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Tag: Senator Danjuma Goje

  • Northeast stakeholders endorse Goje for Senate presidency

    Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje’s ambition to become the Senate Presidency in the Ninth Senate yesterday received a major boost with the endorsement by the North East Consultative Forum (NESF).

    Five other groups in the Northeast have also reportedly supported the former Gombe State governor.

    A source close to Goje noted that baring last minute changes, the former governor “is likely to declare his interest for the exalted position of Senate President this weekend or next week”.

    A statement by the NESF said the groups endorsed Goje after an emergency meeting at the Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi, on Wednesday.

    It listed the groups to as North East Elders’ Mobilisation Forum, APC National Youth Caucus, Borno Discussion Circle, Gombe Political Associations and North East Youth Awareness for Good Governance.

    “To this effect, the groups have written the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on their endorsement of Goje,” the statement said.

    In a letter, dated April 17, titled: “North East stakeholders endorse Goje,” the conveners, Mustapha Saidu and Alhaji Bello Ambo, hailed APC for zoning the Senate presidency to the Northeast.

    They said: “Following very wide consultations among stakeholders, party members and North East Consultative Forum and after careful assessment of his contribution to the party and Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, we hereby present to you Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje as the choice of the people of the Northeast for the Senate President of the Ninth Assembly.”

    Also, A Northcentral group, under the aegis of North Central Alliance for Danjuma Goje, has expressed its support for the former Gombe State governor to become the Senate President in the Ninth Assembly.

    Addressing reporters in Kaduna, the group’s chairman, Nasiru Isiyaku, said: “The intimidating profile of the Gombe Central senator kept rising like one bright star in a million galaxies. Senator Goje, who is eminently qualified, has demonstrated to his constituents that providing good governance is not rocket science.

    “Senator Goje, as a faithful member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) family in Gombe State, has since raised the bar of servant leadership. This we can all see in the numerous youths empowerment programmes he launched, while also awarding contracts and solely financing the construction of several beneficial infrastructural projects across his constituency.

    “Equally, Senator Goje, as the chairman of various Senate committees for eight years, doggedly fought to bridge the yawning gap in employment and infrastructural distribution to various states and geo-political zones…”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Pressure on Goje to accept Lawan for Senate President

    Some former governors are mounting pressure on their former colleague, Senator Danjuma Goje, to accept President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Ahmad Lawan for Senate president.

    The President is believed to have met Goje on the matter.

    Lawan, who is the Senate Leader, is forging ahead. He met yesterday with some senators-elect and pleaded with them to give him a chance, The Nation learnt.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) former governors, including some of them who are senators,  have opted to back Buhari’s decision on Lawan.

    Some of the former governors include Ahmed Sani Yerima, Adamu Aliero, Abdullahi  Adamu, Aliyu Wammako, George Akume, Bukar Abba Ibrahim,  Kabiru Gaya and Godswill Akpabio.

    It was gathered that the ex-governors appreciated the “cautious approach adopted by Goje to his aspiration without ruffling feathers but they felt he should defer to the President”.

    The ex-governors have sent a delegation to Goje to reconsider  his position.

    Although two of them were with Goje on Saturday for what was termed “ a social gathering”, it was unclear whether they were the ones who spoke  on behalf of their colleagues.

    A former governor, who pleaded not to be named, said: “It is true we are trying to avoid cracks in APC over the Ninth Senate President and some of us have met on the President’s choice and how to prevail on Goje to sacrifice his aspiration.

    “I can tell you that some of us have opened talks with him.  We are talking to him; we are mounting pressure. We also decided to send a delegation to him.

    “As a matter of right, Goje is qualified to lead the Senate but we do not really want him to disagree with the President. And he is not a leader who believes in confrontation.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Our intervention is just a follow-up to the audience between the President and Goje.”

    Read also: Senate Presidency: erring senators risk expulsion from APC

    “The former governor of Gombe  State is yet to make any categorical statement on his ambition.”

    Goje, it was learnt, told Buhari, who persuaded him to support Lawan, that he would “get back to him”.

    “Goje has not returned to the President on what he intends to do,” a  source in the Presidency said.

    The Lawan Group is, however, waiting for Goje’s response before arranging a meeting between the two leaders.

    Another source said: “Since a presidential intervention is already involved, we have deliberately asked Lawan to leave the initiative to President Buhari. The truth is that the President’s meeting with Goje underscored the enormous respect he has for the ex-governor.

    “Lawan is ready to meet with Goje but after the elders and the ex-governors have brokered a deal.”

    Lawan and members of his campaign team last night met with some senators-elect in Abuja on his aspiration.

    The senators-elect are in the second batch of those to benefit from the induction course which was packaged by the National Assembly management.

    A source at the session quoted Lawan as saying: “Give me a chance, I will provide quality leadership, I will carry every Senator along in whatever I do.”

    A Senator-elect said: “The campaign team of the Senate Leader reached out to some of us across party lines. I am new, but I am impressed by his experience on legislative business. Let us see how it goes.”

  • Social welfare imperative

    Senator Danjuma Goje’s fury over the performance of the National Social Investment Trust Fund (NSITF) has brought to the fore the concern of Nigerians over some of the activities and programmes of the Buhari administration. While seeking to replace former President Goodluck Jonathan as president in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari had decried the level of poverty and the unacceptable level of youth unemployment and pledged to tackle them headlong if elected.

    One major programme that the government came up with to combat the social monsters is the Nigerian Social Investment Project (NSIP), comprising the N-Power Project, Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme, the National Social Safety Net Programme, the Home Grown School Feeding Programme and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme. We agree with the Senate Committee on Appropriation that three years of the government is enough to evaluate the performance of such a core scheme.

    However, we find it difficult to support the committee chairman’s position that the scheme has failed and could be scrapped soon. Senator Goje had said there was no evidence in Gombe Central that he represents that any of the schemes is functioning. He was supported by another member, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who represents Ondo Central. But, as coordinator of the programmes, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, pointed out, the schemes are running. Out of the 439,859 enumerated as poor and vulnerable households, 297,973 from 23 states are already drawing a stipend of N5,000 monthly to cushion the crushing effects of the parlous economy.

    Similarly, statistics released by the project coordinator showed that about 6,044,625 pupils in 33,981 primary schools are being fed once daily across the country. This has guaranteed employment and regular income for 61,352 cooks, while farmers and traders who supply the foodstuff are grateful to the government. The N-Power scheme is the toast of unemployed graduates. The NSIP managers have pointed out that 200,000 are already enlisted and are being paid 30,000 monthly in addition to receiving training.

    These are commendable. So, rather than shoot down the projects, we call on Senator Goje, a former governor of Gombe State, and his committee to support the noble project. There are bound to be rough edges, but these do not call for a threat to scrap the programme. The senator got all his figures wrong. First, based on the appropriation by the National Assembly, he assumed that the project had gulped N500 billion annually since 2015. This is evidently incorrect as the project did not take off in 2015. In 2016, as Mrs. Uwais pointed out, only N90 billion was released, while N85 billion was released in 2017. The N175 billion made available for the project is therefore a far cry from the N1.5 trillion figure being bandied by the senator. Yet, due diligence by visiting the states where the schemes have kicked off and collaboration with the relevant senate committees with oversight responsibility for the states would have shown many Nigerians are benefitting.

    The NSIP should, however, be given wider publicity such that many Nigerians as are qualified and willing could benefit as the social security net is one of the instruments used in developed countries to rein in the anger of the less privileged in the society. What the scheme needs now is the support of all, and adequate funding. It is unfortunate that the government released a mere N175 billion in two years, while less important schemes have gulped much more. It is unacceptable that the project is still restricted to some states after two years.

    We therefore call on the Federal Government to empower the project to cover all states of the federation. The traditional and new media should be employed to make the scheme known to all, while doubters are consistently engaged to dispel their misgivings through sheer transparency. We are convinced that this is the way to go by governments if Nigerians are to be mobilised for the arduous task of nation-building.

    As the Lagos State Government has done through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, other states, too, should replicate the scheme in one form or another, with a view to making more Nigerians benefit from the common wealth.

  • N/Assembly jerks up 2017 budget with N143bn

    N/Assembly jerks up 2017 budget with N143bn

    The two chambers of the National Assembly have jerked up the 2017 national budget with N143 billion above the N7. 29 trillion estimate submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2016.

    An already harmonised version of the budget is expected to be passed on Thursday, having been laid before the Senate and the House of Representatives at plenary on Tuesday.

    Appropriation committee in the two chambers had jointly worked on the budget estimates and had concurred on the final figures. This has addressed the need for a conference committee of the two chambers for purposes of harmonisation.

    Chairman of the Appropriation committee of the Senate, Senator Danjuma Goje, who laid the budget document at plenary, disclosed that the two chambers had concluded work on the budget.

    Details of the contents of the budget estimate were not made available.

     

  • Sheikh Jafar: Shakarau urges Police to quiz Senator Goje

    Sheikh Jafar: Shakarau urges Police to quiz Senator Goje

    Former Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, Friday in Kano, urged the Nigeria Police Force to quiz Senator Danjuma Goje on how he stumbled on the documents on the alleged assassination of the late Kano Islamic scholar, Sheikh Jaafar Adam.

    “We would be glad, if the Police Force could quiz Senator Goje on how he got the document hidden over the years, as well as make more clarification, regarding the source and credibility of the document “.

    Shekarau told reporters on Friday at his residence through his Media Aide, Ghali Sadiq that findings revealed that the document is not a classified document but rather a personal opinion, orchestrated and circulated to the public 10 years ago.

    He said, “the circulated document was made in an attempt to tarnish the image and good reputation of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau in his bid to contest second term governorship election in the state “.

    “We are passionately appealing to the police to make public its findings on the report, regarding the controversial assassination in 2007, which we believed exonerated the former Governor of any complicity on the matter “.

    Also Shekarau, reiterated his continued commitment and Selfless service to the country at all cost, lamenting that the mischievous acts against him would not in any way deter him from being forthright.

    Similarly, the former Governor expressed appreciation to his supporters and urged them to remain calm.

    He stated that consultation, with lawyers have reached an advanced stage, regarding the matter.

     

  • We may arrest Senator Goje – Police

    We may arrest Senator Goje – Police

    The Police Thursday said they may arrest Senator Danjuma Goje if he refuses to appear before the Police Investigative team.

    The police also said invitation has been made to him by the panel but the Senator has remained reluctant about it.

    This was disclosed in Abuja Thursday by the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood when he appeared on a Channels television during the morning show.

    The Senator had said in the floor of the senate that the work of the Senate might be impeded following removal of documents relating to 2017 budget from his house during a search by operatives of the Force.

    The police however maintained that it did not remove any document relating to the budget.

    According to Moshood: “He must appear before the investigation team to explain circumstances surrounding how he got some of the documents with us.

    “The Senator promised to come last week Friday but he did not.

    “So, I am using this opportunity to call on him to appear before the investigation Panel because investigation is still ongoing on the recovery that were made in his house.”

    On whether he will be arrested if he refuses to honour invitation by the police, he said: “Yes he will be arrested because no one is above arrest and we will definitely do so and it is important for him to know that on time and appear before the team.”

    On the search warrant executed, the Force Spokesman said: “The search was not aimed at 2017 budget and I must add that no budget document was sighted or removed.

    “No single document relate to the 2017 budget and mind you, the budget has been with them  for months now, so it will be wrong for anybody to come up and say because police conducted a search, the passage of the budget will be affected.

    On whether the laptop recovered from Goje’s house contains documents relating to the 2017 budget, Moshood was quick to say: “The laptop we took also has some incriminating item which we are investigating because all we removed were removed for investigation.

    “No, when President Buhari went to lay down the budget before the National Assembly,  it was not laid with a laptop. It is a public document that everybody saw. The laptop does not contain any of such document, I make bold to say that.”

    Moshood also promised to make the video clips of the search public.

    “We will make it public for people to know how the search was conducted in the presence of three of the Senator’s relatives and that it was transparent.

    The video will be made public as soon as possible but the Senator has to appear before the Panel because he is going to be asked questions relating to the search warrant executed and those things that were recovered from his house.

    “We cannot put the video out before he appears but he has been reluctant in coming despite calls by the investigation Panel.

    “Nobody can cow the police because the law is there and nobody is above the law”, he said.

     

  • EFCC denies raiding Senator’s home

    EFCC denies raiding Senator’s home

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday debunked rumours of raiding the Abuja home of Senator Danjuma Goje.

    The commission made this known through its verified twitter handle.

    The commission said: “Please disregard online reports claiming the EFCC raided the Abuja home of Senator Danjuma Goje.

    “The report is FALSE as the Commission was not a part of any such activity.”

    See tweets below:

  • 2016 Budget to be passed March 17 – NASS

    2016 Budget to be passed March 17 – NASS

    The National Assembly has said  the 2016 Budget will be passed on Thursday, March 17.

    The Chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje and Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin in a joint press briefing Wednesday said reports from both chambers would be laid on Wednesday, March 16.

    On the 17th, the reports will be considered and passed.

    While speaking on the issue, Senate Chairman Appropriation, Goje said the two chambers have interacted with the various Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA’s), adding that a lot of hard work had been put into the 2016 Budget proposals.

    His words: “The various sub committees of the two chambers have interacted with the various MDA’s, the Committees have produced their reports and all the Committees of the two chambers have fully submitted their reports.

    “We have been working very hard round the clock at the same time at the weekends and we will continue to do that until we finish the compilation of our reports.

    “The essence of the press conference is to give Nigerians a progress report.”

    Chairman House Committee on Appropriation Abdulmumin  Jibrin said the reports from the various sub committees will align with the National Assembly guidelines.

    He said: “After all consultation with the leadership of the House and Senate we can confirm to you that all things being equal we should be able to lay our report of the 2016 Appropriation bill before the House and the Senate on the 16th of March and the consideration, hopefully should be done on the 17th.

    “So it is safe for us to conclude that the 2016 Appropriation bill will be passed on the 17th of March 2016.

    “We are going to open in the next few days’ consultation with the relevant stakeholders in this process, most especially the executive arm of government.

    “Particularly in the case of the House, we are going to engage the Minister of Budget and Planning, Minister of Finance, DG Budget office.

    “Most importantly we are working hand in hand with the Senate and things are looking up, we are putting in our best on a daily basis.

    Recall that the Budget passage was previously postponed by the National Assembly because of various discrepancies discovered in the appropriation document by the two chambers.

  • Attack on convoy: Gombe blames Goje

    GOMBE State has blamed the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Senator Danjuma Goje, for last Thursday’s mob attack on Governor Ibrahim Dankwabo’s convoy.

    The accusation came yesterday in the backdrop of outcry by the leadership of the APC that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in Gombe was unleashing terror on opposition members.

    At a news conference yesterday at the Abuja national secretariat of the PDP, the state government accused the senator of instigating the attack during a visit to the Federal University, Kashare.

    Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, who spoke at the briefing in reaction to APC claims, accused Goje of orchestrating violence and causing confusion in Gombe.

    Mohammed said: “Since he left the PDP, the APC leader and former Gombe State Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje, has been orchestrating violence and causing confusion, all in an attempt to undermine and dislodge the PDP-led administration.

    “On Thursday, December 18, 2014, Senator Goje mobilised a team of political thugs, who ambushed and attacked the convoy of Governor Dankwambo with dangerous weapons while the governor was on his way from a Federal university located at Kashere, where he had gone for a visit on the invitation of the vice chancellor.

    “The thugs, under the directives of Senator Goje, unleashed terror on the governor’s entourage, injuring some persons and destroying some vehicles in the convoy.”