Worried over the loss of N12bn due to the fungal disease that affected ginger farmers, the Kaduna-South Senator, Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung expressed fears that Nigeria may lose its position in the global market as the second-largest producer of the commodity if farmers are not compensated.

Arewa PUNCH recalls that the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, had confirmed the outbreak of the ginger blight epidemic in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory.

He disclosed that preliminary estimates show that farmers in southern Kaduna alone lost over N12bn.

The Senator who is representing the Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone, disclosed at a one-day workshop, organised by the Senate Committee on Capital Market in collaboration with the Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange, in Abuja, lamented that ginger farmers may not return to farming as the rainy season approaches if they are not compensated for the loss they incurred during the outbreak of the deadly disease.

Katung who also expressed worry that if the ginger farmers were not encouraged to by way of compensation, Nigeria may lose her position on the global stage as the second largest producer of the commodity, stressed, “The losses the ginger farmers incurred as a result of the outbreak of the fungi pathogens during the last farming season were monumental.

“You have to compensate them as a way of encouraging them (farmers) to go back to farming. If that is not done, farmers would no longer be interested in farming, and we will lose our position in the world as a country,” Sen. Katung told the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security.

The 41st day Muslim prayers for the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, will hold on Wednesday (today).

The paramount ruler, who reigned for two years after being presented the Staff of Office and Instrument of Office by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on March 11, 2022, died on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the age of 81.

The prayer, according to family sources, will take place at Alliwo Family Compound by 11 am while entertainment of guests will be held at the Alarere private residence of the late Oba Balogun, both within Ibadan, the state capital, shortly after the prayer session.

The source, who works at the palace, said, “Yes, we are holding a small reception in honour of Baba today at the palace. There will be a prayer session at Alliwo at 11:am, then reception at Alarere thereafter.”

Another source close to the palace confirmed that some High Chiefs of Ibadanland would be in attendance to honour the late king.

“We only informed a few people. Not too elaborate. We just informed some strategic people, like the High Chiefs of Ibadanland, as a sign of honour and respect,” another family source confirmed to PUNCH Online.

When contacted, the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late Olubadan, Dele Ogunsola, confirmed the development to The PUNCH correspondent on the phone, saying, “Yes. We are holding the 41st Fidau prayer for Baba (the late His Imperial Majesty) this morning. Today is exactly 41 days since he joined his forefathers.”

source: punchng.com

 ABEOKUTA  – The PDP governorship candidate in the last general elections in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu has disclosed that, he is eminently qualified to contest from any part of Ogun State.

Adebutu stated this on Thursday at the 92years remembrance ceremony for his late great grandfather, Pa Alimi Adebutu who died in 1932 at Ijeun Akoni in Odeda local government area of Ogun State.

Hon. Adebutu who went memory lane, explained that his late Paternal Great Grand Father gave birth to his Grand Father, late Kareem Owoiya who equally gave birth to his father, Sir Kessington Adebukola Adebutu.

He noted that, the good deeds of his late great grandfather has outlived him which endeared the community to remember him 92years after.

Asked if his Egba ancestral lineage was to prepare for his political journey in 2027, Adebutu maintained that, since discovering his ancestral lineage 10years ago, he never claimed to be an Egba man.

He stressed that, as a proper born Ogun indigene, he has every right to lay claim to any part of the state.

“This lineage has been there for ages, I have never claimed to be an Ẹgba man, but the truth is that, I am an Ogun person, I have the right to everywhere in Ogun state. Adebutu is Ogun state, my heritage has touched everywhere in Ogun state.

“My grand father, Pa Kareem Owoiya, the father of Sir Kessington Adebutu was born at Ijeun Akoni, so by birth, he is an Egba man and by extension, I am also an Egba man.

“Ladi is not just arriving today. In every major higher institution in Ogun state my heritage has impacted positively. My establishment that gives me my wealth is domicile in Ogun state. I am an Ogun indigene proper.”

Speaking on why he lost the 2023 governorship election, Hon. Adebutu noted that his simplicity and gentleman style of politics cost him Electoral victory.

He said one of the reasons he lost 99 polling units in the last election was because he refused to engage his political opponents with violence.

I believe in life after death. That’s why in the kind of politics I do, you will never see violence, you will never see desperation. One reason why 99 polling units in the last election were destroyed was because I refused that my people should repay violence with violence.

“I cannot be part of the process that destroys humanity. I believe life continues after death. That’s why I’m always careful.”

ENCOUNTER REPORTS 

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to recall Senator Abdul Ningi who was suspended for three months over his allegation of budget padding.

Ningi, the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, was suspended for three months over an interview in which he alleged that the National Assembly padded the 2024 N28.7 trillion budget as against N25tn.

He was quoted as saying, “For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu, and the one was implemented by the presidency.

“The one approved by us is N25tn while the one operating by the Federal Government is N28tn.”

Two days after his resignation as the Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Ningi was replaced by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC Katsina Central).

In a statement dated March 16, 2024, and made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday, March 17; and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group urged Akpabio “to immediately reinstate whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was recently suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.”

SERAP equally told the Senate President to refer the allegation to the country’s anti-graft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission, which would improve public trust in the Senate.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, on Monday, expressed full support for Ningi during the State Executive Council meeting, saying, “I made it clear that I stand firm in our support for Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, of Bauchi Central.”

Meanwhile, SERAP followed suit, saying, “What Senator Ningi has done is a positive act of good citizenship. No whistleblower should ever be penalised simply for making a public interest disclosure.”

SERAP also urged Akpabio “to make a public commitment to discontinue the patently unlawful constituency projects in the next budget cycle.”

The statement continued, “Without inside information, corruption is hard to detect, prevent, and combat. Rather than suspending Senator Ningi, the Senate ought to have used his allegations as a trigger for addressing the lingering problem of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects.

“Referring the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would improve public trust in the ability of the leadership of the Senate to ensure probity and accountability in the budget process.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and the Senate to comply with our requests in the public interest.”

The organisation expressed its concern “about the opacity and lack of accountability in the spending of public funds on constituency projects since the return of democracy in 1999.

“SERAP is seriously concerned that years of allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment, and lack of access to public goods and services.”

A former spokesman of the defunct Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, said Nigeria must be safe and secure before the 2027 general elections.

Bwala stated this in an interview on Arise Television on Friday.

The former spokesperson commended President Bola Tinubu for the intervention of his administration.

Bwala, however, said he had no regret joining the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He said, “I have no regret going to PDP or supporting Atiku, I do my things based on conviction and at the end of the day, if it doesn’t work out, I accept my fate.

“The reality I have accepted now is that this politicking is gone and because of the crisis in Nigeria, the only way we can have a 2027 election is when Nigeria is safe and secure.

“I saw that this president I supported in APC is trying to ensure he rewrites the wrongs of the past administration.

“When he said he wanted all opposition to come together for nation building, I felt it was the right time to look at nation’s building rather than politicking. There must be a Nigeria before we do politics.”