They include former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) , Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, former Governor of Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, Senator George Akume, Senator Mohammed Saleh and former EFCC boss, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

Also expected were former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i and Governor Abdulazeez of Zamfara state.

Speaking to newsmen, Secretary of Conference of Opposition Political Parties in Kaduna state, Mr Francis Kozah said the rally would mark a significant shift and higher attainment in their search for alternative leadership in Kaduna state.

“ We have been looking for ways and means for alternative government in this state since the last two years. The idea of the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is what we the opposition in Kaduna state strongly indentify with. We believe that tomorrow’s rally will give our people the strong sense of our commitment for a new government come 2015, with the calibre of people that will be coming to address them,” he said.

According to him, “we have done what is expected. We have written the Commissioner of Police and all the Divisional Police Officers in Southern Kaduna with their counterparts in the SSS, asking for security during the rally. We are very sure they will comply, because this is a constitutional right.

“We heard from many people that the PDP in the state is very jittery. We are told, but we cannot confirm it independently, that all the local government chairmen of the PDP in Southern Kaduna have contributed money to the police to influence them to stop the rally, based on perceived insecurity.

“But, even from the words of the state government, Kaduna state is secure and peaceful. So there will be no basis for that,” he said.

However, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, in a text message denied that the Conference of Opposition Political Parties in Kaduna State wrote to ask for security.
-Tribune

This came less than 48 hours after prominent politicians in the North central zone boycotted the party’s reconciliation meeting on Saturday.

The crises in the PDP appeared to have taken another dimension on Monday when the posters of Lamido and Ameachi, who happened to be the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, surfaced in Kaduna, the political hotbed of the North.

The posters at the Stadium Roundabout in the heart of the city and another at the Station Roundabout in the Southern part of the state, had such inscription as ‘support Sule Lamido/Ameachi for 2015 president’.

There was also a single poster of Lamido, which bore ‘Support Sule Lamido/Rotimi Chibuike Ameachi for President 2015’.

Also, from the Lugard Hall Roundabout, leading to the State House of Assembly, the posters were all over.

At the Murtala Square in the metropolis, where the PDP held its zonal reconciliation meeting, the posters were on every available space, including trees on the busy Independence Way.

The source further said the absence of the governors from the various meetings of the party was deliberate.

He said, “By now, you should know that the PDP has been factionalised by self interest. We have Jonathan faction; Bamanga Tukur faction and the governors faction”.

-Punch

Yerima, who was a guest was on the radio programme was quoted to have said if the Independent National Electoral Commission failed to register the newly formed All Progressives Congress, leaders of the party would embark on a peaceful protest to the Eagle Square, Abuja until INEC registered the party.

The statement drew the ire of the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, who stormed the radio station with his men and whisked Yerima away to the police headquarters where the former governor was held for three hours.

It was learnt that supporters of the Senator later mobilised themselves to the police headquarters but were resisted by the policemen on guard.

Yerima was however released after being interrogated by the police.

The CP told journalists that the Senator, who is one of the coordinators of the APC, was not arrested but merely invited to clear the air on the statement he made at the radio station.

The commissioner said he was inundated with calls from concern citizens of the state on the inciting statement. “All I did was to go to the radio house and I met the distinguished Senator and I said, Please, I want to know what you said,” he said.

The CP added that, “He (Yerima) said, ‘no problem, let me finish. And I will come with you to the office.’ That was what transpired.”

“If you were in my shoes as the commissioner of police and you start getting calls from concerned citizens of the state that somebody has made an inciting statement on radio, will you go to burukutu (local brew) joint and start drinking? You have to make a move.

“I am surprised that people are saying many things like, ‘CP has arrested him, CP has orders from Abuja.’ The distinguished senator is not under arrest.

“All we did was to find out what he said. And he said they were going to go on a peaceful demonstration. And I said define what you mean by peaceful demonstration, considering that Kaduna State is a volatile state. I don’t want anything to happen in my domain. I am completely satisfied with what he has said. And he is free to go. There was no directive from anywhere. We were doing things on our own.”

At the police headquarters, the former governor was made to write a statement on what he said during the radio programme.

The statement read in parts: “My name is Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani former Governor of Zamfara State, a Nigerian and now a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria Kaduna invited me for a phone-in programme which took place today March 9, 2013 at 10am and ended at 12pm. I was asked if there is any move not to register our new party, APC, what can we do? And my response was that if we met all the legal requirements and INEC refused to register us, we shall embark on peaceful protest to INEC until we are registered. Then, the moderator asked me what I meant by peaceful protest? Then I responded by saying just like it happened in Egypt.

“We can go to Eagle Square together with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Sardauna Kano, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, and others to mobilise people without using any weapon for a peaceful protest until our party is registered.”

Via Punch

Via Tribune

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned Kaduna State Deputy Speaker, Mato Dogara at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, over alleged N17 million fraud. Dogara, who was arraigned on a two-count charge alongside the former interim caretaker chairman of Lere Local Government Area of the state, Kabiru Tahir Malali, and five other staffers of the council, Ahmed Yahaya, Yushau Aboki, Billy Graham, Mrs. Hannatu Illiya, Eric Alhassan, pleaded not guilty to all the charges of fraud and conspiracy read to him by the court clerk.

The deputy speaker who was one time commissioner for science and technology was docked for allegedly conspiring with the former interim caretaker chairman of Lere Local Government Area and five other council staffers to defraud the council of N17 million, which was meant for a contract for renovation of Government Lodge, Saminaka, Lere Local Government.

Among the six-count charge read to him and others, Dogara was directly involved in two-count charge related to a contract scam for the renovation of the Government Lodge, Saminaka, while the other accused persons were involved in the six-count charge. The first-count charge read stated: “That you, Kabiru Tahir Malali, being the interim chairman, Lere Local Government, Kaduna State, Dr. Mato Dogara, being the deputy speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Ahmed Yahaya being the former Director of Finance, Lere Local Government, Billy Graham, the director of works Lere Local Government, Yushau Aboki, former director of Personnel Management, Lere Local Government, Mrs. Hannatu Illiya, head of health,

Lere Local Government and Eric Alhassan, former acting chairman of Lere Local Government Council, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of Federal High Court, conspired among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit, obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

“Some time between May, 2011 and March 2012, at Kaduna State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained via fraudulent award of contract for renovation of Government Lodge, Saminaka, the sum of N17 million, the property of Kaduna State Government, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)((a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The Presiding Judge, Mercellous Awokulehin ordered that Kaduna Deputy Speaker, Mato Dogara, be remanded in EFCC’s custody and adjourned the case to January 24, 28 and 29 for speedy trial. Also, the judge ordered that the five other accused persons be remanded in prison custody till January 24 when the case would resume trial.

-Sun

KADUNA—Tragedy has again struck at the family of the former Governor of Kaduna State, late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, as his only surving brother, Adamu Yakowa, 51, died at about 8.30pm on Saturday.

Family sources told Vanguard, that Adamu died at the Kafanchan General Hospital on Saturday. He reportedly took ill shortly after the demise of his brother, Patrick, in a helicopter crash last December at Bayelsa State.

A member of the family, Mr. Shagari Borgo who confirmed the death said late Adamu retired from the Kaduna Vehicle Inspection Office as a senior staff.
Late Adamu was decribed as a gentle and peace loving. Left to mourn him are his widow and five children.

Meanwhile, the 30-day prayer for late Governor Yakowa would be held at St. John’s Catholic Church, Unguwan Rimi GRA, in Kaduna metroplois, according to the Parish Priest of the Church, Rev, Father Celestine Katung.

“We will be marking the 30-day memorial prayers of our dear late brother and Governor. Next Sunday will mark the 30 days of his passing away,” the priest said.

-Vanguard

Army spokesman in Kaduna Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman said Boko
Haram fighters opened fire at the soldiers while they were
approaching the illicit bomb factory.

“On approaching the factory, some suspected terrorists opened fire
and also threw already primed IED at the troops. The exchange of fire
that ensued resulted in the death of five terrorists, while two that
sustained various degrees of injuries are being treated.” He stated

According to him, the soldiers destroyed the bomb factory and
recovered several guns, rifles and other dangerous bomb making
chemicals.

Col Usman “urged the public to always report suspicious movement to
the concerned authorities” saying without tip off the raid of the bomb
factory wouldn’t have been possible.

Kaduna is considered as a strong base of the criminal Islamic
extremist group Boko Haram. The group has killed hundreds of
people in attacks primarily targeting Christians, churches,
government buildings, police, soldiers and other security agencies.

Patrick Yakowa was an experienced, tested and trusted civil servant having served in various capacities from local government to the federal level in the course of his administrative and political career.

Yakowa was once an administrative officer, district officer, secretary in the military governor’s office and local government sole administrator, rising to the top of the civil service in the state as Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Health, Works and Transport before joining the Federal Civil Service in 1990. At the federal level, he worked as Director, Joint Services in the Ministry of Defence and was appointed Minister for Solid Minerals by the Abdusalam Abubakar government. After he left the Federal Civil Service on June 14, 1999, he was appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG) by Governor Ahmed Makarfi. In 2005, Yakowa was appointed Deputy Governor following the death of the then Deputy Governor – Stephen Shekari.

Unfortunately, in spite of Yakowa’s vast experience in the civil service, some people opposed his Governorship ambition in 2007 because he was from Southern Kaduna and a Christian. These set of people who believed they are ‘born to rule’ chose Namadi Sambo (who never had the kind of vast experience Yakowa had) as governor. But as a sign of humility, Yakowa still accepted to serve as a Deputy Governor under Sambo’s administration in Kaduna State.

Against all odds, Yakowa latter became the first Southern Kaduna and a Christian civilian governor of Kaduna State following the elevation of Namadi Sambo to the position of Vice President. Since he won the election of 2011, some people are not happy and they are busy with ‘permutation and combination’ of Kaduna politics with Yakowa at the helm of affairs.

It is now glaring that Vice-President Namadi Sambo is now in charge of Kaduna politics with emergence of his political son, Mukhtar Yero as new governor. Mr. Vice-President can now decide who becomes what in Kaduna State and he has started with the nomination of 63-year old Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, who is the current chairman of the
People Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State as new Deputy Governor without considering people of Southern Kaduna who just lost their illustrious son.

John Tosin Ajiboye Osogbo, Osun State.

KADUNA—Kaduna State House of Assembly, yesterday, confirmed the nomination of Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, 63, as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

Bajoga was, until his new appointment, Chairman, Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in the state. He hails from Koi, Jaba Local Government Area, Southern Kaduna.

Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Muazu Gangara, confirmed the appointment at the end of a 10-minute closed-door session with other members at the House.

*Gov Yero of Kaduna State.

Bajoga was waiting to be sworn-in by state Chief Judge, Justice Rahila Cudjoe, at the time of going to the press.

Aliyu Jigo, representing Magajin Gari Constituency in Birnin Gwari said: “I will like to congratulate Ambassador Bajoga as the new Deputy Governor of the state. He is a senior person and this is a welcome development considering the fact that the Governor is a young gentle man.

“They will work for the development of the state. Bajoga has the experience and maturity to assist the governor.”

-Vanguard

At a press conference in Kaduna, the groups said they would no longer fold their arms and watch the imposition of an old man allegedly by a clique in the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the position, while many able youths fit for the position remained idle.

A particular group led by Mr Abuja Maigari had threatened that unless there was a change in the decision to announce Bajoga, they would have no option but to embark on a hunger strike.

However, a chieftain of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Modecai Sunday Ibrahim, said there was nothing wrong in the choice of Bajoga as deputy governor, adding, however, that the group would have preferred him to remain as state chairman of the PDP.

The state Commissioner for Information, Saidu Adamu, had comfirmed at a press briefing that Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero had nominated Nuhu Bajoga, but they were waiting for the House of Assembly to screen him before they take further action.

The youth wing of SOKAPU, at a press conference on Monday, described Bajoga as an unpopular candidate for the position and vowed not work with him.

The group’s Secretary, Nasiru Jagaba, said the aftermath of the decision might not augur well for the PPD in subsequent elections as the Southern part of rthe state where they used to get bulk votes may decide to look elsewhere.

According to him,“we will continue to fight the cause of what we believe in and we wish to tell the whole world that Bajoga’s nomination is a grand design to factionalise the state.

“Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero should reverse the nomination because the entire people of southern Kaduna state are aggrieved.”

Similarly, the Concerned Southern Kaduna Professionals, the decision of Bajoga to accept his nomination has revealed him as a betrayer of the people.

“He will eventually realize that he has begun a journey into the wilderness of slavery, oppression, domination and political emasculation,” a press statement from the group said.

A statement signed by Dr John Danfulani and Pendo K. Yates, “we do not hesitate to remind Bajoga that as young men and women, if our late Governor Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa is watching and reminiscing in the grave, then Bajoga has certainly betrayed him in death.”

Bajoga was Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Poland and concurrently accredited to the Czech Republic between 2004 and 2007. He was elected Kaduna State PDP Chairman in March 2012. He was born in Kwoi 1949, to a Christian family and is married with children.

-Tribune