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(flowerbudnews) The senator representing Kano Central, Ibrahim Shekarau, has lambasted the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for allegedly demolishing mosque in Rivers State.

The senator, who is a former governor of Kano State, also said the governor is irresponsible for declaring Rivers State a Christian State.

In a statement he personally signed, Mr Shekarau said the aim of the “reckless”, “rabble-rousing” governor was to ignite religious crisis in the country.

READ FULL STATEMENT

MOSQUE DEMOLITION: Wike’s Condemnable Bahaviour

All rational and conscientious citizens of this great country, Nigeria should join in condemning the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike for recklessly demolishing the Rainbow Town Central Mosque located at the Trans-Amadi Area of Port Harcourt, and for irresponsibly declaring Rivers State a “Christian State,” and claiming to owe no apology to anyone.

Muslims and other right-thinking and peace-loving citizens of this country should come together to condemn, in strongest terms, this irresponsible, reckless, rabble-rousing Governor whose apparent aim is to ignite a religious conflagration, the kind of which has never been seen in recent times.

If a Muslim Governor were to come out openly and declare his state a “Muslim State” and proceed to demolish a church for any reason, all hell would have since broken loose in Nigeria, and sections of the Christian community would have since rushed to the “international community” and even the United Nations seeking protection against Muslims.

The action of Governor Wike is a pointer to his being induced by other than rationale brain waves, as no leader in his right senses would contemplate stoking these embers of discord in a country so religiously, ethnically and regionally charged as Nigeria.

We must repeat that were a Muslim Governor to be reckless to utter even half of what Governor Wike uttered, the fragile peace holding in this country would have since been jeopardized because of the intolerant nature of a section of the citizenry. Yet here we are, with the added tragedy of a cohort Christian clergy lining up to bless and endorse Governor Wike’s action.

Nigeria belongs to all, and no state in Nigeria could claim to be mono religious. It only takes a responsible leadership to carry everybody along. When I held sway as governor of Kano State between 2003 and 2011, we encouraged and guided the people to lead their lives according to the tenets of Islamic Law (Shari’ah). But we neither became power-drunk to demolish Churches nor disregarded the provisions of section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to declare Kano an Islamic State. Our fair dealings with every section of the community earned us commendation, even from Kano State Chapter and National Body of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), at different occasions. These Christian leaders are a still alive today to attest to my claim. It may interest Wike to learn that Mr. Tala Ilo from Bayelsa State and Mr. Chris Chibuzor Azuka from Anambra State, (both, born-again Christians) were special advisers in my administration.

Wike’s claim that Rivers is a Christian State is pathological. It suggests that not only are the people of Rivers State 100% Christians, but Muslims and adherents of other religions from other parts of Nigeria cannot make Rivers State their home. It also insinuates that Rivers State operates a government, a constitution of its own, different from the Nigerian Nation. It means Rivers State does not recognize or protect the interests of people like Alabo Mujahid Dokubo Asari, Alhaji Isa Boaima, Alhaji Sani Okiri, Alhaji Ahmed Sani Pe, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Pepple, Alhaji Sulaiman Akani, Alhaji Ibrahim Orlu, Alhaji Musa Brown, Chief Hassan Douglas and Alhaji Mustapha Wakama who are all Muslims and productive citizens of Rivers State.

This is not the first time this Governor would show his reckless side in utterances and actions. It could be recalled that last year, he threatened his own Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) hierarchy that they either hold the party’s convention in Port Harcourt or, as he vowed, risk his destroying the party. Rather than risk the wrath of this single, reckless and irresponsible individual, the party’s leaders sheepishly acquiesced and danced to his whims by going to Rivers for their convention.

These actions and utterances of the Rivers Governor manifest the highest forms of irresponsibility by a so-called elected official in this polity. It is an attempt to truncate this nation’s democracy. It is a serious security threat. We therefore call on the Government at the Centre and all security agencies to call Governor Wike to order, and to hold him responsible for any breach of the peace that his actions and utterances could cause in this country.

In the end, I call on the Muslim community in Rivers State and Muslims throughout Nigeria to remain calm and law-abiding. Let us not copy Wike’s despicable attitude and unruly behaviour. Unlike him, other Christians are fair-headed and peace loving. Let us not lose our sense of decency, as two wrongs do not make a right. We shall however encourage Rivers State Muslim Community to be firm and focused; to pursue their constitutional right in the court of law as they did and won their cases in the past. This time, they will demand the rebuilding of Trans-Amadi Mosque and the payment of compensation. They will also demand Governor Nyesom Wike to unreservedly apologize to Nigerians.

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) The Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has said Nigeria’s diversity ought to be seen as a blessing because “the true wealth of any nation is its human capital.”

He said having discovered that diversity was a driver of economic growth and development, countries like the United States of America and Canada had opened their doors to talented immigrants from different parts of the world.

Osibanjo said it was also this understanding that made a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, to look beyond Lagos State while constituting his cabinet in 1999.

He said this decision by Tinubu was instrumental in the economic prosperity of Lagos State since then.

Osinbajo said this in a lecture titled, “Promoting national cohesion as a means of promoting progress and prosperity,” which he delivered on Tuesday as part of events marking the 70th anniversary of the Lagos Country Club.

Using Tinubu’s case as an example, Osinbajo argued that Nigeria had a lot to benefit from its plurality and urged the citizens to reject the notion that the country’s diversity was its problem.

He said, “It is clear that when we create spaces for migratory talents to flourish without discrimination, there is an economic multiplier that results in an ever-increasing radius of growth.

“Perhaps there is a little more to the prosperity of Lagos. If you look for example, even in contemporary times, the conscious decision of Bola Tinubu, then governor of Lagos State, to appoint commissioners from everywhere in Nigeria, in my view, is partly responsible for the peerless progress that Lagos State has made over the years from 1999.

“In 1999, he appointed Mr Wale Edun from Ogun State as Commissioner for Finance; Rauf Aregbesola from Osun State as Commissioner for Works; Fola Arthur- Worrey from Delta State as Commissioner for Lands; Ben Akhabueze from Anambra State as Commissioner for Budget and Planning; Lai Mohammed, who was then Chief of Staff, from Kwara State; and I, from Ogun State, as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

“Of course, he was opposed by Lagos indigenes, who felt that by virtue of indigeneship, they were qualified to be commissioners and should be appointed and the argument is always valid that ‘why should anybody come from their own state and be commissioner in our own state?’

“But during that period because the then governor sought for the best talents that he could find, he didn’t restrict the search to the indigenes of Lagos State, Lagos undertook fiscal, judicial and environmental reforms that have made the state a model for the rest of the country.

“If you look at what has happened, even just looking at fiscal reform alone, today, Lagos State’s IGR is greater than the combined total of 31 states of Nigeria.

“How did that happen? A fiscal reform took place because Tinubu took the best minds that he could find. If that best mind was in Anambra State, Tinubu took it.”

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) The media in Adamawa, has been commended for sensitising the public on efforts by the state’s Ministry of Health to contain the cholera outbreak in Yola Metropolis and environs.

The Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr Bwalki Dilli, gave the commendation on Friday in Yola, at a meeting to review activities of Journalists Against Polio (JAP) in the state.

Dilli said the recent outbreak of cholera in Yola North, Yola South and Girei local government areas of the state, was being effectively managed with the support of partners such as the media, WHO and UNICEF.

He said the media, through JAP members, provided timely information to the public, particularly on hygiene, which helped contain the spread.

“Public health cannot succeed without information communication, and the people that drive it are the journalists,’’ Dilli said.

He therefore, called for collaborations between JAP and the Ministry of health, in mobilising the public on issues in the health sector.

The Surveillance Officer of World Health Organisation (WHO) in Adamawa, Dr Jerry Pantuvo, also commended the media for its role in preventing escalation of the outbreak.

Pantuvo, however, said the media needed to do more, particularly in the area of attracting government attention to real causes of cholera in some communities.

He noted that the major causes of cholera outbreak were open defecation, poor sanitation practice and overcrowding in houses.

He said WHO, on its part, was assisting the state in the control of cholera by setting up treatment centres and mobilising search teams to identify cases in affected communities.

According to Pantuvo, WHO is also coordinating response to the outbreak for effective control.

He said that in 2018, WHO gave cholera vaccination in Mubi Zone, which went a long way in curbing recurring incidences’ of cholera outbreak in the area. (NAN)

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) Director-General of the Prisons Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA),  Dr Uju Agomo, on Friday praised President Muhammadu Buhari for assenting to the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019.

Agomo spoke in Lagos at a sensitisation workshop organised y PRAWA on the Act.

She called for effective enforcement of the Act which she described as long awaited, saying that the enforcement would make the prison system better.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that bills sponsored by eight senators and members of the House of Representatives were harmonised to give birth to the Nigerian Correctional Service Bill.

The lawmakers include, Sen. Shaaba Lafiaji, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Sen. Babajide Omoworare, Sen. Gershom Bassey, Mr Henry Nwawuba, Mr Ochiglegor Igagbor, Mr Danburam Abubakar and Mr Johnbull Shekarau.

The draft harmonised bill of the 8th Assembly was reviewed by the Committee of Interior of the Senate in April 2018 and July 2018.

In April 2019, Buhari  declined assent to the bill and called for  modification which was effected.

In early August, the president assented to the bill.

During the sensitisation workshop with some lawyers and journalists, Agomo expressed delight at the success of the bill, and harped on effective enforcement.

“The new law aims to achieve many set objectives including compliance with international human rights standards and good correctional practices.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service Act will tackle incidences of detaining petty offenders and proffer ways of channelling such offenders through non-custodial service.

“This will save funds for the government and avoid low-risk offenders from being socialised into the criminal culture by hardened criminals.

“It will also help fast-track implementation of the non-custodial provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of various states, by providing the needed support in terms of manpower for supervision.

She said that PRAWA was satisfied with the provisions of the Act, including the provisions mandating separate facilities for young offenders and female inmates in all states of the federation.

“There is need for implementation of the new law to achieve the desired results; it is important that all stakeholders turn toward supporting and advocating implementation of the new law.

“There is need for sensitisation of all key stakeholders on the law so that they can better understand the rationale for each provision,” she said.
(NAN)

(FLOWERBUDNEWS)  Gunmen have kidnapped the national chairman of Action Alliance (AA), Kenneth Udeze.

Genevieve, the victim’s wife, while speaking with Premium Times said her husband was kidnapped early Friday outside a Zenith Bank branch in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja.

The Action Alliance was the platform through which Uche Nwosu, son-in-law of former governor Rochas Okorocha, contested the governorship seat in Imo on March 9.

According to Mrs Udeze, the AA leader received text messages on Friday indicating heavy withdrawals, which were not authorised, from his bank accounts.

She said Udeze suspected his account had been hacked, prompting him to rush to the bank.He was subsequently kidnapped on arrival at the bank.

She said Udeze was in the company of his driver and was taken away in a black SUV.

Okorocha’s son-in-law had attempted to remove Udeze from his position.

Udeze’s wife was quoted saying she suspected her husband’s abduction was politically-motivated.

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) Twitter has frozen the account of the co-founder of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, Aisha Yesufu.

The BBOG co-founder’s Twitter account was suspended with a notification that reads temporary restriction.

“Caution: this account is temporary restricted. You are seeing this warning because there has been some unusual activity from this account,” the notification read on Thursday. CULLED LEAKERS.NG