News

By Uzair Adam Imam

As votes were cast yesterday, the Kano State people continue to wait for the official announcement of the Governorship and the State House of Assembly elections` results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The umpire electoral body has this evening started the official announcement of the result today as returning officers of various polling units across the 44 local government areas submitted their elections results to the INEC.

However, some supporters of Eng. Abba Kabir Yusuf, the gubernatorial candidate of Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso`s New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), have started celebrations, given the wave of success they see from the results of various local government areas of the state.

The supporters took to their various social media platforms to celebrate Eng. Abba Kabir Yusuf said they foresee a better Kano under his administration, adding that they voted for him to continue the good work of his political godfather, Eng Rabi`u Musa Kwankwaso.

The supporters predicted that Abba would win the election, and their posts, “Abba is coming, in sha Allah”, went viral on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, among many other social media platforms, including Tiktok.

Eng. Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida, has been the major opponent of Dr Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Gawuna, who is the Deputy Governor of the state, was nominated by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to succeed him.

During the BBC`s debate for the governorship candidates in the state, Gawuna was also reported to have said that he would continue the good works of all his predecessors, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, Eng. Rabi`u Musa Kwankwaso and Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Other candidates include Sadiq Wali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sha`aban Sharada of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Malam Ibrahim Kalil of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), among other candidates.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Yakubu Dogara, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, alleges that there was widespread vote-buying yesterday during the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in some local councils in Bauchi State.

Dogara made this claim after casting his ballot in Gwarangah 007 Polling Unit in Bogoro Local Council.

He said, “There is massive vote-buying going on across polling units; security agencies have been briefed. From the information I have received, we saw what is going on in Darazo local council, the same thing in some local councils in Bauchi North.

“I’m also aware from the security team that lots of vote-buying is going on in Alkaleri local council. I hope the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and security agencies will be on their toes to deal with this so that we can have free, fair elections,” Dogara said.

He added that it took him five hours before he could vote during the last election, but there was an improvement this time around.

By Muhammad Suleiman Yobe

Speaker Yobe State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Lawan Mirwa of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, has lost his seat in the just concluded governorship and state house of assembly elections held yesterday, Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Lawan Mirwa, representing Nguru outside constituency in the Yobe State House of Assembly since 2003, has lost his seat to People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidate Musa Lawan Majakura.

Majakura got 6,648 votes, Mirwa got 6,466 votes, Bukar Jatau of New Nigeria People’s Party got 23 votes, while Mai Zare Idriss Idriss of APM Party got 14 votes followed by Isah Sa’idu Shehu of the ADC party who got 30 votes.

While declaring the election results, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC’s returning officer, Nguru Outside state Constituency, Alhaji Mahdi Damaturu, announced Lawan Musa Majakura of the PDP as the winner.

“Musa Lawan Majakura of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and return elected”, he added.

Musa Lawan Majakura, who is 29 years old, obtained a diploma from Atiku Abubakar College of Legal and Islamic Studies Nguru, Yobe state. Before winning this election, the ruling party APC did its best to force him to withdraw his candidacy, but he refused.

Recalled that the Speaker, Ahmed Lawan Mirwa, first came to the Yobe State House of Assembly in 2003 and became the Speaker of the House in 2019.

By By Abdullahi Khairalla

In the early hours of today, the people of Maiduguri, Borno State, woke up with the sad event of an unfortunate mishap of fire incident at Maiduguri Gamboru market, which led to the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.

This has thrown the people of the metropolis into a frenzy as they are yet to come to terms with the losses incurred by the Monday Market inferno a few weeks before.

Similarly, another fire accident occurred in Biu local government area. The town’s central market was also engulfed by fire, bringing chaos to the people in the area and surrounding.

This is happening days before Ramadan, a period associated with hikes in the prices of goods and services, which may lead to untold hardship.

Authorities have yet to speak about the incidents as during this report. However, this might be due to ongoing gubernatorial and state assembly elections today.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Reports from Katsina in northwest Nigeria indicate that bandits had attempted to sabotage elections in the state, in which one person was allegedly burned to death.

According to a report by Channels TV, the person who was set on fire was a member of the bandits who arrived to sow chaos.

The incident happened at a polling unit along the General Hospital Road in the Batsari Local Government District of Katsina State.

According to witnesses, a squad of security forces intercepted the suspected bandit and a member of his gang.

There was no more information about the incident when this report was filed.

By Muhammad Suleiman Yobe

The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, Malam Aminu Ibrahim, has accused the All Progressive Congress APC of using money to buy the people’s votes.

Malam Aminu Ringim stated this shortly after casting his vote at the Marakawa 008 polling unit in Katutu Primary School in Ringim Local Government in Jigawa State.

Ringim alleges that APC representatives give people cards and money when voting for their party.

This came shortly after the police arrested a party representative, distributing cards and money to those who voted for the party.

“We witnessed how votes are buying in Jigawa state, and we are taken pictures of how things are going”, Ringim.

He also alleged that there was a polling unit where the presiding officer was taken away in a car.

“Now we are collecting information, and once we have completed it, we will take the appropriate action,” Ringim said.

He, therefore, called on the public to avoid selling their votes during this election.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as false online reports that the party had zoned some important positions in the upcoming 10th National Assembly.
 
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Barr. Felix Morka, debunked the report in a statement released on Friday.
 
He said: “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a report circulating on social media on the purported zoning of key positions in the incoming 10th National Assembly.
 
“The report is false and misleading, and should be disregarded in its entirety. The party has not made any decision on zoning of positions or offices of the 10th Assembly.
 
“As soon as a decision is made on zoning, it will be made public through the party’s official communications channel.”
 
Recall that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, disclosed that he has no favourite candidates for the leadership of both chambers who would make up the 10th National Assembly during the meeting with incoming National Assembly members-elect.
 
Senator Abdulahi Adamu, the party’s national chairman, also stated during the meeting that Tinubu and the party leadership would have the necessary consultations to come up with a plan for sharing the National Assembly’s offices.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A group of persons from different states in Nigeria, under the auspices of Concerned Citizens for Human Rights and Democracy, have expressed their thoughts on the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Kano State.

In a now viral WhatsApp message, the group said they would vote for Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, over Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress.

The group predicated their concerns on the failure of the administration of the incumbent governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

According to them, poverty, non-payment of gratuity and the illegal sales of government properties characterise Ganduje’s administration.

They further opine that Gawuna’s intention to continue with the policies of the incumbent governor is shameless and disastrous.

A paragraph in the article reads:

“Upon all the offences and atrocities committed to the people of Kano State by Mr. Ganduje and his cabinet, still the All Progressive Congress’ candidate in the next coming Saturday Governorship elections in Kano State, Dr. Nasiru Gawuna had without slightest feeling of shame pledges to continue with the unpopular policies and oppressive programmes of the present administration of the state if elected. But no wonder! since, the duo are accomplice in the destruction of the economy and society of Kano.”

The signatories to the article include:

1. Dr. Bolaji Raheem, Sociologist (Lagos)
2. Mr. Oluka Jekky, Medical Doctor (Port Harcourt)
3. Mrs. Nneka Obi, Activist (Anambra)
   Hebert Kingsley, Historian (Akwaibom State)
4. Ali Yabo, Trade Unionist ( Sokoto State)
5. Mallam Babawo Ibrahim, Writer ( Katsina State)
6. Dr. Mvandiga Tor Political Scientist, Benue State
7. Ibrahim Zunkur, Pastor ( Plateau State)
8. Muhammad Wunti, Teacher ( Bauchi State)
9. Babagana Musa, Aid Worker ( Borno)
   Saleh Garba , Islamic Cleric/Imam ( Jigawa)

By Uzair Adam Imam

A former deputy governor of the State, Professor Hafizu Abubakar supports Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf ahead of Kano gubernatorial elections on Saturday, 18th March, 2023.

Prof. Hafiz, who’s still a member of All Progressives Congress (APC) stated this during an interview on Express Radio on Thursday.

Professor Hafizu also blamed the APC government for imposing numerous unnecessary hardships of cash and fuel scarcity on the citizens over the years.

He called on Kano citizens to vote for Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida, for a better Kano on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Professor Hafizu also urged the people Kano State to vote wisely in order to get rid of the APC government in the state.

The Former Deputy Governor also asked the citizens to ensure peaceful election while casting their votes and never allow anyone to rig or disrupt the election process.

He stated, “I ask the Kano state people to come out and vote for NNPP. And, they should not allow anyone to rig the election results because this people (APC) can do whatever to rig this election.”

Furthermore, the former deputy governor explained how he sponsored over 1000 youths into various trainings in order to solve some of their problems.

He said that the trainings were to reduce the number of jobless people and enabled them to be self-reliant due to the incessant job scarcity in the state.

The trainees comprised of 700 females and 300 males. Each of them received a start-up capital of N 5,000.

“We consider the situation people find themselves today of poverty. We therefore decided to come up with this idea of training 1,000 people on various skills acquisition.

We gave N5,000 to each of them. We also have the data of these people and many others and we will consider them if NNPP wins the Saturday’s election,” he said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Commissioner of Police in charge of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Kano State, Muhammed Usaini Gumel, has pledged to ensure a peaceful election in Nigeria’s Center of Commerce.

CP Gumel, in a press briefing on Thursday in Kano, disclosed the readiness of the Police to ensure that the guber and state parliamentary elections are conducted peacefully.

CP Gummel, in the press briefing, outlined the measures taken by the Police to avoid security breaches during the election.

According to him, the Police have undertaken security analysis and upscale the level of preparation across all the polling units in Kano State.

He said, “We have undertaken security threat analysis and upscale the level of preparation for the elections across all the polling units at the local government areas of the state, and we are fully prepared to emplace the requisite strategies towards managing the identified threats.”

Against the backdrop of Police preparedness, CP Gumel sought the trust and confidence of the people of Kano. He stated that criminals that wish to thwart the electoral process would be decisively dealt with.

“Ladies and Gentleman, please give us confidence so that nobody should be in doubt, I repeat, nobody should be in doubt as to the current capacity and renewed determination of the police to deal decisively with elements that attempt to test the will by engaging in political violence or other electoral manipulations including vote buying or use of threats; direct or indirect which are some of the elements threatening our democratic values.

“A similar warning also goes to any person that intends to offer himself to be used negatively by some ungodly political class in the state and urges him/her to take the advice that it will be better to have a rethink or else be ready to face the harsh consequences. Thank you for listening,” He said.