Connect with us

News

Arthur Nzeribe Who Set The Pace For Annulment Of June 12 Dies At 83

Published

on

Late Arthur Nzeribe

 

 

Na’Allah Muhammad Zagga

Controversial Nigerian politician Chief Arthur Nzeribe has died at the age of 83. He thrived on controversy and this record will haunt his memory. Speaking of a man’s record doesn’t mean speaking ill of the dead. It’s impossible to reflect on a man’s memory without talking about his record, even if it’s unflattering.

Nzeribe will be remembered as the politician who set the stage for the annulment of the June 12 presidential election of 1993, which was widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola.

He went to court to seek the annulment of the election on frivolous grounds and Justice Bassey Ikpeme(now late) granted the request, setting the stage for scuttling the will of the people. The then chief Judge of Abuja Dahiru Saleh was also retired by the Obasanjo administration for his role in the June 12 annulment scandal.

June 12 had almost resulted in the disintegration of Nigeria. Haunted by the fear of imminent war, the country witnessed an exodus of its own citizens returning to their states of origin.

Democracy Day: Initial plan for hand over was June 12 ,1999 not May 29- EL RUFAI.

In fact, the June 12 unleashed a Pandora’s box that forced former self-styled military President General Ibrahim Babangida to unceremoniously quit office and hastily putting together an Interim National Government, headed by the late UAC chairman chief Ernest Shonekan.

Shonekan’s government collapsed within 82 days because of its weak legal foundation. It was declared illegal by a court judge. Confusion and uncertainty set in. General Sani Abacha, the then Defence Secretary under the Interim Government, advised Shonekan to resign. It was a coup d’etat in disguise.

Abacha initially pretended that he took over to restore order and stability to the country, and restore democratic order. But it ultimately became obvious that he didn’t take over to restore Abiola’s mandate.

He declared war on the press and political opposition groups such as NADECO. He took advantage of regional sentiments to divide public opinion on June 12 annulment. June was supposed to be a national cause, but they turned it into a Yoruba problem. That was the damage our opportunistic politicians had done to our democracy.

The biggest blow to the June 12 struggle for the restoration of Abiola’s mandate was the opportunism of the country’s politicians. Members of Abiola’s own party SDP took up appointments as ministers under Abacha’s military regime. In fact, Abacha recruited these political snollygosters for the realisation of his own self-succession agenda.

Abacha’s self-succession agenda created a Political crisis and uncertainty of its own. Divine intervention on June 8, 1998, following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha, appeared to have reversed Nigeria’s journey into madness and uncertainty. General Abdulsalami Abubakar who succeeded Abacha released political prisoners and created a 9-month transition programme and faithfully kept to it, resulting in the election of General Olusegun Obasanjo as President in 1999.

#

News

Zaura Foundation unveils Digital Entrepreneurship Initiative to Empower 90 youths in Kano

Published

on

 

No fewer than 90 youths across the three senatorial districts of Kano state scaled through the first batch of Digital Entrepreneurship initiative designed to empower younger generation.

The practical capacity training around various value chain of agribusiness, marketing, agro-production and other digital entrepreneur is anchored towards reducing unemployment among teeming youths.

Championed by AA Zaura Foundation, being founded by Kano Central Senatorial Candidate under the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abulkarim Abdulsalam Zaura, to promote self reliance among the youths.

Addressing journalists on Friday at the end of the screening, founder of AA Zaura Foundation, Abdulkarim Zaura explained that the digital empowerment was initiated to inspire modern agribusiness and connect Kano youths to innovative method of farming.

Zaura explained that, since the world is moving towards Artificial intelligence AI, Kano as an Agrarian and commercial state deserve to leverage on the emerging technology to develop the youths in order to be self reliant.

He noted that, the foundation targets over 750 participants who began obtaining training on the digital Entrepreneurship on agriculture, out of which first batch of 90 beneficiaries will undergo two weeks practical training.

Zaura said the initiative being organized in partnership with London Academy Business School and the University of Sunderland brought experts to groom the young hearts in various aspects of agro-digital economy.

“This project is aimed at teaching the student or the beneficiaries the digital entrepreneurship in agriculture. Aimed at teaching them how to be productive, teaching them how to learn to conduct agriculture in a digital way.”

“As they come out from university, some of them are still undergraduate, some are already graduates, some are in higher institutions of learning like Polytechnic. At the moment, the start of this project is very amazing and astonishing, as it is embraced by the teeming youth of Kano State. The project, we intended to empower 50 youth, but we ended up having over 750 people.”

The Chief Executive Officer CEO who is also the lead consultant London Academy Business School Dr. Larry Jones said, Nigeria has the potentials to transform Agriculture in the continent, encouraging the youths to puts more efforts in the digital Entrepreneurship training.

“What we are bringing as the London Academy Business School is many, many years of experience in agricultural projects. In this case, we have come with a message to bring the digital environment of agriculture to your students, and already found them somewhat way down the road already in this space.

Also, the Project Manager and Chief Economist of the Project Mr. Anton Scheepers expressed satisfaction with the zeal and determination of the participants with optimism to succeed.

He said, “what we are bringing as the London Academy Business School is many, many years of experience in agricultural projects. In this case, we have come with a message to bring the digital environment of agriculture to your students, and already found them somewhat way down the road already in this space.

#
Continue Reading

News

Workers Day: HoR Minority Caucus commends workers sacrifices, urges FG to address economic challenges, pay living wage

Published

on

 

As workers celebrate globally on May 1st, the House of Representatives Minority Caucus has commended Nigerian workers sacrifices, contributions to development urging the Federal Government to address growing economic challenges and pay living wage.

This was contained in a solidarity message in commemoration of May Day by the Minority Caucus leaders, Rep Kingsley Chinda, Leader, Rt. Hon. Ali Isa J.C
(Minority Whip) Rt. Hon. Aliyu Madaki (Deputy Minority Leader)
Rt. Hon. George Ozodinobi
(Deputy Minority Whip) saying:

“The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, felicitates with Nigerian workers for its critical roles as a major contributor to national growth and development.

“Today, gives us another opportunity to have sincere reflections, and objective introspection about the state of the nation; and acknowledge that the Nigerian workforce, being the engine room have collectively given its best in the circumstances.

“The Caucus notes with serious concerns the disturbing social, economic, and political situations which are not only fearful, but also stifling the personal development of our people, particularly the workers. From galloping inflation to debilitating hunger, overarching hardship, and corrosive poverty, the Nigerian worker has been the main victims of these and more negative indices.

“Deeply concerned about the decline of the economy, renewed insecurity, accentuating job losses, and numerous other indices of under-development which is affecting the performances of workers in maximally carrying out their functions as the backbone of government activities.

“The Caucus urges Federal Government to take deliberate actions towards instilling confidence in workers.

Also, there must be pro-active, and intentional decisions by the Federal Government in not just addressing these negative issues but seeking ingenious ways towards improving the remuneration, welfare packages, and other incentives of Nigerian workers who are entitled to living wage and not minimum wage.

“Conscious of the fact that true nationhood is a collective, and continuous task, the Caucus enjoins the Federal Government to relate with the Nigerian Labour Congress, (NLC), Trade Union Congress, (TUC), and other relevant workers associations as major stakeholders in every efforts towards re-building, and re-positioning the country.

“Also, these labour bodies and others; that are umbrella institutions for all Nigerian workers should show commitment, and considerations by collaborating effectively with the Federal Government where and when necessary.

“As a responsive and responsible group, the Caucus is confident that when all stakeholders harness our strengths, Nigeria will progress from being a nation with enormous potential to one that will assume her rightful position among the comity of nations.

“We wish members of the Nigerian Labour a very fruitful celebrations.

#
Continue Reading

News

Despite Sacking of Palace Guards, Emir Bayero Attends Qur’anic Graduation in Style

Published

on

 

The 15th Emir of Kano Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero has attended the Qur’anic Graduation of an Islamic School at Kwalli Quarters of Kano Municipal with a mammoth crowd.

This is the 3rd Qur’anic Graduation of the school which was founded by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan’agundi, a kingmaker and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of Kano Emirate.

Bayero who was accompanied by District Heads and well wishers urged the 72 graduands to imbibe and put the teachings of the Qur’an into practice.

He commended the teachers for their tireless effort in institutionalising learning and good character on the Students.

“Education is the most important thing you can give to your children, Islamic education and knowledge of the Qur’an should be given utmost priority by parents at a time moral decadence in our society is becoming rampant”. He said

 

This is coming a day after the sacking of some palace officials on the orders of the state government.

Despite the sacking, politics Digest reports that a large number of youth were seen in a new place guard uniform.

Zakari Uba, told this paper that he volunteered to serve the Emir on his own, out of love and patriotism.

This is the first time Bayero will make an official outing to the Kano city since his dethronement by the Kano State Government.

A source told this paper that the Emir decided to attend the graduation following an order of the court on the maintainance of status quo.

As it stands today, Aminu Bayero is the legitimate Emir of Kano says Sarkin Dawaki Babba Aminu Babba Dan’agundi in an interview with Arise Television.

“The Emir came out and return back home peacefully, nothing like he was booed or stoned. If it is the other one, the story could have been different. Did you see a single thug in Bayero’s entourage? He asked

One of the letters of the sacking was all over the social media where a Senior Clerical Officer of the Kano Emirate Muhammad Gidado Muhammad was fired for no reason.

The letter which was dated 25th March 2025 and signed by Alhaji Abba Yusuf, the Secretary of the Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II led Kano Emirate.

Politics Digest exclusively gathered that it was backdated because the victim received it 2 days ago.

#

Continue Reading

Trending