Archive for May, 2013
Politics
From PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom state government says her target is to deliver 2,000 units of low cost houses in the state before end of 2015 to meet the shortage in residential accommodation as the state is evolving into a cosmopolitan city.
Housing and Urban Renewal Commissioner, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem who gave the hint in Uyo over the weekend said that already 500 units are about to be completed in Uyo, the state capital.
”As I am talking to you, we are targeting at no fewer than 2,000 units of houses. At the moment, we are doing 500 in Uyo and are located Nwaniba Road in Idu Uruan. If you take a walk there you will see that some of the buildings are already roofed,” Enoidem stated.
The commissioner, who spoke while interacting with our correspondent in the state, stated that the vision of government was to ensure that both citizens and residents of the state at any part get comfortable houses to live at a lower ...
Politics
From RALPH OKHIRIA, Benin
An imminent crisis is brewing in the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the leakage of a list of proposed members sent to the Presidency in Abuja by the leadership of the party for appointment into federal Boards.
The crisis which may make or mar the state branch of the PDP is coming on the heels of a major crisis of confidence currently rocking the party as a result of its dismal performance in the last governorship election in the State.
Names allegedly submitted to the Presidency for consideration for appointment into the various Boards by the State leadership of the party from Edo South Senatorial District included Sarah Adetugbobo, Uyi Ogbemudia, Matthew Uroghide, Dr. Abies Osemwenkhae, bayo Ogbomo, Levis Aigbogun and General Godwin Abbe.
From Edo Central Senatorial Districts are Chief Tony Anenih, Hon. Tony Aziegbemi, Giwa Egbomehe, Ben Erhilebodiaye, Dr. Francis Oli...
News Analysis
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE wives of the African presidents and heads of government, otherwise known as First Ladies, last week converged on Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, at the instance of the Nigerian First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who had chaired the African First Ladies Peace Mission since her husband came into power in 2010.
At the end of the summit, which was well attended by the first ladies, including the President of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda, Dame Patience Jonathan was re-elected second for yet another two years.
The body whose existence predates Dame Patience Jonathan came into existence during the era of the late Gen. Sani Abacha whose wife, Maryam mid-wifed the body. The Abuja summit has thus brought to seven the number of times the association convened to brainstorm on how to foster lasting peaceful co-existence amongst Africans.
The body therefore sets out to augment the efforts of the African leaders who have, over...
Politics
NEWLY elected officers of the senior staff union of colleges of education in Nigeria, SSUCOEN, Gidan Waya chapter in Kaduna State, have been sworn in.
They include Chief Ibrahim Bonat Sofa, Chairman; Mr. Inusa M. Magaji, Vice Chairman; Engr. Nyallah Simon, Secretary; Mr. Joel Thomas, Assistant Secretary and Mrs. Elizabeth Bage, Treasurer. Others are Mr. Samuel Jatau, Financial Secretary and Mr. Gwamna Yakubu, Public Relations Officer.
Inaugurating the executive, the National President of the union, who was represented by the National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Bob Luka Kpadji, advised them to embrace dialogue as a way of resolving differences among them, management of the college and government.
He urged them to collaborate with other unions in the college in their quest to better their working conditions.
In a message, the Acting Provost, Mrs. Hope Gajere, who was represented by the deputy provost, Malam Lawal Tukur, co...
Politics
From SULAIMAN AHMED MISAU, Katsina
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE result of the Katsina State House of Assembly bye-election conducted weekend in Dutsi Local Government Area of Katsina State has been released with the candidate of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Bilya Sani Yamel declared winner of the with 17,537 votes.
He defeated the opposition party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Alhaji Shu’aibu Sani Dutsi, who scored 1,279 votes.
The bye-election followed the death of the former legislator, Alhaji Tasi’u Yamel, who died in June this year following a protracted illness.
The result of the election was declared by the returning officer of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Alhaji Usman Abubakar, who is also the President of Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU) Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University chapter.
The Public Relations Officer of the INEC in Katsina State Alhaji Mun...
News
[dropcap]G[/dropcap]OVERNMENTS of the North-Eazst states have been urged to take decisive measure in addressing the current insecurity challenges facing the states.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur gave this advice in Yola at the investiture of Mr. Felix Obadan as the 4th District Governor of Rotary International District 9125.
Abubakar noted that the country and the North-East in particular have severe poverty, high rate of unemployment, poor infrastructure, declining private and public investment and crumbling educational system.
While advising the new District Governor to pilot the affairs of the club that will promote peace through service to humanity to its highest peak, Abubakar charged Rotarians to promote peace and unity in the communities and the country at large.
In his speech, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur tasked Rotary Club to use its international connections to assist t...
News
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE high turnover of legislators is having a negative effect on the implementation of constituency projects as new members of the National Assembly demand for the inclusion of their preferred projects rather than the completion of the ones selected by their predecessors.
The Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who made the observation while briefing State House correspondents after presenting the progress report of the ministry’s budget to President Goodluck Jonathan in State House yesterday, also remarked that the implementation of some health programmes have been adversely affected by the reduction of their original budget allocations by the legislature.
This is coming as the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple, said while also briefing State House correspondents that her ministry has so far received about N6.7billion of its N41.9billion of it capital allocation for 2012.
Th...
News
[dropcap]U[/dropcap]NKNOWN gunmen yesterday killed a shoe shiner while the two policemen on guard at Vice President Namadi Sambo’s family house at Baba Ahmed road, Tudun Wada Zaria were hospitilized following sporadic gunshots.
The two policemen are presently receiving treatment at ABUTH, Shika, Zaria.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that at about 11.00am yesterday, three young men arrived at the house wearing brown overall on a motorbike and started shooting.
According to the source, the two policemen were sitting watching a shoe shiner busy shining their boots.
One policeman was shot on his lap and the second on his shoulder, while the shoe shiner died instantly.
The source said the gunmen suspected to be members of
Boko Haram sect succeeded in snatching one of the police rifles and ran away with it.
Confirming the incident, the PPRO Kaduna State, DSP Abubakar Balteh said investigations have commenced on...
News
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]UICIDE bombers yesterday launched what was said to be co-ordinated attacks on two police stations within the Sokoto metropolis killing four among them a corporal and a hair dresser, while eight police officers were injured.
However, another eyewitness account gave the number of persons injured at Unguwan Rogo police station as 27 and two were confirmed dead.
The affected stations were Marina police station which also serves as the Zone 10 Headquarters of the police. It was said that the bomber attacked the station shortly after the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the zone passed into the station.
A high ranking police officer told our reporter that the office of the Police Officers’ Wives Association, POWA was among the targets at Unguwan Rogo police station.
An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity told our reporter that the suicide bomber that attacked Unguwan Rogo came in a Volkswage...
Special Report
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s the 2011 elections are fast approaching, the tense political atmosphere is something worth discussing. Many electorate have made up their minds to vote against the incumbent from different political parties occupying various elective positions. The problem of Nigeria as a country in the last fifty years has been that of leadership. The affliction of having the wrong people at the helms of affairs has been largely responsible for our economic and political backwardness as a nation.
However, a lot of mudslinging have characterised the process leading to the 2011 elections. First was the issue of zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Malam Adamu Ciroma led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) decided to hand pick Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as a consensus candidate for the north and he was convincingly defeated by President Goodluck Jonathan during the PDP's presidential primary election held in Abuja ear...
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