The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Northern Senators Forum

  • Northern Senators’ Forum condoles Nigerian Army over killing of officers, men in Delta

    Northern Senators’ Forum condoles Nigerian Army over killing of officers, men in Delta

    The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) on Sunday, condoled with the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army over the tragic loss of 16 personnel who were killed during a peace mission to Okuama Community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State last week Thursday.

    The chairman of the forum, Senator Abdulaziz Yaradu’a, expressed the sympathy in a statement in Abuja.

    According to him, the “sacrifices made by our officers and soldiers on behalf of Nigeria shall not be in vain.

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with you, the families of the fallen heroes, and the entire Armed Forces as we honour the sacrifice and service of our brave personnel.”

    The Nigerian Army had confirmed the killing of its officers and men, whom it noted were on a peace mission in the Okuama community.

    In a statement by the acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Army said the commanding officer of the 181 Amphibious Batallion, two Majors, one Captain and 12 soldiers lost their lives.

  • 2019: Sokoto APC endorses Buhari

    …confident of Wamakko’s leadership

     

    LESS than three weeks to the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) primaries ahead of the 2019 general elections closely coming, members of the Sokoto State chapter unanimously opted for the indirect primary with the endorsement of the choice of President Muhammadu Buhari as sole candidate to fly its flag.

    Similarly, the chapter passed vote of confidence on the Chairman, Northern Senators Forum, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and affirmed him as its only leader in the state .

    The decisions were part of the resolutions reached at the end of the party’s routine stakeholders’ meeting held in Sokoto on Tuesday attended by the executives of the party at the state and local governments levels, as well as other key stakeholders of the party.

    However, the meeting held behind closed doors, was presided by the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, described Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko as the Iconic leader of the party in the state .

    Briefing newsmen shortly after, Aliyu Sokoto further said , ” the meeting also expressed happiness with the exemplary and unparalleled way and manner Senator Wamakko is manning the affairs of the great party .

    ” Accordingly, we endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the forthcoming polls”‘ he said.

    The state chapter of the party also declared unflinching support to its National leadership adding that, ” we have unanimously adopted indirect primary election and consensus as the process to select candidates for all positions in the state ,” the deputy governor, added.

    Read Also: APC to pick presidential candidate Sept 20

    He explained that the meeting was a periodic one to brainstorm on the progress of the party, as well as to review its general activities with the view to assess its strengths and weaknesses, hence, chart the ways forward .

    Notably in attendance, were the seven incumbent House of Representatives members of the party, as well as the twelve members at the State House of Assembly .

    Similarly, were a former deputy governor, Alhaji Chiso Dattijo Abdullahi, former Culture Minister, Senator Bello Jibril Gada, APC Chieftains , Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal, Ambassador Abubakar Shehu Wurno and Alhaji Farouk Malami Yabo.

    Others were former Speakers of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Lawalli Labbo Marghai and Alhaji Shehu Goronyo, as well as fourteen out of the twenty three immediate past local governments councils chairmen in the State, among others .

  • “I’m not above the law” – Wamakko

    Northern Senators Forum (NSF) ‎Chairman, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has said that he is never above the law nor any form of criticism provided it is objective.

    Similarly, the Senator who represents ‎Sokoto North senatorial District in the National Assembly, maintained that no amount of destruction, mischief and ‘bring me down’. Syndrome would change the position God has given him.

    “I consider recent happenings against my political profile as work of mischief makers who don’t want to see anything good about Wamakko.

    “I believe such false and malicious publications were not from the EFCC but handiwork of detractors”, he stated.

    He noted that the anti-graft agency was an organized and reputable institution which discharges its duties with maturity and cohesion.

    Wamakko who is also the chairman Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education spoke with journalists in Sokoto recently.

    According to the APC lawmaker, “I am a Nigerian and also respect the rule of law. I am a proponent of credible criticism that would encourage development in a transparent system that preaches good governance”, he stressed.

    The immediate past governor of Sokoto state said it was not n his character to be selfish and greed” I remain a man of the people. I believe is the principle of carrying people along and sharing the little I have with them.

    “‎I can tell you that I served diligently for 8 years as governor and I am proud that people are still identifying with what I did for their benefit.

    “I have always been with them come rain come sun shine. My people are my constituency. I executed a number of projects and promoted social welfare programmes to empower women and youth, destitute and left an unprecedented legacy in the educational sector of the state by establishing a state University, upgrading and establishing professional colleges and institutions, constructed over 5,000‎ housing units and over 1,000 km roads across the state and as well rehabilitated township roads and encourage training and retraining of teachers in addition to prompt payments of salaries, gratuities, pension and students bursary”, he enumerated.

  • Adamu’s sack divides Northern senators

    Adamu’s sack divides Northern senators

    A gulf appeared to have developed in the Northern Senators’ Forum following the unceremonius removal of its chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

    A member of the Forum, Senator Ali Wakil, on Thursday dissociated himself from the removal of Adamu.

    Adamu was sacked as Chairman of Northern Senators’ Forum on Wednesday following a letter signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Dino Melaye, alleging financial misconduct.

    Wakil told the Senate that the meeting of the Forum was never called to discuss the sanction or removal of anybody.

    He said some of them watched in disbelief the announcement of Adamu’s removal.

    The lawmaker came short of saying the removal was done in done in bad faith.

    He said: “I was not here yesterday (Wednesday) but I saw it in the papers and television when you (Deputy Senate President) announced the removal of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the leader of the Northern Senators’ Forum.

    “Your Excellency I come from the north and I am active member of the Northern Senators’ Forum. At no time have we met and put to question any of the leaders of the Northern Senators’ Forum.

    “It was brought to this place and it was announced and some of our colleagues went to the Press Centre and made statements that referred to some of us as monkeys.

    “We are taking this political brinkmanship beyond the level we are supposed to take it. We are supposed to be wise men.”

     

  • Primary education should be compulsory – Northern Senators

    Primary education should be compulsory – Northern Senators

    The Northern Senators Forum ( NSF ), has called for the amendment of the section four of the 1999 constitution to make primary school education compulsory in the country.

    This is contained in a communiqué signed by the Forum ‘s Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, and issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Katsina at the end of their two-day retreat.

    The Forum also called for the establishment, equipping, and provision of adequate staffing of more learning centers as well as promotion of girl-child education in the region.

    They said that the region should strive to reduce the number of out-of-school children roaming the streets.

    “The alarming rate of out-of-school children and less number of learning institutions in the region explains why the North is both educationally and economically backward,’’ it said.

    The communiqué also called for the revival of agricultural sector, industrial as well as manufacturing sectors so that teeming unemployed youths in the region could be actively engaged and empowered to keep them away from crimes.

    It urged state governments in the region to start planning for post-oil era by improving their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and revive moribund industries to provide employment opportunities to their people.

    The communiqué assured that the National Assembly would continue to perform their oversight functions seriously to ensure meaningful implementation of all federal budget provisions as it affects the three zones in the region.

    It further stated that the North shall take a well articulated, firm and common position on the issue of restructuring.

    “Northern members of the National Assembly would be an integral part of achieving that common platform that should also include devolution of power to states and local governments,’’ it said.

    Read also: Restructuring: Northern Senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    The forum also called for the amendment of the constitution to accommodate the traditional institution by prescribing specific roles and responsibility for them as they are the custodians of peace in their domain.

    It also called for unity among people in the region irrespective of their political, ethnic and religious differences.

    The senators resolved to partner with their counterparts in the House of Representatives and Northern Governors Forum to design a plan for the Northern region development.

    NAN

  • Restructuring: Northern senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    Restructuring: Northern senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    The Northern Senators’ Forum and the 19 Northern governors would on Monday converge in Katsina for a three-day retreat to deliberate on the agitations for restructuring of the country.

    Chairman of the forum, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, said in Abuja that the retreat would also focus on how to improve the security situation in the country.

    Adamu said that the Forum had written letters of invitation to the 19 governors, leading traditional rulers, top politicians and ex-senators from the region to make presentations at the retreat.

    He said that the gathering would enable the senators, as the peoples’ representatives, to take a common position on restructuring.

    “Northern governors will be attending in solidarity and very eminent traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, will attend.

    Read also: Masari presents N211.4bn appropriation for Katsina

    “Essentially, we will be discussing the impact of budget in the north, the issue of restructuring which is now the main issue in politics.

    “The issue of restructuring that the Senate can develop a position on. It is part of preparing ourselves to face that challenge.

    “The issue of security will also be discussed,” Adamu said.

    He pointed out that as representatives of the people, it would be expected that with the retreat, they would be better educated, better placed to consider issues related to the subject-matter.

    “We will be better prepared to face the matter and legislate and make laws over them for the good governance of Nigeria.

    “We believe we are there to educate ourselves to be better informed, to exchange ideas on the subject matter, because we make laws, we don’t make laws out of ignorance.

    “We have to be better informed on anything we are talking about,” Adamu said.

    He explained that meeting in Katsina was not necessarily because of the economic impact it would have on the city and state or how it would energise Nigeria’s politics, “but for some sort of our presence will make’’.

    “There hasn’t been this retreat over time. We are trying to bring back the culture.

    “It makes us have touch with our bases; people who elected us and feel our pulse, we will relate with them in a better way,” he said.

    NAN

  • Herdsmen: Northern Senators warn against provocative statements

    Senators of Northern Nigeria Wednesday warned against provocative statements that could inflame tempers in the country in the light of the killings by herdsmen in Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani, Enugu State.

    They also said that the categorization of all herdsmen as Fulani is wrong and should be stopped.

    The Senators under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum, said that they “note and appreciate the steps that the Federal Government has taken so far to contain the problems of herdsmen/farmers clashes.”

    They specifically asked community leaders (including governors) “to be careful when making statements on these ugly incidences.”

    Chairman of the Forum, Senator Abdullahi Adamu who read the communiqué of the lawmakers said that they “resolved to continue their complete support for President Muhammadu Buhari in order to bring about even development to all sections of the country.”

    Adamu said that members of the Forum further resolved to work assiduously to enact laws and amend existing ones when and where necessary in order to promote the interest of Northern Nigeria in particular and Nigeria in general.

    He added that they noted specially the steps taken by the government to wipe out incidences of insurgency and are hopeful that in no distant time, “we shall say bye-bye to the problem of insurgency.”

    On tagging every Fulani herdsmen, Adamu said, “We have tried to kill the idea that every herdsman is Fulani. I am a farmer but I am not Fulani by birth. It is very very wrong to say that everybody you find with a cow is Fulani.”

    Adamu noted that when Chief Olu Falae was kidnapped the news went round that the kidnappers were Fulani.

    He said that when those responsible for kidnapping the elder statesman were eventually arrested, it was discovered that they were not Fulani.

    Adamu noted that when he travelled to the western part of the country, he saw a lot of Yoruba cattle rearers.

    He insisted that a cattle rearing is no longer the exclusive preserve of the Fulani.

    On inflammatory, he said that some groups in the South East have said that the Fulani should leave their part of the country, “if people from the North say the same thing of people from the south East, we wonder where it will lead the country.”