Northern Independent

A Political Support group Known as “Got Your Back Nigeria” has declared Yahaya Bello as the choice of the Nigerian People.

The Co-ordinator of the group , Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr, Stated this in a press statement title ” 2023 Presidency: And the People’s Choice is GYB, Why , You May Ask” He said the falsehood and deciet deployed by a some groups of Political Gladiators and operators failed and will keep failing because truth never loses to falsehood

The statement reads;

Like a pack of loose cards the desperate falsehood, perfidy and deceit deployed by a select group of political operators and gladiators to shoot down the aspiration of Governor Yahaya Bello for the high office of President fails because Truth never loses to falsehood. Convinced that their falsehood isn’t sticking, the new stock in trade is zoning, a dogma that professes justice, but works injustice against the rights of the generality of the people to pursue any ambition they hold dear.

Zoning is but the selfish call of the present political elite and players garbed as a call for justice and fairness, but nothing is just in seeking to deny others the right to run for the high office of President now or in the future. You cannot right a wrong by instituting another wrong. We cannot in pursuing our individual ambition deny others that right. Nigeria must create new ways of inclusion rather than seeking to deny others and indeed posterity the right to pursue their ambition at the banal altar of ‘your people have always produced a President and ours haven’t’. In the 21st century the minimums are competency and capacity, and not exclusion. Zoning is exclusion not inclusion. And I’m open to any debate on this.

Manifestly the masses of our people across ethnic and religious divides, across zonal tendencies and across Partisan lines congregate at the parlour where issues about 2023 and the leadership minimums that Nigerians crave predominate the discuss. Nigerians are unanimous in the choice of Youth, Competency, Capacity, and Inclusiveness. Nigerians aggregate at the quest for a Republic beyond the politics of yesterday. And Nigerians believe that together with GYB we can reset, restart and rework our nation for greatness. The reason for this confidence are multifarious and multifaceted. And against the deluge of falsehood that Governor Yahaya Bello’s political opponents bandy, we have consistently placed the Truth before you.

Here are some of the many lucid and incontrovertible reasons GYB is the people’s choice for President come 2023.

To a nation seeking a way out of its monstrous dependence on Oil, GYB shows the way. Everyone agrees that for our nation Agriculture is one of the surest way out of the nadir, but whilst other leaders mouth it, GYB is practical about the great future that Agriculture holds for Nigeria, and through the Kogi Appeals Support, a special Agricultural Revolution Scheme thousands of Farmers are empowered yearly and Kogi has increasingly become the new food hub of the nation. Since Nigerians desire a man that knows it, the choice for 2023 is centred on Governor Yahaya Bello GYB becoming President Yahaya Bello PYB come 2023.

On Security, Kogi State which is the only State in Nigeria that has as much as 10 Borders (9 States including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) is doing profound under GYB. The GYB led government of Kogi State took the State from the low where Boko Haram had her IED making factory to the safest State in the entire North, and the second safest State in Nigeria. For his scorecard on Security, Nigerians believe that it has to be from Governor Yahaya Bello GYB to President Yahaya Bello PYB come 2023.

The GYB infrastructural transformation of Kogi State ranging from the massive ultra modern Civic Centre, to the sprawling Ganaja Bridge and Flyover in Lokoja, amongst the many network of roads across the State, have turned Lokoja the State capital to one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, and made Kogi State one of the most functional States in Nigeria. Unlike some Governors, GYB does not build roads and facilities only to use as much funds to commission them. GYB’s commitment to infrastructural development is one of the reasons Nigerians agree it has to be from Governor Yahaya Bello GYB to President Yahaya Bello PYB come 2023.

On inclusion and integration, Kogi is arguably the mini Nigeria (it is multi religious, multi lingual and multi ethnic). And Kogi State under the watch of Governor Yahaya Bello GYB is a testimony of responsible and responsive leadership. GYB has been equitable in the spread of development and appointments across all credible tendencies in the State, he has shown fairness and justice to all and he has taken Kogi beyond the banal issues that trouble today’s Nigeria. For this cause Nigerians aggregate on the fact that it has to be from Governor Yahaya Bello GYB to President Yahaya Bello PYB come 2023.

On COVID-19 and allied issues, GYB’s dogged insistence that Nigeria must interrogate the COVID-19 pandemic and grow indigenous approach to it, and the deployment of the COVID-19 stimulus package into building one of the biggest medical facilities in West Africa are lucid mementoes of the GYB magic. Indeed the Kogi Reference Hospital is sure to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria. And Nigerians agree that GYB is the sure bet for the high office of President come 2023.

On Youth inclusion and gender parity, GYB runs the most successful Youth centred and all inclusive administration in Nigeria. He runs the most gender sensitive and inclusive administration in the whole of Africa. GYB does not only mouth Youth and Gender inclusion he lives it. For this cause the Youth O’clock fervency is centred on the choice of GYB for President come 2023.

On commitment to service oriented and purpose driven leadership, GYB surmounted a very wicked and a most impish and devious machination to wit the rumoured placing of funds meant for Salaries in Kogi State in a profit yielding account in Sterling Bank, that demonic script targeted at rubbishing the GYB legacy didn’t deter him, instead GYB took Kogi State to the top of the World Bank rating of States in Nigeria. It is on record that Kogi State is arguably the best in fiscal and financial discipline in Governance in today’s Nigeria. For his scorecard in Fiscal and Financial Discipline, Nigerians are unanimous in the choice of GYB for President come 2023.

On Workers welfare, not only has GYB cleared the backlog of salaries he inherited when he became Governor. He is not owing Kogi workers, except perhaps the Ghost Workers since eliminated from the payroll by the Biometric forensics that showed that before he became Governor Kogi State was a massive workers pay fraud. Also GYB has taken Kogi State to the top of the chart in States that pay Medical and health workers as at when due.

On the Minimum wage question, GYB has shown capacity and commitment to the plight of Kogi workers by joining the league of the States that pay the new minimum wage, this indeed is regardless of the meagre resources that accrue to Kogi State from the Federation Account, and testamentary of the commitment of the effective watchman and compassionate leader to the minimums that governance must be about the well-being of the people. And that is why Nigerians are united in the quest for a GYB Presidency come 2023.

Again on Agriculture, GYB inherited a Rice farming State that had no functional Rice Mill to receive the raw materials from her numerous Rice Farmers, today however, the story is different as Kogi State has one of the most functional Rice Mills in Nigeria. On this amazing GYB magic and more devolves the call of Nigerians to Governor Yahaya Bello to seek the high office of President come 2023.

On Job Creation, GYB has lifted Kogi State from the State where hundreds of thousands, if not millions of unemployable youths across the State struggle without hope, to the State with one of the best Skill Acquisition and Informal Education programmatic. GYB is creating jobs and making the seemingly unemployable employable. For this cause the masses agree that come 2023 it has to be from Governor Yahaya Bello GYB to President Yahaya Bello PYB.

On education, the Kogi State University before GYB was one of the least funded Tertiary institutions in Nigeria, today the Kogi State University is one of the most funded and improved tertiary institutions in the Country. And the same applies to the entire Kogi State educational architecture, with GYB education is the way to go, little wonder Nigerians agree that GYB is the choice for the Nigeria of our dreams, and 2023 is our date with destiny.

Compatriots, the Youth O’clock vision and the agenda for a GYB Presidency come 2023 is rooted on the remarkable strides and the deafening success of GYB in Kogi State. It stands on the infrastructural highs of Kogi under GYB. It is predicated on GYB’s impact on the sociopolitical stage, and on his monstrous human capital development in the State of Kogi. The GYB feats are phenomenal and his achievements in Education, Housing, Security, healthcare et cetera profound. And GYB fits the bill for the responsible and responsive President we crave. Together with GYB we can birth and berth a new Nigeria come 2023

Finally, Countrymen and women beyond the politics of zoning and power rotation a highly progressive world calls for competency and capacity, on this lever, Nigerians are poised and determined that Governor Yahaya Bello GYB becomes President Yahaya Bello PYB come 2023. Indeed a new and a prosperous Nigeria is possible. And so shall it be. God Bless Nigeria.

Former Chief Of Army Staff(COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, has distanced himself from campaign posters by some group of persons calling on him to contest for the 2023 presidential elections.

Buratai, who is also Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Benin, said he has never indicated interest in politics or declared his intention to contest for the office of president in next year’s general elections. He reiterated his contentment and commitment to national service in his present capacity as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic.

He has therefore called on the public to ignore the posters which he said is the handiwork of mischief makers for reasons best known to them.

Buratai, made this known in a statement signed by former director army public relations officer Brigadier General Sani Usman, issued in Abuja.

The statement made available to Newsmen, reads; “The attention of His Excellency, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd), Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Benin and former Chief of Army Staff, has been drawn to calls and dissemination of campaign posters calling on him to join partisan politics and contest for Presidential candidature of one of the political parties by some persons.

“However, it is essential to state that the Ambassador has never indicated interest, discussed with, or directed anyone on such matters. Therefore, such calls and posters should be  discountenance as they did not emanate from him, nor is he interested in them. It is entirely the handiwork of some people for reasons best known to them.

“His Excellency wishes to reiterate his contentment and commitment to national service in his present capacity as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic. He remains loyal and eternally grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve. He, however, wishes to thank all well-meaning persons, friends and well-wishers who showed concern over this development”.

The maiden art and nature exhibition organized by Aishatu Tukur Buratai held on Saturday 12 February 2022 was a huge success, it not only attract people from different works of life but it was such a unique event that have as display exceptional but she shows some of her favourite pieces especially paintings that are very unique.

Miss Aishatu Tukur Buratai is a mixed media Artist who works mostly with oil on canvas. The paintings on display have different themes but she shows some of her favourite pieces especially paintings that are very close to nature. The Art and Nature collection has many paintings on display with the sun as a recurring symbol of brightness and boldness. The hint of yellow in the title of the exhibition refers to her constant use of yellow and red which run through most of her work.

There are several paintings on display which capture her interest in environmental degradation.

Her love of animals is portrayed in her eclectic animal collection. Her horse duo, one with a blue background and the other with a red background are aptly titled “Night” and “Day.” The artist’s love of nature comes through In her recourse to water and Islands which are reflected in the colour blue in many pieces on display. “A drop of sunlight” is the title of the star of the exhibition which is a sunburst flower that enchants and mesmerized in all its glorious hue of orange and yellow and sun burnt red.

This exhibition also showcases a collection of beautiful photographs on canvas all shot by the artist.

Speaking during the event that took place a at No. 18 Tennessee Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, the Chief Host of the occasion, Dr. Manzo Ahmed who delivered the welcome address, warmly and sincerely welcome the gathering to the special event with the theme “A Hint of Yellow”, “at her instance, we were all invited to be here this afternoon, to look at, admire and appreciate her wonderful works of art and, in the process of doing so, give her the required encouragement, push and support that would enable this young and promising Artist to take her wonderful works of creativity to greater heights.

Therefore, I urge all of us here today, and even those who are not able to be present here with us, to try and discharge this encouraging role with all the zeal and seriousness that it deserves, so as to place Miss

Aishatu Tukur Buratai on the right pedestal, to become one of the finest Artists Nigeria would ever produce”.

In his remark, The Chairman of the occasion, Air Vice Marshal K Aliyu Director Earth Observation Defence Space Administration who is uncle to Miss Aishatu, explained that ‘’Allah has endowed her with this special talent, I could remember how her mother bring some of her works our family platform, we couldn’t know that the project will be this Big, Alhamdulillahi here we are today I pray Allah should continue to bless her efforts to be beneficial to our nation and the world in general”.

Miss Aishatu Tukur Buratai, is a 19 year old student of Nile university or Nigeria, Currently undergoing a

Bachelor’s degree program in the field of Biotechnology.

She hails from Borno State in North East Nigeria. She is a self taught artist. Her involvement with art is one that came naturally. With the encouragement and belief of her family she has been able to soar.

According to Miss Buratai, Newton’s third law of motion state’s “For every action force, there is a reaction force equal in strength and opposite in direction”. By her own admission therefore, art is life and life is art, When emotions are well expressed through art then inner peace settles Miss Buratai is a mixed media Artist.

A plot of land feud involving Suleiman Umar, a security officer attached to the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, and a state based married woman Firdausi Abdullahi has taken a new demention.
Currenty, the case over the plot of land is before Magestarate court 23 in the state, where Suleiman who said to be the Cheif Detail to the state Governor, is the complainat while Firdausi Abdullahi is the dependent.
The new demention about the plot of land feud, In an interview with newsmen in Kaduna, Firdausi claimed that Suleiman has threaten to either deal with her husband Abdullahi or killed him over his comment on the said plot tussle.
She recalled that Suleiman first threat to life on my husband was on the 25th of December 2021 at the site when report reached us that Suleiman has demolished the fence of plot and rebuild another one on it.
According to her, my huble self and my husband quickly moved to the said plot and because my husband asked Suleiman what happened, Suleiman threatned that if my husband commented on the said plot him (Suleiman) threatened to deal with my husband or killed him.
She added when Suleiman made the threat at that particular time, i was scared because my husband is everything to me and then i told my husband that i left everything in the hand of Almighty God, but my husband encouraged me that he is ready to lose his life own life over the matter so that my husband’s comment gave me courage to continue to pursue my case.
Firdausi said,” I lodged a complainant about Suleiman’s forceful taking owner of my plot located in Chikun Local Government Area to the office of the State Governor, office of his wife, the KADGIS and KASUPDA but all in vein.
She explained that ” After waiting for to long for response from the aforementioned authorities about Suleiman’s seizing my plot and there was no response, and as a bonefide citizen of Nigeria i have the right to complain over Suleiman’s seizure of my plot, I granted interview to the media about the matter in which Suleiman claimed that I defemed his character which is not true.
Firdausi said that in the whole interview I granted to the media, the record are there, no any portion in the said interview that shows i defemed Suleiman’s character as he claimed,
According to her, “I follow all the cariteria of obtaining my plot documents at KADGIS and KASUPDA on the ongoing regularization lands documents introduced by the state government”.

The Force Commander (FC) MNJTF Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim made the remarks when he visited soldiers of the MNJTF who are receiving treatment at Renaissance Hospital in N’Djamena Chad on 8 February 2022. The FC accompanied by the MNJTF Chief Medical Officer, Colonel Major Boubakar Siddo, Director General of the Hospital Ali Mahamat Djibrine and some Military Staff Officers toured the hospital wards where the soldiers from Cameroon, Chad and Niger republics are being treated from the injuries sustained from the ongoing operation in Lake Chad Basin.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief of Military Public Information Headquarters Multi National Joint Task Force N’Djamena Chad Colonel Mohammed Dole and made available to the press on 9th February 2022

While comforting the injured soldiers, the FC praised their uncommon bravery and patriotism in the face of imminent danger and risks in the battlefield. He assured them of the provision of best medical treatment for their quick recovery, adding that troops health and wellbeing remain the top priority of the Force. He further stated that despite the mass surrender by the insurgents, operations would continue until they totally surrender or are totally defeated. The injured soldiers were visibly glad and felt inspired by the visit, through the encouraging words and care displayed by the leadership of the MNJTF.

In his interaction with the hospital management, General Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with the level of professional conduct and commitment of the staff in handling the patients, thus promised to continue to work together for the provision of efficient medical services to the wounded soldiers. The visit was hitch free

A Sitting Magestarate Court 23 in Kaduna State situated along NDA Junction, has adjourned a suit filed before it by Suleiman Umar Abdullahi, the Chief Detail to the State Governor Mal. Nasir Ahmed el-rufai over his claim that one Firdausi Abdullahi has defermed his character in some Radio Stations in the state.
After the sitting for mention of the said suit in an interview shortly after the sitting, the Counsel to the dependent Barrister Abubakar Abdullahi Ashat said, today the case come up for mention and the complainat to the Counsel sort for the mention the case in the absence of the complainat.
According to him “We raised objection that the matter cannot be mentioned in the absence of the complainat and we asked the court to adjourn the case, instead of us to ask the court to dismiss the case in accordance with section 365 of the Administration of criminal of justice, but we ask the court that the matter to be adjourn so that to enable the complainat to come to the court so that the matter can be mention”.
He further explained that “We applied that the complainat must be in the court before the matter can be mention and the court agreed that the complainat has to appeared before it and the court adjourned the case to 3rd March 2022.
Asked what is the case all about, the dependent Counsel said it is over a plot of land situated at Sultan Abubakar Sa’ad Road in Danhoni 1 Community in Chikun Local Government Area of the State which belong to my client and the complainat used his power to highjack my client plot, and that agngerd her and she talk to the press which he sued her before this court claiming that she defermed his character. .
The Counsel added, the said plot in question which has since been fenced by our client and the said plot is very closed to the residence of the Chief Detail Suleiman Umar and he demolished the fence and re-build his owned on its.
Aslo in an interview the counsel to the complananat Barrister El-Zubair AAbubakar said that we told the court that it should excused the absence of the complainat because he was unavoidable absent, having travelled to Legos State for an assignment but the dependant Counsel opposed our application.
He added that it is like descrtion of the court to allow the a matter to go on without the presence of the complainat, saying that the dependent Counsel told the court that they did not even know who sued them and having said that there is nothing the court or i can do.
He further explained that so it is important for my client to appear before the court himself, so that the dependent can be arraigned propely so that is why the court adjourned the case to the 3rd March 2022 for the complainat to be are properly.

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s operation Hadin Kai have eliminated four High Ranking Commanders of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in a coordinated Air strike targeting the terrorists strongholds in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.

It was gathered that four military fighter jets, including Super Tucano belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ‘aggressively’ raided camps of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) on Wednesday and Thursday in a weeklong sustained aerial attacks.

The damaging intelligence led air offensives conducted in Bukar Mairam and Jubularam, Abbaganaram and Chikul Gudu also led to the elimination of hundreds of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

An impact assessment conducted at the scene revealed that top Commanders including Amir Abdulrahman of Abbaganaram, Imam Tujja, an Amir and Chief Imam of Bukar Mairam, Malam Ibrahim, Amir of Jubularam and Bakura Imar, a High ranking ISWAP Commander, were eliminated in the air strikes.

An intelligence operative embedded in the local community confirmed that camps and warehouses serving as ISWAP insurgents’ ammunition and firearms including food silos were bombed by the aircraft.

A source confirmed that the ISWAP group was escaping from the recently destroyed camps as wounded fighters were evacuated to Kirta Wulgo for Medical attention.

The source said that mass relocation has further been triggered by the sustained and successful air bombardment on their hideout and camps. Families of the terrorists especially women and children were evacuated to Buningil, Bakkassi, Doron Liman, and Daban Alfa.