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Tag: Nasarawa

  • Nasarawa Assembly Minority Leader defects to APC

    Nasarawa Assembly Minority Leader defects to APC

    Mr Peter Mbucho, (PDP-Akwanga North), the Minority Leader, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state.

    Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House, disclosed this on Monday while reading Mbucho’s defection letter during the House proceeding in Lafia.

    The speaker congratulated Mbucho for joining the next level train and commended him for his progressive decision.

    Mbucho said that he had joined APC to contribute his quota to the development of his constituency, the state and the country at large.

    “I joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 8, and I have delivered my constituency to APC during the Governorship and state House of Assembly election,” he said.

    The former minority leader said that he would continue to use his wealth of experience to add value to the APC-led government at all levels.

    NAN reports that the House also received nomination of members of the Nasarawa State Independent National Electoral Commission (NASIEC) and Nasarawa State Local Government Civil Service Commission from Gov.Tanko Al-Makura.

    The speaker announced the names as Mr Usman Ibrahim-Galle, Abubakar Yerima and Ayuba Usman-Wandai as members of NASIEC

    Abdullahi Umar and Mustapha Aliyu are for the State Local Government Civil Service Commission.

    Balarabe-Abdullahi has directed Clerk to the House to communicate to the affected nominees to submit their CV on or before March 22 and to come for their screening on March 25.

  • Nasarawa Emir, Abubakar Umar II dies at 69

    Nasarawa Emir, Abubakar Umar II dies at 69

    Abubakar Umar II, the Emir of Awe in Nasarawa State, is dead.

    Yakubu Lamai, director general, strategic communication and press affairs to Governor Umaru Al-Makura confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

    He said that the first class monarch died at the early hours of Saturday.

    He said the royal father died at the age of 69 at a hospital in Abuja following a brief illness having spent 33 years on the throne.

    Meanwhile, Al-Makura in a message described the passing of the traditional ruler as ‘shocking’, saying the monarch lived an exemplary life that fostered harmonious co-existence among his subjects and the state at large.

    He enjoined the people of the state to use the death of the emir as an opportunity to forgive each other and strengthen peace in the state.

    The late Emir has been buried in Awe according to Islamic injunction.

     

  • Maiden President Buhari football tourney kicks off on Nov. 4 in Nasarawa

    Thirty-eight teams will slug it out in the maiden President Muhammadu Buhari’s Nyanya-Keffi U-23 football tournament scheduled to hold between Nov. 4 and Dec. 9, in Nasarawa.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament will be played in a World Cup format at the football pitch of the Buratai Farm along the Abuja-Keffi expressway, Nasarawa.
    Organiser of the tournament and proprietor of Bimo Sporting Club (BSC), Chinedu Okoye, said the competition was being organised to popularise President Buhari among the youth and people of Nyanya-Keffi axis of Nasarawa State.
    Okoye said the tournament would be used to honour Buhari for the achievements recorded in football during his time as Military Head of State and now a Civilian President.
    “When he was the Military Head of State, Nigeria won the first World U-17 trophy in China captained by Nduka Ugbade and he came as Civilian President in 2015 and the team won another U-17 trophy.
    “And since President Buhari came on the saddle, all the issue of the national team players grumbling over unpaid bonuses and allowances and very scattered flight schedule for their tournaments are over and players given their due.
    “So, it is in recognition of that fact as a football stakeholder that Okoye decided to dedicate his first tournament to the President; it has nothing to do with politics, it is about acknowledging the man that means well for our football.
    “Other aims of this tournament is to mobilise the youth of Nyanya-Keffi communities towards nation building and also as an agent of building national cohesion and unity.
    “To discover the talented U-23 footballers in the affected area and expose them to bigger football careers.
    “We also want to use the tournament to popularise football among youths and people of the mentioned area,” Okoye said.
    Team Manager of Bimo FC, Iyke Igbokwe, said the competition was being organised in fulfillment of the promises made by the proprietor of the club Chinedu Okoye, when he contested for the presidency of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in September.
    Igbokwe said Okoye had promised to grow age group competitions for youths across the country.
    “We are starting from Nyanya to Akwanga area where Bimo Sporting Club is based and we are starting first with U-23.
    “We had initially wanted to start with U-20 but we discovered that there are no such age-grade teams here.
    “So, we believe that by the next edition of the tournament there will be awareness and then, it will be strictly U-20 to enable us discover the players early.
    “We have just finished the draws and youths are eager to play but that their problem is that there are no competitions to play in and we have 38 teams already registered.
    “The talents that will be discovered will be given a playing tour of Switzerland where the talented ones will pick up careers from the Swiss League, which is one of the objectives since Bimo has its root in Switzerland,” Igbokwe said.
    According to Igbokwe, the other aim of the competition is to motivate and encourage youngsters who see their mates ply football trade in Europe to make use of their talent for the good of the nation.
    He said the organiser had set aside N2.5 million for the competition from which N200,000 would go to the winning team, while the first runners-up would pocket N100,000 and second runners-up go home with N80,000.
    “We have prizes for the Most Valuable Player, Highest Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper and the Best Coach.”
    NAN

  • APC sweeps Nasarawa local government election

    The Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has declared candidates of All Progressive Congress (APC) as winners of the Saturday’s local government election across the state.

    Mr. Henry Omaku, chairman of the electoral body announced the results of the polls on Sunday at the commission’s headquarters in Lafia.

    He said that three political parties; All Progressive Congress (APC) Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Advanced Democratic Party (ADP) fielded candidates for the chairmanship election across the 13 local government areas, while 21 political parties contested for the 147 councillorship positions in the state, with the APC winning all.

    According to Omaku, the APC chairmanship candidate for Awe local government, Umar Abubakar polled 56, 598 votes to emerge winner, with Mr. Samuel Meshi emerging victorious for Akwanga local government having polled 50, 149 votes.

    Others winners include: Mohammed Iyimoga for Obi local government polling 88, 019 votes, Idris Danlami for Nasarawa Eggon with 79, 789 votes and Mohammed Sani scoring 98, 515 votes to win chairmanship seat for Nasarawa local government area.

    Also elected were: Aminu Maitafa for Lafia local government with 172, 717 votes, Saidu Kazi for Kokona with 69, 043 votes and Adamu Giza for Keana with 13, 658 votes garnered at the polls.

    Abubakar Abass emerged victorious in Wamba local government with 27, 108 votes, Rabo Sani got 77, 003 votes to clinch the chairmanship for Doma, while Samuel Akala and Abdulrahman Sani polled 80, 934 and 14, 817 to emerge winners for Karu and Keffi local government areas respectively.

    Omaku noted that although, the election witnessed low voters’ turnout, it was smooth an rancour-free.

    He explained that the restriction of movement could not be implemented during the election because of the ongoing Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    He thanked security operatives, political parties and observers for their contribution towards the peaceful conduct of the elections.

    He advised political parties against boycotting subsequent elections in the state as doing so was capable of denying the people quality leadership at the local level.

    Recalled that opposition parties in Nasarawa state including the Peopes Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) boycotted the May 26 election citing lack of confidence in the electoral body.

    The opposition parties had alleged that the chairman of NASIEC, Mr Henry Omakwu is a card-carrying member of the APC, therefore, not qualified to head the commission.

     

  • Nasarawa killings: 17 get mass burial amidst tears

    Nasarawa killings: 17 get mass burial amidst tears

    Seventeen victims out of the 78 persons killed in the weekend attacks by the suspected AK47 wielding Fulani herdsmen on Tiv communities in Obi, Awe and Keana local government areas of Nasarawa state got mass burial amidst tears.

    Seven dead bodies were given mass burial at a Christian cemetery in Lafia, the state capital, while ten were buried in a mass grave at
    Keana Local Government Area of the state.

    At the last count, no fewer than 78 people including three policemen deployed to keep peace in Keana and Awe Local Government Areas were
    killed by the suspected killer herdsmen in Nasarawa since the renewed attacks on Tiv communities began last weekend.

    Governor Tanko Al-makura had blamed the fresh killings of Tiv people on the alleged murder of some Fulani people at Yelawta, a border town between Nasarawa and Benue states of recent when he visited an IDP camp at Agwatashi, Tuesday.

    President of Tiv Youth organization in Nasarawa state, comrade Peter Ahemba told journalists in Lafia yesterday that leadership of the Tiv
    the community of Nasarawa state was left with no option than to bury the victims outside their places of abode against the Tiv tradition as the
    gun-wielding herdsmen were still laying siege in the Tiv deserted villages unhindered.

    “We were left with no option than to bury the victims outside their places of abodes (Lafia and Keana) the Tiv villages have all been
    sacked and the invaders are still occupying most of them so we could not afford to risk more lives in going to bury those victims in their places of abode as demanded by our (Tiv) tradition”

    “This is more than the corpses had already started decomposing at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist hospital Lafia due to congestion at the
    hospital mortuary”.

    The Tiv youth president further explained that apart from that buried enmass yesterday, many other victims had earlier been buried at
    different locations across Awe, Keana, Obi and Doma Local Government Areas of the State, even as the search for the recovery of more casualties was ongoing in the affected communities.

    Our correspondent who visited some of the internally displaced persons, IDPs camps observed the many of the fleeing Tiv villagers
    were stranded in streets of Lafia, the state capital.

  • Saraki Mourns ex-Nasarawa Governor, Akwe Doma

    President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, expressed grief over the death of the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, in an Israeli hospital on Tuesday.

    Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, described the late former governor as a committed public servant who served the country in many capacities with distinction.

    “It is sad to hear of the demise of ex-governor Akwe Doma. He was a contemporary during my tenure as Governor of Kwara State,” Saraki said. “My interactions with him during the period revealed a man with deep intellect, experience and passion for service.

    “Little wonder that he rose through the ranks to become a Permanent Secretary in the old Plateau State and later served as deputy to a former Governor of the State, late Chief Solomon Lar, before he was elected substantive Governor of Nasarawa State and served from 2007 – 2011.

    “My condolences go to his immediate family at this period of grief. I also commiserate with the people and government of Nasarawa State over this irreparable loss,” Saraki said.

    Saraki prayed God to count the soul of the deceased among the righteous in Aljanah Firdaus and grant his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.

  • Nasarawa Assembly passes Disability Rights Commission bill into law

    Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed into law the bill for the establishment of the state’s Disability Right Commission.

    The bill when signed into law by the state governor, Umaru Al-Makura, will protect the rights of disabled persons in the state.

    Speaker of the Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, announced the passage of the bill during plenary on Monday.
    The passage followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Tanko Tunga which was seconded by Mohammed Okpede, representing Doma North.

    The speaker noted that the establishment of the commission would enhance the rights of physically challenged persons and give them a sense of belonging to contribute their quota to the development of the state.

    According to him, “This bill is an Executive Bill sent to the House by Gov. Umaru Al-Makura, as part of his government’s continued commitment to improve the lives of the disabled persons in the state.

    “The importance of this Commission to the development of the disabled persons cannot be over-emphasized, hence the need for the passage of the bill into law.

    “We commend Governor Al-Makura for initiating the bill and I would also like to appreciate my honourable colleagues for giving adequate attention to it”.

    He explained that the bill was subjected to all the legislative process before it was passed, adding that various stakeholders overwhelmingly supported the establishment of the commission during public hearing on the bill.
    The speaker directed the Clerk of the House to make clean copy of the bill available to the governor for further action.

  • Herdsmen/farmers crisis: Buhari visits Nasarawa today

    …scheduled to visit Taraba, Zamfara, Benue later

    As part of efforts to douse tension and restore peace in some troubled states, President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to visit Nasarawa State today.

    The president is also slated to visit Taraba, Zamfara and Benue states but the dates of the visits are yet to be decided, a Presidency source said last night.

    The President is expected to console victims of herdsmens killings and douse tensions in the trouble spots.

     

  • Gunmen attack Nasarawa village, kill seven

    The Nasarawa State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the killing of seven persons in a night on Kadarko, a village in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

    According to Mr Kennedy Idirisu, its Public Relations Officer, the victims were killed by gunmen that invaded the village on Monday.

    He described the incident as “saddening”, saying that a special police team, led by a senior officer, had been deployed to the area to forestall a recurrence.

    Kadarko village had come under severe attacks lately, with cattle rustlers killing 73 cows on Sunday.

    Two herdsmen were reported missing after the rustlers’ invasion.

    Alhaji Ahmed Bello, the Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa, visited the village on Sunday and assured the herders that investigation had commenced toward apprehending the rustlers.

  • Principal, teacher suspended in Nasarawa school for beating students

    Principal of Government Science Secondary School, Nassarawa-Eggon, and three other officials have been suspended for one month for meting out corporal punishment to some students.

    The state Commissioner of Education, Mr. Tijjani Ahmed, who confirmed this to Northern City News on Thursday in Lafia, said the state government had banned corporal punishments in public schools across the 13 local government areas and 18 development areas of the state.

    Ahmed explained that the decision followed the beating of some students of GSS, Nassarawa-Eggon, the video of which had gone viral in the social media.

    He said, “We have constituted a committee to investigate the matter and report to the ministry in the next one week to enable the ministry to take appropriate action.

    “Already, three staff members of the school including the Principal have been given a one-month suspension over their involvement in the corporal punishment pending the report of the committee set up by the ministry.”

    He explained that the ministry had also written to all public schools informing their managements of the ban on corporal punishment.

    He further warned teachers meting out corporal punishment to students to desist “as anyone caught would face disciplinary action.”

    The education commissioner stated that “even if teachers would want to punish students for any offence, it should be minor punishment.”

    He added that the government would continue to respond to the challenges facing the education sector in the state.

    When our correspondent visited the school, the suspended school officials were not on duty, but it was gathered that the management had decided to stop punishing students who resumed late to avoid sanctions.