Politics

By Uzair Adam Imam

Former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has taken legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prevent his arrest. The suit, filed at the Kano High Court, has been assigned to Justice Yusuf Ubale.

According to sources, the lawsuit aims to restrain the EFCC from detaining Kwankwaso, who is currently under investigation for an alleged involvement in a N2.5 billion campaign fund fraud associated with the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The anti-graft agency had previously interrogated him regarding the matter.

Kwankwaso’s move comes as a preemptive measure to avoid arrest and potential detention by the EFCC. The case is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.

In a related development, the EFCC has been actively pursuing cases of fraud and corruption, with recent arrests and prosecutions of suspected internet fraudsters and electricity agency officials.

This legal battle between Kwankwaso and the EFCC is a significant development in the ongoing fight against corruption in Nigeria, and it remains to be seen how the court will rule in this case.

By Mubarak Usman

“The sign of a good Friday can be determined by a promising Wednesday.” – Hausa adage

It has been over one year since Senator Uba Sani was sworn in as the governor of Kaduna State. The honeymoon days are over, and it is time to start interrogating Governor Uba Sani’s policies, decisions, actions or inactions.

Spin doctors, sycophants, party members, and admirers are all at work trying to outdo one another in celebrating Governor Sani, which is the best thing to have happened to Kaduna state since the invention of sliced bread. Strategic locations within the Kaduna metropolis are not left behind, with erected billboards showcasing real and ‘audio’ projects or achievements.

In his acceptance speech after being declared as the winner of the 2023 gubernatorial election of Kaduna state, Senator Uba Sani thanked the people of Kaduna for voting him into power and promised to “get straight to work on sustaining and strengthening the development path that our beloved leader Malam Nasir El-Rufai has so brilliantly opened for Kaduna State. I thank Malam Nasir El-Rufai and his executive team for their collective efforts since 2015 to build the foundations for a new Kaduna State. Power is sweet, but it comes with responsibilities!

When people expect Governor Uba Sani to hit the ground running, his lacklustre approach to governance begins to manifest. He is just absent. He could not just sit to spearhead the State Executive Council meetings regularly. In his defence, his spin doctors claimed that the government does not revolve around him alone. Bello Galadanchi, the skit creator, made a witty skit about this absentism.

The governor called for a stakeholders’ engagement meeting to explain the state of affairs. He complained about the debt profile left behind by the previous administration and how it has been hindering his progress or performance. This is a ruse!

Governor Uba Sani did not explain how he contributed to the state’s massive debt profile. Politicians like him would think the populace is suffering from amnesia, so the collective intelligence of the good people of Kaduna state can be insulted.

First, the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, sought foreign loans to finance projects in the state. The loan was denied courtesy of the three (3) senators from Kaduna state during the 8th National Assembly. El-Rufai deployed all his arsenals to ensure none of the three senators returned to the 9th Assembly. And only Senator Danjuma Laah survived El-Rufai’s political onslaught.

Senator Uba Sani was drafted into the 9th Assembly to secure the now problematic loan. Responding to questions thrown at him during an interview, he said: “I am extremely happy and proud of the role some of us played in securing this loan for Kaduna State.” He did not stop there!

He said, “I, Senator Uba Sani, be held liable if the Governor [El-Rufai] fails or disappoints.” Will he now claim he did not know who El-Rufai was when entrusted with public funds? What is his share of the blame in the quagmire Kaduna? When Governors were praising the floating of the Naira by President Tinubu, did Governor Sani realise the implications of such a policy on the loans he helped secure? It is a classic case of shooting oneself on foot, double standards and hypocrisy characterised by politicians.

Secondly, a government complaining about a huge debt profile should not be seen engaging in non-priority projects like building a banquet hall in Sir Kashim Ibrahim House. The Government House has a council chamber for its functions, and so does the deputy governor’s office. Where the chamber isn’t enough for a state function due to population, the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Hall in Murtala Mohammed Square can serve the purpose in whatever capacity. This is not to mention the hall domiciled in General Hassan Usman Katsina House.

This new banquet hall is being built while many abandoned road projects in Zaria and Kaduna metropolis yearn for serious attention. These roads have caused untoward discomfort, accidents, and health hazards to commuters. Keen observers are still in the dark regarding the bidding or procurement processes leading to the award of such a misplaced project. Where is the transparency and accountability? Are we now experiencing the birth of another version of the now scandalous Ronchess and CCECC?

Despite the many mistakes of the previous administration, the Kaduna State Geographical Information Services (KADGIS) was more effective and efficient in handling customers’ queries or problems. Receiving certificates of occupancy (CofO) wasn’t a difficult task. Under the current administration in one year, people are becoming hopeless as hushed and loud voices or conversations within and without the agency have it that the governor is globetrotting and doesn’t have enough time to append his signature on certificates. One shudder to think how a government crying about debt profiles will take the affairs of such a revenue-generating agency lightly. There is more.

When appointing the head of the agency, KADGIS, the governor bucked the KADGIS Law and employed someone who did not meet the requirements as provided by the Law. This cluelessness was also exhibited in the appointment of other agencies. One would wonder where the state House of Assembly members are in all these. Are they the typical rubber stamp legislators? Your guess is as good as mine.

Loans upon loans. The Kaduna state government targets loans of about N150 billion in the 2024 state budget. I hope the State House of Assembly will diligently carry out its oversight functions as the governor moves to the rural areas. We have been witnessing groundbreaking ceremonies here and there, but the procurement processes, from advertisement to contract awarding, are unclear. The State House of Assembly should save the state, the next legislature, and the Kaduna people the stress of probing this current administration some years from now by carrying out their oversight functions. Can they? Time will tell.

Furthermore, running tap water is still a luxury in the state. Many in the metropolis now roam the streets searching for water to drink or bath, not to mention more people living outside the metropolis. Clairvoyant analysts suggest that some of these monies expended in the name of palliative should have been channelled to Kaduna State Water Corporation to make tap water available in people’s homes. Therefore, the House of Assembly should also shed light on these issues and the N11.4 billion disbursed in the name of palliative interventions. Who were the beneficiaries? What are the expected outcomes? How many people were lifted out of poverty caused by inflation and the APC-led government policies?

Again, Kaduna state has the lowest-paid medical doctors and health practitioners and a difficult and depressing working environment. These conditions have made these professionals quit their jobs for better offers in neighbouring states. Junketing out of the state at the slightest opportunity and under the guise of wooing foreign and local investors will not change these stark realities. This media show should end with the governor’s predecessor and now estranged boss.

The problems highlighted above are just a dot in the circle of nagging issues disturbing the good people of Kaduna state. Obviously, the governor only gets to meet praise singers, so he is not popular beyond sycophants, his appointees, and hungry rented crowds. There are more reasons why discerning citizens should write more articles about Kaduna state to remind them of the public perception of his government.

Finally, Governor Sani has the opportunity to sit up, evaluate his current team, and make adjustments before he and his team find themselves in a web of scandals after his administration. The good people of Kaduna need responsible and purpose-driven leadership, not excuses and the hazy governance that has characterised his 365 days in office.

Mubarak Usman writes from Unguwar Muazu, Kaduna.

By Aliyu Dalhatu Adamu

Kano people are known as peace-loving, as inculcated by the longest-serving Emir of the kingdom, Alhaji Ado Bayero,who led for over 50 years. His charisma and love for his people made him unique among all African traditional rulers. 

Kano people were traumatised by His Highness Alhaji Ado Bayero’s demise in June 2014, and the loss remained irreplaceable until 2020 when His Highness Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero became the Emir of Kano. His emergence renewed the hope of the Kano people because he exhibited the same characteristics as his father. This makes him earn the love that people have for his father, which no one has in Kano.

The recent development of the Emir and reinstatement of the deposed Emir Sunusi Lamido Sunusi have seriously disrupted peace and stability in the state. This has opened doors for hooligans and thugs to widen their operations in the state.

It is a known fact that hooliganism and thuggery threaten the security of lives and property in every society. Hence, leaders are saddled with the responsibility of maintaining law and order to prevent potential offenders from engaging in such acts. 

It is unfortunate to say that the current administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has begun to do the other way around, as hoodlums and thugs are allowed to take over the Kano palace in the name of protecting the selfish and politically motivated interest of his political godfather. This has become a serious threat to the peace and safety of people in Kano as the hoodlums are harassing and intimidating people at will within the vicinity of the Kano Emir’s palace, all in the name of imposing Sunusi on the throne, which is facing outright absolute rejection by the good people of Kano.

This unbecoming attitude is becoming an eye-opener for young children who are now growing to witness this evil as a condoned behaviour. This may contribute to making hooliganism a wider phenomenon, a useful symbol, and a social obsession in the future tradition of the Kano Emirate traditional system.

Since the reinstatement of Sunusi Lamido Sunusi to Gidan Dabo, the palace and areas such as Kofar Kudu, Kano Municipal, Gwale, Dala, and the surrounding areas become the headquarters of thugs. Even medical workers at Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital were attacked on the 27th of May, 2024. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) issued a statement condemning the barbaric development. Many other people living in the neighbourhood are not spared either.

This situation arose when the city’s public spaces were “swarming” with thousands of newly armed groups mandated to “protect” and pay allegiance to Emir Sunusi. These groups were recruited by the Kano state government only to praise their political master at the detriment of public safety.

Indeed, Gov Yusuf’s incompetence, ineptness, and clueless leadership style are undoubtedly taking Kano back to square zero. The pickle of the Kano emirship brawl is a cessation of Kano peace and stability as a courtesy to Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of the state Kwankwaso, by Governor Yusuf and the former Emir Sunusi Lamido Sunusi, in a bid to drag Kano to the state of anarchy. 

Hooligans also came to represent the dangers inherent in loosening constraints on society. Even when hooligans victimised people far from their concerns, the increase in their numbers, the apparent pettiness of their motives, and the savagery of their actions within Gidan Dabo suggested that certain members of the lower classes were either very beastly or very angry and that the mechanisms of state’s control were no longer in place to checkmate this.

Now, what we ask is, does the state government prioritise praising its political godfather over protecting the blood of theKano people?

Ironically, hooliganism and thuggery that previous administrations fought have now been revived by the present administration as the number 2IC in the government triggered the infiltration and indoctrination of youth into hooliganism and thuggery.

On this note, we are calling on the federal government, security agencies, intelligence communities, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),  northern traditional rulers, religious leaders and all other relevant authorities to intervene. They should also advise the Kano state government to obey the court order restraining them from reinstating the deposed Emir Sunusi Lamido Sunusi and dissolving the remaining four Emirates in the interest of the good people of Kano. This will bring an end to hooliganism, public disrespect, defiance, chaos, and violence that are capable of destabilising the peace and security of Kano State.

Aliyu Dalhatu Adamu wrote from the Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, via

aliyudalhatuadamu@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal Government has stated that it cannot meet the labour unions’ demand to increase the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N494,000.

According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the demand would result in a total wages bill of N9.5 trillion yearly for federal workers alone, potentially destabilizing the economy and jeopardizing the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians.

The government offered a 100% increase to N60,000, which has been accepted by the private sector.

However, labour is seeking a 1,547% increase to N494,000.

The minister appealed to labour to return to negotiations and embrace realistic wages.

The government prioritizes affordability, sustainability, and the overall health of the nation’s economy, considering the welfare of all Nigerians, not just workers.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A Rivers State High Court has declared the seats of 25 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) vacant.

The court ordered the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other lawmakers to stop parading as lawmakers pending the determination of a suit before it.

The court gave the order in Suit No PHC/1512/CS/2024, brought by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Speaker, Rivers State House Of Assembly, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, and Hon.

Orubienimigha Adolphus Timothy, over the crises rocking the legislative arm of the state.

The defendants include 25 lawmakers who defected from PDP to APC, including Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, Hon. Dumle Maol, and 23 others.

The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the Honourable Chief Judge Of Rivers State, Simeon Amadi, are also defendants in the suit.

The court restrained the lawmakers from parading as lawmakers or meeting to carry out legislative business pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The case was adjourned to July 1, 2024, for mention.

By Uzair Adam Imam

President Bola Tinubu has signed the National Anthem Bill 2024, reverting to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee”.

This was revealed by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at a joint session of the National Assembly marking the Silver Jubilee of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.

The old anthem, composed when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, replaces the current “Arise, O Compatriots” anthem.

The lyrics were written by British expatriate Lillian Jean Williams, and the music was composed by Frances Berda.

The anthem played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity during the 1960s and late 1970s.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has banned all public gatherings and demonstrations in the state, citing a potential breakdown of law and order.

This decision comes after intelligence suggested that opposition figures planned to sponsor protests and incite chaos under the guise of supporting the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.

According to a statement by the Governor’s Director-General, Media and Publicity, Sanusi Tofa, “This decisive action is a preemptive strategy aimed at averting any potential breakdown of law and order orchestrated by adversaries of the state.”

The government has directed security agencies to apprehend, detain, and prosecute anyone violating the order.

“We are privy to credible intelligence indicating that certain prominent figures from the opposition party in Kano have devised plans to sponsor student associations and political agitators from other northwestern states,” Tofa said.

“Their plan is to incite chaos under the guise of advocating for the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.”

Governor Yusuf warned student groups against being manipulated by troublemakers, saying, “Through this declaration, we caution student groups against being manipulated by troublemakers who are resolute in fomenting disorder in Kano.”

He urged citizens to go about their normal activities, assuring them that the government would maintain vigilance to ensure peace in the state.

The governor said, “We urge all citizens of the state to carry on with their normal activities as the state retains its serenity.

“We will persist in vigilant oversight of the situation to address any individuals or factions trying to undermine the relative peace that the state currently enjoys.”

By Garba Sidi 

Patriotism is something any good citizen of a particular society must practice. Anyone who has no interest in the development of where they were born knows nothing. If we all care more about where we came from and do whatever we can to benefit our society, our lives would be on a great path. That wouldn’t happen without loving society and its people.

As it has been said many times, Hadejia has witnessed the leadership of many politicians as local government chairmen. Still, no one has seen half of what the current chairman, Honourable Abdulkadir Bala Umar, has put on the ground for the development of the people and the town.

Sadly, since the beginning of His Excellency Muhammad Namadi (Dan Modi), the current Governor who won the primary election for the APC and beat his running mate after the secondary election from the PDP, Mustapha Sule Lamido, rumours have circulated that he’s going to step down all chairmen and replace them with his allies, even though the law has already been verified to allow three-year terms, unlike before. Before the end of the reign of former Governor Muhammad Badaru, a bill was signed for an additional year for chairmen’s terms, for which all processes were completed and assigned.

We, the people of Hadejia, don’t support that idea. That’s why I want to bring attention to His Excellency and think deeply before taking that action. If, as you have said many times, you came to get what’s needed for the state and the development of the state is what’s on your agenda, prove it by letting Honourable Abdulkadir Bala Umar rule for a second term because he’s the one Hadejians need to continue developing the town.

They gave you one hundred per cent support during the campaign. They spent their wealth, time, and effort just for you to secure the position. Who could do that to someone they see as a rival? Only those close to you are trying to lead you down the wrong path, which may not bring you anything good in the end. He’s ruling us, and we like his ways, and it is not against anything if you let him rule for a second term.

We don’t need change in Hadejia.

Garba Sidi wrote via sidihadejia@gmail.com.

By Yusuf Yusuf 

Sometimes, even the starry-eyed optimist must give up on Nigeria. The way things go from bad to worse in the country today is appalling. The great novelist Chinua Achebe had diagnosed our problem as a nation where he said, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” The leadership of this country is not doing enough to save us from what experts call a “failed” to a “collapsed” state. We fervently pray for God’s intervention. 

The recent revelation by an ace investigative journalist and maverick writer, Malam Jaafar Jaafar, is mindboggling! It highlights Nigerian leaders’ new joint venture in unrelenting efforts to run this country aground. It shows their insensitivity to the suffering of other Nigerians. How will a government that berates the payment subsidy of basic stuff for its citizenry and whose minimum wage is among the lowest approve such an unsubstantiated rise in the salary and allowances of only a “select group”?

I cannot unravel our leaders’ craze to undermine this nation’s progress. Sometimes, I feel like believing conspiracy theories about them being stooges of other groups with vested interests in our nation. Our leaders fail to grasp that when you cause your country to fail or collapse, you will spend the rest of your life a stranger, the life of a Black Hermit (apologies to the great Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiang’o).   

White-collar crimes are threatening the existence of Nigeria. Once upon a Giant of Africa is now a baby learning to crawl. Ironically, a country blessed with human and natural resources will become a poverty capital. The way these resources are mismanaged points an accusing finger to its leadership.

The level of suffering in Naija these days is monumental. The dream of having a meaningful life is becoming a mirage. The hopes of the young people are being shattered by daily reality in the country. Hunger and poverty have become our co-tenants—businesses, whatever the scale, are crumbling. Young graduates with both certificates and functional skills are roaming about our streets.  Sensible minds are afraid of what may happen next. You know, poverty always breeds crimes.

This trend needs to be reversed. More than anyone else, the Nigerian leader has a lot to do to reverse the rot and change the status quo. We can all borrow a leaf from other people’s books.  Nigerian leaders are very good at making allusions to attitudes which promote development in other climes. 

Charity, they say, begins at home. The best way the Nigerian leader can help his people catch up with progressive worlds is by renewing our hopes of the noble decision to cut the cost of governance, as leaders of these nations have done. 

Cutting undeserved official allowances and estacodes, unnecessary long laundry lists of aides and stopping duplicity, inflating figures and collecting kickbacks when issuing contracts could help save now the slim chance of the survival of the nation. 

The earlier the nation’s leadership makes the above noble decision, the better for our collective future. This has the potential to prevent the furtherance of the untold hardships that the majority of Nigerians are going through. These hardships, I am afraid, could make many citizens easy prey to international criminal syndicates, especially young and inexperienced minds, with mere food and money handouts. Nigerian leaders, individually and collectively, need to act swiftly to avert the arrival of our doomsday. 

May God save Nigeria from Nigerians.

Yusuf Yusuf can be contacted via yusufyusufgamji@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kano State House of Assembly has agreed to amend the State Emirate Council law 2019 and Kano State Emirate amendment law 2023.

This move follows an urgency and public importance motion moved by the majority leader, Alhaji Lawan Hussaini Chediyar ƴan Gurasa, and seconded by Shu’aibu Rabi’u, representing Dawakin Kudu Constituency.

The amendment seeks to revisit the changes made to the emirate structure in 2019, which led to the fragmentation of the Kano Emirate into five distinct emirates and the deposition of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi.

The recent electoral victory of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who campaigned on restoring the traditional Kano Emirate system, has revived efforts to reinstate Emir Sanusi.

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), has emphasized the party’s commitment to reviewing the changes made to the emirate structure.

He expressed confidence in Governor Yusuf’s ability to address the challenges effectively and resolve the issues planted in Kano state, ensuring peaceful coexistence among citizens.

As the legislative process progresses, the potential amendment of the Emir Appointment Law holds significant implications for the traditional emirate system and leadership structure in the region.