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

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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.

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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.

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Kaduna 2027: Governor Uba Sani Replaces Deputy, Names Jerry Adams as Running Mate

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

In a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has officially nominated the Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams, as his new running mate.

The announcement, made on Tuesday via a personally signed statement, effectively signals the end of the ticket with the current Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who also served as Deputy to former Governor Nasir El-Rufai during his second term.

Governor Sani framed the decision as more than a political calculation, describing it as a “reaffirmation” of his administration’s core philosophy of inclusive governance.

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“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” the Governor stated.

Addressing the state’s complex socio-political landscape, Sani noted that Kaduna’s rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and culture should be a source of strength rather than division. He reflected on the state’s history, emphasizing the need to learn from past conflicts.

“Our history has taught us difficult lessons about the heavy cost of division, mistrust and exclusion. Yet it has also shown us that when we choose dialogue over discord, inclusion over alienation and justice over prejudice, our people achieve extraordinary things together,” he added.

The Governor touted his administration’s track record over the last three years as evidence of this commitment, citing equitable distribution of developmental projects across the state’s 23 local government areas. Key sectors highlighted include road infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, rural development, and social protection programs.

The nomination of Jerry Adams, who currently oversees the state’s revenue generation, signals a potential shift in the administration’s focus toward economic consolidation and fiscal expansion as it prepares for the 2027 electoral contest.

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No Sin in Politics’ Wike Says as Fubara Returns to Rainbow Coalition

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has welcomed the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to his political side, declaring the latter has corrected his mistakes.

He said this in Abuja on Tuesday after inspecting the project, alongside the ongoing construction of the service carriageways of the Southern Parkway in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

Reacting to the Rivers governor’s recent declaration about his return to the Rainbow Coalition and pledge of complete loyalty to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, Mr Wike said, “There is no sin in politics.”

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The minister further stated, “If someone realises he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that.

“What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and deciding to take the right path.”

The minister, who welcomed Mr Fubara back into his political fold, insisted that the governor had “no other choice” than to return to the political family that brought him to power.

Mr Wike explained that the Rivers governor’s decision to align with his political camp publicly was a step in the right direction, adding that the reconciliation would strengthen support for Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him,” Mr Wike stated.

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Aminu Magashi Donates Relief Materials to Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre Inmates

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The Technical Adviser to the Kano State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, has donated relief materials, including blankets, food items, and essential drugs, to inmates of the Bichi Female Rehabilitation Centre following the destruction caused by a recent rainstorm.

Dr. Magashi made the donation during a visit to the facility on Sunday, July 26, accompanied by officials of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi Kubarachi.

The visit followed a heavy rainstorm that damaged parts of the rehabilitation centre, leaving several buildings in need of urgent repairs. During the inspection, Dr. Magashi interacted with staff and female inmates while assessing the extent of the destruction.

He observed that the rainstorm had blown off the roofs of several female accommodation blocks, while sections of the perimeter fence had collapsed, creating serious safety and security concerns for the facility.

In response to the situation, Dr. Magashi commended the Kano State Emergency Management Agency for its swift intervention, particularly the decision to temporarily relocate all female inmates to a dedicated and secured section within the Bichi Male Rehabilitation Centre.

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According to SEMA, the temporary relocation was undertaken to safeguard the lives and welfare of the inmates while rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged facility are carried out.

Dr. Magashi described the agency’s response as timely and necessary, noting that the safety and well-being of vulnerable persons in government care should remain a top priority.

He also pledged to support SEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in convening a strategic stakeholders’ meeting aimed at reviewing the incident and strengthening emergency response mechanisms across rehabilitation centres in the state.

The meeting, he said, would provide an opportunity to mobilize additional support from government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and development partners to improve SEMA’s capacity in managing the 13 rehabilitation centres under its supervision.

Dr. Magashi highlighted his continued commitment to supporting humanitarian interventions across Kano State, recalling that he had previously visited six of the state’s 13 rehabilitation centres where he donated drugs and food items to inmates.

He added that he had also sponsored a one-day capacity-building training for health workers serving in the rehabilitation centres to improve healthcare delivery to inmates.

The Technical Adviser expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, for appointing him to serve in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, pledging to continue supporting initiatives that improve the welfare of vulnerable residents across the state.If you’d like, I can also make it follow the exact Nigerian Tracker house style with a stronger lead, subhead, and editor-ready formatting.

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