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THE STATES

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Adamawa
Former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu has promised not to
disappoint the leadership of the PDP if he emerged as the next Adamawa State governor come October 11.
He made the promise last Monday in Abuja, while submitting his expression of interest and nomination form to contest the forth coming Adamawa governorship election on the platter of PDP.
He submitted his document to the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.
“I remain ever grateful, I assure you that I will not disappoint you, I will not let you down on the cherished hope and trust you invested in me,’’ he said.
Ribadu described the submission of the form as an epoch-making event in his life.
He added that he decided to contest the election because his associates and Adamawa PDP stakeholders convinced him to do so.
“My decision to contest the Adamawa governorship election under the platform of the PDP is a turning point in my life and my career in public service.

Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has advised
residents of the state to remain calm following alleged proclamation of Islamic State in Gwoza by Boko Harm insurgents.
This is contained in a statement by Shettima in Maiduguri.
The governor was reacting to a video released by the terrorists on their operations in Borno.
“With very due respect, I cannot comment on the authenticity or otherwise of that video. I will leave that to security experts.
“I also cannot disclose measures being adopted by security agencies on whatever development in Gwoza or any part of Borno. “I can assure the good people of Borno and other members of the public that the State Government is actively in touch and supporting security agencies deployed to the state.
“We are not just studying the situation with collaborative tact and urgency but indeed appropriate measures are being taken by the right authorities’’, he said.

Ekiti
Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has accused the
Governing Council of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, of siphoning fund through frivolous awards of contracts.
In a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the state’s Publicity Secretary, Kola Oluwawole, alleged that the institution planned to award phoney contracts worth N2.5bn later this week.
He said, “As the party that will form the incoming administration in the state, the PDP has to draw the attention of the people of the state to official misconduct going on in EKSU.
“The Governing Council of the institution has not met for over six months now and a meeting has been fixed for Thursday where phoney contracts valued at N2.5bn will be awarded.
“The contracts were not advertised for tender, there was no bidding process. The contracts never passed through due process as expected, but they want to award them.
“It is disheartening that such actions are being perpetrated in a citadel of learning, a university for that matter. This is coming against the backdrop of the illegal employment of over 1,000 workers in the institution, and all these taking place after the incumbent governor was defeated in the June 21 election.”

FCT
A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has warned those changing their membership of political parties to desist from it.
He said such action was capable of derailing the country’s democracy.
Tukur, who is Nigeria’s Ambassador-at-large, expressed misgivings on the state of instability in political parties in Nigeria, especially with unrestrained manner of defection by members of different parties in the country.
He said the trend which has already been making mockery of Nigeria’s politics was capable of derailing democracy if not checked on time.
Tukur spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at his private residence, when some PDP youth leaders from the North-Central, led by Mr. Yalla Ibrahim, paid him a private visit.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government says it has trained 238
traditional rulers on alternative dispute resolution.
The Chairman, Jigawa Justice Sector and Law Reform Commission, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, made the disclosure at a one-day conference on Traditional Justice System in Dutse.
Abubakar explained that the monarchs were trained on Nigeria’s legal system, record keeping, human rights issues and development of code of ethics.
He said another batch of 191 traditional rulers comprising council members and district heads from the five emirates council were currently being trained across the state.

Kwara
The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has
said good governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people by political leaders and not empty promises are what would ensure re-election.
Speaking at the Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency stakeholders’ forum in Ilorin on Tuesday, Ahmed who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Peter Kisira, urged politicians and their supporters to avoid violence.
He said it was important for political parties, politicians and other political actors to comply with rules for outdoor advertising and signage in the state to maintain integrity and professionalism in the sector.
The governor warned that any group or anyone who defaced or destroyed any approved billboard would be breaking the law and would be dealt with accordingly.

Plateau
The Joint Union of Plateau State owned Tertiary Institutions,
JUPTI has raised alarm over the exodus of experienced professionals who have abandoned the institutions for greener pasture.
The union urged the state government to look into the situation to prevent further deterioration, appealing to stakeholders to prevail on government to do what is right for the schools.
The Joint Union accused the state government of negligence of the institutions thereby forcing credible hands in departments like Engineering, Sciences and the Humanities to be lost to other institutions.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Jos, the Chairman of JUPTI who is also the Chairman, Plateau State Polytechnic Chapter of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, ASUP, Mr. Victor Dawurung said the people of Plateau State should not blame the Union as its seeks to resume its earlier suspended strike action.
His words, “It is time for us to tell the world what the State-owned institutions is going through. You would recall that on the 13th May, 2013, we suspended the strike we embarked upon on the 22nd February, 2013 following the personal intervention of the State Head of Service.
Sokoto
Coalition of Sokoto State Youth and Students Leaders,
CSYSL, has called on youths in the state to stop further protest against state government’s plans to borrow money for developmental purposes, noting that the state is empowered by the law to borrow for such purpose.
It also described an earlier protest in the state as the handiwork of enemies of the government, advising that youths should avoid being used to achieve political ends.
This was disclosed in a statement by Messrs. Kassim Nakura, Deputy Coordinator Zone A, National Association of Nigerian Students,NANS; Abdulrahaman Aliyu, General Coordinator, Coalition of Sokoto Youth Associations; Abubakar Salame, Vice President, North-West, National Youth Council; Abdulrahaman Bawa, Deputy Speaker Northern Youth Assembly and Suleiman Mamud, Youth Initiative for Development and Accountability.
The statement reads: ‘’It is surprising that some youths are engaging in activities that are capable of tarnishing the image of Sokoto State over an issue that has constitutional backing.

Taraba
A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Jalingo, Friday adjourned
the case between the Taraba State University and staff members of the State College of Education, Zing, over the occupation of staff quarters till August 25 for further hearing.
The university is praying the court to grant it permission to evict the staff members of the college from the quarters, arguing that all the structures of the college, including the quarters, had been given to the university by the state government.
When the case came up for hearing, counsel to staff members of the college, Saleh Wakili, tendered an application, asking the court to join the Taraba State government and the college of education in the case, saying they were the owners of the disputed property.

Yobe
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State
yesterday said that the dismissal of alleged impeachment plot against Governor Ibrahim Gaidam by the state lawmakers has diffused tension among the citizenry.
Yobe state Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, made the submission in a statement made available to journalists.
“The party commended the timely response of the legislators to the allegation and also passed a vote of confidence on the governor,” Bakabe said.
“As the ruling party in the state, APC has a sitting governor, three senators, six members of House of Representatives, 24 members of the State House of Assembly and 17 local government chairmen.
He listed the projects to include roads, healthcare delivery, functional education and employment opportunities for the benefit of the people.

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 the governor in Lagos, yesterday.

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 the governor in Lagos, yesterday.

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Yahaya Bello: Senator Hails EFCC’s Probe Of N80.2bn Fraud

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Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commended the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
This is just as she also hailed the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for ceding 14 properties that were initially forfeited to the federal government to the government and people of Enugu State.
Reacting to Bello’s excuse for not honouring the EFCC’s invitation, the lawmaker emphasized the need for the commission to investigate other corrupt public officials to avoid the impression that their actions against former governor were meant to witch hunt him.
In a now-viral video, the EFCC chairman had claimed Belloh told him that a female senator (name withheld) allegedly gathered journalists to humiliate him anytime he was at the agency’s Abuja office for interrogation.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.
But Senator Natasha in a statement signed by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel and issued at the weekend in Abuja, reminded Yahaya Bello of the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution, given his former position as the chief security officer of Kogi.
“I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.
“It’s a well-known fact that ‘he who comes into equity must come with clean hands’. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.
“I’d also like to take this moment to appreciate the diligence of the EFCC in handling the case so far. No Nigerian is above the law, and therefore the agency must see this case through to the end if they are to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption,” she said.

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Senate  Frowns Over Continued Depreciation Of Naira

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Worried over the  latest depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies, the Senate through its Committee on Finance, has  stated that the Legislature  is  exploring a range of policy options to mitigate the impact of Naira depreciation and foster economic stability in the country.
These, according to the committee, in a statement signed by its chairman, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East) and released yesterday, includes robust oversight of fiscal policies, engagement with key stakeholders, and the formulation of targeted interventions to support key sectors of the economy.
Senator Musa said the statement became necessary “to address the current state of the economy and the need for concerted efforts at tackling the instability and continuous depreciation of the Naira.”
This is even as he hoped that the “economic managers will adhere strictly to the norms and standards set by this administration to ensure that we achieve the desired outcomes in taking Nigeria to its economic growth and prosperity”, pledging the support of the National Assembly to the executive arm of government to achieve the set goals.
He, however, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resilient as they navigate these uncertain times, saying “together, we can overcome the challenges facing our economy and chart a path towards prosperity for all.”
The statement titled: “State of the Nation Economy and Naira Depreciation’, reads “The Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges, exacerbated by both internal and external factors.

“Despite efforts to stabilize and bolster economic growth, the numerous initiatives and bold but necessary steps and policy decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, the persistent depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies has become a pressing concern.

“The recent depreciation of the Naira underscores the need for proactive measures to safeguard the stability and resilience of our currency.

“The Senate Committee on Finance is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to implement effective policies and strategies.

“It is imperative that we address the root causes of Naira depreciation, including but not limited to fluctuations in global oil prices, fiscal deficits, and structural imbalances in the economy.”

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WIW: Banigo Advocates Legislative Impetus

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The Senator, representing Rivers West Senatorial District at National Assembly Sen.Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has advocated for legislative backings to enforce immunisation as a pre-condition for admission into nursing, primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Banigo made the assertion recently in a statement to commemorate this year’s week-long immunisation campaign in line with the World Health Organisation advocacy.
Banigo, a Harvard-trained Public Health personnel, explained that such legislation would strengthen the National Immunisation Policy in the administration of vaccines, saves lives, helps in the child normal growth, prevents serious illness and disabilities such as poliomyelitis .
The former Deputy Governor of Rivers State who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), noted that Nigeria must attain at least, 90 percent vaccine coverage for all childhood and adolescence; stressing that a fully vaccinated child should have received BCG, Mussels and three doses of DTP and Polio .
She emphasised the need for collective efforts by stakeholders in the campaign against preventable diseases .
The theme for this year’s World Immunisation Week is “Humanly Possible: Saving Lives Through Immunisation” while the national theme is “Vaccine Works For All”.

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