms in Edo

    He said that when confronted, Isiyaku claimed the PDP billboards on the same road had been removed by unknown persons, so it was better the road stayed without bill boards.

    When the charge was read to him, he pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.

    The prosecutor, had however, prayed the court to try him summarily in line with Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

    The Magistrate, Sa’adatu Gambo, ordered Isiyaku to pay a fine of N10, 000 or serve three months in prison in the event of default to pay the money.

  • 2019: I’m not contesting for selfish reason – Atiku

    Former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku has said that his interest in the presidency is not out of selfishness but a desire to offer his service to the nation.

    Just as he said that he is not ready to retire from politics and would continue to serve the country both in the public and private sector.

    Speaking with Niger state PDP delegates in Minna, the Presidential Aspirant said that the bid to offer his service to the nation what motivates him to come out and contest.

    “I have always been motivated by service to the nation and not for selfish reason. There is no question of me pushing so hard. If I am strong enough and health enough, why not continue to offer my services to the country.

    “I do not think I will like to be anybody else other than a Nigerian. The country have been good to me and I will continue to offer my service to the country. That is my main motivation and it is not motivated by selfishness. ”

    Atiku said that he is not ready to retire from politics,”my retirement in politics will depend on my ability, age and health. I will continue to serve this country. ”

    Speaking on the state of the nation, Atiku said the nation has recorded the lowest economic growth since the return of democracy in the administration of the APC declaring that the APC government have failed as far as the economy is concerned.

    He added that the nation have not fully recovered from recession contrary to the claims of the administration.

    “The nation have recorded the lowest economic growth since the return of democracy. It is clear that the APC government have failed so far as far as economic growth is concerned, that is why we have the highest level of joblessness and poverty rate. “

  • Niger spends N3bn on Minna – Suleja Road – Commissioner

    The Niger Government is spending about N3 billion on the reconstruction of 74-kilometre Minna – Suleja federal road, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, has said.

    Balarabe disclosed this in an interview with Newsmen in Minna on Thursday.

    He said that the state government had embarked on reconstructing the road because of its significance to the socio-economic and political growth of the state.

    ‘‘It is a Federal Government’s road but as a responsible government, we need to repair the road.

    ‘‘There is need for political commitment to put the road in proper condition for the benefit of people plying the road.

    Read Also: Niger State pilgrim dies in elevator pit

    ‘‘I am very pleased with the level of job so far executed as the project has reached 70 per cent completion,’’ he said.

    He emphasised that the project, when completed, would enhance commercial activities in the state.

    The commissioner urged heavy truck drivers to complement the effort of the state government by desisting from overloading and obeying traffic rules and regulations.

    He said it was only by so doing that the life-span of the road would be increased.

  • ‘If you don’t have your PVC, don’t complain of bad governance’

    The General Overseer of God First Ministries, Bishop Isaac Idahosa has joined in voices  calling on Nigerians to ensure that they get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) as he said that no Nigerian should complain of bad governance if they do not have their PVCs.

    Speaking to newsmen in Minna, Idahosa said that prayers will not elect the next leaders of the nation, “it is your franchise, your PVC that elects the next governor or President, prayers will not elect these people.”

    He urged Church Leaders to educate their members and encourage them to get their PVCs adding that without living by example, the members will not follow suit.

    “You can preach all you know but you produce who you are. If as a leader in the church, you ask your members to get their PVCs and you do not have one, then you have done nothing. If you do not have your PVC, do not complain of bad governance. ”

    The Cleric decried the incessant killings of Priests and Pastors in some states across the country describing it as unacceptable as such action is a call for anarchy in the nation. ‘

    Read Also: 2019: Use PVC to elect leaders not weapons – Sultan

    “The killings of Priests in churches in Taraba, Benue and Kaduna are unacceptable. One soul lost is too much of a loss and when you now get into sacred places and kill Priests and Pastors, it is a terrible thing.

    “What the perpetrators are inviting is anarchy. If Christians tend to respond the way they do then peace will become a very scarce commodity in the land. ”

    He stressed on the need for Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of tolerance, love and being their brother’s keeper.

    Idahosa then lamented in the high rate of poverty in the nation describing it as ‘terribly bad’ adding that the poverty rate have helped increased the crime rate in the nation.

    He called on government at all level to work our ways of tackling poverty.