Chidoka Shifts Priority to Security, Safety

Fri, Sep 5, 2014
By publisher
7 MIN READ

Political Briefs

OSITA Chidoka, new minister of Aviation, would like to pay more attention to the security and safety of the airports and passengers rather than remodelling of airports as his predecessor did. Chidoka stated this while inspecting ongoing projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday, September 4.

The minister who lamented that ongoing construction work at the airport was disrupting passenger operations, however, promised that in the next four to six months, the new terminal would be ready and this would drastically reduce the suffering that passengers were going through.

He, therefore, appealed to Nigerians bear with the aviation ministry and exercise patient because of the rehabilitation project.  Chidoka: “We expect that Nigerians should please appreciate and understand our challenges at this time, but we are going to open up more communication channels and synergises to show people what is about to happen.”

Eight Aspirants Dropped in Adamawa Governorship Primary Election

Fintiri
Fintiri

EIGHT of the 14 aspirants jostling for the Adamawa State governorship ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will have to wait until 2015 to realise their ambition to contest for the ticket. The compromise was reached after about four hours meeting with the 14 aspirants that started at about by 9.00 pm on Thursday and ended around 1.00 am on Friday, September 5, at the Banquet Hall of the State House. David Mark, Senate president, who led the negotiation along with other key party officials were able to reach a compromise with the aspirants and pruned down the number of those contesting to six. By the decision it means that the likes of Nuhu Ribadu,  Auwal Tukur, Aliyu Idi Hong, Andrawus Sawa, James Barka,  General Aliyu Kama, Markus Gundiri and Abubakar Girei would not contest the Saturday September 6, primary election.

Marwa
Marwa

The six aspirants still in the race for the party’s ticket were named as Ahmed Gulak, Buba Marwa, Ahmed Modibbo, Umar Ardo, Umaru Fintiri, acting governor and Jerry Kumdisi.

Sources said that it was agreed at the closed-door meeting that the six aspirants contesting for the party’s ticket on Saturday would not contest for the position in 2015.

The meeting also agreed that only those stepping down now could contest for the party’s governorship election ticket in 2015, with more consideration in 2015 for Adamawa Central that has never produced a governor.

Ribadu
Ribadu

Any aspirant who failed to win the party’s ticket in Saturday’s primary election, the meeting, also agreed must support the party’s flag bearer at the October 11 election.

Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Joel Madaki, chairman of the Adamawa State chapter of the party, said: “Fourteen aspirants contesting for the position earlier has now reduced to six aspirants due to this meeting. It is a very welcome idea. Nobody was forced to step them. Those who stepped down did so voluntarily in order to wait to contest for the position in 2015.”

Gulak, former special adviser to the President Goodluck Jonathan on political affairs, who is also contesting for the ticket, said: “The outcome of the meeting was fantastic. We met as family members of PDP, even before coming here all the aspirants in Adamawa have unanimously resolved that after the primaries, in a free, fair primaries, anybody that emerges will get our support.”

The Adamawa State governorship seat became vacant following the removal of former Governor Murtala Nyako in July and resignation of his deputy. October 11 has been fixed for election to get a substantive governor for the state.

Mu’azu Drums Support for Lagos PDP

Adamu Mu'Azu
Mu’Azu

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appears to be stepping up its efforts to win Lagos State for the party during 2015 general elections. To actualise its dream a group known as the Adamu Muazu Support Group for greater PDP surfaced in Lagos during the week to mobilise support for the party. Sunshine Mfon, Lagos coordinator of the group, disclosed the mission of the group was to ensure victory for the ruling party in Lagos State at the next election. Mfon who had a meeting with other executive members of the group in the state said the mandate of the group was to ensure that the PDP was united and to mobilise ahead of the elections. “We have a mandate, our mandate is to work and ensure that PDP in the state is better positioned to win the forth coming elections,” he said.

Mfon, who addressed members of the group, urged them to be committed to the goals of the party and begin grassroots mobilisation of people ahead of the elections in February 2015. He promised to work with Tunji Shelle, Lagos State chairman of the PDP, and other state executive members of the party in order to deliver Lagos for the party in 2015.

While acknowledging the demand of the job, Mfon said he believed that with the support of other members, the task would be accomplished. “Though the task is enormous I believe it is achievable with the cooperation of every one of us,” he said.

My Deployment to Civil Service, A Joke – Onyebuchi

SUNDAY Onyebuchi, former deputy governor of Enugu State, who was removed from office on Thursday, August 28, said his redeployment to the State Civil Service by Governor Sullivan Chime was a joke intended to either insult or humiliate him.

Onyebuchi who confirmed that a letter of redeployment was delivered to his residence on Tuesday, September 2, posting him to the office of the Secretary to State Government, SSG, as deputy director and directing him to handover to the new deputy governor on or before Monday, September 8, 2014.

Onyebuchi
Onyebuchi

Onyebuchi, who spoke with newsmen in Enugu on Thursday, September 4, described the redeployment as a joke, saying if those behind it had consulted their records, they would have known that he had formally resigned from the civil service before he contested the governorship election along with Chime in 2007.

“When I got the information, I felt it was a joke or something just intended to insult and humiliate me. I can’t imagine what they intend to achieve by this. After serving as deputy governor for seven years and three months, I will go back to office as a civil servant on Level 15. I know they have not forgotten that I left the civil service as permanent secretary and before I became commissioner.

“While I was serving as a commissioner, I took a leave of absence that enabled me serve out my appointment as a commissioner. Preparatory to my nomination to run for election as deputy governor in 2007, I formally disengaged from the state public service both as civil servant and as a commissioner and that is what made me eligible to contest election because it is known that you cannot contest election while holding a public office in Nigeria.”

Besides, Onyebuchi said he found the whole thing strange because he never applied to anybody for reinstatement. “Having left office as a deputy governor, I never applied to anybody for a reinstatement as a civil servant because I have disengaged from the civil service… So it is very clear that the report of my posting or redeployment is either a joke or something intended to make mischief, either by a way of insult or humiliation.”

— Sep. 15, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT

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