Governor-elect for Kaduna state, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai has made it clear that he would not spare those who caused electoral violence in the recently concluded elections in the state.
The governor-elect, who was handed his certificate of return at the INEC headquarters in the state capital along with his deputy, Mr. Bala Bantex, said that there would be no sacred cow in the proposed prosecution of those that were involved in electoral violence, adding that it would serve as deterrent to others and also to reinforce his government’s commitment to the rule of law.
El-Rufai thanked the people of Kaduna State for voting massively for the APC in the election even as he assured them that his government would hit the ground running immediately after their swearing in on May 29 in an effort to rebuild the state.
The Governor-elect explained that his administration would complete all ongoing projects initiated by the outgoing PDP government which has positive impact on the people of the state, while those of less importance would be reviewed.
Among those that attended the event were traditional rulers, civil society organizations, and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security. [myad]
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has narrated how his enemies who wanted him dead led him to vacate his official quarters in the government house and then relocated to his private residence in Ibadan, the state capital. According to him, his un-known political enemies directed a dangerous Yoruba Juju, called ebo at him.
Governor Ajimobi who spoke in Ibadan during the eighth-day Fidau prayer for the late Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Baosari Haruna, said that before the just-concluded elections, some desperate politicians did their best to send him out of Government House at all cost through many devilish means.
“They first came to you, Alfas (Muslim Scholars), for you to give them prayers that will send me out of office, but my own Alfa prayers superseded that of these desperate politicians. Every morning, I always go out on exercise. If you know the Government House very well, it has many interchange, popularly called `orita’, I see all kinds of sacrifices (ebo) placed in all these junctions.
“Worried by these developments, some of you my Alfas here advised me to move out of the Government House to render their evil plots useless.”
Ajimobi said that his reason for fleeing his official quarters is contrary to tales spread by opponents that he packed out of Government House because he was afraid of imminent defeat as no governor had ever been reelected for second term in the history of the state.
The governor said he had to leave “to thwart the evil plots of these desperate politicians”.
The governor, who is still basking in the euphoria of breaking the jinx of being the first governor to be elected for second term in the state, thanked all spiritual leaders in Oyo for their prayers for him and the state.
“It is only Allah who shamed my detractors through your prayers for me and those I made in Saudi Arabia where I had the privilege of entering inside the Kaabah,” he said.
The elated governor asked the Islamic scholars to select 10 of them that would join him to Saudi Arabia soon to perform the lesser Hajj ( Umrah) to thank Allah for His mercies on him and the state.
He thanked the people of Oyo State for once again reposing their confidence on him by voting him in as governor of the state for another four years. [myad]
A Nigerian, Buruji Kashamu, indicted in the United States for allegedly smuggling heroin, in a case that was the basis for the TV hit: “Orange Is The New Black,” has been elected a senator in Nigeria. Buruji Kashamu was little known before he returned home in 2003 from Britain, despite a U.S. extradition order, to become a major financier of President Goodluck Jonathan’s party.
Election results from the March 28 poll identified Kashamu as senator-elect in Ogun state even as his political opponents are challenging his victory in court, saying that the ballots were rigged.
Kashamu’s spokesman, Austin Oniyokor, said it was important to clarify there is not “any order for extradition by any court whether in Nigeria, or the U.K. or the U.S. or anywhere.”
Kashamu, 56, has said he is “a clean businessman” and that the 1998 indictment by a grand jury in the Northern District of Illinois for conspiracy to import and distribute heroin in the United States is a case of mistaken identity. He has said Chicago prosecutors really want the dead brother he closely resembles.
A British court refused a U.S. extradition request in 2003 over uncertainty about Kashamu’s identity, freeing him after five years in jail. He was found carrying $230,000 when he was arrested.
Last year, Chicago Judge Richard Posner refused a motion to dismiss Kashamu’s case. The September 2014 decision from the Court of Appeal 7th Circuit quoted the U.S. Justice Department as saying that “the prospects for extradition have recently improved” but noted that “Given Kashamu’s prominence … the probability of extradition may actually be low.”
A dozen people long ago pleaded guilty in the case including American Piper Kerman, whose memoir about her jail time became the Netflix hit “Orange Is The New Black.” Kerman’s book never identified Kashamu by name, but there is a West African drug kingpin whom she calls “Alhaji” — meaning one who has completed the haj or pilgrimage to Mecca. Kashamu was identified from a photo lineup as Alhaji by two conspirators, Posner’s judgment said.
It said that if Kashamu was the ringleader of the drug gang, he could face a sentence as heavy as life imprisonment and suggested that if he is innocent he should fly to Chicago to prove it in court.
In Nigeria, Kashamu won an order preventing the attorney general from extraditing him. He had argued that his political enemies were trying to hurt him with the threat of extradition. But an appeals court last year overturned that order.
President Jonathan’s perceived protection of Kashamu caused Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president, to warn that “drug barons … will buy candidates, parties and eventually buy power or be in power themselves.”
Kashamu is suing Obasanjo for libel for stating that he is a fugitive from U.S. justice. He had won a court order halting publication of Obasanjo’s autobiography but a judge this week rescinded it, saying Kashamu had misled the court. [myad]
Pastor Tunde Bakare embraces the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari when he paid him a congratulatory visit in Kaduna today, Thursday, 16 April 2015.
From L-R: Mr. Jimi Lawal; Governor-elect of Kaduna, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari and Pastor Tunde Bakare during a congratulatory visit in Kaduna today. [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan has called on world leaders and international institutions to give their fullest possible support to the incoming Administration of General Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress.
President Jonathan also called on all Nigerians to do their utmost best to help the incoming President succeed in leading the country to greater heights of accomplishment.
At separate audiences with the new ambassadors of France, Senegal and Ethiopia, President Jonathan appealed for patience, understanding and cooperation from all stakeholders in Nigeria, which, he said, General Buhari will need to move the country forward to great height, peace, security and progress.
Responding to the commendation of his exemplary concession of victory in the Presidential elections by the new ambassadors, President Jonathan said that he acted out of his abiding conviction that the unity, well-being and progress of Nigeria must supersede all personal ambitions.
“Democracy has to be nurtured to grow. Strong democratic institutions are the backbone and future of our democracy. They must be protected and nurtured. As for me, as a matter of principle, it is always the nation first.
“You need to have a nation before you can have an ambition. It should always be the nation first. You don’t have to scuttle national progress for personal ambition.
“Since I assumed duty, I have been involved in quelling political crisis in some African countries and I know what they passed through and what some are still going through. If you scuttle a system for personal ambition, it becomes a collective tragedy,’’ President Jonathan declared.
Speaking with the new French ambassador, Mr. Denis Guaer, President Jonathan appealed to France to extend the support and assistance it gave to his administration to General Buhari’s government.
“President Francois Hollande was our guest in Nigeria during the celebration of Nigeria’s centenary. He has been very supportive of the country in the fight against terrorism. I expect that the same warmth and goodwill will be extended to the incoming government. I expect that France will continue to work with the new administration, especially on issues of terrorism.
“The United Nations has been supportive as well. Our troops, supported by regional forces, have done very well in fighting the terrorists in recent times. What we need now is support to help our people get back their lives.”
The ambassadors commended President Jonathan for setting a record of humility, patriotism and courage in safeguarding the democratic process in Nigeria and Africa.
“Nigeria is not only an economic power in the world today, but also a great democratic example. And it is all by your effort, Mr. President. The last elections and your response was truly a great achievement and you will always be remembered for it,” the French ambassador told the President.
Mr. Guaer, the new Ambassador of Senegal, Mr. Baboucar Sambe and the new Ambassador of Ethiopia, Samia Zekaria Gutu who were at the Presidential Villa to present their letters of credence to President Jonathan, also assured him that they will do their best to strengthen relations between Nigeria and their countries during their tenure. [myad]
Nationwide strike embarked upon today by the Air Traffic Control workers has grounded domestic flights and rendered many passengers stranded in various nation’s airports.
The workers embarked on a six hour warning strike to draw attention of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to non-resolution of welfare issues that were raised last year and will go on indefinite industrial action starting from Monday, April 20 if their welfare issues are not resolved. The airport authority has not yet made any official statement but the National President of the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers (NATCA), Victor Eyaru in a statement on Thursday said that today’s action will last six hours only as a warning sign.
“But it is in preparation for a major and total industrial action which will commence on Monday April 20, 2015, if relevant government bodies continue to treat air traffic controller issues with utmost levy or neglect.” The warning strike has led to the cancellation of many flights. [myad]
There are indications that a satellite television service provider DStv is facing contempt of court as a team of lawyers, led by Oluyinka Oyeniji brought to the notice of the court the fact that the organization has disobeyed the court over its ruling retraining it from increasing the prices of its services.
Other lawyers in the team are Osasuyi Adebayo, Mufutau Olajobi, Yemi Salman and Fola Oluwole for the applicants. The lawyers, in the class action suit brought against DStv today, informed the court that the satellite television service provider has gone ahead to give effect to its price increase contrary to the order given.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, had on April 2, 2015 made orders restraining DStv from giving effect or enforcing its planned increase in cost of the different classes of viewing or programmes pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction, which was adjourned till April 16, 2016.
But when the matter came up today, the team of lawyers told the court that DStv had breached the order by going ahead to enforce the price increase.
DStv is being represented by Moyo Onigbanjo (SAN) and M.K. Adesina among other lawyers.
Onigbanjo informed the court of his pending preliminary objection and application to set aside the orders of the court.
But Oyeniji objected and drew the attention of the court to his application for interlocutory injunction, adding that DSTV had disobeyed the orders of the court and that relevant applications for contempt proceedings had been filed.
The court then adjourned the matter till May 5, 2015 for the argument of the preliminary objection.
It is after that it will then take arguments on the motion for interlocutory injunction, which had earlier been scheduled for the day.
It would be recalled that the orders of injunction were stated to be pending before the said argument of the motion on notice. [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to ascent to the constitutional amendment based on 12 errors he raised in a seven-page letter to the Senate has angered the National Assembly and there are indications that the lawmakers may ignore the President’s position.
The President’s 12 errors are •Non-compliance with the threshold specified in Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution on amendments;•Alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority all members of National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly. Others are, the Right to free basic education and primary and maternal care services imposed on private institutions; •Flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers; •Unjustified whittling down of the Executive powers of the Federation vested in the President by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution;• and 30 days allowed for assent of the President .
Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua (APC) Katsina Central who raised the point of order for the senate to debate the letter when the Senate President, David Mark read the letter during plenary today said that the National Assembly will go ahead to override the president’s assent.
He said the President had the time to raise the objections before the amendment bill was passed by the National Assembly and even the States Houses of Assembly but he refused to make any input, adding that it was after the legislature had taken pains to ensure that the exercise was a success that the president was raising such points.
One of the principal officers who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity said that there were two options before the National Assembly on the matter, saying that either the National Assembly accepts the position of the president or go ahead to override it.
“We don’t know why he (Jonathan) decided to go this way. It is something that Nigerians having been looking forward to and as we managed to break the Jinx, we thought it was a legacy the 7th Senate is going to leave behind.”
Also Senator Ita Enang from Akwa Ibom state said the president should have raised the issues during the various public hearings held by the National Assembly and not wait until after it was approved by the parliament.
Senator Kabir Marafa (APC Zamfara), said that decisions on the matter would be taken today as the Joint Committee on Constitution Review met yesterday evening to study the president’s letter.
Senator Marafa said he was not going to comment much on the matter because during the plenary yesterday copies of President Jonathan’s letter were not made available to the members.
“I hate talking from uninformed position. Copies of the letter were not made available to us at the plenary. I think it is a very straight forward thing in the sense that we are playing by the rules now.
“The law says that if there is anything the president did not like, he should bring it back at a stipulated time, failure to do that, senate will veto him, he has just done that.
“The Joint Committee on Constitution Review called a meeting, they will give us information on the outcome of their meeting and we will read the letter constitutionally and if there is any breach anywhere, after the plenary, we will be able to comment.”
However, the Senate Leader, victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), when contacted for comment on the matter said that both houses were meeting to study the letter and that it was after that decision could be taken. [myad]
The Director of Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu has dismissed as fictional and uncharitable, a report by an online medium that the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari walked out some government officials from his residence in Daura, Katsina State. In a statement today, Garba Shehu denied that any such incident took place as reported by the online newspaper. “It was a false and an inaccurate presentation of the facts of what transpired when some government officials visited the President-elect at his Daura country home. It is totally out of General Buhari’s character to ask his visitors out.” Garba Shehu said that the alleged visit by the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Abdullahi Inde only happened in the imagination of the said publication, saying: “he did not come visiting at any time.” He said that the other reported incident involving Dr. Ade Abolurin, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, was inaccurately presented, adding that what happened was that the President-elect was already in another meeting when the Commandant-General came visiting and there was no way the President-elect could receive the new visitors. “He was merely passing through the town and decided to stop by. As a matter of fact, words were promptly sent to the gentleman and his delegation that General Buhari was unable to meet them owing to the fact of an-going meeting that had preceded the time of their arrival. “The president-elect welcomes positive suggestions from every Nigerian about how to bring progressive change to the country. “He will not walk out anyone who had come to discuss ways of developing the country. Courtesy and civility will not permit that to happen. It is equally not in his character. “It is therefore important to put the records straight that the President-elect will be a President for all Nigerians, irrespective of whether anyone currently holds a public office or not.” [myad]
Despite certain insinuations from some quarters, the past five years in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) could, arguably be described as a period when Abuja recorded unprecedented achievements in several areas. Not too long from now, the FCT residents will have a deep sigh of relief with the take off of the multi-million naira World Trade Centre, the Abuja Boulevard and the Abuja Light Rail which will all change the face of the new city. This is apart from the imaginative land reforms which coincided with the implementation of the much talked about FCT land-swap initiative, described as the Senator Bala Mohammed formula for accelerating the pace at which Abuja is being developed. Some of the achievements includes the construction of the ten-lane highway linking Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport and the city and connecting Giri; the construction of the Zuba/Kubwa/Tipper Garriage/City Centre express road linking up AYA; the construction of Inner Southern Expressway; the building of Abuja Light rail system; introduction of modern mass transportation buses; introduction of the innovative land swap system for accelerated housing and infrastructure provision, as well as reform of land administration and allocation system in the FCT. The Bala administration had as far back as 2010 given priority attention to issues like environmental protection, transportation, social development, youth empowerment, manpower development, land reforms, provision of critical infrastructure which was intended to be the spring board for the development of eleven more additional districts which were neglected by previous administrations. Similarly within the past one year or so, concerted efforts was given to job creation for the youths, improvement of the standard of education and the welfare of workers, promotion of industrial activities and on issues related to the improvement in the health and social service sectors all over the FCT. Most of the area councils have already benefitted from the efforts taken by the FCTA through deliberate government intervention and the private sector provided critical infrastructure in at least eleven new districts out of over 25 districts. These challenges coupled with the back-breaking work of administering the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory can only be appreciated if we put a few facts in perspective. Imagine a third-world developing country with a population in the region of one hundred and eighty million people, covering a national land mass of four hundred and twenty-four thousand (420, 000) square kilometers with annual GDP of about five hundred billion US dollars involved in building a new federal capital for a plural society in a frenzy of primitive capitalist accumulation. You will then begin to see the herculean task before the minister. Most of the things Bala and his men have done are on ground for people to see and even criticize if they like to do so. It was, perhaps, in recognition of the enormity of the task of administering Abuja that the office of the minister was also granted gubernatorial/mayoral powers. However, the common denominator of all past administrations of the FCT was that they all depended solely on statutory government budgetary allocations to execute the projects and programmes of developing the capital territory. Today, the story is being changed. Senator Bala Mohammed, Kauran Bauchi, the minister of FCT has introduced a novelty that is changing the development strategy of the FCT under different forms of public/private partnership (PPP or P3). This strategy describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through the synergy of government and one or more private sector companies. The most recent in the series of Private sector participation introduced by the Minister is the Land-Swap where parcels of land are granted to private entities perfected on an arrangement to develop the necessary infrastructure. It is expected that on the basic of the land-swap, new residential districts will soon emerge in the Federal Capital Territory. The implications of this new strategic initiative are legion: jobs will be created, residential accommodation shall multiply, land speculation will vanish, cost for property shall nose-dive and everybody shall be happier. But despite what many FCT residents have come to now regard as appreciable achievements which are verifiable, a certain group of persons using some disgruntled individuals and the media are bent on destroying not only Bala but whatsoever the Bala led FCTA and his lieutenants have done since he took charge of the FCTA about 5 years ago as the oldest serving minister for the territory. Some newspapers have recently been engaged in publishing negative and unpalatable reports about Bala and his men like the FCTA Director of Treasury Ibrahim Bomoi and the AGIS director Hajia Jamila Tangaza. While many Nigerians are celebrating the scaling of yet another democratic hurdle in our democratic evolution, there are some people who are scheming to capitalize on this occasion to smear the image of some eminent Nigerians who they may have one axe to grind or the other. One of the victims in this wise is the Hon. Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed whose hard earned reputation is being threatened by some unscrupulous elements for the simple fact that he was a trusted and committed loyalist of the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan. As it were, Senator Bala Mohammed is among the few cabinet members who had served under the Goodluck Administration from 2010 till date and had indeed contributed enormously to whatever achievement the administration has recorded. But these detractors do not want him to leave office with his image and credibility intact. For that reason, they have been up and doing in their attempt to splash mud on him. In doing this, they have adopted several strategies and these include peddling allegations that his children were involved in several corrupt and shady deals and that his administration was corrupt. The detractors have even attacked his own children including those whom are already married and have continued to undertake their normal activities, outside the parameters of the FCT Administration. The campaign of calumny has also extended to some Directors of the FCT Administration, including the Director of Treasury, Alhaji Ibrahim Bomai who has been the target of attack by some of the elements because their attempt to cajole him in the past had failed. Bomai is also the subject of attack because he has stood his ground, refusing to pay huge sums of money as ransom over threat of negative media reports. Similarly the Director of AGIS, Jamila Tangaza, a quiet hard working woman is a victim of the aggressors. One of the aims of those behind the campaigns of calumny is to pit the FCT Minister against the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari. Some critics might not see the giant strides of Bala now until he leaves office because it is a common trend in Nigeria. Nigerians are known to condemn people while in office but the moment they leave or die, they heap praises on such persons. With the achievements so far recorded in the FCT, there is no doubt that when the history of Abuja is written, the name, Bala Mohammed will never be omitted. [myad]
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The New Face Of The FCT, By John Mbaya
Despite certain insinuations from some quarters, the past five years in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) could, arguably be described as a period when Abuja recorded unprecedented achievements in several areas. Not too long from now, the FCT residents will have a deep sigh of relief with the take off of the multi-million naira World Trade Centre, the Abuja Boulevard and the Abuja Light Rail which will all change the face of the new city. This is apart from the imaginative land reforms which coincided with the implementation of the much talked about FCT land-swap initiative, described as the Senator Bala Mohammed formula for accelerating the pace at which Abuja is being developed.
Some of the achievements includes the construction of the ten-lane highway linking Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport and the city and connecting Giri; the construction of the Zuba/Kubwa/Tipper Garriage/City Centre express road linking up AYA; the construction of Inner Southern Expressway; the building of Abuja Light rail system; introduction of modern mass transportation buses; introduction of the innovative land swap system for accelerated housing and infrastructure provision, as well as reform of land administration and allocation system in the FCT.
The Bala administration had as far back as 2010 given priority attention to issues like environmental protection, transportation, social development, youth empowerment, manpower development, land reforms, provision of critical infrastructure which was intended to be the spring board for the development of eleven more additional districts which were neglected by previous administrations. Similarly within the past one year or so, concerted efforts was given to job creation for the youths, improvement of the standard of education and the welfare of workers, promotion of industrial activities and on issues related to the improvement in the health and social service sectors all over the FCT.
Most of the area councils have already benefitted from the efforts taken by the FCTA through deliberate government intervention and the private sector provided critical infrastructure in at least eleven new districts out of over 25 districts.
These challenges coupled with the back-breaking work of administering the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory can only be appreciated if we put a few facts in perspective. Imagine a third-world developing country with a population in the region of one hundred and eighty million people, covering a national land mass of four hundred and twenty-four thousand (420, 000) square kilometers with annual GDP of about five hundred billion US dollars involved in building a new federal capital for a plural society in a frenzy of primitive capitalist accumulation. You will then begin to see the herculean task before the minister. Most of the things Bala and his men have done are on ground for people to see and even criticize if they like to do so.
It was, perhaps, in recognition of the enormity of the task of administering Abuja that the office of the minister was also granted gubernatorial/mayoral powers. However, the common denominator of all past administrations of the FCT was that they all depended solely on statutory government budgetary allocations to execute the projects and programmes of developing the capital territory.
Today, the story is being changed. Senator Bala Mohammed, Kauran Bauchi, the minister of FCT has introduced a novelty that is changing the development strategy of the FCT under different forms of public/private partnership (PPP or P3). This strategy describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through the synergy of government and one or more private sector companies.
The most recent in the series of Private sector participation introduced by the Minister is the Land-Swap where parcels of land are granted to private entities perfected on an arrangement to develop the necessary infrastructure. It is expected that on the basic of the land-swap, new residential districts will soon emerge in the Federal Capital Territory. The implications of this new strategic initiative are legion: jobs will be created, residential accommodation shall multiply, land speculation will vanish, cost for property shall nose-dive and everybody shall be happier.
But despite what many FCT residents have come to now regard as appreciable achievements which are verifiable, a certain group of persons using some disgruntled individuals and the media are bent on destroying not only Bala but whatsoever the Bala led FCTA and his lieutenants have done since he took charge of the FCTA about 5 years ago as the oldest serving minister for the territory. Some newspapers have recently been engaged in publishing negative and unpalatable reports about Bala and his men like the FCTA Director of Treasury Ibrahim Bomoi and the AGIS director Hajia Jamila Tangaza.
While many Nigerians are celebrating the scaling of yet another democratic hurdle in our democratic evolution, there are some people who are scheming to capitalize on this occasion to smear the image of some eminent Nigerians who they may have one axe to grind or the other. One of the victims in this wise is the Hon. Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed whose hard earned reputation is being threatened by some unscrupulous elements for the simple fact that he was a trusted and committed loyalist of the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan.
As it were, Senator Bala Mohammed is among the few cabinet members who had served under the Goodluck Administration from 2010 till date and had indeed contributed enormously to whatever achievement the administration has recorded. But these detractors do not want him to leave office with his image and credibility intact. For that reason, they have been up and doing in their attempt to splash mud on him. In doing this, they have adopted several strategies and these include peddling allegations that his children were involved in several corrupt and shady deals and that his administration was corrupt. The detractors have even attacked his own children including those whom are already married and have continued to undertake their normal activities, outside the parameters of the FCT Administration.
The campaign of calumny has also extended to some Directors of the FCT Administration, including the Director of Treasury, Alhaji Ibrahim Bomai who has been the target of attack by some of the elements because their attempt to cajole him in the past had failed. Bomai is also the subject of attack because he has stood his ground, refusing to pay huge sums of money as ransom over threat of negative media reports. Similarly the Director of AGIS, Jamila Tangaza, a quiet hard working woman is a victim of the aggressors. One of the aims of those behind the campaigns of calumny is to pit the FCT Minister against the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari.
Some critics might not see the giant strides of Bala now until he leaves office because it is a common trend in Nigeria. Nigerians are known to condemn people while in office but the moment they leave or die, they heap praises on such persons. With the achievements so far recorded in the FCT, there is no doubt that when the history of Abuja is written, the name, Bala Mohammed will never be omitted. [myad]