THE STATES

Borno

The Commissioner of Police in Borno State, Alhaji Lawal
Tanko, said no candidate for JAMB examination last Saturday was killed in the state.
Tanko was reacting to an online report that 200 candidates were killed in one of the centres in Maiduguri by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
He told newsmen that, “I was directly in charge of the police operations to ensure safety of the candidates in all the examination venues in Maiduguri.
“We conducted the examination in peace without any incident in all the centres in Maiduguri.
“As I speak to you, the students are on their way back home. So, I do not know which attack you are talking about in a JAMB centre in Maiduguri.
“I do not rule out the possibility of attacks on one or two candidates on their way to the venues or back home.

Ekiti

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared in
cumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State winner of its primaries with 192,767 votes.
Chairman of the six-man national electoral panel, Senator Osita Izunaso, who announced the results in Ado-Ekiti, said the figures were generated from votes cast at Saturday’s council and state congresses.
He said Fayemi scored 22,314 votes in Oye, 21,814 in Ado-Ekiti, 8793 in Ikere, 10, 983 in Gbonyin, 10,704 in Ekiti East, 16, 848 in Ekiti South-West, and 8,801 in Ise/Orun.
Others are: Emure, 6,623, Ijero, 13,454, Irepodun/Ifelodun, 13,151, Ekiti West, 12, 198, Efon, 7,548, Ido/Osi, 10,472, Moba, 10,146, Ilejemeje, 5,157 and Ikole, 13,751.
In his acceptance speech, Fayemi said he was humbled by the solidarity displayed for him by the party members across the state.
FCT

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has
urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to always keep their surroundings clean as it will ensure good health.
The Director of AEPB, Mrs Aishat Adebayo, made the call at the quarterly meeting of FCT Residents Sanitation Forum in Abuja recently.
Adebayo said that the board decided to sustain the meeting because it recognised the role that residents played in the cleanliness of a city.
“Residents play an irreplaceable role as major stakeholders in city sanitation, which is why AEPB opens its doors to the public every quarter to carry them along.
“Some residents and business premises are doing well in the area of taking charge of their immediate environment while some others have not done too well.

Gombe

A traditional ruler in Funakaye Local Government Area
of Gombe State, Alhaji Bakura Mohammed, has urged parents to complement Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo’s gesture by enrolling their children in schools.
Mohammed, who was the immediate past Caretaker Chairman, Funakaye Local Government Council, told newsmen in Gombe that Governor Dankwambo had given much attention to the education sector.
“Therefore, his efforts need to be complemented by parents, as we should always remember that our children are the future leaders.
“The best thing we can give to them as parents is education.’’
The traditional ruler, who stressed that education was the bedrock of any meaningful development, added that “we as stakeholders, will continue to encourage school enrolment, particularly the girl-child in our constituencies and the state at large.’’
He commended Gov. Dankwambo for renovating schools and for building new ones across the state.
Kogi
The Interim Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC)
in Kogi State, Alhaji Kassim Mabo, said that the party had successfully conducted its congresses in all the 21 local government councils of the state.
Mabo made the disclosure at a news conference in Lokoja recently.
He said the congresses in all local government headquarters were devoid of violence.
He added that the peaceful conduct of the congresses was an indication that the party was a big family, whose major interest was to serve the country and the entire citizens.
The interim chairman said “with the successful conduct of the council congress, the party is ready to hold its state congress on April 28.’’
The member representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Buba Jibril, attributed the success to patience of members during the exercise.

Lagos

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has expressed
worry over non-patronage of indigenous engineers in the execution of key projects in the country.
The Vice President (Professional Development) of NSE, Alhaji Babagana Mohammed, told newsmen in Lagos that the society had been excluded from the scheme of things by the government.
He said the contract for the Second Niger Bridge was not awarded to the NSE in spite of the fact that it designed the First Niger Bridge.
According to Mohammed, developed nations use indigenous engineers to advance their technology and economy.

Niger

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said 2.2 mil
lion children would be immunised against polio during the third round of Immunisation Plus campaign in the state.
Aliyu, who spoke at the inauguration of the campaign in Minna, said the vaccines had been sent to various cold chain stores in the state.
Represented by Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, his Deputy, Aliyu said the personnel had been trained on how to tackle cases of rejections by parents and guardians.
He said the state government was committed to polio virus eradication through proactive measures and constant surveillance of its border areas.
“This ceremony is one of the strategies put in place to ensure that our communities are sensitised and encouraged to embrace the concept of preventive medicine in vaccination against child-killer diseases.

Ogun
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has ad
vised motorists to be safety conscious during the forthcoming Easter celebration.
The Itori Unit Commander, Mr Fatai Bakare, who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Ota, Ogun State, advised motorists to drive with care to avoid road crashes.
“Motorists should be safety conscious by not taking excessive alcohol while driving to their various destinations during the festive period,’’ he said.
Bakare warned motorists against over speeding, saying that most of the accidents were caused by over speeding.
“Motorists should not be in hurry to get to their destinations, because whether they speed or not, they will surely get to where they are going,“ he said.
The unit commander also urged motorists to comply with all the rules and regulations, in order to ensure safety of lives and property.

Plateau

Senator Gyang Pwajok, representing Plateau North, last
Sunday, said the people on the Plateau were in prayerful mood and asking God to choose good successor to Governor Jonah Jang come 2015.
The senator made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Jos, saying many politicians were jostling to succeed Jang in 2015.
“All manners of aspirants are springing up; that is natural, but we on the Plateau, have resolved to seek God’s intervention for the right direction.
“By popular consensus, Jang has done so much to Plateau, but the governor also knows that the true test of a successful administration is successful succession.
“Much premium is usually placed on the integrity of the succeeding administration because of the need to sustain the vision and accomplishments of the exiting government, so the current administration is taking extra caution to get it right.’’
Taraba
The President of the Southern Taraba Elders Forum, Mr
Stephen Nyampuri, has sued for peace among different ethnic and religious groups in the zone to foster development.
Nyampuri made the call in an interview with newsmen in Jalingo, recently.
He said that the call became necessary following the current wave of violence in four out of the five local government areas that made up the zone.
“We have many ethnic groups in this zone for so many years but we have been living together in peace.
“The sudden outbreak of violence in Wukari, Takum, Ibi and Donga is very strange and we call on our people to eschew violence and embrace peace to foster development,’’ he said.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo (right), in a handshake with the Chairman, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Ibrahim Waziri, at a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, recently. Photo:NAN