Politics

Why I’m supporting Tinubu for Presidency — Kwara SDP Rep candidate

Published

1 year ago

February 10, 2023

By Saka Laaro,Ilorin.

A House of Representatives Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency, Saheed Olamilekan Popoola, has said that he is rooting for the Presidential Flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, because of his antecedents as a defender of democracy.

Popoola disclosed that Tinubu came to his rescue while facing torments as the Chairman of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

He spoke in Ilorin at the 36th edition of Media Parliament of Kwara State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The SDP House of Representatives candidate, who informed that he has remained a committed progressive in his political sojourn, said the APC presidential candidate is the most qualified among the array of candidates in the presidential polls.

“I owe Asiwaju Bola Tinubu my allegiance and loyalty irrespective of my interest because he came to my rescue when they were tormenting me in this State. Then, I was serving as council chairman,” Popoola said.

He warned the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the State against unholy alliance with the Kwara State government.

Urging the INEC Chairman to call his officials at the state level to order, the two-term lawmaker of the State House of Assembly vowed that any collaboration between the State Government and the electoral umpire to pervert the forthcoming polls would be resisted.

“I want to enjoin you, journalists to guide Kwara INEC because there is a rumour going round that the present government has a relationship with them and that it is likely to favour APC in Kwara.

“Also, I want to call the attention of the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu to warn Kwara REC to desist from such activities because our people will resist any attempt to compromise the general elections in Kwara State,” he said.

Popoola, who spoke on the subject titled “With quality legislative, social re-engineering is possible,” described legislation as the most important aspect of governance and appealed to the electorate to vote reasonable individuals into the legislative arm for quality representation.

He also canvassed for local government autonomy, saying that there will be a little challenge at the third tier of government if they received funds meant for them directly devoid of the undue interference of the State Government.

Popoola, whose seat of Ojomu/Balogun Constituency of Offa Local Government was declared vacant in the State House of Assembly, took a swipe at the lawmakers in some State Houses of Assembly for their failure to concurrently pass the autonomy bill for local government areas.

In his remarks, the State Chairman of NUJ, Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed, lamented that State Houses of Assembly have continued to parade themselves as mere appendages of the executive, thus belittling the temple of lawmaking.

“What we have regrettably observed over the years is the parliament that is complicit and complacent, thus submitting its sovereignty to the executive on one hand and making mockery of itself on the other whether wittingly or unwittingly.

“In a standard democratic setting, legislative branch of government should ordinarily be the ‘Primus Inter Paris’ but reverse is the case in our clime. Even the autonomy granted the parliament, which in itself is a constitutional matter, has not deterred the inordinate quest, on the part of the executive, to subdue the legislature.

“Therefore, it is our belief that if the legislative branch of government restructures and prides itself as an independent arm whose work including enactment of laws, oversight and representation, reflect the wishes and aspirations of the people, our society is on the verge of getting it right,” Ahmed said.

Politics

Bribery allegations: Kano court fixes date for Ganduje’s arraignment

Published

10 hours ago

May 17, 2024

NewsDirect

Kano State High Court No. 7 has re-scheduled the arraignment of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje to June 5.

Ganduje is standing trial alongside his wife Hafsat Umar, his son, Abdullahi Umar and five others

The defendants in the case included Abubaka Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari textile Ltd., and lasage General Enterprise Ltd

Kano State High Court No. 5 presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba had earlier scheduled May 16 for ruling on the request substituted service on the defendants.

This was before the State Chief Judge, Justice Dije Aboki reassigned the case to High Court No 7 presided by Justice Amina Adamu.

The new charge sheet sighted contained 11 count charges against the initial eight count charges against Ganduje and his co-defendants.

They include allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

Politics

Edo elections: INEC to commence distribution of 373,030 uncollected PVCs

Published

24 hours ago

May 17, 2024

NewsDirect

Over 373,030 uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be redistributed to the owners from May 27, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha stated that the PVC collection exercise would be done side-by-side with the CVR exercise, also scheduled for May 27.

Recall that the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had announced to begin the CVR exercise in Edo and Ondo ahead of the governorship elections in the two states.

Onuoha says while the statistics of registered voters in Edo is 2,501,081, collected PVC is 2,128,288 and uncollected PVCs stand at 373,030.

He said both the CVR and the PVC collection would be a 10-day exercise, starting from May 27 to June 5, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. daily, including weekends.

The REC explained that the exercise would be conducted in the 192 wards and the state headquarters of INEC in Edo.

He also disclosed that each registration centre would be managed by two officials drawn from the commission and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“In addition to the registration of voters, the commission will also make available the uncollected PVCs for collection during CVR.

“Also note that no PVC will be collected by proxy. Registered voters should come in person to collect their cards.

“There will be no pre-registration option because of time constraints,” he said.

Onuoha, however, appealed for the support of the media, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), traditional rulers and religious leaders in encouraging voters to locate and pick up their PVCs.

According to him, the commission has published the final list of candidates for the Edo governorship election following the conclusion of primaries of the political parties.

The Deputy Director, Voter Registry, INEC Abuja, Mrs Doris Kande-Wyom, who took stakeholders through CVR processes, appealed to them to mobilise prospective registrants for the exercise.

Politics

Gov. Namadi inspects road projects, insists on timely completion

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

NewsDirect

By Umar Akilu Majeri, Dutse

The Jigawa state governor Malam Umar Namadi has inspected 26 ongoing road projects across the state and insisted for timely completion of the work.for the benefit of the public.

The ongoing projects inspected by the governor were mostly rehabilitation and reconstruction of the roads and bridges damaged by the flooding in the last two years.

Speaking to various contractors, Governor Namadi expressed satisfaction on the quality of the job at the site and urged a speed work rate for a timely completion.

The Governor told the contractors that Jigawa state is ready to continue patronising any company that demonstrates seriousness and sincerity in handling its work.

“We will not joke about paying your money as soon as you complete the work, however, we will not tolerate or accept any breach of contractual agreement particularly on quality and timely completion in accordance with the specification.”

Governor Namadi assured the Jigawa state people that his government will ensure the completion of all the ongoing road projects, and award new ones to facilitate the movement of goods and services for social and economic development.

While shading more light, the State Commissioner for Works and Transport Engineer Gambo S Malam said, the ongoing road projects have a total distance of 360 kilometers, while in some roads the works included rebuilding the collapsed bridges and provisions of new ones .

He added that so many measures were taken in the reconstruction of the roads and bridges damaged by the flood to prevent such problem In case of any flood in the future..

On their side, the contractors handling various road projects across the 27 local government areas of the state, assured the state governor that they will deliver a quality job and in a good time.