10042019 - Politicians, traditional rulers aiding bandits — DEFENCE MINISTER

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2019—35
Kano guber poll: Tribunal grants PDP permission to
inspect electoral materials
By Abdulmumin
Murtala
K ANO—THE
Governorship
Election Tribunal sitting in
Kano has ordered
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, to allow Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP,
access to all electoral
materials used during the
governorship election in
the state.
The governorship
candidate of PDP, Abba
Yusuf, is challenging the
declaration of Governor
Abdullahi Ganduje of All
Progressives Congress,
APC, as winner of March
23 supplementary election
in Kano by INEC.
In an ex-parte motion
filed before the tribunal,
presided over by Justice
Halima Shamaki,
yesterday, counsel to PDP
candidate, Maliki Kuliya,
had sought the order of the
tribunal to direct the first
respondent, INEC, to allow
PDP access materials used
for the conduct of March 9
and 23, 2019 governorship
elections.
In her five-count prayers,
the PDP lawyer demanded
that the tribunal “direct the
1st respondent to forthwith
grant access to the
petitioners/applicants and
their solicitors, agents,
experts and other staff to
inspect, photocopy, scan,
pay for and obtain certified
copies of all the documents
used by the 1st respondent
for the conduct of the Kano
State governorship election
held on March 9 and 23,
2019 for the purpose of
instituting and maintaining
an election petition; the said
documents being the ones
contained in the schedule
attached to the supporting
affidavit to this application.”
In her ruling, Justice
Halima granted the PDP
prayers, directing INEC to
surrender photo copies, scan
and other certified materials
used during the conduct of
Kano elections.
The chairperson of the
three member governorship
tribunal however ordered for
two or three members of
APC to be present as
observers during the
inspection exercise.
BRIEFING: From left, Adebowale Banzi, Group Head, Marketing & Brand
Communications, Zedcrest Capital; Aminat Sheu, Product Manager, Zedvance Limited;
Adedayo Amzat, Founder/CEO, Zedvance Limited & Group Managing Director, Zedcrest
Capital Group; and Michael Nwanna, Chief Technology Officer, Zedcrest Capital at Zedvance
fifth anniversary press conference, in Lagos, yesterday.
I'm leaving Kwara better than I met
it —Gov Ahmed
By Demola
Akinyemi
I LORIN—GOVERNOR
Abdulfatah Ahmed of
Kwara State, yesterday, said
though the challenges in the
national economy affected
his eight years
administration, his
government was leaving the
state better than he met it.
Governor Ahmed of
Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, who will end his eight
years administration of the
state on May 29, 2019, will
handover to Alhaji
Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of
All Progressives Congress,
APC, who won the
governorship election in
the last general election.
The governor spoke during
the inauguration of a 24-
member transition
implementation committee
on hand-over of power to a
new government in the state.
According to him, “as you
are aware, most of the eight
years of our administration
were marked by challenges
in the national economy.
Nevertheless, we leveraged
our resourcefulness to
modestly fulfill our pledge to
uplift our people and our
state while laying a solid
foundation for its current and
future sustenance.
"Indeed, I make bold to
state that we are leaving
Kwara State better than we
met it as we are bequeathing
to it a legacy of service,
peace and good
governance.”
The governor, who said the
exercise was to aid the
incoming government to
settle down to governance
quickly, implored residents
of the state to extend similar
cooperation and support
given to his administration
•Inaugurates transition
implementation c'ttee
to the incoming
government, “so that Kwara
State can continue to toe the
path of continuous
development and progress.”
He listed Terms of
Reference, ToR, of the
Transition Implementation
Committee to include
"putting in place all
necessary machinery for the
smooth take-off of the incoming
Administration;
"Ensure full liaison with all
officially assigned
representatives of the
incoming administration for
the appropriate briefing on
the activities of government
towards providing a solid
footing for the new
government;
"Any other matter the
committee may find worthy
for the effective discharge of
its mandate."
He charged members of
the committee to bring to bear
qualities that recommended
their appointment in the
discharge of their
responsibilities.
A-Ibom tasks contractors on job completion
By Harris-Okon
Emmanuel
U YO—LOCAL
contractors working
for Akwa Ibom State
government have been
charged to ensure timely
completion of their contracts
and according to
specifications.
Commissioner for Works,
Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen,
gave the order while
inspecting the multi billion
naira Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road,
warning that the
government would not
hesitate to revoke all nonperforming
contracts in the
state.
It will be recalled that
contract for the road project
was awarded during the
administration of former
governor, Godswill Akpabio,
but the road has remained
uncompleted several years
on.
Inyang-eyen, who
expressed delight at the
pace of work on the road,
however, threatened that the
state government would no
longer condone recalcitrant
contractors, who play pranks
or abandon projects for
which mobilisation fees had
been paid.
His words: “The Uyo-Ikot
Ekpene road is of paramount
interest to government
because it was the road that
brought all sort of
controversies and false
stories. But today, see where
we are. I want to use this
medium to announce that
there will be no contractor in
this state that would not be
performing."
UNICAL graduates 9,0174,
awards Abdulsalami, Ebri
honourary degrees
By Emma Una &
Ike Uche
C ALABAR—
UNIVERSITY of
Calabar, UNICAL, will,
during its 32nd
dconvocation ceremony
scheduled for Saturday,
award degrees to 9,174
graduates and confer
honourary degrees on three
eminent Nigerians.
Professor Zana Akpagu,
Vice Chancellor of the
university, who disclosed
this, yesterday, said that 51
students bagged first class
degrees, 2356 got second
class upper degrees while
4532 graduated with second
class lower degrees and 672
got third class degrees.
Similarly, 318 students
would be awarded ordinary
diplomas, 251 to get P.hD
and 221 students will take
home post graduate degrees.
He said the former Head
of State, Gen. Abdulsalami
Abubakar (retd), would be
awarded Doctor of Public
Administration (Honoris
Kingmakers, others rally
support for new Osuvie of
Agbarho kingdom
THE kingmakers and
other subjects from the
crisis-ridden Agbarho
kingdom have paid homage
to HRM, William Onokpete,
the new Osuvie of Agbarho
kingdom.
It will be recalled that some
enraged youths chased away
the traditional ruler of
Agbarho Kingdom, Ughelli
North Local Government
Area, Delta State, HRM
Samson Ogugu I into exile,
last December over alleged
gross misconduct and abuse
of the throne and
subsequently, the
kingmakers installed the
most senior chief of the
kingdom; Chief William
Onokpete as their new
monarch.
Meanwhile, Ogugu, who
Causa) because of his
contribution to the
development of the country,
while Chief Clement Ebri
would be awarded Honoris
Causa in Political Science
and Chief Cletus
Ilomuanya, Chairman of
Igbo Traditional Rulers
Council, would be conferred
with Honoris Causa in
Business Administration.
He said: “University of
Calabar does not award first
class degrees without
ensuring that the person so
awarded is able to compete
with the best in any part of
the world.”
According to him,
adequate security measures
were being put in place to
combat cultism,
kidnappings and other
criminal acts in the university
through the establishment of
police post and a naval jetty.
“We have zero tolerance
for academic fraud, crime
and indiscipline because we
are here to mould people
both in learning and
character.”
Warri newspapers distributors
mourn colleague's death
By Jimitota
Onoyume
WARRI— A major
newspaper distributor
in Warri, Delta State, Mr
Saturday Kagi, has died in
an accident that happened
after Udu bridge in Udu Local
Government Area of the state.
Chairman of the Warri
chapter of Newspaper
Distributors Council of
Nigeria, Mr Baron Lucky,
said the deceased was on his
motorcycle when he lost
control after the bridge, fell
off it and died.
He said: “We lost a
member, late Mr Saturday
Kagi. He had an accident
on his way from Aladja just
after Udu bridge. He fell
from his bike.
“Mr Saturday Kagi hailed
from Aladja. He was one of
our notable distributors. He
has been in the business for
more than 40 years. He
started as a vendor before
becomimg a distributor.
"He was a vice president
of the union and until his
death he was in the elders
council. No burial date has
been fixed. We are deeply
touched by the death.”
spoke from his hideout, has
declared that he remained
the king of the Agbarho
kingdom, adding that a
cabal cannot depose him.
Speaking at the palace
during the visit, Mr.
Monday Igho Odiphri,
President-General of
Agbarho Urhobo
Improvement Union; Chief
Sunday Anughe,
kisgmaker; Chief John
Miller Orido, Chief Asanore
Joseph and Osiobe Okotie
said their visit was in
solidarity with the newly
installed monarch.
According to them, the
new monarch, who is also
from the same royal family
with the allegedly deposed
king, will continue to
manage the affairs of
Agbarho kingdom.