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Senators and governors are locked in a bitter row over the 2019 elections. The development sparked an uproar on the floor of the Senate yesterday.

Zamfara Central Senator Kabiru Marafa accused Governor Abdulaziz Yari of plotting to eliminate him. Both are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Marafa asked his colleagues to hold the governor and his deputy responsible should anything happen to him and members of his family.

He said he had information that his life and his family members’ were no longer safe.

The senators/governors crises in some of the states were brought up by Bauchi Central Senator Isa Misau who said the crisis between Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, could threaten the peace in that state.

Misau criticised alleged display of weapons by youths and women in Kano State on Tuesday.

Kwankwaso (Kano Central) was on Tuesday advised to shelve his planned visit to Kano State to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

Kwankwaso has been having a running battle with Kano State Governor Ganduje over unresolved political differences.

The Bauchi State lawmaker urged the Senate to condemn a situation where a senator would be prevented from visiting his constituency.

He insisted that if the development was allowed to fester, it would become a norm too dangerous to handle.

Misau said: “I want to talk about what is happening in Kano. About 70 per cent of the people in my place share boundaries with Kano. The level of thuggery we have seen in Kano State is troubling. We need to talk of how Boko Haram started in the Northeast. It started as “ECOMOG.”

”This issue happened when one of our colleagues said he was going to visit Kano State. Instead of him to be allowed to visit and talk to his people, the police stopped him. If a senator is not allowed to visit his constituency, one day, it will be anybody’s turn.

“The kind of weapons people paraded yesterday in Kano was troubling. We are watching. I see no reason why a person who wants to travel to his own town will not be allowed. For the first time in the history of this country, women were given arms in Kano on Tuesday.

“If we do not do anything about this, we will be in trouble. How do we give our own people arms? We need to investigate what is happening in Kano State to avoid a national crises.

“We need to condemn what happened in Kano. We need to investigate arms that were given to people in Kano.”

Hardly had Misau concluded his submission when Kano South Senator Kabiru Gaya challenged his right to bring an issue that was being addressed in the state to the floor of the Senate.

Gaya, also a former governor of the state, noted that contrary to the bad picture painted by Misau, there was no breakdown of law and order in Kano State.

He told his colleagues that Kano politics is peculiar and should be handled with care.

Gaya, who described the face-off between Ganduje and Kwankwaso as a “family affair”, asked the Senate to tread softly due the volatility of Kano politics.

He said: “Let me clearly say that we are peace loving people in Kano State. Kano politics has always been different. Kano has always been a volatile state during politics. The rally we had in Kano, there was no case of fighting.

“Nobody was killed. Let us understand. The issue of the two governors must be understood. They are both governors. This is a family matter and we are working to reconcile both of them.”

Backing Gaya, Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North) questioned why Misau should bring the issue to the Senate.

Barau said senators should restrict themselves to issues in their states, instead of delving into areas that do not directly affect them.

He wondered why Misau was not bothered about the face-off between him and Governor (Bauchi State) Mohammaed Abubakar).

The Kano North Senator accused Misau of misleading the Senate, by claiming that Kano State could be thrown into chaos.

.Barau said: “I am worried here. A trend is now emerging and we tend to create troubles among ourselves. What Misau has started will not go well with this Senate. The Senate President must stop it.

“We are all politicians. There are bound to be disagreements. Misau is being used by some people to blackmail us in Kano State.”

Senate President Bukola Saraki frustrated attempts by Misau to respond to the barrage of attacks on him.

Saraki gave Kwankwaso the floor, but he declined, saying: “I believe as a leader, I do not want to say anything.”

Saraki asked his colleagues to avoid bringing personal problems with state actors to the floor.

He noted that senators needed to agree at what point certain issues will be entertained in the chamber.

Saraki said,”This is a matter that can be addressed at the state level. There is still a room for reconciliation. There is going to be a trend when politics will creep in here. We need to try and manage this issue. Many states have these challenges.

“We need to agree at what point this issue should come to the floor of the Senate. Let us rise above these issues before we bring them here. We need to set up a committee to begin to look at these issues.”

Saraki told Committee on Police Affairs Chairman Abu Ibrahim to invite the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, and ensure that adequate security is provided whenever Kwankwaso decides to visit his constituency.

“They must provide security at anytime Senator Kwankwaso wants to visit Kano State,” Saraki added.

BIG STORY

Fubara Reshuffles Cabinet, Redeploys Wike’s Loyalists From Finance, Justice Ministries

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The executive governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has redeployed two commissioners in his cabinet in a major reshuffle since he took the mantle of leadership of the state.

Secretary to the state government (SSG), Tammy Danagoro, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Fubara redeployed Zacchaeus Adangor, attorney-general and commissioner for justice, to the ministry of special duties.

The governor also deployed Isaac Kamalu, commissioner for finance, to the ministry of employment generation and economic empowerment.

Danagogo said the commissioners are to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their outgoing ministries, adding that deployment is with immediate effect.

Both commissioners are loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the immediate former governor of Rivers and incumbent minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Last year, the commissioners resigned from their positions following the political feud between Wike and Fubara.

They were later reinstated after Wike and Fubara signed a peace accord facilitated by President Bola Tinubu.

Wike and Fubara are locked in a struggle for control of Rivers’ political structure.

The political crisis led to the defection of 27 state house of assembly members, who are loyal to Wike, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers have been threatening the govenor with impeachment.

The lawmakers have vetoed the governor in at least three bills after he refused his assent.

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BIG STORY

This Is Not A Time To Hold Grudges, We’ll All Gain — Aiyedatiwa To Guber Opponents

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Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, says all the governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state will all gain, but at different times.

Aiyedatiwa, on Sunday, said this in his acceptance speech after defeating 15 other governorship opponents to become the candidate of the APC in Ondo.

The gubernatorial candidate, who was deputy to the late Rotimi Akeredolu, took over the reins of the state after the latter’s demise.

The governor said a contest like the primary exercise comes with “discordant tunes”.

“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer: Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Hon. Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi Esq, Prince Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Engr. Funke Omogoroye,” he said.

“Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilized our members and removed apathy.

“You have also brought in numerous new members into the party. All of these have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the state.

“Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power.

“We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.

“I want to specially thank the President and Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership.”

Aiyedatiwa encouraged everyone to work together to build Ondo.

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BIG STORY

Yahaya Bello: Lawyer Asks Kogi Assembly To Begin Impeachment Process Against Ododo

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Due to accusations of misconduct and abuse of power, human rights attorney Deji Ajare has urged Kogi State House of Assembly Speaker Umar Yusuf to start the impeachment process against Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo.

Through the House clerk, Ajare made the call on Friday in a letter addressed to the speaker.

He said that using the governor’s motorcade to transport the troubled former state governor, Yahaya Bello, to safety amounted to harbouring a wanted person, obstructing the course of justice, and misusing public funds.

It was earlier reported that the Governor had whisked away his predecessor at about 4:20 pm on Wednesday, after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission besieged the latter’s Abuja residence, to arrest him in connection with an N80.2bn money laundering case.

Following his escape, the EFCC declared the ex-governor wanted while the Nigeria Immigration Service placed him on its watchlist. The Inspector General of Police also has directed the withdrawal of all Police units attached to the former Governor.

Ajare, in his letter, also called on the assembly to cooperate with the EFCC and ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and investigations.

“In the light of the above allegations and the inherent potential breaches of statutory duties imposed by the Constitution and other relevant laws of our country, these actions, if proven true, amount to gross misconduct and warrant immediate investigation and commencement of impeachment proceedings.

“I hereby call on the Kogi State House of Assembly under your leadership to initiate a thorough inquiry into these allegations by Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, to ascertain the truth and to hold Governor Usman Ododo accountable if the allegations are found to be true.

“I also urge the Kogi State House of Assembly to cooperate with national law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, to ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and to facilitate a smooth investigation”, he said.

He further implored the House of Assembly to take swift and decisive actions, noting the effect of the “misgovernance implied in these allegations” on the people of the state.

“I thank you as I look forward to your urgent attention to this issue. I trust in your commitment to uphold the Constitution and the laws of our land for the betterment of our state and its people”, the letter also read.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mohammed Yabagi, who spoke to our correspondent via telephone, said neither the Clerk nor the Speaker had received such a letter.

Yabagi added that the House had not seen any valid reasons to begin impeachment processe against the governor and that there was no evidence that the governor prevented security agencies from arresting Yahaya Bello.

“Anybody in the public has their perception of the matter. But the House has not seen any reason, none of the members of the House were there, and none of them saw the governor trying to prevent the security agencies from doing their job. As far as the Assembly is concerned, the Assembly supports all constitutionally recognised security agencies. We have not seen any reason why the House should commence any impeachment processes.

“For context, as far as the Executive is concerned, the immediate past governor was not even at his Abuja residence, and there’s no concrete evidence that the Executive Governor prevented them from doing their constitutionally recognised job. The House is yet to receive such a letter, and the Speaker is yet to have any knowledge of such a letter,” he said.

Meanwhile, all efforts to reach the Special Adviser on Media to the Kogi State Governor, Ismaila Isah, proved abortive, as his number was switched off.

However, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, debunked reports that Ododo helped Bello, beat security operatives who wanted to arrest him.

Fanwo in an interview with Channels TV on Thursday said the governor was committed to upholding the laws of the country, including respecting its legal processes.

“Governor Ododo did not assist in Bello’s departure from his residence; the EFCC’s claims are misinformation aimed at furthering their objectives. Bello is not evading anyone; the existing court injunction protects his fundamental rights,” he said.

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