Fabmimi News: 2017-08-27

Female journalist emerges Labour party guber candidate in Anambra

Mrs. Oluchukwu Ajulufo, a journalist who worked with Ray Power (Daar Communications), has emerged the governorship candidate of Labour Party for the Nov. 18, governorship election in Anambra.

Ajulufo was nominated by unanimous vote of the 64-man delegate at the primary election in Awka on Saturday.

Ajulufo is the second female to emerge as governorship candidate after Mrs Kate Okafor of African Conscience Democrat (ACD).

The National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, who declared Ajulufo winner of the primary, expressed satisfaction with the process.

According to him, two persons participated in the exercise, one did not meet up with the electoral guidelines while the other person, who met the guideline has been declared as the party’s candidate.

Abdulsalam, who described Ajulufo’s emergence as a “divine mandate”, also expressed confidence that the party will win the Nov. 18 governorship election.

While soliciting the support of party faithful, the national chairman urged aggrieved persons to file petition which he said will be looked into critically.

“We are ideological and social democrats and we do not impose candidate or carry out selective justice,” he said.

In her remarks, Ajulufo commended the exercise and Labour party for accommodating a female candidate.

“If elected, I will ensure security of lives and property, employment opportunities for youths and women and robust agricultural programmes to make the state food basket of the nation, among others.”

However, Mr Okey Enemuo an aspirant at the primary and former House of Representatives member expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the exercise, describing it as “laughing stock”.

“As far as I am concerned, no primary election held today.

“Throughout the time I prepared for this primary and all through my campaigns in the wards, no one showed up to contest against me.

“I was supposed to be the consensus and only candidate but what we saw today is laughable.

“Ajulufo never declared interest; otherwise, she should show evidence of payment for forms.

“Besides, she is still a member of the national executive of the party who has not even resigned her position. This is unethical and illegal,” Enemuo said.

Benue blames media for non-development of state

Benue State Governor< samuel Ortom

The Benue government said on Saturday that incessant attacks hurled through the social media were painting the state in bad light and discouraging investors from patronising it.

“The social media attacks have been very severe; they paint Benue in bad light and discourage investors from coming in,” Mr Lawrence Onoja Jr., Commissioner for Information and Orientation, said in Makurdi.

Onoja Jr. said that the negative comments posted on the social media were “mischievous tales” targeted at discouraging investors from investing into government’s agriculture-driven industrialization.

“Sometimes what you read in the social media amazes one; how can one deliberately plant lies just to pull down his own state government and stall its growth?

“`The situation is regrettable and simply sad. Government works very hard, but its opponents keep discrediting it,” he fumed.

He, however, said that the Gov Samuel Ortom-led administration would not be discouraged by “such mischief makers and rumour mangers”.

The commissioner said that government was planning an Information Summit that would deal with the menace of the social media and tackle rumour mongering.

Onoja Jr. said that government was transparent in its financial transactions, adding that all contracts had always followed due processes.

“Government has nothing to hide; it is laughable to allege that the governor awards contracts to himself. Contracts are discussed and endorsed by the State Executive Council.

“The governor vets all expenditures; he is strict and there is no way he can award contracts to himself. The executive council directs the ministries and payments are done through the Ministry of Finance,” he explained.

The commissioner commended the federal government for the massive campaign against hate speech, and called for a more critical look into social media content to rid Nigeria of divisive comments.

NAN

Gov. Ortom kills a poisonous snake while inspecting water level at River Guma (Photos)

While inspecting the flooding at River Guma, Governor Ortom killed a poisonous snake called Puff Adder.
He advised people, especially children against entering flood water, as it had the potential of carrying dangerous reptiles capable of harming them, noting that the snake he killed could have bitten a person which cure was very costly.

NEMA distributes relief materials to flood victims in Benue State.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Saturday donated 27 different items as relief materials to flood victims in Benue and inspect affected areas.

The Director-General, NEMA, MustaMr Mustapha Maihaja told newsmen in Makurdi that he was in the state on presidential directives.

He said that the directive was for the agency to quickly intervene into the Benueflood disaster and see how the victims would be assisted.

Maihaja used the opportunity to extend President Muhammadu Buhari’s heartfelt sympathy to the flood victims in Benue and assured them of the Federal Government determination.

He said that the relief materials were food stuffs, household items and other building materials, adding that after the official assessment of the areas, the actual areas of assistance would be ascertained.

“May I extend the heartfelt sympathy of Mr President to the Government of BenueState and families and all those affected by the flood disaster.

“We are here on a mission from Mr President to visit the flood affected areas and ascertain the level of damage caused by the disaster to enable us assist the victims in every way possible.

“We brought 27 different relief materials to deliver to the state for onward distribution to the affected victims,” he said.

He said that the materials were pre emergency response materials, adding that three trucks were on ground while five were still on the way.

The D-G explained that the quantum of destruction could not be ascertained at the moment, adding that his team would be on ground to carry out the data to determine exact quantity.

Maihaja said that the agency had not received any official communication from the Cameroonian government on the possibility of opening Lagdo Dam that caused the 2012 flood.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items delivered to the state are rice, children clothes, building materials, foodstuffs and other household items.

NAN reports that the D-G, while in the state visited the IDPs camp at International Market Makurdi and flood affected areas like Radio Benue, Idye village, Welfare Quarters, Guma, Achusa among others.

Speaking to newsmen, the State Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Mr Joseph Utsev admitted that though they were expecting some element of flood this year, not of this magnitude.

Utsev said that Makurdi Township lacked drainages that would control the run water into River Benue, adding that River Benue needed to be dredged to avoid a repetition of the 2012 disaster.

He said that property worth billions of naira were so far destroyed among which were households, farmlands and businesses.

The commissioner further appealed to the Federal Government to assist the state with funds for the construction of drainages and dredging of River Benue.

He said that no life was lost since the beginning of the disaster this year.