Former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan Told to Bury 2027 Yobe Gubernatorial Ambition

By: Michael Mike

The immediate past Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan has been told to bury any ambition of becoming the governor of Yobe State in 2027.

A group of youth under the auspices of Vanguard for Better Governance in Yobe State 2027 said it is not the turn of Lawan’s senatorial district to present the next governor of the state.

The group in the statement said: “Against the backdrop of the call by phantom groups such as ‘The Coalition of Yobe East Progressive Youths’ led by one Dr Yarma Goni, begging the Senator of Yobe East Senatorial District and immediate past Senate President, published in many news platforms locally and internationally for Senator (Dr) Ahmed Lawan to heed the call of duty and offer himself as a candidate for Yobe Governor in 2027.

“We, the Yobe in the youth of Yobe State see this as a mischievous attempt of the Dr Yarima Goni’s political jobbers to sell a kite that would never fly in our dear state, Yobe.”

They added that: “While one may not be too sure of the news report, it believed to be a clandestine and surreptitious move at the instance of the distinguished Senator Lawan; but the senator does not need a soothsayer nor an Imam to enlighten him that the Governorship of Yobe in 2027 is a Yobe South affair.

“Yobe Zone B, having lost the only governor from the zone in 2009, the late distinguished Senator Mamman Ali, could not complete Governor Mamman Ali’s first term owing to his untimely death. Two governors from other zones have ruled Yobe State, leaving Zone B in a somewhat perpetual waiting game!

“The very mention of Yobe East person as the Governor of Yobe State in 2027 smacks brazen injustice, and lopsidedness as evidenced in the various federal employment slots allegedly coveted with the use of fake degrees, diplomas and certificates from degree mills traced to Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and other fictitious places to fix Yobe East people at top places and positions at the federal level.

“The same goes for federal projects “cornered from above” to the zone via the instrumentality of top politicians from the zone in Abuja. A case in point is the painful approval of a Federal University of Medical Sciences for the Gashua zone or Yobe East and a federal conventional university already operating in the area.

“The jaundiced socio-political distribution of federal and state projects in Yobe State has seen the trio of state university in Damaturu, two federal universities at Gashua Area, Airport in Damaturu and other key projects, yet nothing for Yobe Zone B reputed for having a large enlightened population and historical relevance.

“Politicians who have served the federal legislature for more than two decades are hardly rewarded with the governorship of their states; as a few of them have done daylight robbery of political mandates of their kith and kin even when they never contested party primaries for a failed quest for white elephant national pole office of Mr President of Nigeria with an evidential failure.

“The planned strangulation of the Governorship of Yobe in 2027 from Yobe Zone B would sow deep seeds of state discord if allowed. For God’s sake, Yobe East’s top politicians should look elsewhere and allow Yobe Zone B to breathe. Yobe East should rather hibernate from the self-inflicted wounds of rivalling President Bola Tinubu when northern governors had endorsed a southern candidate for the 2023 presidential elections.”

The group further said: “The quest for Yobe East Governorship of Yobe State would be akin to the same strategy of their kith and kith who sought to succeed former President Muhammadu Buhari after a northern presidency of eight years with another strange eight years of northern presidency meant for southern Nigeria. If it had happened; Nigeria would have been torn into shreds of Banana Republics.

“The coalition of Yobe East politicians appears as recent students of Nigerian history. Posterity has recorded in its annals that some of their kith and kin at key federal tiers of government misled the immediate past President Buhari into a regime of uncommon loan burden, ill-fated currency change regime prosecuted in grand corruption; in addition to the sleaze of the century in the oil and gas industry at the behest and heavy cooperation resulting in the current travails of Nigerians and the current government.

“We are forced, therefore, to assume the affliction of dementia or hallucination on the part of the ‘Coalition of Yobe East Progressive Youths’ to dream Yobe Governorship in 2027 for their zone and clan’s man as this amounts to standing common sense on its very head which shall not stand!”

Former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan Told to Bury 2027 Yobe Gubernatorial Ambition

Understanding VP Shettima: The Sokoto government on dancing to the sultanate

By: Dr. James Bwala

I do not think those trying to escalate the statement attributed to Vice President Kashim Shettima over his comments at the North-West Peace and Security Summit in Katsina State have a full understanding of the issues surrounding the relationship between the Sokoto state government and the Sultanate, which also informed the needs that brought to note the larger scale of the vice president’s message to the Sokoto state government.

It is not that the Vice President is trying to meddle in the affairs of the state of Sokoto but simply cautioning on the political moves from a question raised between the Sokoto state government and the Sultan, which is becoming sensitive to peace and security not only of Sokoto and the Northwest region but also Nigeria on a larger scale as the sultanate is a reflection of religion not only to the people of Sokoto but to every Muslim, which I believe is the fear raised by Professor Isiaq Akintola, the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Council (MURIC).

Another concern that informed Kashim Shettima’s massage directed at the deputy governor of Sokoto state for the government is for the government to understand that if there are any such moves, it will not only end in the Sokoto enclaves but will affect every citizen of Nigeria, whether Muslim or Christian, because the experiences in Kano state are already a pointer to say “NO” to another traditional seat dragging and for Sokoto it is not going to be about that traditional institution but a drag that may temper a religious institution, which the country cannot afford any act of violence in that direction that will further stretch the federal government efforts towards peacebuilding.

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From the statement of Professor Isiaq Akintola, the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Council (MURIC), the political play that want to unveil in Sokoto for whatever position in the government understanding of the wake in new relationship between the government and the sultanate—the pointer was never to malign the governor’s position as the chief executive of the state but certainly to advise the government that certain actions may not end in his control alone, as such it is not heroic to pull triggers that will engulf the nation in violence as
Nigerian Muslims would strongly oppose any attempts to depose the Sultan, particularly after the state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, deposed 15 traditional rulers over political alignment, according to reports circulating.

So, the vice president was looking largely at the efforts the federal government is already putting in place, one of which calls for the North-West Peace and Security Summit in Katsina State. Shettima stressed that the Sultan transcends his role as a mere monarch, embodying a significant concept. He highlighted the necessity for the Sultan and other traditional leaders across the nation to vigorously protect, promote, and sustain the advancement of the country.

According to the VP, when it comes to all matters concerning the progress of our nation, we must recognize and appreciate the role played by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, as a symbol of guidance and influence among all the royal figures gathered here. “To the deputy governor of Sokoto, I have a straightforward message: the Sultan is not just a regional ruler but an embodiment of an important idea. He represents an esteemed institution that requires our diligent protection, advocacy, and preservation for the enhancement of our national development.”

So, what is wrong with the VP’s message here? The Sokoto governor’s spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, hinted in a response to the ongoing airings that the governor said Shettima should have contacted him to verify the news that made the rounds on the purported plan to depose Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar before going public. According to him, there was never any attempt to sack the Sultan. But it was not only Kashim Shettima who heard about the brewing political new relationship in Sokoto that is dancing towards the sultanate.

And if indeed, the VP is all ears about what is happening across the country, It is not about issues to verify because Professor Isiaq Akintola, the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Council (MURIC), could not have come this far, and this is also not about the Sultan enjoying all the powers he is entitled to and that the state government has never denied him any of his freedom or rights. But this is about stepping on the smoky grass in the winter. The VP acted in good faith and spoke well with a defined message. Nigeria cannot afford another shaky situation around the peace and security of its citizens.

• Dr. James Bwala, PhD, writes from Abuja.
  Understanding VP Shettima: The Sokoto government on dancing to the sultanate

May 29 : Borno APC Laud Gov Zulum For Landmark Achievements In One Year

By Francis Okoye

The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) , Borno state Chapter has commended the state Governor, Babagana Zulum for the execution of over 100 people oriented solid capital projects in the first one year of his second tenure in office.

The state’s party Chairman of APC , Hon. Ayuba Bello made the commendation on Tuesday in Maiduguri in an interview with Journalists on the Governor’s performance ahead of the one year anniversary of his second term in office coming up on 29th of May, 2024.

Hon. Bello who is on record the first ruling APC Chairman to be elected from the minority southern part of Borno state since the inception of democracy, added that the popularity of Governor Zulum across the country is based on his hardwork, respect for the poor, commitment and high sense of responsibility towards governance.

He said even if one is from the opposition party, with humility and maturity, such person would agree that Zulum’s administration has performed greatly in the past one year since his projects are seen on ground.

The state party Chairman said,” As far as Iam concerned and the APC Chairman in Borno state is concerned, if you ask me to rate the performance of his Excellency for the past one year, it is exemplary, he has excelled in infrastructural performance.

” When you go round the country, you hardly find a Governor, who had done credibly well in terms of infrastructural development like Zulum’s administration. If somebody can carry out over 100 people oriented solid capital projects life on ground, honestly speaking, he deserve commendation.

” Even if you are not in APC, if you humility and maturity of mind, you would agree with me that this person has done greatly well. When you go round to the 27 local government areas of the state with exception of Guzamala, you will identify 10 to 20 capital projects that were executed by Governor Zulum.

” And they are people oriented projects, minor projects such as drilling of boreholes are not even counted. We are very proud of him, as a party, we are solidly behind him.”

On his election as chairman of the party from the minority southern part of Borno being the first in history, he said the party did it to balance the equation of leadership and giving the other side of the state a sense of belonging.

He said he enjoys followership and loyalty from all party members across the state, adding that structure put in place which is visible across the 27 local government areas of the state is reason the party would continue to dominate power in every election year.

May 29 : Borno APC Laud Gov Zulum For Landmark Achievements In One Year