IDRIS Khalid Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike declared that Nigeria became a mistake in 2015 when the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari were elected into power. Nyesom Wike who was in Bauchi for an private visit said that since the coming of the APC led Federal Government, things have turned worst for Nigeria and Nigerians in every facet of existence. He said that Nigeria has never been so polarized than now because of the weakness of the Federal government which has failed to provide good governance thereby brewing insecurity making Nigerians not to be able to settle down for anything meaningful. The Rivers State Governor said that Nigeria has a President who does not know what is going in the country as he is seated in Aso Rock Villa, but running administration virtually. According to the Governor, “What Nigeria requires now is leadership, if you have a strong leadership, most of the problems will be solved. We don’t have leadership, a good leadership is the one who can take decisions” . He stressed that, “Part of the problems we have today is that we don’t know weather we have a leadership that takes decision, you hear people take decisions on his behalf”. “In fact, it was surprising to me to hear one day that someone brought papers to Mr President to sign something of billions of Naira and later the man was arrested that he deceived Mr President”. “How can as the President of the country, your driver or somebody else will just bring a note for me to sign for billions of Naira, how can that be done? He queried saying,” This country requires a strong leader”. Wike added, “I am surprised that the President signed trillions of Naira to purchase arms but the arms were not purchased under the then Service Chiefs and nothing was done, at the end of the day, he compensated them with ambassadorial appointments, what kind of a country is this, what kind of leadership? He also stated, “You saw a President yesterday who said that the 2022 budget is unimplementable but yet went ahead and signed it, something you know that will not help the country, but you could not face the National Assembly and tell them that you will not sign it, take it back”. “But the electoral act, you discovered errors that direct primaries will be too expensive and it will affect security you will not sign, but the budget that affects the lives of millions of people of the country which you know cannot work, you sign it, haba”, he exclaimed. According to him, “I don’t understand it, it doesn’t make any sense, I won’t sign if I know that it is not going to help to grow the economy whether it is overblown, I will not sign it. I will not go to compromise” . On the fight against corruption, he said that, “If you are fighting corruption, you should be ready, for, corruption will fight back, the moment you come out to say that you are fighting corruption, you must be prepared to fight that corruption within the system” . “As it is now, if you steal in PDP, you are a criminal but as soon as you join the APC, you are no longer a thief, what kind of system is that, is that the kind of leadership they want, no, nobody does that”, he enthused. On the fight against insecurity, Nyesom Wike said that, “How are we fighting insecurity, every year the military will tell you, we don’t have weapons to fight, there’s no time they appeared before the National Assembly that they will tell you we have no weapons, it is always we don’t have weapons, what is going on? “ While talking about the judiciary, he said that,”You talk about the autonomy of the judiciary, as we speak today, there’s no autonomy, look at the federal courts in all the states, go and see the nature of the courts” . Reacting to the invasion of the house of Justice Mary Peter Odili, he said that, “I am very surprised that Mr President could not make a pronouncement over the invasion of the House of a Justice of the Supreme Court, did you hear Mr President say anything? “I am very sure he would have made a statement if the person was killed, I am sure if Justice Odili was killed, he would have issued condolences, in a country when you see an abomination like the invasion of the House of Supreme Court Justice , it was not just invasion but a threat to the judiciary and the President of the country could not condemn such. I will not accept this because if the judiciary is hurt, democracy is hurt”. “So, like I said, leadership is the issue, the moment we have a blessed strong leadership, then you know that you are going on the right track. Leadership does not look at religion, no way”. “Nigeria is a country that you must understand the feelings of other people, if you don’t do that, it will not work, if some people are feeling that they are not part of you, you must bring them closer to know that they are part of you. You must device a means to carry everybody along”.
The Arewa Consultative Forum( ACF) has hail the 50% reduction of school fees for indigent students by the incumbent Governor, of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf as exemplary and worthy to emulate by other governor’s.
Gov. Yusuf has recently cut down 50% reduction in the registration fee for the 2023/2024 academic session for all Kano State indigenes studying regular courses at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kumbotso, Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta and other state owned tertiary institutions accross the state to cushion the worsening economic situation people have been going through.
While reacting to the governor’s initiative, the Chairman of the forum, Dr. Goni Farouk Umar described the decision as both revolutionary and a hallmark of visionary leadership.
He noted with delight the Kano State government’s resolve to restore its foreign scholarship programme designed to sponsor 1001 best graduates which demonstrates the government compassion that resulted in the payment of N700million registration fees for 700 Kano State students at the Bayero University Kano.
The ACF leader noted that both the slashing of the fees in state owned institutions, and the off-setting of the BUK fees would go along way to ease the burden on parents and the students occasioned by the current economic hardship.
Dr Umar who describe education as power, and pivot in society’s advancement, prayed for the successful implementation of the government’s pro-poor education policies.
He also appealed to all sections of the community to support educational development in all facets.
President of Nigeria, Mr Ahmed Bola Tinubu will honour Zamfara pilgrim Hajiya A’ishatu ‘Yan Guru Nahuce who found $80,000 in Saudi Arabia during the last Hajj exercise and return the money to it’s rightful owner. Chairman Zamfara State Hajj Commission, Alhaji Musa Mallaha has revealed.
Mallaha disclosed that the president is overwhelmed by the act of honesty exhibited by the female pilgrim hence he directed the National Hajj Commission to organize a national press conference to interview the woman for record keeping while in Saudi.
When the directives was given by the president according to Mallaha, the woman was already airlifted back to Nigeria adding that arrangements are in top gear to ensure the presidential directives is implemented as soon as possible.
Mr. Mallaha who revealed that president Tinubu expressed delight and pointed out that Hajiya Nahuce has brought respect and honour to her country Nigeria said the commission’s preparation towards the national press conference in Nigeria now will include the State governor, Dauda Lawan keying into the activities.
Mallaha further said that her honesty is a pride to all Muslims accross the globe.
The woman during the last excise stumbled into the money while performing Tawaff at the Ka’abah, she said that she kick the bag of the money to a distance for fear of been trample upon if she bow down to pick it up because of the large crowd. An Arab Pilgrim who saw her action pick the bag and gave it to her thinking that it was hers.
Mrs. Nahuce who was sponsored to Hajj by her son’s revealed that it was her first trip to the holy land.
She further revealed in an interview that, she took the money to the officials of her local government Hajj commission and handed it over. The officials met Saudi Authorities and within few days the owner was found and the money was returned to him.
She commented that she was not aware of the magnitude of her action until she was back home to Nigeria where she understands that the news went viral before her arrival
Nigerian Army neutralized seven Armed Bandits while several others flee with gunshots wounds in the late hours of Monday.
The bandits in large number according to reliable source attempted to infiltrate and attack the troops at Kango Sabuwa. The gallant troops of Sector 1 Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with troops deployed at Forward Operating Base Wanke were steps ahead of them.
This was achieved by the troops in an ambush operation along the route suspected to be used by the Bandits.
The troops Shortly after the encounter proceeds in pursuit of other fleeing wounded bandits, recovered 1 Machine Gun, ammunition and 6 Motorcycles from the armed bandits.
The Commander Joint Task Force Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Godwin Mutkut commends the troops for their bravery and resilience in dealing with the Armed Bandits.