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You have no shame to speak on failures after 8 years of misrule – Gov. Yusuf counters Ganduje

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Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf,  has  replied  his predecessor,  Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, over his claims of failure in governance in the current administration, insisting that Ganduje’s eight-year tenure represented failure  and maladministration, following massive records of corruption, diversion pf piblic funds and sale of government properties that characterized it.

Governor  Yusuf , in  a  Statement issued by his spokesperson,  Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, and made available  to  journalists  on. Sunday, regretted that  Ganduje  shamelessly spoke  about  non-existent  failure in the New  Nigeria  Peoples. Party (NNPP) government,  instead  of  facing  the nemesis  of corruption  and  political violence  hanging around  his  neck.

Governor Yusuf insisted that  Ganduje presided over two unproductive tenures characterised  with siphoning public resources,  inability to cater for the needs of Kano’s population, nepotism and bloodshed that left many families the mood of melancholy.

“Our eight months in office has remarkably outweighed Ganduje’s eight wasted years of political caricature and  maladministration by all standards,”  Governor Yusuf stated.

He advised the acting National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the immediate-past Governor of the state, Abdullah Umar Ganduje to rather buckle up in defence of his battered image at the court, instead of further exposing his impunity on the media space.

Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa was quoted in the statement, reminding Ganduje how his gross penchant for corruption has brought shame and disgrace to the good people of Kano, insisting that no amount of media campaign would hinder the process of bringing him (Ganduje) to book on the glaring cases of corruption filed against him.

The statement further  regretted that Ganduje could yet muster the courage to defend himself in  the  media, despite the embarrassing video clip where he was caught, red-handed, stocking his large agbada pockets with dollars, a supposed kickback from a contractor; and other corrupt practices massively associated with  his  eight-year tenure during which he ran the affairs of Kano state as a family enterprise.

“We wish to reaffirm the present administration’s resolve and readiness to make Ganduje and his co-travellers face the full wrath of the law for thier intentional wrong doings,” the statement added.

Governor Yusuf,  however,  maintained that his administration is multifacetedly inclined,  prioritizing focus and attention on socio-economic and physical infrastructure developments for the overall well-being of Kano  and  the  good people of Kano state.

Governor Yusuf believes that for anyone to assume that efforts to unravel the issue of corruption charges against Ganduje and members of his immediate family is an attempt to cover up, clearly means, such category of  people are either under false illusion or being economical with the truth.

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For whatever option, Kano state government would advise the acting national chairman of APC to show cause why his name, that of his family, and the entire people of Kano should permanently erase from the global embarrassment that the dollar video has generated.

The administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf emphasized that it would leave no stone unturned to pursuing the dollar video scandal  to logical conclusion. He therefore requested the release of the forensic investigation conducted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFFC) on “Gandollar saga” in 2018, for public consumption.

On the allegations of poor governance in Kano despite the increase in federal allocation, Governor Yusuf revealed that his administration is still struggling to recover from state of bankruptcy Ganduje plunged the state in the last eight years.

Apart from inheriting liability and debt running into over N500 billion from Ganduje’s administration occasioned by his reckless financial misconduct, Governor Yusuf said the immediate past APC government sold almost all the property  and assets to Ganduje, members of his family, and his cronies.

He further stated that it is also glaring that Ganduje’s administration was associated with massive corruption, nepotism and  intimidation of innocent citizens of Kano state, hence the reason for setting up two Judicial Commission of Inquiry”

Governor Yusuf added that for someone to believe the lies  that our administration is  a  failure for justifying the huge resources in less than a year, means that  the person  has never been to Kano  to see things  for himself, or the person is a member of the opposition party who simply want to malign our administration.

Governor Yusuf revealed that the NNPP government in Kano recorded life-changing initiatives to the good people of Kano state, part of which include the foreign post-graduate scholarship for first class students, payment of tuition fees and entrance examinations for hundreds of thousands of university and secondary schools students, free maternal and child healthcare, renovations and equipping of some secondary healthcare facilities, among many other modset achievments that have impacted positively on the lives of  Kano people.

Additionally, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has taken a bold step in paying the backlog of pension gratuity for the state pensioners who were denied their entitlements by Ganduje’s administration in the last eight years. We completed the abandoned five kilometre roads in some Local Government Areas.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has also distributed four batches of palliatives to hundred of thousands of Kano residents to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and increase in price of food stuff. Kano residents still remembered how Ganduje’s administration kept food items meant to be distributed  to the masses during Covid-19, under the sun and in the rain until they completely spoiled while other items were only brought out for distribution during 2023 elections, after greater percentage of the items were diverted and sold by his foot-soldiers.

While inagurating the JCI, Governor Yusuf said the first commission is to investigate issues related to misappropriation of public properties and assets while the second will investigate the cases of political violence and missing persons in the state. He wondered why Ganduje has started being jittery of the constitution of the commissions even when he has not been invited yet, to answer for his misdeeds.

According to the statement, the Governor is on the verge of restoring sanity from the spate of  political thuggery which the immediate-past administration  promoted;  and disruption of election processes in both 2019 and 2023 when unsuspecting and hapless  Kano people were maimed, injured, dehumanized, brutalized and killed by thugs loyal to the APC and Ganduje.

“We wish to warn Ganduje to stop dragging the name of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into his corruption saga, as we believe that our able and  well respected President does not interfere into cases before the courts of competent jurisdiction, as we witnessed during our trying  times at the Supreme Court when he allowed justice to prevail for the opposition parties,” Sanusi Bature added in the statement.

 

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Consortium of Marketers Urges FCCPC to Probe Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices at Dangote Refinery

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A consortium of downstream oil marketers has called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate alleged anti-competitive pricing practices by the Dangote Refinery. The marketers claim that the refinery’s pricing strategies are discouraging fair competition and undermining business sustainability in Nigeria’s oil sector.

In a statement issued to journalists, the consortium emphasized that the FCCPC was established to combat anti-competitive practices and ensure a level playing field in the Nigerian economy. According to them, the commission’s mandate includes monitoring business interactions among wholesalers, retailers, and other market players, with the goal of preventing monopolistic tendencies and protecting consumers from exploitation.

The marketers alleged that Dangote Refinery has engaged in practices that amount to abuse of market dominance. They cited instances where buyers are charged a fixed price for commodities, only for the refinery to announce sudden price reductions after transactions have been completed. For example, they explained that if a commodity is purchased at ₦700 per unit, the refinery might later reduce the price by ₦100 without refunding the difference to earlier buyers.

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They further claimed that bulk buyers, such as those purchasing millions of litres, are particularly disadvantaged. According to the consortium, once such buyers load their products, the refinery often reduces the price, effectively discouraging large-scale purchases. This practice, they argued, amounts to “disincentivising business” and creates uncertainty in the market.

The statement also highlighted that price gouging and fixing are recognized as criminal offences under Nigerian law, and the FCCPC has the authority to take legal action against violators. The marketers urged regulators in the oil sector to liaise closely with the FCCPC to ensure that pricing abuses are thoroughly investigated and addressed.

“The aim is to investigate abuse of prices and prevent practices that harm competition and consumers,” the consortium stressed, adding that unchecked market domination could erode trust and destabilize the downstream oil industry.

The consortium of marketers is concerned about pricing transparency and market fairness are now raising questions about its impact on competition and consumer welfare.

 

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A Calculated Effort Against Transparency”–Atiku Condemns Senate’s Electoral Decision

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has issued a strong condemnation of the Nigerian Senate’s recent rejection of a real-time electronic transmission of election results, labeling the move a “calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust.”

In a strongly-worded statement released today, Alhaji Atiku described the decision as a “grave setback for electoral reform” and a sign that the ruling establishment is unwilling to subject elections to public scrutiny.

“The decision of the Nigerian Senate to reject the real-time electronic transmission of election results is a deliberate assault on electoral transparency,” Abubakar declared. “At a time when democracies across the world are strengthening their electoral systems through technology, the Nigerian Senate has chosen to cling to opacity.”

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The former presidential candidate argued that real-time electronic transmission is a non-partisan democratic essential. “It reduces human interference, limits result manipulation, and ensures that the will of the voter… is faithfully reflected,” he stated. He criticized the Senate for reverting to a “face-saving provision” from the 2022 Electoral Act, which critics say allows for delays and potential interference.

Atiku framed the Senate’s action as part of a troubling pattern. “Every reform that strengthens transparency is resisted, while every ambiguity that benefits incumbency is preserved,” he asserted. This, he warned, raises “troubling questions about the commitment of the ruling political establishment to free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.”

He emphasized that elections must be decided by voters, “not by manual delays, backroom alterations, [or] procedural excuses.”

Concluding with a rallying cry, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar called on “Nigerians, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to take note of this regression” and to demand a modern electoral system.

“Nigeria deserves elections that are transparent, verifiable, and beyond manipulation,” he said. “Anything less is an injustice to the electorate and a betrayal of democracy.”

The statement signals heightened political tensions as the nation begins its long-cycle preparations for the next general election, with opposition figures positioning electoral integrity as a central battle line.

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INEC Snubs Turaki Faction of the PDP During Crucial Meeting with Political Parties

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has convened its first regular consultative meeting of the year with registered political parties, marking the start of formal preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The meeting, held at INEC headquarters in Abuja, has drawn leadership from major parties but is being overshadowed by a conspicuous intra-party division. A faction of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki, is notably absent.

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In contrast, the PDP’s rival faction, led by National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and its factional National Chairman, Abdul Rahman Mohammed, is in attendance.

The session features broad participation from other key political organizations. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is represented by its National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and the party’s National Secretary. The Labour Party delegation includes its National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, and National Secretary Senator Darlington Nwokocha.

The consultative forum is a critical mechanism for INEC to align with political stakeholders on electoral timelines, frameworks, and potential reforms ahead of the next national polls.

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