Category: News

In a noteworthy display of appreciation, the Emir of Borgu kingdom, HRH Dr. Barrister Mohammed Sani Dantoro, has commended the current administration for its unwavering commitment to the National Home Grown Feeding Programme for primary schools. The Emir expressed his belief that the program would significantly boost pupil enrollment in schools.*

*The commendation came during a courtesy visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, to the Emir’s palace on Friday. Dr. Adeniji’s visit signifies the administration’s dedication to inclusivity and ensuring that all children, regardless of their backgrounds or disabilities, have access to nutritious meals and quality education.*

*During the meeting, the Emir pledged continuous support for the program initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, he did not shy away from addressing concerns about the challenges facing the school feeding program. He emphasized the need for effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure its sustainability.*

*The Emir stressed the importance of aligning the program with the expectations of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, underscoring the need for a holistic approach to its implementation.*

*In a subsequent visit, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji extended her outreach to The Ejeh Ankpa IV, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Yakubu. The Monarch expressed joy in the President’s commitment to eradicating hunger and ensuring that vulnerable children are catered for under the School Feeding program. He pledged his unflinching support in achieving the success of the Program.*

*Dr. Adeniji, in her remarks, highlighted the purpose of the visit, emphasizing the importance of seeking the Monarchs’ support in deepening the federal government’s school feeding program. She echoed the sentiments of the Royal Fathers, stating that their emphasis on implementation, monitoring, and evaluation reflects the program’s commitment to operating smoothly and achieving its intended objectives.*

*By actively seeking support from influential figures like the Emir of Borgu Kingdom and the Eje of Ankpa IV, the Senior Special Assistant and her team are taking proactive steps to strengthen the program and address any challenges it may encounter.*

By Muhammad Ibrahim,Sokoto

Hon.Commissioner Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Welfare Sokoto State, Hon Ya’u Muhammad Danda and his team, paid a courtesy visit to the National office of the UNITED NATIONS-UN (United Nations House, Abuja).
Abdurrahman Dallatu who passed the information to our correspondent said the Commissioner was at the UN office in Abuja for Familiarization and other issues related to the partnership and cordial relationship of the State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Welfare in line with the actualization of smart nine point agenda of governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto PhD, ACIT, FCNA Governor of Sokoto State.

The visit is timely as vital issues has been discussed on the way and manner that will be beneficial to the good people of Sokoto State and Nigeria as a whole.

Sooner or later the good people of the state will start enjoying the good work of honourable commissioner in making the life standards of living of the people better and joyous.

A Civil Society Organisation, Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) has thrown its weights behind the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Yemi Cardoso over ongoing effort to reposition the economy of the country.

Convener of the CSO, Rev Solomon Semaka addressing a press conference in Abuja called on Nigerians to be patient with the team put together by the CBN Governor to right the wrongs of the past in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration.

The rights group expressed confidence that with the removal of forex restrictions on multiple consumer goods, the economy will rebound with the attendant improvement on the standard of living of Nigerians.

SNM pointed at the stability of the naira against the dollar  in recent times to buttress its position.

“These are no mean feats and all the new CBN team needs right now is our cooperation,” the group noted.

“Yemi Cardoso and his team have done so well. They have cleared the mess we found ourselves especially  including abolishing his anti-people naira redesign policy. We will continue to partner, mobilize and support every  laudable of  the CBN if it will serve the interest of the people.

Continuing, the group noted: “Governor Yemi Michael Cardoso has demonstrated an earnest readiness to work for Nigerians in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President in reforming the Apex bank and restoring the confidence of Nigerians in the banking sector generally.

“Contrary to often  politicised policies of his predecessors, Mr. Yemi has sauntered into office with a clear mission and vision to sanitise and eradicate all forms of unprofessionalism not just in the apex bank but across all commercial banks it regulates.

” Just few days ago, errant commercial banks were sanctioned for contravening various regulations with heavy fines to serve as deterrent to others. A brave and courageous sheriff is in town and there must be order!

“Under Yemi Cardoso’s reign, several policies have been introduced to stabilise the naira with obvious changes as the Nigerian naira is now appreciating rapidly against foreign currencies especially the dollar. With investor confidence restored and speculative demands for the dollar addressed, the fluctuations in the parallel market are now a thing of the past.

“There’s fairly enough  liquidity now both at the official and parallel market and that has helped to stabilise the naira greatly. Another giant stride of the Cardoso led CBN is the unification of all segments of the foreign exchange (FX) market, signalling the end of its control of the forex market. Since the decision — which was in compliance with the federal government’s directive — the exchange rate of the local currency has been determined by market forces.

“Similarly, new foreign exchange rules — including a crackdown on illegal currency trading which is intended help the naira closing its more-than-45% gap with the unofficial rate and reaching a “fair price” by year-end has been achieved, courtesy of the new CBN team.

“The CBN has cleared a backlog of dollar demand estimated at about $6.7 billion which has bolstered the naira forward market with a set transparent rules for the operations of the official market. Cardoso deserves commendations for his efforts and civil society organisations are deeply appreciative of his foresight and professionalism.”

By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo

Akwa Ibom state government has approved an update of the State’s social register to accommodate vulnerable indegenes of the state not captured in the existing register from this week.

Governor Umo Eno who stated this yesterday at the Government House monthly prayer service in Uyo reminded those in charge that the register is only meant for the vulnerables, and is to enable government reach out to them whenever the need would arise.

Eno observed that many people in the state were yet to know that such a register exists, and stressed on the need for adequate sensitization of citizens on the imperatives of the register.

The Governor tasked government functionaries, community and religious leaders to be up about the matter, as he revealed state government’s intention to adopt the register for its intervention programmes.

“For the records, the National Social Register (NSR), is an information system that supports the outreach, intake, registration and determination of potentially eligible persons to benefit from social programmes

“It is active and it’s recognized by the World Bank. We have over a million people from every local government area, ward and unit. It’s done on household basis and it’s for the poorest of the poor.

“This week we will be updating that register. All our PAs in the wards will be helping us. We all have work to do, so I ask that we please show some interest. All our Pastors, our fathers come from a place, show some interest in that social register. It will help us. That is what we want to be using as a state to help our people.” He said.

He appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that the registration is done devoid of political colouration stressing that village heads, community leaders and stakeholders should rather concern themselves with ensuring that no one who cannot be traced to any household is enlisted under their community slot.

“I like to emphasize that this is not another political jamboree. Let’s make sure that it’s for everyone who belongs to that category, whether they voted for us or not. If we bring those divisions now it won’t help us.

“So the stakeholders, please just check to make sure they don’t put the names and bank accounts of people that are not from your village.” Eno said.

Speaking further on the criteria for inclusion or delimitation on the social register, he said, “I don’t expect my name or any of your names to be on the social register. Please don’t do it. It is meant for people that we can reach with very little things to support them.

“Please don’t politicize everything. It is not a PDP register. It is a social register for Akwa Ibomites. So long as that person is from there and you understand that the person is on that cadre, please put their names.

“It is not also for civil servants. We know those ones already.” The Governor added.

Earlier in a homily, Senior Pastor of Holy Ghost Tabernacle, Apostle Ben Offiong, said that the proof of God’s word and presence remained His power and would always manifest through the people that serve him in spirit and in truth, calling on Akwa Ibom people to shun all forms of ungodliness in their lives.

By Kumo Amgbere

The deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the just concluded off cycle election in Bayelsa State, Joshua Maciver, has described former President Goodluck Jonathan, endorsement of Gov. Diri, before the election as disheartening and a manner that doesn’t speak well of an elder stateman.

Maciver, stated that as a former President and leader to all, Jonathan would have played a non partisan and a fatherly role rather than endorsing one candidate against another, maintaining that he has lost his respect and love from his admirers in the state.

In a statement, signed and issued on Sunday, Maciver also expressed worries over Jonathan’s speech on relocating the mother had Governor Diri not won his reelection.

The statement reads “It is with a deep sense of concern that I, Great Joshua MacIver, Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State, address the endorsement of Governor Douye Diri by former President Goodluck Jonathan”

In a manner that departs from the expected statesmanship, I find it disheartening that Jonathan, in a state where his role should be fatherlike and non-partisan to all candidates, has chosen to endorse a specific individual, during a political season.

Furthermore, I express my reservations regarding the former President’s statement about the planned relocation of his mother to Abuja had Governor Douye Diri lost the governorship election. This public speech, openly demarketing Bayelsa State as unsafe and insecure, is a sentiment that should not be voiced by someone of his stature.

Sadly, Jonathan’s recent action has made him lose the respect of all true followers of the former Minister of State Petroleum Resources and APC Governorship Candidate in the last election, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva.

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has again thrown another PDP Governor Mr. Caleb Mutfwang, from office.
In a ruling on Sunday, the lead Justice, Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Nentawe Goshwe.

Justice Williams- Dawodu set aside the judgment of the Tribunal which affirmed the election of Governor Mutfwang, describing it as highly incompetent.

According to the court, the decision of the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the APC and its candidate on the ground that the duo had no business meddling in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform Mutfwang was elected is in breach of Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 134 (C) of the Electoral Act.

The court also held that contrary to the decision of the tribunal that the issues contained in the petition filed by the appellants were pre-election matters, they were both pre-election and post-election matters and could not have been deemed status barred.

Citing section 177 of the Constitution, the panel noted that Mutfwang was not validly sponsored by the PDP during the election.

It held that the party violated the court order that a valid congress be conducted in the 17 local government areas of that state, by conducting congress in only five local government areas of the state, and as such is a nullity.

While dismissing the decision of Plateau State Election Petitions Tribunal, the court held that the issue of qualification is both a pre-election and a post-election matter contrary to the findings of the tribunal which held that the appellant lacked the locus to contest the validity of the respondent.

The court also noted that under section 134 of the Electoral Act, it is the sole right of a political party to sponsor its candidate having met the necessary requirements to do so.

While evoking section 136 of the Electoral Act, the court ordered INEC to retrieve the certificate of return issued to Governor Mutfwang and issue a fresh certificate of return to the Goshwe.

Agreeing with the judgment, Justice Okon Abang said unless the PDP resolved its issues in Plateau State, it would always suffer self-inflicted misfortune.

It was a memorable event where notable personalities gathered to give the Apala music legend, Alhaji Haruna Ishola Bello (MON) a befitting 40 years remembrance of his demise and great impact he made in the music industry.

The event, which was held in 2 different locations, his hometown in Ijebu Igbo, and grand reception in Lagos were moments to celebrate his great works and legacies left for his children.

At his hometown, the family held a week long events of commissioning of boreholes and official opening of a central mosque, among other activities, to eulogised the man who pioneer Apala music in Nigeria.

With the train moving to Lagos, the LTV 8 premises was filled with family,friends and fun lovers who witnessed Cleric prayers for the family , unveiling of some music works of the legend and his children who are into music and live performances of artists in different genre of music.

The Lagos event was attended by business icons,show promoters, media personalities, and celebrities to mention just a few.

The concluding electrifying performance of Wasiu Haruna Ishola sealed the day as he dishes out old tunes from his father and newer collections from his stable.
In a show of appreciation to those who supported the events morally and financially , representing the entire family, Wasiu Haruna Ishola gave a vote of thanks and pray for all in attendance.