Revealed: What Jonathan, Babangida discussed

Posted by: Yusuf Alli in Featured, News 

President woos Emirs, leaders 

Former military President Ibrahim Babangida made no commitment on the 2015 presidential poll to President Goodluck Jonathan at a meeting in Minna on Saturday, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Gen. Babangida only raised issues on how to keep the nation united during and after the general elections – contrary to the widespread insinuation that he endorsed Jonathan’s bid for another term.

Buoyed by the visit, Dr. Jonathan has started reaching out to key emirs and leaders of the North to back his re-election bid.

He may soon visit these leaders as part of his action plan to reduce the influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

The details of the meeting between Jonathan and Gen. Babangida were revealed in Abuja by one of the key aides of the former military leader.

The talks between the two leaders in Minna created ripples in the North, with many highly-placed Northerners bombarding Gen. Babangida with calls on what actually transpired.

The aide, who was at Gen. Babangida’s Hilltop mansion when Jonathan visited, said the talks had nothing to do with the general elections.

The source said: “It is true that the President visited Gen. Babangida at his Minna Hilltop mansion but the nature of his message was based purely  on unity of the country and not about 2015 presidential election.

“As a former president who fought for the unity of the country, he was of the view that the president needs support as President and not as presidential candidate per se.

“It is his view that the country needs to be united as one before we can begin to talk about election. Only a united Nigeria can guarantee credible election.”

According to the aide, who requested not to be named because he was not permitted to speak to the media, “What Gen. IBB said should be viewed within the context of the larger Nigeria interest and not that of any parochial interest that is likely to unsettle the system.

“Those of them who fought in the civil war to keep the country one understand the dynamics and challenges facing us now in the face of grave insecurity and poor economic realities,” he said.

Besides, said the aide, those criticising Gen. Babangida should take it easy as he belongs to the PDP “even as a nominal member.

“As a leader and former president who was privileged to preside over the affairs of the country and who also fought in the civil war, he will continue to speak the language of unification than that of division,” he said.

Gen. Babangida’s view, according to the aide is that as a  President who is facing crises, Jonathan deserves the support of all to keep the country together, irrespective of all the manifest imperfections.

Jonathan is said to have started reaching out to top Emirs and leaders in the North to checkmate Gen. Buhari’s influence.

A source spoke of the battle between Jonathan and Gen. Buhari has shifting to the North, adding that has been consulting some prominent Emirs and leaders on why he should be given second term in office.

“The President, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, PDP governors, and leaders will be embarking on shuttles to some of these key Northern leaders for support.

“They are desperate to take the battle to Buhari’s stronghold but no one can say whether the President and the PDP can go far or not,” said the source.

Another source added: “Jonathan’s game plan is to split the North.

“This explains why Northern leaders were concerned about the President’s renewed interest in the North after he failed the region in many promises he made in 2011.”

Tambuwal to go for Sokoto governor

Category: Lead stories

Published on Friday, 14 November 2014 05:01

Written by Mahmud Jega

Hits: 15860

Speaker of the House of Representatives Alhaji Aminu Waziri will not seek the opposition All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential ticket but will, instead, seek the party’s governorship ticket for Sokoto State, Daily Trust authoritatively learnt in Abuja yesterday.

The decision brings to an end a big suspense in Nigerian politics with some newspapers reporting yesterday that Tambuwal secretly picked up an APC presidential nomination form on Monday. Tambuwal did not pick up the form and would not seek it, Daily Trust learnt.
Daily Trust also learnt that Tambuwal’s decision was made after several rounds of high level meetings of APC’s Northern caucus. The party’s elders including its governors, national officials and presidential candidates had met in Kaduna on October 18 and in Abuja, last week.
The meetings, Daily Trust learnt, discussed at length how to reduce the possibility of rancour after one of the aspirants might have won the party’s ticket. The leaders said such rancour could mar the party’s chances of success in next year’s elections and they discussed ways of pruning down the number of aspirants.
An authoritative source close to the Speaker told Daily Trust last night: “The Right Honourable Speaker was present at all those meetings and he fully agreed with the observations made. There was heavy pressure mounted on him from all parts of the country to seek APC’s presidential ticket. Those who were mounting the pressure pointed to opinion polls which found that he is the potential aspirant with the nationwide appeal to defeat President Jonathan in next year’s election. Pressure is also being mounted on him to go home to Sokoto and seek the governorship ticket. He considered all the issues and decided that he must help the process of reducing rancour in the presidential race which could affect the party’s chances of success. Since the party already has four declared presidential aspirants and efforts are being made by elders to prune down the number, the Speaker decided not to compound the problem. He will, instead, consider the call for him to seek the Sokoto governorship ticket.”
The source noted that age is on the speaker’s side so he is in a good position to make sacrifices. Tambuwal, the source said, is also ready to play any role that will enhance the party’s chances of success in the elections, given his broad appeal across the country.
Tambuwal is believed to have the strong backing of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko in the quest for Sokoto APC’s governorship ticket.
Days before he defected from PDP, Tambuwal attended an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Sokoto, saying he did so upon Wamakko’s invitation. At that meeting, the party’s governorship ticket was zoned to Sokoto South Senatorial District, where he comes from.
There are, however, several other APC governorship aspirants from the same zone. The party has more aspirants from outside that zone. One of them, Professor Muhammad Lawal Bashar recently rejected the zoning arrangements adopted at the caucus meeting and said it could spell disaster for the party.
In deciding to seek the Sokoto governorship, observers believe that Tambuwal may have chosen the path of least resistance given APC’s overwhelming dominance in Sokoto State. The party controls not only the state government but has two of the three senators, all the House of Representatives members, all the members of the State House of Assembly, all the local government chairmen and all the councillors.

Don’t dismiss report of planned attack on Plateau, STF told

November 14, 2014 in News

Leaders of Riyom Local Government Area and Barkin-Ladi of Plateau State have called on the STF not to be quick in dismissing the story of a planned attack on the state.

On Monday, the state broadcast station reported that a helicopter and some Hilux vans bearing arms had arrived Mahanga village in Riyom Local Government Area, in readiness for a planned attack by unknown persons.

A day after the report, leaders of Mahanga and the Special Task Force (STF) debunked the report, saying it was baseless. The STF took journalists to Mahanga, to show that there was nothing like that.

But yesterday, leaders of Riyom and Barkin Ladi, urged the STF to investigate the matter properly to prevent possible attacks.

Chairman of Riyom Local Government Area, Mrs Josephine Piyo, said: “If STF said they didn’t see anything when they went to Mahanga, it is not surprising. Nobody said the vehicles stayed back in Mahanga and nobody expects whatever the vehicles took there to be kept in places where they can be easily seen.”

US denies failing to help Nigeria fight Boko Haram

on November 13, 2014   /   in News 8:24 am   /   Comments

The United States hit back Wednesday at allegations by the Nigerian ambassador of failing to help fight Boko Haram militants, saying there had been “a great deal” of US aid to his country.

In the past six months since the Islamic militants snatched some 200 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria, Washington has shared intelligence with the Nigerian army, begun training a new battalion and held high-level talks on the threat of Boko Haram, a US official said.

In a speech made public Tuesday, ambassador Adebowale Adefuye appeared to have taken US officials by surprise when he launched into a tirade against the US administration.

Nigerian leaders were “not satisfied with the scope, nature and content of the United States’ support for us in our struggle against terrorists,” he said.

He accused Washington of not providing the “lethal” weapons needed to deliver “a killer punch” to the militants.

But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki shot back that the US had “provided and approved sales of military equipment to its armed forces.”

“These decisions are made, of course, after careful scrutiny to ensure they conform with United States law.”

But she acknowledged the US had refused to transfer some Cobra helicopters due to concerns about the Nigerian army’s ability to use them.

There were also “ongoing concerns about the Nigerian military’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations,” Psaki said, adding these had been discussed with the Nigerian authorities.

Adefuye told members of the Council on Foreign Relations on Monday that allegations of human rights abuses by the military were “rumors, hearsays and exaggerated accounts” put about by rivals of President Goodluck Jonathan and rights groups.

But Psaki stressed the US would not raise such concerns “if we didn’t feel and others didn’t feel that they were warranted.”

Washington was ready to help Nigeria train and improve the effectiveness of its military, Psaki added, urging the government to investigate allegations of abuses.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/us-denies-failing-help-nigeria-fight-boko-haram/#sthash.wpPInDpA.dpuf

US denies failing to help Nigeria fight Boko Haram

on November 13, 2014   /   in News 8:24 am   /   Comments

The United States hit back Wednesday at allegations by the Nigerian ambassador of failing to help fight Boko Haram militants, saying there had been “a great deal” of US aid to his country.

In the past six months since the Islamic militants snatched some 200 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria, Washington has shared intelligence with the Nigerian army, begun training a new battalion and held high-level talks on the threat of Boko Haram, a US official said.

In a speech made public Tuesday, ambassador Adebowale Adefuye appeared to have taken US officials by surprise when he launched into a tirade against the US administration.

Nigerian leaders were “not satisfied with the scope, nature and content of the United States’ support for us in our struggle against terrorists,” he said.

He accused Washington of not providing the “lethal” weapons needed to deliver “a killer punch” to the militants.

But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki shot back that the US had “provided and approved sales of military equipment to its armed forces.”

“These decisions are made, of course, after careful scrutiny to ensure they conform with United States law.”

But she acknowledged the US had refused to transfer some Cobra helicopters due to concerns about the Nigerian army’s ability to use them.

There were also “ongoing concerns about the Nigerian military’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations,” Psaki said, adding these had been discussed with the Nigerian authorities.

Adefuye told members of the Council on Foreign Relations on Monday that allegations of human rights abuses by the military were “rumors, hearsays and exaggerated accounts” put about by rivals of President Goodluck Jonathan and rights groups.

But Psaki stressed the US would not raise such concerns “if we didn’t feel and others didn’t feel that they were warranted.”

Washington was ready to help Nigeria train and improve the effectiveness of its military, Psaki added, urging the government to investigate allegations of abuses.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/us-denies-failing-help-nigeria-fight-boko-haram/#sthash.wpPInDpA.dpuf

We will gang up against APC in Kano – LP chairman

osted by: admin November 10, 2014 in Politics

o State chairman of Labour Party (LP) Alhaji Muhammad Abdullahi Raji, has said that his party will gang up with other opposition parties to unseat the APC in the 2015 general elections.

Raji, in an interview with newsmen during the swearing-in and inauguration of the party’s elected officials, said: “I will tell you the bitter fact about our preparations and plans in the coming elections. We will gang up with other opposition parties to unseat the APC government in this state.”

The chairman warned that his party should not be underrated, as it won the Edo State governorship seat as well as some lesser posts during the 2011 elections.

He said the party has commenced sale of forms and urged officials to be steadfast and fair in their dealings.

Why I asked for a divorce from my ex-husband

on October 03, 2014   /   in Showtime People 12:17 am   /   Comments

Embattled Nollywood actress, Ini Edo, has been explaining to whoever cares to listen why she decided to walk out of her five-year old marriage unceremoniously.

According to the actress, she demanded for a divorce from her ex-husband because of a lot of irreconcilable differences. Contrary to reports that, her ‘barren marriage’ crashed following allegations of infidelity levelled against her by her husband, Ini Edo refuted the allegation, saying that she never cheated her husband since they got married.

In a tweet, confirming breaking up with her husband, Ini Edo alleged that “There is a conscious and malicious attempt at tarnishing my image. This saga is familiar, let’s not forget the past. Thanks and God bless.”

Ini Edo got married to her US-based husband, Philip Ehiagwina, about five years. The couple who lived separately for most of their marriage life decided to formally split in early August.

There were reports that Ini’s people have even returned the bride price paid by Philip in 2008. She has since removed her husband’s name from her social media accounts and she also removed wife from her bio on instagram. The marriage did not produce any child.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/asked-divorce-ex-husband/#sthash.bK7xRex6.dpuf

Are house helps necessary (Necessarily)evil?(1)

on April 12, 2014   /   in Marriage and Family 12:33 am   /   Comments

By Francis Ewherido

On March 27, 2014, a house help, simply identified as David, killed and beheaded his former boss, a 65-year-old retired Chief Magistrate, Olufunmilayo Timeyin, at her residence in Ogun State.

Timeyin had two weeks earlier sacked David for allegedly stealing her valuables, including phones and jewelry. He was arrested for the theft and ironically it was his victim who requested that David be released.

On February 24, 2014, I came back to the office and was informed about a show of shame and cruelty that took place in the neighbourhood in my absence. A clergyman’s wife beat her house help silly, biting her on the buttocks. On October 28, 2013, a 27-year-old woman, Chiamaka Nnajiofor, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for her culpability in the death of her housekeeper, Oliver Arakwe. What drove Nnajiofor to the extreme that landed her in this mess? These cases bring us to our topic today.

First, are house helps people you do not like but must learn to live with because you cannot really do without them (Necessary evil)? Second, can anything good come out of house helps (Necessarily evil)? The stories of house helps we hear are horrifying, intriguing and mind-boggling.

They range from stealing of employer’s properties sometimes running into millions to stories of sex abuse of, and unbelievable cruelty to, the children put in their care. They also organise armed gangs to rob their employers and orchestrate the kidnapping of their employers or their employers’ children. Like a needle in a haystack, you hear a good story occasionally.

One of the tales I heard recently was about a friend’s former neighbour. He said that the only way he knew his neighbour was home was when he heard the house help screaming. Any time the house was quiet, madam was not at home. This trend continued for a long time despite neighbours’ plea and advice that she should either stop beating the house help or send her away.

My friend said that on one of those days when the flat was quiet; he was passing by and noticed that the entrance door was slightly ajar. He knocked but there was no response. He called the house help and the children, still no response. Out of curiosity, he opened the door and went in. He started calling and walking around, still no response. As he was passing by the deep freezer, he heard a noise from within.

Luckily, it was not locked. He opened and behold the neighbour’s son and daughter were in there; the house help had tucked them in for-a-forever sleep and disappeared perhaps back to the neighbouring country from whence she came. For her, it was payback time; the enormity was inconsequential.

I do not believe in stereotypes, so I cannot label all house helps as evil. The issue is multifaceted. When teaching and counselling would-be couples; I always remind them of the challenges that come when they start having children. That is actually when the need for a house help arises.

If both are working class people with strict and long working hours, who will look after the children for the periods when they are not at home? The implication is that the house help is going to play a great role in their childrenfs early character formation. Is he/she well equipped for the assignment?

A lot of people have a trial and error approach to hiring domestic helps; I think that is dangerous. You are not just looking for a cleaner; you are looking for somebody who is going to play a major role in your children’s early formation willy-nilly. You should therefore approach it like you are choosing a spouse, because the only differences really are that the relationship is not spousal, not permanent, not covenanted and no vows are exchanged.

Before you hire a house help, first determine your needs and your expectations. Then how do you source the person? Is it through an agency, friends, relatives or some other sources? What about background checks and guarantors? Then you need to pray and fast for God to send the right house help.I guess we all need to do these when we are making important decisions and the choice of a house help is a fundamental decision.

Once you get somebody, you should check whether he/she meets your needs and expectations. If he/she does, the terms of the relationship must be clearly stated and understood by all parties. Then you should do medical exams for him/her. Some of them have contagious diseases, to which your children should not be exposed.

Once all these steps are completed, the house help moves into your family’s life practically. Please internalise it that he/she is a human being, not subhuman; he/she is only doing this job due to circumstances and not really by choice.

I am yet to see a house help who will not opt for a better job if given the choice. As a result of their disadvantaged background, a lot of house helps come with frustration and grudges. Do not rub it in with your attitude towards them. Deal with them as you would your own.

I am not suggesting they sit at table with you during meals, but heaven will not fall if you give them good meals. Some people give their house helps food that is not fit for animals while enjoying choice food with their family which the house help participated in preparing and serving the choice food!

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/house-helps-necessary-necessarilyevil1/#sthash.A4hqulLy.dpuf

PDP: Murmuring on the Plateau

on November 11, 2014   /   in Politics 3:09 am   /   Comments

By Marie-Therese Nanlong
THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ward congresses held nationwide on November 1 has come and gone with controversies trailing the exercise across the States.

While some lauded the exercise, many others described it as “fraud, robbery, illegal” and called for its cancellation.
In Plateau state, the case is not different as the party’s Acting Chairman, Raymond Dabo has not failed to brag about “the huge success of the ward congresses.” However, many party aspirants and supporters maintain they were robbed.

Jang: Stop complaining against God’s choice

Although the aggrieved members have already petitioned the national leadership of the party in Abuja, internal bickering and reactions continue to trail the exercise in the State.

Among the latest to complain are the immediate past Speaker of the State House of Assembly and member representing Mangu South, Rt. Hon. John Clark Dabwan and the Plateau PDP Youths of Conscience who called for the cancellation of the entire exercise in the state.

Dabwan, a governorship aspirant condemned what he called “obvious hitches which characterized the ward congress of the party in the state.”

Equity and fair play

He called on the national secretariat of the party to address the problem in the interest of equity and fair play and urged the people to be vigilant throughout the electioneering process and ensure that only those who have the interest of the people at heart and not impostors are elected into various offices.

Similarly, a group, Plateau PDP Youths of Conscience through Mangut Peter and Mizim Haruna, its coordinator and secretary respectively, called on the national secretariat of the Party to conduct a fresh congress in the State.

According the duo, “We are not unaware of the overflow of petitions that followed the poor conduct of the special delegate congresses held on the 1st of November, 2014. It is on record that there were no congresses conducted anywhere in the State.

“The attempt to conduct one in Pankshin local government area led to its cancellation and we are yet to know the outcome of the rescheduled congress that held the following day.

“We hereby urge the national secretariat to as a matter of necessity dissolve the State congresses and another exercise be transparently conducted. The committee that conducted the earlier exercise be disbanded and relevant state organs which encouraged the flouting of the constitution should be sanctioned.”

The group maintains its members will stand against all who seek to use and destroy the party and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to take note and address “these threats to internal democracy in the state chapter of the PDP.

In another development, another group under the aegis of Plateau Youth Vanguard said the exercise was credible and vowed to resist any attempt to short change the lists of delegates who emerged during the exercise.

The group urged the national chairman of the Party, Alh. Adamu Mua’zu to maintain the delegate list provided by the State PDP Acting Chairman, Hon. Raymond Dabo.

Chairman of the group, Joel Jonathan in a press statement issued in Jos described the process leading to the emergence of the delegates as rigorous, credible, free and fair and applauded the PDP family in the state for conducting itself in an orderly manner during the congress.

Peaceful character

He challenged Plateau citizens to exhibit the same peaceful character during the subsequent polls in the overall interest of peace and unity in the state.

The statement reads, “We wish to commend the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State for a peaceful conduct of the recent PDP Ward Congress. This attests to the fact that Plateau State is a PDP state, and the people have totally accepted PDP as a political party.

“We will therefore resist any attempt made by any individual or group of persons to change the original list of delegates
which emerged during the congress, we want the national chairman of the party, Alh. Admau Mua’azu to honour only the list of delegates provided by the State Chairman, Hon. Raymond Dabo.

Jonathan chided those who petitioned the national chairman of the party and President Goodluck Jonathan against the conduct of the exercise describing them as agents who are not interested in the unity and success of the party in the state.

They warned that any attempt to change the list of delegates submitted by the state secretariat will be resisted, adding that “the delegates emerged during a free and fair contest where a level playing ground was provided and anybody who is aggrieved should go and lobby to win support of the delegates.”

To support the latter group’s stance, Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang took a swipe at the state’s gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the PDP saying they should prove their worth if they want to govern the State.

Jang who lambasted the aspirants for “black-mailing him before the presidency and the party leadership at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja stated, “instead of you to campaign, you are running to Abuja, Abuja will not come and vote for you.”

Political offices

The governor spoke at the Government House, Rayfield after swearing in four newly appointed Commissioners to fill the spaces created by four of the Executive Council members who resigned to contest other political offices.

According to him, “Politicians should stop black-mailing me and accept God’s will. There is no zoning in the Plateau governorship seat, those running to Abuja to report me should cease henceforth.

“It is God that gives power and no human being can stop who God has anointed and if you are not anointed, nobody can bring you into power.

“God has already anointed someone, instead of people to go round and campaign and tell people what they can do, they are busy running to Abuja, Abuja will not come and vote in Plateau.”

Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial zone, Gyang Pwajok who is generally believed to be the anointed has on his part urged the people of Plateau State not to allow the forthcoming elections to divide them but all should work together to achieve greatness and a better Plateau for the coming generations.

“With or without zoning, I am eligible to run for the seat. There was no agreement from any quarter that after Jang’s tenure the northern zone should step down for any candidate from the southern zone.

“With the submission of my nomination form at the National Secretariat of our Party, I am determined to continue to reach out to all the people of Plateau state in the 17 local government councils. We should not allow the issue of zoning to divide us but we must stand together to achieve a greater Plateau.”

He reminded the people that “only God gives power” and tasked the youths to see themselves as people who have the opportunity to make a different in the coming dispensation.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/pdp-murmuring-plateau/#sthash.Ylh04fMK.dpuf

Suntai returns from foreign medical checkup

Category: News

Published on Tuesday, 11 November 2014 10:34

Written by Itodo Daniel Sule, Jalingo Hits: 1639

Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai of Taraba State returned from London to Abuja late last night after being away for medical checkup.

          A statement by Suntai’s spokesman, Hassan Mijinyawa said the governor arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at about 10pm aboard a chartered flight in company of his wife, Hauwa, his medical team and security details on Monday.

"Governor Suntai remains grateful to the people of Taraba State for their strength of will and continuous prayers for him and the state," the statement added.

The statement however did not indicate whether Suntai will be coming to Government House, Jalingo this time around.

Suntai was involved in a plane crash on October 25, 2012, in which he was the pilot.
He has been in and out of hospital in Germany, United States of America and the United Kingdom since then.
He returned to Abuja from a UK hospital on September 13, 2014 and had remained in Abuja until he returned to London on November 2, 2014 for further medical checkup.
While Suntai was away, Taraba State High Court presided over by Justice Silas Haruna nullified the medical panel set up by the Speaker of Taraba state House of Assembly to investigate his health status.

Justice Haruna held that setting up a medical panel would amount to usurping judicial powers when an earlier suit filed by Suntai challenging the state lawmakers for refusing him to assume power as well as another suit by Mustapha Bello at the Supreme Court were yet to be decided.

Expert warns against consumption of cattle with nodules

Posted by: admin November 11, 2014 in News

A veterinary doctor in Akwa Ibom, Udo Obot, has warned against the consumption of cattle with nodules on their skins, saying it was dangerous to human health.

Obot, the Director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture in the state, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Sunday.

He said that cattle with rashes contained bacteria that could cause tuberculosis and should not be slaughtered for consumption.

He advised veterinary doctors and other officers in charge of abattoirs in the state to be very vigilant and ensure that such cattle were detected and isolated.

He said “People should be very careful. Once you see rashes on the meat you want buy, call the attention of the veterinary officer.

“Cattle with tuberculosis nodules are not good for human consumption; it is very difficult to kill the bacteria by boiling. Such meat needs to be discarded.

So, I would advise that people should buy plain meat without rashes. They should consider the colour of the meat and ensure it is jelly-red and not dark-red.

Obot observed that some people ignorantly bought live cattle that they would not slaughter in abattoir for ceremonies.

He appealed to the people to always submit such cattle for inspection before killing them for consumption to avoid diseases.

Northern governors tell Jonathan to declare war on sect

Posted by: Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna in News

Governors from the North yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare war on Boko Haram, the Islamic sect whose insurgency has killed thousands.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Chairman of the Forum, spoke in Kaduna at the inauguration of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation Office building.

He said the North’s woes started with the assassination of the Sarduna of Sokoto in the January 15, 1966 coup.

He said Boko Haram members had declared war against Nigerians and they must be fought as enemies, adding:  “They are no more terrorists but rebels, who have declared war against their country and have acquired illegal territories; we must therefore crush them.”

“Unfortunately, our job is complicated by the present predicaments in the country – Boko Haram, insecurity and abject poverty, among others, Aliyu said, adding:

“Therefore, we must as leaders all come together on bipartisan or non-partisan basis to encourage Mr. President and the Federal Government to declare total war and eliminate Boko Haram in our midst before the 2015 elections.”

“I have heard many people saying that Boko Haram are Nigeriens; any Nigerian, and any citizen that picks arms against his country should be declared as non citizens.

“There is a limit to what the government can do. If being proactive, we have been doing that. But to declare total war is in the hands of federal government and the President. We must go back to our constitution. National conference has been held; we must go back and look at the issues raised with the aim to correct the difference between the federating unit and the federal government.

“Boko Haram is no more terrorists as it affects all of us. It not the issue of APC or PDP, we need to put our heads together,” he stressed.

Speaking on the state of Northern economy, Aliyu said, “We also need to come to terms with the reality that the nation cannot depend on the oil economy; we must continue to diversify into agriculture and solid minerals.

“We must also pursue the issue of state police so that we can have a stronger and rational say in the security of our states and account for our actions and inactions”. He said.

He however commended his colleagues, members of the NSGF and the Board of Trustees of the foundation for the unflinching support, cooperation and encouragement, making it possible for his chairmanship to record the monumental legacy in the annals of modern Northern Nigerian history.

“Like Sardauna, we must individually and collectively keep our date with history and write our own scripts for the appreciation of the unborn generations.

Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero called on the 19 states in the North to initiate a harmonised development plan that will ensure rapid economic growth and infrastructural development of the region.

Estimated billing: FG licenses 138 companies to provide meters

on November 11, 2014   /   in Energy 5:01 am   /   Comments
By Michael Eboh

The Federal Government has given approval to about 138 companies to function as Metering Service Providers in the Nigeria power sector.

Prepaid meters

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, in a document obtained by Vanguard, disclosed that the companies were certified after due inspection and consideration.

Specifically, five companies were certified as meter manufacturers; 13 companies were given government approval to import meters into the country, while 28 companies were certified as meter vendors.

Also, thirteen companies were approved by NERC as individual meter installers while 79 companies were certified as corporate installers.

The five companies approved as meter manufacturers are Elsewedy Electric Nigeria Limited, Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited (MEMMCOL), Uni Star Hitech Nigeria Limited, Electricity Meter Company Nigeria Limited (EMCON) and Mojec International.

However, Memmcol, apart from the approval given to it to manufacture meters, was also given approval to function as a meter vendor and corporate installer.

Also, EMCON, in addition to its meter manufacturing certification, also got approval to act as an importer, vendor and corporate installer.

Mojec International also got approval as a meter importer, meter vendor and a corporate installer of meters, while Uni-star Hitech got approval to also perform as an importer, vendor and corporate installer.

The NERC had, a couple of days ago, given electricity distribution companies (Discos), two weeks within which to provide electricity consumers whose meters are yet to be delivered months after payment with the products.

Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, said the Commission will view very seriously failure to meter these consumers.

According to him, the NERC will give Discos two weeks to make sure they fully meter all those who have paid because the order of the commission is 45 days.

He said, “After two weeks, we will be conducting public hearings to ascertain whether all those who have paid for CAPMI meters have been metered.