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Dualization Of Town Road Gulps N277m- Tambuwal
By Muhammad Goronyo ,Sokoto

From rustic environment to modernity’. These seems to be the words of the Tambuwal led administration when it conceived the dualization project of Maituta road in the Sokoto metropolis.

According to Kabiru Umar, it serves the purpose of restructuring and reshaping of an almost ‘blighted area’, it on the other, engenders good link to the Sokoto Central Market by oncoming traffic from Ahmadu Bello way as well as the Ubandoma road. The administration is broadening narrow paths to entrenching a safety culture among the motoring public and other road users.

When Sokoto state is referenced in history, we check the ‘architect’ of mega projects;2015—2023 by the special grace of the Almighty God.
Contract for the dualization work of Maituta road, was awarded to K&E Contracting Firm at N277 million, on 13th/07/2020.
October 23, 2020
ICPC docks House of Rep Member, Egwakhide over N1.6m Bribe
By Mike Oboh
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Oghuma Johnson Egwakhide, has been charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for collecting N1.6 million bribe from three contractors.
ICPC, in a four-count charge, filed before Justice Adebukola Banjoko, of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jabi, said the member who represents Etsako East/West/Central Federal Constituency, Edo State, in the National Assembly, allegedly collected kickbacks from contractors handling school projects in the state.
The charge sheet revealed that Egwakhide, who had sponsored the construction of one block of three classrooms at Fugar Mixed Secondary School, Etsako Central Local Government Area, as part of his constituency project in 2018, demanded for kickbacks of 10 percent from the N16.5 million contract sum.
He was alleged to have then collected N1.6 million from Feola Ventures Nigeria Ltd, the company handling the project as bribe after the award of the contract by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
The Commission told the court that his actions amounted to receipt of gratification and abuse of office in violations of Sections 10 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same act.
Honourable Egwakhide pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him. His counsel, Samuel Sibiri (SAN), prayed the court to grant him bail on self-recognizance.
The prayer was not opposed by ICPC lawyer, Adesina Raheem. He however pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail in such terms that would effectively secure his attendance in court.
The trial judge consequently admitted him to bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be resident of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and should be gainfully employed, the court said.
Further conditions of the bail demanded that the sureties must submit two passport photographs with the court registrar as well as provide evidence of tax clearance for the last three years.
The accused was later granted bail after fulfilling the bail conditions and the matter was then adjourned to 17^th November, 2020 for trial.
October 23, 2020
#EndSARS Protest: President Buhari’s Lieutenants inactive, says DG-PGF
#EndSARS Protest: President Buhari’s Lieutenants inactive, says DG-PGF
Tom Okpe, Abuja
Direcor General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum PGF, Salihu Moh. Lukman has lambasted appointees of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration of inactiveness which is bringing the president to ridicule and unfair criticisms.
Lukman spoke in Abuja on Friday during the media presentation of his book, ‘APC and Progressive Politics in Nigeria,’ however opined that while the appointees are no doubt competent hands, their engagement strategies remain deeply flawed.
He said the ‘EndSARS Protest’ is a culmination of years of failed engagements between the people and government appointees.
“Poor engagement of policy demands by groups in the country presented to elected governments through protests is a major problem. This requires that as a party privileged to be elected into government, we need to make efforts to change this reality. What differentiates democracy from any dictatorship is the capacity to engage citizens and based on such engagement, shape public policy.
“Being a progressive party with a progressive government, this should be seamless. Actually, it is the Next Level we should be working on, to take Nigerian politics to a better political climate.
“These are appointees who are no doubt very competent. In the circumstances, the inaction of appointees of government is exposing the President to unfair criticisms. We need to also send strong appeals to all appointees of government to rise up to contemporary democratic challenges by developing correspondingly strong engagement of stakeholders in their sectors in the management of initiatives around their mandate.
“I have no reason to doubt the competence of our leaders to achieve that. My worry is that inability of our leaders at all levels to work as a united front is slowing down the process. This has in many ways contributed to the frustration exhibited by Nigerian youths around the ‘EndSARS Protest’. Part of the bigger worry is also that appointees of government with the mandate to facilitate seamless engagement somehow are not producing the needed democratic responses,” he stated.
October 23, 2020
You are not alone- NBBF assures bereaved Gumel
You are not alone- NBBF assures bereaved Gumel
By Mike Oboh
The Nigeria Basketball Federation has assured the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr Habu Gumel of their unflinching support during his trying times following the loss of his wife.
In a condolence message by the NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida to Gumel who recently lost his wife, Hajiya Khadijat Ahmed Ladi Gumel after a brief illness affirmed the federation’s commitment to providing the needed moral and emotional support.
Kida noted that the loss of a loved one is not an easy burden to carry as he prayed for the repose of the departed soul.
“We are deeply touched about this unfortunate incident which nobody saw coming. Though we have all accepted the inevitable, nobody is prepared for the pains that come after the loss of a loved one.
“As a federation under NOC, we owe our president support while praying to God to give him the strength to bear this irreparable loss”.
Kida while extoling the virtues of the deceased said, “We take solace in the fact that despite her brief stay in this realm, she shone brightly and was a strong pillar of support to her husband, immediate environment and people around her.
“Over the years, Engr Gumel has been providing quality leadership for sports development in Nigeria in various capacities as a retired staff of the Federal Ministry of Sports, President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, NOC, Nigeria Sports and the Executive Secretary/CEO Nation Lottery Trust Fund amongst other positions which would not have been possible without the support of his wife”, Kida commented.
“Accept our deepest and sincere condolences as you count on us for our maximum support”.
The late Hajiya Gumel who died at the age of 56 is survived by 4 kids.
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October 23, 2020
BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu adjusts curfew, warns against protest
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced an adjustment in the curfew time in the state.
He said, “people can now go out between 8am and 6pm in Lagos from Saturday.”
He said this during a statewide broadcast on Friday.
Details later…
October 23, 2020
ICPC docks House of Rep Member, Egwakhide over N1.6m Bribe
ICPC docks House of Rep Member, Egwakhide over N1.6m Bribe
By Mike Oboh
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Oghuma Johnson Egwakhide, has been charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for collecting N1.6 million bribe from three contractors.
ICPC, in a four-count charge, filed before Justice Adebukola Banjoko, of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jabi, said the member who represents Etsako East/West/Central Federal Constituency, Edo State, in the National Assembly, allegedly collected kickbacks from contractors handling school projects in the state.
The charge sheet revealed that Egwakhide, who had sponsored the construction of one block of three classrooms at Fugar Mixed Secondary School, Etsako Central Local Government Area, as part of his constituency project in 2018, demanded for kickbacks of 10 percent from the N16.5 million contract sum.
He was alleged to have then collected N1.6 million from Feola Ventures Nigeria Ltd, the company handling the project as bribe after the award of the contract by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
The Commission told the court that his actions amounted to receipt of gratification and abuse of office in violations of Sections 10 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same act.
Honourable Egwakhide pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him. His counsel, Samuel Sibiri (SAN), prayed the court to grant him bail on self-recognizance.
The prayer was not opposed by ICPC lawyer, Adesina Raheem. He however pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail in such terms that would effectively secure his attendance in court.
The trial judge consequently admitted him to bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be resident of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and should be gainfully employed, the court said.
Further conditions of the bail demanded that the sureties must submit two passport photographs with the court registrar as well as provide evidence of tax clearance for the last three years.
The accused was later granted bail after fulfilling the bail conditions and the matter was then adjourned to 17^th November, 2020 for trial.
October 23, 2020
Ebonyi Govt lightens curfew from 8pm to 8am
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has reduced the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed in the state to 8:00p.m. to 8:00a.m.
The Governor gave the directive on Friday in Abakaliki through the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr Uchenna Orji.
Umahi said that the new directive is with effect from Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, from 8p.m to 8a.m across the state.
He had earlier imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state from 7p.m on Oct. 21, to forestall further breakdown of law and order by protesters.
“There shall be an 8p.m to 8a.m curfew across the state, starting from Oct 23,” Umahi said.
He urged all stakeholders, security agencies and residents of the state to do everything possible within the ambit of the law to protect the citizenry from any form of violent protest, destruction of lives and property in the state.
The governor assured the people of his commitment towards the protection of their lives and property.
October 23, 2020
Zamfara needs SARS operatives, Gov Matawalle insists
Zamfara Governor, Bello Matawalle has insisted that scrapped Special Anti-Robbery Squad(SARS) was vital to maintenance of peace in the state.
Speaking after arrival from a meeting of Northern Governors in Kaduna, Matawalle urged the Federal Government to deploy the scrapped operatives to Zamfara.
He said: “We have recorded tremendous development in the area of peace building the Zamfara date with the commitment and professional contribution and supporf of the FSARS of the Nigeria Police.”
He said the unit has helped a lot in bringing down the level of banditry and hooliganism in communities in the state and described the sudden scrapping of the unit as amounting to throwing away the baby along with the dirty water.
“I will personally seek audience with Mr President on this issue. We need the FSARS or its equivalent in Zamfara state because we have seen their positive impact in spite their alleged excesses,” Matawalle stressed.
The Northern Governors meeting, which was attended by about 12 Governors and seven Deputies, reviewed the ongoing #ENDSARS agitations across the country and called for peaceful protests.
The meeting reiterated the indivisibility of Nigeria and said its unity was not negotiable and must be protected by all.
October 23, 2020
Udom extends Akwa Ibom curfew by 13 hours
Akwa Ibom State government has announced the extension of curfew by 13 hours from 12noon on Friday to 7am on Saturday, 24th October 2020.
The curfew was imposed by Governor Udom Emmanuel, following the violent demonstration that erupted after two persons suspected to be EndSARS protesters were shot dead by a suspected security agent along Willington Bassey Way, Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
The commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, in a statement on Friday, said the extension was due to the unfolding events and situations being monitored by the state and security agencies.
The statement reads in part, “Due to developing situations being monitored by the state government and security agencies and the inevitable need to protect citizens and property, based on overriding the public interest, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has extended the curfew, which was initially due to expire by noon of 23rd October 2020, till 7 am on Saturday, 24th October 2020. This curfew has a statewide effect.
“Expectedly, there will be a total cessation of movement, except for those on essential duties, who must show proper identification.
“All law-abiding citizens are advised to remain at home, as security agencies have been briefed to strictly enforce this order.”
October 23, 2020
French man Lionel is Pillars FC new technical head
By Mike Oboh
Ahead of the beginning of a new season, Kano Pillars Football club has hired a new Technical Adviser, Mr. Emmanuel Lionel to take charge of the coaching department of the club.
The club trouble with lack of depth in its technical department got the state government approval to engage the coach from the five candidates who applied for the top job.
Lionel, who has a vast knowledge of African football, has coached at various times in South Africa, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Dubia and Benin Republic.
Though the financial details of the contract was not revealed by the club, it was gather that a three man team selected by the government did the negotiation of the contract on behalf of the club management.
The committee has the State Football Association chairman, Alhaji Ahlan Inuwa, Kano Pillars football club chairman, Alhaji Surajo Shaiabu Gambo and Alhaji Ibrahim Muzzan, and was responsible for the picking of the new head of the technical bench among the five candidates who applied.
The Technical Adviser was given the nod above others because of his knowledge of African football and his enviable records in places he had coached.
The French man was unveiled as the club new technical advisor to the massive supporters of the club in Tahir Guest Palace Hotel in the ancient city of Kano.
The club’s former Technical Head, Coach Musa Ibrahim was reappointed as the chief coach of the team.
Speaking on the development, a board member of the club, Professor Musa A.A Yakassai said the development has brought some sigh of relief towards the club’s quest to return to its glorious days in the continental campaigns.
Professor Yakassai, said the decision to engage the foreign coach was approved by the state government after the consideration by it to put the club in proper shape ahead of its continental engagement this season.
He said the club was preparing ahead of the onerous task involved in the continental campaign and the competitions at the local level.

October 23, 2020