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Tag: Nasarawa

  • Nasarawa assembly crisis: Group stages protest against state commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Baba

    Nasarawa assembly crisis: Group stages protest against state commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Baba

    A group under the aegis of Nasarawa Stakeholders Forum have stormed the police headquarters protesting against the state Commissioner of Police Maiyaki Baba, over interfering in the internal affairs of  house of assembly.

    The forum in a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba and signed by its convener and Secretary, David Manga and Ibrahim Saidu, respectively, on Wednesday in Abuja alleged that the Nasarawa State CP, failed to provide security for the principal officers of the state house of assembly.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the immediate past speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi and
    Daniel Ogah Ogazi both emerged as speakers from two different gatherings on Tuesday June 6.

    According to the petition:
    “Inauguration of the state House of Assembly was scheduled to take place on the 6th day of June, 2023 at 10: am at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly Complex in Lafia.

    “Sequel to the issuance of the said Proclamation, and in line with the provisions of Section 92(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, election into the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker were held at the hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly where Rt. Hon. Daniel Ogazi (Kokona East State Constituency) won with 13 Votes representing a majority of lawful votes to defeat Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, the immediate Past Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly while Hon. Muhammad Oyanki from Doma State constituency also emerged as the Deputy Speaker.

    “It is surprising to know that the Honourable Commissioner of police whose allegiance is supposed to be to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has pitched his tent in support of the minority faction led by the former Speaker of the House of Assembly.

    “He is providing cover and security for this minority faction as against the validly elected House of Assembly Speaker and the other principal members.

    “On the 7th day of June, 2023, the Commissioner of Police invited the 13 House members including the Speaker to the State Police Command in Lafia and threatened to detain them.

    “He then warned that they must all not be seen close to the House of Assembly Complex again. Surprisingly sir, the same Commissioner of police that told the majority members not to go to the premise personally led the minority members into the house of Assembly on the following day i.e 8th day of June, 2023 to conduct an illegal plenary and prevented the Speaker, Rt. Honourable Daniel Ogah Ogazi and other 12 members from entering the Assembly complex to perform their constitutional duties.

    The group stressed that Monday being the 12th day of June, 2023, the Commissioner of Police withdrew the two policemen attached to the Ogazi who had been with him since the time he was the majority leader of the House of Assembly.

    “The action of the Commissioner of Police in withdrawing his security is tantamount to exposing the speaker to danger. Even an ordinary member of the State House of Assembly is entitled to at least a Police officer not to talk of the Speaker and the number three citizen of Nasarawa State.”

    The forum appealed to the Inspector General of Police to use his office to transfer Maiyaki Baba, out of Nasarawa State due to unprofessional conduct.

    Responding to the group’s petition, Kingsley Emeka, assistant commissioner of Police at the Force headquarters, said he has seen the inscriptions written.

    “We are practicing democracy and I’m sure that democracy is going to play the way it supposed to be. I have a Boss here which all of you are aware that the Inspector General of Police is here. So we are going to pass this to him which I believe that the needful will be done”.

     

  • APC endorses Nasarawa factional Speaker

    APC endorses Nasarawa factional Speaker

    The All progressives Congress (APC)  has endorsed the factional Speaker of the Nasarawa House of Assembly, Alhaji  Ibrahim Abdullahi as the Speaker for the state 7th Assembly.

    Dr John Mamman, the state APC Chairman, said this when he led other party officials on a congratulatory visit to Abdullahi on Friday in Lafia.

    Mamman said the crisis rocking the house over the leadership of the 7th Assembly was normal in political circle.

    “Speaker sir, we are solidly behind your emergence as you have proven to be a good leader

    ” You have provided all inclusive leadership which has promoted peace in the state.

    ” Your good working relationship with the executive made it possible for the developmental strides achieved by Gov. Abdullahi Sule in the state.,” he said.

    He insisted that the mutual understanding between the legislative and executive should be sustained for development to thrive.

    The chairman said the supremacy of the party must be upheld, calling on the remaining APC lawmakers who haven’t been sworn in to avail themselves for the ritual.

    Responding, Abdullahi commended the party for standing by  him, saying under his watch, the seventh assembly would continue to synergise with the executive to initiate laws that would have direct bearing on the lives of the people.

    He said that APC as a ruling party should not be divided on primordial sentiments.

    He said he was motivated for a third term in office because the government and the party were still demanding for his services which he chose to offer.

    Abdullahi called on people not to allow the assembly crisis affect the existing peace in the state.

    He expressed  optimism that the situation would be put to rest politically.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two different speakers had emerged for the 7th Assembly as two sets of lawmakers held their inaugural sitting in different locations.

    While Abdullahi the immediate past Speaker, seeking for reelection, emerged at a sitting at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, another Speaker, Daniel Ogazi was elected at another sitting at the State Assembly complex.

  • I signed the result sheet for Nasarawa under duress – PDP witness tells panel

    I signed the result sheet for Nasarawa under duress – PDP witness tells panel

    A witness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Hamza on Monday told the Presidential Election Petition Court  (PEPC) that he signed the election results of Nasarawa State under duress.

    The witness said this at the continuation of hearing of petition filed by Atiku Abubakar and his Party PDP.

    They are challenging the Feb. 25 presidential election results which brought president Bola Tinubu as duly elected president.

    The respondents in the petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023 are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Bola Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The witness who is the 10th witness called by the PDP, said he is a human resources consultant and represented his party, PDP as Nasarawa collation officer.

    Being cross-examined by the counsel for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abubakar Mahmoud, the witness told the court that he signed the results under duress.

    ”I did not state this in my witness statement of oath because I know a day like this would come.

    ”The results were altered after I appended my name and signed.

    ”Due process was not followed…I had to sign to obtain a copy of the results because there was this intimidation that if I did not sign, I would not be given the result” he said.

    He said that he voted but the results were not uploaded because the Bimodal Voters Accrediton system (BVAS) failed.

    Similarly, Abiye Sekibo , 7th witness (PW7) told the court during cross-examination by counsel for Tinubu, Akin Olujimi SAN that the results from polling units across the state were not captured on the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System.

    Sekibo, is PDP’s state collation officer for Rivers

    He said, ” All the polling units I went to…they could not upload the results.”

    He however admitted that his candidate did not poll up to 25% of votes in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Abraham David testified as the 9th witness (PW9) and was the FCT collation officer, he also said his candidate did not win 25 per cent votes in FCT.

    Lastly, Mohammed Madaki, PDP chairman for FCT testified as the 8th witness (PW8).

    Meanwhile, the five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned the further hearing of the petition until tomorrow.

    The pre-hearing session told the panel that the are calling 100 witnesses to prove their petition.

  • Nasarawa Govt to sack Judges without Law degrees

    Nasarawa Govt to sack Judges without Law degrees

    The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has advised Area Court Judges without Law degrees to obtain the requisite qualification within 10 years of employment or risk expulsion from the bench.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Speaker, Nasarawa State House Assembly, made this known at preliminary in Lafia.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdullahi said this when the house was deliberating on report of its standing Committee on Judiciary, Ethics and Previlidges on a Bill For a Law to Amend the Nasarawa State Area Courts Law 2022 and For Other Matters Related Therewith.

    “Going by the principal law, if it is to be implemented it will lay off some staff of the Judiciary, for fear of this, hence the need to amend the principal law.

    “The principal law provides that for one to be a judge of the Upper Area Court one must be a legal practitioner with at least four years post call.

    “And for one to be a judge of an Area Court you must be a legal practitioner with at least three years post call.

    “The Committee is of strong recommendation that a window period of 10 years to be granted to the affected staff to enroll into a degree programme of Law in order to be called to bar for them to fit in,” he said.

    The speaker then slated May 9 for the third reading of the bill.

    Alhaji Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the House, moved a motion for the adoption of the report of the bill, while Mr. Abel Bala seconded the motion.

    The House unanimously adopted the report.

  • Police arrest another Kuje jail escapee

    Police arrest another Kuje jail escapee

    The police command in Nassarawa State has arrested Salisu Buhari, one of the inmates of Kuje Correctional Centre who escaped from the facility during the July 2022 jailbreak.

    This is contained in a statement signed by DSP Ramhan Nansel, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on Sunday in Lafia.

    Nansel said that Buhari was arrested with his friend Zubairu Ali for allegedly snatching a motorcycle in Nasarawa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    “On April 6, at about 10:00 p.m., police operatives attached to Nassarawa Division arrested the fugitive and one other for motorcycle theft.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are responsible for most motorcycle snatching and theft in Nasarawa LGA and its environs.

    “Upon interrogation, Salisu Buhari confessed to have escaped from Kuje Correctional Centre when the facility was attacked last year.

    “The escapee said he linked up with his crony after escaping from the facility and went into criminal venture,” the spokesperson for the police added.

    He said that the state Commissioner of Police Maiyaki Muhammed-Baba had ordered the transfer of the case to state Criminal Investigation Department, Lafia, for an exhaustive investigation.

    The state command had on July 9, 2022, recaptured one of the escaped inmates, Hassan Hassan.

  • Police in Nassarawa confirm abduction of ex-Deputy Governor

    Police in Nassarawa confirm abduction of ex-Deputy Governor

    The Police Command in Nassarawa State has confirmed the abduction by gunmen of a former Deputy Governor of the state, Prof. Onje Gye-Wado.

    The confirmation is contained in a statement on Friday in Lafia by DSP Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state.

    Gye-Wado was deputy governor of Nassarawa between 1999 and 2003 under the administration of Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.

    The PPRO in the statement said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Maiyaki Muhammed-Baba, has deployed tactical operatives to rescue the former deputy operation.

    He said that the police received reports that the former deputy was kidnapped by gunmen in the early hours of Friday at his residence in Wamba Local Government Area (LGA).

    “Information received by the police command indicated that on Friday, April 7 at about 12:30 a.m., gunmen invaded Gwagi Village in Wamba LGA, broke into the residence of the former deputy governor and abducted him to an unknown destination.

    “Upon receipt of the information, police operatives attached to Wamba Division swiftly moved to the scene, but the hoodlums had fled with the victim before their arrival,” the police spokesperson added.

    Nansel stated that the police commissioner had further mobilised reinforcement comprising police tactical teams, the military, vigilance groups and local hunters to complement the ongoing search to rescue the hostage hale and hearty.

    He assured the public that the police would do everything possible to arrest the perpetrators of the act and make them to face the law.

    He called on those with useful information that would aid the rescue of the erstwhile deputy governor to call the following telephone numbers : 09115629178, 09067877096, 08112692680 and 08104441179.

  • Large turnout of female voters recorded in Nasarawa

    Large turnout of female voters recorded in Nasarawa

    A large turnout of women was recorded at the Saturday’s governorship and Houses of Assembly elections in Karu Local Government Area  (LGA) of Nasarawa State.

    Correspondents monitoring the elections in the area observed more women than men voters at the various polling units visited.

    The relentless women, said that they came out en mass to cast their ballots for their preferred candidates in the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.

    The women, mainly indigenous, said that they had realised their power as women and would rather use their vote to change the narrative in the state and enthrone good government than to lament.

    Mrs Rakiyat Hassan said that she would rather exercise her civic duty and assuage her conscience than later complain about bad governance.

    “I understand that people are hurt but you cannot cut your nose off to spite your face.

    “If we refuse to vote because of the outcome of the Presidential Election, we give room for the evil to persist.

    “I encourage other women to come out; we are the ones that are worst hit by the prevailing challenges in the country.

    “This is because we have to manage the little resources provided by our husbands.

    “Women must do their part in changing the narratives. We cannot give up at this time we must continue to do our bit for the development that the country,” Hassan said.

    On her part, Mrs Mary Audu, said her vote was her power to change a government that had not favoured her.

    “If we refuse to vote, we give room for evil manipulators to take charge and give us their own desired candidates which will go well with us.

    “We are here to vote for the future of our children, I pray that my candidate will win and bring laughter and prosperity to our state.

    “ We have suffered enough from bad government; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should please make our votes count this time,’’ she said.

    Hajia Salamatu Bitrus, another respondent, urged women not to relent but participate in the process and even come out as candidates.

    Bitrus added that it was time for women to be governors and senators so that they could speak on behalf of other women.

    INEC officials and materials arrived on time and accreditation while voting commenced before 9:00am in most polling units visited.

    NAN

  • ‘We can’t allow religious crisis in Nasarawa’ – Gov Sule

    ‘We can’t allow religious crisis in Nasarawa’ – Gov Sule

    Ahead of the March 11 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has warned that the state government will not allow religious crisis in the state.

    Sule stated this on Saturday in Lafia during a meeting with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and retired Justice Sidi Bage-Mohammed, the Emir of Lafia and Chairman of the state Traditional Council.

    The governor said that the meeting was necessitated due to the dangerous religious dimension of ongoing politics ahead of the March 11 elections.

    He also condemned some inciting and provocative videos that went viral on the social media promoting religious politics.

    Sule however commended religious and traditional leaders for a peaceful conduct of Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    He attributed the success of the last elections to the effort of all stakeholders, urging them to put all hands on deck to ensure that the upcoming election is also peaceful.

    He further said that the government cannot allow anybody to divide the people and destroy the state because of politics.

    “Nasarawa State has always been seen as a peaceful place and there are Muslims and Christians in virtually every family. So, the government cannot allow religious crisis in the state.

    “If the state is not peaceful, even those inciting people cannot have the time to send those messages, as everybody will be on the run.

    “Power comes from God and He gives it to whoever He wants at anytime, so, as politicians, we should only present ourselves to the people,” he advised.

    Sule reminded residents to learn from the recent election, where for the first time, Sen. Bola Tinubu lost election in his Lagos State, but won the presidential election.

    “Tinubu is the president-elect today, despite losing election in his state, that is how God works,” Sule added.

    He therefore appealed to religious leaders to talk to their followers to desist from any act capable of breaching the existing peace in the state.

    Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr. Sunday Emma, the state Chairman of CAN, commended the governor for calling the meeting to address the emerging challenges ahead of the election.

    The CAN chairman also condemned the inciting videos and said that the governor had given them assurance that security would be provided to ensure that the poll is peaceful.

    He added that they would inform their members in churches tomorrow (Sunday) to disregard any sentiment, and come out and vote for candidates of their choice on March 11.

    On his part, Imam Mohammed Ali, the state Secretary-General of JNI, also criticised the inciting videos and expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the governor to avert any crisis.

    He therefore promised to inform all Imams in the state about the resolutions at the meeting for onward dissemination to their members during prayers in every Mosque.

  • BREAKING: Peter Obi wins Nasarawa with 191,361 votes

    BREAKING: Peter Obi wins Nasarawa with 191,361 votes

    Labour Party, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, scored the highest votes in Saturday’s presidential election in Nasarawa State.

    Obi polled a total vote of 191,361 in the contest to defeat his closest rival, Ahmed Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, who got 172,922 votes while Mr. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party secured 147, 093 votes.

    Daily Trust reports that the presidential election results were collated and announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC), collation officer in Nasarawa State, Prof. Ishaya Tanko.

    Tanko, who is the Vice-Chancellor University of Jos, Plateau state, said the NNPP Presidential Candidate got a total of 12,715 votes.

    According to the Collation Officer, the total registered votes in the state were 2,552,716 while the total valid votes are 540,566.

    He, however, maintained that the accredited voters in the state were 562,464 but the total votes cast were 556,937 while the rejected votes were 16,371.

  • Shehu Sani adopts abandoned 2-week-old baby

    Shehu Sani adopts abandoned 2-week-old baby

    Sen. Shehu Sani has adopted a two-week-old baby, reportedly abandoned on the street in some part of Nasarawa State.

    The baby was reported to have been picked by a Police patrol team, who proceeded to a social welfare centre.

    Sani, who on Tuesday, paid a visit to the Restored Destiny Child Orphanage Foundation where the baby is kept, pledged to provide the necessary support.

    He commends the orphanage for agreeing to take up the responsibility of the child.

    Sani, who christened the child “Jordan Shehu”, promised to do everything to support the child’s upbringing.

    The former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central in the Eight Assembly, said the increased rate of abandoned Children was worrisome.

    Sani said reports had shown that many children, who were born under such circumstance were from unwanted pregnancies, particularly from single girls.

    According to him, the mothers of such abandoned children do so to avoid stigmatisation.

    He said, while no immoral act should be condoned, girls who got pregnant outside wedlock should be supported and counselled.

    The lawmaker said different factors were responsible for mothers abandoning their children.

    “One of the factors is the stigma attached to such birth and I think it is high time our society began to address and discuss this issue.

    “By addressing this issue the idea of shaming people who give birth to this type of children will be checked.

    “It is also important that our society starts to pay attention to orphanages, where these type of children are kept.

    “Children without parents belong to the society and we must play our part in their upbringing,” he said.

    The lawmaker called on leaders to use their position to change the narrative.

    He said, “our traditional and religious leaders should wade into this issue, first to prevent the type of pregnancy that leads to this kind of birth.

    “However, when it happens, we should accept them as one of us.

    “There is nobody that is born without a father or a mother.

    “So when we begin to discuss this issue, it will make it easier for children born under such circumstances to live with their parents,” he said.

    The lawmaker thanked the orphanage for accepting to cater to the child.

    Mrs. Grace Chinedu, Founder, Restored Destiny Child Orphanage Foundation said she was elated by the visit.

    She said she would continue to work to put smiles on the faces of children who were not privileged to be under their parents’ tutelage.

    Chinedu said the orphanage, which houses over 26 children was founded seven years ago.

    She thanked the former lawmaker and other Nigerians, who had assisted the orphanage over time.

    The founder said “no help rendered to an abandoned child or an orphan will go unrewarded “