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WAMAC Town Hall Meeting Promotes Anti-Corruption Measures in Enugu State

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Governor Peter Mbah Of Enugu State

Enugu, Enugu State – On September 9th, 2023, the Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC), in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation, convened a significant Town Hall Meeting with a pivotal theme: “ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES IN THE PAYMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS IN ENUGU STATE.” Held at the prestigious BON PLATINUM HOTEL in Enugu, Enugu State, this event brought together a diverse array of stakeholders committed to amplifying the fight against corruption.

Participants in this influential gathering hailed from various sectors, including the media, civil society organizations, people with disabilities (PWDs), community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), pensioners’ associations, labor leaders, and the Honorable Commissioner of Information, Enugu State.

The Town Hall Meeting culminated in a series of vital resolutions aimed at accelerating the fight against corruption through enhanced community participation. These resolutions are outlined as follows:

Addressing Governance-Governed Disconnect: The meeting recognized the prevailing mistrust and lack of accountability in pension administration within Enugu State and identified the need to bridge the gap between the government and the governed.

Active Stakeholder Engagement: Participants called for the active involvement of stakeholders to ensure the timely payment of pensioner entitlements and arrears, commending the Enugu State government for restoring hope to local government pensioners.

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Combatting Transactional Corruption: The Town Hall Meeting identified transactional corruption as a significant challenge in pension administration due to a lack of transparency and accountability tracking processes.

Prompt Remittance: Challenges faced by pensioners in other parastatals were acknowledged, and attendees urged local government chairmen to promptly remit funds to the Local Government Pension Board for the timely payment of pensioners and arrears.

Support for Anti-Corruption Agencies: Participants advocated for the continued enforcement of mandates by anti-corruption agencies, EFCC and ICPC, emphasizing the importance of preventive measures and enforcement.

Commendation for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs): The meeting commended CSOs for their dedication and advocacy in the fight against corruption, while urging governments to ensure pensioners receive their entitlements promptly.

Addressing Social and Electronic Crimes: Concerns were raised about social crimes, including cybercrimes and human trafficking, which were deemed detrimental to development. Participants called for social inclusion for PWDs and the implementation of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) measures.

Pension Scheme Review: The Town Hall Meeting applauded the Enugu State government’s establishment of a committee comprising pension administration stakeholders and labor leaders to review the Pension Scheme with a view to adopting the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Acknowledgment: The meeting expressed gratitude to DREAM FM Radio, Enugu, and other media organizations, as well as Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC) and the MacArthur Foundation, for their unwavering efforts in the fight against corruption.

This communique, undersigned by Executive Director/Project Manager, Zubair Abdurrauf Idris, represents the collective efforts and commitment of all participants to promote transparency, accountability, and the eradication of corruption in Enugu State.

Zubair Abdurrauf Idris Executive Director/Project Manager

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Eid Al-Adha Felicitations-Prof Muhammad Abbas

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From Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas
Director General, Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC)

To:
His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf
Executive Governor of Kano State and the Good People of Kano State

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

On this blessed occasion of Eid Al-Adha, I extend my warmest felicitations to Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, and to the entire people of Kano State.

Eid Al-Adha reminds us of sacrifice, obedience, and compassion for humanity. As we celebrate, I pray that Allah (SWT) accepts our sacrifices, grants us peace, good health, and strengthens the bonds of unity across Kano State.

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Your Excellency, I commend your unwavering commitment and readiness to support disease prevention, early detection, and rapid response in Kano State. Your leadership has created the enabling environment for public health institutions to thrive and serve the people effectively. The people of Kano are fortunate to have a Governor who places health security and the wellbeing of citizens at the heart of governance.

Under the guidance of the Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC, remains fully committed to its mandate. I assure Your Excellency and the good people of Kano State that KNCDC stands ready, with the continued support of Your Excellency and the strategic direction of the Honorable Commissioner, to prevent, detect, and respond promptly to all epidemic-prone diseases in the state.

May this Eid bring joy to every home, healing to the sick, and renewed strength to our collective efforts in building a healthier and safer Kano.

Eid Mubarak!
May Allah bless Kano State and Nigeria with peace, prosperity, and good health.

Signed,
Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas
Director General
Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC

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Atiku Wins ADC Presidential Primaries in Kano

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By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged victorious in the presidential primaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) held in Kano State, securing an overwhelming majority of votes cast across the state’s 484 wards.

Announcing the results in Kano on Tuesday, Dr. John Ayuba, a representative of the ADC national headquarters, declared that Atiku polled 155,995 votes to defeat his closest rivals in the keenly contested exercise.

According to the official figures released at the end of the collation process:

Atiku Abubakar — 155,995 votes

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Rotimi Amaechi — 15,914 votes

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen — 9,994 votes

Dr. Ayuba stated that the primary election was conducted peacefully across all the 484 wards in Kano State, with party officials and delegates participating in the democratic process.

Speaking shortly after the announcement, he said the outcome of the Kano exercise would now be transmitted to the ADC national leadership for final collation and ratification.

“The election was conducted in the 484 wards of Kano State. We are going to forward the results to the national headquarters, and from there we will know who becomes the presidential flagbearer of the party,” he said.

 

The outcome further strengthens Atiku’s influence within the party structure in Kano, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states with a large voting population.

Political observers say the margin of victory recorded by the former vice president reflects his strong grassroots support and established political network in northern Nigeria ahead of the next general election.

Supporters of Atiku who gathered at the venue of the announcement celebrated the victory, describing it as a sign of confidence in his leadership experience and national appeal.

Meanwhile, party officials urged members to remain united after the exercise and work towards strengthening the ADC ahead of the presidential election.

The ADC national headquarters is expected to compile results from other states before making an official declaration on the party’s presidential candidate.

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Pantami Defects to PDP, Secures Guber Ticket for Gombe Governorship Race

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Pantami Def

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the immediate past Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has been elected as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Gombe State ahead of the 2027 elections.

Pantami secured the ticket through voice affirmation at the party’s primary election held on Tuesday in Gombe. The event, which took place at a designated venue in the state capital, saw party stakeholders unanimously endorse the former minister as their flagbearer.

The Chairman of the PDP Electoral Panel, Gregory Yenlong, subsequently declared Pantami the sole aspirant. In a video circulating online and posted by Nigerian Affairs Journal, Yenlong announced: “I declare Prof. Isa Aliu Pantami the duly elected and sole gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in the state.”

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Speaking to a crowd of supporters after his emergence, Pantami said his decision to join the race was driven by a desire to serve the people of Gombe State. He pledged that if elected in 2027, his administration would be guided by fairness and justice.

“I contested for the seat to offer service to the people of the state,” Pantami said. “If I am elected, I promise that my administration will prioritise equity and good governance.”

Pantami is expected to face the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Jamilu Gwamna, in the 2027 election.

Prior to his emergence as the PDP candidate, Pantami had withdrawn from the APC governorship primary in Gombe State, citing alleged violations of the Electoral Act and irregularities in the party’s electoral process. He had opposed the consensus arrangement that produced Gwamna as the APC candidate.

Following the APC primaries, four PDP governorship aspirants raised concerns over what they described as attempts to bring Pantami into the PDP race. In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting on Sunday in Gombe, the aspirants—Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Saleh, Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, Hon. Usman Aliyu Garry, and Mrs. Monica Kaltho—argued that the law does not permit a candidate to defect from one political party to another and contest the same election after votes had already been cast and counted in his favour in another party’s primary.

The aspirants stated that while they welcome all well-meaning individuals into the PDP, they strongly object to any attempt to involve a person who had already participated in another party’s primaries.

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