Yobe State

By Muhammad Suleiman Adam

Yobe state Governor Mai Mala Buni said he would personally supervise the implementation of the Sustainable Solutions for Long-Term Displaced persons (SOLID) project to ensure the success of the programme in the state.

He stated this on Wednesday when a team from the World Bank paid him a working visit in Damaturu. 

“I am delighted to welcome yet another initiative by the World Bank to support the state government in implementing more sustainable solutions for long-term displaced persons and to support the host communities in dealing with the challenges they face” Buni said

He further said Yobe is the second most affected state that recorded massive destruction of facilities and infrastructure by the insurgency, therefore, the need for additional facilities to support government efforts to effectively serve the people cannot be overemphasized as some of the displaced persons have chosen to settle permanently in the host communities.

He commended the World Bank and other development partners for supporting the recovery efforts of the state government in resettling displaced persons in their communities with dignity.

He directed MDAs to ensure full participation for ownership and sustainability of the SOLID project “the MDAs should identify areas of intervention and ensure harmonization for greater impact across the state”.

Leader of the delegation, Fuad Malkawea, commended the positive interventions made by the Multi Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) another World Bank programme in the state.

He assured that the partnership would further provide support to the host communities.

“The intervention is to provide support to existing facilities some of which are over stretched” he observed. 

By Muhammad Suleiman Yobe.

Yobe State House of Assembly has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to rehabilitate dilapidated federal roads in the state. 

The House made the plea in a motion presented by the majority leader of the House, Hon. Nasiru Hassan Yusuf, on behalf of all members. 

Presenting the motion, the majority leader of the House said the federal roads constructed over the years are now dilapidated and need to be built for effective and efficient transportation within the state. 

Hon Nasiru Hassan Yusuf said most of the bridges and culverts at the federal roads that linked Potiskum to Jakusko, Babbangida to Bayamari, Buni Yadi to Gulani and Gujba to Ngalda was destroyed in last year’s flood and need federal government intervention. 

The majority leader of the House, who spoke at length on the importance of the roads to the development of the economy, said the poor conditions of the federal roads have affected the state’s commercial activities. 

In their separate contributions to the motion, the members representing Geidam, Damaturu,  Mamudo, Gujba and Machina constituencies described the motion as apt and timely. 

They expressed dismay over the delay in completing some federal roads awarded over the years in the state. 

Presiding over the sitting, the speaker of the House, Rt Hon Chiroma Buba Mashio, appealed to members of the National Assembly representing Yobe to present the matter at the upper chamber for quick response by the federal government.

By Muhammad Suleiman Yobe.

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has approved the payment of local government pensioners across the 17 local government councils of the state.

This is contained in a state-issued to The Daily Reality by the Governor’s Director General Press and Media Affairs Mamman

 Mohammed.

The governor approved the sum of Six Hundred and sixty-seven Million, forty-five thousand, four hundred and forty-one Naira, twenty-two kobo (N667,045,441.22) for payment of the 475 local government pensioners.

Governor Buni gave the approval after the screening and verification of the Pensioners in the local government councils.

“The Committee has verified a total of 475 beneficiaries and hereby attach lists of beneficiaries and summary according to local government areas for both living and deceased Pensioners”, the approval reads.

This is in continuation of Governor Buni’s efforts to settle outstanding pensions owed to retired local government employees.

By Muhamamad Suleiman Yobe

Yobe state Governor,  Hon. Mai Mala Buni, has assured to provide palliatives to the people of the state to cushion the hardships occasioned by the removal of the subsidy on fuel.

This is in a statement issued to The Daily Reality by Director General Press and Media Affairs to Mamman Mohammed Saturday.

The governor said the government will look into measures to support farmers, traders, transport, food and other essential needs of the people.

“Government is conscious of these hardships caused by the subsidy removal and will look into these critical areas to provide palliatives to our people.

“We will look into ways of supporting inter and intra-town transport and other necessary services to our people.

“Similarly,  the government would work out measures to provide shuttle buses to students of tertiary institutions at affordable costs,” Governor Buni said. 

He charged the people to be on the same page with the government to successfully execute the proposed measures and other state government policies and programmes. 

Governor Buni had early this week attended the Nigeria Governors Forum and the Nigeria Economic Council meetings where the states and federal government deliberated on measures to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

Dear Governor Mai Mala,

I write to you with the utmost respect, acknowledging the positive impact you have made in the healthcare sector of Yobe State. I would like to commend you for your notable efforts in providing health insurance slots to sickle cell patients through YSCHMA, as well as the provision of free drugs and food items to these individuals via YOSEMA.

However, despite these commendable initiatives, it is crucial to address the issue of sickle cell disease, which continues to affect numerous children in Yobe State, making it one of the states with the highest prevalence.

Your Excellency, in certain Local Government Areas (LGAs), such as Potiskum, the specialist hospital lacks an emergency ward that caters to the needs of sickle cell patients and others requiring immediate medical attention. The existing emergency ward at the specialist hospital in Potiskum is operating at a limited capacity.

Hence, I kindly request that you prioritise the establishment of an emergency ward dedicated explicitly to sickle cell patients or consider expanding the current ward at the specialist hospital in Potiskum and other LGAs that lack such facilities.

Furthermore, I urge you to continue the excellent work you have initiated by enrolling sickle cell patients into the health insurance program. This ongoing support will significantly improve their access to necessary medical services.

Lastly, while I am aware that employment opportunities are open to all state indigenes, I would like to draw your attention to the plight of sickle cell patients. Considering the challenges they face and the presence of many educated individuals among them, I humbly request your favour in providing job opportunities for some of these deserving sickle cell patients.

Thank you for your attention to these matters, Your Excellency. I hope your continued efforts will bring about positive changes in the lives of sickle cell patients in Yobe State.

Yours sincerely,

Mohammed Madu Bukar

madubukarmohammed@gmail.com

Asibitin Mal, Potiskum, Yobe State.

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 Muhammad Suleiman Yobe

Yobe has been called a one-party state since the return of the fourth republic. Firstly, in 1999, after the return of democracy, the All People’s Party, APP, won the governorship election, where former Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim won the election and was re-elected in 2003.

After ruling the state for eight years, the late Mamman B. Ali won the state governorship election held in 2007 also in the same party APP, after the party’s name was changed to All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).

After spending two years in power, God took over the life of Mamman B Ali and later, his deputy Ibrahim Geidam at that time, became the governor of Yobe state.

Ibrahim Geidam continued to lead the state for ten years in power. The ANNP continued ruling the state until 2014, when the coalition of opposition parties united and created a new party, the All Progressive Party (APC).

This means that since the return of democracy in 1999, only one party has been ruling the state up to 2019 when Mai Mala Buni emerged as the governor of the state under the banner of the APC party.

The most surprising thing in Yobe state is that there has never been a victory over the ruling party in the presidential election until this year’s elections. Even in 2011, when the ANPP nominated Malam Ibrahim Shekarau as a presidential candidate, the ANPP party won the state in the presidential election by a wide margin.

The question here is, what caused the ruling party’s failure in this year’s presidential election?

 How will the presidential election affect the success of Governor Mai Mala Buni?

Of course, the election held on February 25 scared the leaders of the APC in Yobe state, especially the way the opposition party PDP won by a considerable margin.

In the election held, Professor Umaru Pate, the returning officer of the state in the just concluded presidential and national assembly elections, declared the PDP party as the winner of the election as follows; APC 151,459, LP 2,406, NNPP 18,270 and PDP with 198,567.

This means that the PDP won by a margin of 47,108 votes, even though elections were cancelled in some polling units with large crowds in Fika, Bade, Fune and Jakusko local governments, which are expected to be won by the PDP.

What is more surprising and interesting is how the ruling party failed to win in the major local governments with the most registered voters as follows:

(1) Potiskum 181,091 registration voters

(2)Damatura 122,197 registered voters

(3) Fune 121,900 registered voters

(4) Bade. 113,716 registered voters

(5) Nguru. 101,044 registered voters

Total = 639,948 registered voters.

Surely! If the people of the towns mentioned above will vote massively for the PDP again, there is no doubt that governor Mai Mala Buni will fail because the total number of registered voters in the state is 1,485,146. As we saw in the presidential election, only less than 400,000 cast their votes.

The presidential election may not signify Mai Mala’s future, but there is a threat to the ruling party. Because many years ago in Yobe state, it was not possible to oppose the state government because of the threat of firing a person from a job or confiscating a person’s farm if he did not support the ruling party, but now because of the emergence of social media, there has been a change in society’s awareness and opposition.

Further, the change in the presidential election happened because Mai Mala Buni failed to meet the situation of the top politicians helping the state’s poor people.

Similarly, the emergence of Bola Tinubu in the APC presidential elections contributed to the downfall of the APC because the people of the state did not accept him. And the governor failed to help the rural residents, so the government lost the presidential election in his local government of origin (Gujba).

With this, I think if the state residents will be allowed to vote for their prepared candidates without buying votes, without compulsion on the people, both APC and PDP will all be able to win the gubernatorial election on March 18, 2023.

Muhammad Suleiman Yobe wrote via muhammadsuleiman190@gmail.com.

By  Sunusi Umar Sadiq

A few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a judgment, the most significant outcome of which is the emergence of Alhaji Ahmad Lawan, the current President of the Nigerian Senate, as the All Progressives Congress’ senatorial candidate representing Yobe North Senatorial District in the forthcoming general elections. The public is naturally and expectedly, too, thrown into an abyss of confusion because, for all that is known, Senate President Lawan had obviously relinquished the senatorial seat he has been occupying since 1999 or thereabout when he contested for the APC presidential primaries sometime last year.

Politics is the manifestation of the immaturity of mankind. Politicians across times and spaces have always been very shrewd and crafty. The popular virtues are turned upside down. Selfishness becomes a guiding principle. Deceit and manoeuvre are articles of faith. Self-interest takes the position of justice, and fairness is something that is virtually and practically unknown. The end is all that matters. And anything is to the politician permissible to attain that end.

In a setting such as this, a heap of mess will surely pile up. And in a democratic setting, the unenviable onus of clearing such a mess or at least containing it is placed on the judiciary. And the Nigerian courts, the Supreme Court especially, have been grappling with that onus, coming under public attacks and bashing every now and then.

Unfortunately for judges, they cannot come out to defend or even explain themselves. In this kind of situation, it is the lawyers, as the primary constituents of the judicature, that ought to be the sentries for the hallowed chambers. They should educate the people and enlighten them.

There are two things to consider in order to understand any given judgment: the facts of the case and the issues raised before the court. Without knowing these, the most honourable thing for anyone to do is to remain mute. Let me briefly state here the facts of the case at hand so as to understand the context and reason behind the supposedly controversial judgment delivered by the Apex Court.

For whatever reason, Senator Ahmad Lawan decided to give a shot at the country’s Number One Seat, the Presidency. He bought the presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms. It automatically followed that he had no further interest in keeping his senatorial seat. A Bashir Machina seized the opportunity. He aspired for Lawan’s seat, and on 28^th May 2022, the primary election for that seat was conducted, and Machina got it on a platter, some might say.

Some eleven days later, 8^th day of June 2022, the APC had its National Convention, and the presidential primary election was conducted. Lawan and twelve other aspirants lost to Bola Tinubu. As a cartoonist depicted it, Lawan had torn himself between the presidency and the senatorial seat. He ultimately lost both. Unknown to the cartoonist and other Nigerians, the Senate President had his Plan B in the closet. In hatching the plan, the APC maintained that Danjuma Manga, the party’s official that chaired and officiated the 28^th May primary election, was not authorised to do so by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). That primary election was therefore cancelled. Another was held on 9^th June 2022, less than twenty-four hours after Lawan lost his presidential bid! Nobody needs to be told that there is something amiss and shady here. It is crystal clear that a heap of mess has piled up.

Machina then decided to cry out against this apparent and obnoxious mess. He took his grievances to the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Damaturu Division. He prayed the court, among other things, to hold that the 28^th May primary election that produced him was the only legitimate and valid primary election, and the other one that produced Lawan was fraudulent and therefore null and void. And this is the beginning of the intricacy and the controversy.    

The court is the repository of laws. It is the aggrieved party that will trigger the courts to invoke and apply those laws. For the litigant to succeed, therefore, they have to, firstly, be armed with hard facts that can be proved with acceptable evidence. And, secondly, such a litigant must, in ventilating the grievance, approach the court in strict compliance with the procedure provided for doing so. The success of every case depends on these two pillars.

The facts of some cases may be straightforward. The Rules of the Court provide for the commencement of such cases via Originating Summons. In using this mode, no witnesses need to be called. All you need is to state what transpired in an affidavit and present the documents that strengthen the facts in the issue, then invite the court to invoke appropriate laws and apply them to the case.

Some other cases are not this simple, more so when there is a criminal allegation. For such cases in which the facts in issue are contested, the Writ of Summons is the appropriate mode to be used in presenting one’s case to the law court. And whenever there is an allegation of a crime, the standard of proof is that of beyond reasonable doubt. Witnesses must be in court in flesh and blood to be examined, cross-examined and, if need be, re-examined.

From 9^th June 2023, Machina’s Legal Team had up to 23^rd of that month, a total of fourteen (14) days to build up their case and file same. I could imagine the mental race the team must have undergone to formulate the questions and the issues. Allegation of fraud is easy to come up with because Section 17 of the Penal Code intimates that ‘fraud’ is when one does something with the intent to deceive and by means of such deceit to obtain some advantage for himself or another or to cause loss to any other person.

It is on that ground that Aspirant Machina went to the court challenging the return of Senator Lawan as the Senatorial Candidate and the validity of the primary election held on June 9^th. Commencing the suit by Originating Summons is just one of the issues raised. But since the suit failed, the primary election it sought to be declared fraudulent and therefore null and void remains valid, and Senator Lawan consequently remains the rightful candidate.

The Supreme Court is not to blame. If anything, the Supreme Court is the scapegoat. The real culprits are Machina’s co-travellers, and the politicians. After all, it is Machina’s own party that cancelled the primary election he had won. And it is also the party that took the matter up to the Supreme Court to ensure that Lawan remains its rightful and lawful flagbearer. The Supreme Court’s hands are tied as it is a court of law, not emotions.

Sunusi Umar Sadiq is a legal practitioner based in Kano State. He can be reached at sunusiumarandco@gmail.com.

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

“Home is wherever you leave everything you love, and never question that it will be there when you return.” – Leo Christopher

My two-week stay in Borno after being away for a year has exposed me to some of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s developmental projects across the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council. I have seen the ongoing reconstruction and construction of quality drainages and roads. The expansion of roads at Monday Market, Bulabulin Alinkotoko and Gwange Areas, among other places in the metropolis, is commendable and timely. It has been long overdue. There would be no traffic jams when the projects are completed, and people will have easy mobility within the metropolis. 

The state capital has however been in total blackout for the past two years since the destruction of utility poles along Damaturu road by the Boko Haram murderers. It is on record that the governor has spent a lot of resources on restoring electricity in the town, but all efforts have been consistently sabotaged by the terrorists. Their defeat and displacement have however supported the restoration of light in parts of the metropolis. 

My neighbour told me that they enjoy a minimum of 4-hour power supply daily. That is far better than being in a total blackout which the people endured for years.  

“They mostly restore electricity after Magrib and interrupt it before midnight. That is how we manage it,” he said. 

However,  I have heard many people bitterly complaining about the high rate of unemployment that is becoming a threat to the fragile peace of the state. The state has limited opportunities for youth. It is said that criminal activities likely thrive in places where a larger population of youths are restive and jobless. Therefore, Governor Zulum should introspect and start focusing on job creation. 

My interaction with some young people has made me realise that opportunities are limited in Maiduguri at the moment. One of them told me that even becoming a labourer is now not an easy task. According to him, the only sustainable and reliable job is tricycling.

The very day I got to Maiduguri, I saw campaign banners and posters everywhere courtesy of young people who were either hungry for power for the sake of it or living off godfathers. That is not bad, but it would have been better to invest their youthful energy and time in more productive ventures like learning a craft, acquiring a skill or doing business, each of which can stand the test of time. 

The state government has invested a lot in infrastructural projects which are spread across the state. However, Borno needs a lot of investments in human capital if the state must recover from the many years of destruction caused by the Boko Haram sect. 

In terms of business, the economy is struggling. Families have accused marketers, especially foodstuff sellers, of overpricing. They accused them of hiding under the exchange rate in the country to unjustly increase the price of goods and services in the state. They want the market authorities and state government to work together to ensure that marketers stick to the prices of goods without any corrupt changes. 

Shettima’s Legacy 

This is another opportunity to recall that the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Kashim Shettima, put about seven production firms in different parts of the state, and they were meant to create jobs, eradicate poverty and generate revenue for the government. 

The plants include Tomato Plant, Garri Plant, Water line Plant, Solar Panel Plant, Onion Dehydration Plant, Corn Chips Plant, Plastic Plant and others. Out of all the plants, only the plastic plant is functional, and it has created jobs for an appreciable number of youths in the state. 

Aside from these plants, the state has other abandoned industrial establishments that can help generate revenues for the state as well as create job opportunities for youths. Why can’t we invest in those firms to overcome joblessness? Borno should learn from Kano, Kaduna, and other states that build firms to boost their revenue and provide jobs for their people. Borno state should not only build these factories but sustain them and take advantage of them, not abandon them. 

It is high time Governor Zulum directed his attention towards the establishment and reformation of institutions that can accommodate jobless youths and give their lives meaning. 

The fact that a lot of these firms are already in place, having been built by Senator Shettima, is a huge advantage for the present administration. Aside from the advantages of having those plants fully operational to the state, Governor Zulum should be more interested in sustaining the legacy of his boss and predecessor. 

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Abuja and can be reached via email: Lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Ibrahim Mukhtar 

A Nigeria-based Chinese woman accepted the religion of Islam at the palace of the Emir of Machina in Yobe State. 

The woman who was at the palace with her fiancé explained that no one forced her to accept the religion—she wanted Islam on her own conviction. 

After she took the Kalimatu al-Shahada from His Highness, the Emir of Machina, she was asked to choose the name she wanted.

The Daily Reality learned that she chose “Fatima” based on the advice given to her by her fiancé. 

Fatima was observed to have been happy and relaxed alongside all those with her in the Emir’s palace.