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Kogi’ll witness new era under my administration – Melaye

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Senator Dino Melaye

Kogi’ll witness new era under my administration – Melaye

Sen. Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Nov. 11 governorship election in Kogi, has said that the state would witness a new era when he becomes its governor.

Melaye made the pledge when he received the report of the party’s Policy Drafting Committee for Kogi Governorship election in Abuja on Friday.

He said that when elected as the state governor, he would reform the state civil service, improve infrastructure and create an Independent Kogi Economic Development Commission.

The former national lawmaker also promised to pay full salary to workers, create four new districts and increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue without a tax burden on the poor.

“The civil service in Kogi State will be reformed and we will pay salaries on the 25th of every month. We will also pay full salary.

“Today in Kogi, there is no middle class. It is only the rich and the poor. Those in government are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer,” Melaye lamented.

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The PDP candidate, who accused the state government of diverting funds meant for palliatives to the poor, promised to grant local governments financial autonomy.

“Ten years ago, local government areas in Kogi State were doing projects, rural roads. Today, no local government in Kogi can dig a well.

“Local government have no vehicles, salaries are not paid, some local government secretariats are under lock and key. But we are saying that a new day is coming,” Melaye said.

He promised to harness and commercialise mineral resources, declaring that Kogi was “too blessed to be poor”.

“I brought people from outside Nigeria who did a scientific research and gave me the mineral resources in Kogi. We have 52 mineral resources but only one has been tapped – limestone.

“The rest are just there; we have Uranium. We have the largest deposit of Uranium in Nigeria,” Melaye said.

He said that when elected, he would use the monthly federal allocation for payment of civil salaries, pension, gratuities, promotion, training and retraining, while internally revenue would be used for developmental projects.

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“We are going to raise the revenue without taxing the poor,” he said.

Melaye commended the drafting committee for doing a good job.

“No other party is talking about policy documents apart from the PDP. I have looked at this document, I have read it, it is not only robust, but a solution book and prayer answered,” he said.

The Committee Chairman, Prof. Sam Amadi, said that the policy document with over 100 pages, contain recommendations that would transform Kogi, if implemented.

He said that the policy covers several sectors including education, agriculture, local government administration, technology, communications, tourism and others in line with Melaye’s vision for the state.

“The committee recommended that there must be an Independent Kogi Economic Development Commission.

“When Melaye becomes the governor, we are insisting that the people that will constitute that committee should be above board and should have influence on the activities of the governor.

“The commission should be independent; it should have people with pedigree, integrity, so that when he is going wrong, they will bring him back,” Amadi said.

Kogi’ll witness new era under my administration – Melaye

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Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement

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Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement

The Senate broke into a rowdy session on Tuesday after three senators engaged in a heated argument over arrangement of seats.

Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe Central, and Sahabi Yau, senator representing Zamfara North, expressed displeasure over the seats assigned to them.

They complained to Opeyemi Bamidele, the majority leader.

The Senate is currently using its refurbished chamber, two years after renovation began on it.

According to the standing rules of the upper legislative chamber, senators should sit in order of rank.

The Easter and Sallah recess was postponed to accommodate the completion of the renovation of both chambers of the national assembly.

However, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio read his welcome address, the heated argument among the three senators began.

It was learnt that Goje and Yau, sitting on the second row on the right side of the aisle, did not like the seats allocated to them by the senate committee on services.

Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, is chair of the senate services committee.

The four-term senators subsequently insisted that they should have been assigned seats on the front row on the extreme right — opposite the row of the majority leader and the deputy senate president.

After the argument, Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano South, called for a “point of order” which was ignored.

Thereafter, Bamidele moved a motion for a closed-session.

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Ganduje drums support for Tinubu, says no vacancy in Aso Rock 2027

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Ganduje drums support for Tinubu, says no vacancy in Aso Rock 2027

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, says members of the opposition are trying to discredit the Bola Tinubu-led administration in their desperation for Aso Rock in 2027.
He however declares that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027.

Ganduje said the administration of President Tinubu had been contending with accumulation of many years of neglect, policy summersaults and other disjointed decisions by previous administrations.

The APC national chairman gave the position while addressing supporters and support groups at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

Ganduje urged the APC supporters and groups to be committed to the party so that it could continue to forge ahead.

He said the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its chieftains were afraid, having been defeated in the last general election and already foreseeing another defeat.

Ganduje said the NNPP elements were now engaged in a propaganda campaign against the leadership of APC.

He said, “They are so afraid because we are consolidating. They are so afraid all over the country because we are receiving new entrants into our party. That is creating fears in their minds.

“They are already eyeing 2027, but at that time, there is no vacancy. Only our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will, Insha Allah, continue as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Ganduje claimed the leadership of NNPP and its chieftains in Kano State were sponsoring protests and campaigning for his removal as APC national chairman.

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Another PDP bigwig dumps party

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Dr Cosmos Ndukwe

Another PDP bigwig dumps party

Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, one of the key opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidates for 2023, has resigned from the party.

This is stated in a letter written by the former Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly to the Chairman of his Item C Ward in Bende Local Government Area, which was copied to the party’s State Chairman, Hon. Asiforo Okere, and the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The former Chief of Staff to the Governor and Commissioner for Works under ex-Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu claimed “personal reasons, current commitments, and aspirations” in his decision to leave the PDP.

He praised the party for providing him with the opportunity to enter the political spotlight and wished it success in the state.

The letter posted on his Facebook page on Monday morning read, “I hope this letter finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that I compose this correspondence to tender my resignation as a member and stakeholder in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Abia State, effective immediately.

“My decision to resign as a member within the party stems from personal reasons and reflections on my current commitments and aspirations.

“After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that potting out of PDP is the best course of action for me at this time.

“I am immensely grateful for the opportunities that the PDP has afforded me during my tenure as a Councillor, Deputy Chairman Local Government, Chief of Staff to Executive Governor of Abia State, Deputy Speaker Abia 6th House of Assembly and Presidential Aspirant PDP 2023.

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“Serving within the party has been a privilege, and I have valued the relationships I have built with fellow members, as well as the chance to contribute to the party’s objectives and ideals.

” I want to express my appreciation to you, the Ward Executive Committee, and all members of the PDP Abia State for the support and camaraderie extended to me throughout my association with the party.

“While I may be stepping away from my formal role, I remain committed to the principles of democracy and the progress of our great state Abia.

“Please consider this letter as my formal resignation from all duties and responsibilities associated with my position as a member and stakeholder in the PDP Abia State.

“I wish the PDP Abia State continued success in all its endeavors, and I extend my best wishes for the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and experiences.”

The former Deputy Speaker had in an introductory post to the letter written:

“Good morning friends and well wishers. In life, we all have the past. We all made choices that maybe, weren’t the best ones. None of us is completely a saint,
but we all get a fresh start some day.

“Eccl 3:1-5 summary is on time for everything. To me, this is time to leave PDP family. I am potting out for good, new destination to be announced soon.

“My letter has started its journey to the ward chairman, LG chairman, State Chairman and Ag National chairman”.

Platinumpost reports that, the PDP has been hit by the wind of resignation following the exit of former Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and over 20 key members of the party in Imo State including a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), and zonal officers.

Although the supremacy tussle between former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, is believed to be at the centre of crisis rocking the PDP, funding by Vanguard show that Ndukwe may be on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to assist his kinsman, and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

Another PDP bigwig dumps party

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