Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government has sponsored 44 medical students to study in Alexandra Institute, Cairo in Egypt to boost the state’s health services.

Gov. Isa Yuguda made this known on Sunday in Bauchi, while declaring open a two-day sensitisation workshop organised for traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state.

Represented by the state’s Head of the Civil Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir, Yuguda said that the 44 students, comprising 22 males and 22 females, were selected from various parts of the state.

The governor said that the students were granted full sponsorship, explaining that the state government paid in advance for the accommodation, feeding and other expenses before the departure of the students.

Yuguda said that the students, who were currently receiving lectures, were equipped with necessary facilities such as laptops, clothing and others needed for their studies.

Ekiti

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has deployed 2,320 corps members to Ekiti, its Public Relations Officer for the state, Mrs Funso olusoji, has said.

She told between on Sunday at Ise/Emure in Ise-Orun Local Government Area of the state, that the 2,320 corps members would participate in the ongoing 2010 batch “B” orientation programme.

Olusoji explained that the number included 500 corps members posted to Lagos State but who would participate in the orientation programme in Ekiti.

The three-week orientation will hold between July 6 and July 27.

The public relations officer said that the NYSC had put in place necessary steps to ensure the safety of lives and properties of corps members in the state.

She commended traditional rulers for their efforts at sensitising members on the culture and traditions of Ekiti people “but we are asking for more of their co-operation in the days ahead.”

She appealed to the Ado Business District of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to restore electricity to the orientation camp, which she noted had been in blackout “from time immemorial.’’

FCT

Ahead of 2011 general elections, an aspirant to the House of Representatives from Osun State Banji Obabunmi has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against imposition of candidates as such may spell doom for the party in the coming polls.

Obabunmi, who is also the Coordinator for Fatai Akinbade Campaign Organisation (FACO) in North Central States, said in Abuja that the battle for the governorship ticket in Osun State was not working well within PDP.

Obabunmi said: “Failure to stop imposition of candidate especially in Osun state, means the party may be heading for its downfall in Osun, if this happens, it will affect the South West PDP equation in large measures.”

The FACO coordinator said that FCT Abuja, the North and Central States should remain steadfast and ready “to accept internal democracy as a model to real democracy”,.

Katsina

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)  members in Katsina State on Saturday elected new state executives of the party with Alhaji Gide Sabuwar-Kasa emerging as the state chairman.

Our correspondent reports that this was the high point of a peaceful congress of the party which took place at the ANPP state secretariat in Katsina.

Our corespondent further reports that the congress, which started with the screening of delegates at 9 am and ended up at 3.30pm, had all the executive members elected unopposed.

Alhaji Aminu Wada was also elected as the Deputy Chairman of the party during the congress, while Alhaji Musa Maikudi was elected as the treasurer.

Others included Nuraddeen Abdullahi, Abdullahi Ingawa and Shugaba Baidu who were elected vice-chairmen Katsina, Daura and Funtua zones respectively.

Alhaji Mansur Safana was elected the state secretary of the ANPP with Sani Iliya, Aminu Sule and Lawal Garbar as assistant secretaries I, II and III respectively, among others.

The congress which was conducted peacefully also elected the local government chairmen of the party for the 34 local government areas of the state.

Kwara

The former Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Raliat Elelu-Habeeb, who was removed by the state government in 2009, has challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

In the notice of appeal filed on Friday, July 2, 2010, and made available to newsmen in Ilorin through her counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), on Sunday, Habeeb is seeking to reverse her removal by the government.

In the suit No. SC/CA/IL/81/2009, the respondent said she was dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal which ruled on July 2, 2010, that the Federal High Court which had ordered the reinstatement of the sacked Chief judge lacked jurisdiction.

Joined in the case are the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, the Attorney-General of Kwara State and Kwara State House of Assembly.

Ondo

The Osemawe Dynasty of Ondo Kingdom in Ondo State on Saturday began celebrations to mark 500 years anniversary of traditional rulership by the Osemawes.

Chief Olu Adeduro, the Chairman of the Anniversary Committee on Publicity and Publication, told the newsmen on Sunday that the celebration was aimed at bringing home the sons and daughters of the kingdom.

Adeduro, who is the Saro of Ondo, said sons and daughters of the town both at home and abroad had arrived for the event scheduled for July 3 to July 18.

“The celebration of 500 years of uninterrupted traditional rulership by the Osemawes was to evaluate the past, the present and propel the future, with a view to facilitating the development of the kingdom and its people,” he said.

The chairman added that after the parade held on July 3, there would be an ‘’Idijo’’, the day for Oba Festival on Sunday, while ceremonies and presentation of gifts to the Osemawe by the indigenes would come up from July 5 to July 18.

He explained that there would be an exhibition of Ondo cultural artefact, traditional wears and drums on July 7 at the palace which would be followed by tree planting and launch of Ondo Heritage Museum at the Osemawe Royal Pack on July 10.

Adeduro said that High chiefs and other chiefs would pay homage to the Oba on July 12, adding that there would be a documentary on the evolution of the kingdom for five centuries at the palace on July 15.

The programme will end on July 18 with an inter-denominational thanksgiving service at the Oba Adesanoye Civic Centre.

The current Osemawe, Oba Victor Kiladejo, from the Jilo Ruling House, one of the three ruling houses in Ondo, is the 44th king to ascend the Osemawe throne.

Oyo

Two unidentified men were killed in Ibadan in the early hours of Saturday in a multiple accident involving a truck, a bus and a motorcycle.

Eye witnesses told newsmen that the truck with registration number AH333LSD was coming from Agodi gate towards Total Garden when the driver suddenly lost control.

“The truck then ran over the two men on a motorcycle with registration number OC535AYT, hit a bus with registration number A694TAN before crashing into a school wall,’’ one of them said.

ASP Stephen Akpan, the Divisional Traffic Officer, Yemetu Divisional Police Station, told newsmen at the scene of the accident that the incident was caused by brake failure.

A fire brigade team led by Supt. William Oladejo, was at the scene to take the mutilated bodies of the victims to the Adeoye Hospital mortuary.

The driver of the truck, who was unhurt, was seen weeping at scene of the accident, and attempts by our correspondent to hear his own side of the story proved abortive.

Plateau

The Plateau government is to float a N1 billion Agriculture Credit Scheme for small-scale farmers, in its bid to boost agriculture in the state.

Mr Na’Allah Mutbam, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, told newsmen on Sunday in Jos, that the state was securing the fund from the CBN.

“CBN has put in place N200 billion Agriculture Credit Scheme but the amount made available for the state for small-scale farmers is N1 billion,” he said.

Mutbam said that the state ministries of finance and agriculture and natural resources were partnering with a commercial bank to secure the fund from CBN.

He explained that the fund, when approved by the CBN, would be deposited in the commercial bank for onward disbursement to the farmers.

The commissioner noted that the fund would be disbursed through the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in the state “to make sure that the big farmers do not hijack it from the small-scale farmers.”

“We are also partnering with the farmers in the state to key into the scheme because the scheme has three components, namely the farmers, federal and state governments,” he added.

Mutbam said that the Fadama III programme had disbursed cheques worth N100 million to organised farmer groups across the 17 local government areas of the state.

He called on farmers to register with AFAN and to form cooperative societies to enable them to benefit from the schemes and to boost their farming activities.

Sokoto

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has urged members of the Zabarmawa communities to continue to be law-abiding, peace loving and enterprising in their daily endeavours.

Wamakko spoke in Sokoto on Saturday at the inauguration of the state’s youths wing of the Zabarkano association and the presentation of certificates, as well as merit awards to some personalities.

The governor said the state has acknowledged the immense contributions of members of the communities to the socio-economic growth of the state and the nation in general.

Wamakko, who was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Bello Rabah, advised the people in the area to keep the tempo.

Alhaji Mahmdu Lambo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Youths Empowerment, praised the association for complementing the efforts of the government in the monthly sanitation exercise and other programmes.

Lambo promised that the state government would continue to promote cordial relationship among the various communities in the state.

The chairman of the association , Alhaji Aminu Suleiman, represented by the secretary, Alhaji Jaáfar Yarima, said the body was formed in order to foster unity and peace among the various communities.

Shekarau also said that the establishment of NBB&P in the state was a step towards mobilising stakeholders’ support and advocacy for women’s rights to reproductive health.

In an address at the occasion, Dr Ademola Owoduni, a consultant at the Federal medical Centre, Gusau, said that ignorance and poverty were major impediments to women’s attainment of effective reproductive health, especially in the Northern part of the country.