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2023 And The Toughtened Top Dog In Tinubu

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By Bala Ibrahim.

If there is anything that played prominent in the build up to this particular general election is the word sentiment. Yes, sentiment, which the dictionary describes as a held or expressed opinion, had hoodwinked many people, such that some of them lost their senses of good judgement, alongside the quality of thinking rightly or wisely. As the results of the Presidential election continue to trickle in, two lessons are revealing themselves relevantly, viz: the pleasure of taking the path of the truth and the pains that could follow fallacy or falsehood.

My friend, Ameenu Ayama had written a fantastic article, in fact, an award winning essay, captioned, THE PLACE OF NORTHERN CHRISTIANS IN NATIONAL & NORTHERN POLITICS IN THE POST-2023 ERA. Because of the failure of some people, particularly the northern Christians, to position themselves on the path of the truth, religious sentiment was played wrongly, and that misguided judgement is now coming with some unpalatable consequences. A portion of the consequences of the misguided judgement was captured by Ayama, thus:

“Northern Christians have shown themselves to be a people whom the larger Muslim population in the North would never trust with to act as their representative or with political power, even on a sub regional level. No national politician worth his salt such as Tinubu will ever trust them or their leadership again”.

Atiku Abubakar and his co-travellers in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, thought they could reap from the misjudgement of our friends, the northern Christians, but because like them, the PDP played treacherous to the zoning arrangement, which would have equitably taken power to the south, they couldnt escape the wrath or anger of those who see their action as a betrayal of trust. In simple terms, they are now going through the pains that follow fallacy or falsehood.

As I write this article, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is positioning itself to commence releasing the results of the election, but already, from the exit poll, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has undoubtedly been portrayed as a tough dog. Although voting is still ongoing in some states, due to reported violence, Tinubu and his supporters have reasons to remain smiling, based on the opinions of those who voted.

Elections: Amnesty International tasks security agents to respect citizens’ rights

If we go by the provision of the electoral law, that the President of Nigeria is elected using a modified two-round system, and to be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive a plurality of the votes and over 25% of the vote in at least 24 of the 36 states, alongside the opinion poll of people after leaving their polling stations, including the expressed opinion of President Muhammadu Buhari, there is enough reason to believe that Nigerians have danced to the widely held opinion, that power should shift to the south.

The opinion of people that voted in Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kastina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi, are expressly in favour of power shift. With the exception of states like Adamawa and Taraba, where sentiment was used against common sense, the general mood is to respect the arrangement of power shift. The implication of course is that the tough dog in Tinubu has been toughened.

I don’t want to delve much on the issue of Kano, which is Nigeria’s richest reservoir of crude votes, and the rationale behind Kwankwaso’s stance, but as an APC apologist, I would say to him, THANK YOU MADUGU. Yes, a big thank you to Kwankwaso for depriving Atiku and the PDP, the luxury of playing political polo in Kano.

In 2019, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, got 391,593 votes from Kano, which represents 21.1 per cent of the total votes cast in the state. He lost to Buhari, who scored nearly 1.5m votes, or 78.9 per cent of the total votes cast. With Kwankwaso, a son of the soil in the race now, Atiku’s show in Kano would surely be a show of shame. This would toughen the tough dog in Tinubu, who Buhari said, is poised to be the next President of Nigeria.

Kwankwaso and his supporters may not be in favour of power shift, and I am not challenging them on that, but depending on how Kwankwaso play his cards in the coming gubernatorial elections, he has the chance to make or mar his political future. If he plays rightly and wisely, by taking a borrow from the idiom, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day, his political future can be prosperous.

But should he miscalculate, like the northern Christians did, the consequences could be politically disastrous, particularly because, in Nigeria, there is no guarantee to permanent political loyalty. Also, the President in waiting is a politician with prescience, and one that is known to deliberately plan and calculate well, how to get what they wants, regardless of the status of who he wants it from. The political sagacity of Tinubu is such that he can make easy, political conversion.

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NAHCON Chairman Unshaken by Distractions, Committed to Transparency in Hajj Operations

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By Nura Ahmad Dakata

Due to recent attempts to tarnish his reputation, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, remains steadfast in his commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in Hajj operations.

Reacting to a wave of misinformation aimed at discrediting his leadership, Kano and Jigawa Coordinator of Nigerian Hajj Media Support Team, Nura Ahmad, reaffirmed that “No amount of distractions will make the NAHCON Chairman deviate from his core mission of ensuring transparency and accountability in Hajj operations.”

In recent weeks, a series of unfounded allegations have surfaced, falsely claiming that the NAHCON Chairman unilaterally revoked the contract between the Commission and Saudi service providers, thereby jeopardizing Nigerian pilgrims’ participation in the 2025 Hajj. These claims have been widely debunked by NAHCON and credible Hajj stakeholders, who have confirmed that all agreements remain intact and that preparations for the pilgrimage are progressing smoothly.

Professor Usman has strongly denied these accusations, particularly the claims made by the Forum of Chief Executives of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards that he single-handedly canceled the service providers’ contract without consulting them. He challenged those making the allegations to provide concrete evidence to support their claims, adding that no critical decision regarding Hajj operations is made without consulting the forum’s leadership. “If they have any proof, they should present it to the public. NAHCON operates with transparency, and all decisions regarding service providers follow due process,” he stated this in an audio interview with DCL Hausa.

Providing an update on his ongoing trip to Saudi Arabia, Professor Usman revealed that he has held a meeting with his Makkah staff, during which they briefed him on key issues concerning this year’s Hajj arrangements. “We have another gathering with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. We are here to clarify contradicting issues with regard to service providers. We cannot just fold our arms and allow our efforts to be in vain,” he emphasized

The Chairman further reassured intending pilgrims and stakeholders that all contractual agreements remain intact and that NAHCON’s decisions are always in the best interest of Nigerian pilgrims. “Our focus remains on ensuring that Nigerian pilgrims receive the best possible services at the most reasonable cost. We will not be distracted by baseless accusations meant to derail our mission,” he emphasized.

Patriotic Nigerians in the welfare of Pilgrims, including the Nigerian Hajj Media Support Team (NHMST), have called on the public to disregard the misinformation, describing it as an orchestrated attempt by detractors to create unnecessary panic within the Hajj sector. “These false narratives are the handiwork of individuals seeking to exploit the system for personal gain,” NHMST National Coordinator, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagarta, noted in a recent statement.

Despite these challenges, NAHCON remains committed to its mandate of facilitating a seamless and efficient Hajj experience for Nigerian pilgrims. The Commission has assured all stakeholders that official updates regarding the 2025 Hajj will continue to be shared through its verified channels.

As preparations continue, stakeholders have urged unity and focus on the collective goal of improving Nigeria’s Hajj operations rather than allowing distractions to derail progress.

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Kano Government Meets Friday Mosque Imams,Seeks Support

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The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has called on the Kano State Council of Friday Mosque Imams to support efforts aimed at fostering moral discipline and mutual respect among citizens.

Speaking during a meeting with the Council, Comrade Waiya emphasized the crucial role of religious leaders in shaping societal values through knowledge and moral guidance.

He stressed that the meeting was necessary to seek their collaboration in promoting a well-disciplined and morally upright society.

Expressing concern over declining moral standards, the Commissioner lamented how some individuals misuse the media to disrespect esteemed personalities under the guise of democracy and freedom of speech.

He noted that while democracy is an adopted system, it should be refined to align with the religious and cultural values of the people.

Comrade Waiya clarified that the government was not calling on the Imams for political engagement but rather to leverage their influence in sensitizing the public on good conduct, discipline, and respect for elders. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with religious leaders to promote peace, good character, and an improved standard of living guided by Islamic principles.

In his response, the Chairman of the Council of Friday Mosque Imams in Kano State, Sheikh Nasir Muhammad Adam, commended the Commissioner for recognizing the importance of religious leaders in governance and social development.

He applauded the government’s efforts in fostering peace and encouraging responsible leadership among citizens.

In a statement signed by Signed
Sani Abba Yola
Director Special Duties
Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs said Sheikh Nasir emphasized that Friday Mosque Imams are not politicians but serve as moral guardians to all. He assured the government of their unwavering support in advancing initiatives that uphold Islamic values, improve moral standards, and enhance the well-being of Kano State residents.

 

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Galaxy Backbone MD Meets with Enugu State Government to Advance Digital Infrastructure for Economic and Social Growth

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Galaxy Backbone MD Meets with Enugu State Government to Advance Digital Infrastructure for Economic and Social Growth

Enugu, Nigeria – Tuesday, February 11 – The Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, held a strategic meeting with the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, and his team to explore innovative approaches to leveraging GBB’s digital infrastructure solutions for the economic and social advancement of the state.
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The discussions focused on deepening digital connectivity, enhancing public service delivery, and driving smart initiatives to support Enugu State’s digital transformation agenda. Both parties emphasized the role of technology and digital services in improving governance, fostering economic development, and empowering communities.

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Galaxy Backbone highlighted that it has established transversal and metro fibre infrastructure across the state, providing a robust platform to enhance the digital experience for both government institutions and businesses, driving efficiency and supporting digital inclusion.
Galaxy Backbone reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the Enugu State Government to implement cutting-edge digital solutions, including cloud services, unified communications, and cybersecurity frameworks that would drive the state’s digital economy.
This engagement underscores Galaxy Backbone’s mission of deploying digital infrastructure that accelerates development and transforms public service delivery across Nigeria.

 

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