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A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa has decried antics employed by some leaders to saddle people to purchase nomination and expression of interest forms for them.

Bafarawa, a two time governor of Sokoto State, made this known in Benin on Wednesday during his meet-the-delegates tour ahead of the party’s primaries.

The aspirant advised such leaders to stop using government offices to misguide and manipulate Nigerians, particularly the electorate.

He said that it was misleading for high calibre of persons to misinform Nigerians on their financial status, with respect to purchase of party nomination forms.

The former governor said such deceit was wrong as it puts the burden to purchase such forms on the ordinary Nigerians.

Bafarawa pointed out that the large number of aspirants jostling for the ticket of the party showed that the party was growing.

He said that the PDP was committed to rescuing Nigeria from the APC adding that the party was united and committed to common goal of the ordinary man.

The aspirants said that even if he did not clinch the PDP presidential ticket, as a democrat with a vision and mission, he would offer his services to whoever gets the ticket.

Bafarawa told the party faithful that he would run an all inclusive government if he scaled the party primaries and elected as the country’s president.

He promised to give attention to the problems in the South-South if given the mandate to lead the country.

“I will operate an all inclusive administration. My word will be my bond if given the opportunity to lead this country as president.

“I will be a president for all and not for some persons because running a democratic government is a team work,” he said.

He said that a Bafarawa-led Federal Government would accord education, security, health and job creation top priority.

In his remarks, Chief Dan Orbih, PDP Chairman in the state, said that the party believed in true democracy.

Orbih said all the presidential aspirants in PDP were people of impeccable character, adding that delegates would have uphill choosing their flag bearer.

He stressed the need for the aspirants to accept and work with the decision of the party delegates.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has advised Anambra government to as a matter of urgency begin immediate evacuation of people living in the flood prone areas to the emergency shelter centres in the state.

Mr Vincent Owen, Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting (NEMA), Abuja, gave the advice on Thursday when he visited Enugwu-Out in Anambra East Local Government Area in accompany of some staff of the agency and other stakeholders.

According to him, the weather forecast by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), that 2018 flood may come in same magnitude of the flood of 2012, should not be treated with levity.

Owen said that the update regarding the flood was so alarming, adding that all the indices during the 2012 flood were visible while the speed at which the river was rising needed urgent action.

“There is nothing to wait for in the evacuation of the people living in the flood prone areas in Anambra, the indices seen in 2012 flood have manifested in all the areas visited.

“In Ogbarua communities, all the towns have been affected by the flood, in Enugwu-Otu and Nkpundo –Out, the story is not different,’’ he said.

Owen, however, said NEMA was committed to providing relief materials to all states affected by flood or other emergency issues in the country.

The director advised all the 12 states located in the flood prone areas to take the forecast serious while assuring of the agency speedy assistance, whereever the need might arise.

Owen said that the Nigerian Government has received a message from the Cameroon Government of its intention to open Lagoon Damns and ask for proactive measures by the affected states.

He said that if the forecast were not timely adhered to, the imminent flood shall be worse than the 2012 flood experience.

Owen said that the visit to flood prone states was to have first-hand information on the preparedness of such states in moving the victims to higher grounds and providing decent camps for the people.

He explained that the volume of water noticed in Ogbura and Enuwgu Otu was alarming and portends danger if not handled as quickly as possible.

Mr Cyprian Agupugo, Anambra Executive Director of SEMA in his response, said that the state government had embarked on sensitisation and enlightenment campaigns on actions to be taken by the victims.

Agupugo said that the state had also made ready 28 emergency shelter centres in its flood prone areas and assured that other necessary materials would be provided.

He said that now that it was evident, that the flood was rising, displaced persons would be evacuated and taken to centres closest to them.

Agupugo commended NEMA for reiterating the warning and reassuring SEMA on its willingness to play its part to ensure that nothing hinders the success of evacuation and safe guarding of the people living in the flood prone areas.

Some of the residents who spoke during the visit said the flood which started around July had increased beyond their expectation this September and had destroyed their farmland.

Mrs Grace Oneh, a health worker, said that the flood had covered the homes of many people and that most of the victims had gone upland to stay with friends and relatives.

She appealed to SEMA to commence the distribution of relief materials, on time to avoid being too rowdy and be ready to alter the method by involving community leaders.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NEMA team comprised members of the Red Cross Society and the Fire Service. (NAN)

A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr Moshood Salvador, on Saturday formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), promising to help his new party to multiply its votes in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ex-PDP chairman had on Aug. 27 announced his exit from the PDP following what he called irreconcilable differences with some elders of the party.

At an elaborate ceremony at the Agege Stadium, Salvador and many other defectors officially joined the APC.

Some of those who joined with him are Mr Gbenga Oshinowo, a former senatorial aspirant of the PDP; Mr Idowu Adesanya, a former member of the PDP Elders caucus in the state;  and Mrs Margaret Igwe, a former national officer of the PDP.

They were received by the state Chairman of APC , Alhaji Tunde Balogun and other members of the party executive.

Salvador, addressing a crowd of APC party faithful at the event, said his joining the APC meant that the state had become a one-party state.

He said he was excited to be back in the fold of the progressives he was once belonged to.

“I thank you so much for receiving us with this glamorous celebration.

” Lagos State is now a one-party state. When we add the votes of APC and PDP in the 2015 elections, it will give us 98.08 per cent while the remaining other parties got 0.1 per cent.

“They are insignificant when we talk of political parties in Lagos State.

“The only two existing and dominant parties in Lagos State are the APC and PDP.

“Now that PDP has transformed into the progressives family, there’s no other party in Lagos.

“My responsibility, aim, goal and target in Lagos State is for APC to have 99.5 per cent votes in Lagos,” he said.

Salvador said the APC would score between 2.5 million and 3 million votes for its gubernatorial candidate and above five million for its presidential candidate in Lagos State.

” Write it down, it is is a target; it is an assignment and we are ready to work towards it and achieve it.

“That will be my contribution to support my able Chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun.

“I will do all humanly possible to achieve this goal so that APC will have 99 per cent of all the votes cast in Lagos State,” he said.

Salvador urged his supporters to throw away their PDP cards and register with APC across wards and local government areas in the state.

He also appealed to the people of Osun to vote for the APC candidate in the Sept. 22 governorship election to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Earlier, Balogun said the APC was glad to have Salvador and his teeming supporters in its fold.

He said the defection of the ex-PDP chairman into the party showed that the APC was the party to beat, and that PDP had been completely depleted.

Balogun described Salvador as an accomplished politician who would add value to the APC.

In his remarks, a chieftain of the party in the state, Sen. Anthony Adefuye, expressed delight that APC was waxing stronger both at the state and federal levels.

He said with the momentum the ruling party was gathering by the day, he had no doubt that the APC would surpass PDP”s 16year rule to govern the country for 32 years.

Adefuye commended Salvador for making the decision to join the APC, saying the PDP had been buried with his defection.

“Hon. Salvador in Lagos is the backbone of PDP. What we are doing today is the wake of PDP and by tomorrow, we will bury the party.

“The party is dead and buried in Lagos State,” Adefuye said.

The chieftain also expressed the confidence that the APC would win the Sept. 22 Osun gubernatorial election.

He urged party members to redouble their dedication to the party to take it to greater heights.

The high point of the ceremony was the open shredding of PDP membership cards by the defectors.(NAN)

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for effective implementation of nutrition policy to address malnutrition confronting the country.

The Deputy Representative, UNICEF Nigeria, Pernille Ironside made the call at the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) Sub-Committee Meeting on Nutrition Awareness on Saturday in Kano.

She stressed the need for the state and federal governments to invest in nutrition through adequate funding and prompt release of funds allocated to the sector.

“The reason why Nigeria should invest in nutrition is that early nutrition programmes increase school completion.

“We must invest in nutrition because malnutrition is hampering survival and development of children,” Ironside said.

The deputy rep noted that Kano, Katsina and Bauchi States were among the nine states that contributed to stunted children in Nigeria and called for stringent measures to check the ugly trend.

She lamented that only 156 out of the 774 local government areas in the country were implementing extensive nutrition programme which is 20 per cent of the total number of the LGAs.

According to her, of the 12 million stunted children in the country, Kano State had 1.4 million children.

In her opening remarks, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed stressed the importance of the interactive meeting.

The minister urged the stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of nutrition policy in their respective states so as to achieve the desired objective.

Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II said the meeting was aimed to highlight the nutrition situation in the country with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem.

He said the meeting would also give stakeholders the opportunity to discuss possible ways of addressing the nutrition crisis in the country.

NAN reports that the meeting which was attended by various stakeholders including representatives of the Ministries of Health, Budget and National Planning was held at the Emir’s Palace. (NAN)