The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military President Ibrahim Babangida are shadows that should be confined in retirement.
Tinubu, who was asked by the State House Correspondents today, Tuesday, to react to the recent letters the two former leaders wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari asking him not to contest the 2019 election for a second-term said: “I don’t address those shadows.
“We should let our former presidents join retirees’ club and take pensions but they can participate in our politics if they are interested. It is a free world but this freedom is not served a la carte but they should allow us to move our country forward. It is a challenge to every Nigerian.”
Asiwaju Tinubu made it clear that APC will perform better in the 2019 elections than it did in 2015, predicting that the elections will be free, fair and peaceful
“I belong to this party (APC). My commitment is to this party. We have a better chance and we are strongly determined to prosecute election in a most transparent and democratic manner and we will win.”
The APC Chieftain said that he felt greatly honoured that President Buhari named him to head reconciliation body in the APC, adding with the mutual confidence that the president has reposed in him, he had taken it as a very strong political challenge.
“Democracy is about conflict resolution process. You can’t do it without resolving conflicts. We can’t build it without understanding the conflicts and sources where we are coming from. But we want to leave the country with a legacy. It’s not about Mr. President. That is what he’s telling the country.
“It’s about our country and no other choice to democratic tenets than through political party platforms. He’s one of those rare has been around the country, around Africa who had experienced both worlds: he fought a battle to save Nigeria and came to politics to save Nigeria. “Very rare people have such an opportunity in their life time and that’s what we talk about legacy, and where we have all the challenges, we will do what we should do. I’m enjoying the challenges so far.
“We have started in earnest. He (Buhari) has given me free hand to put coercion, confidence and trust in the party.” [myad]
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said that he and his predecessor in office, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwakwaso used to be friends but that things changed because of the people around the two of them.
“Well, as you know, we were very good friends. In fact, my politics cannot be complete without Kwankwaso and the history of Kwankwaso politics cannot be complete without me. But somewhere somehow, things went wrong.
“But we believe in politics. You will get to a point you cannot rule and manage a state and then you are being controlled from outside. You know that one is very very difficult to happen if you look at the psychology of leaders.”
Governor Ganduje, who spoke to news men at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, today, Tuesday after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari, dismissed the what people outside Kano see as disturbing images after Saturday’s elections in which underage children were said to have participated in voting, describing it as a propaganda.
“You can ask the National observers who went there. They held a press conference. All those pictures were children from school assembly. It is not true. It is part of the propaganda.
“Let them go back to the state and ask the people did they queue up and vote in the election? So we don’t even need to respond to such falsehood.
“Ask those who are credible and who witnessed the election. I think that is the most important rather than rely on the social media where things are crafted, and pictures that were prearranged were taken. We don’t rely on that.”
According to Ganduje, the local government election on February 10 was very peaceful, adding that the insecurity that was publicized outside Kano was the imagination of those outside the state.
“A month ago we had inter-faith dialogue between the Christians and Muslims and the Ulamas and the clergymen were all there. We had a resolution pertaining to the peace and stability in the state.
“And since I came into office, there has not been any outbreak of instability in the state; nobody has been killed; nobody has been injured as a result of political activities. So you can see that the propaganda outside the state is that there is insecurity in the state. Practically, we have been showing that it is false.” [myad]
Information reaching Greenbarge Reporters has indicated that the factional leader of the dangerous Boko Haram insurgents, Abubakar Shekau has now abandoned his followers and on the run as the soldiers close-in on him.
According to a statement today, Tuesday, by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, Abubakar Shekau can no longer bear the heat anymore as he has abandoned his followers and is running for his dear life.
“He is desperately trying to escape the theatre, disguised as a woman, dressed in Hijab. We reliably gathered that to avoid detection, Abubakar Shekau alternates between blue and black coloured hijabs. He was last seen in a black hijab.”
The statement said that soldiers have been clearing Boko Haram camps in Sambisa forest including Camp Zairo as well as rescuing civilians being held hostages by the terrorists, recovered arms, ammunition, Improvised Explosives Devices (IED) factories and making materials as well as other equipment.
It said that as at now, the Boko Harm terrorists are in disarray and scampering for safety while others are surrendering.
The Army the n called on all those remaining Boko Haram terrorists to know that they are following a coward moving about in hijab disguised as a woman.
“We also request all the remaining Boko Haram members to come out from hiding and lay down their arms and be treated humanely.
“While concerted efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the fugitive terrorist leader, we implore also members of the public, especially the residents of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States to be more vigilant, security conscious and be on the lookout of Abubakar Shekau and other terrorists that might disguise as women to escape. “ [myad]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that the present government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari has made a high marks away from others in the past because of its prudent management of Nigeria’s national resources and the firm stand against corruption, amongst others.
Professor Osinbajo, who spoke today, Tuesday, at the Kogi Economic and Investment Summit in Lokoja said that the Buhari presidency can be scored very high despite daunting challenges in the economy.
The Vice President was in the state for a number of events, including the MSMES clinics, commissioning of Social Investment Programme, SIP, and the investment summit.
Osinbajo said: “despite 60% less revenue, we have, by stopping grand corruption, made the highest capital spend in the history of the country in the sum of about N1.3 trillion. We are, for the first time, taking on the game-changing infrastructure projects.”
He asserted that despite dwindling resources, the government’s investment in agriculture remains unprecedented, adding: “we have experienced an agricultural revolution, doing close to 15 million metric tons of paddy yearly. We used to spend almost $3 billion on rice importation, now rice importation has been cut by 80%. “We are today building the Lagos-Kano standard gauge rail and we have signed up for the Lagos-Calabar rail project. We are also building, after 40 years, the Mambilla hydro project, while work on the Second Niger Bridge is going on daily.
“We are daily increasing power supply and once we conclude some strategic transmission projects, we would see a truly appreciable improvement in domestic and industrial power supply.”
In the area of effective partnership with state governments, Professor Osinbajo said that Buhari’s government has been able to give more support to State Governments than any other government since 1999.
“As of September 2017, total support (excess crude account loan and Budget support facility), excluding Paris club refunds, is in the order of N876. 3 billion, and if we add Paris club refunds we will have disbursed N1.91 trillion.”
on the Federal Government’s partnerships with the private sector, the Vice President said that the government had, through the Quarterly Business Forum and the Industrial Council, collaborated with the private sector, saying: “we believe that the private sector is the key.”
He said that the Federal Government had, through the Social Investment Programmes, encouraged more young entrepreneurs, as well as empowering vulnerable and poor households across the country.
Earlier in his remark, the State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said the state was ready to engage in partnerships with both the private sector and the Federal Government to transform the fortunes of the state and empower more young people across different sectors. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has given assurance that the era of Boko Haram terrorism is gradually drawing to an end, with the narrowing of the recruitment base of the insurgents and renewed onslaught by the Nigerian Army.
The President who spoke today, Tuesday, when he received in letter of Credence of Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Nigeria, Most Rev. Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, at the State House, Abuja, said that the terrorist group had lost appeal in its initial strongholds, necessitating a steady retreat that will eventually culminate in ending the insurgency.
“You can’t indoctrinate people who are below the age of 14 years and blow up churches, mosques, markets and you keep shouting God is great.
“It is either you don’t know what you are saying, or you simply don’t care or believe what you are saying. It is part of our success story that Boko Haram is finding it more difficult to recruit people.
“The Nigerian Army is also not making it easy for them to grow, with more intelligence, orientation and regular, measured onslaught on their camps.”
The President said the ongoing effort to dismember the terrorist group, and render it completely powerless will be intensified.
President Buhari, who described the Catholic Church as a strong partner in the development of Nigeria, noted that the church had made very significant contributions to the development of the educational and health system of the country.
On corruption, the President said the fight against the culture of pilfering public funds would be prolonged, and would require a new orientation by repositioning the entire educational system.
“I am pleased that the African Union has spoken out boldly against corruption and appreciated the work that we are doing here,’’ President Buhari told the Archbishop.
In his remarks, the Archbishop Filipazzi said the Holy Father, Pope Francis, had taken a keen interest on the fight against terrorism, corruption and reviving of the Nigerian economy.
“Mr. President, the Holy Father, sends his warm greetings and he is keen to denounce corruption everywhere.”
The Apostolic Nuncio said he had travelled to the North East and was pleased with the efforts of the Nigerian Army in tackling the insurgents, and recovering some of the earlier lost grounds.
President Buhari also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Niger to Nigeria, Mr. Alat Mogaskia and the High Commissioner of Ghana, Alhaji Rashid Bawa. [myad]
I am a great fan of your magazine, National Geographic, and your sister platform, National Geo Wild, and your coverage of natural history, particularly the behaviour of animals in the wild. I must commend you and your organization for the high level of commitment, attentiveness to details and professionalism consistently and habitually displayed in your various reports both in print and the broadcast form. As a journalist of many years standing myself, I will like to suggest to you and your various channels, a story idea that you may probably find interesting, for professional reasons and for reasons of corporate social responsibility. Kindly pardon my presumptuousness in this regard, but I crave your understanding. Knowing how busy your schedule is likely to be, I will try to be quick and as specific as possible.
This is about my country, Nigeria, a land of over 900, 000 sq. kms., with rich biodiversity and ecosystem, and definitely the largest market for both human and natural resources in Africa. Since May 2015, when a new government took over power at the centre in our country, I have observed a curious and intriguing change in the behaviour of animals in Nigeria, suggestive of a certain transmutation, or perhaps transformation within the animal ecosystem, resulting in patterns of behaviour and interaction that may be of interest to your readers and viewers.
The most recent incident in this regard and the trigger for this letter is the current news in Nigeria about how a snake, described as a mysterious snake, has reportedly swallowed a sum of N36 million ($100k) belonging to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). JAMB is the national regulatory body in charge of admissions into tertiary institutions, very much like UCAS in the United Kingdom. This incident occurred we are told, in the process of the attempt by JAMB to audit the accounts of its zonal headquarters. In Makurdi, one Ms. Philomena Chieshe who has now been suspended, allegedly could not account for the said N36 million, being part-proceeds from the sale of forms for students seeking university admissions. When interrogated, she reportedly said her maid had confessed to the missing money having been taken by a mystery snake.
As a media channel that reports animal behaviour, this must be of great interest to you. I don’t know whether this happens in other parts of the world, but here in Nigeria, we now seem to have a variety of snakes that are attracted by the smell of raw cash, and which feed on vaults and bags of money. A documentary on this new variety of snakes, and a proper documentation of the genus and peculiarities would be good for filming. What exactly does the smell of national currency do to snakes? How nutritious is paper currency to snakes? The JAMB Registrar, Professor Isi-aq Oloyede who has turned JAMB, for the first time in its existence, into a revenue generating body by plugging all loopholes within the system, and without increasing any fees, is insisting that this is a case of corruption and that he will get to the root of it. The Professor probably may not understand the way of snakes and the new variety in Nigeria. He is a good man and I like him. I wouldn’t want him to be bitten by snakes.
Your investigative intervention should assist him. Your experts and investigators can deploy the tools of science and investigative journalism to seek out these snakes and catch them in action, and document for your numerous patrons, this new scientific development. Right now in Nigeria, we are preparing for the general elections scheduled for 2019. We need information and knowledge because if the Makurdi snake gets away with the N36 million, the same snake and its family could return in 2019 to swallow ballot boxes and papers and thus compromise Nigerian democracy.
I am, however, tempted to believe that the snakes in Makurdi may have become quite audacious, in reaction to a recent declaration, under this same political administration, by a high-ranking state official, that he bought two houses in Dubai from the sale of snakes! Are snakes vengeful? Is this nemesis? Do they resent being sold for profit? Do snakes have the capacity to feel and settle scores? Could the sale of snakes, with the profit of houses in the UAE by a senior official, have motivated some snakes in Benue state to swallow money meant for the national treasury? What does the process of swallowing, and the digesting of money by snakes entail? Many young Nigerians and I believe other persons across the world will learn a lot from this.
I therefore hope you will consider this a very urgent subject for your consideration and editorial intervention. Sir, the truth is that animals all over Nigeria are growing and becoming wild. They have no respect anymore for Nigeria’s constituted authority. We could wake up one of these days to hear that elephants have invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria, and swallowed all the bank’s vaults, leaving the entire country impoverished. The way things are, nobody will be surprised. I am sure you would not want that to happen, considering Nigeria’s strategic importance and population. If that were to happen, neither Africa nor the West would be able to handle the natural and humanitarian crisis that would ensue. And if that were to happen, I am sure you will not want to miss the story.
I made the point that Nigeria has become such a wild zoo where the animals no longer respect constituted authority, and where there seems to be a conflict of roles between animals and human beings. Let me elaborate a little. Every year, Nigeria holds what is called Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15. One of the highlights of the event is the release of pigeons by the President at the end of the ceremony to symbolise the release of peace upon the land. I became really worried about the Nigerian animal kingdom when in the last three years, the pigeons released by the President simply refused to fly. Government officials shouted at the pigeons to fly. Some waved their hands and even tried sign language. Some professional sycophants flapped their arms like birds to guide the pigeons. But no way! The pigeons just jumped onto the floor and behaved as if they were having an evening-time promenade.
When you focus on birds on NatGeo Wild, the birds are shown flying. What’s going on here then? Why are some birds in Nigeria refusing to fly? The President of Nigeria is the most powerful man in the land. When he asks human beings to jump, they actually do more than jump; they make an effort to somersault. But birds, common birds, are defying Presidential orders. What kind of birds are these? A deaf and dumb specie? Or are they resisting being used as symbols of peace? Is it possible that birds have witchcraft? – because since those birds refused to fly, Nigeria has not known peace.
I began to suspect that something was indeed terribly wrong with the animal kingdom in Nigeria when sometime in 2017 rats invaded the President of Nigeria’s office! These criminal rats chased the President out of his office for more than a month. They tore the furniture in his office apart, littered the place with their droppings and disrupted Presidential work. I am not making this up. The Nigerian Presidency issued an official statement to this effect. Your publication and the Nat Geo Wild Channel missed the story, quite unfortunately. But you have a second chance. You can do a good story, investigating the furniture-eating rats in Nigeria’s Presidential Villa. The President has since returned to his office, but what if the fangled-teeth rats are still around the place? What else will they eat? Having eaten up the President’s furniture without consequences, or implications, they may most certainly, just decide to munch the country’s security vote and foreign reserves! This then, is a matter of national security. If your cameras can just unmask these disrespectful rats, that will be the story of the decade.
I believe you will also get good stories and footages from covering the story of cows in Nigeria. I must tell you, cows have become far more important in my country today than human beings. Whereas many Nigerians have become homeless and defenceless, cows have bodyguards wielding AK-47 guns, bodyguards who insist that the life of cattle is more important than that of human beings. In your experience, you may have heard about cattle ranches and modern ways of processing cattle, but in Nigeria’s animal kingdom, there has been much talk about creating colonies for cattle in Nigeria: as in plans to take land from human beings and give to cattle! Many Governors in the country have resisted this, even the President has said that he has no constitutional powers to seize anybody’s land, but one young Governor, the one in Kogi state, has donated 15, 000 hectares of his people’s land, as cattle colony. This must make a good story for your National Geo Wild Channel. Why would any state Governor prefer cattle to human beings? What kind of behaviour is that? What is it really that attracts human beings to animals?
My knowledge of the Bible tells me that the battle between herdsmen and farmers is an old, original battle. Of the two sons of our father Adam, and our mother, Eve, one was a farmer – Cain, the other was a herdsman – Abel. Cain killed Abel. Since then, the world has not known peace. Their descendants have been at each other’s throats for as long as antiquity. I sincerely hope that it is not this original battle of vengeance that is now being re-enacted in Nigeria today over the battle of the cows and the farmlands. Herdsmen are killing farmers and vice versa and many of us are scared. Some people are even now saying they will create a Third Force to put an end to the drift. But nobody is sure of what tomorrow will bring. You have expert photographers and cameramen; they should be able to tease out the finest strands of this story.
Should you decide to take on this story, and do a documentary on how Nigeria has been turned into a wild zoo, within three years, I must advise that your reporters and experts should also be prepared for the shock of hearing some prominent Nigerians making references to animals all the time. One of our more outspoken Senators who should be a good interview subject about ten months ago actually told Nigerians that the seat of power, that is the Presidency of Nigeria, had been taken over by hyenas, wolves, and jackals in the absence of the lion-king. He also drew attention to a mortal combat between crocodiles and fishes. This remains a great puzzle.
The wife of the President would later reply that the hyenas and jackals would soon be expelled from the Kingdom. I am not sure this has happened, and I do not intend to go near the place to find out the truth. I can tell you why in a private conversation. But the other day, a prominent government official, a Professor of Law, who should know what he is talking about, but who has been sounding like one of the hyenas the Senator complained about, gave a lecture in which he himself complained about how Nigeria has become an animal kingdom! This same Professor not too long ago, also announced that the ruling party of which he is a member, is led by “rogue-elephants.”
I have a confession to make. I worked in government until recently but I am frightened by the manner in which wild animals are now all over the place. When public officials talk, they see animals. When events occur, they blame animals. When things get missing, animals creep into the picture. Fela, the musician once warned us about animals but I didn’t take him serious. As a responsible media house, interested in the life and times of animals in the wild, please hurry up and investigate how Nigeria has become a country of snakes, fishes, hyenas, crocodiles, cows, lions, wolves and jackals in just three years! Your audience will be supremely enriched by the effort.
I also assure you that there are many knowledgeable persons on ground who can assist you to do a good story or a series of excellent reports. Incidentally, we have a former President who once wrote a book titled: This Animal called Man, and who is a famous chicken farmer to boot. We have another former President who has a Ph.D in Zoology and was once described as a fisherman. We also have a sitting President who before becoming President, a second time, owned 150 cattle (I don’t know how many he has now) and who is a life patron of the herdsmen association of Nigeria. We even have a Nobel Prize winner, who enjoys hunting in the forest of a thousand animals. And you have me here, waiting, expectantly, who can serve as your consultant (my charges are modest) – as you write the story of how Nigeria, suddenly, before our very eyes, became a country of wild animals.
Thank you very much for your time and attention. Please don’t delay until rogue elephants swallow the Central Bank or wolves eat up the NNPC – our treasure trove. Best regards. [myad]
Governors of the 36 states in Nigeria have collectively embraced the idea of each state having its own police formation.
The Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari, who spoke to news men today, Monday, at the end of a two-day summit, organized by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Review of Current Security Infrastructure in Nigeria, said that the creation of state police would help in addressing the spate of insecurity in the country.
Abdulaziz Yari, who doubles as governor of Zamfara State said: “today, we have reiterated the position of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. And the position of the security summit we held in August, that there is a need for the state police; we can say it is the only answer.”
The governor said that internal security is supposed to be handled and managed by the police and that the police of today were inadequate, adding: “there are about 4 million people in Zamfara and we have fewer than 5000 policemen.
“We in governance agree that we can find a way through which we can fine tune the issue of state police.”
On the cost implications, Governor Yari explained that “It is not all the states that are supposed to have the state police, those that could, should be able to have it.
“It is something we cannot take off at the same time. We were created differently.”
He said that the issue of security was not something to play with, adding that the primary responsibility of any government is to ensure that lives and properties of citizens are protected.
“Many challenges of Nigerians for the past ten years ranging from Boko Haram, cattle rustlers, armed banditry, and militancy in the Niger Delta are dwindling the Nigerian economy, and threatening the unity of the nation.”
It will be recalled that the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had during the opening of the summit last week, advocated the idea of state police, saying: “we cannot realistically police a country the size of Nigeria centrally from Abuja. State police and other community policing methods are clearly the way to go.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said that it is a collective shame to all leaders that Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited is yet to be completed after so many years, insisting that the House of Representatives will resist any move to concession the company.
Dogara who stressed that to concession the company would amount to concessioning Nigeria’s future, announced that the House will consult with stakeholders to work out ways to source for the $500 million needed to complete the last phase of the project.
The speaker, who spoke when he led members of the House Committee on Steel to the company to Ajaoku in Kogi State, said that except the political will is lacking, getting the funds to complete the company shouldn’t be an issue.
He said that the reason the steel company had not been completed was due to a leadership problem, saying that where there is competent leadership, ways to source funding for such a multi potential company will not be a problem.
He said that the present leadership has shown direction by first ending an arbitration case in foreign jurisdiction, adding that there are many ways through which the $500 million can be sourced, including the Sovereign Wealth Fund, Excess Crude Account and recovered financial crimes loot.
The Speaker said that the House will hold another of its sectoral debates, where the lawmakers will meet with relevant agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) whose chairman, Ibrahim Magu, will be expected to brief the House how much it has recovered from corruption proceeds that can be applied into the completion of the project.
He explained that his determination to ensure that the steel company is revived is borne out of the promises that the company holds for Nigeria’s teeming population in the form of power and gas development, economic boost, thousands of jobs creation, development of manufacturing sector, development of infrastructure, investor appeal, among others.
The speaker maintained that running and managing the company can be concessioned after completion since government is not a good manager of companies.
“Imagine if this plant had been completed in 1986, where Nigeria would be at the moment. Any patriotic Nigerian that visits this place will shed tears irrespective of the part the person is from and for a foreigner that visits here, when he hears people describe this place as a shithole,he will go with the impression that it may be true. We have no reason not to complete that plant.
“You cannot concession your future, it is never done. I’m yet to see a nation that even concessions its bedrock and still succeeded. If you see one, just tell me. And that’s why previous attempts to concession it were not possible.
“We keep doing repeating the same things and expecting to get different results. That’s the definition of stupidity and since we are not stupid, we will not repeat it. We can make Nigeria proud so that every black man in the world can beat his chest. Anyone who plans to outsource the completion of this plant will definitely run into problems with us.”
Earlier, when the parliamentary delegation visited the Government House, the Speaker said: “we are here about a major promise to the country that is located here in Kogi State, which is the Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd.
“We all know the benefits of steel development. You cannot be an industrialised nation without developing the steel sector.
“Of course, I’ve seen the resolution that was passed and adopted by the Kogi State House of Assembly but I feel that this is just not a Kogi issue, this is a Nigerian issue in view of the major promise that this sector holds for Nigeria.
“I believe that as soon as we put this plant into operation, immediately there will be 10,000 jobs for engineers and technical staff. That’s even as the level of the first phase and talk about other non-engineering staff, thousands again and other splinter opportunities that will come, that’s a projected 2 million jobs.
“We don’t need money, all we need is leadership. Wherever you see development anywhere in the world, it is not money that brought it, some they say it is money but it is leadership. As a matter of fact, it is even leadership that brings the money.
“Talking about leadership, we are not trying to put the blame at the door step of the executive, no. All of us are leaders and as a matter of fact, it is to our collective shame that up till now, we have not been able to finish and put into operation, this company that was started long ago in view of the major promises that it holds for the development of this country.
“But we want to thank God that we are now not short of leadership in this country. As a matter of fact, I was told that for some years, the plant was dogged by a court action, arbitration instituted in a foreign jurisdiction.
“It has taken leadership to end this thing, to exit from this arbitration in 2016 and it is just this leadership that we need to be able to complete this plant that needs to be completed.
“I’ve heard so much stories about Ajaokuta, heard people talk about it but I had never been there. And that is why I felt that as legislators, we should come and see and have a feel of what’s going on there so that we can build a partnership with the executive to see that we complete this plant on time by the grace of God.”
Commending the governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for the cordial relationship the executive and parliament share, he urges him to ensure that he performs well for the betterment of youths, which he belongs in.
“You are a man of our own generation, we are happy to connect with you and the promise too, that the youths of this country holds. I believe you represent that promise. It is said that the end of a matter of better than the beginning. It doesn’t matter how you have begun, but you must end well. And when you end well, it will be better for all of us- people of your age bracket and people who are coming after us. We know that with God on your side. Inspite of the challenges of revenue states are faced with, if you really dig down, you will be able to explore ways to increase revenue for this state and outshine those that came before you,” the speaker states.
In his comments, Governor Yahaya Bello, commended Speaker Dogara for partnering with President Buhari to ensure that the idle lying Ajaokuta Steel Company is revived and put into use again even as he assured him that the visit is going to be worth the while, and agreed with his earlier position that funds should not be the reason why the company will not be completed, if the political will is present.
“What you and the House of Reps are doing is giving the younger generation their future. We are simply taking our destiny into our hands, not only will posterity be kind to you, God almighty will also be pleased with you,” he added.
“Even if we must fight, if we are fighting, let it be for the interest for the development of that particular sphere of government. Let us agree to disagree but not because we are pushing our own personal but collective interest. I want to commend you for that and the people of Kogi will begin to see the real dividends of that cooperation between the executive and the legislature, which is the original intent of the framers of the constitution.
“When we cooperate instead of competing, work together instead of contesting each other’s authority and when we do that, the sky wont be the limit.
“We are here about a major promise to the country that is located here in Kogi State, which is the Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd. We all know the benefits of steel development. You cannot be an industrialised nation without developing the steel sector.
“Of course, I’ve seen the resolution that was passed and adopted by the Kogi State House of Assembly but I feel that this is just not a Kogi issue, this is a Nigerian issue in view of the major promise that this sector holds for Nigeria.
“I believe that as soon as we put this plant into operation, immediately there will be 10,000 jobs for engineers and technical staff. That’s even as the level of the first phase and talk about other non-engineering staff, thousands again and other splinter opportunities that will come, that’s a projected 2 million jobs.
“We don’t need money, all we need is leadership. Wherever you see development anywhere in the world, it is not money that brought it, some they say it is money but it is leadership. As a matter of fact, it is even leadership that brings the money.
“Talking about leadership, we are not trying to put the blame at the door step of the executive, no. All of us are leaders and as a matter of fact, it is to our collective shame that up till now, we have not been able to finish and put into operation, this company that was started long ago in view of the major promises that it holds for the development of this country.
“But we want to thank God that we are now not short of leadership in this country. As a matter of fact, I was told that for some years, the plant was dogged by a court action, arbitration instituted in a foreign jurisdiction.
“It has taken leadership to end this thing, to exit from this arbitration in 2016 and it is just this leadership that we need to be able to complete this plant that needs to be completed.
“I’ve heard so much stories about Ajaokuta, heard people talk about it but I’ve never been there. And that is why I felt that as legislators, we should come and see and have a feel of what’s going on there so that we can build a partnership with the executive to see that we complete this plant on time by the grace of God.
“You are a man of our own generation, we are happy to connect with you and the promise too, that the youths of this country holds. I believe you represent that promise. It is said that the end of a matter of better than the beginning. It doesn’t matter how you have begun, but you must end well. And when you end well, it will be better for all of us- people of your age bracket and people who are coming after us. We know that with God on your side. Inspite of the challenges.” [myad]
The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kukah, has advised those who are always in a hurry to make money by engaging in all sort of criminalities, including human trafficking to take it easy because has a purpose for creating everyone.
Bishop Kukah, who spoke at the end of road walk organized by Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), in Sokoto said: “God has a plan for everyone of us as no one has come to this world by accident.
“Therefore, we should always believe that despite the difficulties and trial, God always has a plan for us.”
The clergyman insisted that the campaign against human trafficking should be a collective responsibility that should involve all religions and tribes.
“We need to come back to our senses as individuals in order to achieve better and develop a country of our dream. This is a campaign that the Mosques and Churches need to work together to successfully achieve our desired goal of becoming human traffic free society.
“We thank the Federal Government for setting up NAPTIP and embarking on a massive awareness to address the situation in the country.
“But we need to do more, individually and collectively, to ensure a better future for our generation leaders.”
Bishop Kukah appealed to young Nigerians to engage in better ways of living and always avoid any action that could affect future development of Nigeria.
The Bishop commended NAPTIP for ensuring that no human life was violated and prayed for the leaders to succeed in the task of governing the country.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has raved at his Plateau State counterpart, Governor Simon Lalong, warning him to stop interfering in the affairs of Benue state.
Governor Ortom, who spoke in the early hours of today, Monday, shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting with National Economic Council (NEC), technical committee on herdsman/ farmers crisis resolution, led by Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, said: “I’m the governor here (Benue). How can he (Gov Lalong) says that he warned me? Who is he to warn me? He can only advise me.”
Governor Ortom narrated that his deputy, Benson Abounu, had met Governor Lalong at a function outside the state recently where Lalong said he still stands by his statement, warning governor Ortom to desist from the anti-open grazing law.
According to Ortom: “my deputy told me that he had a discussion with Lalong recently at a function, where he said that he had to apologize to me over his statement because of pressure on him, saying, he stands by his earlier statement.
“He also told people that he introduced this Kenya woman in this committee to me, whereas, this woman was introduced to me by Nasir El Rufai, not him.”
The stakeholders’ meeting which commenced Sunday night at the new banquet hall, government house, Makurdi dragged to early hours of Monday.
It would be recalled that Governor Lalong at the peak of the herdsmen attacks on Benue State told newsmen in Abuja that he had warned governor Ortom against the new anti-grazing law but he would not listen.
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Dear Editor, NatGeo,
Governors of the 36 states in Nigeria have collectively embraced the idea of each state having its own police formation.
