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Tag: Nasarawa

  • Tanker explosion rocks filling station in Nasarawa

    Tanker explosion rocks filling station in Nasarawa

    No fewer than six persons have sustained various injuries when a petroleum tanker exploded on Monday at Sandaji Filling Station in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

    The tanker which brought petroleum product to the filling station located at Jos Road Lafia, exploded around 12:00 p.m.

    Comfort Igwe, a pump attendant at the station said that the explosion occurred while the tanker was discharging its product.

    She said it took the intervention of men of the fire service in collaboration with Red Cross Society, police and other security agencies to quench the fire and return normalcy to the area.

    The explosion also destroyed property worth millions of naira at the filling station, the eye witness said.

    The eye witness explained that some staff members of the filling station and official of Nasarawa State Fire Service sustained injury and are receiving treatments at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia.

    Mr Ombugu Joshua, Acting Director, Nasarawa State Fire Service said the command was yet to ascertain the cause of the outbreak.

    He advised residents to always alert the service on time whenever they experience fire outbreak for prompt response.

  • Group warns against whipping religious sentiment in Nasawara guber-poll litigation

    Group warns against whipping religious sentiment in Nasawara guber-poll litigation

    The Concerned Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Muslim Leader in Nasarawa state, has appealed to politicians to refrain from whipping religious sentiment in the on-going governorship election litigation in the state.

    The group made the appeal in a statement issued on Monday and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

    In the statement signed by Alhaji Ja’afaru Ibrahim, Spokesman of the group, he alleged that there were plans to use religious tendencies to influence the legal proceedings on the governorship election in the state.

    “It has come to our attention that there are ongoing efforts by some individuals, particularly those outside our state, to initiate discussions around religion capable of inflating tension and igniting undue passion.

    “These people who have been unknown to our polity and politics are eager to reach out to various interest groups religious leaders, in an attempt to explore the possibility of dividing an otherwise united Nasarawa just for the interest of an individual.

    “They even seek the influences of persons along religious lines ahead of the expected appeal of the tribunal judgement, which nullified the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule,” he said.

    Ibrahim added: “First and foremost, it is essential to reiterate that religious and all leaders have a sacred duty to uphold the values of faith, ethics, and morality but not division in a multi plural society like Nigeria, most of all, Nasarawa State.

    ” As leaders, we are called upon to provide guidance, foster unity, and promote goodwill within our communities in particular and Nasarawa State in general”
    Ibrahim recalled that on Oct. 2, the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Tribunal nullified the election of the state governor Sule and returned Dr David Ombugadu of the PDP as the duly elected governor.

    He also recalled that the governor had appealed the judgment of the tribunal.
    According to Ibrahim, after the tribunal judgment, some politicians have engaged in using religious sentiment to throw the state into chaos.
    He particularly referred to a statements made by one sheik Mansur Sokoto which he alleged was capable of creating crisis in the state.

    “We advice him (Sokoto) to be circumspect and speak like a leader and not a war monger.
    “Infact, he should restrict his political comments to Sokoto and leave Nasarawa state out of his confused state of mind,” he said.

    Ibrahim commended religious leaders in the state for their restraint and uncommon goodwill so far.

    He enjoined them to stand united in upholding the principles of integrity, impartiality and non- interference in matters of law.
    He also appealed to them to become beacons of light and hope, guiding their communities toward a just and harmonious society.

  • Nasarawa PDP urges supporters to celebrate moderately after tribunal victory

    Nasarawa PDP urges supporters to celebrate moderately after tribunal victory

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Nasarawa State has called on its supporters across the 13 local government areas of the state to celebrate the victory peacefully and avoid all forms of trouble, after securing its victory in the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

    The instruction was issued in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Lafia on Saturday by the party’s publicity secretary, Ibrahim Hamza.

    According to the statement, the PDP’s spokesperson said the victory at the tribunal did not come them as a surprise because the party actually won the election.

    He mentioned that the party’s legal team are fully prepared with facts and details to follow the matter to any point of the judicial processes.

    Hamza, however, stated the importance of members and supporters of the party to remain calm and celebrate the victory moderately without inconveniencing any resident of the state.

    He further added that due to the party’s peaceful disposition, it had directed its members and supporters to limit their activities to the party offices across the state and the residence of the governorship candidate, to maintain peace in the state.

    “We want to commend the members of the Nasarawa State tribunal for the painstaking attention to details, and the decision that was arrived based on merit of the case, and not allow themselves to be hoodwinked by mere technicalities which the Respondents obviously wanted so badly,” the PDP spokesman added.

    The tribunal had affirmed that Hon. David Emmanuel Ombugadu of the PDP won the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state, and not Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

  • PDP reacts to Nasarawa guber election tribunal, says APC cheated them

    PDP reacts to Nasarawa guber election tribunal, says APC cheated them

    The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Nasarawa state has claimed that it was cheated by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) during the 2023 general elections.

    The party made its position known on Monday while reacting to the verdict of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which sacked the incumbent governor.

    Recall that the tribunal nullified the victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule in the March 18 polls.

    The three-man panel led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, which delivered the judgment via zoom, declared Emmanuel Ombudagu of the PDP winner of the election.

    Reacting, PDP in a post on its official X handle, alleged that the party’s mandates were stolen at both the federal and state levels during the general elections.

    The PDP congratulated Ombudagu, while thanking the Tribunal for being fair in the judgment.

    The post reads, “The Governorship Candidate of our great party, the @OfficialPDPNig, @davidombugadu23, has been declared as the winner of the March 18, 2023 Gubernatorial Election in Nasarawa State by the Election Petition Tribunal.

    “This victory and the jubilations that greeted the declaration by the people of the state is a testament that the PDP and its Candidate were cheated by the electoral umpire and the ruling @OfficialAPCNg.

    “The PDP will continue to reclaim its stolen mandates at the national level and in all the states of the federation. Once again, congratulations to @davidombugadu23 and the entire PDP family nationwide”.

  • Nasarawa govt explains Sule’s visit to Wike

    Nasarawa govt explains Sule’s visit to Wike

    The Nasarawa government says the visit of Gov. Abdullahi Sule to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike was to discuss development and not politics.

    Mr Peter Ahemba, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Sule on Public Affairs, said this in a statement on Sunday in Lafia.

    Ahemba was reacting to allegation by Mr Francis Orogu, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the visit was in connection with the ongoing dispute at the

    governorship elections petitions tribunal.

    He described the allegation as false, saying that the governor visited the minister to solicit for collaboration on the proposed metro line project from Apo in Abuja to Keffi in Nasarawa.

    Ahemba said that the governor was also seeking for collaboration with the FCT administration to build a 13,000-hectare Mega City in Gurku/Kabusu that was only five kilometers away from Maitama.

    The governor’s aide said that the collaboration became imperative because about 49 per cent of workers in FCT lived in Nasarawa.

    He added that the Sule-led administration would remain steadfast and shall resist being dragged into joining issues with the opposition because it considered that as distraction.

    “It is on records that the state has witnessed development in the areas of security, infrastructure, industrialization, investment, human capital development, agriculture, health, education among others since assumption to office in 2019.

    “The government decided to put the record straight for the sake of the unsuspecting members of the public, who might be misled by the serial false alarm,” he added.

    Ahemba also said that Nasarawa was one of the peaceful and safest states in Nigeria, because of the measures put on ground by the governor.

  • Nasarawa Govt approves 5% employment slots for PWDs

    Nasarawa Govt approves 5% employment slots for PWDs

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has approved five per cent employment slots for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the state.

    This is contained in a statement by Ms Abigail Waya, Head of Civil Service (HoCS) in the state and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lafia.

    According to Waya, the approval became necessary in furtherance to the commitment of the Sule led  administration and recognition of the importance of providing equal opportunities for all residents of the state.

    The HoCS said that the governor had already directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to henceforth reserve five per cent of every recruitment exercise for PWDs.

    She, however, said that the PWDs must have the necessary academic qualifications for the vacancies that exist.

    “This directive is in accordance with the domesticated Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act of the state signed in 2018.

    “It is aimed at ensuring that individuals with disabilities are given fair access to government employment.

    “Accordingly, I am pleased to convey the directive of the governor to MDAs who are expected to implement it with utmost dedication and commitment,” Waya said.

  • How criminals disguise to snatch vehicles in Nasarawa

    How criminals disguise to snatch vehicles in Nasarawa

    Police in Nasarawa State on Monday warned motorists to stop picking up strangers on the highway as criminals now posed as commuters to snatch vehicles from unsuspecting motorists at gunpoint.

    Police spokesman in the state, DSP Ramhan Nansel, stated in Lafia that the criminals usually posed as commuters and stopped vehicles on the Lafia-Abuja and Akwanga-Keffi routes to perpetrate the act.

    The police also warned the travelling public to ensure to go to authorised motor parks to board vehicles so as not to fall victims of criminal elements.

    Nansel assured in the statement that the police were determined to end the menace.

    He called on members of the public to telephone numbers: 09115629178, 09067877096, 08112692680, and 08104441179 when in distress.

  • Nasarawa speakership crisis: Ogazi steps down for Abdullahi

    Nasarawa speakership crisis: Ogazi steps down for Abdullahi

    Mr Daniel Ogazi, All Progressives Congress (APC- Kokona East) and factional Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has stepped down to pave way for Alhaji Balarabe Abdullahi, (APC-Umaisha/Ugya) to emerge as the speaker of the assembly.

    Ogazi announced his withdrawal from the contest at a press conference on Friday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

    Ogazi and Abdullahi were elected at different locations, on June 6,  thereby creating two factions of the 7th Assembly in the state.

    Abdullahi was elected a sitting at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs by 11 members-elect, while Ogazi was elected by 13 others at the State Assembly complex.

    Ogazi said that the decision to stepdown his ambition was in the best interest of the development of the state.

    He noted with concern that while other states were moving on, Nasarawa was negatively impacted due to lack of functional assembly.

    He explained that himself and other members loyal to his course  were worried that his ambition to be speaker of the 7th Assembly had aroused opposition with an attendant negative consequence on governance in the state.

    He further said that the unfortunate development was a serious course for concern, hence the need for him to reconsider his stance and come to a compromise.

    “I compromised not because it is the right thing to do, but because it is a decision that best serve our collective interest as a state in order to make any reasonable progress.

    “While other states of the federation since the inception of this new dispensation have recorded tremendous successes, ours is negatively impacted due to lack of a functional assembly.

    “A situation that has plunged the state into needless constitutional crisis, attracting negative attention from within and outside the state.

    “I hereby, set aside my speakership ambition with an assurance to henceforth unite and work for the collective good and in the overall interest of the State,” he said.

    Ogazi appealed to his  supporters to see reasons with them on why Nasarawa State must make progress regardless of any personal interest.

    He appreciated all the stakeholders, who intervened towards ending the impasse, especially Gov. Abdullahi Sule for ensuring that normalcy was restored at the Assembly.

    He, therefore, on behalf of other members of the group pledged to work with the speaker of the 7th assembly to make laws and support Gov Sule for the overall development of the state.

  • Nasarawa Assembly crisis: Two factions fail to reach agreement

    Nasarawa Assembly crisis: Two factions fail to reach agreement

    The two factions in the lingering leadership crisis in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly have failed to reach an agreement as to who leads the assembly as the 7th Speaker.

    The meeting between the two factions of Daniel Ogazi and Ibrahim Balarabe which lasted for more than three hours at the Nasarawa State Government Lodge in Abuja on Wednesday, ended in a deadlock.

    It was that the lawmakers left the venue disappointed even as Gov. Abdullahi Sule arrived and waited for their resolution.

    The two factional speakers declined speaking to newsmen who were waiting patiently for the outcome of the meeting.

    However, Ogazi send a text message that the meeting ended in a deadlock and expressed hope that they will meet again while all efforts to hear from Balarabe was unfruitful.

    Last week, the governor met with the twenty four lawmakers and pleaded with them to resolve the leadership impasse and report back to him in two days.

    On June 8, the leadership crisis rocking the state assembly took another dimension as the 13 factional members during plenary passed a resolution suspending the 10 other factional members.

    It is also reported that as a result of having two factional speakers of the state assembly, the inauguration of the 7th Assembly was postponed.

    After the postponement, leadership crisis erupted where two speakers emerged with Balarabe and Ogazi leading different groups.

    While Balarabe was elected at a sitting in the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state by 11 out of 24 members, Ogazi was elected by 13 out of 24 members at plenary at the State Assembly complex.

    As the crisis escalated, the state’s APC led by its Chairman, John Mamman on June 9 endorsed Balarabe as the Speaker for the State 7th Assembly.

    Not relenting, on June 10, Ogazi went to a Federal High Court in Lafia seeking to stop Balarabe and Mr Jacob Kudu from parading themselves as speaker and deputy speaker of 7th Assembly among other requests.

    NAN

  • Nasarawa assembly crisis: Unless otherwise determined by court, Ogazi remains Speaker- APC stakeholders

    Nasarawa assembly crisis: Unless otherwise determined by court, Ogazi remains Speaker- APC stakeholders

    The concerned Nasarawa APC Stakeholders have said unless otherwise determined by the court, Daniel Ogazi remains the authentic speaker of the state house of assembly, in line with best democratic practices.

    Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe and Hon. Daniel Ogazi both from the western zone of the state have been locked in a battle over who is the speaker of 7th House of Assembly in Nasarawa State.

    The stakeholders in a press statement signed by its spokesperson, Alh. Yusuf Ibrahim, on Wednesday in Abuja stressed that its position is firm, in the eye of the law and in line with global best democratic practices.

    The statement reads: “It is no news that the Speaker Daniel Ogah Ogazi led majority of the Assembly, dissatisfied with the brazing disregard to rule of law by the Balarabe group and his continuous impostor as Speaker of the 7th Assembly, has sought the court to stop him from parading self as Speaker, an issue that still awaits court determination.

    “As stakeholders who have worked tirelessly for the success of the party at all levels in the past and recent elections and whose position on the Assembly crisis only seek to entrench democracy, question a statement credited to the Publicity Secretary of the Party, Otaru Douglas describing Rt. Hon. Ogah Ogazi, the Speaker of the 7th Assembly, his principal officers and other stakeholders of the party as rebels and unrecognized members of the party.

    “The same Otaru who in his opinion, best described the Ogazi led principal officers as rebels and unrecognized members of the APC in the state, is one person who the party considers as worthless and with no electoral value to add to the system, hence his clear exclusion from the recent caucus meeting. There has never been a Caucus Meeting of a party without its Spokesman. The APC has clearly dumped the noise maker who has never won elections in his own polling unit.

    “Undoubtedly, Otaru’s public outpour is borne out of his overzealousness and certainly represents his personal opinion. It’s most likely not the position of our party in the state, which has since given way for the law courts to determine the issues, while deploying deplomacy in revolving the warring factions.

    “On the few sponsored endorsements in the state by some self-serving persons, it is morally right to say that those who have stood on the way of fairplay, can never stand on the side of justice. The vote of confidence passed by a few self acclaimed Akwanga APC Stakeholeders led by Kwanta Yakubu and the unfortunate Assembly Member, Larry Ven-Bawa on Speaker Balarabe, speaks volume of their ignorance of our extant laws.

    “Ven-Bawa whose emergence till today is still questionable, can best be described as a product of Iligality in an iligal gathering and an iligal gathering, will yield nothing productive aside a press conference to endorse Iligality by a few dessimated APC group who have lost grassroot support. This was evident in the last General Elections outcome, producing the worst results for APC in Nasarawa State.

    “Our position is firm, in the eye of the law and in line with global best democratic practices, Rt. Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi remains the authentic speaker of the 7th Assembly, unless otherwise determined by the court,” Ibrahim Said.