Police Invade UNIZIK Hostel, Brutalize Naked Female Student [Voice Of Naija]

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A female student of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, has been allegedly beaten up by some policemen attached to the Special Anti-Cult Unit of the Anambra State Police Command.

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The officers were accused of breaking into a private hostel housing students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, the state capital, in a bid to arrest suspected fraudsters in Ifite, in the Awka South Local Government Area of the State.

Punch reports that during the invasion, which happened around 4am on Sunday, the policemen, who were said to be heavily armed, allegedly beat up the student.

A resident, who gave his name as Benneth, said the policemen brutalized some of the students when they denied knowing any fraudster.

Benneth said: “The hostel is called Prince Godwin Lodge, and it is outside the school. What we gathered was that there had been robbery operations in the area. So, on Sunday, the students started to hear bangs on the gate and doors of the hostel.

“The undergraduates thought the people banging the door were armed robbers because of what happened in the past and they raised the alarm. It was when they entered after breaking the doors of some flats that the students realised that they were policemen as they wore jackets with the inscription of SPAC.

“The students said the policemen started harassing them and said they were looking for Yahoo boys. One of the students, a girl, said some of the policemen entered her room and threatened her to name the boys in the hostel doing Yahoo Yahoo (Internet fraud).

“The policemen beat her, took some of the students’ phones, laptops, and televisions and arrested some of them. But the girl was able to use her mobile phone to record them as they left the hostel with the students.”

While narrating her ordeal in a video clip recorded by some aggrieved students of the institution, the brutalized female student said the policemen beat her while she was naked.

She said: “They broke the door and came into my flat and ever since they broke the door, if we want to sleep, we usually use a chair to brace the door at the back. This is where they were beating me and I was naked.”

The Punch further reports that injury marks were seen on her hand in the video shared with them.

Her room, also, was observed to be scattered as the cupboard was wide open.

On his part, the Public Relations Officer of the Student Union Government, UNIZIK, Ikechukwu Dikeojo, in a statement, described the action of the policemen as unprofessional.

Dikeojo said: “These unprofessional force men invaded our students’ lodges in the early hours of Sunday, January 22 around 4am with criminal intent. They harassed our students and forcefully collected their phones, laptops, money and other valuables.

“They even threatened to gang-rape one of our female students who raised the alarm upon noticing their plans towards her. Still, they took her phone, laptop, money and PS4 game. They forcefully broke students’ doors thereby gaining illegal entrance into the students’ rooms simply because they claimed they were searching for Internet fraudsters (Yahoo Boys) in Ifite.

“We Zikites are giving the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, 24 hours to call the SPAC to order and return all the phones, laptops, PS4 game, and money they forcefully collected from Zikites who reside in Prince Godwin lodge, Ifite, or face the full wrath and the anger of students as we will lead Zikites to block every entrance of this town if our demands are not met.”

Also, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenganyia Anthony, said an investigation had commenced into the case.

He noted that Dikeojo had been informed to bring the victims to the command headquarters.

He said: “We are investigating this allegation; the PRO of the Student Union Government has yet to honour Anambra State police invitation to the command headquarters, Awka.

“He was invited to come on January 23, 2023, by 10am along with the victims of the alleged incident but up till now, we are still waiting. I can assure you the police command will get to the root of all this.”

APC Sure Of 40 Percent Votes In Anambra – Okadigbo

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By Okey Maduforo Awka

Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has expressed confidence in securing at least forty percent of the total lawful votes that would be cast in the February 25th Presidential election in the area.

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Similarly, the party noted that the support strength under the kitty of the party in Anambra has become a source of worry for other political parties and their candidates in the state.

According to the Coordinator Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Council in Anambra Sen Margery Chuba-Okadigbo who was represented by Sen Sir Emma Anosike at the inauguration of ANAMBRA STATE RALLY PLANNING COMMITTEE in Awka noted that the South East must learn not to put their whole eggs in one basket.

“Those who are skeptical about APC support base in Anambra state would be surprised at what would be the outcome if the February general elections”

“This is because we are already sure of at least 40 Percent Votes In Anambra state and we know that other campaign organizations are apprehensive about this and they feel threatened because of that”

“In politics everyone would not belong to the same party and that has been the bane of the South East geopolitical zone at every general election and at this time we don’t need to put our eggs in one basket”

Also speaking the Chairman of the Rally Planning Committee and one time governorship aspirant Hon Sir Azuka Okwuosa noted that those who are trying to create crisis in the party are only doing that to their own peril adding that the party has been able to resolve all burning issues that has to do with the membership of the campaign council.

“In politics it is normal for people to have some little or minimal issues but they have all been resolved and everyone is back to the family”

Also speaking the Chairman Publicity Committee of the State Campaign Council, Sir Chris Chikwelu urged the party faithfuls to work hard for victory of the party in the state..

APC Receives More Defectors As Gawauna/Garo Campaign Progresses

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By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Gawauna/Garo governorship campaign continued on Sunday in Ungogo and Minjibir local government areas with rallies and reception of more defectors into the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) in the state.

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The campaign rally took place at Minjibir where Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje received thousands of NNPP supporters who defected to the APC.

The defecting NNPP supporters who removed their symbolic Kwankwasiyya red caps and threw them over to the campaign podium amid thunderous ovations from the crowd, said they joined the APC because it was the only party that would satisfy their yearnings and aspirations for a better Kano State and Nigeria.

Receiving the defectors whom were led by the leader of the Kwankwasiyya faithful in Minjibir, Ibrahim Hamza, Governor Ganduje who is also the APC leader in the state, welcomed them into the party and congratulated them for taking such a wise decision.

He then commended the large turnout of people at the rally, describing it as unprecedented.

The Governor, therefore,urged the people to vote massively for all the APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections, namely the party’s Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Running Mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, saying that they have the capacity to take Nigeria to greater heights.

He also urged them to vote for the APC governorship candidate in the state,Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and his running mate,Hon.Murtala Sule Garo,as well as the APC Senatorial Candidate for Kano Central and the House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates from the area.

He then presented the APC flags to the candidates for House of Representatives and the State Assembly from the area.

Earlier,the state Chairman of the APC, Prince Abdullahi Abbas,said the APC had always won elections in Minjibir and Ungogo,and would sustain the winning streak in the forthcoming general elections.

Prince Abdullahi Abbas commended the mass turnout of APC supporters at the rally and urged the people of the area to continue to vote for the APC for their continued growth and development.

It will be recalled that the defection of the Minjibir NNPP supporters came less than a week after thousands of PDP and NNPP faithful from Shanono and Bagwai local government areas dumped their respective parties and joined the APC.

They were received at Shanono during the Gawuna/Garo campaign rally by the state APC governorship candidate, Dr.Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.

Your Votes Count, Ensure It Is Properly Utilized – Gov Bala Mohammed Woos Ningi, Communities

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Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has said vote of every Nigerian counts in the forthcoming election for the successful conduct of the presidential, gubernatorial and other elections.

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Mohammed was speaking today in Ningi while interacting with members, stakeholders, members and candidates under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during his reelection campaign where he recounted successes his administration has recorded in its first tenure.

Mohammed who was delighted by the warm welcome and solidarity, said, Ningi being one of the largest local government areas bordering with Kano and Jigawa states has witnessed a good number of transformations in the area of education, health, agriculture, housing among others.

He added that his administration will continue to ensure children lives are improved through partnership with international communities, parents and stakeholders as part of his quest to ensure education is revived, healthcare upgraded and malnutrition eradicated.

He called on the citizens to continue to support and vote for candidates under the platform of the Party, saying dividends of democracy will be provided in addition to introducing policies that will be beneficial to the citizenry.

While commending the traditional rulers for their hard work, dedication and sacrifice in the fight against terrorism, Mohammed said security of lives and properties remain his top priority hence the need to support him by feeding security agencies with needful information of unidentified movements of groups or individuals.

Earlier speaking, candidates, stakeholders and traditional rulers commended Mohammed for his outstanding performance in all sectors, saying one good term deserves another.

Breaking! Fire Guts Popular Plaza in Eke Awka Market

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By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Fire outbreak, on Tuesday night, gutted the popular and ever-busy Ezenwa Plaza in Eke Awka Market, Anambra State.

According to an eyewitness, the fire which started in one of the phone shops in the plaza, was caused by electrical fault and spark.

He said the fire could not cause much damages in the plaza, as the passers-by who noticed the smoke and flames oozing out from the shop immediately alerted the officials of the State Fire Service, who also stormed the scene and battled the fire to a stop.

He also noted that the benevolent passers-by had earlier made some significant effort towars quenching and preventing the escalation of the fire before the contacting and the arrival of the firefighters.

Confirming the incident, the Fire Chief, Anambra State Fire Service, Engr. Martin Agbili said the State Fire Service received a distress call about the fire at about 7.28pm, and immediately mobilised to the place. He said the incident happened at the second floor of the plaza.

“Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and brave firefighters to the scene of the fire. We were able to control, extinguish and fight the fire to standstill,” he said.

Giving further details, Engr. Agbili said the fire outbreak was caused by suspected power surge, and further revealed that it was only the shop where the fire emanated from that was badly burnt, because of combustible nature of phones, phone batteries and phone accessories sold there.

“The fire also affected some of the roofing sheets of that building. We are extending our gratitude to those who called us in time and those who helped in combating the fire,” he added.

He also advised people to always switch off all electrical and electronic appliances when not in use, to avoid power surge.

 

After 247ureport’s publication, Soludo postpones demolition of shops in Awka

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By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Barely 24 hours after the 247ureport’s publication on the planned demolition of over one hundred shops, hotels and other structures in Awka, Anambra State capital by the state government, the government has postponed the date for the commencement of the proposed demolition.

The said massive demolition exercise, which would have affected many structures along the popular Oby Okoli Avenue, stretching from the UNIZIK Junction to Okpuno community and beyond, was initially slated to commence on Tuesday (today), following the expiration of the 7-day ultimatum and the ‘Remove’ notice issued by the officials of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA).

However, after a 247ureport’s viral publication on the proposed demolition, which captures the reactions of the masses and their pleas of the owners and occupants of the publication, the state government, on Tuesday, extended the eviction deadline given to the people. The new deadline now is February 23, 2023, which is a one-month extension from the first one which elapsed on January 24.

It is, however, observed that while some of the structure have February 23 written on them as the new deadline, some others (along the same area) have February 24, thereby keeping the residents wondering which one is the actual deadline.

When this reporter visited the area on Tuesday to monitor the extent of people’s eleventh hour actions and reactions to the notice, it was observed that many of the shop owners in the area had already dismantled their signposts, rails, and evacuated their goods, while many are still hastening to do theirs.

By virtue of the new date, which was made known by the officials of ACTDA on Tuesday, it is now believed that the owners of the marked shop and structures in the area now have additional one-month grace to evacuate before the commencement of the exercise.

You can read the initial 247ureport’s publication HERE.

Federal High Court Dismisses PDP’s Forgery Allegation Against Governor Inuwa

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By Lateef Taiwo

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday,  struck out a case instituted before it by the the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its Governorship Candidate,  Muhammed Jibrin Barde against Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, INEC and two (2) others.

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The court, in a ruling delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, dismissed the allegation that the governor submitted forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in aid of his qualification.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1301/2022, was brought before the court by PDP,  Mohammed Jibrin Barde and Timothy Danlele.

Cited as 1st to 3rd defendants in the matter were the INEC, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and governor Inuwa Yahaya, respectively.

Specifically, the plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Mr. Johnson Usman, SAN, alleged that the governor lied on oath in documents he presented before the INEC.

However, both the APC and governor Inuwa Yahaya, through their lawyer, Mr. Marshall Abubakar, challenged the allegation and the competence of the suit, even as they urged the court to dismiss it for want of jurisdiction.

The defendants argued that PDP and its members lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute an action to challenge the nomination of candidate by another political party.

According to the defendants, only members of a party and its aspirants can challenge the outcome of a primary election or the nomination of a candidate.

They argued that the plaintiffs failed to establish any reasonable cause of action, stressing that the suit had become statute barred since it was instituted after INEC published governor Inuwa Yahaya’s name as a candidate for the election.

In her ruling, Justice Nyako upheld the defendants’ preliminary objection and struck out the suit for want of competence.

2023: Don’t Miss This Rare Opportunity Of Voting Peter Obi Into Office, United Igbo Elders Tell Youths

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By Chuks Eke

The United Igbo Elders has described 2023 presidential election as an opportunity for Nigerians to speak with one voice for continual existence of Nigeria as one indivisible entity by electing a credible and competent President.

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The Igbo elders contended that the only thing Nigeria, as a nation lacked is a good leader who will appropriate

the abundant natural and human resources abound in the country for the good of all, of which the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi has proven to possess the requisite Leadership Skills, Education and Technical know-how to lift Nigeria from poverty to riches.

In a 10-point communique issued at the end of their extraordinary emergency meeting held in Anambra state, the forum insisted that the youths of this country has no business with joblessness and poverty, and therefore calls on all Nigerian youths to take back their country by voting massively for Mr. Peter Obi.

The communique was jointly signed by the acting National President, Justice Anthony Iguh (CON), former Chief Judge of Old & New Anambra State and a Retired Justice of the Supreme Court; members of Advisory Council, Chief Simon Okeke, former chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC and Justice Godwin Ononiba, former Chief Judge of Anambra state respectively; their secretary-general, Donald Okoli and their Coordinator-General, Justice Alpha Ikpeama.

The forum maintained that from global Statistics, Nigeria is currently ranked as the poverty capital of the world despite being endowed with enormous human and material resources by God.

They therefore appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to endeavour to ensure free and fair election and avoid being partisan as according to them, the future of Nigeria is tied to the forth coming 2023 presidential election.

According to them, “the Igbo leaders and intellectuals in Nigeria before 1960 promoted the idea of One Nigeria and were in the forefront of the crusade that brought independence to Nigeria. Particular of mention were people the likes of Dr. Nnamdi

Azikiwe and Late Chief Mbazulike Amaechi. These people made the Colonial masters to relinquish power to Nigerians and most of them were imprisoned for this cause”.

“Despite securing power for the Country willingly ceded the position of Prime Minister to the North thereby confirming the selfless nature and an accommodating spirit of an Igbo Man. Moreso, there was a time in the history of this Country that a Fulani Man from Sifawa in Sokoto Caliphate, Mallam Umaru Altine was the first elected Mayor of Enugu (1952-1958)”.

“After the end of Civil War in 1970 with instituted Policy of Federal Government via Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation, no Igbo-man has been given an opportunity to provide leadership at the highest office of Nigeria”.

“That now we have a competent presidential Candidate in the person of His Excellency Mr. Peter Gregory Obi that all Nigerians should rally round him and elect him as the next president of the Country”

“We appreciate the elders statesmen like His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Ayo Adebanjo,  and Chief Edwin Clark for trustfully and honestly standing up for justice, equity and fairness by endorsing Mr. Peter Obi”.

Nepotism Is Official Policy In Wike’s Rivers State – By Deinyabofa Angus

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For most of the past decade, Rivers State has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Politics of breaking the bounds of decency and disregard for established conventions is the rule rather than the exception. Everything and everyone must be controlled.

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Without pretensions, no one in the State is more guilty of the rape of peace, order and her tranquil environment than the Administration of Nyesom Wike which took office in May 2015 by some sheer conspiracy backed by the brute force of our Ijaw sentiments against the former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi. Somehow, Wike who was nominated to serve in the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan, succeeded in pitching the former President against his former boss who he served as Chief of Staff, Government House between 2007 and 2011. Whatever magic wand Wike waved worked. No one was ready to listen to Amaechi’s side of the story that his disagreement with Wike had nothing to do with the Jonathan family. All had to do with the former Governor’s insistence that power devolve to the marginalized Riverine bloc after continuous election of Governors from the Upland axis in 1999 beginning with Dr. Peter Odili.

Unfortunately, the Wike Administration has carried on as though Rivers State is a conquered territory in her nearly eight years in power. From appointments to decisions on where to locate projects, the government has delivered a message of an incurable fixation with satisfying only a limited interest. There are more capital projects in Obio/Akpor alone than two-thirds of the rest of the State. There are more appointments or persons being drawn into State institutions through shadow employment in Obio/Akpor alone than the combined number in 20 LGAs.

The recent approval of appointment of Judges for superior Courts of record in various parts of Nigeria by the National Judicial Council (NJC) is the latest evidence of nepotism as the official policy of the Wike Administration. A cursory look at the list of the Judges bear eloquent testimony that merit, experience and character were hardly considered in pushing forward names for consideration by the NJC on the approved list which has Asivosuo MacCarthy Oriye, Omonigho Nwibani, Comfort Ifikmotu-Awaji Adangor, Prince Chika Mini and Beauty Ihuoma Emmanuel-Okere.

Whilst Rivers people should be glad that sons and daughters of the State have been elevated to the Bench of High Courts, the background of these appointees leaves much to be desired. For instance, Omonigho Nwibani, Comfort Ifikmotu-Awaji Adangor and Beauty Ihuoma Emmanuel-Okere were appointed Magistrates only in 2019. Omonigho Nwibani is the daughter of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, The Honourable Justice Simeon Chituru Amadi, Comfort Ifikmotu-Awaji Adangor is the wife of the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN) while Beauty Ihuoma Emmanuel-Okere comes from Governor Wike’s family.

Concerned Rivers people, and even those of us now in Bayelsa State, believe that appointments of this character have deleterious consequences for the Independence of the Judiciary. There is also the belief that the lofty judicial heights the State attained in the past with widely respected jurists like Honourable Justice Adolphus Gabriel Karibi-Whyte (JSC), long-serving State Chief Judge, Donald Graham-Douglas, and Justice Koripamo Ungbuku who was also rose to the office of Chief Judge, could not have been possible in circumstances where merit is sacrificed on the altar of nepotism.

Sadly, this trend of sacrifice of merit, seniority, experience and character which Governor Odili began with the appointment of Justice Iche Ndu ranked at No. 7 over and above his seniors like Justice Elizabeth Membere of blessed memory and Justice Sotonye Denton-West has continued with Wike. That only Justices M. O. Opara, G. C. Aguma, F. Onyiri, L. T. Senewo, F. A. Fiberesima, L. Ngbor-Abina, O. D. Gbasam and S. S. Popnen made the list of Judges from Rivers State to sit on the 2023 Elections Petitions Tribunals across Nigeria is another evidence of the character of control Wike exercises over the judicial institutions.

It is shameful that politicians do not care a second about the consequences of their greed. The tragedy for society is no justice or equity is guaranteed in a judicial system which recruits on a man-know-man basis. Of course, the first victim of recruitment processes such as this is an independent Judiciary. Woe betide that nation, State or democracy itself where Justices and Judges of our Courts are introduced to office via favouritism.

Deinyabofa Angus, a political commentator writes from Abuja

Gaya Lawmaker Takes Campaign To Grassroots, Visits Traditional Leaders

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The Federal House of Representatives member representing Ajingi, Albasu, and Gaya Constituency, Hon Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya has on Sunday taken his campaign team to the grassroots, visiting traditional leaders, seeking their support to be re-elected in the 2023 coming election.

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After exchanging pleasantries with the village head of Gamoji Wakilin Gamoji, the member proceeded to the town’s primary school where he built classroom blocks for receiving hundreds of decampees from New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) teams headed by Suleiman January and Yahuza Gamoji respectively.

The leadership of the decampees confirmed to the APC leadership their loyalty and promised to cast their votes for the continuity of the party in the 2023 coming election.

Later Hon Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya distributed 305 wrappers to women in the ward, courtesy of Alhaji Ilyas Muhammad Gamoji.

In presence at Gamoji ward were the two former Gaya local government chairmen, Alhaji Abba Madaki Gamoji and Alhaji Lawan Saleh Kosasshe

At Maimakawa, the member met the Village Head of the ward Magajin Maimakawa, Alhaji Aminu Hassan ably represented by Alhaji Umaru Madaki at his palace. Speaking on behalf of the campaign entourage, the Executive Chairman of Gaya Local Government, Alhaji Ahmad T. Abdullahi said they paid a homage visit to the palace to respect the tradition of their campaign to greet the leader of the town and seek their prayers to succeed in the forthcoming election. He later appreciated the leadership of Maimakawa for their kindness and support they gave anytime the constituted authority require it.

In his words, the Wakilin Magajin Maimakawa confirmed their support to the team and appealed to the Hon. Member on the Jobless youths the ward possessed whereby he said Maimakawa is among the towns in Gaya that has several graduates that are in need to be cared for by the Member in making sure the quota of Gaya Local Government does not leave vacant. He asked the member to consider them for the recruitment process of security personnel in the country.

While making a presentation of his campaign, Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya appreciated the good people of the Maimakawa ward and said the Ward has done everything for him in his political career as a Member representing Gaya, Ajingi, and Albasu in the Federal House of Representatives. He said without the votes of the Maimakawa ward he will not be able to be a member of the green chamber.

Gaya later promised Maimakawa that if they voted for his political party this coming election in mass, he will continue to support the development of the ward and make sure he provides a special gift for them to uplift their economy by empowering the women and youths with entrepreneurial skills and incentives for business startups.

He concluded by receiving hundreds of NNPP party who decamped to APC at the ward

After Maimakawa Ward, Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya led his campaign team to Fan’idau and Bangashe towns to exchange pleasantries with their traditional leaders.

In his entourage were the representative of Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, Senator Kano Central ably represented by Faisal Kabiru Gaya, the Gaya Local Government Chairman, Member State House of Assembly representing Gaya Hon. Abubakar Isah Kademi, APC Chairman of Gaya Local Government Babannan Kademi among others.