A 36-year-old driver in the farm of a former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has been electrocuted in Minna, the Niger State capital.
The deceased, Mohammed Bawa, who resided at Birji in the Bosso Local Government Area of the state, was said to have been electrocuted as he tried to reconnect power supply to his residence.
According to an eyewitness, electricity supply to the late Bawa’s house had been disconnected, while he was alleged to have attempted to reconnect the line before tragedy struck.
Power supply was said to have been restored to the area while the reconnection was going on.
Bawa was on Tuesday morning buried according to Islamic rites.
Public Relations Officer, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Alhaji Adamu Dantani, who could not confirm the story, however, described the deceased’s alleged action as illegal.
Dantani said, “It was an illegal act, so they will not report it to us because they know that we will take legal action against them if we know about it.”
The Niger state House of Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution asking the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to probe the immediate past government of the state headed by Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu.
Governor Aliyu, Niger State
However, the governor has said that he was not moved by any probe as there are enough documents to defend the activities of the eight-year government.
Also, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani Bello, Alhaji Ibrahim Boba who described the motion as an unnecessary distraction of the present administration stated that since it was the wish of the people at least coming from the House of Assembly, the administration will consider it on its merit.
The motion for the institution of a probe panel by the executive arm of government was moved by member representing Bida 11 constituency alhaji Mohammed Haruna and was seconded by member representing Gbako constituency Alhaji Abdullahi Mamagi.
The All Progressives Congress has accused Niger Governor Babangida Aliyu and his Jigawa counterpart Sule Lamido of getting stuck in the pre-election mode, urging them to wake up to the reality that electioneering campaign is over and it is time for nation building.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party described the duo’s “unprovoked vituperation against the APC and the President-elect as uncouth,” ill-intentioned and in bad faith.
”Nigerians have switched from pre-election to post-election mode, making the unsolicited advice and the rehash of the vitriolic
electioneering campaign rhetoric from the two governors totally out of tune with reality.
”Our commitment to Nigeria is sacrosanct irrespective of the state of the economy, hence we do not need any cheeky advice from Governors Aliyu and Lamido. We are not making any excuses, but we will let Nigerians and indeed the world know how much the economy has been wrecked and the role of anyone in bringing the economy to its knees,” it said.
APC said, “The two Governors have forgotten even the role they played in seeking to scuttle the change that Nigerians so much desired and for which they voted.
”Governors Aliyu and Lamido are so bitter and traumatized that they have forgotten it was their party, the PDP, that divided Nigeria along its ethnic, religious and regional fault lines. They have forgotten that it was their party that cleaned out the commonwealth in its desperation to win at all cost, at a stage shunning the Naira for US dollars and helping to crash the value of the local currency.
”Governors Aliyu and Lamido are also imagining where they would have been now had they not betrayed the G7 of which they were original members, seeing the group up to the starting line but cunningly refusing to take off when the race was flagged off. They made a wrong choice and lost out and they must live with the consequences of their choice, instead of continuing to snipe at some imaginary enemies.
”The chance to be part of a historic opportunity to rebuild Nigeria was offered to the two Governors on a silver platter, but they chose to put their personal interests above the national interest. The fate they have now suffered is a direct consequence of their shortsightedness and selfishness, and they must accept the full blame for that,” the party said.
It assured Nigerians that the APC will redeem its campaign promises irrespective of the state of the economy, saying, however, that the change that Nigerians have voted for will not come overnight but through a gradual, painstaking and consistent acts of good governance, discipline and perseverance.
“We are therefore calling on our compatriots to give their unalloyed support to the incoming Administration as it embarks on charting a new path for the long-suffering nation, while shunning the naysayers who, in their own time, frittered away the opportunity to rebuild Nigeria,” APC said.
The Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Aliyu, has described politicians defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress as people who are suffering from poverty of integrity, morality and principle.
Mr. Aliyu who was receiving guests at his office Wednesday in Minna, the Niger State capital, said electorates should not be deterred by defections from the PDP adding that those who should worry are members of the APC that will soon have problems of political profiteers in their hands.
“I will rather resign from politics instead of defecting from PDP. Those defecting from PDP based on the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly election lack principles of integrity and morality, they are indeed stomach politicians.”
“For principles of integrity, morality, we have chosen to remain in PDP. I heard people insinuating that I have dumped my party candidate for the APC candidate. It is a lie, I will never do such a thing.”
Speaking on the forthcoming election, he said the accusation by the Niger State APC against the PDP in terms of plans to rig in the April 11 gubernatorial election has shown that “they are indeed the very ones trying to rig and cause civil unrest. On our own side, we will abide by the rule to ensure nobody or party is cheated. The election must indeed reflect the wishes of the people.”
Meanwhile, Seidu Abubakar, a former chairman Wushishi local government who led a group of former local government chairmen in Niger state to the governor on a visit said that they have chosen to remain in the PDP based on principles and conviction.
“Despite the after effect of the presidential election, we remain undaunted. The Buhari effect has come and gone. The next election will not be APC show anymore because we do not have Buharis among the governorship candidates of the APC.”
The Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, on Wednesday conceded defeat to the Niger East Senator-elect, David Umaru, at last Saturday’s National Assembly poll in Niger State.
Aliyu, who spoke to newsmen in Minna on Wednesday, explained that he had called the Senator-elect to congratulate him, saying his calls and text messages had not been answered.
The governor said, “I have already conceded defeat to Barrister David Umaru. I have called Umaru’s number after he was declared winner about seven times but he did not pick the calls. I sent a text, saying ‘this is the Chief Servant calling, please pick’, and I have not received a reply by now.
“I have no qualms about the defeat. I did not see my defeat as an insult to my person but as God’s will.”
Appreciating the Independent National Electoral Commission for paying attention to details, Aliyu said the electoral body should appreciate the shortcomings in the election and work towards correcting them.
He also applauded what he described as “the gentleman approach” of President Goodluck Jonathan in congratulating the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, adding that his action doused whatever tension that was on the ground during the collation of the results.
“President Jonathan’s approach doused whatever tension had been created. It worked to smoothen whatever rough edge the election would have created. We hope that the transition will be smooth and everyone will see a friendly handover,” he stated.
Aliyu added that the defeat of the PDP in the state would give the ruling party a chance to reorganise and put its house in order for the next election.
Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State is an incurable liar, who speaks from all sides of his mouth, the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign organisation has said.
A statement by the campaign’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said claims by the governor that the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) signed a single tenure pact is a figment of his imagination, jaundiced, ill-motivated and irresponsible.
According to Shehu, Aliyu has made a bad career of misguided claims of this nature in which he presents himself as a clairvoyant fly perching on the walls of political meetings across the country.
He further dismissed Governor Aliyu’s recent vituperation and insinuation as the outbursts of a perpetual rabble-rouser, amateurish ethno-religious propagandist and unrepentant mischief-maker bent on stoking division and disaffection in the APC.
Shehu said the APCPCO is however not surprised at Governor Aliyu’s blatant lies considering that he has also been at the centre of controversy of being in possession of a letter in which his party’s presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan signed onto a one-term pact with governors of the ruling party.
“When has this Governor of a grossly underdeveloped state suddenly become a clairvoyant who knows what obtains in places where he was never present or represented? Is he an APC member? If not, how and where did he get his information from? And what Northern Nigeria is he representing? Nigerians are wiser now and they know what to do come March 28 and April 11.
“For the time being, our suggestion to Governor Babangida is that he should use the balance of his time in office to right a few wrongs in his state, currently adjudged as the most lacking in the North when it comes to development”, Shehu said.
THE Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, on Wednesday said that he never spited his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, as he handed over the administration of the state to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, when he travelled abroad recently.
Governor Aliyu, Niger State,
Aliyu made the clarification in Minna when he swore in three commissioners into the state Executive Council.
Those sworn in are Alhaji Yussuf Tagwai, Hajia Hassana Adamu and Abbas Bello, to replace those who resigned their positions to contest the primary elections of the PDP in 2014. Tagwai was posted to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Bello was put in charge of the Ministry of the Environment. Adamu was to take charge of the Ministry of Women Affairs.
Reacting to the issue for the first time, Aliyu declared that he has had a good working and personal relationships with his deputy.
He said, “In fact, I did not spite the deputy governor as far as I am concerned; he is still the deputy governor.”
Explaining that he had to hand over to the Speaker of the House of Assembly because the deputy governor had written to him that he was to travel for the lesser hajj on the February 19, the same day he was to travel.
According to Aliyu, he saw the deputy governor on the television attending a meeting of the APC where he had defected and assumed that he would leave for the lesser hajj from Abuja.
He added that he had no option than to hand over to the Speaker, as provided for by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, saying that if the Speaker had been unavailable, he would have handed over to the Chief Judge of the state.
He said that his relationship with Ibeto had been very cordial to the extent that it became a point of reference in political circles across the country. Aliyu added that for closeness, he had to bring the Office of the Deputy Governor to the Government House premises, from the Commissioners’ Quarters where it was located.
The governor declared that “constitutionally, he (Ibeto) is still the deputy governor. He will function as the deputy governor till the end of our mandate.”
He challenged politicians, especially political office holders in the state, to help douse the political tension that had built up over the months in the run-up to the general elections. He added that campaigns should be devoid of foul and provocative statements.”
By Henry Umoru & Wole Mosadomi ABUJA – Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, yesterday, took on their Kano counterpart, Mallam Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over his accusation that the two governors betrayed five other governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who agreed to dump the party following their irreconcilable differences with the leadership of the party.
Governor Aliyu, Niger State
Sule Lamido
It will be recalled that Governors Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano; Babangida Aliyu of Niger; Sule Lamido of Jigawa; Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and former Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, who were members of the G-7, within the ruling party opted out to form what was known then as the new PDP. While the other five governors teamed up to form the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Babangida Aliyu of Niger returned to the PDP.
Speaking on their exit from the PDP weekend, Governor Kwankwaso said both Aliyu Babangida and Sule Lamido betrayed the other five governors by returning to the PDP.
Why I betrayed them— Lamido
Responding to the accusation while speaking to journalists in Abuja, Governor Lamido said: “I am a betrayer, confirmed. I betrayed them. I did, yes. I am aligning myself to what he said. I am aligning my answer to what he said, go and find out from him. But I did that in the interest of the nation.”
In his response, Governor Babangida, however, said there was never a time the G-7 group planned to dump their party(PDP) for another party and that there was no basis for any of the members to label him as a betrayer.
He said at the time he led the G-7 group, the objective was to resolve the leadership problem in his party and not to dump it as some of them have done.
A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Israel Ebije in response to Governor Kwankwaso’s claim that he (Babangida) was privy to the G-7 decision to decamp to APC, Aliyu said there was never a time the issue of dumping their party for whatever reason was discussed.
He described the defection of some of them to the All Progressives Party as a personal decision which he as leader could not query and as such those of them who refused to defect with them should therefore not be seen as traitors.
Aliyu however said he has no regrets in leading a group that brought sanity to the PDP at a time the party was passing through difficulties. He said their effort was indeed nationalistic and a reflection of maturity of Nigerian democracy.
I never planned to dump PDP— Babangida Aliyu
His words: “Let me state in categorical terms that I never discussed with the G-7 governors over issue of decamping to the APC. I led the group primarily to stabilize the PDP. At that time, the PDP was having challenges hinging on impunity which had to be addressed.
“Let me, therefore, intimate that based on principle, I never planned to abandon the PDP for another party. It is also important to note that the G-7 achieved its objective of repositioning the PDP which was at the time passing through leadership challenge. Therefore I had no reason to leave, besides our effort brought the ruling party back on its feet.”
He said he will remain committed to the PDP and would work towards ensuring that the party wins all elective positions in Niger State.
Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State while speaking in Kano, weekend, said: “Everyone knows that Governor Lamido was part of us, he was the leader of the group. He took us to a certain height before choosing otherwise and we were all surprised by his final decision.
“But, if there is anybody who would criticise our exit, it shouldn’t be Lamido and the Niger State Governor. After all, our judgment would decide the outcome of the general election. However, we know that PDP is no longer the monster it used to be, and I tell you they are ready to do anything to have someone like me who was considered as an irritant back in their fold.”
Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State on Wednesday side-lined his embattled deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, who defected to an opposition party, and asked the Speaker of House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, to act in his capacity while away to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
Governor Aliyu, Niger State
Mr. Aliyu said in a letter to the speaker that he would be out of the state from February 19 to 26.
“In my absence, the speaker will oversee my schedules as the Acting governor,” he said in the letter.
Mr. Aliyu had moved against the deputy after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Last week, Mr. Ibeto was reportedly walked out of state cabinet meeting, although the government denied the reports.
The latest development came Wednesday as the speaker, Mr. Usman, an ally of the governor, also walked two lawmakers out of the state assembly, for defecting to APC, after declaring their seats vacant.
Mr. Usman, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, said the defection violated the constitution of the state legislature.
The affected members are Bashir Lokogoma (Wushishi) and Nazeer Abdullahi (Rijau).
Mr. Usman said the House took the decision based on a letter from the PDP State Working Committee confirming the defection of the two members to APC.
The speaker then ordered the two members to be walked out of the House by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
The two members said the action of the speaker amounted to impunity, adding that their lawyers would take up the case in court “because there exists a court order restraining the House from taking such action”.
The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, on Thursday reacted to Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu’s statement that he did not send his deputy out from the state executive council meeting on Wednesday, describing the denial as total falsehood.
Ahmed Musa Ibeto
Governor Aliyu had in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Israel Ebije yesterday, claimed that Ibeto had asked the council to excuse him from the Wednesday meeting when issues concerning the forthcoming general elections were being presented.
In a swift response, the deputy governor said Ebije’s explanation did not represent the true picture of what transpired at the council meeting.
Ibeto said “If this statement is coming from the government, let me react. It is not true that I excused myself. When I received notification for the council meeting of yesterday (Wednesday) I went as usual.
“But before the council started, the governor in his opening remarks said that people and members of the executive council were aware that I have defected from the PDP to the APC and that we had gone on campaign round the state. He said that he had the information and clips that I called him a thief and that he would not preside over the council where I am sitting”.
The deputy governor said his boss expressed concern about his loyalty since he was no longer sure that he (Ibeto) would not use council deliberations against the PDP government in the state
“I objected and explained that I have never called him a thief and that everywhere we go, people always wanted to know why I defected to the APC and I have been telling them I left the PDP because of the injustice in the party”, he said.
Ibeto confirmed that although he quietly left the meeting as a law abiding citizen after the governor had threatened to use the security against him, he was studying the relevant provisions of the constitution to know what next line of action to take
Ibeto added, “I will challenge the governor’s undemocratic action in court appropriately”.
He said that the governor had no constitutional power to stop him from attending legitimate council meetings, adding that, “If I am stopped from attending council meetings, whatever decisions taken at such meetings are null and void”.
However, the deputy governor’s position contradicts his spokesman, Bala Bitrus’ own, who confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES “no one asked him to leave [the council meeting]”.
According to Bitrus, “Yes, it is true my principal asked to be excused from council whenever political matters come up for discussion”.
He, however, also said Mr. Ibeto would continue to perform his functions as deputy governor in the services of Niger state.
GOVERNOR Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has ordered his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, to stop attending the state executive council meetings following his defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Governor Aliyu, Niger State
The governor also alleged that Ibeto called him a thief during one of his campaigns.
Our correspondent learnt that the governor in his opening remark before the commencement of the regular weekly state executive council meeting on Wednesday at Government House Minna, said he would not chair a meeting where the deputy was seated.
He thereafter asked the deputy governor to leave the council chambers because he (Ibeto) could use information gathered at such meetings against the PDP.
The deputy governor hurriedly left for his office and parked his valuables after Aliyu allegedly threatened to use the security agents against him.
But a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Israel Ebije, on Thursday said that the deputy governor was not chased out of the meeting.
Ebije said the deputy governor had sought a permission to stay away from the state executive council meetings and this was granted.
He added that apart from the permission granted, the state government also told him that he (the deputy governor) would still be enjoying all the benefits of the office.
Ebire said, “The Deputy Governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, asked the council to excuse him from the Wednesday meeting when issues concerning the general elections were being presented. He is now in the opposition and the right thing to do, on moral grounds, was to leave the meeting.
“The deputy governor is smart enough to realise that he cannot sit in council and listen to the political strategies of the PDP or be seen either as a mole for the APC or as an unnecessary distraction. It is clear he cannot operate within the reasoning of the PDP-led council hence he had to take the most honourable decision.”
However, the deputy governor described the statement as total falsehood. He said Ebije’s explanation did not represent the true picture of what transpired at the council.
Ibeto said “If this statement is coming from the government, let me react. It is not true that I excused myself. When I received notification for the council meeting of yesterday (Wednesday) I went as usual.
“But before the council started, the governor in his opening remarks said that people and members of the executive council were aware that I have defected from the PDP to the APC and that we had gone on campaign round the state. He said that he had the information and clips that I called him a thief and that he would not preside over the council where I am sitting.”
Ibeto said that the governor said he was no longer sure that he (Ibeto) would not use council deliberations against the PDP government.
“I objected and explained that I have never called him a thief and that everywhere we go, people always wanted to know why I defected to the APC and I have been telling them I left the PDP because of the injustice in the party,” he said.
The deputy governor said that although he quietly left the meeting as a law abiding citizen after the governor had threatened to use the security against him, he was studying the relevant provisions of the constitution to know his next line of action.
Ibeto added, “I will challenge the governor’s undemocratic action in court appropriately.”
He said that the governor had no constitutional power to stop him from attending legitimate council meetings. Ibeto added, “If I am stopped from attending council meetings, whatever decisions taken at such meetings are null and
Gov Babangida Aliyu of Niger on Saturday urged Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar to prevail on past leaders of the country to help curb insurgency rocking the Northern region.
Aliyu, who is the Chairman, Northern States Governor’s Forum (NSGF), made the call at the maiden convocation of the Ibrahim Babangida Badamosi University, Lapai, Niger.
He expressed the hope that security challenges in the Northern states could be surmounted in the next three months.
Aliyu insisted that with concerted efforts from prominent Nigerians, the unbearable situation in the North would soon be a thing of the past.
“I call on Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar to invite Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Ibarahim Babangida, to come together and help the North end the scourge of Boko Haram in the next three months.”
The governor also called on students of the university to imbibe the best moral practise, saying that academics were not only about learning but also about moral and character.
“As young people, you have central role to play in addressing the situation as positive change agents by advocating for peace, unity and peaceful coexistence devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments in the society.’’
The governor, who is also the visitor to the university, urged tertiary institutions in the country not to limit instructions of students to academics alone.
The Chairman of the university endowment fund, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, announced that the fund was yielding results.
Abubakar said that money collected so far was already running into hundreds of millions of Naira, saying that it was kept in a dedicated account awaiting judicious use to develop the institution.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ibrahim Kolo, said that well over N19 billion had been expended on the university.
Kolo also commended the interventions of TETFund and NIMASA whose contribution to university could not be over emphasised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 1,732 students, comprising four sets from 2010 to 2014 received their degrees in its maiden convocation.
A breakdown revealed that eight had first class, 324, second class upper; 902, second class lower; 476, third class; and 22 passes. (NAN)
Aliyu, who is the Chairman, Northern States Governor’s Forum (NSGF), made the call at the maiden convocation of the Ibrahim Babangida Badamosi University, Lapai, Niger.