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Tag: Sokoto

  • PDP successful rally in Sokoto and El-rufa’i’s political frightening – Sokoto Govt

    PDP successful rally in Sokoto and El-rufa’i’s political frightening – Sokoto Govt

    The recent claim by Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-rufa’i that PDP hired supporters from Niger Republic during the flag off of the Atiku/Obi Northwest Presidential campaign in Sokoto is nothing but blatant lie, evident of political frightening and an attempt to score cheap political goals.

    The outcry by El-rufa’i is a testimony to the fact that APC and its leadership were shocked by the gargantuan crowd the rally recorded in Sokoto which serve as the final burial of APC government in the Northwest and Nigeria in general because of perpetual failure, bad leadership, massive corruption, failure to end terrorism and other security challenges bedeviling our nation since the inception of Buhari’s administration in 2015.

    For the purpose of setting the record straight, El-rufa’i should not forget so soon that his hands were deeply involved in messing up of the present administration as a result of his bad governance and policies as a governor of Kaduna state, through mass sacking of innocent primary school teachers, unnecessary demolition of peoples landed properties, disregards and disrespects to traditional rulers, Northern elders, leaders and other respected institutions, escalation of insecurity, refusal to obey the court orders and rule of law among several others.

    El-Rufai is coldhearted. It was the same Northwest people that he and his party begged for support in 2015, but because the failure of APC government, incessant hunger and poverty all over the region, that have made them to decamped to PDP, He is now calling them foreigners.

    What scared El-rufa’i and his co-travellers was the success recorded at the Sokoto PDP campaign rally. The Sokoto gathering no doubt instilled fair in the minds of El-rufa’i and his cohorts so much that in their wildest imagination their party, the APC will fight it impossible to record a replica of such mammoth crowd in any state of the Northwest including El-rufa’I’s own state of Kaduna. We therefore challenge El-rufa’i and APC to do same if at all they can in any of the state in Northwest.

    With Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal at the helm of affairs as Governor of Sokoto state and campaign coordinator of PDP in Northwest, El-rufa’i will receive the shock of his life in Kaduna state and entire Northwest during the fourth coming general election.

    Tambuwal as master political strategist who became second during the Presidential primaries of PDP will defeat APC hands down and deliver the entire Northwest to PDP because of massive support, love and loyalty of the people of the Northwest to him.

    Governor Tambuwal appreciate the political courage of the entire people of Northwest, their support and loyalty to PDP and sincerely thanks them and appeal to them to come out en masse during the forthcoming general election to lead PDP to victory.

    Signed by:

    HON. AKIBU DALHATU

    SA Public Enlightenment and Mobilization

    to the Governor of Sokoto State

  • Miyetti Allah warns security agencies, civilians against attacking ‘Malian herders’ in Sokoto

    The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has warned security agencies and civilians against attacking Malian herders grazing their cattle in Gudu and Tangaza Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.

    The social media had been filled with reports of the invasion of Gudu and Tangaza in Sokoto State by some bandits on Friday.

    But the state police command had debunked the claim, saying the invaders were not bandits, but herdsmen from Mali “who reside in a forest in Niger Republic, sharing a border with Gudu and Tangaza Local Government Areas of the state.”

    Speaking in an interview on Monday, the Secretary-General of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Mr Alhassan Saleh, said the Malian herders’ presence in the country was nothing to worry about, as they were only grazing their cattle, a tradition he said they had been performing annually for the past 100 years.

    “Those people are not bandits; they are covered by the ECOWAS Protocol on Trans Human Movement to move across borders to graze their cattle. They have been doing that for over 100 years. They come during the dry season and leave later,” he said.

    The said protocol allows ECOWAS member countries’ citizens to have the right to enter, reside and establish in the territory of member countries.

    Article 3 of the protocol, however, states that any ECOWAS citizen who wishes to enter the territory of any other member country shall be required to possess a valid travel document and international health certificate.

    Saleh said the government and security agencies ought to sensitise Nigerians on the protocol in order to avert any trouble.

    He said, “It’s because we are so sensitive nowadays that anytime we see a large number of cows, we panic. I blame the government and security agencies for this. They ought to enlighten the people on the ECOWAS Protocol for better understanding.

    “Those foreign herders are not bandits and I hope we will not attack them and then invite trouble. Nobody should attack them.

    “Ideally, the Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among other security agencies, should issue Trans Human Certificates to the foreign herders.”

    Saleh said the security agencies ought to have collected important data, such as the number of herders coming into the country; the number of cattle they are bringing into the country; the health of the cows so as to know which one is diseased; how long the herders will stay here with their cattle; and when they will leave so that they can be tracked.

    He said, “We are supposed to have cross-border security in place and deploy cattle tracking technology. Unfortunately, the government is not serious about livestock development in this country.

    “They would promise to ranch today and cattle colony tomorrow, but nothing is happening. Maybe they want to eradicate pastoralism and give the business to capitalists.”

    The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, Moshood Jimoh, had also on Saturday said there were no bandits in Sokoto State, but herders from Mali.

    “They come to the same area annually from Mali to Nigerian border areas in search of water for their cattle,” he had said.

  • Police deny influx of jihadists in Sokoto

    The Police Command in Sokoto state on Saturday dispelled rumours of influx of Juhadists in the state

    There had been reports of such influx in some social media, especially in the late hours of Friday.

    The Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Cordelia Nwawe, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Saturday in Sokoto.

    Nwawe said, “our attention was drown toward a report that some unknown herdsmen were sighted in Gudu and Tangaza local government called Jahadists fully armed to destroy the peace in the area.

    “The situation was misreported based on our intelligence report.

    “The herdsmen sighted are reasonably believed to be Malians who reside in a forest in Niger Republic, sharing border with Gudu and Tangaza local government areas of the state.

    “The herdsmen are annual visitors to the nearby forest bordering the two local governments with their cattle and always stayed in the forest in Niger Republic.

    “Even though the number of their cattle increased exponentially this year to about 3,000 from the usual figures of less than 1000, it was discovered that they are not known to be violent.

    “Moreover, they occasionally enter the villages in the two local governments to procure food and other essentials and retire back to the forest,” Nwawe said.

    She called on the people living in the areas to remain calm and go on their normal business, assuring that police were always there to protect their lives and properties.

    The spokesperson added that the situation of the areas remained peaceful and enjoined the people to always assist police with useful information that could lead to the success of the command in the state.

  • Police react to reports of ‘strange terrorist group’ in Sokoto

    The Police Command in Sokoto state on Saturday dispelled rumours of the influx of Jihadists into the state

    There were reports of the influx of armed men into the state on social media on Friday.

    The Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Cordelia Nwawe, denounced the rumours while addressing newsmen on Saturday in Sokoto.

    Nwawe said, “our attention was drawn to a report that some unknown herdsmen were sighted in Gudu and Tangaza local government called Jahadists fully armed to destroy the peace in the area.

    “The situation was misreported based on our intelligence report.

    “The herdsmen sighted are reasonably believed to be Malians who reside in a forest in Niger Republic, sharing border with Gudu and Tangaza local government areas of the state.

    “The herdsmen are annual visitors to the nearby forest bordering the two local governments with their cattle and always stayed in the forest in Niger Republic.

    “Even though the number of their cattle increased exponentially this year to about 3,000 from the usual figures of less than 1000, it was discovered that they are not known to be violent.

    “Moreover, they occasionally enter the villages in the two local governments to procure food and other essentials and retire back to the forest,” Nwawe said.

    She called on the people living in the areas to remain calm and go on their normal business, assuring that police were always there to protect their lives and properties.

    The spokesperson added that the situation of the areas remained peaceful and enjoined the people to always assist police with useful information that could lead to the success of the command in the state.

  • Strange ‘terror group’ surfaces in Sokoto, imposes levies on residents

    A suspected terrorist group carrying sophisticated weapons is currently in control of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, applying ‘strange laws’ and punishing defaulters.

    According to a witness who spoke on condition of anonymity with Premium Times, members of the group, believed to be from Niger Republic, are in possession of assorted weapons, preaching Islamic teachings, forcefully collecting alms (zakat) and flogging defaulters.

    He stated that though members of the terror group are yet to be identified by name, and have been in the area for than two months, they are allegedly recruiting youth in a nearby bush. After ‘training’ them, they give them a motorcycle, he said.

    The witness said members of the group are more than 200.

    He said they looked strange, spoke Arabic and wore turbans over their heads.

    “They imposed compulsory levies on each household with cows and rams. Those with cows are paying N500 and those with ram are paying N200,” he said.

    “They are arresting and fining herdsmen who encroach on farmlands and are keeping the money.

    “They are operating freely, scaring residents, without being challenged. They are going from one community to another,” the witness said.

    Tangaza Local Government in Sokoto State borders Niger Republic.

    The border communities of the two countries inter-marry and are identical and speak the same dialect.

    The spokesperson for the state government, Abubakar Shekara, confirmed the report but said he could not provide further comments.

     

  • Finally, INEC confirms Tambuwal as Sokoto PDP governorship candidate

    Finally, INEC confirms Tambuwal as Sokoto PDP governorship candidate

    Presidential aspirant and governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, has been confirmed as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

    The national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, made the confirmation while speaking with New Telegraph.

    Recall that Tambuwal’s name was reportedly missing from the list released by INEC for the 2019 governorship election.

    Manir Dan’iya was said to have been listed as the governorship candidate of the PDP in place of Tambuwal.

    However, Tambuwal has now been confirmed to bear the flag of the opposition party, while Dan’iya has been named as his running mate.

    Speaking on the development, the INEC commissioner said the PDP “had just taken advantage of the substitution window to field Tambuwal, the incumbent governor of the State.”

    “Now, as you are aware, by the provisions of Section 35 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), a candidate validly nominated by a political party may withdraw his candidature by a notice in writing, signed by him and delivered by himself to the political party that nominated him for the election and such a political party shall convey his withdrawal to the INEC,” Okoye reportedly said.

    “So it is the responsibility of political parties to nominate candidates for elections but such a party can withdraw a candidate properly nominated if the candidate withdraws his candidature by a notice in writing signed by himself and delivered to the political party that nominated him.

    “As at yesterday (Friday), the PDP carried out a substitution in relation to their governorship candidate for Sokoto State. They have now nominated Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as the governorship candidate of the PDP for Sokoto State.”

  • Suspected stomach flu kills nine in Sokoto – Govt

    The Sokoto State Government has confirmed nine deaths due to what an official described as suspected cases of gastroenteritis in seven local government sreas of the state.

    Gastroenteritis results when a person’s stomach and intestines are irritated and inflamed. The cause is typically a viral or bacterial infection, experts say.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mr. Mustapha Ali, on Friday in Sokoto, listed six of the affected LGAs as Illela, Sabon-Birni, Gada, Goronyo, Isa and Tureta.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most of the LGAs border the Niger Republic.

    Ali stated that the situation is under control, as the state and Federal Government officials have been deployed to the affected areas, while medications and other aids have also been made available.

    He, however, debunked the claims that it was an outbreak of cholera, noting that experts have since taken samples for laboratory tests, in line with standard practice.

    According to the PS, preliminary investigations reveal that the deaths may be due to the consumption of contaminated water, as rain is at its peak in the affected areas.

    Ali said 80 patients were hospitalised in Tureta town and its suburbs, adding that all the deaths are those recorded within the primary health care centres and hospitals.

    Nonetheless, he insisted that it was irrational to attribute other deaths to the gastroenteritis, arguing that routine deaths occur daily naturally at different places.

    Ali also confirmed the death of one person, which occurred at Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Gandi village.

    He cautioned people against unwholesome food and water consumption and urged hospital workers to be on the alert by living up to the expectations of their services.

    NAN

  • Trending: Okada riders invade Sokoto airport’s runway [Video]

    Trending: Okada riders invade Sokoto airport’s runway [Video]

    A video has gone viral showing the Sokoto Airport runway where alleged supporters of a politician rode motorcycles in pursuit of an aircraft supposedly carrying the politician.

    Meanwhile, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) condemned invasion of the runway of Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto by crowd of political loyalists.

    The FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, made the condemnation in a statement in Lagos.

    Yakubu alleged that the loyalists broke through the airport fence and invaded the airport in a bid to receive their political masters.

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  • 2019: How APC will win back Sokoto, Benue, Kwara, others – Oshiomhole

    The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has revealed how his party will win back the states whose governors recently defected to the People Democratic Party (PDP).

    Oshiomhole who spoke to reporters at the Bénin Airport on his way to Sapele, Delta State on Friday, said the APC would continue to engage and pro-attack, whether the opposition called him an attack dog or not.

    The former Edo State governor added that APC would deploy labour tactics to humble the PDP in Kwara, Benue and Sokoto states.

    He said: “I asked you to understand that what is at stake is beyond the APC and the PDP. Nigeria is much more than the sum total of all the political parties.

    “We will see who is who in February next year. In Edo, they made this argument that politics is different from labour, but we used labour tactics to humble them and they became converted.

    “Exactly the same way we used it in Edo, we will use it either in Kwara, Benue or Sokoto or anywhere.

    “This is not about me, it is not about them, it is about the Nigerian people.

    “I will not adopt the ruling class tactics to deal with a cankerworm of disease. I offer a different style in order to get a different outcome.”

    Addressing thousands of APC supporters who were at the Bénin Airport to welcome him, Oshiomhole said the APC under his leadership would not borrow what he termed other people’s style.

    Oshiomhole urged APC supporters not to despair as he would work with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the party meets their aspirations.

    He promised to work with Governor Godwin Obaseki to ensure that any concerns the party members have would be addressed satisfactorily.

    He said: “I will represent the feelings, the aspirations and I will meet your expectations as far as the running of the All Progressives Congress is concerned.

    “We will have to fight odds on the basis of our conviction and we will adjust our style. We will not borrow other people’s style.

    “I am very proud of my working class background and we will bring those values into the leadership and management of the APC.

    “I will ensure working together with President Buhari to see that government focuses on the people; that government will not focus on the welfare of the few at the expense of the majority; that government must do everything possible to ensure that those who work have something to show for their labour.

    “We must support the President and the APC to remove all those thieves, all those looters who believe it is their birthright to continue to loot.

    “I want to assure you that the tradition of carrying our people along will be sustained.

    “You represent what I call our infantry division. You are the ones who on election day ensure that our voters come out. You were the ones who ensured that the PDP rigging machine was defeated.

    “We must keep you as a standing point. Together we will match on and will ensure that everyone who works is looked after.

    “I know there are people with all kinds of stories, but let me assure you that after the storm, the weather will settle.

    “Trust me, as you have not abandoned me, I will never abandon you.

    “To our youths, I want to particularly appeal to you: don’t lose faith. There will be work, there will be participation, there will be involvement. We will not throw anybody away.

    “Nobody will be used and dumped. If yesterday has come beautiful, tomorrow will be better,” he stated.

  • BREAKING: 18 out of 30 Sokoto Assembly members dump APC for PDP

    BREAKING: 18 out of 30 Sokoto Assembly members dump APC for PDP

    Eighteen out of the 30 members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly on Wednesday defected from the ruling All Progressive Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Speaker, Salihu Maidaji, who was among the 18 defecting members, made the announcement at the Assembly plenary on Wednesday.

    Maidaji said: “We the undersigned 18 members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly belong and identify with the faction of the APC led by one of its founders, Buba Galadima.

    “We are aware that all efforts to bring sanity into the APC and unite the different groups, camps and faction have proved abortive.

    “After several attempts and efforts and the election is around the corner and we stand in danger if we remained in a party that is divided against itself.

    “As such, in accordance with the letters and spirit of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution as amended, hereby defect to PDP forthwith,” the Speaker said.

    Reacting to the resolution by the 18 members, the remaining 12 members at a press briefing after the plenary wished them well in their new party.

    Sani Yakubu (APC-Gudu), who spoke on their behalf, said that the 12 members would continue to remain committed and loyal to the APC-led government under President Muhammadu Buhari.

    NAN