The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger

  • Aliyu won’t recognise Niger Assembly’s new Speaker

    The refusal of Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu to recognise the new Speaker of the House of Assembly, Isah Kawu, at a public function yesterday has heightened the fears that the Executive-Legislative crisis may not end soon.

    Kawu, who attended the first public function since he was elected, was not recognised by the governor in the order of protocol when he spoke at the inauguration of Gen. Mamman Kontagora Building Materials Market in Minna, the state capital.

    Aliyu, who arrived at the event with impeached Speaker Adamu Usman, also had the new Speaker, new Deputy Speaker Bello Ahmed, Chief Whip Sadatu Kolo and Bala Faruqu, representing Bida II, trailing him.

    Those who thought the occasion offered the feuding government functionaries the opportunity to embrace one another, were disappointed.

    When he read his address, the governor refused to recognise either the new or the impeached Speaker. He simply addressed them as, “my employers, members of the Niger State House of Assembly” without acknowledging the presence of the Speaker.

    In the sitting arrangement, the new Speaker’s seat was occupied by his impeached colleague.

    The development contradicted last week’s suit filed at a Minna High Court by the governor who sued Kawu in his capacity as the Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly.

    After the inauguration, Kawu acknowledged that the omission was glaring, especially as it was done at a public function.

    But the Speaker noted that it did not change the fact that he was the Speaker of the Assembly.

    Kawu said: “I noticed the omission; it was not hidden. I am sure everyone noticed it. But one certain fact is that it does not change anything. I still remain the Speaker of the House of Assembly.”

  • Niger Assembly sealed-up to forestall Governor, Speaker’s impeachment

    Niger Assembly sealed-up to forestall Governor, Speaker’s impeachment

    Security agents on Tuesday sealed up Niger State House of Assembly in Minna to forstall attempt by legislators from impeaching both the state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and the Speaker, Hon. Adamu Usman.

    The law makers are reportedly poised to sack the governor and the Speaker for series of allegations ranging non-implementation of house resolutions, staff and members welfare and non-release of the statutory allocation to the assembly for months.

    Armed Policemen, agents from the Department of State Security Service and Civil Defence took over the assembly as early as 7am blocking all assess to the assembly complex.

    The seal up also caused heavy traffic grid along the ever busy Minna-Suleja express road as a stretch of the road was totally cordoned off thereby caused to hold up affecting traffic from the eastern bye-pass, western bye-pass and Paiko road.

    The armed men barricaded members and staff from entering the complex. The Clerk of the House, Mohammed Kagara who arrived office at about 7:30am was blocked.

    Kagara in a telephone chat said he was shocked by the development. “The way you are seeing the presence of the Police in the assembly is the same way I have seen it. I was not allowed entrance to the complex,” the Clerk stated.

    When contacted the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Amore said Police were on ground to forstall breakdown of law and order.

    At about 9:45 am a group lawmakers led by Hon. Yusuf Kure and 12 others had a mild drama with Policemen as they were prevented from entering the complex.

    An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr. Aaron Sunday politely told the members that he was directed to provide security for the house and that he cannot recognise the lawmakers, hence the closure of the gate.

    But this did not go down well with the lawmakers as they insisted that they must enter the assembly to carry out their constitutional duties.

    The Policemen later allowed the lawmakers after a heated verbal face-off that lasted for over five minutes.

  • Kidnapped Niger deputy gov’s brother taken out of the state – Police

    Malam Ayuba Ibeto, the younger brother of Niger State deputy governor, Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto kidnapped on Friday by some gunmen, may have been taken out of the state by his abductors. 

    The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Emmanuel Amore dropped this hint during an interactive session with the newsmen in his office at the State’s Police Command Headquarters Minna.  

    According to the Commissioner , “the victim, Ayuba Ibeto has been taken outside the state, while the kidnappers were in touch with the family”.

    This was the official confirmation of the incident by the Police since the incident occurred at about 10pm on Friday in Ibeto, Magama local government area of the state

    Amore told journalists that Police was working round the clock to rescue the victim and effect the arrest the kidnappers, adding that the command has deployed a Special Team to Kontagora axis of the state over the incident. 

    He appealed to members of the public who may have useful information on the abduction of the younger Ibeto to avail the command. 

    The younger Ibeto was reportedly kidnapped at about 10 pm on Friday in Ibeto, Magama Local Government Area of the state. 

    He was abducted from the family house of the Ibetos, some three hours drive to Minna, the state capital by a six-man armed gang. 

    A close aide to the deputy governor who spoke in confidence said the kidnappers sporadically shot into the air on arrival at Ibeto’s home in a Golf car and a Toyota Hilux van to scare away the residents of the area before whisking away their victim.

    Efforts to get the deputy governor, Ahmed Ibeto failed as calls on his mobile telephone lines were not answered as at the time of filing this report. 

  • Niger Deputy Gov’s brother Kidnapped

    Malam Ayuba Ibeto, the younger brother of Niger State deputy governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto was reportedly kidnapped at about 10 pm on Friday in Ibeto, Magama Local Government Area of the state.

    He was was kidnapped in the family house of the deputy governor in Ibeto town, some three hours drive to Minna, the state capital by a six-man armed gang.

    A close aide to the deputy governor who spoke in confidence said the kidnappers sporadically shot into the air on arrival at Ibeto’s home in a Golf car and a Toyota Hilux van to scare away the residents of the area before whisking away their victim.

    It was further gathered that the kidnappers called the mother of the victim with his telephone demanding an undisclosed ransom.

    Recounting the incident, the aide to the deputy governor said, “the kidnappers arrived the family house of the deputy governor in two vehicles, a Golf car and Hilux Van on Friday at around 10 pm. They started shooting in the air before kidnapping Ayuba who just wedded.”

    Our source said that the family gathered that Ayuba pleaded with his kidnappers Saturday morning to speak with his aged sick mother, a plead that was turned down.

    “Instead, the kidnappers used Ayuba’s phone to call his mother and told her that her son is safe but they told the old woman all they need was money,” our source disclosed.

    Attempts by the family to call Ayuba’s line failed as his captors have switched off as at the time of filling this report.

    Contacted, the state police command spokesperson, DSP Ibrahim Gambari said the police was not aware of the incident. He simply said, “I am not aware of any incident of such nature but I will investigate”.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Bala Bitrus confirmed the incident in a telephone chat. According to him, “some gunmen stormed the family house of the deputy Governor and went away with his younger brother on Friday night”.

    He was unable to ascertain whether the kidnap was politically motivated as the details of the incident was still sketchy. He however said that from testimonies of eye witnesses at the scene of the kidnap, “it was as if the kidnappers wanted to kidnap anybody that is related to the deputy Governor”.

  • ‘Jonathan failed because he didn’t keep to one-term agreement’

    ‘Jonathan failed because he didn’t keep to one-term agreement’

    The Chairman Northern States Governors’ Forum and Niger state governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu has said the defeat of the President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party at the just concluded general election was the price of the failure to honour the single term agreement entered with the north in 2011.

    Aliyu who spoke in Minna on Friday as a special guest of honour at 24th Convocation lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said that the defeat of the PDP at the national and state elections did not come to many Nigerians, especially party members as a surprise because “we saw it coming”.

    According to Aliyu “many of us saw it coming, when I reminded us that we had an agreement for one term, they nearly crucified me, and when I led the G7 Governors, they did not do what we wanted them to do until five members left, and they later did what we asked them to do.

    “I recalled also that when APC came on board, I was the first person to say I was very happy that now we have a strong party to put PDP on its toes and many people were asking me if I am really a member of PDP. Up to the last election, the accusation against me has always been that I was a supporter of APC and now you have seen the result,” Aliyu stated.

    The governor also said the people are tired of the 16 year rule of the ruling party and that the people are strongly desirous for change.

    “Nigerians wanted a change and Nigerians got the change. PDP has been around for 16 years and there is no way you will be around for 16 years and you will not make mistakes so there are many reasons that will be put together and we will be able to understand and guide people as to next time, these are some of the things you need to do.”

    Commenting on the topic of the convocation lecture, “The role of Law in the Enhancement of Socio-Economic Growth of the Nation”, Aliyu said corruption is not limited to government officials, he argued that the cancer worm had its root from the family setting.

    He said a junior civil servant with two wives and over twenty children also breeds corruption “because there is no way his salary can take care of those children.”

    In his remarks, the chairman of the Governing Council Prof. Ahmed Alkali, who is the Presidential Adviser, Political said; “Nigeria is at a crossroad in his fight against corruption because every Nigerian is corrupt in one way or the other”.

    “If Nigeria must fight corruption, we must all check ourselves to ensure that at all levels we kill corruption. Anything we do in excess is corruption.”

    Earlier in his lecture the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Legbo Kutigi said that it has been acknowledged that corruption impacts negatively on economic development and that corruption is one of the major factors militating against economic growth in many developing countries, including Nigeria.

    He expressed regret that despite the fact that there are criminal code provisions, statutory enactment and administrative institutions for combating corruption, the vice has continue to thrive in the country.

    He blamed the development on weak legal institutions and culture for dealing with corruption.

    He advised that, developing countries like Nigeria should create institutional structures and procedures that are designed to reduce the opportunities for corrupt practices and behaviour.

  • ‘Injustice Killed PDP’

    Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in Niger State, Alhaji Sale Sahabi Danrangi said injustice was responsible for the abysmal performance of the ruling party at the just concluded general elections.

    Darangi who decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) few days to the April 11 gubernatorial election said he along with many others were victims of the injustice of the ruling party during last December governorship primary of the party in the state.

    The former governorship aspirant told Journalists Thursday in Minna that the injustice meted to him and the inability of the party to attend to his protest informed his decision to dump his former party along with his supporters.

    He then advised the APC to keep to its policy of giving every member, be it old or new a level playing ground to achieve their political aspirations.

    Darangi stated that the call became necessary in view of the contribution of those whose defection toward the success of the party at the just concluded general elections.

    He said “people like me who was a gubernatorial aspirant have structures already on ground therefore after our defection we moved with all our people and that helped in winning the election particularly at gubernatorial election.”

    Darangi argued that their contribution assisted in no small measure in the gubernatorial election saying despite the fact that Rijau LGA where he hailed from is a stronghold of PDP the APC won flawlessly.

    He therefore advice the governor elect, Abubakar Sani Bello to remain focus and resolute in ensuring that he delivered the people of Niger State as contained in his campaign template.

  • Nasko Concedes, Congratulates Bello

    Nasko Concedes, Congratulates Bello

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Niger State governorship candidate, Umar Nasko has conceded and congratulated All Progressives Congress (APC) governor-elect, Abubakar Sani Bello for his victory at the polls.

    In a statement signed by one Yahaya Mohammed Usman on behalf of Nasko, the PDP flag bearer wrote, “I congratulate Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello on his election on his election as the governor of Niger State”.

    The statement reads, “For now the people of our dear state have decided and I submit to their decision which though not in my favour but for my co- contestant and brother Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello of the All progressive congress (APC), for I believe he has the interest of the state just like me, at heart.

    “My hearty congratulations to him and his team for the success recorded, I urge him to always put the interest of the people and the state first above all”.

    He then called on the people of the state to give the incoming government maximum cooperation that will lead it to success, as it is the wish of every government to work hard to better the life of the citizens and the state.

    In same vein the Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Barrister Adamu Usman said the victory of Bello reflects the wishes of the people of the state and therefore urged him not to disappoint them.

    The Speaker noted that the unprecedented support given to the governor-elect was a clean demonstration of the people’s trust and confidence in him adding that he must strive to carry every one along in the scheme of things irrespective of party, religion or tribal affiliation.

    Usman expressed the believe that the states wide campaign tour by Bello should have afforded him the opportunity to fully understand and appreciate the needs of the people advising that he should tailor his efforts towards the development of the state.

    He stressed that as an entrepreneur, the governor-elect should bring his expertise to bear by providing an industrial blueprint that would revolutionize all sectors of the state economy.

  • Niger Governorship : APC’s Bello declared winner

    Niger Governorship : APC’s Bello declared winner

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello has been declared winner of the Niger State governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    ‪He won with 593,702 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (‪PDP) candidate, Umar Nasko, polled 239, 772 votes and Yakubu Umar of the ADC who scored 2, 144 votes.‬

    ‪The results were announced at the early hours of Monday by Prof. Abdulganiyu Hambali, the Returning Officer for Niger State Governorship election in Minna.‬

    ‪”Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello of the APC having certified the requirements of the law and scoring the highest votes cast, is hereby declared the winner of the governorship election held April 11, 2015,” Ayilara said.‬

    ‪The breakdown of the votes for the APC and PDP are as follows:‬

    ‪1. Tafa
    APC 11, 555
    PDP 7, 267‬

    ‪2. Bosso
    APC 29, 777
    PDP 7, 187‬

    ‪3. Gurara
    APC 15, 211
    PDP 7, 921‬

    ‪4. Munya
    APC 12, 636
    PDP 7, 542‬

    ‪5. Paikoro
    APC 25, 956
    PDP 1, 023‬

    ‪6. Rafi
    APC 31, 307
    PDP 8, 937‬

    ‪7. Chanchaga
    APC 44, 863
    PDP 14, 863‬

    ‪8. Shiroro
    APC 26, 478
    PDP 8, 862‬

    ‪9. Bida
    APC 38, 055
    PDP 7, 345‬

    ‪10. Lavun
    APC 25, 497
    PDP 10, 713‬

    ‪11. Rijau
    APC 21, 093
    PDP 11, 880‬

    ‪12. Gbako
    APC 22, 629
    PDP 8, 902‬

    ‪13. Borgu
    APC 25, 006
    PDP 7, 798‬

    ‪14. Lapai
    APC 27, 114
    PDP 6, 797‬

    ‪15. Agaie
    APC 20, 101
    PDP 9, 189‬

    ‪16. Suleja
    APC 27, 886
    PDP 9, 243‬

    ‪17. Magama
    APC 18, 864
    PDP 20, 036‬

    ‪18. Katcha
    APC 20, 175
    PDP 7, 488‬

    ‪19. Wushishi
    APC 16, 049
    PDP 8, 387‬

    ‪20. Mokwa
    APC 27, 880
    PDP 8, 097‬

    ‪21. Kontagora
    APC 39, 295
    PDP 11, 196‬

    ‪22. Agwara
    APC 7, 472
    PDP 8, 751‬

    ‪23. Mashegu
    APC 22, 634
    PDP 8, 734‬

    ‪24. Mariga
    APC 24, 653
    PDP 10, 437‬

    ‪25. Enagi
    APC 12, 326
    PDP 11, 184.

  • INEC staff caught with thumb printed ballot papers in Niger

    An adhoc staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was arrested on Friday night at Sambo ward of Rijau local government area of Niger State after two booklets of thumb printed ballot papers were found in his possession.

    The supervising presiding officer (name withheld) allegedly thumb printed the ballot papers in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate.

    A source said that soon after collecting the election materials due to him, the suspect returned to complain to the officers in charge of distribution that there was a short fall in the ballot papers allocated to him.

    His complaint triggered an argument between him and the distribution officers which attracted attention of other people.

    Some of them who had seen the suspect when he was thumb printing the ballot papers then spilled the bean.

    Searches for the missing ballot papers was ordered and were later found hidden in a car allegedly owned by a former minister from the state.

    The suspect was immediately arrested and handed over to the Divisional Police Officer of the town.

    Contacted on phone the head of Voter Education Unit of the Niger State INEC office, Malam Mohammed Wase, confirmed the incident but said it would be investigated to ascertain the brains behind it.

    A senior officer in Kontagora also confirmed the incident, explaining that the suspect and the matter would be transferred to the state headquarters as soon as preliminary investigation is completed.

     

  • APC in early lead in Niger

    APC in early lead in Niger

    All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello is leading in early results of the  Niger State governorship elections held Saturday. 

    Prelimanry reports from Chanchaga, Bida, Shiroro, Magama, Kontagora, Borgu, Rijau, Rafi and Suleja local government areas areas showed that he is leading from the result collated at the various polling units. 

    The party is equally coasting home to victory in Lapai,Tafa, Edati, Lavun and Mokwa local government areas of the state.