Adamawa Election Petition faces hick ups as powerful people intend to use Ulama's to divert the attention of Judges, President - Otunba

Governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Adamawa State, Umar Madawaki, has raised alarm over what he described as a "group of selfish, self centered, single track-minded, yet hand picked Ulama's", who have been invited and "sponsored to Abuja" in an uprising against Senator Aishatu Binani on religious grounds.

In a statement issued yesterday, he lamented that the sponsored attempt is to be led by a very high government official to "deceive the President Commander In Chief Of The Armed Forces Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the great people of Adamawa who stood solidly, come rain come shower to vote for their darling politician Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani  as Governor, are now surprisingly against her leadership of the state on religious grounds". 

"It is a well known fact that they have raised a high powered group of government officials and close friends of the Hon. Minister Of Justice and Attorney General Of The Federation, to persuade him to intervene in their favour by providing some soft landing for the opposition party, the Hon. Minister being a shrewed lawyer and now the custodian of our justice system, the attempt is not likely to yield the required result," he said.

Madawaki recalled that Sen. Binani picked her nomination and expression of interest form unchallenged, participated in the primary elections unchallenged, and comfortably defeated five other male contestants to become the flag bearer of her party.

While expressing hope that President Bola Tinubu is "too smart to be played around by these empty skulls", he posited that Adamawa people are adherents of both Islam and Christianity. "Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani couldn't have emerged as winner of the elections if only christians voted for her".

Madawaki said the attempt to blackmail Sen. Binani's emergence as Governor is a mere conspiracy with a sinister motive to satisfy to whimps and caprices of their sponsors who stand to gain in the end.

He urged Tinubu to disregard the fabricated plans and allow justice to take its course, adding that religious leaders should concern themselves with the dictates of their revealed books and not politics. . 

"Her trouble started when some of those who lost at the primaries felt slighted. They collectively started their evil machination's, to stop her from winning the general elections. However, the people of Adamawa proved them wrong and Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani emerged the winner until her mandate was stolen. 

"The analogy is that the opposition party also fielded a female candidate as Deputy Governor, if the so called sponsored Ulama's were honest enough, why didn't they raise issues on that, it is a solid fact that the ticket of the Governor and Deputy Governor has been constitutionally adjudged to be one and the same. That explains why when the Governor is on annual leave, the Deputy will act as Governor, when the Governor is incapacitated the deputy will also act and in the event of death or impeachment the Deputy Governor will take over.

"It is public knowledge that the leadership of the Muslim council of Adamawa State led a delegation to congratulate the Deputy Governor while acting as Governor of Adamawa State. 

"Looking at this issue from a global perspective, we are all witnesses to the emergence of several Muslims women in predominantly Muslim countries as either Prime Ministers or presidents. 

"Such Muslims like Mrs Benazir Bhutto as the 11th and 13th Prime Minister, of Pakistan between 1988-90 and 1993-96 becoming the first woman leader in modern history. Mrs. Tansa Ciller also led turkey 1993-96 as Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina was Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Mame Madior, rose as Prime Minister of Senegal and Megarati Sukamoputri was voted as President of Indonesia (2001-2004), Rosa Otunbayeva, President of kyrgyztan 2010-2011, Atifete Jahjaga current President of Kosovo 2011- present. Klaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh 1991-96, 2001-2006.

"Non of these hired Ulama's has spoken, written or condemn the ascendancy of these Muslim women to power at anytime in their public lectures or before any council or group of leaders," his statement read.

NCPWD Set To Partner Stakeholders On Providing Accurate Data Of Persons With Disabilities In Nigeria

In order to migrate the Database of the National Commission for Persons With Disabilities from a descriptive level to an inferential state, the Executive Secretary National Commission for Persons with Disabilities Mr James David Lalu has announced his readiness to partner with various stakeholders to provide an accurate Data of Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria.

The ES who was represented by the Director Planning Research and Statistics Department, NCPWD, Mr. Soji Adewale disclosed this today 5th October, 2023 while fielding questions at Human Rights Radio Studios in Abuja.

Speaking at the platform, Mr. Adewale enumerated the need to aggregate Data of various Clusters of Persons With Disabilities in order to ascertain the right quantity of Assistive devices that would be needed by the disability groups.

"As you may be aware, some Data Management Organizations have postulated that the number of Persons With Disabilities range from 15 to 28 million but, due to the growing population of PWDs in Nigeria, the Commission is willing to partner with all interest groups to provide an accurate Data for proper planning" he said.

He further seized the occasion to inform that the Commission had earlier carried out registration of Persons With Disabilities for the COVID-19 palliatives in 2021.

Also alluding to the need for accurate Data on disabilities, the Program officer, Accountability Lab, Mr. Mnenga Shiiwua, therefore, added that with accurate Data, the accessibility infrastructures in all public spaces would be achieved optimally.

*Mbanefo JohnMichaels I*

*Head Press and Public Relations Unit, NCPWD*

*5th October, 2023*

Conditional Cash Transfer: Vulnerable Pensioners Will Receive N25,000 Grants Betta Edu Tells NLC

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation  will from next month start payment of twenty five thousand Naira grants to the benefiting  members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners captured in the expanded National  Social Register of the  Conditional Cash Transfer,(CCT) Scheme.

Minister For Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, announced  this Wednesday when she met with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress,NLC led by its President,Joe Ajaero at Labour House,  Abuja. 

The Minister explained that the decision to include vulnerable pensioners in the CCT scheme was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's commitment to labour leaders which he will deliver on.

Edu told the NLC that "the President mentioned very clearly that vunurable pensioners should be immediately captured on the National social Register and benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, as part of the national social safety net expansion and this was made clear in his speech on Independence Day where he committed 25000 Naira for 15million household for three months"

She appealed to the NLC to help fast-track the process of collating Data of would-be vulnerable pensioners beneficiaries so that they can start receiving CCT. 

"I want us to fast-track this.  If we can get this data and information within two weeks, we are sure that you will be beneficiaries immediately and  you can  start earning from next month which is November, that's the main reason why I'm here",  Dr.  Edu said. 

She commended Ajaero for being a team player, saying the task of moving Nigeria forward was a collective one and urged him to continue to have faith in the federal government under President Tinubu.

Responding,  Ajaero expressed delight at the various poverty alleviation schemes rolled out by the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry and the passion and commitment the minister has for the job! 

 He was however of the view that getting to the root cause of poverty would go a long way in addressing the problem. 

"Let's look at not only how to solve this problem, but the cause of it, if we continue to treat the effects of poverty the problem will persist. Let us look other social welfare interventions and job creation that will go a long way to support families.

The NLC boss urged the federal government to create more jobs by creating a productive economy where factories are functioning and employing workers. 

He thanked the Minister for being the first member of the federal executive council to visit the labour house in President Tinubu's Administration,saying "for finding time to visit the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, we will work with you to achieve success in this process and your impact will be felt.

President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi,thanked President Tinubu and the Minister for finding the retirees worthy of the federal government benefits. 

He said Pensioners recieved as low as  between five and ten thousand Naira a month,saying twenty five thousand is a big money to them. He thanked the Minister for the Exceptional performance so far urging her to keep up the speed.

Adamama Guber:Plans To Cause security unrest Uncovered

Ahead of the Adamawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal verdict, indication emerged that there are plans  in connivance with a top echelon in the security structure of the country (an indigene of Adamawa) to have a well  planned  protest match (demonstration) in Yola and cause havoc and unrest in the state. 

A highly placed source in Yola has confirmed to our correspondent that a defeated APC aspirant in the governorship primaries Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, governor Ahmadu Fintiri and son of the Former Vice President son Adamu Atiku Abubakar, who the governor had promised to handover power  come 2027 are allegedly behind the protest and security threats in the state. 

Incidentally, Ribadu was in June, 2023 appointed the National Security Adviser, NSA by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

According to the source, the tribunal is expected to  delivered its verdict any moment from now. 

In his words " To do this they have recruited unemployed youths and women buying them drugs , paying them a token of 20,000 each from across the 21 Local Government Areas and transport them to Yola with uniforms provided in PDP colors to give the impression that it is the party that arranged the protest.

The source further added that "there is need to draw the attention of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the unsuspecting public that, this is part of their stock in trade through false media campaign, intimidate the tribunal judges and send  a false signal to the Federal Government that judgment must be delivered in favourof governor Ahmadu Fintiri whether he won the poll or not."

"The people of Adamawa  both muslims and Christians massively voted peacefully and convincingly for the candidate of their choice. So please allow the Tribunal to give its verdict without coercion, intimidation or blackmail." The source maintained. 

In a similar vein, another highly placed source in the state told our correspondent that "we  have  it on  good   Authority  that the top  security  notcher in  connivance with  the Governor  is  also  trying  to recruit  some  section  of the ULAMA to issue  a verdit  that  it is not  acceptable in Islam  to have  a woman in the position of  a Governor in any  state in the country  especially in the North . All  intended  to poison the  minds  of Judges  handling the Adamawa  Governorship  case and tell President Bola Tinubu that if APC candidate is declared winner at the tribunal there will be security breaches and unrest in the state ".

"But  it is the  people  of Adamawa that  expressed their  democratic  choice . We are  NOT  operating a THEOCRACY  or a Monarchy BUT democracy.

A top PDP chieftain in the state Alhaji Adamu Kamale, had allegedly in a meeting with party supporters declared open that if governor Ahmadu Fintiri is not declared winner in the tribunal, party faithfuls should create chaos  he maintained. 

Atiku Ribadu, younger brother to the NSA, who has been running and championing his political activities had two days ago, summoned a meeting in Yola, at the Doctors quarters were he made the NSA intention to run for the governorship of Adamawa State come 2027 known.

His ambition was unveiled by the  young Ribadu, Uba Dan Arewa, alongside other political associates were he stated clearly that if the NSA  can not clinch the presidency or Vice president ticket, the least he can go is to run for the Adamawa Gubernatorial Election in the next four years. 

At the meeting, after boasting that they have the backing of the Federal might, they  agreed to cause havoc, security unrest violence and create chaos in some parts of the state to justify their  claim of security   challenges in the state. They assured the meeting that the NSA will certainly convince president  Ahmed Bola tinubu  that Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, of the PDP must be forcefully declared winner by the tribunal.

NDDC Boss Charges Youths With Embracing Entrepreneurship

 

The NDDC Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, (right) exchanging pleasantries with the wife of former President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, during the Ogbia Youth Summit in Ogbia, Bayelsa State. On the left is the immediate past House of Representatives Member for Ogbia Nembe Federal Constituency, Hon. Fred Ogbua.

Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has charged youths of the Niger Delta region, to embrace entrepreneurship as a springboard for sustainable development.

This was contained in a statement on Monday by Director, Corporate Affairs NDDC, Pius Ughakpoteni noting that the NDDC Boss Ogbuku, made the call in his keynote address at the Ogbia Youth Summit in Ogbia, Bayelsa State.

According to Ogbuku, for any community to achieve sustainable development and peace, the youths must be meaningfully engaged.

The NDDC boss urged the youths to key into the Commission’s Holistic Opportunity Projects of Engagement, HOPE, meant to identify interests of the youths for skills training. He also advised them to eschew cultism, drug abuse, thuggery and other social vices.

He applauded their vision to set up a youth hub and pledged to support the initiative, noting that collaboration was necessary for development efforts to flourish.

Ogbuku said: “As Ogbia people, we should jettison individual interest for the collective interest of the people. This is the example we should learn from our Leader, Former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who declared that his political ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian; that is the Ogbia spirit.”

“What was handed to us by our founding fathers, is the identity of an Ogbia man. Whatever achievement we must have accomplished today, is as the result of the legacies established by late Melford Okilo and other notable leaders. These legacies made us strive for greatness.”

“It will be a bigger challenge for me if I can’t bring peace and development to Ogbia people. If we collaborate, we can partner and share ideas, we will succeed.”

In his welcome address, the President of Ogbia Youths, Ambassador Johnny Jonathan, said they put up the programme to chart a new course in human capacity development among the youths.

Jonathan, who commended the NDDC Chief Executive Officer for supporting youth programmes, stressed the need to educate young people on the importance of peace as a catalyst to economic and infrastructural development.

The youth President express confidence that the gains of the youth hub would be huge in the near future.

The former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan who represented former President Goodluck Jonathan, as the Special Guest of honour, told the youths to avoid drug abuse because of its after effects.

Dame Jonathan insisted that peace and unity were needed to ensure sustainable development in Ogbia community.

She enjoined the youths to liaise with the leaders in the bid to bring more development to the community.

Betta Edu Celebrates Nigerian First Lady, Sen Oluremi Tinubu at 63,Describes Her As An Icon of Renewed Hope

The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,  Dr.  Betta Edu has felicitated with the Nigerian First Lady,  Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on her 63rd birthday.

In a congratulatory message signed by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, the Minister described the First Lady as a patriot and an icon of Renewed Hope agenda ,a woman of God who is never tired of serving God and humanity.

"Your Excellency, on this auspicious occasion of your 63rd birthday, I warmly congratulate and felicitate with you.

"I celebrate you not only because it's your birthday but also because you are a patriot and woman of God who is never tired of serving God,  humanity, and your country. You are a role model and source of inspiration to me and a lot of women  not only in Nigeria but the entire West Africa sub-region.

 "The most beautiful aspect is your sincerity of purpose and commitment to a better Nigeria. You have distinguished your self in politics as the only woman who has been in the Senate for three consecutive years serving your constituents with  unmatched passion for excellence.” the Minister said in the state statement. 

 

Continuing,  Edu said:  "Sixty-three looks exceedingly good on you,  dear mother of the nation and I join millions of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to pray to God to bless you with many more years of good health, exploits and grace.

"As the words of wisdom go, do not count the candles, but see the light they give. “Your Excellency, this is a momentous occasion, it's not, therefore an occasion to count your years but a moment to reflect on the fulfilling and salutary life you have lived doing good, serving God, humanity, and your country.”

" It is another milestone, and another blessed year awaits you,"

The Minister further wished the First Lady a blessed birthday,  saying "May all the joy you have spread around, the joy you exude, and the love you go around giving as a woman of Grace come back to you a hundredfold.

"I heartily celebrate you and wish you a Queen's celebration and more grace," the statement added.

NDDC Has Been Repositioned To Inspire Hope - Ogbuku

 

Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku has disclosed that the commission has been repositioned to bring about the much needed growth and development to inspire hope in the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku said the NDDC is now largely focusing on sustainable partnerships in manpower and infrastructural development, with a short, medium and long term plan. 

The NDDC MD gave this assurance on Wednesday while addressing the Chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum and Convener of  Niger Delta Young Professionals, Moses Siloko Siasia and members of his team during a meeting in his office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He disclosed that the the commission has floated an initiative tagged, 'Project Hope', as part of its strategic arrangement to create job opportunities for young people in the Niger Delta.

Ogbuku explained that Project Hope will focus on agriculture and tech hubs for young people, with the deliberate aim of providing sustainable means of livelihood for them. 

"We have a new thinking and a new way of doing things. We are moving away from the past because times are changing and we need to catch up. 

"Our deliberate and strategic plans are geared towards sustainable development. We are committed to ensure that we build the capacity of our youths in areas that they can have comparative advantage. 

"We have set up what we call Project Hope. This initiative that is focused on tech hubs and agriculture. It will take our youths out of poverty and help to create sustainable livelihood. They will be their own bosses and also employers of labour," he said.

The NDDC boss explained further that the commission is building a database of youths in the region to aide its planning and manpower development. 

The comprehensive database, he said, would enable the NDDC appropriate its empowerment scheme. 

On innovative plans to change its operations, Ogbuku said the commission had engaged KPMG to develop an Internal Corporate Governance System.

While decrying the number of abandoned projects in the region, he said the NDDC was partnering with state governments in the Niger Delta, individuals and institutions to maximize its developmental agenda. 

"The partnership will enhance the quick delivery of critical infrastructure in the region", he said. 

Earlier in his remarks, Siasia had lauded the NDDC boss on the massive reforms he had embarked on, which according to him, has made the commission more result-oriented. 

Siasia said they were in his office on a familiarization visit to congratulate him on his appointment, adding that they have no doubt in his capacity to deliver on his job. 

He described the NDDC's new thinking and vision as a product of purposeful leadership under Ogbuku and called for support from people of the region for him to succeed.