Osinbajo Describes 83-Year-Old Abdullahi Who Saved Christians In Plateau Killing As Hero

May 30, 2019

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has described the 83-year-old Imam, Abdullahi Abubakar, who saved over 200 Christians from being killed by suspected bandits in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State about a year ago as hero.

Professor Osinbajo, who hosted the Imam today, Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, along with others, said that he is an example of one who could put his own life at risk to save others.

It would be recalled that on June 23, 2018, bandits reportedly attacked communities in Barkin Ladi, forcing many villagers to flee. Over 200 of them were said to have found refuge in a mosque in Yelwan Gindi Akwati village, Gashish District, where Abubakar is the Chief Imam.

He had insisted that the villagers were his “guests” and would not allow them to be killed. Abubakar was said to have pleaded with the bandits by rolling on the floor.

The Vice President said: “I commend you for your wonderful act. Imam Abubakar has demonstrated one of the most courageous acts any man can possibly do, by offering his own life, for those who are not people of his own tribe.

“I have heard a lot of stories in our country, but this is one of the most compelling stories. The love an individual can show for others not from their own tribe or religion, especially in a society like ours where tribe and religion often come to play.”

Vice President Osinbajo said that Nigeria would be a lot better if people would truly love one another and not on the basis of tribe, religion or ethnicity.

“It is far easier for people to create religious tensions between Christians or Muslims through their acts or words. And in a community where people have lived together in harmony and peace for so long, it shows how much a little of such tension created, in a matter of hours, can destroy harmony and peace built over the years.

“Most people in this country do not see the differences in tribe or religion, but it is easy to stoke religious tensions and divisions. So, one must be careful of those who want to play politics and create differences, using religion and tribe. This is not just in Nigeria alone, but all over the world. No tribe or religion is superior to another.

“When people have been wronged, it is always easier for people to accept that revenge or vengeance is the right approach. But as you know, vengeance breeds bitterness and hatred and doesn’t solve the problems created, but causes more deaths and harm.”

He recalled how the US Embassy in Nigeria recently honoured Abubakar for his “heroic deeds.”

The Imam, in his remarks, said he was not looking for publicity when he rescued the villagers, but felt that God only used him to save their lives.

The cleric, who spoke through an interpreter, recalled how his insistence that the bandits must kill him first before getting to the villagers forced the killers to change their minds.

“I pleaded with the attackers in the mud and rain not to harm my guests. By God’s grace, no one was hurt. God created mankind differently but he wants us to live together in peace and harmony, and not harm each other. Such an incident (the attack) is rare in my community, but I hope such does not happen in my village again.”

Those on the visit with Abubakar were the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington; Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Nigeria, David Young; an embassy official, Kathleen Fitzgibbon; and the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck.

Prof Sagay Describes Supreme Court Judgment On Zamafara As Travesty Of Justice

Editorial staff

May 30, 2019

A Professor of Law, Itse Sagay (SAN) has described the judgment by the Supreme Court, nullifying all the votes cast for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a travesty of justice and asked the party’s legal team to apply to the same Supreme Court for a review of its judgments not only on Zamfara but Rivers States.

In a statement today, Thursday Professor Sagay said: “The Zamfara and Rivers State judgments are a national tragedy. We should not allow our legal system to throw up such unimaginable injustice.

“This major judicial disenfranchisement of the Zamfara and Rivers electorate should be reversed. I advise the APC legal team to apply for a review of the two judgments.

“Their Lordships ought to be given an opportunity to reverse this unprecedented tragedy.

“The prefix ‘Justice’ preceding he names of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Judges is significant, for it prescribes what they stand for and what they represent: Justice!

“By this judgment, the landslide APC victories in the governorship, Senate, House of Representative and State House of Assembly are transferred to the PDP.

“If the APC primaries were defective, should the electorate be deprived of their democratic and Constitutional rights to vote? Is the electorate to be punished for the transgressions of party officials?

“Should the Judiciary replace the electorate’s decision and install losers in office? Could the Judiciary not have drawn on the deep recesses of its intellectual capacity, authority and its inexorable commitment to justice, to prevent this undemocratic calamity?

“Can the APC officials not be punished, for their lapses without denying the electorate their democratic rights? Should the Judiciary take over the electoral rights of the electorate? Is this not a clear case of technical law completely overthrowing justice?

“Have the members of the Supreme Court not achieved a level of creativity and authority to provide a solution without burying democracy and taking over from the registered voters as the judicial electorate?

“If this judgment had been an international one, it could have been described as ‘shocking the conscience of humanity’. In this case, it shocks the conscience of Nigerian humanity.”

The Professor of law said that the Supreme Court is specially endowed with the power and authority to do justice and to ignore law when it is technical and would create injustice, and to avoid at all cost a mechanical approach to the interpretation of the law.

“Now, has justice been served in Rivers and Zamfara states? No! In one case innocent electorate in their hundreds of thousands were prevented from voting for their party by judicial order.

“In Zamfara, where voting took place, the verdict of the electorate was taken away from the victorious party and awarded by the Judiciary to the woeful losers.

“In the next four years, Zamfara State will be governed by a party and politicians rejected by the electorate. This indeed shocks the conscience of Nigerian humanity.”

He referred to Section 140(1) – (3) of the Electoral Act, which prohibits any court from declaring a loser of an election elected even if the person with the highest votes was not validly elected.

“I am not interested in the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010. I am only deeply concerned and interested in the fundamental and peremptory principle of Justice.

“No Judge should announce his judgment until he is satisfied that Justice has been served, no matter how strong the pull of mechanical and technical law.”

Lokpobiri Goes Straight From Minister’s Position Into Bayelsa Governorship Race

Editorial staff

May 30, 2019

Few days after stepping down as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has indicated interest to contest the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement by his media aide, George Oji, he said: “he had already met President Muhammadu Buhari and intimated him of that decision of not returning as minister but instead would be contesting the governorship race in Bayelsa State on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in November.”

He said that being a minister opened his eyes to the enormous opportunities embedded in agriculture which he intends to replicate in the state by creating jobs as well as generating income, and guarantying y food sufficiency.

“What I have learnt in this Ministry of Agriculture, I never learnt in 12 years that I was in the parliament. As a senator for eight years, I never knew the potential that exists in Agriculture.

“Now that I am trying to explore some new opportunities, I am going to make Agriculture number one, if I have the opportunity of taking the experience I have here to my home state.”

He said that his thought of being posted to the Ministry of Niger Delta was dashed when President Buhari posted him to where he served.

“I was thinking that I would be posted to the Ministry of Niger Delta, but the president in his wisdom decided to send me here.”

For Failing Protocols, Saraki LosesInternational Human Rights Commission’s Appointment

Editorial staff

May 30, 2019

Nigeria’s Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has lost appointment as Ambassador-at-large of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) for not meeting up with the necessary protocols demanded of the office.

A letter signed by the head of the Nigerian Office of the Commission, Dr. Friday Sani, said that Dr. Saraki had not been forthcoming despite several meetings with officials of the International agency.

The letter indicated that the Senator had been put on prior notice by the Nigerian Central Office and Africa of IHRC in which he was properly briefed, regretting that the withdrawal of nomination became necessary in line with the protocols of the agency.

Part of the letter reads: “In view of recent event towards perfection of the intended decoration and the overall interest of the organization in Africa and the world, we hereby withdraw your nomination as Ambassador-at-large.”

The letter added that the International Human Rights Commission’s World Secretary-General, Mr. Rafal Marcin Wasik has been informed of the development.

To lead a diplomatic mission as Ambassador-at-large of the IHRC, Saraki would have to be officially decorated by the Secretary-General of the agency, a development that has been elusive since the appointment in March, 2019.

Igbos In Southeast Shun IPOB Sit-At-Home Protest, Say It Can’t Provide Them Food

Editorial staff

May 30, 2019

Igbos in many parts of the Southeast, today, Thursday, shunned the sit-at-home ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to mark Biafran Day, remembering those who were killed during the civil war.

In the heat of the protest that never took place, one of the residents in Enugu, Charles Odune said: “we are the ones to lose because it is when we do our business that we eat. We should look for the best way to honour the fallen heroes, not necessarily closing everywhere. I don’t know what we will gain by this?”

He stressed that Igbos would lose billions of naira because of the closure of markets and other places, noting that Igbo people are predominantly traders.

“Inasmuch as we want to honour those who lost their lives during the Biafran war, must we shut everywhere down?” the frustrated resident asked.

Another businessman, Francis Ugochukwu, said that everyone had to struggle daily for their livelihood, saying that IPOB would not provide food for anyone.

“It is high time we all learned our lesson. IPOB has deceived us a lot with its seat-at-home order and at the end of the whole thing, nothing happens. Enough is enough.”

There was heavy traffic at some major roads, in Anugu, especially the Agbani road axis, as people, including school children and workers, were boarding commercial buses to their different destinations.

Public and private schools in the metropolis were opened for normal academic activities.

Kenyatta, Garki and Akwata markets in the metropolis were opened for business, while traders were busy displaying their goods as usual. The banks were also running normal services.

There was zero compliance to the sit-at-home order in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital as economic activities, movement of vehicles and individuals were hitch-free.

Academic, banking and transportation activities were in full gear in the state.

The major markets in the city namely: Abakpa main market, Mechanic village, building materials market and timber market were all opened for business.

Meanwhile, over 2000 members of the Akubaraoha Youth Assembly led by the former Special Adviser on Youth Mobilisation to Governor David Umahi, Mark Onu, marched around the Abakaliki capital city to ensure total clampdown on the Biafra agitators.

The youth also advised traders not to close their shops.

The movement slowed down traffic along the ever-busy Afikpo road, otherwise, the directive of the outlawed secessionists was not noticed in the state.

As earlier as 6 a.m, officers of the state police command were seen at strategic places to provide security for the people.

Police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odaa, said officers carried out operation show of force within the state capital and its environs.

She said the IPOB order was a total failure in the state, as no member of the group was seen anywhere during their show of force.

The police spokesperson, however, urged members of the public to report any member of the outlawed group they see in the state to the police.

Residents of Owerri, the Imo capital, also defied the sit-at-home order. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that commercial activities went on uninterrupted in Owerri metropolis and its environs.

Banks were open to customers, while commercial activities went on normally in all the markets in the city, including the Relief and Timber markets.

Academic activities were also going on normally in some schools visited in the city.

Michael Ugochukwu, a school administrator, who spoke on why the IPOB’s order was not complied with, said: “We did not tell the students anything about it.

“We allowed parents to use their discretion. Some came while others stayed back.”

Another school owner, Chinwendu Osuji, said that the sit-at-home order was not captured in the list of holidays for the current academic session.

According to Osuji, “the school did not think it was wise to add an unofficial holiday to the week, having already observed May 27 and 29 as public holidays, respectively.

“We already observed a holiday for two days this week and we didn’t see the need to add an unofficial third.

“We did not announce it, even though some parents held their children back at home, probably for fear of the unknown.”

Also, Anthony Obinka, a commercial vehicle operator, said, “Whether or not there is a holiday, people have to feed. So I came out to look for my daily bread.”

President Buhari Rides On Second Term Train In Style

Greenbarge Reporters

May 29, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari takes a ride in a Presidential Jeep, decorated with national colour as he was, today, Wednesday, May 29, inaugurate to commence his second tenure of four years.

President Buhari taking an oath.

Professor Yemi Osinbajo being sworn-in as Vice President for a second term of four years.

The oaths of office, for President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo were conducted by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

Kano Governor Declares Free, Compulsory Education

Editorial staff

May 29, 2019

Kano State Governor, Dr.Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has declared free and compulsory primary and secondary education for school-age children in the state.‎

He made the declaration in his acceptance speech, shortly after being sworn in as Kano State Governor for a second term in Kano today, Wednesday.

According to him, tertiary education for Kano indigenes will also be subsidized, as government consolidates on the achievements so far recorded in healthcare delivery.

Governor Ganduje said that he would establish a new company known as “Kano State Small Town Water Supply Agency” to cater for the water needs of communities in rural areas.

He also promised to boost agriculture and reiterated his administration’s policy of zero tolerance to corruption.

The governor was sworn in by the Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Nuradeen Sagir Umar, alongside his Deputy, Dr, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.

Source: NAN.

PDP Governors In South East Greet Buhari On His Inauguration

Editorial staff

May 29, 2019

The South-East Governors’ Forum have sent a congratulatory message to President Muhammadu Buhari on his inauguration today, Wednesday to commence his second term in office.

In a paid advertorial published in a national daily yesterday, the Forum expressed optimism in the determination by the President to make Nigerians happier in his second term in office.

The congratulatory message read, “We, governors of South-East Nigeria, heartily congratulate the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on this historic occasion of his inauguration for a second term in office. “We are confident, Mr. President, that with your swearing in for another term, happier days are ahead not just for South-East but the whole of Nigeria.”

The Forum, chaired by the governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi, also has in its fold, the quartet of Willie Obiano (Anambra), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Emeka Ihedioha, the newly inaugurated governor of Imo state.

Apart from Obiano who is a member of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, all other four governors were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Gov. Bala Tells Bauchi People: I Will Place Food On Your Table, Secure Your Lives

Editorial staff

May 29, 2019

Bauchi State governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed (R)

The newly sworn-in Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has pledged to work hard towards placing food on table of the people in the state as well as secure their lives and properties in return for their support.

He declared: “to my supporters and the good people of Bauchi state, who defied party lines, creed and place of origin, to support my candidacy, there is no better way to thank you than to reiterate my resolve, under God’s guidance, to provide leadership that will restore confidence in government, place food on your table and secure the lives and properties of all of us”

The governor, who was sworn-in today, Wednesday, by the state Chief Justice, Hajiya Rabi Umar, while delivering his inaugural speech, said that his government would tackle the problem of unemployment and “the long suffering pensioners.

“We are confronting this challenge head-on. Very soon, our government will unveil an empowerment programme that, at once, facilitates capacity building while providing some safety net for the jobless youth.”

The governor also promised to improve health delivery especially to the indigents and most vulnerable members of the society.

“To the most vulnerable members of our society, the incoming administration would provide financial protection as envisaged under the Universal Health coverage (UHC) programme of the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We are confident that this would ensure that families and households do not become impoverished as a result of seeking healthcare as is so often the case in Bauchi state today.

“The incoming administration in collaboration with the Federal government, intends to place half a million family members under health insurance by the year 2023.”

Governor Bala Mohammed said that the primary healthcare level would be strengthened to provide majority of the services required in most of the communities.

He went on to declare that all appointments, promotions and transfers made from the day he was declared winner of the gubernatorial election by INEC as null and void.

“I want to state categorically that all appointments, promotions, transfers and secondments, including those that are meant to create frictions and divisions along traditional institutions from the day I was declared the winner by INEC, are hereby declared null and void.

“Similarly, this directive also applies to all dubious approvals given on land allocations, sale of government vehicles and houses, as well as spurious contracts awarded in the dying minutes of the last administration.

“In cases where the instrumentality of a Kangaroo legislation was used as a mark, we shall use the instrumentality of credible legislation to cancel the absurdity to the scrap heaps of history,” said the governor.

Bala Mohammed asked the Secretary to the state Government and most senior officials in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure strict compliance with this directive.

The governor said he would establish a high-powered committee to recover all assets and properties of government that were illegally disposed.

Buhari Goes To Makkah For Summit On Hand-In-Hand Toward Future

Editorial staff

May 29, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to leave for Makkah, Saudi Arabia tomorrow, Thursday to attend a Summit tagged: “Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future.”

The Summit, to be hosted on Friday, May 31 by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), will seek to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world. Other Heads of State and Governments of Member States are expected to attend the Summit.

A statement today, Wednesday by the senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu President Buhari will address the Summit to underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism.

The statement said that the President will also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development.

It said that on the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern.

The statement said that the President will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State.

Also on the delegation are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Isa Ali Pantami; and the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukthar.

Buhari is expected to return to the country on June 2^nd.

Ahead of the Summit, was a preparatory meeting in Jeddah meant to adopt the draft agenda and work programme for the Summit.

On the agenda were the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict; combating terrorism and violent extremism; the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world; promotion of scientific cooperation, among others.

President Buhari becomes the third Nigerian leader to attend the OIC conference in person, after the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan

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