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In Jos, PDP Defeats PRP, APC Wins House Of Reps Seat

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Mr Musa Agah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was proclaimed the winner of the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency by-election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The INEC Returning Officer, Dr Oyeyinka Oyeyinde, announced the results on Sunday in Jos.

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Agah received 40,343 votes, beating out his nearest rival, Mr Adam Alkali of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), who received 37, 757 votes, according to Oyeyinde.

Mr Joseph Aku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) finished in third with 26,111 votes, according to him.

“Agah is proclaimed the winner of Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency and is hereby returned elected,” he added, adding that he had met all of the legal requirements.

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According to the returning authorities, 11 political parties ran in the election.

There are 30 registration areas in the constituency, with a total of 599,282 registered voters, of whom 108, 318 were accredited for the election and 10811 voted.

Ganduje Launches N113 Million Artificial Insemination Project in Livestock

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Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, inaugurated the Kadawa Animal Insemination Center on Saturday, which was refurbished and equipped at a cost of over N113 million by the Kano state Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP).

According to sources, the project also refilled the AI facility with five exotic bulls valued at N9.2 million, with the goal of inseminating at least 25, 000 cows every year.

In artificial insemination, superior-quality bulls’ sperm is collected and used to inseminate females in order to produce offspring with desirable characteristics, such as high milk supply and disease resistance.

Many pastoralists and livestock breeders in Kano state, as in the rest of Nigeria, are traditionalists who have little or no awareness of the advantages of AI breeding.

Read Also:  Cattle Rustlers, Bandits Will Face Death Penalty Or Life Imprisonment In Kano, Ganduje Threatens Ranchers

Experts, on the other hand, believe that widespread use of AI, not just in Kano but throughout Nigeria, will result in the establishment of a more productive cattle population. Nigerian cows currently produce an average of one litre of milk per day, which is a modest amount when compared to cows in the United Kingdom, which produce an average of 22 litres per day.

“This is aimed at achieving genetic improvement of our local cattle for productivity, thereby significantly improving the income of our herdsmen and mitigating the population’s nutrition challenges,” Governor Ganduje said during the ceremony, which was attended by high-profile stakeholders in the dairy sector, including pastoralists associations.

According to Ganduje, his administration is encouraging AI as part of a concerted effort to transform herdsmanship from a socio-cultural activity to a socio-economic venture, in line with global realities.

“We are enormously grateful to the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Funds, LLF, not only for this AI Center but for many other projects across the state in which they invested resources with the goal of addressing the challenges of poverty, food security, and unemployment that our people face,” he added.

Dr. Gana, representing Nigeria’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Olaniyan Alabi, praised the Gnaduje administration for its commitment and love for the livestock sub-sector, saying it is in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming the sector for increased productivity and improved livelihoods for livestock value chain actors.

Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, the State Project Coordinator for the KSADP, said his project, which is supported by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Funds, revived the AI Center as part of a broader initiative to improve agro-pastoral productivity and production.

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Breed development, livestock productivity and output improvements, commercial fodder production, crop residue usage from developing sources, fodder banks, improved animal health services, and the establishment of 200 milk collection facilities are just a few examples.

Gunmen Assassinate Cheluchi’s Father, Of 2021 LNG Winner

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Prof I.O. Onyemelukwe was slain by gunmen believed to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The now-deceased economics professor is claimed to be the father of Dr Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, the winner of the $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2021.

On Friday morning, it was reported that gunmen attacked Oko, Orumba South Local Government Area, on Thursday night, blocking vehicles coming from Umunze, Ufuma, into Oko.

According to sources, the gunmen killed an unidentified elderly man in the less than one-hour operation, while abducting two individuals who were unable to answer questions concerning the IPOB’s campaign for self-determination.

Prof Onyemelukwe was recognized as the slain guy by a social media user who goes by the moniker Onyi.

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“South East is absolutely going down,” Onyii wrote in a post. My Godfather was recently murdered by the marauding killers wreaking havoc on the Southeast’s ecosystem.

Prof I.O. Onyemelukwe, an 88-year-old guy with a world-class intellect. In the old Anambra State, he was the permanent secretary. Later, he became an Economics Professor at UNIZIK.

“At the age of 22, he studied Economics in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia, on an OAU scholarship. Dr. Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, who received the LNG $100,000 literature prize last year, is his son.”

“He was returning to Nanka with his wife from Enugu and decided to follow the Oji, Ufuma, Amaokpala, Oko axis instead of traveling through Awka when he was attacked by the hoodlums,” Onyii stated. Bishop J.A. Onyemelukwe, the previous Bishop of the Niger, is his cousin. “May his soul rest in peace.” Amen!”

His daughter, Dr Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, was named one of the Canadian Black Writers to Watch in January for her work ‘The Son Of The House,’ which won the NLNG Prize for Literature in 2021.

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Our correspondent attempted to contact DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, for confirmation of the murdered man’s identity, but his phone was unreachable.

Convention: APC group kicks against imposition, says election must represent wishes of party members

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Rebirth Group has spoken out against imposition in any form ahead of the party’s national conference on March 26.

It urged the party to embrace proper democratic ideals as much as possible while electing new members to the National Working Committee (NWC), in order to guarantee that the NWC reflects the wishes of the majority of party members.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari recently named Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the party’s next national chairman.

However, in a statement published Saturday by his Spokesperson, Mr Aliyu Audu, the group said it welcomed stakeholders’ reiterated vows to hold the meeting on the revised date.

It stated that it was disappointed that the February 26th date, which had been set with much fanfare from party members, had to be rescheduled in light of the fact that the party was already running out of time.

It did add, however, that it was not completely surprised by the turn of events because it had predicted that the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee would not conduct the convention anytime soon from the day the February date was announced, saying “we were vindicated.”

“More disappointing for us is that after all the dithering that has taken us from a six-month mandate to twenty-two months and counting, the same Caretaker Committee that has consistently failed to deliver on its core mandate of delivering the national convention and even inspiring any sort of confidence will be allowed to continue to supervise the process of the same convention it couldn’t organize,” the group said.

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The group stated that while it has no personal animosity toward the CECPC, it would like to ensure that the party’s handlers run the party’s affairs in such a way that it is stabilized and its fortunes are preserved for the tasks ahead.

“As we look forward to the convention, it is our hope that the APC will embrace proper democratic ideals, which thrive on guaranteed member freedom of choice; and that the election of the new NWC members will be as representative of the wishes of the majority of party members as possible,” it continued.

“One of the issues for which we felt the APC required a rebirth is one that concerns imposition in any form, and we trust that the upcoming Convention will be above board in this regard.”

The group expressed satisfaction with the current commitment to deliver the convention, as seen by the few activities that preceded the announcement of the new date, particularly with the entry into the fray of Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

“Unlike what was initially obtainable, Mallam El-Rufai did not only inspire confidence with the communication of the decisions reached at the various stakeholder meetings, he also went ahead to ensure that the zoning arrangement, which has been an issue on the minds of many members of the party, was also communicated to the public as agreed by the stakeholders; a development that has not only calmed frayed nerves but has helped to inspire confidence in the Martial Law system,” it said.

“Despite El-involvement, Rufai’s it would have been very gratifying if he and many other party leaders had not only spoken out against the party’s tragic trajectory during the last 22 months with the CECPC at the helm, but also taken responsibility, as he has done in the last few days.”

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“We believe that his protracted silence, along with that of many others, contributed significantly to the current status of the party, and we hope that lessons have been learned and that future events of this sort will be avoided.”

Cattle Rustlers, Bandits Will Face Death Penalty Or Life Imprisonment In Kano, Ganduje Threatens Ranchers

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Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the governor of Kano State, has issued a formal warning to Fulani herders not to engage in cattle rustling or banditry, warning that “anyone caught in such deplorable crimes will face death penalty or life sentence.”

Governor Ganduje made the remarks while vaccinating one million cows in the state’s Kadawa Garun Mallam Local Government Area during the weekend’s ceremonial launch of the State-Wide Mass Cattle and Small Ruminant Vaccinations.

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“Kano has seen peace and progress since our deal with Fulani herders to end cattle rustling, while government continues to do good for the herders,” he said. “Any move to get involved in criminalities would be met with heavy penalties.”

Ganduje reminded them that his government had done a fantastic job in Kano with Fulani herders, from creating a full Ruga town for them to ensuring that they had annual vaccines, and that the herders had no cause to be criminals.

The Governor reminded them that they vaccinated 703,000 cattle and 664,000 ruminants last year and had no infectious outbreaks, prompting them to set a goal of producing one million healthy cattle.

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“We have succeeded overtime in combating Cattles Rustling and Banditry in Kano, and anyone who entertains the thought of being engaged in either rustling or banditry will be imprisoned for life or sentenced to death without the option of repentance.”

He went on to say that open grazing is an old model that is progressively being phased out, thus Kano has recently embraced a new model known as Ruga settlement, which provides economic viability to herders.

Suspected Cultists Attack funeral In Anambra, killing 20 People, Desecrate Corpse

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Armed men suspected of belonging to a secret cult attacked a funeral ritual in Ebenebe, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, on Saturday, murdering over 20 people.

Our correspondent learned that the funeral was for a suspected cult leader named Ozo, and that as the body of Ozo lay in state in his compound, some suspected cultists arrived and sacked mourners, firing at them.

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“My sister was scheduled to be at the burial,” claimed a source who did not want to be identified. She and her pals had planned to travel from Awka to Ebenebe, but the car they had reserved failed to meet their expectations.

“She and her pals were so dissatisfied that they decided to look for another vehicle that could transport them.” They received a phone call while on their way to the burial that everyone at the burial had been dispersed by some shooters.

“She also received a video from the site, which showed numerous people dead in pools of blood, while the corpse was desecrated, with the coffins lying far apart, and the corpse stretched on the ground.”

The footage showed members of the community crying and bodies littering the compound.

The event was confirmed by the Anambra State Police Command, who described it as a case of cult rivalry.

“Yes, there was an incident at Ebenebe this morning (Saturday),” stated DSP Tochukwu Ikenga. A burial was in progress when a group of persons suspected of being cultists stormed the location and began firing.

“At this time, I don’t have any information about casualties, but I’ll keep you updated as soon as I obtain more information.”

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“For the time being, CP Echeng Echeng, the Commissioner of Police, has dispatched tactical squads made up of several units to the area to keep peace,” he said.

Major Shake-Up As IGP Baba Appoints Acting DIG, Orders Three AIGs To Be Redeployed

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Mr Bala Senchi, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), has been appointed as the interim Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Operations by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Baba.

Senchi becomes the DIG representing the North-West geopolitical zone, according to a statement issued by the acting Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Saturday in Abuja.

He added that the IGP had also ordered the redeployment of three Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), namely Aji Janga of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Bala Ciroma of the Federal Operations (FEDOPS), and Ndatsu Mohammed of Zone 7 Abuja.

Read Also:  FG distributes relief materials to 2021 flood victims in Bayelsa

The redeployments, according to Adejobi, were prompted by a recent void left by the retirement of some senior officers after their required years of service had expired.

Mr Zaki Ahmed, DIG representing the North-West geopolitical zone and immediate past DIG in-charge of Operations, and Mr John Abang, AIG Police Mobile Force, were among the retirees, according to the spokesman (PMF).

The new acting DIG in command of operations, he claims, is a professional police officer with a BA in History.

“The Kebbi native has held a number of command roles, including Commissioner of the Police Staff College in Jos and the Jigawa Command.

He was the AIG in-charge of Community Policing, Force Headquarters, Abuja, till his recent promotion/posting, he said.

Janga, the PMF’s new AIG, has a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Maiduguri and is a member of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, according to him (NIPSS).

“Janga, a Borno-born police officer, has previously held a number of strategic posts and attended a number of professional courses and workshops.

“Among other positions, he has held include AIG in-charge of Zone-10 Sokoto, Commissioner, Police Mobile Force, Federal Operations, and the Kogi command.

“He was the AIG in-charge of the Department of ICT, Force Headquarters, Abuja, until his recent posting as the AIG in-charge, Police Mobile Force,” he stated.

The new AIG in command of FEDOPS, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja, joined the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990, according to him.

Ciroma has a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Maiduguri and a Post Graduate Certificate in Corruption Studies from Hong Kong University, according to him.

Ciroma, who is a member of the Certified Fraud Examiners, was the AIG Zone 7, Abuja, prior to his appointment as AIG FEDOPS.

“Among other things, he served as Commissioner of the FCT Police Command and Head of Operations at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),” he added.

The new AIG in command of Zone 7, Abuja, has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from Bayero University Kano and is a member of the National Disaster Management Board, according to Adejobi.

Mohammed, he said, had participated in a number of professional courses and seminars both in Nigeria and overseas.

He has held many leadership positions, including Commissioner, Anti-Fraud Section, Force Criminal Investigations Department, Abuja; Commissioner in the Enugu and Borno commands, according to him.

“He was the AIG in-charge of FEDOPS, Force Headquarters, Abuja, until his recent posting as the AIG Zone 7, Abuja,” Adejobi added.

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According to him, the IGP urged senior officers to use their considerable expertise and professionalism to the leadership of their respective Departments/Commands in order to improve the Force’s current repositioning.

The postings/redeployments, according to Adejobi, are effective immediately.

Breaking: INEC Announces Fresh Election Dates For 2023

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced fresh election dates for 2023 on Saturday.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the commission’s National Chairman, said this at a press conference in Abuja.

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The Presidential and National Assembly elections will now take place on Saturday, February 25, 2023, according to him.

On March 11, 2023, governorship and state house of assembly elections will be held.

Okechukwu: your outburst against Gov Mohammed reckless and arrogant – Northern youths

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The North-East Youth Democratic Vanguard has described as reckless and arrogant a recent comment attributed to the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Dr Osita Okechukwu, against Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, by the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria.

As previously reported, Mohammed recently stated that the decision of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone its presidency to the southern region posed no threat to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general election in the country.

Okechukwu, on the other hand, believes Mohammed’s argument against the party’s zoning of the presidency to the south in 2023 demonstrates the lack of dynamism in the party’s political thinking.

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However, the group’s leaders, Mr. Istifanus Darius and Malek Zulum, issued a joint statement on Saturday in which they stated that Okechukwu should desist from his unsavoury attacks on Mohammed.

In their letter, the members of the group reminded Okechukwu that his party was still in complete disarray, having failed to elect a National Working Committee (NWC) and having resorted to the interminable postponement of its convention.

It observed that, rather than attempting to save his sinking party, Okechukwu was attacking a principled leader like Mohammed, whose record of service is unrivaled in the country.

“The recent attacks by the DG of VON were reckless and arrogant,” the letter stated. Bala Mohammed, who had a distinguished civil service career prior to that, demonstrated a strong record of leadership and management through diversity and gender inclusion during his tenure as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

“As Governor of Bauchi, his transformational work is astounding, and he is widely regarded as a revolutionary by his peers.

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It is clear that Mr Okechukwu is holding up a mirror to his own abjectly tarnished reputation when he uses words such as deceitful, duplicity, selfish, and failure to disparage the person of Governor Bala Mohammed.

FG distributes relief materials to 2021 flood victims in Bayelsa

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NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) on Saturday distributed relief materials to flood victims in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State, which had been affected by the 2021 flood.

Rice, beans, garri, vegetable oil, tin tomatoes, seasoning, salt, mattresses, mosquito nets, and blankets were among the items given out to those in need.

As a result of the attention drawn to their plight by Hon. Preye Oseke, it was determined that assistance would be provided to them (APC-Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency).

In a statement issued in Yenagoa, Mr. Dahiru Yusuf, the NEMA’s Head of Operation in Edo State, said that the distribution was carried out based on an assessment of the affected communities in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area by the agency.

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‘It is federal assistance to Southern Ijaw communities that will be impacted by flooding in 2021,’ says the spokesperson.

“There are communities in that area that have been severely impacted; we were made aware of it and went to assess the situation; the majority of those affected have lost their food supplies.”

“This assistance is intended to mitigate the impact of whatever was lost as a result of the flooding,” he explained.

Yusuf explained that the lawmaker had written to NEMA to draw their attention to the disaster, and the agency had duly verified the extent of the damage.

He urged those who would benefit from the items to use them wisely.

“Community leaders were involved in the distribution, and everything went smoothly.” I am confident that those items will reach their intended recipients.

I want people to understand that the federal government is concerned about them and their well-being, Yusuf stated emphatically.

Mrs Bridget Oseke, the lawmaker’s wife, expressed gratitude to the federal government and her husband for facilitating the distribution of relief materials in her remarks.

According to her, “the items are for the entire Southern Ijaw people; they are not for any particular political party, but for every member of Southern Ijaw communities that will be affected by the 2021 flood.”

Mrs Alaire Owei, a beneficiary of the assistance, also expressed gratitude to the federal government and the lawmaker for their efforts.

She stated that the items would go a long way toward mitigating the effects of the flooding in the area.

“We are overjoyed by this gesture from the federal government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, which has assisted the poor masses,” Owei expressed his delight at the gesture.

Read Also: Arewa group warns APC against zoning 2023 Presidency to south

The flooding that occurred in the Southern Ijaw communities in 2021 was caused by ocean surge and windstorms, which destroyed property and forced residents to flee their homes.