The Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, has urged the international community to fully support Nigeria’s quest to save Lake Chad from extinction and revive its potential.

Mr Adamu, who made the call in an interview with journalists in New York, said it was important to lend his voice to President Muhammadu Buhari’s call to revive Lake Chad.Mr Adamu was in New York to attend the just-concluded 2023 UN Water Conference.

“If you recall from the beginning of this administration, President Buhari has made this call in several fora, especially at all the engagements during Conference of Parties (COP) on Climate Change and his interactions with world leaders.

“It is a consistent call because you know the problem we have in the Northeast, problem of Boko Haram. It has been clearly linked to the lack of opportunities and abject poverty around the Lake Chad that was caused by the shrinking of the Lake. It sank as low as 10 per cent of its storage capacity 50 years ago,” he said.

The minister said the shrinking of the Lake had impacted negatively on the source of livelihood of the people leaving in the area, adding that more than 40 million people were affected.Mr Adamu said that all the opportunities for finishing, farming, irrigation, grazing were all lost, and the lack of opportunities had caused poverty in that area, giving room for breeding ground for Boko Haram fighters.

“From the security perspective, it’s very important to make this call and from economic development perspective, loss of jobs and poverty. Also, there is climate change issue and desertification,’’ he said.

The minister added that Nigeria had recently ratified the instrument of Accession to the UN Water Convention and had submitted it at the conference.Mr Adamu said Nigeria, under the leadership of President Buhari, had acceded to the Water Convention as an instrument to strengthen the existing transboundary commitments under the Niger Basin Authority and the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

Nigeria shares at least one transboundary water body with each of its neighbouring states.The Lake Chad Basin is the largest inland drainage area in Africa and covers an area of 2,434,000 km2, equal to eight per cent of the total area of the African continent.

The basin extends through Algeria, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, Central Africa Republic, Chad, and Sudan. In Nigeria, the basin drains about 20 per cent of the country.

Nigeria is also home to about 80 per cent of the 100 million people residing in the basin of the River Niger, which crosses Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf of Guinea.

President Buhari ratified the Accession to the Convention in December 2022 and Nigeria also ratified the Amendment to Articles 25 and 26 of Nov. 23, 2003.

Dr Mustapha Bello, an Islamic cleric and educationist, says Nigerians should stop congratulating the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, but rather set agenda for him.

Mr Bello, a lecturer, Department of Religions and Peace Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), made the remarks at the 9th Ramadan Lecture of Anwar-Ul Islam College, Agege, Old Students’ Association (ACAOSA), on Saturday in Lagos.

The Guest Speaker delivered a lecture titled: “Islamic Perspective of a Good Governance: Any Lesson for Nigeria?”

Mr Bello described the topic as apt and imperative because of the concern every discerning Nigerian now had about the state of affairs in the nation.

According to him, the nation will by May 29, experience 24 years of uninterrupted democratic rule being led by the PDP and APC, but the question is whether Nigerians have enjoyed good governance or not.

He said Nigerians could not be said to have enjoyed good governance in the light of prevailing socio-economic challenges they were faced with.

“Good governance is the responsibility of all Nigerians. Those who have been elected, we congratulate them but Nigerians should put them on their toes.

“We must set agenda for them, we must tell them what we want in terms of education, infrastructure, environment, health and others. We should not leave them, we should advise them.

“It is not enough for us to be congratulating them. Sen Bola Tinubu has emerged President-elect, and he will be inaugurated, we must set agenda for him.

“Stop doing congratulatory messages now, let us set agenda on education, environment, public morality.

“Look around, there is so much indiscipline in the society. We must also pray for them,” he said.

The cleric said that the President-elect, his deputy and all elected public office holders should be commended if they do well and criticised if they misbehave, for the nation to get good governance.Mr Bello said that when there is good governance, there would be peace, prosperity, plenty for everybody and less insecurity.

“The President-elect and Vice President-elect have enormous responsibility to unite our minds together. We are so divided as a people by religion, ethnicity and social classes.

“The first task before them is to find a way of assuaging our feelings and unite us; It is when we have a common objective with our mind united that we can move forward,” Bello said.

He said that good governance according to United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), relates to the political, institutional processes and outcomes that are necessary to achieve the goals of development.Mr Bello said the UNHRC identified transparency, responsibility, accountability, participation, and responsiveness as key attributes of good governance.

“Good governance in a layman language is the provisions of abundance of goodness by a government to its citizens which is the fundamental objective of the state as entrenched in the Nigerian constitution.

“Good governance is the major determinant of how stable, prosperous and peaceful a society or a country is.

“In essence, wherever you find poverty, crisis and they are on the rise, the only reason for the absence of prosperity is the absence of good governance.

“Virtually, all parametres used in measuring good governance as it relates to Nigeria is negative,” he said.

The Kano State Governor-elect, Abba Yusuf, has warned all subsisting and prospective lenders to the current Kano State Government against granting fresh loans.

The advisory is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Kano by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor-elect, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.

It warned that from March 18 to May 29, no lender, domestic or international, should grant any loan facility to the incumbent Kano State Government without the expressed consent of the incoming administration.

“Any such loan facility approved and issued to the Kano State Government between the date of election and the date of swearing-in without the explicit knowledge and consent of the incoming administration will not be honoured by the new administration.

“All subsisting lenders to the Kano State Government shall take notice that all terms and conditions for all existing loan facilities shall be renegotiated by the new administration guided by the utilisation audit/review of each loan facility,“ the statement said.

Governor Bello Matawalle has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of punishing him because he opposed his naira redesign policy and joined other governors in filing a suit against him at the Supreme Court.

The Zamfara governor slammed the president for his anti-democratic tendency, accusing him of militarising the March 18 governorship election to ensure that APC did not win in the state, thereby scuttling his reelection.

“And I tell you, they were over 50 soldiers in our polling units in Zamfara. They were even straight about it that those voting for APC would not be allowed to vote. People were harassed and beaten because they wanted to vote for APC,” Mr Matawalle told DW Hausa in a post-election interview.

“We all have this evidence on video. When we called soldiers to come to our aid, they didn’t come. But I have left everything to God.”

Dauda Lawal-Dare of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 377,726 votes from the 14 local government areas to defeat Mr Matawalle, who had 311,976 votes.

The Zamfara governor also slammed Mr Buhari for exhibiting the same vindictiveness towards Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano).

According to the Zamfara governor, the president should be held responsible for the failure of APC candidates in the states to win the gubernatorial elections.

“When I saw that (the soldiers being sent), I knew they were up to something. That was why it didn’t bother me because I received intelligence report on what they were going to do against me. Not only myself but other governors that did something that is considered wrong,” Mr Matawalle explained.

He added;

“Yes, what’s being said is that we went to the court (Supreme Court) over new naira notes redesign. They said myself, Ganduje and El Rufai would be punished accordingly.”

The governor alleged that Mr Buhari ordered the deployment of 300 vehicles filled with soldiers in Zamara three days before the election.

“We have security challenges in Zamfara state, and we’ve been asking them to send soldiers to us, but they didn’t. But three days to the election (gubernatorial), they sent over 300 vehicles conveying soldiers into Zamfara,” Mr Matawalle claimed.

“Such a high number of soldiers. If they could send them to us to fight insecurity, it would be better. But they only sent them during elections.”

The president’s media aides, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, declined to comment on the Zamfara governor’s allegations.

The Department of State Services (DSS) said it has uncovered a plot by some “key political players” to halt the inauguration of the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, and foist an Interim Government in Nigeria.

DSS spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, stated that some persons have weighed various options, which include foisting interim government after obtaining frivolous court injunctions to forestall the inauguration of new executive administrations and legislative houses at the Federal and State levels.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) has identified some key players in the plot for an Interim Government in Nigeria,” the statement read.

“The Service considers the plot, being pursued by these entrenched interests, as not only an aberration but a mischievous way to set aside the constitution and undermine civil rule as well as plunge the country into an avoidable crisis”

“The illegality is totally unacceptable in a democracy and to the peace loving Nigerians. This is even more so that the machination is taking place after the peaceful conduct of the elections in most parts of the country,”

Afunanya said such persons were also considering sponsoring endless violent mass protests in major cities to warrant a declaration of State of Emergency.

“The planners, in their many meetings, have weighed various option, which include, among others, to sponsor endless violent mass protests in major cities to warrant a declaration of State of Emergency”

“Another is to obtain frivolous court injunctions to forestall the inauguration of new executive administration and legislative houses at the Federal and State levels”

“The DSS supports the President and Commander-in-Chief in his avowed commitment to a hitch-free handover and will assiduously work in this direction”

“It also supports the Presidential Transition Council and other such related bodies in the State. It will collaborate with them and sister security and law enforcement agencies to ensure seamless inaugurations comes 29th May, 2023”

“Consequently, the Service strongly warns those organising to thwart democracy in the country to retract from their devious schemes and orchestrations.”

“Stakeholders, notably judicial authorities, media and the Civil Society, are enjoined to be watchful and cautious to avoid being used as instruments to subvert peace and stability of the nation”

“While its monitoring continues, the DSS will not hesitate to take decisive and necessary legal steps against these misguided elements to frustrate their obnoxious intentions,” the Service said.

On Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State issued a certificate of return to Governor Seyi Makinde, who emerged winner of the governorship election held on March 18.

The event, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, also witnessed the presentation of certificates of return to 32 newly elected House of Assembly members.

Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos, supervised the presentation of the certificates.

In his remarks, Mr Olumekun said the commission would continue to conduct free and credible elections in the country regardless of any odds encountered.

He attributed the general election’s success to early preparations immediately after the 2019 general elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Adeniran Tella, reassured all stakeholders in the electioneering process that INEC was poised to build on the high level of credibility it has achieved so far by deploying the use of technology into our electoral process.

“This further confirms the commission’s determination and commitment to becoming one of the best election management bodies in the world that will meet the aspiration of the people.”

Mr Tella appealed to the governor-elect, his deputy and all the 32 state House of Assembly elected members to be magnanimous in victory.

He urged them to use the renewed mandates to serve the people diligently and truthfully.

Mr Makinde, in his remarks, promised to take the state from poverty to prosperity and dedicated his election victory to the people of Oyo State.

Political associates of the governor, government appointees, traditional rulers, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) members, and religious leaders, among others, attended the event.

Former Inspector-General of Police, Dr Solomon Arase (retd.) was on Wednesday morning, March 29, sworn in as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

The swearing in ceremony, which coincided with that of five members of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), took place before the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The ceremonies were held in the Executive Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Former IGP Arase took over as Chairman of the PSC, following the resignation of another former Inspector-General of Police, Musiliu Smith, who was reported to have been advised by the PSC Board to resign in September 2022.

Arase, 65, who retired in 2016, was the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police (between April 2015 and June 2016) and has served in various capacities including as head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the foremost intelligence-gathering unit of the Nigerian police.

The President also swore-in five board members of the Code of Conduct Bureau. They include Murtala Kankia from Katsina State (North-West); Zephaniah Bulus from Nasarawa State (North Central) and Farouk Umar from Yobe State (North East), Taofeek Abdulsalam from Ondo State (South West) and Prof. Juwaria Badamasi from Kogi State (North Central).