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No 2019 campaigns in Benue till herdsmen crisis is over – Gov. Ortom

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Gov. Ortom urges warring communities of Bonta, Okpute to embrace peace

…As APC suspends Gov. el-Rufai for six months***

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said there would be no campaigns for the 2019 elections in the state, if there was no solution to the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state.

Speaking in an interview on an online TV programme, The Osasu Show, in Makurdi, Benue State, the governor said he invited President Buhari to console the people of the state over the killings and destruction of their property but lamented that the President did not honour the invitation.

He said, as President, Buhari was supposed to provide citizens of the country with security but had failed to take the required action to curb the killings.

He said: “For now, my primary concern is to stop these killings; to ensure that the IDPs go back to their homes and live peacefully. Once that is done, we can talk about other things.

“I don’t care about what happens tomorrow. Even if I am not governor, I can stay back and fight for the right of my people.

“When we visited, we even invited the President to come to Benue State and pay his condolences to his people. We are members of the party (All Progressives Congress, APC,), he is our President. If these people are attacking us, we expect him to give us security.

“He has done a number of things. He directed NEMA to provide relief materials; he also asked for security to be beefed up, but I am not satisfied with what the Presidency is doing on this matter. There is no doubt about that. I ask for justice for Benue people because we have not been treated fairly.”

Ortom said the attacks on Benue was an act of vengeance by herders for losing the 1804 Jihad, stressing that Benue people stopped them from penetrating the state through Sokoto.

He said though he did not know the level of “support the herders get from the Presidency”, he was sure that the press statements by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association were issued by people living in Abuja.

“These people have gone beyond grazing, it is about invading the land and taking over. All the places they have attacked, they have chased the people away and they are using their farmlands’ produce as feed for their cattle.

“They are conducting international conferences, issuing press releases and writing on social media and they have come out to say look, in 1804 Jihad, it was Benue people that stopped them from penetrating from Sokoto to the sea.

“This time around, they are not going to stop. They will make sure that they mobilise all Fulani men across the globe, especially from the West African sub-region to ensure that they acquire arms and come and invade and take over the land.

“Because they also said Nigeria is the only land that God has given them, so no other person will supervene on this land except them; that it is their own land, they got this land by conquest and we have no business staying on this land. It is unbelievable. The statement is coming from Miyetti Allah.

“Well, I wouldn’t know about their patrons or the extent of their involvement. But one thing I know is that the people that have been issuing these press statements are known. They are living in Abuja, they are living with the powers-that-be,” Governor Ortom said.

Asked why he has not met with the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, to call the herders to order, Ortom said it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to enforce the law.

“Why will I sit down with them? We have constituted authority over this country. And it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to enforce the law. We expected them to have acted,” the governor said.

Governor Ortom had been at daggers-drawn with the Federal Government since herdsmen killed no fewer than 73 indigenes of the state on new year day.

The relationship between both governments was further soured by the remarks of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who, without any investigation, had concluded that the killing was a result of communal clash, though he recanted later, and the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan Ali, who blamed the killings in Benue State on the anti-open grazing law enacted by the state government.

Since the new year day killings in the state, there had been several others, including those of policemen and operatives of the civil defence corps.

In the meantime, the crisis in the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna state got messier Sunday as the Restoration faction of the party led by Senator Hunkuyi announced the suspension of the state governor, Nasir El Rufai for six months for his failure to respond to a query issued to him last week Thursday.

El Rufai’s suspension is coming two days after the main faction of the party announced the suspension of Senator Hunkuyi for six months and expelled 28 others.

But addressing a press conference in Kaduna Sunday, the factional chairman of the party, Alhaji Danladi Wada said the failure of El Rufai to respond to the query issued him necessitated the latest action.

“This briefing is sequel to 48 hours ultimatum/query and warning issued to the state governor to explain and defence himself against the allegations levelled against him which he failed to respond.

“The State Working Committee on Saturday 17, February 2018, convened and resolved to consider and to rectify the findings and recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee and the Fact Finding Committee put before it in accordance with the provision of article 21(B) section 3 of the APC constitution and accordingly, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai stands suspended for 6 months from the APC, commencing from 17, February, 2018.”

The group noted that the Presidential Reconciliation Committee led by National leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, may hit the rock if El-Rufai refused to admit his faults.

A member of the Restoration faction, Mataimaki Tom-Maiyashi noted the Governor’s body language and action didn’t suggest the willingness to submit to genuine reconciliation.

He said other parties may benefit from the crisis in the party if the APC fails to put its house in order.

:”The Stakeholders welcome the initiatives to settle major issues which a are dividing and weakening the party.

“The real reconciliation will only be achieve if justice and the willingness to take difficult decisions are upheld.

“Stakeholders observed that in Kaduna State at least, the postures and actions if the governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and his associates do not suggest the willingness to submit to genuine reconciliation.

“All suspensions by persons other than those led by the acting chairman of the party, Alhaji Danladi Wada are exercises in futility, null and void.

“The acting chairman should exercise his full powers and conclude disciplinary actions against all members, no matter their positions in the party.”

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NAGAFF Vows to Stop Kwankwaso from Taking Over NNPP

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NNPP inaugurates 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Aniebonam remains BoT Chairman

…Votes N150m take off professional fees for lawyers to begin litigation warfare!

Members of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) will vehemently resist the taking over of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) by the group noted to be loyal to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

It would be recalled that the NNPP was originally founded by the National Association of Government-Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, largely to provide a credible platform for maritime industry stakeholders to make a national impact within the nation’s political space.

It. would also be recalled that the former Governor of Kano, Senator Kwankwaso latched on the NNPP, after his effort to run as the flag bearer of another political party was dimmed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who emerged as the PDP presidential candidate.

NNPP inaugurates 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Aniebonam remains BoT Chairman

Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

Presently, a statement issued by the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Clement Iwegbuna, lamented that what started as a child’s play is becoming a reality with the body language and actions of Senator Kwankwaso to highjack NNPP from the original owners, the members of  NAGAFF.

In a swift move, the president of NAGAFF, leading the pack of resourceful young freight forwarders said the original are poised to match money for money and contact for contact to retrieve NNPP from the people tagged ungrateful.

The statement revealed that the sum of N150,000,000 has been contributed as a take-off professional fee for the lawyers to take on the serial litigations upcoming.

NAGAFF accused Kwankwaso of court abuse with the institution of a court case involving INEC at Kano State High Court. “And so what does it take someone who held the position of minister of defence and member of the national assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to know that it is out of jurisdiction to do so.

NNPP is a national party and INEC is a federal commission. “Let Nigerians be told that there is a new order in Nigeria judiciary at the moment. If Senator Kwankwaso likes let him, Elder Buba Galadima and all of them who are the former members of the National Working Committee led by Alhaji Abbah Kawu who was alleged not to be able to write a statement at the state police command, Abuja when he reported a case against Mr Phillip Oyana the Zonal Secretary North Central of New Nigeria Peoples Party.

“Our young, vibrant and informed lawyers shall meet him and his cohorts in court. Once again we hold no malice against any person. All members of NNPP and NAGAFF are children of God and always ready to show love to all manner of people who may come our way,” the statement further said.

The statement directed and appealed to all members of NAGAFF and NNPP to keep the peace of the society and be law abiding and respectful to the constitution of Nigeria.

“Regret to note that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had avoidably prided himself to have brought NNPP to relevance and recognition. Tell the American marine that trash for the fact that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso forgot to note that NNPP is as old as People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria spanning over 24 years in existence. He joined less than 2yrs ago.

“We consider Senator Kwankwaso as someone who is avoidably arrogant and proud for no good reasons. This is because NNPP provided him the opportunity to contest the Presidency of Nigeria 2023 with great men like the current president of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party

“Let it be on record that if NNPP were not winning elections for the period under review it would have been deregistered like the one he facilitated which was called Alliance National Party. As a matter of fact, the current headquarters of NNPP in Abuja is the same office used by the defunct Alliance National  Party whose chairman was one Moshood.

“We also know that the current executive Gov of Kano Alhaji Abbah Kabir who was shortchanged in the previous elections took advantage of us as children of God to be protected and today those evil men could not stop him from becoming the Gov of Kano State.

“Therefore senator RABIU MUSA Kwankwaso should be taught the principles of humility and gratefulness to people who have been nice to him.

“In all of these, he may wish to distance himself from elder Buba Galadima if he wants to make headway in politics. The former President, Gen. Buhari did realise and distanced himself to combine with Asiwaju B. A. Tinubu, the grand master to become the President of Nigeria.,” advised.

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Reps. Summon Minister, Perm.Sec. Over $300m Antimalarial Funds

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Following perceived hanky panky, the House of Representatives Committee on Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis has summoned the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof.Mohammed Pate, over alleged misappropriation of 300 million dollars anti-malaria funds.

“The Committee has resolved that the Permanent Secretary be arrested if she failed to honour the summons, having failed to appear three times”, Rep. Amobi Ogah, the Chairman of the Committee who read the resolutions in Abuja on Tuesday, stressed.

Ogah expressed displeasure over the absence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry at the resumed sitting of the committee on Tuesday.

“Malaria is now an epidemic in Nigeria. The government has always wanted to help the people but most times the civil servants are our problem.

“This money has been made available since 2021. We have been inviting the Permanent Secretary. This is the third time we are inviting her to come and explain to us what has happened.

“Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us,” he said

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We Didn’t Pad Budget -Adaramodu

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…Senate explains alleged N3trn 2024 budget padding

Senate on Tuesday explained that the N3trillion alleged to be padded in the 2024 budget was actually statutory transfers to first-line charge agencies of government not domiciled in the ministries.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity Sen.Yemi Adaramodu gave the explanation while speaking with journalists on the suspension of Sen. Abdul Ningi over alleged padding of the 2024 budget.

Adaramodu said the 10th Senate needed to be treasured as a pillar of democracy and would only do what would promote national interest

He said there was nothing like budget padding, saying that the false narrative on N3trillion padding was a demonstration of the error of arithmetic and innocence of procedure by the protagonists of budget padding.

“The N3 trillion is for statutory transfers of government agencies on the first lines charges.”

He listed the agencies to include Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)Public Complaints Commission, National Judicial Council, North East Development(NEDC), Commission Niger -Delta Development Commission Commission(NDDC) among others.

$22.7bn: Senate announces new financier of Kaduna-Kano rail modernisation

The Senate

He also dismissed the issue of the provision of N500 million as constituency funds to senators, describing the allegation as a fairy tale.

He urged journalists to study the 2024 budget to investigate allocations to the National Assembly.

He said the issue of budget padding was a negative connotation and a serious crime in budgeting, hence senate didn’t take it lightly.

“It is a matter of integrity, The issue of budget has been put to rest as the protagonist of the budget padding was called to substantiate and they could not prove it but the allegations can not just go without being attended to.

“The Appropriation Act is a public document and when it was done,it was done in the public glare and it was N28.77 trillion and so for some to say N25 trillion was what was approved is scary.

“Statutory transfers for agencies on first line charges, that are not domiciled in the Ministries was what Ningi said was padded, that the allocation can not be traced.”

He reiterated that the N3trillion was not padded, was not missing, but was for agencies of government that were placed on first-line charge.

He also said the allegation that a section of the country was allocated more funds than other regions was not put in the right perspective, saying that allocations were done sectorally.

The Senate image maker said the integrity of the National Assembly was in question, hence the matter was treated with the seriousness it deserved.

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