Headlines

Kwara APC receives 8000 Bassa PDP defectors

Published

2 years ago

February 9, 2023

Kwara APC receives 8000 Bassa PDP defectors

At least 8000 people of the Bassa community in Kwara State on Wednesday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging their overwhelming votes for all APC candidates.

The Bassa community in Kwara originated from states like Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger, Benue and FCT, and are largely farmers, spreading across many local government areas of the state.

The defectors, led by their Oba and Aguma Abassa (I), Oba Daniel Zhokwo, were jointly received at the state APC Campaign office by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor for Non-indigenes, Mr Caleb Bobi, and state APC Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Samari, on behalf of the Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The Aguma Abassa, Oba Daniel Zhokwo, said their visit was to formally defect from the PDP to APC and to declare their support for AbdulRazaq and other candidates of the party.

“We, Bassa people are here to let you know that we are decamping from PDP to APC and to let you know that we are in full support of this government led by Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq,” he declared.

The Oba commended AbdulRazaq for giving non-indigenes their fair share of his leadership, noting that the present administration has achieved greatly for the state in the last three and a half years.

He requested the government to further empower his people, most especially farmers and traders; and to provide them employment, among other demands.

He said their defection was not for monetary gains, but because they are convinced that the administration performed well and deserved another mandate to finish its good work.

“We have been residents in Kwara for years. We knew how we were maltreated by the previous administrations.

“We recall how they used to deceive us with their failed promises. They pledged to assist our people including farmers but all in vain,” he said.

Samari, while responding, appreciated the Bassas for their courage and resolve to join the winning team, pledging that the government and the party will not disappoint them and other residents of Kwara.

He urged them to keep their PVCs intact ahead of the polls, saying it remains their weapon to achieve their dream.

“For a record, I want to say that the Bassa people in Kwara are over 8,000, and the representatives here today are from about 10 communities. We have over 200 people representing that 8,000,” said the aide.

On his part, Mr Caled Bobi, the SSA to the governor for non-indigenes, said the administration is reputed for creating the right environment for residents to thrive irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. (NAN)

Kwara APC receives 8000 Bassa PDP defectors

Headlines

Kano inaugurates 14-member committee to review education policies

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

The Kano State Government has inaugurated a 14-member committee tasked with reviewing existing education policies in the state.

Inaugurating the committee on Thursday in Kano, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Ali Makoda, said that the committee was constituted by the Kano State Executive Council to assess the state’s education policies.

“This committee was originally scheduled to be inaugurated by the governor, but due to prior engagements, he has delegated the responsibility to me so that we can begin our work immediately,” Makoda stated.

The Commissioner outlined the committee’s terms of reference, which include reviewing the four existing education policies in the state to assess whether they align with the cultural and religious beliefs of the people.

“Evaluating the feasibility of implementing the policies, and making recommendations to strengthen the state’s education system.”

He noted that the four policies to be reviewed include the Kano State Girls’ Education Policy, Kano State Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy, Kano State Non-State School Policy, and Kano State Teacher Development Policy.

Makoda announced that the committee has been given three weeks to submit its report, and urged the members to leverage their expertise to produce recommendations that would enhance the state’s education sector.

In his response, the committee chairman, Malam Abdullahi Dutse, assured the commissioner of the committee’s commitment to work collaboratively to meet the expectations placed on them.

“Considering the diverse expertise of the committee members, I believe the government has selected individuals with the right skills to address the challenges facing education in the state. We will work diligently to provide the necessary report,” he said.

The committee’s members include Malam Abdullahi Dutse (Chairman), Prof Abdallah Uba -Adamu, Habibu Dan Almajiri, Alhaji Danlami Garba, Kano State Commissioner for Women, Children, and Disabled Affairs Hajiya Amina Abdullahi, and Isa Ahmad.

Other members are Prof Tijjani Naniya, Malam Kabiru Hanga, Munzali Mustapha, Prof Auwal Halliru Arzai, and Dr Bashir Aliyu -Umar.

The remaining include the representatives of the Emirate Council and Civil Society Organizations, and Ibrahim Bawa, Director of Archives and Publications, who will serve as Secretary of the committee.

Headlines

U.S commends Nigeria over Galactica funds repatriation efforts

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

The U.S. Deputy-Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, has extolled Nigeria’s partnership in the successful repatriation of funds linked to forfeited luxury real estate and Galactica Star Superyacht. (more…)

Headlines

Tinubu congratulates Nigerian scientists, engineers on making Biden’s honour list

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

Tinubu commiserates with Rashidi Ladoja over wife’s death

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated six Nigerians named by President Joe Biden among the 400 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in the United States.

This recognition, established by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, is the highest honour bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers.

This year’s awardees, announced by Biden on Jan. 14, are employed or funded by 14 participating United States government agencies, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Spokesman, said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

The Nigerian honourees include Azeez Butali, Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa; and Ijeoma Opara, Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Yale School of Public Health, Yale University.

Others are: Oluwatomi Akindele, Postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; and Eno Ebong, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University;

The rest are: Oluwasanmi Koyejo, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University; and Abidemi Ajiboye, Executive vice Chair of the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Case Western Reserve University.

Tinubu commended the awardees for their achievements in science, technology and engineering.

He noted that recognising the talents of the awardees underscored Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage.

Tinubu looked forward to the honourees sharing their multidisciplinary expertise to benefit Nigeria’s development efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda. (more…)