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We are not threatened by defections – Kwankwasiyya
The Kwankwasiyya political movement says it is not threatened by the exodus of major stakeholders from its fold.
Spokesperson of the movement Sanusi Surajo Kwankwaso told KANO TODAY in an exclusive interview that the defectors are “celebrity political prostitutes” without grassroot support.
It could be recalled that on Thursday former Kano state deputy governor, Hafizu Abubakar, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority Aminu Dabo, former APC national treasurer Bala Gwagwarwa, Former Kwankwaso Commissioner Idris Dambazau, as well as former Special Assistant to president Goodluck Jonathan, Muazu Magaji have rejoined the APC after forsaking Kwankwasiyya.
Sanusi Kwankwaso who is the acting Kano state organizing secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) said the party is sure to win the 2019 elections in the state due its wide support among ordinary voters.
He said when three people defect to the ruling All Peoples’ Congress (APC), thousands more are trooping to join the PDP.
He added that even though former governor Ibrahim Shekarau has left the PDP to APC his grassroots mobilisers such as Salisu Gwangwazo ‘Alhajin Baba’, Ali Datti Yako, Dankaka bebeji, Surajo Dala, Tukur Fagge, and Garba Umar Fammar are still in the party.
“The difference is that Ganduje is using money and positions to woo politicians while ordinary voters are joining Kwankwasiyya due to the legacies of the Rabiu Kwankwaso government in Kano,” he said.
“Ganduje has cancelled free education and school feeding initiated by the Kwankwaso administration and diverted the money to fund his 2019 campaign election,” he alleged.
Sanusi Kwankwaso said that the so-called political bigwigs were in the fold of Kwankwasiyya when the movement lost elections in 2003 and 2007, adding that the secret to winning elections is acceptance among voters rather than the allegiance of top shots.
He cited the cases of Danbatta and Nassarawa constitutencies were Kwankwasiyya lost elections even though Aminu Dabo and Bala Gwagwarwa were there.
Kwankwaso was fair
He also debunked the claim made by the defectors that they left Kwankwasiyya due to unfair practices in the process of selecting a selecting the Kano state gubernatorial candidate of the PDP.
“Kwankwaso called all major Kwankwasiyya stakeholders and asked them to nominate a candidate but they refused and told him that they were willing to abide by his decision,” he said.
He added that had former deputy governor Hafizu Abubakar agreed to contest for Kano central senatorial zone, Abba Kabir Yusuf wouldn’t have emerged as the gubernatorial candidate since they are from the same local government area.
Sanusi Surajo Kwankwaso said Kano citizens are the final arbiters and will show their support by casting their ballots for PDP candidates in the 2019 elections.
Nasiru Yusuf
The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, said it is yet to renew the MTN Nigeria Universal Access and Service License (UASL).
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commission’s spokesperson Ikechukwu Adinde revealed this in a statement issued on Monday.
NCC was reacting to a story published by online media that the government has renewed the MTN license for another ten years.
The statement reads in part “The attention of Nigerian Communication Commission has been drawn to a publication in an online media entitled “Govt renews MTN Nigeria licence amid 20 years of GSM Phones” to the effect that the mobile operating license of MTN has been renewed by the Commission for another period of ten years.
“The online publication which cited regulatory filings by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as its source, stated that “MTN Nigeria, the nation’s largest mobile network operator (MNO), has secured regulatory approval of the renewal of its operating licence for another 10 years with effect from September 1, 2021.”
“The Commission wishes to state that while MTN Nigeria has applied for the renewal of the Universal Access and Service License (UASL) granted to it by the Commission, the application is yet to be approved as it is still undergoing required regulatory processes.
“This statement is issued for the guidance of our general stakeholders.”
Nasiru Yusuf
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has on Monday flagged off the training on e-governance and digital transformation for the members of the Kano State Executive Council.
Kano Focus reports that the training which is the first of it’s kind, was aimed at equipping the leadership of the state with the requisite skills for effective governance in line with global best practices.
Speaking at the event, the Minister noted that “e-governance is key to the success of any economy at all levels as it enhances transparency, cost effectiveness and accountability while ensuring the effective delivery of government digital services to the people. Kano is strategic in terms of population and commerce and the timing is apt.
“The programme aims at tutoring the top state government officials on the application of modern technology to improve performances at all levels and also deliver services and programs more efficiently, transparently, and cost-effectively.”
Pantami disclosed that the training was at the behest of the state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who had initiated talks on possible collaborations and partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy during a courtesy visit earlier this year.
While commending the state governor for the plan to deploy fibre optics across the state within the next two years, the minister called on other state governors to emulate Ganduje and embrace the digital transformation training.
“We are open to partnering with any state that is willing to take advantage of this laudable initiative.”
““E-governance is a necessity for the success of every government”, Pantami said, adding that, “according to the World Bank diagnostic report of 2019, it was projected that by 2025, e-commerce activities in Nigeria will reach up to USD 75 Billion within a year”.
“COVID 19 has exposed the need for digitization, which is now a necessity”, Pantami stated.
The Minister urged the council members to take full advantage of the training, stressing that e-governance is key to the success of any economy at all levels.
Pantami also called on the Kano state government to adopt other initiatives and strategies of the Federal Government such as the Nigeria Interoperability Framework, and the Nigeria e-government Enterprise Framework and make them the mirror for the implementation of e-governance in the state.
He further advised the state government to study other National policies of the Federal Government and key into them so that the IT investment plan of the state will be in alignment with that of the federal government.
Pantami announced the donation of over 100 digital devices to the state by the Federal Government and called on the beneficiaries to make good use of them.
On his part, governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje appreciated Pantami for matching words with action following his visit to the Communications and Digital Economy Complex in Abuja where he initiated talks on the possible collaborations and partnerships with the ministrynistry to foster ICT development in Kano state.
The Governor thanked the Ministry for the provision of digital intervention projects in the state such as a digital training centre which is ongoing and also the consideration to use Kano as the pilot state for the Government Digital Transformation training.
Ganduje expressed gratitude for the training of over 1000 youths from the state on digital skills and also the support rendered to the state to come up with a State ICT policy which he described as the blueprint guiding the state over the years.
He further solicited support from the ministry to update the policy to reflect current realities.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state governor Abdullahi Ganduje said his administration has trained 5,504 constabulary to support community policing.
KANO FOCUS reports that Ganduje revealed this on Sunday while inaugurating Rano Emirate community policing committees in Doguwa local government area.
The governor explained how community policing strategy goes deeply into the fabric of Kano society, as a political entity.
While enumerating reasons behind the recorded achievements in the security of the state, governor said, “Our administration found it necessary to support community participation in the security of our state.”
“We have gone further by recruiting Police constabulary, who are assisting the security agencies. And also we are assisting the various community policing committees.
“We trained in Kaduna 704 graduates of Police Constabulary. Also for each of the rural local governments, the 36 local governments, we are training 100 Police constabulary. Making a total of 3,600 Police constabulary.”
“For the 8 metropolitan, local governments we are training 150 in each of the 8 local governments. Giving rise to 1,200 Police Constabulary. Having a total of 4,800 Police Constabulary in addition to 704 that have already been trained. Which all stands at 5,504 Police Constabulary now at hand.”
“Community participation, apart from community policing is necessary for us to achieve a desirable situation from all ramifications. As such, we are also inviting corporate social responsibility in the management of security situation in Kano state.”
Part of the factors that played an important role in the security situation in the state, he acknowledged and appreciated that, “Our security agencies have succeeded in building full synergy among themselves. And we have extended coordination in order to get security information and action in Kano state.
“We have to thank the Police, the Department for State Security (DSS), the Air Force, the Army, the Civil Defence (NSCDC), Immigration, Customs and Excise, Correctional Homes, traditional institutions, National Agency for the for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), the Vigilante Groups, representatives of various communities, we have to thank them all. They are all contributing to the security situation in Kano state.”
Mr Ganduje he stressed that, “There is no doubt security is an issue of topical nature in Nigeria. Is an issue that bothers almost everybody, all governments in Nigeria. And is an issue that we must come altogether in order to solve it.
“We can see the effort of our security agencies that are working round the clock in order to keep Nigeria safe. In Kano state we are also conscious of the security of our state. Therefore we developed various strategies in order to secure Kano state.”
“First of all we examined the issue of metropolitan, Kano being a metropolitan city and a mega city, we have taken necessary steps in order to ensure the security of our own mega city.”
“We built what we call Security Dormitories on the major entrance of metropolitan Kano. That each of the dormitories houses 600 policemen. And also we have developed CCTV programme.
“Which is working very well. While the control room is with our security agencies. We have other technology employed in order to check security issues.”
In his remarks, the Emir of Rano, Kabiru Inuwa Muhammad, commended the effort being put by governor Ganduje in securing all parts of the state, with the Divine help from Almighty Allah.
He said, “Today is a historic day that we cannot forget. All our people are happy with this special event taking place in our Emirate, Rano Emirate. We are always ready to cooperate with your policies and programmes Your Excellency Sir. Especially this issue of community policing.”
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