At least 370,000 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Jigawa have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). APC National Chairman and eight governors on the party’s platform, received the defectors in Dutse yesterday, amid jubilation The governors present at the occasion were Alhaji Bindo Jibrila, Adamwa, Alhaji Abubakar Bello of Niger, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, and Alhaji Bello Masari of Katsina. Others were Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, Bauchi, Alhaji Kasim Shetima, Borno, Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari, Zamfara, and Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, Deputy Governor of Kano State. Receiving defectors, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, said the calibre of the defectors…
Author: Kunle Atiba
Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has directed immediate investigation into the use of unauthorized equipment by Aero Contractors Airlines charter flight to Bauchi Airport on Saturday. The order is contained in a statement signed by Mr James Odaudu, the Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs Unit of the ministry on Sunday in Abuja. The statement said that several reports received by the minister indicated that the airline used a ladder to disembark passengers from a Boeing 737 aircraft at the airport. According to the minister, the act is inconsistent with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) and…
Unknown gunmen yesterday abducted the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Local Government, Madam Serefina Otazi, family sources disclosed. Mr Patrick Oba, nephew to the Commissioner, said she was kidnapped in Otuoke at gun point on her way to attend funeral at Ewoi Community in Ogbia Local Government Area. The gunmen reportedly whisked away the victim who was in company of two ladies when they attacked and took away her car keys. Otazi had served as Commissioner for Women Affairs and Acting Chairman of Ogbia LGA. Mr Endurance Frank, a family member, told NAN that the family had reported the incident to the Police…
Nigeria’s Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday said there was no justification for people in the North-East to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He stated this when many members of PDP decamped to the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital. Osinbajo, represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, said it was never too late for anyone wishing to join APC to do so. “There is no justification for anyone in the north-east to remain in PDP. “Therefore, I call on all my brothers and sisters in north-east to join our great party -APC.…
A lecturer in Political Science and Defence Studies at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, Prof. David Alabi, has urged Nigeria to learn from Israel’s type of leadership, agriculture and technology in order to achieve the desired rapid development. He gave this advice during an interview in Abuja yesterday. He stressed that without good leadership, all efforts at development might be in vain. Alabi’s suggestion came after performing Christian holy pilgrimage to Israel. He attributed Israel’s success in transforming its desert land into agricultural land as well as being an exporter of food to patriotic, dedicated and committed leadership, describing…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as hogwash Friday’s outburst by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum that the nullification of elections of PDP governors was a plot by APC to take control of “oil-producing states by all means necessary”. The National Secretary of the APC, Mai Mala Buni dismissed the statements credited to the PDP Governors as “clannish” and “sectional”. Mai Mala Buni said: “The APC and indeed Nigerians are increasingly worried by the clannish and sectional positions being canvassed by the PDP Governors. We reject the PDP Governors’ attempt to polarise the country along oil-producing and…
The Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) yesterday released names of winners of Saturday’s local government election in the State. The EKSIEC Chairman, Justice Kayode Bamisile, said candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won all the 16 local government seats and the 177 wards. All the winners are to be presented with certificates of return today. Those who won the chairmanship seats are Mr Dapo Olagunju (Ifelodun/Irepodun), Mr Deji Ogunsakin (Ado Ekiti), Mrs Sade Akinrinmola (Gbonyin), Mr Bola Alonge, (Ikere), Mr Lanrewaju Omolase (Ekiti South West). Also Mr Olumide Falade, (Ise/Orun) and Mr Kolawole Omotunde (Ekiti West), Mr Bolaji Jeje (Efon),…
Some building materials dealers in Abuja have urged the Federal Government to ban the importation of electric cables. The traders during separate interviews in Abuja today said that Made-in Nigeria electric cables were the best. Mr Wilson Igbokwu said the home-made cables were the best in the world in terms of quality and adherence to international standards. Igbokwu said most imported substandard cables were made from iron as against the locally produced ones that were made from copper. He said the ones made from iron could easily get burnt which sometimes could lead to loss of lives and property. “The ones…
The Lagos chapters of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), today cautioned their members against reckless driving and disregard for traffic laws before, during and after the Yuletide to prevent accidents. They gave the warning in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos. They warned rivers to shun speeding and urged commuters to always warn drivers against reckless driving on the roads. They said that lives and properties of their members and commuters were more precious to the unions and the nation. The NURTW Chairman in Lagos State, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, said that drivers, commuters and…
The Director of Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Balarabe Kabara, disclosed on Thursday that the service has recorded 80 cases of fire outbreaks in November2015. Kabara said that property worth N186m was destroyed by the outbreaks within the period. He said the service had also saved property worth N390m from ravages of fire. “We received 103 rescue calls and 10 false alarms from members of the public. “A total of 134 lives were saved from various incidents while 21 lives were lost,’’ he said. He confirmed that a fire incidence occurred on Wednesday at Naibawa, Zaria road, when a trailer had head-on-collision…