Apolitico.com

PROTOCOLS 1. I am delighted to welcome you all to Kaduna to this event that marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Arewa House. On this day, I pay tribute to the vision of the six governors of the northern states who decided in 1970 to establish this centre that has gone on to become a research centre of international repute. They chose to honour the memory and service of the only Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, by locating this centre on the grounds of his official residence. Out of the ashes of the tragic events of 1966, our illustrious predecessors have built a centre that continues to make significant contributions to nation-building and peaceful coexistence. 2. The astuteness of Arewa House is demonstrated again in its choice of commemorative events for its 50th Anniversary. The theme of today’s lecture Unfinished Greatness: Towards a More Perfect Union in Nigeria speaks to an urgent national issue. I have no doubt that the ...

ALHAJI SIR AHMADU BELLO was born in Rabah, North West State, a descendant of Uthman don Fodio, the renowned 19th-century Moslem leader of Northern Nigeria. Bello received his education first at the Sokoto Provincial School, then at Katsina Teacher Training College. In 1934, after teaching several years in the Sokoto Middle School, he entered the emirate administration as district head of Rabah. In 1938 he made an unsuccessful claim to the office of sultan of Sokoto. The new sultan immediately conferred upon him the traditional, now honorary, title of sardauna and elevated him to the Sokoto Native Authority Council. As World War II drew to an end, Bello became involved in broader political concerns. In 1945 he assisted in the formation of the Youth Social Circle in Sokoto, a discussion group of Northern educators and civil servants. In 1948 this organization affiliated with the newly founded Northern People's Congress (NPC), originally conceived as a cultural organizatio...

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja appealed to Nigerians to desist from actions and comments that could jeopardise the unity and progress of the nation. Launching the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) Emblem and Appeal Fund, President Buhari said this year’s occasion reminds Nigerians of the need to guard jealously the unity of the nation which was won at great cost. The President, who stressed that ‘‘Nigeria’s strength lies in her diversity’’, honoured the memory of the nation’s fallen heroes and veterans, recounting their sacrifices during the First and Second World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War and Peace Support Operations around the world. President Buhari also paid tribute to men and women currently engaged in internal security operations, particularly the ongoing fight against insurgency, terrorism and armed banditry in some parts of the country, praising them for remaining steadfast in the difficult task of restoring peace and security despite the c...

President Muhammadu Buhari has presented the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for a second term in office. In a letter to President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, the President said in accordance with the provision of Section 154 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), “I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate, the nomination of Professor Mahmood Yakubu for appointment as Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a second and final term.” Prof Yakubu was first appointed by President Buhari in November 2015. Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) October 27, 2020

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has signed an executive order to reinforce the ban on Indigenous Peoples Organization of Biafra (IPOB) and its activities in the State. The Governor maintained that while Rivers State remains the home to all tribes and ethnic nationalities, the State government is opposed to the presence and activities of the legally proscribed and anarchic IPOB and whatever it stands for in Rivers State. Governor Wike, in a state wide broadcast on Wednesday night, said while the Government acknowledge and appreciate the enormous contributions from non-indigenes to the political, social and economic development of the State, it will neither accept nor allow any individual or group from within and outside to violate the peace, endanger lives and property under any guise in the State. “And so, let it be understood that we have nothing against all or any specific tribe and will continue to live in peace with people of all other tribal extractions resi...