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Dogara to Governors: Publish your security votes, LG funds

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By Aaron Ossai

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has challenged Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State, to extend his campaign for transparency in the budget of the National Assembly to other arms of government including how governors spend their security votes.

Speaking while closing a retreat for management of the National Assembly in Kaduna, Dogara, also challenged the Governors, to, in the spirit of accountability and transparency publish how they utilise funds allocated to local governments.

The Speaker, while reacting to an earlier speech by Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmed El-rufai, who urged the legislature to make its budget public, disclosed that already, the bureaucracy has been directed to publish the National Assembly budget beginning from 2017.

“I will like to challenge him (El-rufai) to champion this cause for transparency in the budgetary process from the National Assembly to other arms of government. The Judiciary first; we want to see clearly how Chief Executives of States… how they are paid. What do they spend monthly as security votes? And if they can publish what happens to local government funds under their jurisdictions, that will help our discussion going forward,” he said.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by the management of the federal legislature, Dogara stressed that the National Assembly is the most misunderstood institution and that no parliament in the world can win popularity contest and Nigeria’s National Assembly is not an exception.

“When, for instance, public discussions on funding of the legislature are being made, the entire bureaucracy is often completely discountenanced, neither is any consideration given to the fact that this is a special bureaucracy saddled with a multitude of ‘masters’ who must be equally served in addition to service to the nation,” he explained.

Dogara, said the Nigeria Civil Service will begin to record progress when it breaks away from its usual tradition to new ways of carrying out its functions and administration.
He said for there to be productivity in the workforce, there must be innovation, which is borne out of motivation of staff through rewards such as promotions based on merit.

“As leaders, you must be prepared to motivate the workforce. Motivation is the key to innovation anywhere. For far too long, the bureaucracy in Nigeria has failed to innovate because it is locked in a tradition that defines boundaries that must not be crossed. A tradition that says we have always done it this way and apportions sanctions for those who dare doing it the other way even if the outcomes are better. These are chains that bind the bureaucracy in Nigeria from within. Although the most difficult chains to break are those within us, we must break them in order to free the bureaucracy and make it competitive and innovative. The key to achieving this is undoubtedly, training and retraining in an environment such as this.

“The necessity for every manager to fully understand the ecology of his organization is not negotiable. The legislature is a distinct organisation with several peculiarities, thereby making strategic management approach an imperative. The management of the National Assembly, whatever their managerial competencies, cannot provide efficient and effective services to the legislature except they fully understand and appreciate the organizational goals, objectives and the attendant challenges.

“I need not warn you of the bitter lesson of life, which is that it will never offer you more than who you are. But the good news is that you can become more. To become more, you must change your ideas and you will never change your ideas until you learn something new. New things learned are useless and cannot result in growth until you put them to use. That is why you cannot over spend on training. Tell me the size of your organization’s budget for training and retraining and I’ll predict with absolute certainty, the future of your organization.

The Speaker commended the visionary leadership approach of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori, for the swift manner in which he was able to undertake a management needs assessment of the institution, which is the basis for the retreat.

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Hon. Hafiz Kawu Calls for Unity, Highlights Tinubu and Governor Yusuf’s Achievements in Kano

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Hon. Hafiz Kawu, Honourable Commissioner at PENCOM, has urged APC supporters and faithfuls in Kano State to rally behind the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Speaking live during a radio program in Kano, Hon. Kawu OON, MNI delivered a compelling message of reconciliation and renewed commitment to the ruling party’s vision for development.

In his remarks, Hon. Kawu emphasized the importance of President Tinubu’s administration to Kano’s progress, pointing to several landmark projects that have reshaped the state’s infrastructure and economic outlook. He cited the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway reconstruction and the dualization of the Kano–Kongolom Road as evidence of federal commitment to easing transportation and boosting trade. He also highlighted the modernization of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and the approval of the Kano Light Rail project as transformative investments in transportation.

Hon. Kawu further pointed to the AKK Gas Pipeline as a strategic investment that will power industries, create jobs, and strengthen Kano’s role as a commercial hub. He noted that the appointments of Kano indigenes into key federal positions demonstrate the President’s recognition of Kano’s strategic importance in national politics.

Turning to state-level initiatives, Hon. Kawu praised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s urban renewal and rural connectivity projects, including the construction of the Dan Agundi Interchange, the Tal’udu Cloverleaf Overpass, and the revival of 5KM roads across 44 local governments. He described these projects as complementary to federal efforts, ensuring that both urban and rural communities benefit from development.

Addressing internal party divisions, Hon. Kawu noted: “This is the time to set aside differences and return to the fold. The projects we see today are only the beginning of greater things to come under APC leadership. Unity is the key to victory, and victory is the key to sustaining development.”

His live radio broadcast blended detailed references to federal achievements under President Tinubu with state-level initiatives under Governor Yusuf, leaving listeners with a clear message: Kano’s future is tied to APC’s success, and every supporter has a role to play in securing that future.

As the broadcast concluded, Hon. Kawu emphasized that cohesion across the APC structure remains the decisive factor in the political contest ahead. He stressed that only a united APC — working seamlessly from the grassroots to the national stage — can secure victories across all levels of governance and sustain the momentum of development. His words positioned unity not as a plea, but as a strategic imperative for the party’s continued dominance and for the progress of Kano and Nigeria at large.

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Nigeria Is Not a Muslim Country — Rev Dachomo Counters Sheikh Jingir

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The Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has rejected comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, that Nigeria is a Muslim country.

Jingir had reportedly made the remarks during a programme in Kano State over the weekend while expressing support for the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim political arrangement.

The cleric argued that Muslims constitute the majority in Nigeria and should therefore have the opportunity to lead the country. He also reportedly referred to Christians as infidels and suggested that Christians who were unhappy with the arrangement could leave the country.

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Dachomo strongly opposed the comments, insisting that Nigeria is a multi-religious nation and “is not and can never be a Muslim country.”

The COCIN chairman cautioned Jingir and other religious leaders against making statements capable of deepening religious divisions or creating hostility between Christians and Muslims.

Dachomo argued that political leadership should not be determined by religious numerical strength but by competence, justice, good governance and the ability to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

“Nigeria is a multi-religious country in which Muslims and Christians have historically participated in the political process and contributed to the development of the nation,” he said.

He urged religious leaders to exercise caution when commenting on political matters, particularly issues capable of affecting relations between religious communities.

According to him, linking political leadership to religious majority could create the impression that one faith has greater ownership of Nigeria than another.

“I urge religious leaders to be mindful of their public statements, particularly when discussing politics and issues capable of affecting relations between different religious communities,” Dachomo added.

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Muslim-Muslim ticket: No regret over my statement – Sheikh Jingir

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Islamic cleric and leader of the Izala Scholars Council, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has stood his ground over his Muslim-Muslim ticket comments and description of Christians as “infidels.”

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Jingir said he had no regrets over his recent declaration of support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, despite the criticism trailing the statement.

He said his position was not politically motivated or intended to campaign for President Bola Tinubu, but was based on what he described as his responsibility as a Muslim.

According to the Islamic cleric, he would continue to support and encourage Muslims to back a Muslim-Muslim ticket, regardless of the criticism his position might attract.

“I have no regrets. I will continue to support and encourage the Muslim-Muslim ticket. What they say will not stop me. They started it; at a point, we suffered in their hands,” he alleged.

DAILY POST recalls that Jingir, during a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, declared his support for the Muslim-Muslim arrangement and urged Muslims to vote in a manner that would demonstrate their numerical strength in the country.

He further stated that, as a Muslim preacher, he had the right to advocate a political arrangement that was consistent with his religious convictions.

The cleric also challenged claims that Christians or other religious groups constituted a larger proportion of Nigeria’s population than Muslims.

His remarks have continued to generate reactions, with some commentators describing them as divisive, while others have defended his right to express his religious and political views.

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