Malam
President Buhari pays tribute to late Kenneth Kaunda
President Muhammadu Buhari has described Zambia’s first President and liberation hero, Kenneth Kaunda, as one of the greatest African and world leaders of all time who loved his country and people profoundly. The President’s Spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, quoted Buhari as stating this in his reaction to Kaunda’s death. Newsmen report that Kaunda, who died at the age of 97, ruled Zambia from 1964, when the Southern African country won its independence from Britain, to 1991. Thereafter, the late nationalist became one of the most committed activists against HIV/AIDS in Africa. The President said: “I have received his (Kaunda’s) passing with great shock because I knew his contributions to the development of not only Zambia but also, Africa at large. “We can’t forget in a hurry ...
Kaduna governor: I don’t have a Koo account
The governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, has disowned an account passed off as his on Koo, an Indian microblogging platform. An image of the purported account, with the Koo handle @nelrufai and account name, Nasir El-rufai, has surfaced online. It also has a post that reads, “I am also here”. However, el-Rufai, in a statement by Muyiwa Adekeye, his spokesman, asked the public to disregard the impostor account. “The Kaduna State Government has disowned an account that is passing off as Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai on Koo, an app that recently debuted in Nigeria,” the statement said. “Malam El-Rufai has not signed on to Koo. As such, any account currently on that app purporting to be him is fake and should be treated as such. “The general public is advised to kindly disregard the impostor...
Kaduna paralysed as NLC begins warning strike
Activities in Kaduna State have been paralysed as the five-day warning strike directed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over irregular sacking of civil servants began on Monday. Checks revealed that schools, banks and other business premises had been closed. The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Finance Institutions Employees had directed its members to withdraw banking and insurance services in Kaduna state from Monday 17. The Zonal State Secretary of the union, Mr Adamu Danladi explained that the directive followed the NLC’s warning strike in response to what he described as Gov. El-Rufai’s “anti-workers policies”. He said that the withdrawal of services would continue until otherwise directed by the congress. Also, while some schools were closed, others were open but only a few...
Edwin Clark cautions against agitation for Nigeria’s break-up
YouTube An elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has cautioned against calls for secession in some parts of the country. Clark told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the calls for secession in some quarters are not the solution to the country’s problems. The South-south leader explained that he did not believe in Nigeria’s break-up in spite of rising insecurity and economic challenges in the country. Clark argued that instead of breaking up Nigeria and beating war drums, efforts should be made to develop workable strategies to solve the problem of insecurity and other challenges making lives unbearable for Nigerians. “Nigeria will remain one. Some of us do not believe in the call for secession. Where do we go to? Who are we leaving the country for? Who ow...
Kaduna in total blackout as workers begin strike
Kaduna State on Sunday was thrown into total blackout ahead of the five-day warning strike directed by the Nigeria Labour Congress to commence from midnight of Sunday in the state. The total blackout followed a warning by the National Union of Electricity Employees, an affiliate of the NLC, directing its workers to join the strike action in Kaduna beginning on Midnight Sunday. But the state government said it won’t bow to the intimidation of the NLC over its planned ‘rightsizing’ of the state workforce. While speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on Saturday, the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs, Malam Jafaru Sani, said it uncovered a plot by the NLC to recruit hoodlums from other states of the federation to cause mayhem under the pretext of embarking on strike. Sani, therefore,...
President Buhari sets up panel to probe NPA
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the recommendation of the Ministry of Transportation under Rotimi Amaechi for the setting up of an Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate the Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). According to a statement by the President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, late Thursday night in Abuja, the president also approved the suspension of the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Usman. The presidential aide said Mohammed Koko would act as acting Managing Director of the NPA, pending the completion of investigation by the panel which would be headed by a Director. ”The President has also approved that the Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman step aside while the investigation is carried out. Mr Mohammed Koko will act in that position. ”The panel ...
NGX records N419 billion growth in April
The market capitalisation of the Nigerian Stock (NGX) recorded a growth of N419 billion in April due to impressive first quarter results declared by some companies. Specifically, the market capitalisation which closed trading in March at N20.428tn rose by N419bn to close at N20.847tn in April. Similarly, the All-Share Index inched higher by 789.29 points to close at 39,834.42 in contrast with 39,045.13 recorded in March. Royal Exchange Assurance emerged the best performing stock for April in percentage terms, growing by 89.29 per cent to close at 58k per share against 28k recorded in March. Linkage trailed with 41.87 per cent to close at 85k in contrast with 60k posted in the comparative month. Speaking on the performance of the stock market, Mr Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Office...
Official: Dennis Amachree not speaking for DSS on Isa Pantami
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Service (DSS) has disowned reasons adduced for its alleged failure to reveal alleged link of Malam Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to terrorism before his confirmation as minister in 2019 adduced by one of its former officer, Dennis Amachree. Amaechree, a former Assistant Director of DSS had in an online interview on Wednesday said the secret police was aware of alleged link of Pantami to terrorism. But he said the DSS decided not to make the reasons public, thus enabling Pantami to sail through senate screening due to a lot of factors including federal character balancing. Amachree had said, ”There is no information that escapes the DSS, we have all of it, all. When I was working there, we keep a catalogue of...
FCTA bans farming activities, illegal markets on airport expressway
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has banned farming activities, street trading and illegal motor parks on fringes of the Umar Musa Yar’adua Expressway, leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, made this known when he led management team of the administration, political leaders and some traditional rulers to inspect various developments on the road axis on Friday in Abuja. Bello, who frowned at the bizarre conducts of residents constituting nuisance to the public, stated that no resident or organisation would be allowed to carry out any illegal activity on a major road leading into the nation’s capital city. He noted that while residents were encouraged to engage in legitimate economic activities to mitigate poverty and cont...
Kaduna monarch: Nigerian politicians are greedy opportunists
The emir of Birnin Gwari, Malam Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari II, has lashed out on Nigerian politicians whom he described as greedy opportunists. The monarch made the comment in Kaduna during the North-West Conference on the State of the Nation and contemporary challenges in Nigeria organised by Arewa Research and Development Project ARDP and Savanah Center. He said some politicians have capitalised on illiteracy and poverty among the people to attain power. “I have said it on so many occasions and so it’s easy for me now to repeat what I have said before. Why do we have failure in politicians running state, local and federal governments? I traced the problem to who we consider as politicians in our localities. “If you go to every part of the country those who call themselves politicians, stak...
APC chieftain writes on ’21 political lies in Nigeria’
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, says his book on “21 political lies in Nigeria” is to educate the electorate on the antics of politicians during elections. Oyedepo said this on Monday in Ilorin while speaking at the presentation of the book. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 21 chapter, 140 pages book chronicled many lies told by politicians to win votes during campaigns. According to Iyiola, the book is targeted mainly to educate the electorate on how to vote for candidates seeking their franchise, adding that if the electorate votes wrongly, it will live with them for another four years. He said: “I sat down and examined issues through which we win election and I discovered that some of these issues may be there. “They are imp...
Kwara governor appoints 24-year-old as SSA on youth engagement
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has appointed 24-year-old Kaosarah Adeyi as his Senior Special Assistant on Youth Engagement. Malam Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, said this in a statement in Ilorin on Tuesday. Similarly, the governor has appointed Hajia Fatima Audu as Special Adviser on Women Affairs. Adeyi, an author who is renowned for her extensive reach within the youth constituency, is a graduate of the University of Ilorin where she is a mentor for the varsity’s empowerment beneficiaries. A youth entrepreneur, her roles entail sharing practical examples with mentees, giving mentorship on entrepreneurship and advising on how to manage school activities with their business goal-setting, planning and implementation. According to the statement, the mille...
