Tag: Kano

[UPDATED] Kano Election: Ganduje, Abba Yusuf To Know Fate On Monday

A crowd of lawyers, politicians, and others gather at the Supreme Court in Abuja on January 14, 2020. Photo: Channels TV/ Sodiq Adelakun.

 

 

The Supreme Court has fixed January 20 to deliver judgment on an appeal from the governorship election in Kano State.

A seven-man panel of justices of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, fixed the date on Tuesday in Abuja at the hearing of the appeal filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9 poll, Mr Abba Yusuf.

The court fixed Monday next week to decide the fate of the appeal after listening to arguments by the counsels representing the appellant and the respondents in the suit.

The respondents are Governor Ganduje, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr Yusuf was represented at the apex court by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Adegboyega Awomolo.

Earlier, Awomolo asked the court to allow his client’s appeal, including setting aside the order of the lower court and grant all the prayers of the appellant.

He based his argument on the ground that the Returning Officer for the governorship election in Kano unilaterally cancelled the results from 207 polling units.

The senior lawyer described the action of the electoral officer as ultra vires, null and void, but his submissions were swiftly countered by the counsel representing INEC, Mr Ahmed Raji.

Raji, who is also a senior advocate, asked the court to dismiss the appeal on the ground that the allegations were false.

Rather, he explained that the true situation was that agents of the appellant prevented the collation of results from the said polling units.

The lawyer said there was no evidence to prove the cancellation of results by the returning officer as claimed by the appellant.

In his argument, the counsel representing Governor Ganduje, Mr Offiong Offiong, aligned himself with the submissions of the INEC lawyer.

He stressed that the final results submitted by the returning officer did not contain results from the 207 polling units in dispute, and there was no way he could have cancelled results he did not have.

Offiong informed the court that an agent of the appellant hijacked results of 62 polling units which he later presented at the Police Headquarters in Kano.

He submitted that allowing the appeal of the PDP candidate would amount to sanctioning electoral violence.

Results From 207 Polling Units Were Cancelled, Kano PDP Gov Candidate Claims

 

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, Mr Abba Yusuf, has challenged the re-election of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in the March 9 poll.

Mr Yusuf filed an appeal at the Supreme Court following the governor’s victory at the Kano State Governorship Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

He was represented at the apex court by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Adegboyega Awomolo while Governor Ganduje and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as respondents in the appeal.

At the sitting on Tuesday, Adegboyega urged the court to allow his client’s appeal, including setting aside the order of the lower court and grant all the prayers of the appellant.

Adegboyega predicated his argument on the ground that the Returning Officer for the governorship election in Kano State unilaterally cancelled the results from 207 polling units.

He described the action of the electoral officer as ultra vires, null and void.

The counsel representing INEC, Mr Ahmed Raji, however, countered the claims of the PDP candidate’s lawyer.

Raji, also a senior advocate, asked the court to dismiss the appeal on the ground that the allegations were not true.

He informed the court that the true situation was that agents of the appellant prevented the collation of results from the said polling units.

The lawyer added that there was no evidence to prove the cancelation of results by the returning officer as claimed by his colleague.

On his part, the counsel representing Governor Ganduje, Mr Offiong Offiong, aligned himself with the submissions of Mr Raji.

He insisted that the final results submitted by the returning officer did not contain results from the 207 polling units in dispute, and there was no way he could have cancelled results he did not have.

Offiong, however, told the court that an agent of the appellant hijacked results of 62 polling units which he later presented at the Police Headquarters in Kano.

According to him, allowing the appeal of the PDP candidate amounts to sanctioning electoral violence.

Osinbajo In Kano To Commission Flyover Bridges, Other Projects

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disembarks from the aircraft at the Mallam Aminu Kano international Airport on January 13, 2020.

 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday is in Kano State, northwest Nigeria on a one-day official visit to commission some major infrastructure projects.

Osinbajo who arrived at the VIP Wing of the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport was received by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, his Deputy, Nasiru Gawuna and senior government officials.

The Vice President will use the occasion of his visit to commission the Alhassan Dantata Bridge in Sabon Gari, Tijjani Hashim Flyover in Kofar Ruwa areas of the state.

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He will also perform the foundation laying ceremony and inspection of some projects embarked upon by the state government.

See Photos Below:

Supreme Court Adjourns Hearing Of Governorship Appeals For Six States

Photo: Channels TV/Sodiq Adelakun

 

The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing of the appeals from the governorship elections in Imo, Bauchi, Sokoto, Kano, Plateau and Benue States to Tuesday.

The hearing of the appeals, brought by various aggrieved candidates in the March 9 polls in the affected states, was scheduled at the apex court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The apex court was expected to give judgment on the six states on Monday but had a couple of setbacks including an over-crowded courtroom and a member of the panel falling sick.

Justice Ibrahim Mohammed, who made the announcement, said the sick member had been attended to, but the hearing will continue on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.

Earlier, the commencement of hearing was stalled due to the inability of the security men to control the crowd and noise level in the court.

RELATED: Supreme Court Hears Governorship Appeals From Sokoto, Kano, Four Other States

Justice Mohammed ordered that counsels representing the parties should not to appear with more than five Lawyers, but parties in the case were however allowed to witness the proceedings.

Politicians who were not parties in any of the appeals were asked to also leave the courtroom.

Meanwhile, the governors returned elected by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the six states are Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Simon Lalong (Plateau), and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

Supreme Court Hears Governorship Appeals From Sokoto, Kano, Four Other States

Supreme Court Strikes Out APC's Appeal On Exclusion From Rivers Elections

 

The Supreme Court has begun hearing of the appeals from the governorship elections in Imo, Bauchi, Sokoto, Kano, Plateau and Benue States.

The hearing of the appeals, brought by various aggrieved candidates in the March 9 polls in the affected states, took place on Monday at the apex court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, presided over a seven-man panel hearing the appeals.

The appeals were brought before the court by various aggrieved candidates in the March 9 polls in the affected states.

The apex court is hearing the appeals filed by the governorship candidates 10 months after the elections held in the affected states.

The governors returned elected by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the states are Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Simon Lalong (Plateau), and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

Shortly after the court commenced sitting, Justice Muhammadu suspended the hearing of the appeals over the inability of the security operatives to control the crowd and the noise level in the court.

As part of efforts to decongest the court, the CJN directed counsels representing the parties not to appear with more than five lawyers.

He, however, granted the parties in the case to witness the proceedings and until that was done, Justice Muhammad ordered that the hearing be put on hold.

Thereafter, politicians who were not parties in any of the appeals were asked to leave the courtroom as the police deploy a dog to assist in the decongestion process.

After carrying out the directive of the CJN to decongest the courtroom, the court resumed proceedings.

Justice Muhammad, however, announced that a member of the panel was sick after which he adjourned all the appeals until Tuesday.

25 Burnt To Death In Bauchi – Kano Road Accident

 

Twenty-five persons were burnt beyond recognition in a motor accident around Gubi Village along the Bauchi – Kano road in the early hours of Thursday.

The accident was a head-on collision involving a Hummer bus conveying 22 passengers from Katsina to Yola and a J5 vehicle carrying four persons and 20 cows from Bauchi to Kano.

 

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer Bauchi State Command, Kamal Datti, noted, however, that only the Hummer bus driver survived.

According to the PRO, he is currently receiving treatment at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi.

So far, 4 families have approached the security officials to claim the bodies of their loved ones.

Ganduje Appoints Sanusi As Kano Council Of Chiefs Chairman

Muhammadu Sanusi II                                                                                                  Abdullahi Ganduje

 

 

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has appointed the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the Chairman of the State Council of Chiefs.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abba Anwar, announced this in a statement on Monday.

This comes against the backdrop of the creation of four additional emirates in the state – Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya – to decentralise the powers of the Kano Emirate.

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In the statement, Anwar explained that the governor appointed Sanusi and others to lead the affairs of the Council in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

“By the powers conferred on the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, by Sections 4 (2) (g) and Section 5((1) (2) of the Kano State Emirate Councils Law 2019, he makes the following appointments; that His Highness, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano Emirate, as Chairman Kano State Council of Chiefs.

“Among other members of the State Council of Chiefs are all other four first-class Emirs of Bichi, Rano, Karaye and Gaya, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Alhaji Dr Tafida Abubakar (Autan Bawo), Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Abubakar II, and Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir, who are also automatic members of the Council, as enshrined in the State Emirate Council Law,” the governor’s aide said.

He added that Section 4(2) gave other members as Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner for Local Governments, five Chairmen of Local Government Councils – one each from the Local Government Council where the Emir’s palace is situated.

“Others according to this Section comprise at least 10 kingmakers, two each from the five emirates mentioned under Section 3(1) of the Law, Chief Imam of each Emirate.

“Other members include a representative of the business community from each emirate to be appointed by the governor, as the names of Alhaji Dalhat Al-Hamsad and Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano are appointed by the governor, as two of them,” he disclosed.

According to Anwar, the law also stipulates as members of the Council of Chiefs, a representative of security agencies, the police, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

“Section 5(1), (2) of the Law provides that, the Chairmanship of the State Council of Chiefs shall be rotational among the five Emirs of the Emirates and the sequence of which is to be determined by the governor and the Chairman shall serve for a period of two years only.

“The appointment is with effect from Monday, the 9th Day of December 2019. It is also directed that the Chairman shall immediately summon the inaugural meeting of the Council in accordance with the provisions of the Law,” Ganduje’s aide added.

The governor, therefore, urged all the Council members to utilise the opportunity to serve the people in the state.

He also asked them to strengthen the emirates and the traditional system of administration in the Kano in advising the state government, more particularly on security matters.

Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline Construction To Begin Soon, Says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari with some world leaders at the 5th Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on November 29, 2019.

 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari says the Federal Government will soon commence the construction of the 600-kilometre Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline.

Addressing the 5th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit on Friday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, he noted that the project would ease the movement of gas from the Southern part of the country to the North.

The President disclosed that the viability of extending the gas pipeline to North Africa was also under consideration.

He described the theme of the Summit, ‘Natural Gas – Energy for Sustainable Development’ as most appropriate, saying the one-day meeting was “taking place at a critical juncture as global energy supply is transitioning from hydrocarbons to renewables.”

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The Energy Deficit

“The Paris Accord of 2015 signalled the first major global commitment to a deliberate effort on this inevitable transition,” President Buhari said, stressing that “Nigeria is proud to be one of the first signatories” to the historic agreement.

He further explained why Nigeria and GECF members were focusing on gas development.

“We are mindful of the energy deficit in the developing world especially, here in Africa where we have nearly 600 million people without access to modern energy,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

He added, “As responsible leaders, it is our duty to preserve the environment not only for the present but for future generations.

“We can achieve this balance between our energy deficit and environmental preservation needs by developing and deploying new technologies. Although classified as fossil fuel, natural gas is a viable solution to both our energy and environmental challenges.”

President Buhari noted further that “natural gas has the added advantage of availability and affordability,” stressing that, “to fully leverage this potential, nations need to pool resources to put up trans-border and trans-regional energy infrastructure.”

According to him, Nigeria has led the way by the construction of the West Africa Gas Pipeline which runs through four West African countries.

The President commended the foresight of the founding fathers of the GECF in promoting natural gas in the global energy mix.

The summit was declared open by the host and Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

President Mbasogo, in his remarks, called on members of the GECF to continue to work in harmony towards the realisation of the objectives of the multinational organisation.

Plans Concluded To Begin Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Pipeline Project – NNPC

A file photo of NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr Mele Kyari.

 

 

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it has concluded plans for the commencement of work on the Abuja-Kaduna- Kano pipeline project, popularly known as AKK Project.

A statement by NNPC’s acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Samson Makoji, noted that the project would be executed in collaboration with China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited (CPPECL) and Brantex Consortium.

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, according to the statement gave this indication when he received the President of CPPECL, Sun Quanjun, and the head of the Brantex Consortium on Wednesday at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

Kyari stated that the AKK project was key to resolving the power deficit challenge of the country, stressing that NNPC was ready to give all necessary support to CPPECL and Brantex Consortium to deliver the project within time and within budget.

He explained that the AKK project was very important to the nation and urged the China Pipeline Company to use it as a platform for other bigger opportunities in the oil and gas industry pipeline projects.

The NNPC boss said, “We think you can deliver on the AKK project. If you execute the AKK project, we will also support your company to grow her imprint in Nigeria.

“I assure you that this partnership will be beneficial to us all and deliver value for the Nigerian people.”

Earlier, Mr Quanjun said his company and Brantex Consortium were prepared to deliver on the AKK project, stressing that it would deploy its new pipeline technology system capable of guaranteeing the integrity of the project for several decades to come.

He added that his company would also establish a training facility in Nigeria that would help in the training and retraining of its employees here.

The CPPECL President also gave assurance that his company had one of the best pipeline training centres in China.

Kano Govt Continues To Recognise Emirs As First Class Despite Court Ruling

 

Despite a State High Court ruling which nullified the creation of four additional Emirates in Kano State, the State Government says it still recognizes the new Emirs as first-class monarchs in their respective kingdoms.

A communique issued by the state commissioner of information and internal affairs Muhammad Garba states that the Kano State Government will not fold its arms and concede to threats on constitutional power in the interest of the wellbeing of the people and general development of the state.

READ ALSO: Bichi Residents Protest Over Court’s Nullification Of New Kano Emirates

It further states that the Kano State government is studying the ruling of Kano High Court on the creation of four new Emirates in the state with a view to taking immediate appropriate action.

Malam Muhammad Garba regretted that “despite the constitutional power and authority conferred on the State Assembly on such progressive and important issue, the court rules otherwise.”

Malam Garba says despite the ruling, the government still recognizes them as First Class Emirs and will continue dealing with them as such.

Regarding protests which are ongoing across all four Emirates against the High Court ruling, the commissioner advised people to be calm and law-abiding even as further actions are awaited.

Cattle Gang Launches Deadly Attack In Zamfara

 

A gang of cattle thieves killed 14 people overnight Sunday in a remote village in Zamfara State, police said, the latest assault in a long-running series of tit-for-tat attacks.

Police said the bandits were taking revenge for an earlier killing of nine suspected gang members by local vigilantes in a nearby village in Zamfara on November 3.

In the absence of a robust police force and effective judicial system in Nigeria, villagers created vigilante groups to fight off the gangs, but the villagers have since been accused of extra-judicial killings.

Zamfara officials struck a deal in July with the bandits to end their attacks and vigilantes to stop extra-judicial killings, but sporadic outbreaks of violence have continued.

Zamfara police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said assailants riding motorcycles stormed into a remote village overnight Sunday to Monday, shooting residents and burning homes.

As well as the 14 people who were killed, 10 others were injured, Shehu said.

For several years, rural communities in the agrarian state have been under siege from gangs of cattle rustlers.

The gangs launch their attacks from their camps dotting the Rugu forest — which straddles the states of Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger.

The peace deal had seen the cessation of bandit attacks in Zamfara state, prompting authorities in nearby Katsina state to start similar peace talks with the bandits.

However, sporadic outbreaks of violence are still reported. Last month bandits killed nine soldiers in reprisal after troops attacked their hideout in Anka district and killed their comrades.

Ganduje Constitutes Panel To Investigate Cases Of Missing Persons In Kano

Ganduje Denies Creating Additional Kano Emirates To Settle Personal Scores
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje (file)

 

 

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has set up a commission of inquiry into the cases of missing persons in the state.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, announced this in a statement forwarded to Channels Television, following the rescue of nine children kidnapped in Kano but later found in Anambra State.

“The Governor of Kano State, do hereby, notify the general public of the appointment of the persons named in the schedule hereto as commissioners with authority to hold a Commission of Inquiry into cases of missing persons in Kano State, from the year 2010 to 2019 with effect from 30th October, 2019 to 30th November 2019,” the statement read.

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Part of the terms of reference given to the commission is to conduct an inquiry into cases of missing persons in Kano from 2010 to date and to procure all such evidence, written or oral.

It also has a duty to examine all such persons as witnesses as the commissioners may deem it necessary or desirable to procure or examine.

According to the statement, the panel is asked to summon any person in the country to attend any meeting of the commissioners to give evidence or produce any document or other things in his possession and to require the evidence (whether written or oral) of any witness to be made on oath or declaration.

It added that the commission has the mandate to admit or exclude the public, including the press from any of its hearing and prepare comprehensive data of missing persons in Kano State within the period and circumstances in which they disappeared.

The committee was also directed to find out the immediate and remote causes of such cases as well as prepare and submit a written report, including findings and recommendations to the state government.

The panel is chaired by Retired Justice Wada Rano and would be inaugurated on Thursday next week.