Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom (UK) after rejecting independence with 30 out of the country’s 32 council areas declaring in vote: the “No” side has an unassailable lead of 1,877,252 votes to 1,512,688. The winning total needed was 1,852,828. Nationally, the margin of victory is about 55% to 45%. The vote is the culmination of a two-year campaign. Talks will now begin on devolving more powers to Scotland. This margin of victory is some three points greater than that anticipated by the final opinion polls. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest council area and the third largest city in Britain, voted in favour of independence by 194,779 to 169,347, with Dundee, West Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire also voting “Yes.” But Edinburgh, the nation’s capital, rejected independence by 194,638 to 123,927, while Aberdeen City voted “No” by a margin of more than 20,000 votes. There have also been big wins for the pro-UK campaign in many other areas. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who led the pro-independence “Yes” campaign, is expected to make a statement from his official residence at Bute House in Edinburgh at 10:00 BST (11:00 GMT). In his first public comment since the results started coming in, Mr Salmond tweeted: “Well done to Glasgow, our Commonwealth city, and to the people of Scotland for such incredible support.” His deputy, Nicola Sturgeon, conceded defeat with a handful of results still to be declared, saying there was a “real sense of disappointment that we have fallen narrowly short of securing a ‘Yes’ vote”. She said that the projected result was “a deep personal and political disappointment” but said “the country has been changed forever”. Ms Sturgeon said she would work with “anyone in any way” to secure more powers for Scotland. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I’ve spoken to Alistair Darling (head of the pro-UK Better Together campaign) – and congratulated him on a well-fought campaign.” Mr Cameron is expected to respond to Scotland’s decision in a live televised address following the final result
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It shares a border with England to the south, and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the south-west. In addition to the mainland, the country is made up of more than 790 islands,including the North Isles and the Herbrides.
Edinburgh, the country’s capital and second-largest city, was the hub of the Scottish Enlightenment of the 18th century, which transformed Scotland into one of the commercial, intellectual, and industrial powerhouses of Europe. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, was once one of the world’s leading industrial cities and now lies at the centre of the Greater Glasgow conurbation. Scottish waters consist of a large sector of the North Atlantic and the North Sea,containing the largest oil reserves in the European Union. This has given Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland, the title of Europe’s oil capital.
The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707. Having entered into a personal union with the kingdoms of England (which included what is now England and Wales) and Ireland following James VI’s succession to the English and Irish thrones in 1603, Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with England on 1 May 1707 to create a single Kingdom of Great Britain. This union resulted from the Treaty of Union agreed in 1706 and enacted by the twin Acts of Union passed by the Parliaments of both countries, despite popular opposition and anti-union riots in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere. Great Britain itself subsequently entered into a political union with Ireland on 1 January 1801 to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. [myad]
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has laughed off the adoption of the incumbent Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the sole Presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party for the 2015 election. Atiku blamed PDP for being so cheap by not subjecting President Jonathan to a contest for the ticket. Speaking in a Channels Television programme in Abuja today, Atiku Abubakar insisted that President Jonathan does not stand a chance against the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next year’s polls. According to him, it is now clear that Nigerians have been given ample opportunity to make a choice of which party to vote for in the election.
According to Atiku, some governors under the ruling PDP would join the APC in protest over the decision to make President Jonathan the sole presidential candidate of the party.
The former Vice President is expected to publicly declare to contest the 2015 Presidential election under the opposition APC on September 24. [myad]
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has announced the capture of a Boko Haram leader whose name was not immediately disclosed, and other suspected members of the sect in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The Army said that all the captured suspects are presently undergoing interrogation in an unnamed military facility. According to a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General. Chris Olukolade today, the breakthrough was recorded through intelligence gathering. He said the intention of the sect leader and those arrested was to rearm from Niger Republic and launch deadly attacks on Nigerian communities. The statement said: “The plan by a band of terrorists who relocated to Niger Republic to remobilize and rearm insurgents with the aim of carrying out fresh terrorists attacks on some Nigerian communities has been foiled. “The leader of the group who had fled Nigeria when the terrorist camps were sacked was reportedly recruiting fresh hands and training them for renewed terrorist activities in Nigeria. “The intention of the group is to focus its attacks on some towns around the Nigeria-Niger Republic border.” “Intelligence operatives of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had been on the trail of the leader until he was eventually arrested in Karanga, Niger Republic on Saturday with the cooperation of Nigerien forces. “His other accomplices were later picked up in other villages in Nigeria. They are currently being interrogated. A source, who spoke in confidence, added: “Investigation revealed that following their dislodgement from their camps in Nigeria, the Boko Haram leader relocated to Niger Republic with his cell members. “While in Niger Republic, they tried to regroup and recruit more hands to be able to attack Nigerian communities. When we got intelligence report, we contacted our Nigerien counterpart. The Boko Haram suspects were trailed and their leader was captured. “We succeeded in arresting other members of the cell and they were brought down to Nigeria from Niger.”
The National Chairman of the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Kenneth Odigie Oyegun has been named as one of the over 300 distinguished Nigerians and friends of Nigeria that President Goodluck Jonathan would confer this year’s National Honour Awards. Also to be conferred with various categories of awards, according to the Presidency, are the Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasiru A. Ajanah, ministers of information, Labaran Maku, education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau; ace Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde and the Gomo of Kuje, first class traditional ruler in the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Tanko Haruna Jibril. Others are the ministers of women affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, that of power, Professor Chinedu Nebo; minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochepe, and acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba among others. The awards, to be conferred at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on September 29, were approved by the President recently. A statement from the office Of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, also contained the names of some of the nation’s footballers and athletes as well as traditional rulers, judges, civil servants and others. The list of the over 300 award recipients goes thus: In the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) Category are 1. AIR MARSHAL ALEX SABUNDU BADEH CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF 2. MAJ. GEN. KENNETH MINIMAH CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF REAR ADMIRAL USMAN JIBRIN CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF
3. AIR VICE MARSHAL ADESOLA AMOSU CHIEF OF AIR STAFF
4. ALHAJI SULAIMAN ABBA ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE 5. HON. JUSTICE BOLARINWA O. BABALAKIN FMR. SUPREME COURT, JUDGE
6. HON. JUSTICE ABUBAKAR BASHIR WALI JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, (RTD)
7. HON. JUSTICE IBRAHIM TANKO MUHAMMAD JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
8. HON. JUSTICE CHRISTOPHER M. CHUKWUMA – ENEH JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
9. HON. JUSTICE MUHAMMAD S. MUNTAKA COOMASSIE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
10. HON. JUSTICE JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
11. HON. JUSTICE OLUFUNLOLA OYELOLA ADEKEYE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
12. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
13. BUKAR GONI AJI FORMER HEAD OF SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION
14. MR. DANLADI I. KIFASI, OON, MNI HEAD OF SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION
15. AMB. AYO OKE DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
16. HRM OBA DR. VICTOR ADEMEFUN A. KILADEJO TRADITIONAL RULER
17. CHIEF PHILIP C. ASIODU OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT
18. BRIG. GEN. JONES O. AROGBOFA (RTD) CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT
19. HRH ALAYELUWA OBA (DR.) JIMOH OYEWUMI A. TRADITIONAL RULER
20. CHIEF KOLAWOLE BABALOLA JAMODU, OFR FORMER MINISTER/ PRESIDENT OF M.A.N.
21. CHIEF OLUDOLAPO IBUKUN AKINKUGBE ENTREPRENEUR
22. CHIEF (DR.) EMMANUEL C. IWUANYNWU BUSINESS MAN [su_spoiler title=”View More” icon=”plus-square-1″] 23. JIMOH IBRAHIM FOLORUNSHO, OFR ENTREPRENEUR IN THE CATEGORY OF THE COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF NIGER (CON) ARE 24. ALHAJI IBRAHIM ADEJOH IDRIS FORMER GOVERNOR
25. HON. JUSTICE OLATOKUNBO ODUYINKA OLOPADE CHIEF JUDGE, OGUN STATE
26. HON. JUSTICE ALOY NWEKE NWANKO CHIEF JUDGE, EBONYI STATE
176- DR. ABDULLAHI Y. SHEHU DG. INT. GOVT. ACTION AGAINST MONEY LAUNDRING IN WEST AFRICA
177- AMB. BINA CITIP SELCHUM DIPLOMAT
178- AMB. ESTHER AUDU (MRS) NIGERIA’S HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE GAMBIA
179- MANU GARBA (MFR) CHIEF COACH, UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
180- MRS. BEATRICE E. JEDY-AGBA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY NAPTIP
181- OBONG MICHAEL A. AFANGIDEH ENTREPRENEUR/ POLITICIAN
182- HIS EMINENCE IME A. UMOETTE RELIGIOUS LEADER
183- HRM OFFONG (ENG) EFFIONG ROBIN ASABI TRADITIONAL RULER
184- ALHAJI MUHAMMADU NADADA UMAR FORMER DIRECTOR-GENERAL SMEDAN
185- ALHAJI GIMBA YA’U KUMO MANAGING DIRECTOR, FEDERAL MORTGAGE BANK OF NIGERIA
186- BOMA OZOBIA, LLM FORMER PRESIDENT COMMONWEALTH LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
187- PROF. SHEHU ARABU RISKWA FORMER VC, USMAN DANFADIO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO
188- DR. (CHIEF) DAVID OGBA ONUOHA ENTREPRENEUR
189- IBRAHIM MOHAMMED MERA PUBLIC SERVANT/DCG CUSTOMS
190- PETER DEDEVBO COACH UNDER 20 NATIONAL FEMALE FOOTBALL TEAM
191- DR. AKILU NDABAWA SECRETARY PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL CONFERENCE
192- PROF. ABDU IGANIYU AMBALI VC UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN
193- IDRIS ABIODUN JAWANDO RETIRED DIRECTOR ENGINEERING CIVIL AND SANITARY INFRASTRUCTURE
194- STELLA UGBOMA PROMINENT LAWYER, FMR. PRESIDENT OF FIDA FOR THE MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC (MFR) CATEGORY 195- MRS. KATHERINE PHILIP ADAMU CHIEF CATERING OFFICER, STATE HOUSE
196- HAMALAI JUMMAI GWALEM HOUSE KEEPER, PRESIDENTIAL WING, NNAMDI AZIKIWE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
197- MR. FELIX IKUMAPAYI, FDC DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF STATE SERVICE (DSS)
198- OLALEKAN ODUGBEMI, FDC DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF STATE SERVICE (DSS)
199- HON. FARUK MALAMI YABO HON. COMMISSIONER IN SOKOTO STATE
200- HON. GABRIEL HAMADAMA HON. COMMISSIONER, IN ADAMAWA STATE
201- ELDER (DR,) MRS. HANNAH ODEPO-YAMA RETIRED SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
202- MR. KNUT ULVMOEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DANGOTE GROUP
251- HASSAN MUHAMMAD LIMAN ESQ, SAN LEGAL PRACTITIONER
252- CHIEF (DR.) SYLVANUS O. EBIGWEI MEDICAL DOCTOR
253- SALIHU SINTALMA ABUBAKAR PUBLIC SERVANT
254- ALIYU OMAR CIVIL SERVANT
255- HRM. OBA JACOB OLUFEMI OMOLADE JP TRADITIONAL RULER
256- HRH. EZEKWO SAMUEL CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
257- ONUH ISAAC MICHAEL HEAD, PRESIDENTIAL STEWARDS
258- ADO AHMAD G. DABINO PUBLIC SERVANT
259- CPL. SOLOMON DAUDA TRAFFIC WARDEN
260- MRS..MAIRO I. LONDON EDUCATIONIST
261- ODO CLAIRE KALANGO ADMINISTRATOR
262- DR. NATHANIEL CHIDI NWANERI ACCOMPLISHED TEACHER
263- OBA MICHAEL ADESINA TRADITIONAL RULER
264- ALH. SHITU MUHAMMED BUSINESS MAN
265- YUSUF KUNLE POLITICIAN/YOUTH MOBILIZER
266- EGBAIYELO TEMITAYO TEAM SECRETARY, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
267- AYODEJI OLARINOYE TEAM DOCTOR, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
268- GABRIEL OYENUGA TEAM PHYSIOTHERAPIST, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
269- MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN TEAM MEDIA OFFICER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
270- SULEIMAN ABUBAKAR TEAM COORDINATOR, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
271- MOHAMMED KAFA EQUIPMENT MANAGER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
272- MUSA MUHAMMED PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
273- SUNDAY ALAMPASU PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
274- ABDULAZEEZ ABUBAKAR PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
275- UZOHO ODINAKA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
276- ZAHARADEEN BELLO PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
277- ALIU ABUBAKAR PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
278- OBASI CHIGOZIE PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
279- MUSA YAHAYA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
280- SAMUEL GODWIN OKON PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
281- CHIDIEBERE NWAKALI PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
282- AKINJIDE IDOWU PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
283- SALIHU A. BABA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
284- GODWIN SAVIOUR PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
285- ALFA ABDULLAHI PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
286- MAKANJUOLA HABEEB PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
287- CHIDERA EZEH PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
288- SUCCESS ISAAC PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
289- KELECHI IHEANACHO PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
290- AWONIYI TAIWO PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
291- DENNIS OKON NYA PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
292- JAPHET RAYMOND PLAYER, 2013 NATIONAL UNDER 17 FOOTBALL TEAM
293- PROF. ALASHILE ABIMIKU EDUCATIONIST
294- ASISAT OSHOALA HIGHEST GOAL SCORER, 2014 UNDER 20 FIFA FEMALE FOOTBALL COMPETITION
295- AMINAT ADENIYI GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
296- ABDULAZEEZ IBRAHIM GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
297- ESE BRUME GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
298- LOVELINE OBIJI GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
299- MARYAM USMAN GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
300- ODUAYO ADEKUOROYE GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
301- OLUWATOYIN ADESANMI GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
302- PAUL KEHINDE GOLD MEDALLIST 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
303- ADEKOYA JAMIU POLICE INSPECTOR FRM I SGT. JAFARU WADZANI POLICE OFFICER FRM II
[/su_spoiler] The statement said that all the award recipients are entitled to come with two guests only even as it announced that there would be shuttle bus services for all the awardees, adding that attendance is strictly by invitation. The statement said that accreditation of all the award recipients and the media will be done on Friday, to Sunday 26th/28th September at at Agura Hotel Abuja, beginning 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. daily.
Nigerian government has demanded a proper explanation and apology from the Egyptian government over the alleged maltreatment of a 17- year-old Joshua Kunle Abdul-Azeez, a Nigerian medical student studying in Ukraine. This was a fall-out of a meeting the Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri held with the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ashrat Salama in Abuja today. The minister expressed the government’s displeasure over the issue and demanded for justice. “We cannot continue like this. Mr. President demands that the lives of Nigerians should be protected abroad. We demand explanation from your country. “Egypt and Nigeria are friendly countries. You are not worried that Nigerian citizen was left without food for three days. I just want you to know that it is unacceptable to us and we demand apology from your country.” Salama in his response assured that full investigation will be carried out on the matter. “If we find who is responsible for that act, he will be punished accordingly.” He said that the incident was not enough to affect relations between both countries, even as he expressed concern at the manner in which the matter was reported in the Nigerian dailies. “I was very shocked the way it was displayed in the newspapers. The issue was amplified in a big way in Saturday edition of newspapers. I don’t think the incident should mar our relationship with your country.”
President Goodluck Jonathan has formally declared today that he will contest the 2015 Presidential election for his second term in office, even as he expressed appreciation to all those who have either endorsed him or adpoted him for the post. The President, who was responding to members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who adopted him today as the party’s sole Presidential candidate for the next year’s election said that he was really humbled and overwhelmed by the show of support from all the PDP family. He promised not to disappoint the PDP governors, the leaders, stakeholders and all the organs of the part that have endorsed him as the sole candidate. “Let me really say that the events of yesterday, starting with BoT (Board of Trustees) meeting last night and what has just happened today, with the various motions adopting me as sole candidate of the party has really humbled me. “Let me specially thank our governors that initiated that action. Let me thank members of BoT. Let me thank the Senate President and members of the National Assembly. Let me appreciate the PDP women for their position and the NEC, because no matter whatever anybody does, if NEC does not recognise you, you will be on your own. ” Adopting me as the sole candidate of the party has humbled me; I am totally overwhelmed. When the governors came up in a jointly signed paper, though House of Representatives started it, governors intervention was like an atomic bomb, I commend all departments of the NEC. “I am so overwhelmed that I lack words to express myslef. I leave it for another day. For today, for you to have that kind of confidence, I am extremely challenged. It means that whatever we had done in the past three years, we tripple it. “That is the only way Nigerians will appreciate it. I promise I will not disappoint you.”
Nigeria has dropped by four spots in the FIFA World Rankings and is now 37th as a result of its unimpressive performance in its two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
According to the September rankings released today on FIFA’s website, Nigeria now has 642 points as against 673 points it garnered in the August ranking. The African Champions fell 2-3 to Congo and were held to a goalless draw by South Africa in the 2015 AFCON qualifiers. With the new ranking, Nigeria is now the sixth-placed country in Africa as against the third place it occupied in August. The 2013 AFCON champions are now preceded in Africa by Algeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal which have 926, 879,701, 661 and 645 points respectively. However, the first five teams in Africa moved up in the global rankings as Algeria is now world 20th, Cote D’Ivoire 22nd, Tunisia 31st, Ghana 33rd and Senegal 36th. On the global scene, there was no movement either into or out of the top 10. 2014 FIFA World Cup finalists, Germany and Argentina, have slightly extended their lead over the chasing pack and remain unchallenged at the top of the rankings. They are followed in third position by Colombia, which has swapped places with the Netherlands. The Netherlands paid dearly for their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Czech Republic in their opening qualifying match for UEFA EURO 2016. On their part, Colombia equalled their highest-ever position, having previously achieved third in July and August 2013. Meanwhile in the top ten, Brazil (6th, up 1) and France (9th, up 1) have gained ground, while Uruguay (7th, down 1), Spain (8th, down 1) and Switzerland (10th, down 1) have each dropped a place. However, this month’s biggest winners are Guatemala, which three wins in four matches in the qualifiers for the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2015 have seen the team leap by 77 places to 57th. The team’s win against World Cup participants Honduras yielded many of those points. With Iceland (34th, up 12), Congo (48th, up 30) and Antigua and Barbuda (80th, up 69), September 2014 saw the three teams reaching their highest-ever position since the ranking was introduced in 1993. According to FIFA, of the 141 international “A” matches taken into account for this month’s ranking, over half of them (80) are continental qualifiers in Europe, Africa and CONCACAF. “The other 61 fixtures were friendlies and this takes the total number of international “A” matches played in 2014 so far to 526. [myad]
Members of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2015 election.
This decision was taken few minutes ago, today, at the meeting of the body, held at the party’s national headquarters, Abuja.
Members of the NEC took the decision after various organs of the party said that they had endorsed the President during their meetings which they said were held on Wednesday.
National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mua’zu led other members of the party’s National Working Committee to the meeting.
President Jonathan, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo; Senate President, David Mark; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha were among those present at the meeting.
The NEC meeting was aslo attended by majority of the governors, including the Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido who was earlier touted as be nursing presidential ambition.
No fewer than 35,000 Nigerian Muslims have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia to begin this year, 2014 pilgrimage, which climaxed in the first week of October. The airlift was done in 76 flights in the last 13 days when the airlift operation began.
Information reaching us indicated that the hajj operations, being coordinated by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) have been going on smoothly with four airline participating in the airlift.
As at today, Max Air has airlifted about 22, 135 intending pilgrims, while FLYNAS air airlifted 7,906 intending pilgrims, Medview airlifted 2,942 intending pilgrims and Kabo air airlifted I,471 intending pilgrims.
Over 75,000 Nigerian Muslims are expected to perform the hajj this year. [myad]
We have people if given the opportunity, I have no doubt I can perform creditably. Look, I am conversant with that villa for over 20 years now. From the days of my membership in the House of Representatives as Deputy Speaker, I know what the Commander-in-Chief should be doing under these circumstances. These are parts of what the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso said when he spoke to select journalists in Kano recently. Excerpts:
Let us know the measures you are putting in place to retain investors in Kano in the face of the many crises being witnessed in the polity?
With what we are passing through in this country, what Kano or any other state can do is to have people who can protect our interest; but those people who are supposed to, are working against it. If you talk about investment, we have so many airlines that are interested in flying to Kano, but somebody in Abuja is busy blocking them, to the extent that many of them aren’t interested anymore. Even those who were allowed, like Emirate that was co-incidentally to come on August 1, which is today, some people blocked their coming. This was after getting all the papers and selling tickets. There are people right now holding the tickets. They said they should not come to Kano.
I personally went to the chairman of Emirate in Dubai. We held meetings with him. I saw almost everybody, including the then Minister of Aviation (Stella Oduah). The last time I spoke to her during a meeting, I asked her when we were going to have the approval to get the airline coming to Kano. Her answer was “it depends on the outcome of today’s meeting”. That was the end. Now that we have Osita Chidoka; I don’t know much about him, but from the little I know, I think he is someone who will not reduce the Federal Government to his village meeting or a gathering of his friends.
We have a situation in Nasarawa where a sitting Governor of APC is about to be impeached. How are you taking it as a chieftain of the party?
Well, I don’t think anybody is happy; whether in APC or any other responsible party in this country, especially those who are conversant with the tenets of democracy. Democracy is about winning election; and while you won election, somebody would have lost election. And you see, in our Constitution, there are many sections that talked about the opposition.
Again, across the world, especially where you have mature democracies, the Constitution supports opposition in its own way. In this country, we have a Commander-In-Chief who is very powerful in terms of killing his opponents. He is ruthless and does not wait for anybody to advise him. That is what we have seen in Ekiti state. We went there and saw what happened. In politics, that is what we call armed robbery; armed people taking votes for a particular political party. The army, same as the police, belongs to Nigerians. They are not any political party police. If care is not taken, the implication is that the military and police will be politicised. The Nigeria Army didn’t come from a particular village; they are from all kinds of villages in this country.
This military and police should be exonerated from politics. They should not be used to intimidate people and take victory by force. In APC, that is what we have seen happened in Ekiti. They went to Adamawa using the same security agencies, using other opportunities they have and that opportunity worked against the welfare of the people. They literally took Adamawa by force. We have read in the papers. You have reported what happened at the residence of the Chief Judge, what happened at the state Assembly.
In the case of Adamawa, I have forgotten the number of local government areas, but they are over 20. There are 25 members in the State House of Assembly. Out of that number, you took the position of Governor elected by millions of people and gave it to one person who was elected by just those from his local government.
They used the weaknesses of the Constitution, cajoled the young lawmakers of the Assembly. I am sure he induced them. At the end of the day, they told them look, “Why are you leaving this elderly man? Why can’t you take it yourself? Go and take it; we will support you; we will give you all the support of the Commander-in-Chief to go and deal with him.” They went there, used the very process that would have protected the people of Adamawa state and made them live in peace, and of course make progress; they used the same process to remove Murtala Nyako. My opinion is that if there is anybody that should be impeached, it is them who are in the headquarters of corruption; of bad politics and everything evil. I am not here to defend any Governor because I am the Governor of Kano. I can’t defend anybody. I will not say somebody is right or wrong; but certainly you should put them on a balance. Everybody knows where the balance will tilt.
Now look at the case of Nasarawa; it is even worst. But I think the people of Nasarawa, especially the young men, have started doing the right thing. They are chasing the state Assembly members, and I think they should chase them to the villa where they belong because I don’t think they are protecting the people’s interest in Nasarawa. We had wanted to go to Nasarawa and mobilise the people to help fight injustice, but Governor Al-Makura who is a complete gentleman, said we should not come. But you see, in this game, if you are dealing with mad people, you don’t just become a gentleman, you have to go out there and handle them as they are.
Are you not afraid that they may use the state House of Assembly against you here in Kano?
They have been trying that. You are aware they came here and collected all the principal officers and other members of the state House of Assembly; not because they stole anything, but because they didn’t want us to go and pass the budget. The EFCC came dead in the night and started collecting them like criminals. They took them to Abuja. We followed them but, there was just no answer, nothing. At the end of the day, I don’t know what happened, they granted us bail, and the case is still in Court. I have never seen this kind of thing anywhere, where authorities came to the state to pick elected representatives in the night, took them to EFCC, and locked them there.
Just recently, we had the same case after we joined the APC. They came with one hawk. I think he is from Kebbi. He was calling them to his house. You know Kano is a great state, and we want people to come and settle in Kano, but many of them are trying to become enemies. If you are from Kebbi, why can’t you go there and talk about Kebbi. Maybe because Kebbi is so small that you cannot talk about it, they are here creating all sorts of trouble. They are meeting in his house discussing all sorts of things.
But God so kind, by the time they started the meeting, they were already celebrating and they told Abuja that they have gotten the Speaker and majority of the members. They boasted that APC has got the executive, while PDP now has the legislature; thinking that because they got the principal officers and gave them money, everybody will follow.
By the time I called them, we had meeting on a Friday which ran into Saturday, and by Sunday, they put them in the aircraft and took them to Abuja. Monday morning, I told them to go and declare, and instead of 31 members for APC, we were now having 34. So they have been trying, but we are politicians here and we have been in the game. I have been here, I have been there, I have been all over, and I have some doses now. I have some junks, which when pressed, I will use it and I believe all politicians in my position do the same.
Even General Buhari has said what I want to say now, that I have never seen a situation like this where the biggest beneficiary of this democracy are the ones destroying it. You ask me who is happy. I should be one of them, my people should be all happy. We have performed, we have done so many things that can enable us to be happy but, unfortunately, we are not happy because of what they are doing. Politics should not be seen as enmity, politics should be seen as something that you have to destroy this or that. The very forces that they used in Ekiti, they used in Adamawa, which they are now using in Nasarawa. I am sure they want to try it again in Osun.
These are the forces that they would have used in the North-eastern states. On Ekiti Election Day, the whole state was taken over and dominated. I don’t think Ekiti is as big as Sambisa Forest. You go and dominate there. Why are you dominating an innocent state? And what they don’t know is that the party taking seats by force from other states does not give them automatic success in 2015. In this state in 2011, I had no one counsellor, I had no one Local Government Chairman, I had no Commissioner, and I had no Governor. Even our friends, who were supposed to help us from Abuja, didn’t believe in us, but we won the election.
So, if you take Ekiti, you go and take Nasarawa, you are forcing everybody. There is one advertisement on NTA which makes me very angry, showing the Commander-in-Chief smiling. It is by the Transformation Agenda Ambassadors. These are faceless organizations with headquarters in the villa. They are faceless. Who are they? Tell me Commander-in-Chief. I used to know the credibility of the Nigerian military. I used to know how much they were respected even outside the country.
Now, where are the respects? I am happy Rochas Okorocha is also advertising his own achievements. Tell me what the Commander-in-Chief is doing. Things that we have not even seen on ground, we are already seeing it on television; courtesy of technology. I hear some people wanted to do one-million-match rally in Abuja. I can do 10 million here in Kano. What is one million? Maybe somebody advised them and it didn’t take place because, I had wanted to do 10-million-match in Abuja; take over and dominate everywhere.
The rumour is making the round in town and people are speculating that you want to contest the presidency. Are you interested?
We have good materials in APC; we have people if given the opportunity, I have no doubt can perform creditably. Look, I am conversant with that villa for over 20 years now. From the days of my membership in the House of Representatives as Deputy Speaker, I know what the Commander-in-Chief should be doing under these circumstances. Instead, they are just using propaganda. Look at the Chibok girls. For three weeks, they were arguing and didn’t believe that over 200 children were abducted.
Even if it is 20 tortoise or goats, won’t you look for them? One of the reasons why I love this country is that we have people of high calibre in all the regions and states. Look at my former colleague, former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili. This is somebody who worked in the World Bank, but has now devoted her time to the issue of the Chibok girls. She is not from this part of the country, but she felt she had to take the bull by the horn and that is what we are seeing in developed countries where people fight injustice. They sent some hawks to go and stop the protesters. While she is saying ‘Bring Back Our Girls,’ some people are busy saying “votes for us; we want to stay and maintain the status quo; look at my photograph, I am smiling.” They don’t know that time is of the essence.
Tell us some of your legacies?
From 2011 to date, salaries are being paid as at when due. Projects are in progress. We have huge projects which ordinary states that are getting many times what we are getting cannot boast of. Challawa and Tiga Dam project is costing us N14.2 billion and we are finishing it latest by March. There is the fly-over at Kofar Nasarawa, about a kilometre. There’s also the one near Radio Kano which we want to name Obasanjo Fly-over. Look at the one in Sabon Gari, two kilometres, which is costing over N11 billion, and one at Wuju Wuju, almost N10 Billion.
We have the North-West University; a five kilometre road in 44 Local Government Areas, which is over 220 kilometre of dualised roads with street lights. We also have some institutes numbering about 24 and so on. All these are minus free education at all levels, from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, which is our trade-mark. [myad]
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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has laughed off the adoption of the incumbent Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the sole Presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party for the 2015 election.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has announced the capture of a Boko Haram leader whose name was not immediately disclosed, and other suspected members of the sect in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The Army said that all the captured suspects are presently undergoing interrogation in an unnamed military facility.
President Goodluck Jonathan has formally declared today that he will contest the 2015 Presidential election for his second term in office, even as he expressed appreciation to all those who have either endorsed him or adpoted him for the post.
