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THE STATES

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Adamawa

Ahead of the forthcoming governorship by-elec
tion in Adamawa State, the Presidency says President Goodluck Jonathan will not impose any candidate on the Peoples Demcratic Party  and the people of the state.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said this in an interview with newsmen recently.
Abati was reacting to reports that the Presidency was backing a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commisison, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, to clinch the party’s ticket.
The presidential spokesman said his antecedents, since assumption of office, had shown clearly that Jonathan was not favourably disposed to imposing his choice in any matter that has to do with democratic process.

Bauchi

Policemen attached to the G.R.A., Police Com
mand, Bauchi State have arrested a reverend father and one other person for allegedly defrauding one Joel Sumi of N60,000.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Haruna Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday.
According Mohammed, the two suspects, who posed as fortune tellers, deceived their victims, and defrauded him.
He said, “The victim decided to seek prayers from the reverend father and the other person in order to solve his problems, but fell into the wrong hands as he was asked by the suspects to bring N60,000 before conducting the prayers”.

FCT

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has said
that more than 57 per cent of the people in West Africa were without access to electricity.
The bank stated this in its “West Africa Monitor Quarterly”, for the second quarter of 2014 report, which was made available to the newmen in Abuja.
It said that the percentage approximated the average for sub-Saharan Africa,” but extremely low compared with 23 per cent in the developing world and 18 per cent globally.”
According to the report, with inadequate generation capacity, low electrification, and sporadic, unreliable and expensive service, energy is at the top of questions requiring adequate policy intervention.
It explained that access rates varied from country to country, with eight per cent in Niger and 15 per cent in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau.

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has ap
pointed former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the pioneer  Chancellor  of the newly established Jigawa State University in Kafin Hausa.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Haruna Wakili, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.  Wakili said the State Government had sent a delegation to present the appointment letter to the former President at his country home in Abeokuta.
He explained that the appointment was based on Section 8 of the Jigawa State University Law, 2013.
Kwara
Members of a youth group in Kwara State, the
Kwara South Youth Forum (KSYF), last Saturday pledged to ensure that credible leaders emerge during the 2015 general elections.
President of the forum, Mr Charles Folarin, stated this in Omu-Aran,  during a youth leadership summit, organised by the forum, in collaboration with Mike Omotosho Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.
According to him, Nigerian youths should be prepared to play key role in ensuring that credible people are elected to move the country forward.
“I think we should not just sit down, fold our arms and watch, but take our destiny in our hands.

Kano
The battle for the presidential ticket of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) is creating tension in Kano State where the supporters of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and those of former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, have clashed.
The state House of Assembly, dominated by the APC has broken into two camps, each supporting Kwankwaso and Buhari. The governor and former Head of  State are leading contenders for the APC presidential ticket. Some members of the assembly, under the aegis of G34, had,  last week, endorsed Kwankwaso for the APC presidential ticket.
But signs that all was not well in the parliament emerged, yesterday, when a member of the group, Yusuf  Abdullahi Atta, dissociated himself and some of his other colleagues from the endorsement, declaring support for Buhari.

Lagos

A frontline governorship aspirant in LagosState
and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, popularly called GOS, has held discussions with top officials of local governments in all the 57 council areas of the state.
The meeting, held to seek the support of the council boss for his gubernatorial aspiration was closely followed, last Saturday, by the declaration of total support for GOS by a socio-political organisation, Patriots Face. The group, parading thousands of members across the 57 council areas of the state, declared its support for the senator’s aspiration at a ceremony in Mushin.  A statement by Solomon’s campaign team, yesterday, said “the meeting midweek with vice chairmen and secretaries of all the local councils in Lagos was aimed at mobilising them for the senators governorship ambition which has been receiving widespread support across the state.
Niger

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State could
not vote in the Niger East senatorial by-election last Saturday as he forgot his voter card in Abuja.
He told  newsmen at the Umaru Musa Polling Unit in Minna that he would abide by the rule which states that one cannot vote without having a voter card.
“I forgot my voter card in Abuja, which was human error, but I must commend those that came out to vote’’, he said. Aliyu, who was accompanied by his wife, said reports reaching him indicated a peaceful election in the zone.

Ondo

A former presidential candidate of Alliance for
Democracy, Chief Olu Falae, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to use maximum force to deal with Boko Haram. A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, Falae said he was distressed that after more than 100 days in captivity, the Federal Government had not been able to rescue the more than 200 Chibok schoolgirl held hostage since April 14 by the Boko Haram insurgents.“I am very saddened and distressed that there is insurgency in Nigeria. I never thought it could come to this. If you look around the world, it is the same problem – you can see what is going on in Iraq and Syria; there is a group called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria that wants to take a part of Iraq and a part  of Syria. It is totally unheard of.
“In Afghanistan, Yemen, and other places, you see wars going on. Terrorism has become a worldwide phenomenon. It is unfortunate that the Boko Haram insurgency is a different kind of war; the traditional war is a war against territory but this terrorist group kills people indiscriminately, unprovoked. They commit mindless violence,” he said.

Osun
An aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun
State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has described the governor’s victory in the August 9 governorship election as a reward for his dedication to the service of the people. Oyintiloye, who is the Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs to the governor, said this recently at the Christ Apostolic Church, Ibokun, Osun State during a special thanksgiving service for the governor’s re-election for a second term.
Oyintiloye said if not for the overwhelming support of the people and divine intervention, the victory would have been difficult to achieve. The SSA noted that Aregbesola’s vision and commitment had brought changes to the state.

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ademorin Kuye, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, at a meeting of traditional rulers with Governor Fashola in Lagos recently. Photo: NAN

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ademorin Kuye, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, at a meeting of traditional rulers with Governor Fashola in Lagos recently. Photo: NAN

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Monarch Hails Fubara Over Road Project

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Ogene of Asa Asi Asaga Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Andrew Enemuwa, has expressed gratitude to the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for the award of the contract for construction of Igiri- Ubimini-Egbeda-Elele road project.
Eze Enemuwa said the people of the local government are proud associating with a visionary leader like Governor Fubara whose interest in the development of his people knows no bounds.
The monarch, also the Secretary of Ogba Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Council said the unprecedented crowd of ONELGA people that attended the event shows that Governor Fubara is greatly loved and cherished by the people.
The Eze Dike Di Nu Obi of Ogbaland said the presence of the traditional rulers at the event speaks volumes.
The Okene Asa Kaka urged the people of the area to support Governor Fubara to attract more development to the local government area.

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1,680 Children Abducted In Nigeria -UNICEF

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As Nigeria marks 10 years anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls, the United Nations Children Fund( UNICEF) has  put the number of abducted children at different schools within the last 10 years in Nigeria at 1,680.
The organisation said this at an event it organised in conjunction with the Faculty of Media and Communications Studies in the University of Port Harcourt to mark the 10 years anniversary of Chibok girls abductions.
According to UNICEF release read by Communication officer, UNICEF Nigeria Dr Mrs Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, 180 children were killed within the period under review due to attacks on schools, while an estimated 60 school Staff were kidnapped,14 killed and more than 70 attacks on schools.
It urged the Nigerian Government and security agencies to intensify effort towards the rescue of the 90 remaining Chibok girls.
UNICEF described the Chibok girls saga as a wakeup call to the severe risks children face in their pursuit of education
‘Today, reflecting on this tragedy and other recent abductions, it is evident that our efforts to safeguard our children’s future must be amplified
“Given this alarming statistics, we must address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of this crisis,” it said.
UNICEF also said that the threat of abduction of students is severely affecting children’s learning.
“As at 2021, over one million children were afraid to return to school and in 2020, around 11,500 schools were closed due to attacks”, it said.
It called on the government and the international community to ensure that all schools have the resources and tools to fully implement the minimum standards for safe schools, focus on the most vulnerable regions and address critical gaps in safe schools infrastructure.
UNICEF also called for preparedness for natural disasters, conflicts and comprehensive approaches to violence against children.
Others include, strengthening law enforcement and security measures to protect educational institutions and communities from attacks and abduction, prioritising education and child protection in national policies and budget allocations to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all Nigerian children and ensure the continuity of education and learning when schools are shut through multiple learning pathways such as radio and TV programme and through digital platforms the Nigerian learning Passport.
Ogwe said UNICEF is working with the Nigerian Government to ensure that every child can access safe learning environment.
“The agency has supported the inauguration of state safe school steering committees and the drafting of state costed implementation plans for safe schools in 13 States.
“It also provides school grants, safety kits training and awareness raising to accelerate the implementation of the minimum standards for safe schools.
“As we remember the Chibok girls and all children whose rights to education have been compromised, let this somber anniversary serves as a catalyst for change”, UNICEF said.
Speaking with The Tide, Dr Nwachukwu Ginikanwa said the anniversary should serve as a wakeup call to the authorities to take the issue of security seriously.

John Bibor

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Fubara Has Rekindled Rivers Hope-Former Envoy

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As the one year anniversary of the Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration in Rivers State draws closer, a former Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Amb.Oji Ngofa, says the Governor has rekindled the hope of Rivers people.
Amb. Ngofa said within the one year of the administration, the Governor has shown a sense of connecting the people and the government unlike the immediate past administration led by Chief Nyesom Wike.
The former Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) explained that within one year, Rivers people are seeing a visionary leadership whose imagination is essentially focused on the desire to improve the lives of the people, with the sole aim of creating an economy where everyone can participate.
Speaking in an interview in Port Harcourt, the forrmer Ambassador said Governor Fubara has been able to engage relevant stakeholders and sectors of the State which, according to him, remains the hallmark of leadership.
He emphasised that with Governor Fubara, no doubt, Rivers State is in safe hands, saying with Governor Fubara, there is the likelihood that the State would be greater than other States.
He noted that the Governor’s vision to develop and give capacity to the people in order to participate in the economy as well as creating the enabling environment for business to flourish in the State, coupled with his peaceful nature, have all combined to endear him to the people.
Amb Ngofa said real power comes from how well one is connected with the people through good leadership, and the people on their own voluntarily surrender to you just as Governor Fubara has demonstrated within the past one year, stressing that that has informed his decision as an astute politician just like all well-meaning Rivers people to align with the Governor in order to move the State forward .
He described Governor Fubara’s milestones in infrastructure, human capital development, health and agriculture as monumental.
Amb Ngofa urged the Governor to ensure his revitalisa- tion programme on Songhai Farms extends to Buguma and Andoni fish farms and Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), and expand on the initiative, as it is critical in job creation for the teeming youths of the State.
“ In his one year in office as governor, Rivers people have seen the difference in terms of governance and total departure from self. Now Rivers people are having easy access to their governor. His focus is on policies and programmes that are capable of revitalising the economy aimed at improving the wellbeing of Rivers people, not just one man. Projects are springing up in all parts of the State, not necessarily in Port Harcourt and Obio,/ Akpor. All in just one year despite the distractions”, he said.

The Port Harcourt ring road loan to small skill medium businesses are one of the biggest achievements of his administration
Aleto- Woji road abandoned by the last administration had been carried on by a government that has interest of the people at heart
Despite the destruction ,he had demonstrated sense of focus on his primary duties as a governor
We are not just seeing monumental projects ,Rivers people are seeing total commitment to create an economy that will enable Rivers people to have a hold on there lives especially with projects like revitalizing Shonghai ,plaintain farms .
It is critical focusing on human capital development .I am aware of his programme of revitalising the economy ,state owned industries through public private partnership
Rivers people hope had been rekindled and those of us who are critic to the governor Wike led administration had been vindicated
Urging Eleme people to support the administration of governor Fubara to achieve their common dream which is development.

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