Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), has raised alarm that if the Federal Government failed to take urgent  proactive actions, Nigeria could lose most of its tourists sites and eight out of the 18 local government areas in Cross Rivers State to Cameroon.

Ndoma-Egba spoke against the backdrop of an ongoing boundary adjustment between Nigeria and Cameroon by the United Nations following the 2002 Judgment of the International Court of Justice judgment that ceded the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

The Senator, who promised to move a formal motion on the issue on the floor of the Senate next week, noted that there is tension in the state last week over the presence of the United Nations Boundary Adjustment Team, led by Mr. Isaac Baya of Zimbabwe.

He said the team was in company of the Nigerian soldiers at Danari, a boundary community between Nigeria and Cameroon in the Boki local government area to implement the Green Tree Agreement based on the ICJ verdict.

“There are some boundary delineation exercise going on as a result of the Green Tree Agreement, which was the consequence of the judgment of the International Court of Justice on what we call Bakassi.

“The Green Tree Agreement necessitated some boundary adjustments and that exercise started somewhere from Lake Chad and it supposed to go right down to the Atlantic Ocean in the South, so the exercise is going on but in a place called Danari, in Boki Local Government in my constituency.

“The Anglo/German boundary of 1913 has been there and a particular beacon stone, beacon 113, we heard cannot be found; the rest has been found and that is the one they are trying to locate. The United Nations Team is insisting on taking a straight line, now the communities believe that beacon is somewhere furthering in the Cameroons.

“If they do a straight line as they want to do, then we will be losing some communities to the Cameroons including the famous Agbokim Water Falls, where Hon. John Enoh comes from. So, I am in touch with the Cross River State Government and the community. We are looking at it so that I will bring a formal motion to the floor; you know I came under Order 42 the last time just to give notice about my intention to bring a motion.

“We are going to lose some substantial territory that is what I can say. I am still getting brief on it.

“Now the good thing is, the boundary communities, we have Danari in Nigeria and we have Danari in Cameroon, Danari 1, Danari 2. They know their traditional boundaries, they know where their traditional boundaries are and they have had no problems with that.

“So, we want to make a case for the UN Team to just accept the traditional boundaries that the two communities agreed on and let the sleeping dogs lie.

“What is even more worrisome is that few days ago, the team was there (Danari) with soldiers and we have been wondering where did these soldiers come from, without the chairman of the local government knowing; without the state government knowing? What is actually going on?”

Ndoma-Egba ruled out the possibility of the country practising a part-time legislature based on the recent recommendation of a committee of the ongoing national conference.

“For Nigeria to practise part-time legislature, is not possible in a presidential system of government, because how do you oversight the executive arm.?

“The oversight will be part-time oversight. Now I am told that their reason for that recommendation is to save cost. Now the budget of the National Assembly has remained at N150bn in the last three years, the current budget of the federation is N4.6 trl. by the time the SURE-P component is added, it is N4.96trl.

“What per cent of that national budget is the budget of the National Assembly? It is under three per cent. So even if you are to scrap the National Assembly, you will only be saving three per cent of the budget or less. Is that the savings that you want to make?” [myad]

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advised the new Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to unite all the ruling houses in the Kano emirate for the purpose of forging a strong front for development and build on the enviable and positive legacies of the late Emir Ado Bayero.
In a congratulatory message to the new Emir today, Atiku said that having worked hard to fulfill a life-time ambition, he should use his position to unite all the ruling houses of Kano State and its people behind him.
According to Atiku, leadership is a test from God, and therefore urged Sanusi to use his position to do justice to all manner of people in his domain.
The former Vice President noted that Sanusi’s greatest and immediate challenge is the sustenance of late Ado Bayero’s passionate commitment to tolerance, unity and peaceful coexistence.
The Turakin Adamawa wished the new Emir of Kano God’s guidance and wisdom for a successful reign.
Atiku also congratulated the new Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar and asked him to bring the admixture of the vitality of youth and the legacy of his father to bear on his reign.
He noted that the new Emir of Gombe has the benefit of the strong foundation laid by his late father to build on, adding that the Emir should make the unity of his people a central focus of his administration.
He advised him to be tolerant and act in the best interest of the people of his domain at all times.
He prayed to God to bestow him with wisdom, a necessary tool in dealing with the challenges of his office.

[myad]

There seems to be confusion in Kano as Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso announced, through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the name of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano, aside from the earlier name of the late Ado Bayero’s eldest son, Sanusi Ado Bayero.

Shortly before the announcement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the new Emir after the death, on Friday of Alhaji Ado Bayero, security was placed on red alert.

Sources at the government House Kano alleged that the earlier announcement of Sanusi Ado Bayero was made by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) even before the government came out with its position.

Governor Kwankwaso had, yesterday, addressed  reporters shortly after a visit by the Kano four kingmakers to his office, saying that barring any last-minute change in plan, the new Emir would emerge on Sunday.

Kwankwaso, flanked by the kingmakers, refused further inquiries on the succession race, stressing that the state government was set to announce the Emir.

“The kingmakers, led by their Chairman, are here to condole with me over the death of our Emir and, want to assure you that we would announce the new Emir on Sunday.”

The kingmakers are the Makaman Kano, Sarki Ibrahim, the Sarki Bai, Alhaji Adnana, the Sarki Dawaki Mai Tuta, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, and  the Madakin Kano Yusuf NaBuhari.

It was learnt that the Kingmakers submitted their shortlist of  four candidates, two each from the Sanusi dynasty and  the Alhaji Ado Ruling House to the governor.

The kingmakers were also said to have recommended the son of the late Emir, who also doubles as the Ciroman Kano, to succeed his late father, stressing that the choice remains a stabilising factor for now.

The kingmakers were said to have told Governor Kwankwaso that their nominee remained  the only choice to  assuage the restive populace as the governor’s quarrel with the late Emir depressed him .

They were said to have told the governor: “we carefully assessed the situation and believe that the only way to avoid crisis is to honour the late Emir with appointment of his successor.”

As at the time of filing in this report, the Ciroman Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero, whose name was earlier announced as the new Emir, was at the palace receiving guests as it became obvious that his brothers have stepped down for him. [myad]