President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock at the recently released Human Rights Watch (HRW) report which alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of women and girls in the Internally Displaced Persons in their camps.
A statement by senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said that Buhari insisted that the welfare of these most vulnerable Nigerian citizens would remain a priority of his government.
“Nigerians and the international community can rest assured that the allegations raised in the HRW are not being taken lightly.”
President Buhari asked the Inspector General of Police and the state governors of the affected states to immediately commence investigations into the issue.
“Their findings will determine the next course of action for the government and define an appropriate response.
“While the Nigerian military continues to work hard so that these unfortunate victims of Boko Haram terrorism can soon return safely to their homes, the government will do its best to ensure their protection and welfare in the temporary IDP camps.” [myad]
Azikel Refinery in Bayelsa state, one of the 22 companies recently granted refining licence by President Muhammadu Buhari, has signed a construction agreement with representatives of Ventech Enginering LLC, a World leader in Modular Refinery construction based in Houston, Texas.
The contract is for the manufacturing and construction of a 12,000 barrels per day (BPSD) Hydro-skyming Refinery.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in the United States, the Group President of Azikel Petroleum Nigeria Limited and Azikel Refinery, Dr. Eruani Azibapu said that the refinery, when operational, has the refining capacity of 12, 000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Eruani said that Azikel Refinery is among the recently licensed 22 private refineries by President Mohammad Buhari in 2015, in line with the Buhari Administration’s goal of adding value to the Nigerian crude oil, improving self-sufficiency in refined product and creating employment for Nigerians.
He confirmed that Azikel Refinery would begin operation in 2018, adding that the refinery has demonstrated a strong zeal and focus in the completion of the refinery by moving from the first stage licensing (LTE)to the second Stage licensing of Approval to Construct(ATC), one of the only four firms, out of the licensed 22 to attain that stage. Others are are Amakpe International Refinery, Resources Petroleum & Petrochemicals and Hi Rev Oil Limited.
“Obtaining the ATC licensing is a demonstration of seriousness and commitment to the establishment of the Refinery. Azikel Refinery is still in the lead of the four other companies, having completed land clearing/de-stumping of 50 Hectares of land for the refinery, completed a reclamation/ sand-filling campaign which lasted for over ten months.
“At the operational site of Azikel Refinery, construction of Crude Oil feed stock tanks and refined products tanks have reached a 55% completion. The Execution now of the ISBL Unit, which is the main Modular Hydro-Skimming Refinery from Ventech, will keep the project in tight schedule for operations in the 2018.”
He noted that Azikel Refinery is situated adjacent the Gbarain-Ubi Gas Gathering Facility in Bayelsa State, in Obunagha-Gbarain, Bayelsa State, adding that the proximity of the Azikel Refinery to the feed stock from Shell has given it a very clear advantage to early start and completion as to meeting the planned commencement of operations in 2018.
Also speaking at the contract signing ceremony in Houston, the President of Ventech Ian Anderson, emphasized that Ventech’s usual high degree of professionalism would be deployed in the construction of the Azikel Refinery, with the objective of ensuring that the specifications of the products from the Azikel Refinery meet international standards. “Azikel Refinery will produce high value variants of LPG, Petrol, Kerosene, Avaition Fuel, Diesel and Heavy Fuel Oil,” he said.
At the signing ceremony were the Director of Investment and strategy, Mr. Richard Howarth and the Executive Director Operations Mr. Presley Asemota who signed on behalf of Azikel Petroleum Nig Ltd while Mr Ian Anderson, the President/CEO of Ventech led the team that signed on behalf of Ventech Engineering.
Others in his team include the Vice President Scott McClary, the General Counsel Laura Hotard andtThe Busines Development Manager Mr Brian Swientonioski .
The event was also witness by executives of international Banks, Export Credit Agencies, US Businessmen and organizations as well as the Nigerian Community and friends of Azikel Group in the United States. Also present was Mr. Dada, a US based Nigerian, who had brokered international funding of billions of US dollars for businesses in Africa.The funding of the refinery was secured from Exim Bank, Export Credit Agencies and EPC Project Finance funding. [myad]
The richest man in Africa and Nigeria business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has advised Federal Government to grant tax holidays to genuine foreign investors as a way of attracting them into the country, even as he expressed worry that more than 100 million out of a population of 187 million Nigerians are wallowing in poverty. Dangote, who is the President of the pan-African Conglomerate, the Dangote Group, spoke as guest speaker at a seminar for the Executive Course No. 38, 2016 of the National Institute for Policy & Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru , neaar Jos, Plateau state.
In a paper on Promotion of Local Manufacturing and Poverty Reduction In Nigeria: The Private Sector Experience and Policy Options, the foremost entrepreneur, Dangote said that for the country to move out of the current economic quagmire fast, there is need for the government to remove some of the barriers that hinder the growth of the non-oil sector. One of which, he said, is to set up businesses by granting tax holidays. Another is to improve the state of infrastructure in the country, and to provide more access to credit facilities. “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should also step up its interventions in the area of improving funding for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs). All these will create jobs and raise the standard of living of the people.” Dangote explained that unemployment arose basically because job opportunities were not being created fast enough to match the ever-increasing work force attributing this to the effects of many years of de-industrialization in the country.
“Retrenchment both in the public service and the private sector also continue to exacerbate the unemployment crises.” Dangote recalled his days as the Chairman of the National Committee on Job Creation, which was set up in 2010 to address the unemployment situation in Nigeria, adding that together with his committee members, they identified some priority areas for job creation. “Some of these areas include micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs), agriculture and agro-allied industries, manufacturing, entertainment and vocational skills. I believe we can create new opportunities for MSMEs by linking them up with larger enterprises, through industry clusters. “Since a large number of employers in the MSMEs sector are informal family-owned businesses, they can be trained to become more proficient through various capacity building initiatives”, he stated. Dangote noted that Nigeria’s large population offers incentives for manufacturers and service providers.
“Nigeria also has abundant natural resources. All these make Nigeria a country that offers one of the highest returns on investment in the world, which is attractive to investors. The high volume of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that has been flowing into Nigeria in recent years, attests to this fact. South African companies such as MTN Nigeria, Shoprite and Multichoice, have taken advantage of our huge population to do business with us and they are today, reaping the dividends.”
The Industrialist is surprised that Nigeria which was the Africa’s largest oil producer, and the largest economy on the continent, would be one of the highest in terms of poverty.
“It is estimated that more than 100 million out of a population of 187 million Nigerians, live below the poverty line.” Quoting a United Nations (UN) report, Dangote said that youth unemployment rose to 42 percent in 2016 with many graduates combing the streets in major cities such as Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt in search of often-elusive white-collar jobs while for some who are employed, their situation can best be described as that of under-employment, as they are underutilized and poorly paid. He said that the development has serious security implications, as evidenced in the high rate of social ills plaguing the nation, saying: “the spate of kidnappings, intermittent vandalism of petroleum pipelines in the Niger Delta, and the protracted insurgency in the North East, are all fuelled, to a large extent, by the high level of endemic poverty in the country.” Dangote pointed out that the recession has further worsened the situation, as the Government continues to record dwindling revenues thus making it increasingly difficult for the Government to fulfil some of its obligations to the people. “Coupled with this, the activities of insurgents in the North East, have also affected the level of poverty in that part of the country. It is estimated that there are over 2.4 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in the region. It will take billions of Naira to rebuild the North East and fully re-settle victims of the insurgency. For a Government that is severely constrained in terms of funds, this, no doubt, is a daunting challenge.” Dangote looked at what he called the sad state of affairs, and attributed the poverty most Nigerians face as a direct consequence of long inequitable distribution of the nation’s wealth, failure to diversify the economy away from oil, which is the country’s major revenue earner, and widespread corruption that affects efficient allocation of available resources, The industrial guru, who has advocated the disposal of unprofitable national assets to cushion the effect of the current recession, identified other factors that have fuelled poverty, including lack of commitment to the success of various poverty reduction programs, inaccessibility to funds, and poor state of infrastructure in the country, particularly, electricity. “Nigeria is currently facing economic recession occasioned by fall in global oil prices. Militant activities in the Niger Delta, which have reduced oil production by a third, and the increasingly weak national currency, the Naira, have also affected the economy drastically. “High food and fuel prices, a squeeze on foreign aid, and falling diaspora remittances have also worsened our precarious economic situation. Distinguished participants, we do need to think out of the box, to get out of the woods.” [myad]
A group, known as the Network for Sustainable Development and Empowerment in Borno South (NSDE) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for inaugurating a Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI).
The group described the Presidential initative, headed by retired General T Y. Danjuma as the right step in the right direction.
Coordinator of the Southern Borno group, retired Brigadier General D. B Shaljaba said the move by the President has further given hope to the people of the North East Region.
Brigadier General Shaljaba, in a statement, said the group is ready to partner with the presidential Committee towards achieving its set goal.
“We are ready to partner in whatever capacity the Committee deems necessary to contribute towards the on-going recovery efforts in the North East on the heels of the damaging effects of Boko Haram insurgency, in order for the Committee to get it right in the implementation of the ‘Buhari plan’.”
The group called on the committee to ensure that its activities are comprehensive so that all affected parts of Northeast are catered for.
President Buhari, while inaugurating the PCNI, had assured that General Danjuma would lead the Committee, made up of members who have been carefully chosen from a wide spectrum of stakeholders diligently.
The Committee will be the apex coordinating body for all interventions in the region including those by the public, private, national and international development partners. The Committee is domiciled in the Presidency and is charged with responsibility for developing the strategy and implementation framework for rebuilding the North East region. [myad]
Troops operating under a code-name LAFIYA DOLE on patrol from Bama to Pulka, intercepted suspected suppliers of drugs and other logistics to Boko Haram insurgents from Firgi and Zawan axis, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Acting Director of the Nigeria Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman who spoke to news men today, Monday, said that the suspect was arrested as he tried to cross into Sambisa forest on Sunday afternoon.
According to Colonel Usman, the troops pursued members of Boko Haram who were crossing the into the forest but could only able to apprehend Kadiri Umate, 35 years, while others fled into the bush.
The patrol team recovered 35 packets of 500ml of Glucose Intravenous infusion (Drip), assorted analgesics and pain killer drugs, clothes, bathroom slippers, insecticides, salt, kolanuts and a bicycle.
The suspect is undergoing preliminary investigations.
The troops also arrested one Fantoma Lasani, who was suspected to be a supplier of fuel and other logistics to the same Boko Haram. He was arrested by the Army in conjunction with Civilian JTF at Muna garage when he came to pick his wife to finally relocate out of Maiduguri.
The suspect who hailed from Flatari village, Bama Local Government Area, is among some unpatriotic elements in the society that had been supplying Boko Haram terrorists with Premium Motor Spirit and Automotive Gas Oil in Bama, Gwoza and Sambisa general area. [myad]
Like Lagos, Kano remains a significant bloc in any political permutation in the Country. With population estimated at over 10 million according to the 2006 census, and 44 Local Government Areas, any political earthquake in the State reverberates across beyond its borders.
In this light, the rise and rise of Gandujiyya Akidda ideology at the expense of crumbling Kwankwasiyya Amana is bound to have domino effect. Political observers believe that Kano former governor, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso by taking on his political associate of over sixteen years who now wields power, miscalculated. ‘Power is no respecter of persons’ they submit.
Could it be power intoxication that pushed Sen. Kwankwaso to dare his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje ?. Maybe, power intoxicates. And it appears Nigeria’s political elite loses their bearing after a sip. Indeed, they hunger to remain perpetually in power, by proxy or otherwise.
Else what would a man who has exhausted the constitutional limit of eight years as governor still be seeking in the governorship seat?
Of course, Sen. Kwankwaso would not be the first former governor or the last who dreams that his place as godfather is assured if he ‘installs’ his successor.
Former governors, Orji Uzor Kalu and Ali Modu Sheriff respectively of Abia and Borno States learnt the hard way. After ‘installing’ their puppets in office, the governors, Theodore Orji, formerly of Abia and Kashim Shettima of Borno resisted playing puppets and fought their so-called godfathers to a standstill. They returned for second term and sent their godfathers into political wilderness.
Predictably, Kwankwaso would lose out in the tussle for supremacy between him and Gov. Ganduje. A little introspection on his part would have shown that he would gain more by remaining in the good books of Gov. Ganduje, than tussling with him.
Come 2019, Gov. Ganduje would have consolidated his power base and may easily return for a second term, all things being equal. As Chief Executive of the State, and leader of the party in the State, the only way he could lose out would be by non-performance.
Kwankwaso on the other hand has had his day in the sun. No matter his influence, he would be facing a big fight in 2019 especially if his presidential aspiration remains alive. He would be fighting on so many fronts
The Ganduje versus Kwankwaso tussle began almost immediately the former was sworn in as governor. Accusations and counter accusations were traded. The two principal actors initially denied anything was amiss, but soon it became a macabre dance in the marketplace.
Absurdity and sycophancy crept in when a former Special Assistant to Sen. Kwankwaso on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Sharu Gwammaja dared Gov. Ganduje to remove his red cap.
Gwammaja boastfully offered to buy the governor’s red cap at the cost of N1million, saying “if Governor Ganduje can remove his red cap today, I will buy it for N1million.”
The red cap symbolises Kwankwasiyya, the political mass movement founded by Sen. Kwankwaso to aid his governorship re-election in 2011. The cap was formerly adopted on May 29, 2011 during the swearing in of Kwankwaso for a second term. Worn with white garment and black shoes, it soon became the dress code for his loyalists, virtually replacing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag.
While Gov. Ganduje and followers ignored Gwammaja who spoke in April this year, Kwankwaso’s loyalists persisted. Recently, Gwammaja, now chairman of Hannun Karba, Hannun Rikewa, a wing of the movement made actual threats.
While addressing a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano, in commemoration of the 60th birthday of Kwankwaso and 6th anniversary of the movement, he said: “Earlier, we have offered the governor the sum of N1m to remove his cap and he failed to do so. Now, we are giving him 48 hours to either remove the red cap which is a symbol of Kwankwasiyya or we will drag him to court. He has deviated from the ideology of Kwankwasiyya and it is high time he stops wearing our symbol”
Does the Kwankwasiyya movement own the copyright to the red cap? Certainly not. Only hypocrisy and sycophantic posturing could have driven Gwammaja so far.
From Gov. Ganduje’s camp came swift reaction: The Kano State Commissioner for Information, Youths, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Mohammed Garba dismissed the threat of legal action against the governor as most ‘’laughable, pathetic and a clear indication of the ignorance of the members of the movement of law and history of political struggle in Kano”.
‘’The red cap” says Alh. Garba, was introduced by late Malam Aminu Kano and popularized by him, his followers and disciples and Ganduje was among them.
“Ganduje was at the forefront of its re-introduction during the second tenure of Kwankwaso in 2011. Who then could better claim the red cap doctrine?” he queried.
‘’’Gov, Ganduje’s decision to continue wearing the red cap was nothing but a personal choice and manifestation of his high sense of decency, decorum, responsibility, modesty and political astuteness.
“…..The statement and empty threat should have been backed by citing the exact provisions of the constitution, any statute, law or rules and regulations that were breached by the governor for his action, for it to hold any water, particularly in a court of law,” he challenged them.
So far, 34 out of the 38 members of the Kano State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, several local government area chairmen, and other party officials in the State have stopped wearing the symbolic red cap in solidarity with the governor. A blue cap has since been introduced to replace the red one.
Are the days numbered for Kwankwasiyya Amana ideology in Kano? Yes, says the Special Adviser to Gov. Ganduje on Print Media, Alh. Bala Salihu Kudu.
‘’Plans had been concluded to do away with anything connected with the Kwansiyya ideology. As far as we are concerned, we are definitely going to dump it because it has no political benefit. We are now talking about the Gandujiyya Akida ideology, which we are entrenching’’.
Kudu explains that Gandujiyya Akidda means: “ Unshakable belief in certain issues that will be beneficial to the common man and the people of Kano State.
“It is a political ideology that has direct bearing on the people, their needs and aspirations as far as governance and distribution of democratic dividends are concerned”
The rapidly rising profile of Gandujiyya indicates that Gov. Ganduje is not fazed by the brickbats flying to and fro.“We will play politics when that time comes. His Excellency, Gov Ganduje is working now.
“Gov Ganduje remains focussed on delivering democracy dividends to Kano people. From less than N800 million internally generated revenue, he has since boosted Kano’s IGR to N3 billion. He has not only kept faith to his promise of continuing the projects and policies of his predecessor, he is now moving on to conceptualisation and consolidation of his own projects and policies’’ says Garba.
Icheku is an Abuja-based journalist and public affairs commentator. He can be reached at toni.icheku@gmail.com. [myad]
The other room is the most important room in the home and in any woman’s life. Every woman knows that. So, don’t mind those who are pretending to be holier than the sacred sanctuary. It’s okay to have powers in and over the other rooms, but a woman who does not know how to wield the influence derivable and derived from the other room is indeed a powerless woman. Yes, the powers of the boardroom is plenty power. But what is the power of the boardroom without the power of the bedroom? At best, the power of the boardroom is transient. It is power that can be wrested from your hands in one board meeting. It is power you can be suspended or retired from. Without your entitlements too! But the real influence of the other room is sweet, and long-lasting. Even when a woman gets promoted to the position of a first wife, she only shares that power with the new entrant, she does not have to relinquish it altogether. There would still be things the new wife will not happen on or know just because she knows how to apply her make-up. A woman who has lived with her man for 20 straight years most certainly know where all the buttons are on that body and how to insert the right keys to open the right doors. A new wife, yes, knows how to manipulate current ring-back tunes and his caller tunes because the man was sneaking in at weekends to chop-and-clean-mouth, it is the licensed owner of the other room who knows how to wake the giant up from the deepest slumber. But let’s not wait too long at that bus stop. Moving on, every woman must know and use the power of the other room. It is the power you hold tightly, girls. You sit tight on it. It is not democratic power. It is monarchical. You hold on to it until death do you part. Oh yes. A friend once told me how she used to do extra duty on her husband any time he announced he was going to be working late or going for a management retreat out of town. She would do an all-nighter in the other room. She would coax him up and ensure he gave a good account of himself the night before. Then she would ice the cake with a long-drawn-out dawn work-out in the morning and then let him leave the other room, spent and thoroughly used. She knew ‘bros’ was a strong man but when a man has been thoroughly dealt with at night and in the morning, the ‘conference materials’ will have to do more than struggle to wake the giant up. Right. If you ask me, every wife of every busy man should give their men a good work-out in the other room to ensure the guys have less wild oats to sow. Get some of the juice for yourself. How smart can you claim to be if you clean a gun for hours, load it with bullets, cock it and then you let him go shoot it somewhere else? Babe, you are all the shooting range he needs. Let him practice all he wants in the other room. Talking about shooting range, too many women voluntarily retire from the other room and still expect to continue to wield influence over ‘oga’. It does not make sense. You are either in the other room or you are outside it. No woman can stay outside that powerful room and remain powerful. That is why I said that this matter is not a democracy. You have no term or tenure. Play your politics right and stay put. Do whatever you need to do. It is a war and all is fair in war. Play fair only when it suits you. When you need to go the extra mile to keep your place and ‘oga’ in the other room, plaster a designer smile on your face and do what you need to do. Just remind yourself of your wedding vows and what the holy books say… But is the other room the only room of influence? Some say the kitchen is also important. They underscore that with one suspicious saying: the best way to a man’s heart is through the stomach. Seriously? I do not buy that line. Fine, they told us all kinds of things when we were getting married but the things we have all learnt on the job are unquantifiable. Who drew the map that linked the stomach of a man to his heart? Let us be sincere, that kind of road network is suspect. What kind of geography is that? And if you still doubt that kitchen theory, ask why wives, women employ cooks and house-helps for the kitchen and no woman wants to be helped in the other room. Ah ah, my point exactly. The superior room is the other room. Everybody is welcome in the kitchen. The other room? No. A lot of work, of course, goes into keeping your space in the other room. Plenty of sweat and long nights. No woman should let all that go to waste, after all, the bible said that we shall eat the fruit of our labour. Whatever cannot be fixed in the other rooms must find solution in the other room. Whatever a babe can’t fix through her man’s stomach, she must fix behind closed doors. Whatever argument a woman can’t win with long logic in the living room, she must take to the other room for final adjudication. You see, it is in that room, only in the other room, that a woman gets to play judge and jury. It is one place where a woman can baptize her husband, pray for him and God watches you both and clap and smile and say, well done, my daughter. See how divinely appointed the other room is! From the choice of which schools a woman wants the children to attend to where she wants him to acquire property and when and holiday destinations, a little extra work in the other room can lessen the hours spent on arguments. Being extra nice to your man in the other room, if you get my meaning, will make his cantankerous sister less influential. Paying more attention to his sensitive buttons will make him less antagonistic to your Christmas budget. New tricks, new techniques may work better when you want more house keeping allowance than the logic of falling naira and rising dollars. But I must warn that the other room is a room of strategy that must be used strategically. It is a room you can enjoy every day but the powers therein must be deployed strategically and with tons of wisdom otherwise the advantage will be lost. If the power in this room is not handled smartly and intelligently, it may be misinterpreted as blackmail. A man must not be deprived of what he paid for, even if he paid in installments. You cannot withhold from him his entitlements. Just rev it up, keep it warm and some times, serve it so hot he begins to speak a foreign language. Whatever you do, never ever forget that the other room is the most superior room and that only smart women know how to deploy the power therein. [myad]
A young lady, whose name was not immediately known, ran out of the wedding venue where she was being joined in Holy wedlock with her dashing lover as husband and wife, saying that she was no longer interested in the man.
Drama ensued when the would-be husband gave her a hot chase across the major road in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, which created a serious scene in the area.
At the popular Orhunwhorhun road, the husband was seen begging the bride, still in the white overflowing wedding gown, to reconsider her decision.
The incident attracted a large crowd, as well as members of their families, in a frantic effort to settle the matter. [myad]
Senator Otaru Salihu Ohize, who represented the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District in the red chamber of the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011, died today at the National Hospital, Abuja after protracted illness.
Family source would not disclosed the source of the illness, but it was confirmed that for a long time, Senator Ohize, who also served as Chairman of Okene Local Government in Kogi State, had been bedridden.
Senator Ohize was born on February 5, 1953 and was elected Senator for the Kogi Central constituency of Kogi State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007. He was a member of the Action Congress (AC).
The late Senator Ohize earned a B.Sc. in Political Science from the University of Lagos (1987) and a Master of International Affairs & Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (2003).
He served for fifteen years in the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy.
After taking his seat in the Senate in June 2007 he was appointed to committees on Sports, Police Affairs, Interior Affairs, Information & Media, Housing, Commerce and Agriculture.
In a condolence message, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello expressed shock over the demise of “a selfless leader” and a former Senator of the Federal Republic.
The Governor described the demise of the former Chairman of Okene Local Government Area as a “painful exit of a political General who fought hard for the change we are enjoying in Nigeria and Kogi State”.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed and for the family, the State and the nation to bear the irreparable loss, saying the late Ohize will “forever be honoured in our minds for his selflessness, commitment to good governance and belief in fairness, justice and equity”.
Governor Bello urged the Ebira nation and Kogites in general to bond together in “this moment of great grief and irrecoverable loss”, urging the people to accept the will of God.
He said that his government shall keep defending the ideals the late Ohize held dear, which are development, progress and justice.
Also, the current Senator representing the same Senatorial District, Senator Ahmed Ogembe described the death of the Senator Salihu Ohize as a great loss for people of Ebira Land and Kogi State at large. .
In a statement released immediately after leaving the hospital where the deceased passed away, Senator Ogembe expressed sadness over the demise of a great icon and grassroots mobilizer.
“It was a rude shock with deep sorrow to hear the unexpected and sudden death of Senator Ohize this morning. May God grant our people the fortitude to bear the priceless loss of a political colossus, ‘Rest In Peace’,” he added.
Senator Ogembe asked members of the family, particularly his children, to take solace in the fact that Senator Ohize lived a fulfilled life with remarkable track record of great achievements.
Senator Ogembe, who was among the dignitaries that rushed to the National Hospital Abuja, where the late senator died.
He prayed that God would accept the spirit of the departed soul, and grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
He noted that the deceased, Ohize, would be greatly missed by all especially the Ebiras in particular and the people of Central senatorial district in general. [myad]
The Presidency has distanced President Muhammadu Buhari from the travails which some judges accused of receiving bribe are going through, appealing to media practitioners to stop linking the President to the legal travails of some recently arrested judges in the country. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said that President Buhari would be the last person to authorize anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice. Garba Shehu recalled that despite his personal familiarity with some judges, Buhari had never used that familiarity to seek favours from them from 2003, 2007 and 2011 when he was challenging the fairness of the presidential election results, from the lowest to the highest courts in the land during the periods in question. He said that as a politician, Buhari had never once ever suggested to his lawyers to approach any judge for assistance to win his cases, adding that the President lives by this principle and has never deviated from it. On the fate of the judges facing corruption allegations, the presidential media aide said Buhari does not tell the courts how to do their jobs and that anybody accused of corruption is protected by the law to defend their innocence. He said that the purpose of the law is to punish the guilty and acquit the innocent, noting that the law protects the rights everyone. Shehu said the President doesn’t have any powers to force any court to convict anybody who is innocent, arguing that in a democratic society, that cannot happen without resistance by the people. [myad]
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Rise Of Gandujiyya And Fall Of Kwankwasiyya In Kano, By Tony Icheku
Like Lagos, Kano remains a significant bloc in any political permutation in the Country. With population estimated at over 10 million according to the 2006 census, and 44 Local Government Areas, any political earthquake in the State reverberates across beyond its borders.
In this light, the rise and rise of Gandujiyya Akidda ideology at the expense of crumbling Kwankwasiyya Amana is bound to have domino effect. Political observers believe that Kano former governor, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso by taking on his political associate of over sixteen years who now wields power, miscalculated. ‘Power is no respecter of persons’ they submit.
Could it be power intoxication that pushed Sen. Kwankwaso to dare his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje ?. Maybe, power intoxicates. And it appears Nigeria’s political elite loses their bearing after a sip. Indeed, they hunger to remain perpetually in power, by proxy or otherwise.
Else what would a man who has exhausted the constitutional limit of eight years as governor still be seeking in the governorship seat?
Of course, Sen. Kwankwaso would not be the first former governor or the last who dreams that his place as godfather is assured if he ‘installs’ his successor.
Former governors, Orji Uzor Kalu and Ali Modu Sheriff respectively of Abia and Borno States learnt the hard way. After ‘installing’ their puppets in office, the governors, Theodore Orji, formerly of Abia and Kashim Shettima of Borno resisted playing puppets and fought their so-called godfathers to a standstill. They returned for second term and sent their godfathers into political wilderness.
Predictably, Kwankwaso would lose out in the tussle for supremacy between him and Gov. Ganduje. A little introspection on his part would have shown that he would gain more by remaining in the good books of Gov. Ganduje, than tussling with him.
Come 2019, Gov. Ganduje would have consolidated his power base and may easily return for a second term, all things being equal. As Chief Executive of the State, and leader of the party in the State, the only way he could lose out would be by non-performance.
Kwankwaso on the other hand has had his day in the sun. No matter his influence, he would be facing a big fight in 2019 especially if his presidential aspiration remains alive. He would be fighting on so many fronts
The Ganduje versus Kwankwaso tussle began almost immediately the former was sworn in as governor. Accusations and counter accusations were traded. The two principal actors initially denied anything was amiss, but soon it became a macabre dance in the marketplace.
Absurdity and sycophancy crept in when a former Special Assistant to Sen. Kwankwaso on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Sharu Gwammaja dared Gov. Ganduje to remove his red cap.
Gwammaja boastfully offered to buy the governor’s red cap at the cost of N1million, saying “if Governor Ganduje can remove his red cap today, I will buy it for N1million.”
The red cap symbolises Kwankwasiyya, the political mass movement founded by Sen. Kwankwaso to aid his governorship re-election in 2011. The cap was formerly adopted on May 29, 2011 during the swearing in of Kwankwaso for a second term. Worn with white garment and black shoes, it soon became the dress code for his loyalists, virtually replacing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag.
While Gov. Ganduje and followers ignored Gwammaja who spoke in April this year, Kwankwaso’s loyalists persisted. Recently, Gwammaja, now chairman of Hannun Karba, Hannun Rikewa, a wing of the movement made actual threats.
While addressing a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano, in commemoration of the 60th birthday of Kwankwaso and 6th anniversary of the movement, he said: “Earlier, we have offered the governor the sum of N1m to remove his cap and he failed to do so. Now, we are giving him 48 hours to either remove the red cap which is a symbol of Kwankwasiyya or we will drag him to court. He has deviated from the ideology of Kwankwasiyya and it is high time he stops wearing our symbol”
Does the Kwankwasiyya movement own the copyright to the red cap? Certainly not. Only hypocrisy and sycophantic posturing could have driven Gwammaja so far.
From Gov. Ganduje’s camp came swift reaction: The Kano State Commissioner for Information, Youths, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Mohammed Garba dismissed the threat of legal action against the governor as most ‘’laughable, pathetic and a clear indication of the ignorance of the members of the movement of law and history of political struggle in Kano”.
‘’The red cap” says Alh. Garba, was introduced by late Malam Aminu Kano and popularized by him, his followers and disciples and Ganduje was among them.
“Ganduje was at the forefront of its re-introduction during the second tenure of Kwankwaso in 2011. Who then could better claim the red cap doctrine?” he queried.
‘’’Gov, Ganduje’s decision to continue wearing the red cap was nothing but a personal choice and manifestation of his high sense of decency, decorum, responsibility, modesty and political astuteness.
“…..The statement and empty threat should have been backed by citing the exact provisions of the constitution, any statute, law or rules and regulations that were breached by the governor for his action, for it to hold any water, particularly in a court of law,” he challenged them.
So far, 34 out of the 38 members of the Kano State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, several local government area chairmen, and other party officials in the State have stopped wearing the symbolic red cap in solidarity with the governor. A blue cap has since been introduced to replace the red one.
Are the days numbered for Kwankwasiyya Amana ideology in Kano? Yes, says the Special Adviser to Gov. Ganduje on Print Media, Alh. Bala Salihu Kudu.
‘’Plans had been concluded to do away with anything connected with the Kwansiyya ideology. As far as we are concerned, we are definitely going to dump it because it has no political benefit. We are now talking about the Gandujiyya Akida ideology, which we are entrenching’’.
Kudu explains that Gandujiyya Akidda means: “ Unshakable belief in certain issues that will be beneficial to the common man and the people of Kano State.
“It is a political ideology that has direct bearing on the people, their needs and aspirations as far as governance and distribution of democratic dividends are concerned”
The rapidly rising profile of Gandujiyya indicates that Gov. Ganduje is not fazed by the brickbats flying to and fro.“We will play politics when that time comes. His Excellency, Gov Ganduje is working now.
“Gov Ganduje remains focussed on delivering democracy dividends to Kano people. From less than N800 million internally generated revenue, he has since boosted Kano’s IGR to N3 billion. He has not only kept faith to his promise of continuing the projects and policies of his predecessor, he is now moving on to conceptualisation and consolidation of his own projects and policies’’ says Garba.
Icheku is an Abuja-based journalist and public affairs commentator. He can be reached at toni.icheku@gmail.com. [myad]