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Rep Bichi to Commission 3,000-Capacity Juma’at Mosque Named After Late Sheikh Gumi

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10 months ago

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Muslim faithful from the nooks and crannies of Kano and beyond will today converge on Bichi town of Bichi Local Government Area of the state for the official commissioning of a 3,000-capacity modern Juma’at Mosque and an Islamiyyah school built by Hon. Abubakar Kal Abubakar, member representing Bichi Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives.

The Juma’at Mosque located along Gwarzo road in Bichi was named after the renowned Islamic scholar and Jurist, late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmood Gumi. The event, which is scheduled to take place between 11am-1pm, will have the National Chairman of the Jama’at Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, as a special guest of honor.

The Abubakar Mahmood Gumi Juma’at Mosque was constructed alongside an Islamiyyah school and toilets within its premises, as part of efforts to boost Islamic education in the community. Four new modern Juma’at mosques are being constructed by the lawmaker in four different communities of Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State..

Hon. Bichi is also constructing an e-library in Bichi, even as he built several roads across the constituency in addition to sponsoring hundreds of students to further their studies in various universities within and outside the country. For instance, he sponsored 21 indigenes of Bichi to Malaysia for their postgraduate studies.

 

Rep Kabir Abubakar Bichi

Rep Kabir Abubakar Bichi

The multi-billion naira project is part of the lawmaker’s efforts to give back to his constituents. He has built several schools, including Islamiyyah schools, roads, healthcare facilities, and culverts, among other projects geared towards improving the well-being of his constituents.

A resident of Bichi, Malam Ibrahim Yusuf, described the gesture as huge and timely, saying, “Hon. Bichi has done everything for his constituents. He has built several roads, healthcare facilities, a library, schools, and now a modern Juma’at mosque with an Islamiyyah school. The man has also secured jobs for many people in this local government. So, I think he has done everything for us. We are indebted because he has done his part; the ball is now in our court to pay him back during the election. He has spent so much improving our well-being in different ways. I am overwhelmed by his generosity. Any time he is approached with a problem, Hon. Bichi will do his best to help in addressing it.”

Another resident, Muhammad Musa, said he was short of words to thank Hon. Bichi for all the gestures he did for the people of Bichi in particular and Kano State in general, noting that “A representative that will spend such a huge amount of money to improve the well-being of his constituents deserves commendation. This is not the first time he is assisting his people. Currently, Hon. Bichi is constructing new Juma’at mosques in various communities in Bichi Local Government.

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“This is in addition to other projects he has executed across Bichi Local Government. This single project has greatly solved our problem. You know, Bichi is one of the fastest-growing towns in Kano, and we need such modern mosques around us. With our growing population, we need five of such mosques in the town, and we thank God that Hon. Bichi has constructed three so far. Only God knows what will happen in the next few years with Hon. Bichi as our representative at the National Assembly. So far, he has resolved more than half of our problems regarding decongesting our Juma’at mosques within Bichi town, and we thank him for the gesture.”

On his part, Ustaz Amani Ibrahim Bichi described the gesture as a step towards promoting Islamic Dawah within Bichi town, noting that as a modern Juma’at mosque, the place would be a center of learning, especially for young people interested in acquiring Islamic knowledge. “I am sure the Jama’at Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah will make the mosque a center of preaching by organizing lessons for the younger generation.”

A member of the Jama’at Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah, who doesn’t want his name in print because he is not in a position to speak for the association, said, “Though I am not an official of the JIBWIS to comment on its behalf, as a member of the association, I feel delighted with what Hon. Bichi has done for us. Apart from constructing the mosque, the edifice was named after our scholar, late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmood Gumi. This is something I cherish. I am sure the JIBWIS will forever remain grateful to Hon. Bichi for this single gesture.

“My appeal to the people of Bichi, especially the youth, is to devote their time to acquiring knowledge when such lessons for Islamic knowledge commence at the Juma’at mosque. This is a golden opportunity for the youth to educate themselves through various Islamic activities that are going to take place at the mosque. We must utilize the opportunity to brighten our future. For Bichi, we thank him very much for the gesture. This is something we will never forget because any man that helps you to shape your life through acquiring knowledge deserves commendation.”

Another member of the Jama’at Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah, who doesn’t want his name in print, said, “Though I am not an official of the JIBWIS to comment on its behalf, as a member of the association, I feel delighted with what Hon. Bichi has done for us. Apart from constructing the mosque, the edifice was named after our scholar, the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmood Gumi. This is something I cherish much. I am sure the JIBWIS will forever remain grateful to Hon. Bichi for this singular gesture. Immortalizing the late Abubakar Gumi alone is something worthy of commendation, and we thank Hon. Bichi for remembering our great scholar. The entire members of the JIBWIS within and outside Bichi are happy with this development and will forever remain grateful to the lawmaker.

“I hope and pray that other lawmakers will borrow a leaf from Hon. Bichi to initiate similar projects in their respective constituencies with a view to improving the well-being of the constituents. At least, Hon. Bichi has set an example of good representation for others to emulate. You are free to conduct a sampling survey to hear what his constituents are saying about his representation. He has done a lot for his constituents since he was elected as representative of Bichi Federal Constituency. This is what the electorate are looking forward to from their representatives at both state and federal levels. Hon. Bichi’s representation has paid off, and we are thankful to him for remembering his constituents when they needed his support.”

Though Hon. Bichi could not be reached for comment, one of his aides, Abubakar Aminu, however, said the gesture was a sign of appreciating the people of Bichi Federal Constituency, as according to him, “the people of Bichi stood behind Hon. Bichi during the election, and so it is time for him to pay them back. The gesture is nothing new from Hon. Bichi because he is always willing to do the bidding of his people, and this is one of the things they demanded from him.

“The man has a lot of projects to execute for his people, and he is committed towards achieving his goals because so far he has executed some of the projects he planned for his people, including this edifice of a modern Juma’at mosque. We thank God Almighty for giving Hon. Bichi the wisdom and courage to fulfill some of his campaign promises.”

 

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Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation for Magnus Abe, 20 Other Appointees 

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11 hours ago

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January 5, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

President Bola Tinubu has written two letters to the Senate, seeking confirmation of 21 nominees as board members of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in the first letter addressed to the Senate President, President Tinubu nominated Senator Magnus Abe to serve as the NUPRC board chair. Abe, who represented Rivers South East in the Senate for two terms, is a former NNPC board member and current chairman of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall.

Other nominees for the NUPRC board are Engineer Paul Yaro Jezhi, a former Trade Union Congress (TUC) chairman in Kaduna State, and Sunday Adebayo Babalola, a former deputy director of the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which was abolished by the PIA in 2021. Both men will serve as non-executive commissioners.

President Tinubu also nominated executive commissioners to the board.

They are: Muhammed Sabo Lamido, executive commissioner for finance; Mr Edu Inyang, executive commissioner for Exploration and Acreage; Justin Ezeala, executive commissioner for economic regulation and strategic planning; and Henry Darlington Oki, executive commissioner for Development and Production.

Others are Indabawa Bashari Alka, executive commissioner for corporate services and administration; Mahmood Tijani, executive commissioner for health, safety and environment; and Ms Olayemi Adeboyejo, as secretary and legal adviser.

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Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Lamido and Adeboyejo in 2022, while President Tinubu appointed Alka in 2023. Inyang, Ezeala, the former managing director of Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited, Mahmood Tijani, Babalola and Jezhi are new appointees of President Tinubu.

In his second letter to the Senate, President Tinubu nominated Mr Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji, a lawyer, as chairman of the NMDPRA board.

Adeniji has over 30 years of experience in energy and natural resources issues. He was a special technical adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum on upstream and gas until 2018.

He was a member of the Oil & Gas Policy team at the World Bank, which advised the Government of Nigeria on the reform and restructuring of the petroleum sector, including the development of the Strategic Gas Plan for Nigeria. He is currently the managing partner at ENR Advisory.

President Tinubu also nominated Chief Kenneth Kobani and Mrs Asabe Ahmed as non-executive members. Kobani was a former minister of state for trade under President Jonathan and secretary to the government of Rivers State, under Nyesom Wike.

Also nominated for confirmation are Abiodun Adeniji, executive director of finance; Francis Ogaree, executive director of hydrocarbon; Oluwole Adama, executive director of midstream and Downstream gas infrastructure; and Dr Mustapha Lamorde, executive director of Corporate Services and Administration. President Tinubu appointed Adama in 2024, while late President Buhari appointed Lamorde and Adeniji in 2021 and Ogaree in 2022.

Other members of the NMDPRA board, as proposed by President Tinubu, are Mr Yahaya Nasamu Yinusa, executive director, distribution systems; Adeyemi Murtala Aminu, executive director, corporate services; Ms Modie Ogechukwu, executive director, economic regulation and strategic planning; and Barrister Olawale Dawodu, as board secretary and legal adviser. Dawodu is an industry player and was, at a time, the Financial Reporting Manager at Exxon Nigerian subsidiaries.

The President urged the Senate to approve the nominees expeditiously.

The requests followed the recent appointment of chief executive officers (CEOs) for the two regulatory agencies.

The Senate had confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as the chief executive officer (CEO) of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA toward the last days of December, 2025.

The President charged all the appointees and nominees to discharge their duties and responsibilities professionally as regulators of the oil and gas sectors.

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APC, Wike Trade Blazing Words Over Rivers Politics”

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11 hours ago

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January 5, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A fiery war of ” words has erupted between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, following his warning to the party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, to stay out of Rivers State politics.

During a “thank-you” visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area on Monday, Wike issued a stern caution to Basiru, accusing him of meddling in his state affairs.

“Let me warn those who come to Rivers State because you have heard we have N600bn—you come here, collect, and open your mouth to talk anyhow,” Wike declared.

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“Take this message to your National Secretary: Leave Rivers State alone. You have to be careful with the statements you make.”

In a sharp and direct response, Basiru fired back hours later in a personally signed statement. He questioned Wike’s authority to interfere in APC affairs, pointing out that the minister is not a member of the ruling party.

“My advice to him is that he should resign as Minister and face his obsession with Rivers politics,” Basiru stated.

He asserted his constitutional role as APC National Secretary extends nationwide and dismissed Wike’s remarks as intimidation.

“From my record, he isn’t a member of APC. I don’t see which authority or temerity he has to dabble into APC affairs,” Basiru said.

“I am one of the young Nigerians that confronted military dictatorship. I can’t be bullied by anybody, no matter how highly placed.”

Basiru also strongly denied any interest in Rivers State funds, labeling the suggestion as baseless and inconsistent with his record of integrity.

The clash underscores the ongoing tension between federal appointees and party officials, with Wike’s deep involvement in Rivers politics continuing to spark cross-party controversy even while serving as a minister under an APC-led government.

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KEDCO Promotes 1500 Staff In Major Staff Welfare, Performance Boost

Published

19 hours ago

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January 5, 2026

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Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has approved a merit-based promotion of 1,500 members of staff as part of its ongoing commitment to staff welfare, motivation, and building a performance-driven workforce.

In a statement released by the company’s spokesperson, Sani Bala Sani, it was highlighted that the promotion exercise is the most significant in the company’s history, underscoring KEDCO’s renewed commitment to human capital development as a critical pillar of its ongoing transformation agenda under the current core investor-Future Energies Africa (FEA) and management.

According to the statement, the exercise followed a comprehensive performance appraisal process and aligns with best practices in corporate governance, fairness, and transparency. It was designed to recognize deserving staff who met the eligibility criteria in line with the company’s conditions of service, and have demonstrated dedication, competence, and resilience in supporting the company’s operational turnaround and improved service delivery.

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Speaking on the development, KEDCO’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abubakar Shuaibu Jimeta described the move as a strategic investment in people, noting that the staff remain the company’s greatest asset.

“This promotion exercise is not just a reward for hard work; it is a statement of intent. At KEDCO, we are building a culture where performance is recognized, excellence is encouraged, and our people are empowered to deliver value to our customers and stakeholders,” the MD/CEO said.

The development forms part of broader workforce reforms aimed at boosting productivity, enhancing customer experience, and positioning KEDCO to meet the evolving demands of the power sector. It also reflects the company’s resolve to foster industrial harmony and sustain a motivated workforce capable of driving operational efficiency.

In a statement by Sani Bala Sani Head corporate communications KEDCO reaffirms its commitment to continuous staff development, capacity building, and improved welfare, stressing that a motivated workforce remains central to achieving reliable, efficient, and customer-focused electricity distribution across its franchise area.

 

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