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APC Membership Rises From 11m To 41m — Buni

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Gov. Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe says the membership of All Progressives Congress (APC) rose from 11million to 41million as a result of the membership registration/ revalidation conducted by the outgoing leadership.

Buni, also the outgoing Chairman, APC Caretaker/ Extra Ordinary Convention Committee (CECPC) said this at the APC National Convention in Eagle Square, Abuja.

He said that the figure could rise beyond the 41 million as the registration was still ongoing.

The outgoing Chairman said that the CECPC also succeeded in reconciling many aggrieved members of the party as well as attracted three serving state governors from Zamfara, Cross River and Ebonyi from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the party.

He said that the Caretaker committee has been able to turn around the fortunes of the party from a crisis ridden party to a party with great prospects saying that the party now has the capacity to stay in power beyond 2023.

Buni lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the leadership and membership of the National Assembly and other critical stakeholders for the successes recorded by the party.

He said that the APC CECPC has been able to compete work on the party’s national secretariat in Abuja as well as settling outstanding payment for the building.

Buni said that the party has also renamed the secretariat after President Muhammadu Buhari in recognition of his exemplary leadership style.

He also expressed optimism that the APC would emerge stronger at the end of national convention, even as he lauded Buhari for working tirelessly to resolve the impasse that preceded the convention.

Army Short Service Portal Now Open

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The Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) informs the public that the online application for Direct Short Service Commission Course 26/2022 has commenced.

The application for the course starts on the 25th of March and ends on the 6th of May 2022.

Applicants are to visit recruitment.army.mil.ng

Application is free and users are advised to beware of Internet Fraudsters.

The APC National Convention In Abuja

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The governing All Progressives Congress (APC), hold its much anticipated National Convention today (Saturday) in Abuja.

New national and zonal officers of the party have been elected at the convention earlier billed for February 26 but shifted to March 26.

The convention is also expected to approve the amended sections of the party’s constitution and ratify the activities of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

The party held its ward, local government and state congresses last year.

Over 7, 584 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and FCT are attended the convention.

The delegates elects the 22 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from the 169 aspirants for various positions to take over the leadership of the nine-year old party from the CECPC.

The 12-member committee, led by Governor Mala Buni of Yobe State, was constituted on June 25, 2020, after the sack of the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC, to run the party and package a convention within six months. It could not do so until now.

The main attraction of today’s event is the election of a new chairman. Seven members of the party bought the expression of interest and nomination forms to vie for the position, zoned to the North-central.

The aspirants include two former governors of Nasarawa State and serving senators, Abdullahi Adamu and Tanko Al-Makura.

Others are a former Benue governor and current Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, the senator for Niger East, Sani Musa, former Deputy Chairman of the defunct CPC, Saliu Mustapha from Kwara State and an aide to Niger governor, Mohammed Etsu.

Although he is not from the North-central region, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, North-west region, is also in the race.

However, following the directive of the Leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, there are indications that the next chairman and the other officials of the party will emerge by consensus.

For the position of the chairman, Mr Buhari is reportedly rooting for Mr Adamu.

Some of the aspirants have reportedly kicked against the consensus option preferring to slug it out at the convention.

Should this happen, the election of the new officers promises to be intriguing considering their diverse strength and popularity.

Bandits Storm Kaduna Airport

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Armed Bandits, stormed the Kaduna International Airport, stopping an aircraft from taking off.

It was gathered that the aircraft, which was billed to take off at 12.30pm, could not proceed due to the presence of the heavily-armed bandits around the runway of the airport.

It was also gathered that hoodlums, who stormed the runaway, forced officials of the airline and passengers to run for safety.

It was also learnt that bandits killed a staff of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

There is already a military presence to beef up security, though most of the staff are scared with the killing of the NAMA staff,” a source said.

As at the time of filing this report, security agencies at the airport were yet to react to the incident.

FRSC collaborates with security agencies in Anambra

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Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Anambra State Command, has asked for collaborations from sister Agencies to effectively police motorists in a quest to enhance safety and security in state.

The Commandant of the Corps, Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi, disclosed this in an interview with Metro Times in Anambra state.

Mr Ireluyi who reiterated the Corps’ mandate to combat the ills on the roads through routine patrols, said it wouldn’t achieved successes without the support from other security agencies.

“We achieve more when we collaborate, when we work together with other agencies our goals will be achieved.” he added.

The security agencies in the state has been helpful to us in teams of information sharing, Anambra State Government has been very supportive.

“I have no doubts that the present administration in the state under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo will continue with the collaboration we shared because during his inaugural speech, you will believe with me that the new governor loves and value the life of his people, with this we believe the road users safety is his priorities he said.

Irelewuyi attributed road accident in the state to reckless driving by motorist, bad roads as well as other human factors.

“FRSC functions are limited, we can’t handle repairs or reconstruction of roads. We can only carry out audit research and also alert our o road users when the needs arises.

He also said their is reduction during the third quarter of the month.

Irelewuyi noted that the behaviour of road users was an important determinant of a country’s road safety performance.

Irelewuyi warned motorists to continue to abide by traffic rules and desist from reckless driving so as to prevent accidents and promote safety on the highways.

Soldier Arrested For Killing 7 Civilians In Borno

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The Nigerian Army on arrest a soldier for alleged killing of seven civilians, including a three-year-old girl in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Intelligence Coordinator, Theatre Command of the Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Col. Obinna Azuikpe disclosed this while briefing journalists on the military’s operations in the North-East.

ALSO READ: Nigerian Army Destroyed Boko Haram/ISWAP Camp In Sambisa.

He said about 16 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in the incident which occurred on Tuesday in Mafa market.

He said that the injured victims had been hospitalised, while the ”shooter” was arrested by the military police, Col. Azuikpe also attributed the incidents to ”post traumatic stress disorder and drug abuse.”

The coordinator said the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa had ensured that troops maintained discipline in all parts of the theatre of operation.

He said the Theatre Commander has set up a joint committee to review the existing codes of conduct in the operations.

He reiterated commitment of the military authorities towards improving the welfare of the troops.

Is Potiskum Turning Into A Drug Jungle?

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It is socially impertinent how the vulnerable youths in the Potiskum Local Government Area have succumbed to excessive drug abuse and addiction without realizing how dangerous it could be for their lives, mental health, and what they uphold shortly.

The increase in drug abuse has become a subject matter that needs actual consideration, and drastic action should be taken to overcome its rapid growth among youths. Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State is known as the epicenter of carrying out various businesses and educational matters. It has been the giant pillar of Yobe State in terms of population and contributions to con-constant revenue generation and youth engagement towards persuading education for the future.

ALSO READ: Bunis Unproductive Leadership Of Yobe 

But on the other hand, the locality is enveloped with thousands of dumped youths who have chosen drug abuse and are helplessly living around some areas of the town. They hardly work for themselves, and even if they did, the credit is artfully exhausted on hard drugs, thereby keeping them unconscious and capable of being involved in any act of immorality.

However, I noticed that some of them had unintentionally become addicted to sedative drugs as a result of unemployment. I’ve been seeing them in a place where they used to hide out and observe this deadly menace, and I had an informative interview with one of them, who told me about the main ingredient that drove him to such activity.

Nonetheless, the most significant point here is to draw the attention of the Yobe State government and public agencies with the responsibility of fighting against any felonious acts that can socially affect society. Both parties should immediately intervene to curb the growth of drug consumption and find an everlasting solution that could simply infer those victims of drug abuse from altering that habit completely.

The basic pattern to follow to eliminate such unfavorable commitment among the youth is for the government to burden them with the responsibility of providing efficient job opportunities for them, supporting them with funds to raise a small business scale, and educating them. The process of providing efficient job opportunities can securely remove most of those helpless youths from illegal acts. It will also keep them from sabotaging government and public properties, thereby decreasing the crime rates in the town or the state at large.

Nevertheless, those drug abuse victims are in urgent need of government or private agencies’ support with funds or facilities to grow a local business or get enrolled in schools as it was observed that the majority of them dropped out of school due to insufficient funding and parental support.

Furthermore, the Federal Agencies in charge of controlling drug abuse and illegal consumption should stand firm in their determination to conduct secret general patrols, seize any hard drugs, and send any guilty person to a correctional facility as a means of correcting their mentality and guiding them away from their addiction to hard drugs.

Regardless, it is very harmful to society and the government generally to spare those victims without any necessary security intervention, and if such illegal drug consumption continues to grow among the population, the children will grow up with a belief that nothing is wrong with dealing hard drugs, and the government may find it difficult to control their law-breaking mentality.

Kasim Isa Muhammad wrote from Potiskum, Yobe state.

Deputy Speaker Lasun Dumps APC 24hr To Party Convention

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Mr. Lasun Yusuff, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress, he contested for the APC governorship ticket during the February 19 primaries, alongside the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, and Moshood Adeoti, the aspirant backed by Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

The ex-parliamentarian submitted his resignation from APC at the party’s state secretariat in Osogbo on Friday.

When contacted for confirmation, the media aide to the Osun APC chairman, Kola Olabisi, said the chairman was unaware of Yusuf’s resignation.

He said, “We are in Abuja., the chairman has not been informed that he Yusuff has resigned from APC, but when contacted on phone, Yusuf simply said, “Thanks for the enquiry. It is true. I have left APC. That is all I want to say for now.

Bandits Invaded Kaduna Communities, Killed 50

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At least 50 persons have been killed while an unspecified number of persons were abducted when bandits attacked nine communities in the Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Mohammed Jalige, the State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident.
Jalige, said the command is yet to compile the actual number of deaths recorded during the invasion.

We are still waiting for the full details of the incident from the Divisional Police Officer, Giwa and the Area Commander Zaria,” he said.

A member of Vigilante Group in the Dillalai area, Mansur Ibrahim, said that the bandits also burnt houses and vehicles, motorcycles and rustled away over 100 cows.

The villages affected were Dillalai, Zango Tama, Kaya, Barebari, Anguwan Bakko, Gidan Alhajin Kida, Kadanya and Durumi among others.

Dillalai was worst hit by the attack where about 15 people were reported to be killed, with five commercial trucks and five houses burnt.

Peter Obi: Applying to Be Driver of a Knocked-Out Car — Farooq Kperogi

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I first took notice of former Anambra State governor Peter Obi when one of his videos trended on social media earlier this year.

In the video, he described Nigeria as a motionless car with a knocked-out engine. Instead of fitting the immobile car with a new engine, he said, we keep changing the drivers in a forlorn effort to get the car to move.

I thought it was the profoundest metaphor anyone has ever conjured up to explain Nigeria’s problems.

It’s interesting that Obi is now putting himself up as another prospective driver to move a motionless car with a knocked-out engine. Perhaps, he wants to be the driver who’ll tell us that we need to change the engine.

ALSO READ: Peter Obi Declares His  Presidential Ambition 

Professor Pat Utomi also told me sometime ago that during a public lecture, Obi was inspired by and cited the widely shared column I wrote on the nexus between political power and brain damage but that Obi wrongly attributed the column to Utomi, as several people have done.

Utomi said he corrected Obi that I was the author of the article titled “How Political Power Damages the Brain—and How to Reverse it,” which was first published in the Nigerian Tribune of July 27, 2019.

That the column inspired Obi, for me, signals that he recognizes the dangers of unchecked political power and sees merit in the article’s suggestion that wielders of enormous political power ensconced in the alternate reality it inspires should periodically get out of the bubbles of power to feel the pulse of everyday people and have “toe-holders” in their inner circle who “can tell them uncomfortable truths without fear of consequences.”

This is not, by any means, an endorsement of Obi’s presidential bid. It’s simply an acknowledgement that Nigeria has a virile option in him.