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Tag: Katsina

  • Kwara, Bauchi, Katsina bye-election results, sign of Buhari’s victory in 2019 – Presidency

    Kwara, Bauchi, Katsina bye-election results, sign of Buhari’s victory in 2019 – Presidency

    The presidency says the electoral victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on November 17 is a sign of things to come in the 2019 elections.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC swept the three federal constituencies in Katsina, Kwara, and Bauchi states in the bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, November 17.

    Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said the APC victory in the three states had shattered any assumptions of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) return to power in 2019.

    According to the presidential aide, the APC victory should be a blow for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaigners who have maintained that by merely claiming that they have rebranded, Nigerians will have forgotten all the mess they left behind in 2015.

    He said: “By voting overwhelmingly for the ruling APC, Nigerians have shown their confidence in the Muhammadu Buhari administration, and their willingness for continuation of this government and its policies.

    “This clear show of support can only be a synopsis of what Nigerians should expect in the forthcoming elections, at all levels.

    “I would like to use this opportunity to remind Nigerians that there will always be a winner and a loser in every election, an individual and a party with the highest votes and another with the lowest.

    “That is what democracy is about. Therefore, all aspirants should approach elections with the mindset that they could either win or lose.

    “Accepting results only when one wins and challenging results each time one loses, is not the right attitude. It is certainly not what democracy is about.’’

    The presidential aide thanked the people of Katsina, Kwara and Bauchi States for their show of support during and after the bye-elections.

    “On behalf of President Buhari, I thank the people of Katsina, Kwara and Bauchi States for their show of support over the weekend.

    “I thank Nigerians all over the country for believing in this government and in its determined effort to pull our nation out of the mess left behind by 16 years of PDP government, and into the greatness that is our destiny,’’ he added.

     

  • Katsina bye-election: Speaker barred from voting because of PVC

    The Speaker of Katsina State House of Assembly, Abubakar Kusada, could not vote during Saturday bye-election for the Ingawa/Kusada/Kankia Federal House of Representatives due to his lack of a Permanent Voters Card.

    Kusada, who was the All Progressives Congress candidate in the election, nonetheless, won the election in his polling unit.

    The Speaker had arrived his Unguwar Kaya primary school polling unit at 12.47pm, armed with a temporary voter card.

    After his name was checked and seen on the voters’ list, the Speaker could, however, not vote since he did not possess a Permanent Voter Card, which was required to exercise his franchise.

    His name on the voters’ list carried the number:90FXBO1B8A2957D1208.

    He subsequently left the polling unit.

    The Speaker later explained to journalists that the development was caused by the recent transfer of his polling unit.

    He was hopeful that the issue would be resolved before the 2019 general elections.

    He said, “I transferred my polling unit and this could have been responsible for the challenge, I experienced at the polling unit.

    “But INEC said the issue would be resolved before the next general elections and I will vote then.”

    The Speaker nonetheless won the bye-election in his polling unit.

  • Katsina woman throws grandchild into well to teach daughter-in-law lesson

    A 55-year-old woman, Aisha Ibrahim, has been apprehended by the police in Niger State for allegedly killing her two-year-old grandchild at Karaya Fulani Camp in the Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

    The suspect was said to have tied the girl with a rope and threw her inside the well in their compound just to get at the mother of the deceased, who is her daughter in-law.

    It was learnt that the incident took place when her son, Bello Ibrahim, and his wife left their child in her custody to attend christening at a neighbouring village.

    Northern City News gathered that the suspect and her daughter-in-law had been at loggerheads for some time before the incident.

    The grandmother, who hailed from Funtua, Katsina State, told said that since her son married his wife, there had been a lot of unresolved issues.

    She said, “I told my husband to tell his son to divorce his wife but he did not listen to me. My daughter-in-law is fond of insulting and assaulting me all the time and the only way I could pay her back was to tie her daughter with the rope and throw her inside a well to die so that she will equally feel the pains and agony I have been going through.

    “We have been living in peace as one big family before my son married her; I have 12 children and all of us are living in one compound; she cannot come from somewhere to destroy the family I have suffered for years to keep, it is unacceptable,” she explained.

    Asked if she felt any remorse for allegedly killing her grandchild, Aisha said, “It was temptation, I didn’t know when I did it, I can’t just tell but may Allah forgive me. Honestly, it was a wicked act that can never be accepted anywhere in the world,” she admitted.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar, confirmed the incident, saying the suspect had confessed to the crime and regretted her action.

    Abubakar told Northern City News that she would be arraigned in court after investigation.

  • Katsina flood: Body of missing bride found in Niger Republic

    The remains of Hindatu Yahaya, a young girl, swept away by flood in Jibia town, Katsina, have been recovered in Niger Republic.

    The victim got married three days before the incident.

    Husband of the deceased, Malam Sani Yahaya, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Jibia how his wife’s body was recovered.

    “The corpse of my missing wife was retrieved at Girka village in Mada-Rumfa town of Niger Republic,” he said.

    Yahaya said that the flood occurred on Monday night at about 2:00am, cleared his house and took away his wife.

    “We searched in the river and rubles of the collapsed walls of my house and the houses of our neighbours but could not locate her.

    “As we were searching, we got a phone call from people that were helping us in Mada-Rumfa town of Niger Republic, that the corpse of a young woman had been retrieved from the river that passes through their town.

    “We rushed to the town and discovered that it was the remains of my wife that was fished out of the river.

    “We collected her dead body and brought her back to Jibia town, where we buried her in accordance with Islamic injunctions,” he said.

    Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has consoled with families of the victims and the state.

    He said he had accordingly directed the National Emergency Management Agency to do everything possible to bring succour to the victims wherever they were.

    “As rescue and prevention efforts continue, let me express the sincere condolences of my family, the government and people of Nigeria to all the victims of the destruction by the floods.

    “Let me assure you that we stand ready to provide, within available resources, every assistance that is needed to bring comfort to those in distress,” the President said.

  • Buhari mourns, pledges support as death toll in Katsina flood rises to 44

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, expressed his sadness and concern about the devastation caused by floods in his home state, Katsina, and other parts of the country.

    In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President pledged the Federal Government’s support for the victims of the disaster.

    Buhari said he had been saddened to observe the devastation and loss of lives caused by the floods in Katsina State and other parts of the federation.

    He said he had accordingly directed the National Emergency Management Agency to do everything that would bring succour to the victims wherever they were.

    “As rescue and prevention efforts continue, let me express the sincere condolences of my family, the government and people of Nigeria to all the victims of the destruction by the floods.

    “Let me assure you that we stand ready to provide, within available resources, every assistance that is needed to bring comfort to those in distress,” the President said.

    Governor Aminu Masari on Monday evening confirmed that 44 lives were lost while 20 people were missing in the overnight rainstorm that ravaged Katsina State border town of Jibia.

    The rainstorm reportedly started about 11 pm on Sunday and it lasted over two hours.

    The governor, who made the disclosure at a press conference in Katsina, said he had never seen such a disaster in his life.

    He said, “You need to go there, it was a real disaster. As of the time we left Jibia, no less than 44 people were confirmed dead while over 500 houses were completely damaged.

    “I have informed the President about the incident and he has called to sympathise with the people.

    “As a government, we shall find permanent solutions to the problem.

    “We know Jibia is a flood-prone area and we build drainage. But what happened was that instead of water to flow to the river through the drainage, water from the river was flowing back into the drainage, thereby causing the flooding during the rainstorm.

    “We are going to redirect the water flow and I have passed out necessary instructions.

    “We have also taken measures to ameliorate the sufferings of the victims.

    “The National Emergency Management Agency has also been duly informed and they are sending relief materials to the victims.”

    The Executive Secretary, Katsina State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Aminu Waziri, had earlier said, “What we are doing presently is to find temporary accommodation for those whose houses have been washed away or damaged. We must provide them where they can put their heads for heaven may open up again.”

    “Sympathisers from our neighbouring country, Niger, helped us fished out two bodies from their river.”

    Sources said that the rainstorm also damaged farms, while over 260 livestock including cattle, sheep and goats were killed.

    The sources said areas that were badly affected included Tundun Takari, Dan Tudu, Unguwar kwakwa and Unguwar Mai Kwari.

  • Rainstorm kills 38, damages over 200 houses in Katsina

    Rainstorm kills 38, damages over 200 houses in Katsina

    The Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on Monday said that 38 persons had lost their lives following a rainstorm in Jibia Local Government Area of the state.

    Aminu Waziri, the Executive Secretary of the agency, told journalists on Monday in Jibia that the disaster which occurred on Sunday night, lasted for several hours.

    Waziri said areas affected by the disaster include Tundun Takari, Dan Tudu, Unguwar Kwakwa and Unguwar Mai Kwari areas located around river axis.

    He said a rescue team was still in Jibia giving assistance to the people.

    According to him, Governor Aminu Masari has visited the area to assess the damage done to property.

    “What we are doing presently is to find temporary accommodation for people whose houses have been washed away or damaged.

    “As I speak with you now, no fewer than 38 people have lost their lives.

    “Sympathisers from our neighbouring country, Niger Republic, helped us to remove two bodies from a river.

    “We have already buried 21 bodies, while arrangements are being made to bury the remaining 17 dead bodies.

    “Over 200 houses were either washed away or damaged by the rainstorm,” he said.

    The rainstorm has also destroyed a number of farms and killed hundreds of animals in the area.

     

  • Six dead, five injured as heavy dowpour wreaks havoc in Katshina

    There was pandemonium in Katsina State on Thursday as a downpour preceded by strong winds killed six people and injured five others.

    The Executive Secretary of Katsina State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Aminu Waziri, confirmed the incident on Friday.

    The downpour, which was the first to be witnessed in the state capital this year, began few minutes after 5.00pm on Thursday and lasted about one hour. The downpour began with strong winds, which damaged structures and led to the death of the victims.

    Areas that were badly affected included Kukah Gashua, Modoji, Shinkafi, Ambassador, the military and the Nigerian Air Force barracks in the city, Makera and Kambarawa respectively.

    In the areas, houses were damaged, rooftops were blown off, fences were felled and several electric poles and cables were uprooted and flung off.

    Among other buildings affected were the office of the West African Examination Council along the House of Assembly Road that was under construction and Shinkafi Quranic Model Primary School in Shinkafi, which had their roofs blown off.

    Waziri said six people died in the incident. Although, he did not give their identities, he said four deaths were recorded at Kukah Gashua, while one was recorded each in Modoji and Shinkafi.

    According to a report by The Punch, one of the dead persons was a 25-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Mustapha Salele.

    Salele was said to have been killed while attempting to put some heavy stones on the roof of his building to protect it against the strong winds.

    The strong winds reportedly blew him and the stones off and his body was later retrieved from a nearby house.

    Family sources said Salele got married 13 days ago and had recently moved to the house.

    Waziri, who described the incident as a natural disaster, said he could not duly quantify the damage in financial terms because members of his staff were still assessing the extent of damage with a view to determining areas where the state government could be of assistance.

    He said, “My team is still out there assessing the situation. So I can not quantify the damage in terms of naira and kobo yet. But from what I saw at the military barracks and the Air force barracks alone, I would put the damage at the military barracks at N50m and that of Air force barracks at N30m. What happened was a natural disaster.”

  • Atiku speaks on success of PDP rally in Buhari’s home state

    Atiku speaks on success of PDP rally in Buhari’s home state

    Former Nigeria vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to that rally organized by the North-West arm of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday.

    The event was staged in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, Katsina.

    Atiku, in a tweet on Sunday, stated that the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Gamawa Babawo Garba and other chieftains deserved commendation for the success.

    “The NWC of @OfficialPDPNig ably led by Prince Uche Secondus; Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Gamawa Babawo Garba, Zonal executives and chieftains and millions of our party faithful deserve commendation for the huge success of the PDP Northwest rally in Katsina,” he tweeted.

    Four PDP state governors, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state, Darius Ishaku of Taraba, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe were among top PDP leaders that graced the occasion.

    All members of the National Working Committee NWC of the PDP, the BOT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and other members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party, attended the rally

  • 2019: PDP, APGA, PDM dead and buried in Katsina – Oyegun

    2019: PDP, APGA, PDM dead and buried in Katsina – Oyegun

    Chief John Oyegun, National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) has declared the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina state as “dead and buried”.

    Oyegun made the declaration on Saturday in Katsina during a grand reception organized by the state APC chapter to receive prominent politicians who defected to his party from the PDP.

    He said since hundreds of thousands of PDP members had defected to APC, then the party was completely dead and buried.

    “Prominent politicians like Sen Idah, Barrister Ya’u Gwajo-Gwajo, a two time speaker of Katsina House Assembly, and Mr Nura Khalih also a two-time governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) have all defected to APC today.

    “Now that prominent people and their followers have joined the APC, then, we have the right to declare PDP, APGA, and PDM as dead and buried in the state” he said

    Oyegun called on the people of the state to give maximum support to President Buhari to enable him continue in his leadership of the country.

    “When the APC administration took over the mantle of leadership in 2015, the Nation Electricity supply was only 3000 megawatts.

    “Today, the electricity supply is 7000 megawatts. The country has witnessed an increase of 4000 megawatts, ” he said

    Oyegun revealed that the president had used his experience to control insecurity in the country to its barest minimum.

    The chairman said that President Buhari had introduced several ways of reducing poverty through giving agriculture and economic empowerment to the people.

    Earlier, the Katsina state Gov. Alhaji Aminu Masari, commended the top PDP members that defected to APC, saying that it was an indication of good governance in the state.

    He said that the top politicians that joined APC did so out of their own interest and they were ready to serve the people of the state.

    Masari said that the reception of the prominent politicians into the APC was assuring and the party was better positioned for the 2019 polls.

    “We are going to multiply the votes that we gave to President Buhari in 2015 during the forthcoming election of 2019”.

    Speaking on behalf of all the defectors, Sen. Ibrahim Idah, pledged their loyalty to the APC and promised to do their best to win more votes for the party in 2019.

    Also speaking, the APC Katsina state Chairman, Alhaji Shitu Shitu, said both new and old APC members were going to be treated equally.

    Shitu said there would be no discrimination in the ruling APC in the state.

    Over 300,000 people defected from PDP to the ruling APC in Katsina state during a special grand reception organized by the state APC chapter.

     

  • Daura youth groups visit Buhari, urge him to seek re-election in 2019

    Forty-six associations, under the aegis of the Daura Emirate Coalition of Progressive Youths, on Tuesday visited President Muhammadu Buhari in his Daura residence and pledged to fully support his fight against corruption.

    The youth groups also expressed their unconditional support for the President’s efforts to transform Nigeria into a nation its nationals would be proud to serve, promote and protect.

    Alhaji Ali Rabe, their chairman, who spoke at the visit, told Buhari that the coalition was already sensitizing Nigerians on the impact of his administration’s efforts and the need to support them.

    “The policies of your administration have transformed the lives of many Nigerians, especially the rural dwellers. We are sensitising them to take advantage of the opportunities in the agriculture sector to improve their economic fortunes,” he said.

    Rabe urged Buhari to seek a fresh mandate in 2019 so as to consolidate on the gains so far recorded.

    The group blamed the rising cases of insurgencies and crimes in some parts of the country on people bent on distracting the President from fighting crime and insecurity, and advised him to remain focused.

    “When you fight corruption, corruption will fight back; when you fight insecurity, it will also fight back. But we want the Federal Government to remain focused and be assured that all Nigerians of good will are behind them,” he said.

    The coalition also commended Buhari’s efforts toward infrastructural development, especially roads, electricity, agriculture and the railways, and urged him to sustain the tempo.

    It said that the N-power programme had created job opportunities for many young Nigerians and reduced redundancy and idleness.

    Responding, Buhari vowed to intensify the fight against corruption, describing it as “a cancer that kills the spirit of a nation and retards its progress”.

    “I have always said and would say it again. Corruption is responsible for the myriad of problems Nigeria is facing today. We have to either kill it, or it will kill us,” he said.

    The President advised members of the group to remain honest, transparent and God-fearing in their activities.