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INEC exempts corp members from participating in Bebeji by-election
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has exempted members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) from participating in the January 25 by-election in Bebeji local government area of Kano state due to security issues.
This was revealed on Tuesday by the Kano state Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Riskua Arabi Shehu, at a press conference in Kano.
Kano Focus reports that the decision might have been taken to avert revenge on corp members by Bebeji residents following the alleged killing of an 8-year-old boy in the area by an NYSC member Jepthan Peter in October 2019.
Mr Peter was remanded in prison custody on January 4, 2020 by a Magistrate Court in Nomansland, pending his bail application hearing slated for February 4, 2020.
It could be recalled that the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna had nullified the elections of two Kano federal constituencies of Kiru/Bebeji and Tudun wada/Doguwa.
Also the court ordered the electoral body to conduct a re-run election in the two federal constituencies.
Obeying the court orders, INEC had fixed Saturday, January, 25th for the conduct of the elections.
However Mr Shehu, a professor of biochemistry said a total of 3,456 ad-hoc staff were recruited from NYSC and students of Bayero University Kano, and trained to participate in the election.
But he explained that for security reasons, INEC has decided to exclude corp members from the participating in the elections.
He said the rerun elections will be conducted in 60 registration areas across the affected local government areas with a total number 414,923 registered voters in 698 polling units and 166 voting points.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC at its meeting held no 5th December 2019 approved that all the court ordered rerun elections should be conducted on Saturday 25th January, 2020.
“It is very important for all stakeholders to demonstrate more commitments towards the success of the elections, he said.
He also said the commission finds the increasing trend of violence in recent elections very disheartening despite all the efforts to curtail it.
Mr Shehu however, vowed that INEC would no longer allow violence to mar the credibility of elections.
“The elections will be suspended in the events of threat to the safety of voters,personnel and materials,” he said.
Similarly, Kano state Commissioner of Police (CP) Habu Ahmadu Sani has warned politicians to desist from organizing violence before, during and after the elections.
He said the police would deal decisively with anyone caught trying to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections.
Mr Sani added that the police command will deploy its personnel to all the poling units to ensure smooth and successful elections.
The 2023 Presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has debunked reaching a resolution with any individual on the trending defection rumoured to the ruling party or any other political party.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso, who considered the recent statement credited to have suggested a particular position as an imagination of falsehood and fragmentation of political mischief against him.
A statement posted on his official X handle @KwankwasoRM, the ex-Governor insisted he has since refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and will continue to do so for the time being.
In the said false information that went viral, Kwankwaso was quoted to have revealed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on multiple occasions, urging him to return to the APC fold.
Responding to a statement purportedly signed by one Ibrahim Rabiu, Sen. Kwankwaso insisted he had never signed or authorised any statement to be issued on his behalf.
“My attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly stating my position on the recurring political realignments. I wish to categorically state that such statements are false, unfounded, and products of political mischief.
“I have refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and I will continue to do so for the time being.”
” I urge the public to only engage statements that come from my public handles and other official sources”. Kwankwaso RM.”
In a releted development, the author of the purported false statement Ibrahim Rabiu has issued a self counter, denouncing the statement as a work of devil.
“I Ibrahim Rabiu, wish to inform the general public that I was never authorised by Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso to issue and release a statement on his belhalf”
“I therefore wish to tender a public apology to his person with a promise that such childish act will never be repeated in the future, please find a space in your heart to forgive me, I was misled by fake news and agents of misinformation”
The Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammad Sunusi II, commended the Adolescent Girls Initiatives for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project for reenrolling over 30,000 adolescent girls and renovating more than 1,300 schools across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir made the commendation while reeiving AGILE State Project Implementation Unit (SIPU) who paid him an advocacy visit recently.
Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi ll
He emphasized the Kano Emirate Council’s commitment to advocating for education and pledged continued support to ensure the enrollment, retention, transition, and completion of girls’ education in Kano.
The Emir also emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy in implementing policies and programs that foster the development of the state and the nation at large.
AGILE Project Coordinator presenting gift to Emir of Kano
He expressed satisfaction with the AGILE project’s strong monitoring and evaluation framework, particularly in tracking the use of grants and conditional cash transfers.
In his remarks, the Kano State AGILE Coordinator, Malam Mujtapha Aminu said more than 100,000 students are currently enrolled in learning centers across 23 local government areas under the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) second chance education in Kano.
AGILE PC and Emir of Kano
He said this initiative provides out-of-school adolescent girls an opportunity to complete their secondary education, gain entrepreneurship and life skills.
According to him, the second chance education students undergo literacy, numeracy, and entrepreneurship training across 5,000 learning centers.
Athletes who participated in AGILE WEEK Games
He further explained that after nine months of instruction, the students sit for examinations and are awarded certificates equivalent to the Junior Secondary School Certificate.
“Those who enroll in the advanced literacy program also have the opportunity to sit for national examinations such as NECO and WAEC,” he added.
He said they visited the Emir’andalace to seek blessings and advocate for support to achieve their goals.
AGILE Communications Officer and games officials
The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.
The gale of defection from opposition political parties intensifies as two members of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Abdullahi Sani Rogo and Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
KANO FOCUS reports that both lawmakers represent Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo federal constituency of Kano State.
Both lawmakers announced their defection at plenary presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
On hand to witness the defection on the floor of the House was the national chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, accompanied by some members of the national working committee of the party.
However, the Minority Whip, Isa Ali JC, faulted the defection of the lawmakers on the basis that it was against constitutional provisions.
As of Thursday, no fewer than 30 members of opposition political parties have dumped their parties to join the APC.
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