Benue

Ex Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Sam Ode, has
pledged to reform the Benue local government administration system for effective and efficient grassroots development.
Ode said this in Makurdi while declaring his intention to contest the PDP governorship ticket in the state.
He blamed poor institutional governance and policy leakages for the inability of the local government administration to properly play its historic role in the development process of the country.
“The local government is the closest tier of government to the generality of our people.
“Yet, due to policy leakages and poor institutional governance, the local government has not been placed to properly play its historic role in the development process of the country.”

Bauchi

The Tax Enforcement Team of the Federal Inland Rev
enue Service (FIRS) has sealed the premises of the Bauchi State Investment Company (BIC) and Abdulrashid Tyre Company over alleged tax evasion.
Our correspondent  reports that the FIRS officials, led by the Tax Controller, Mr Richard Magaji, sealed the firms in Bauchi recently.
The sealing of the companies, followed the inability of the companies to pay various sums amounting to over N22 million.
Magaji told reporters at the BIC premises that the company had an outstanding balance of N8 million to pay to the FIRS.
He said that official and personal efforts made by officials of the FIRS to get BIC to pay even part of the debt had proved abortive, noting that the FIRS had no option than to seal up the premises.

FCT

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has called
on Nigerians to support the Armed Forces in their fight against insurgency in the country.
Gowon made the call recently at the Church of Nigeria’s end of year thanksgiving service held at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Abuja.
He said recent happenings in the country indicated that the insurgents were not after Christians alone, stressing that all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethno-religious backgrounds, are potential targets.
“It is the responsibility of every Nigerian not only the armed forces to do whatever they need to do in order to restore peace to our country.
“Dealing with the problem of insurgency that is disturbing the country requires the cooperation of all Nigerians, whether you are a Christian or a Muslim.

Kano

Former military Head of State and APC presidential
aspirant, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has urged Nigerians to be security conscious so as to curb the activities of insurgents in the country.
Buhari made the call while speaking with newsmen shortly after he visited victims of Friday’s bomb attack at the Murtala Muhammed Hospital in Kano recently.
“There is nothing we can do about it other than for people to be more vigilant and security conscious.
“There is the need for people to be more vigilant at mosques, churches and schools, as well as wherever they may find themselves,’’ he said.
The former Nigerian leader, however, called on Nigerians to support security agencies in their bid to check the dastard acts being perpetrated by the insurgents.

Kaduna

Former Sole Administrator, Zaria Local Government,
Alhaji Umar Ibrahim-Rabagaddama, has advised politicians aspiring for different elective positions in the country to play politics without bitterness.
He told newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Tuesday that the call became imperative in view of the current political scenario in the country.
Ibrahim-Rabagaddama is aspiring to be the PDP flag bearer for House of Representatives seat of Zaria Local Government.
“I want to urge all aspirants across the country to play politics without bitterness and resort to campaign of issues which will facilitate national growth and development.
“Let me use this medium also to call on electorate to vote credible candidates with vision and mission who will provide quality and good representation,” he noted.

Kwara

Thirteen governorship aspirants on the platform of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara said they had agreed to abide by the outcome of Saturday’s governorship primary in the state.
The aspirants, who jointly signed an undertaking, promised to work for whoever emerged as the candidate for the success of the party at the poll.
A copy of the undertaking was made available to newsmen in Ilorin recently.
The Publicity Committee Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Rex Olawoye who confirmed the meeting, said the 14th aspirant, Mr Dele Belgore, did not sign the undertaking because he was not at the meeting.

Lagos

A Federal High Court in Lagos, recently, ordered the
release of five employees of the All Progressives Congress (APC), detained by the Department of Security Service (DSS).
The employees: Chinedu Atuche, Fayemi Olaposi, Augustine Onuchukwu, Ebun Ilori, and Esther Enemy, were arrested on November 22.
The officials of DSS, accompanied by the police, had raided a building which houses the APC’s data office on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos.
The DSS said the raid was informed by intelligence report that some unwholesome activities were being perpetrated within the said building.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa ordered their release while ruling on a suit filed by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) on behalf of the applicants, seeking enforcement of their fundamental rights.
Also joined in the suit is the Nigeria Police Force.
Osun

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said 94
persons were convicted for traffic offences in Osun between September and November.
The FRSC Sector Commander in the state,Mr Muhammad Hussaini, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo.
Hussaini said 43 offenders were prosecuted and convicted in September, while 51 offenders were convicted by mobile courts in November.
He said the offences include: failure to use seat belt; driving without valid vehicle particulars and licences; drunk driving; driving against traffic and dangerous driving.
The sector commander said the courts had ordered the convicts to pay fines ranging from N2,000 to N50,000, depending on the offence committed.

Ogun

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said one
person died and 14 others sustained various degrees of injuries in an accident that occurred along the Toll-Gate at Sango-Ota in Ogun recently. The Sango-Ota Unit Commander of the FRSC, Mr Omatu Sunday, told newsmen in Sango-Ota that the accident occurred at about 9:50 a.m., due to alleged carelessness of a Dangote Group driver.
Sunday said the accident involved five vehicles, including an Acura Jeep with registration number GGE-447BJ, a commercial bus with registration number KSF-537 XK, Toyota Jeep with registration number YAB-103 RU, a Dangote trailer with registration number XA 364-GKP and IVECO truck with registration number KTU-394 XJ.
He said that the brake of the Dangote trailer that was heading to Lagos failed and ran into four vehicles which resulted in the death of a conductor in a commercial bus while 14 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

Sokoto

A former board member of the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN), Alhaji Sa’idu Gumburawa, has said that the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 will sustain the success of the ongoing transformation agenda.
‘’ So, the endorsement of Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) is a welcome development and a good omen for the party, Nigerians and Nigeria,’’ Gumburawa told newsmen in Sokoto recently.
Gumburawa, who represented the Kware/Wamakko Federal Constituency in Sokoto State on the platform of the PDP, also expressed happiness that the party is waxing stronger at all levels.
The former lawmaker, who is now a chieftain of the PDP in Sokoto State, further expressed optimism that Jonathan was capable of surmounting all the current challenges plaguing Nigeria, including security.

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto (right), presenting Rice and Cash to the needy in Sokoto, recently.