Incompetence: We’ll Mobilise Constituency Members to  Recall  Kaduna Central Senator  

… Accuses him of  Failing to stand up and speak for developmental issues

Kaduna Peace and Tranquility Forum (KPTF) has threatened to mobilise for recall of the representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Lawal Adamu over his  failure to speak on matters of development, especially insecurity within his Constituency  since he was inaugurated as member of the 10th Senate.

According to the Kaduna based development forum, it is very disturbing that for over a year, the lawmaker never stood up at the floor of Senate to either speak on threatening issues affecting the people or attract Federal projects to the State . 

The Kaduna Peace and Tranquility Forum,which made the threat in statement signed by the Chairman,Alhaji Inuwa Bala Giwa stated, “We observed that since 1999, this is the first time a Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone  appeared docile and incompetent.For us as a pressure group,this is grossly unacceptable,hence our resolve to call him to tell us why. 

“People of Kaduna Central Senatorial District want know why the silence when the economic hardship  is taking it’s toll on them; daredevil bandits are threatening their peace and the recent issue of alleged looting of State’s Treasury by the former Governor Nasir Elrufai and his cohorts”.

While accusing Senator Adamu of the People’s Democratic Party of working with former Kaduna Governor Mal Nasir Elrufai to undermine the administration of Governor Uba Sani and sponsoring orchestrated viral video of assault of one Dan Bilki Commander to blackmail the Governor,the forum expressed disappointment that as Senate Committee Chairman on Education, he has not build any school. 

The group however noted that ,”More worrisome,is that when he was supposed to be busy working on  bills can be help move Kaduna forward,he junkets around world to watch English Football Matches .

“From information gathered , he only shares money to his selected political supporters and spend most of time in Abuja.Sadly this is why he was elected.

“Against  this background,we are giving him 14 days to give account of his stewardship and failure to do so, we would mobilise members of his Constituency to recall him. “

Protest Call: Northern Group Slams  Solomon Dalung, Says He’s a Failed Minister ,Habitual Liar  

The Arewa Progressives For Good Governance (APGG) has blasted former minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung for supporting nationwide protest over economic hardship and alleging that some prominent personalities will join the protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration.

The group described Dalung as a failed Minister and liar, said it’s not true that  personalities such as former Lawmaker,Senator Shehu Sani’s, Senator Adams Oshiomhole , ACF Your Leader, Yerima Shettima and several others have agreed to join the planned protest.

Dalung via his Facebook Page had said,”The rights of Nigerians to protests cannot be taken by executive fiat. The duties of the @PoliceNG is to provide security for the protesters, anything to the contrary is unlawful. The revolution was declared by @officialABAT against bad governance, and since he is the occupant of Aso Rock, this call to duty must be obeyed by all. 

The group however said , “We understand the pains Nigerians are going through because of the current hardship caused by withdrawal of Petroleum subsidy, but we can authoritatively says there will light at the end of the dark tunnel.

“Any northerner calling for protest against Tinubu’s Administration over economic hardship is not fair .Our son, former President Muhammadu Buhari was President for eight and collapsed the economy,but our Northern brothers kept quiet.” 

The Arewa Progressives For Good Governance,which this in a statement made available to Journalists questioned the morality of the former Minister.Notimg  that he who must come to equity must come with clean hands.

In the statement signed by the Chairman, Mal Ibrahim Musa Bichi ,the group which revealed what it termed:”Six Facts About The Sacked Buhari Minister, Solomon Dalung”, averred that “Dalung was appointed a minister by President Buhari for his record of constantly attacking his Christian indigenes of Plateau State. 

“As a Minister of Sports Nigerian Athletes went to Rio Olympics in 2016 without sports kits and uniforms.A situation that embarrassed Nigeria at the Global scene. 

“In 2018,the International Athletes Association mistakenly credited the account of Nigeria’s Sports ministry with the sum of $133,00.Dalung unlawfully withdrew the money and pocketed it.The IAAF had to write several letters and issued threats to suspend Nigeria.Arrest warrant was issued against Dalung until the Buhari Government sacked him and the money was paid by the successor minister Mr Sunday Dare.”  

It alleged that Dalung tried unsuccessfully to return as a minister but was rebuffed by Buhari and he started attacking him. 

It also recalled that “In 2023,Solomon Dalung returned to his village,picked up the SDP ticket after he was rejected by PDP and LP.He contested the House of Reps seat and was beaten even by a party that had no candidate. 

“A Failed Minister,A Judas who sold his people and now without a home.”

Katsina Governor Backs LG Autonomy,But Raises Concerns about Payment of Salaries 

In a bid to review the recent supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy,Katsina State Governor, Dr Dikko Radda held meet without council chairman in the State .

During the meeting, the Governor ,who said the court’s decision focuses on local government elections and funds,  noted that the judgement ruled that all local government funds from the federation will be paid directly to the local government’s account, and caretaker committees will no longer be recognised for administrative purposes. 

While stressing that Local government funds will not be available for states running local governments with caretaker committees, Governor Radda gave assurance that , “Katsina State is a law-abiding state and will operate under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I Have asked the state attorney general to give me a full report on the legal implications of the Supreme Court’s decision.

He further stated ,”As you know, I was once the chairman of Charanchi local government during the administration of our beloved President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. I was involved in the day-to-day administration of my local government, and I am fully aware of the challenges and pains most of you are facing. when the current tenure of local government chairmen expires. We have already carried out party primaries in line with electoral best practices, and some curre3322nt chairmen will return through a democratic process, Insha Allah. In this dispensation, we are most likely the only state to transition from one democratically elected local government council to another.

“On July 4th barely two weeks ago, l called for a meeting with all 34 local government chairmen and your directors of admin and finance to present my Community Development Program. As you may recall, the CDP was designed to empower local governments from the ward level by going directly to communities to get information on their core areas of need and priorities. This was to be done by establishing a community centre in every ward, which shall host a community development office for socioeconomic development, a community support office for lives and livelihoods support to the vulnerable, and a community learning centre to advance a academic and moral knowledge in ur communities.

Speaking on how recent allocation were shared, the Governor disclosed,”Between June 2023 and June 2024, the federal allocation to local governments in Katsina was about 130.1 billion. 66 billion was spent on salaries, 10.1 billion on pensions and gratuities, 12.13 billion on security, 376.6 million on security requests from some local governments, and 4 billion on direct running costs to local government councils.15.1 billion was provided for various projects carried out by the local governments, 360 million for school instructional materials, 1.58 billion for foreign and local scholars hips, and 939.8 million towards Haj.

“The local governments expended 6.14 billion on food palliatives, with an additional 3.1 billion in palliative care and salah package paid directly to local government and LGEA Workers. 3.84 billion was used towards purchasing fertilisers and 1.19 billion on agrochemicals.This no exhaustive but represents monies sent directly to local governments. Joint decision-making is an inseparable part of policy implementation.”

Radda however said ,”The  Supreme Court judgement has jettisoned a constitutional provision for a state and local government joint account on the basis that state governors abuse the process.I will respectfully say that some of us try our best to manage our joint funds in a collective approach. We are facing various socio-economic challenges coupled with insecurity in our frontline local governments. 

“When I took office in 2023, over 20 local governments were ravaged by insecurity.Our concerted efforts have reduced insecurity to the fringes of the frontline local governments. We could only achieve that by jointly establishing the Katsina State Community Watch Corps. Fighting insecurity is a monumental and resource-consuming endeavour, and we must continue to fight it together regardless of the situation in individual local governments.

“Socio-economic development is holistic, and as you are aware, we have various loan-based projects funded by multilateral organisations like the World Bank. We continue to seek more funding from other sources, including the African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank.

“We must carefully understand the implications of this judgement on how loans will be repaid and how future Subsidiary Loan Agreements will be structured. These are severe areas for consideration, and it will help for the federal government to clarify this and other matters arising from the judgement.

“We are midway through a budget cycle designed based on the previous funding arrangements. Given that the judgement takes immediate effect, we must understand how our 2024 budget will be affected and what measures we must take to maintain our budget objectives.

“Of great concern is how some critical arrangements for the local government councils will be affected. The salaries of teachers under SUBEB, salaries of the local government workers, pensions and gratitude of local government staff, primary healthcare facilities,deductions for the emirate councils, and most importantly,contributions towards security must all be addressed. By extension, the fate of the local government civil service commission and the local government pension board has become uncertain.

“Local government autonomy requires a fully functional local government administration. One of many policy recommendations as a candidate was to transform the College of Administration in Funtua to focus exclusively on local government administration and make it a premier destination for training local government staff in the country.

“We must build capacity and effective administrative mechanisms, including digital tools, to make local governments more transparent and effective. Some say the governors don’t have to worry because people will go to the local government chairmen to demand results going forward. While it is the more straightforward thought, any well-meaning governor knows his primary responsibility to his people can never be replaced, regardless of available resources.”

Breaking: Sokoto Students Laud Governor Aliyu’s ‘Transformative’ Reforms

Sokoto State students have commended Governor Ahmad Aliyu for his administration’s “transformative” education reforms and infrastructure development, which have positively impacted their academic pursuits.

At a press conference organized by the Sokoto State Students Association (SOSSA), the students praised Governor Aliyu for clearing the backlog of tuition fees inherited from the previous administration and paying tuition fees for over 7,744 students in the 2023 academic session. They also lauded the governor for extending the same gesture to over 5,996 students in the 2024 academic session.

The students appreciated the governor’s commitment to education, citing the deployment of state-owned intra-city transportation in Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS) school park, which has reduced the cost of studying for students living off-campus. They also acknowledged the governor’s pledge to build a modern large-capacity hostel facility and a heavy-duty borehole facility to ensure an adequate supply of water within the campus and surrounding communities.

The Special Advisor to the Governor on Student Matters, Hon. Abubakar Salame, was also commended for launching a 7-Point agenda scheme aimed at ensuring maximum participation and efficiency in schools. The initiatives include Student Public Health, Student Empowerment, Student Climate Action, Student Peace Dialogue, Student Drugs and Morality, Students A.I Robotics Technology, and Student with Disability initiatives.

SOSSA Chairman, Comrade Musa Atiku, expressed the students’ gratitude to Governor Aliyu for his “unprecedented” support for the education sector, describing it as a “beacon of hope” for the future of Sokoto State. He also thanked the governor for his commitment to youth empowerment and development.

The students called on stakeholders to support the governor’s initiatives and pledged to be responsible and productive citizens during and after their training.

The event was attended by representatives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other media agencies.

BREAKING: HON. PAUL IZA RESIGNS MEMBERSHIP OF PDP

….. Cites Absence Of Internal Party Discipline, Inability To Maintain Control

Honourable Paul Iza, a prominent and respected grassroots mobilizer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kaduna state has resigned his membership of the party, citing indifference of the party leadership to effectively, manage the grounds gained in the years past, absence of internal party discipline and most unfortunately, lack of decisive leadership within the party.

The prominent PDP chieftain who worked tirelessly for the successes of the party especially at the grassroots level where he secured victory for the party and delivered his Ungwan Sarki Ward 7 consistently in all elections, expressed his dissatisfaction with the way and manner the leadership of the party managed its affairs. He cited indiscipline, lack of transparency, absence of sustainable leadership and worse of all, inconsistencies in programmes.

In his letter of resignation which was addressed to the Chairman of Ward 7 in Ungwan Sarki and dated 11 July, 2024, Paul Iza stressed that his resignation was effective 12 July 2024.

As a stakeholder of the party, Iza served as a member of the Atiku Support Organization (ASO) where he served in several committees. He was also the Kaduna state Ambassador, Princess Rukaiya Atiku Campaign Organisation, Atiku 2023 (PRACO); Stakeholder PDP Ungwan Sarki Ward 7, Kaduna North and; Member, Kaduna Atiku Support Groups.

Hon. Iza while achieving successes for the PDP, was the Supreme Leader of the Atiku Champions’ Network, ACN, a group of party faithful that has membership across some northern states that mobilized support for the PDP and its electoral candidates.

His exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been described as a loss to the party especially now that it is with its political fragmentation.

Middle Belt Forum, elects Kaduna state chapter

From Amos  Tauna, Kaduna 

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Kaduna State Chapter, has elected Luka Binniyat, a veteran Journalist, writer  and human rights activist as its new chairman, Saturday along with other officials of the Forum.

The Middle Belt Forum, the umbrella socio-cultural body of all the ethnic nationalities of Northern Nigeria in parts and whole of 14 of the 19 states of northern Nigeria, including natives of Federal Capital Territory (FCT). 

The forum boosts of the majority population of Nigeria as a region.

The election which took in Kaduna, was conducted by representatives of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the MBF headed by Mr Emmanuel Alamu (Kebbi States) National Organising Secretary of the MDF, the National Legal Adviser and his deputy, Barrister Mark Jacob (Southern Kaduna) and Barrister Ziggy Usman (Southern Kebbi). 

Luka Binniyat who was nominated for the post of the Chairman of the MBF, Kaduna state, was voted without a rival, so was the Secretary, Mr John Haruna, from Kogi state who retain his position as the former Secretary of Kaduna State Chapter.

Others are Zakaria Haruna – Deputy Chairman, 

Stephen Samuel – Assistant Secretary, Elder Solomon Danbaki – PRO, Larai Shekari – Treasurer, Tinzwang Cephas – Auditor, lsaac Tanko – Youth Coordinator and Joseph John Pama – Deputy Director research and planning.

The rest are Daniel Ejembi – Vice Chairman (1)

Mrs Mary Zaka – Woman Leader, Ezekiel Baba-Karik – Organising Secretary, Raphael Gwazah – Deputy Organising Secretary, Rhoda Emmanuel Dajuma – Assistant Chairman (2), Dauda Sunda Gwagzwang – Director, Research and Documentation, John Yashim – Deputy Youth Coordinator, lshakun Yohana Madaki,

Evangelist Daniel M Mashan – History and Documentation, Ibrahim Aminu Kobo – Vice Chairman (3), Haruna Demon – ex-officio and 

Nicodemus B Bakuyaye – Assistant PRO.à

The election was conducted peacefully without any controversy and animosity before, during and after the election.

Barrister Mark Jacob, swore in the new exco after taking their oath of office and were duly inaugurated by Mr Emmanuel Alamu on behalf of the National President of the MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu.

Present at the election, was Mr Jonathan Asake, a former Youth leader of the MDF and  former president of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU).

In his remarks, Asake said that the MBF was a continuation of the struggle of the ethnic nationalities of Northern Nigeria  for justice, equity and development against domineering tendencies of a section of the country since post independent Nigeria.

He said, “I’m happy to see that today, the seeds of the struggle sowed by the founders of the MDF are still alive and thriving.

“I have known Luka Binniyat for over 40 years since we’re boys and what has kept our friendship over the year is our stand against tyranny and the oppression of our people.

“I can vouch that he will give the MDF, Kaduna state Chapter the desired leadership if he gets the cooperation of his exco and members.”

In his remarks, Barr. Mark Jacob said that the new exco should not think that they are going into having a tea party, saying, “I have lost a lot of clients and many friends because of my stand for the Middle.

“If you are not ready to make sacrifices and take risks as Luka Binniyat who has been to jail for our people, then you have no business in this exco.

“The President of the MDF, Dr Bitrus Pogu and the NWC regards Kaduna state as a very vital part of the MBF and I  believed that we shall not disappoint them.”

In his acceptance speech, Luka Binniyat, said that all residents of Kaduna state and natives to the 14 states of the Middle Belt State will get fair representation as well as all the ethnic groups of Kaduna state spread in 13 LGAs.

“I want to continue with the courageous leadership of Dr Bitrus Pogu, our National President, to project, promote and defend the interest and values of the Middle Belt in Kaduna States.

“We have a government in Kaduna state today that is not beligerante and hateful to our people and the Middle Belt unlike the immediate past one.

“We shall encourage it to do more, but we shall not be timid in pointing out its areas of deficiency,” he assured. 

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has lavished praise on the Federal Government and NAHCON for a seamless and well-planned Hajj 2024 operation. Despite daunting foreign exchange challenges and economic headwinds, the pilgrimage stood out from previous ones due to meticulous planning and execution, he said.

Governor Zulum’s commendation highlights the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring a hitch-free pilgrimage for Nigerian Muslims. The successful execution of Hajj 2024 is a testament to effective collaboration between the government and NAHCON, Zulum explained.

The governor’s praise is seen as a significant endorsement of NAHCON’s new leadership, chaired by Jalal Arabi. The commission’s impressive management of the pilgrimage has earned widespread accolades from stakeholders, including pilgrims and state officials.

Analysts say the 2024 Hajj was a resounding success, breaking new ground amidst numerous challenges. The Federal Government’s dedication to ensuring a smooth pilgrimage has boosted the confidence of Nigerian Muslims in the government’s ability to deliver on its promises.

As the country navigates economic and security challenges, the successful execution of Hajj 2024 serves as a beacon of hope for future successes.

Stakeholders explained that Governor Zulum’s commendation reinforces the importance of collaboration and effective planning in achieving great outcomes.

NDUME’s 20 years in Senate has not helped Borno, North- North-East Group

The Coalition of North-East Elders Forum (CNEF) said the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District and the Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, Senator Ali Ndume’s twenty years in the National Assembly has neither helped Borno State nor the northern region that has been bedevilled with incessant attacks by insurgents and bandits.

The group, which took a swipe at the lawmaker, over his recent outburst about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘s administration, asked why a lawmaker who has not been able to use his position as ranking officer in the Senate to tackle the security challenges in his state and region have the moral right to question the leadership prowess of the President.

Senator Ndume did attack the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying it’s run by kakistocrats—those deemed the least qualified and most unscrupulous citizens—and kleptocrats, who are merely in power to steal.

But in a reaction to the outburst,the group in a Press Statement signed by the Coordinator, Alhaji Ali Ibrahim Sheriff , said it is overtly shocking that Senator Ali Ndume who has been in various committees in the Senate over the past two decades and from a State worst in terms of insecurity could be so insensitive and trivial to personalize issues of governance.

The statement further reads: “During the days of President Buhari, why did he choose to be silent in the midst of heightened problems of insecurity; pervasive hunger, looting of public funds and bad Governance?

“He must account for total sum of money recieved for Constituency projects and intervention funds allocated for members of his Constituency over the twenty years period in the National Assembly.

” If leadership is as easy as that ,we make bold to ask, all these years, how many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has he trained; educated and empowered with funds allocated to him?

“Ndume is nothing but a liability and economic burden to the good people of Borno State and entire country.”

The group which called on northerners to shun what it termed , “Ndume divisive vituperations” ,vowed to mobilise citizens of his Constituency in Borno State to stop his re-election bid in 2027.

‘New NPA Boss is Tinubu’s Masterstroke’ Northern Group Declares

The Arewa Economic Advancement Promoters has described the appointment of the new Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, as a “masterstroke from President Bola Tinubu”.

In a media statement in Kaduna at the weekend, Chairman of the group, Adamu Ahmed, said Dantsoho’s appointment was a resounding triumph of merit over mediocrity”.

Adamu commended the President for the choice of Abubakar, saying, “the NPA now has a highly qualified and experienced maritime professional, as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)”.

The group explained that the appointment of Dr. Dantsoho, as the new helmsman of NPA, has sent a clear signal that the Tinubu administration is committed to excellence and determined to drive the nation’s maritime sector to unprecedented heights.

“With a Doctorate degree in Maritime Technology from Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, and a Master’s degree in International Transport from Cardiff University of Wales, United Kingdom, Dr. Dantsoho is a consummate professional with a wealth of experience spanning over two decades in the maritime industry”, the statement explained.

Before his appointment, Dantsoho had served in various roles in the Nigerian Ports Authority, including Assistant General Manager, Technical Assistant to the Managing Director, Port Manager, Onne Port, and Principal Manager, Tariff & Billing.

The group noted that President Tinubu’s reliance on merit in making this appointment “has also been widely commended by stakeholders in the maritime sector, who see it as a bold statement of intent to transform the sector and unlock its vast potential.”

The group then added: “With Dr. Dantsoho at the helm, the NPA is poised to enter a new era of excellence, marked by efficiency, productivity, and innovation. The appointment has inspired confidence in the sector, and expectations are high that the nation’s ports will soon become a model of efficiency and competitiveness.”

Dantsoho is expected to apply his vast experience to a string of reform policies to drive NPA to an enviable international status.

Basketball Will Bounce to New Heights in Katsina, Says Kaita

In a significant move for sports development in Katsina State, Alhaji Aliyu Musa Kaita has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Katsina State Basketball Association.

The appointment, contained in a letter signed by the Katsina State Director of Sports, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi, marks a new era for basketball in the state.

Upon receiving news of his appointment, Alhaji Kaita expressed profound gratitude to the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda PhD CON, for entrusting him with this pivotal role.

“I am deeply honoured and humbled by the faith Governor Radda has shown in me,” Alhaji Kaita stated. “This appointment is more than a position; it’s a mission to revolutionize basketball in our great state.

I pledge to use this opportunity to ensure that basketball bounces back to new heights in Katsina.”

Outlining his vision for a comprehensive transformation of basketball in the state, Alhaji Kaita emphasized plans for grassroots development, high-level competitions, and infrastructure improvements.

“We’re about to witness a basketball renaissance in Katsina State,” he declared with enthusiasm.

Reassuring the residents of sports development, Alhaji Kaita announced the institution of a new trophy named in honour of Governor Radda. This initiative aims to ignite passion for basketball among the youth and unearth hidden talents across the state.

“Our strategy includes forging strong partnerships with corporate entities to invest in our sporting future,” Kaita added.

“With the unwavering support of His Excellency and the good people of Katsina State, we aim to make our state a basketball powerhouse in Nigeria.”

Alhaji Kaita concluded by reiterating his commitment to excellence in discharging his duties. “Together, we will write a new chapter in the history of basketball in Katsina State. The next NBA star might just come from Katsina!” He concluded.