THE STATES

Adamawa

Governor Bala Ngilari of Adamawa State has denied hold
ing members of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and House of Assembly Electoral Committee hostage.
This is contained in a statement signed by his Director of Public Affairs, Mr Phineas Elisha, in Yola recently.
“The attention of Adamawa Governor, Bala Ngilari, has been drawn to an alleged petition to PDP National Chairman, by the Chairman, House of Assembly Electoral Committee for Adamawa, Amb. Tim Ihemadu.
“In the petition, Ihemadu said that his committee was detained in the Adamawa Presidential Lodge and forced to sign the result of the said primary elections.’’
The statement explained that the governor decided to move members of the committee from Muna Hotel where they initially lodged to the Presidential Lodge for purely security reasons.
The statement said that the governor’s action was in line with normal party practice and being a good host to the party’s August visitors.

Borno
Goernor  Kashim Shettima of Borno State has  expressed
shock and pain over the death of Hajiya Sa’adatu Fawu, a journalist with Voice of America covering Borno.
A statement issued by the Media Assistant to the Governor, Isa Gusau, said Shettima was deeply touched by Fawu’s demise.
“It is not just a loss of an outstanding journalist but also the loss of a good sister and a good ambassador of Borno State.
“I came in contact with Fawu about six years ago when I was Commissioner for Health in Borno State. She was covering health issues for the Voice of America.
“Fawu was always very passionate about the health and well-being of citizens of Borno.
“She showed concern at every point over any health challenge, whether an outbreak or existing issue that affected the wellbeing of Borno citizens especially women and children.
“She was always passionate about the functionality of the health sector in Borno.
“She regularly reported matters that arose from her interactions with members of the public directly to my office whether as commissioner for health in those days or as a governor in recent times.

Benue
Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State has said he
had not stepped down for Sen. Barnabas Gemade for the Benue North-East senatorial election in 2015.
Suswam, who stated this in Makurdi after obtaining his national identity card, added that he was going to the senate for qualitative representation.
Our correspondent  reports that the governor’s remark followed rumours making the round in the state that either the governor or Gemade might have stepped down for the other.
“I am not aware of any of us stepping down from the race. As we speak, I am preparing to meet with the delegates against the December 7 senatorial primaries’’, he said.
On the national identity card, the governor called on Nigerians to register and collect the card, describing it as the most important card every Nigerian must have.

FCT

Senate President David Mark has called on Nigerians to
turn to God in prayers to tackle the nation’s security, political and economic problems.
Mark made the appeal while addressing members of the Youth Prayer Network of Nigeria (YPNN), in his residence in Abuja recently.
Mark said God would heal the land “if we turn to Him to solve the myriad of crises facing the nation.
“What the country is passing through at the moment is a test of our faith. We must be steadfast in our prayers so that God will save Nigeria.
“What we need now as a nation is sincerity of purpose; sincerity on the part of everybody – the government and the people.
“With prayers, our country will see the end of this insurgency and God will totally heal our land”, he said.
Katsina

A Malumfashi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Katsina State on
Wednesday sentenced a student, Ibrahim Nalami to three months imprisonment for causing grievous hurt to his step mother.
The Magistrate Mannir Shehu, who sentenced the convict, did not give him an option of fine.
Shehu ordered the convict to pay N90,000 medical expenses of the step mother or serve another six months imprisonment in default of the payment.
He said the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.
Nalami, 30, of Police compound in Malumfashi, arraigned on one-count charge, used machete to inflict injuries on his step mother on 13 different places.
Prosecutor Joseph George said the offence contravened Section 245 of the Penal Code.
When the case was first mentioned on October 2, 2014, George told the court that the incident occurred on September 29, 2014 and was reported to the police by Nalami Bara’u, the convict’s father.

Kebbi
The National Association of Persons with Disability, Kebbi State
chapter, on Wednesday called for special welfare packages and political appointments for its members.
Chairman of the association, Malam Abu Sifiyanu, made the call in an interview with  in Birnin Kebbi.
He also decried the failure of the state to mark World Disabled Day for the past 23 years.
“The day had never been marked since the creation of the state. The non-celebration of the day has side-lined our members in the society.
“Our members have been neglected and have no avenue to express our grievances especially over disregard for us in public places.
“In many public buildings, our members do not receive treatment equal to that given to the able-bodied persons, thereby denying us special preference,’’ Sifiyanu said.
He said members needed preferential treatment in public places such as when crossing the roads, parking tricycles in specially designated areas and appointments into political positions.
The chairman commended some members of the public for supporting the association and called for additional support and recognition from leaders.

Oyo

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Wale Babalakin has said that
merit was no longer considered in the appointment of judges in Nigeria.
Babalakin, Chairman of  Bi-Courteny Nigeria Limited, who spoke at a seminar organised by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan branch, said it was unfortunate that judges were not appointed on merit.
“The major issue in Nigeria is the abandonment of merit. A system that abandons merit will continue to languish,’’ he said.
He, however, advised lawyers to continue to think on how they could help develop Nigeria positively.
“Lawyers must continue to think positively because that is the greatest asset. But we all know that the system has not encouraged lawyers,’’ he said.
Babalakin, who decried the economic situation in the country, said Nigeria had been running deficit budget in the last three year.
He explained that the dwindling price of petroleum products would no doubt bring more hardship to Nigerians.
Plateau
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has appealed to the Nige
rian Medical Association (NMA) to reduce its incessant strikes for the good of Nigerians.
Jang made the appeal when he received the national officials of the NMA in Jos recently.
He said that the strikes of the medical practitioners had led to the death of many Nigerians, saying: “I get worried about the constant strikes by NMA; it worries me when doctors work out of patients.
“You must look at the issue very seriously and devise other ways of addressing your griviances.
“This is because the constant strikes are drawing us back as a developing nation and our people are dying as a result.
“This is not an indictment but an appeal, reduce the strikes it is not good for our citizens who are part of you,’’ he said.
The governor, however, advised the NMA to continue to advise the government to improve facilities in health centres to avoid people travelling out for medical services.
The NMA National President, Dr Kayode Obembe, in his remarks, said they were in the state for national conference of the association which the state got hosting right by merit.

Sokoto

The Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ), Sokoto State Council,
has warned its members against biased reporting in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
The Chairman of the Union, Alhaji Labaran Dundaye, gave the warning in Sokoto on Wednesday while commenting on activities ahead of the polls.
Dundaye said members of the union must give equal opportunities to all the registered political parties in the state.
“ We have to give equal opportunities to all the political parties as we must be fair to all.
“ We are here to serve the public diligently and we have to provide equal chances to all the political parties,” he said.
The chairman also said that the council had planned some refresher courses on Objective Reporting for its members.
He said the union had mapped out strategies to monitor the conduct of members in the coverage all activities leading to the elections.

Zamfara

A Gusau Magistrates’ Court in Zamfara on Thursday remanded
three men, Isah Garba, Rabiu Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammad in prison custody, charged with alleged rape, conspiracy and theft.
The accused persons are of Malikawa Village, Gidan Goga in the Maradun Local Government Area.
The Prosecutor, Sergent. Daniel Longwal, told the court that on November 9, one Hashimu Danila of the same address reported the case at the Maradun Police Station.
Longwal said that sometime in October this year, unknown persons entered the complainant’s house at Malikawa Village and stole 23 sheep, valued at N460, 000 and four donkeys valued at N120, 000.
He said that on October 31, the accused persons went back to the complainant’s house and forcefully ordered the complainant’s wife to follow them to a nearby bush where they all raped her.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened sections 93, 283 and 288 of the Penal Code.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the offence.
The Magistrate, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim, ordered that the accused persons should be remanded in prison custody.
The case was adjourned to December 24, for mention.

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State (left), receiving a souvenier from Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’Ad Abubakar III for attending the Nigerian Defence Academy Alumni 18th regular course re-union in Sokoto, recently.