Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2012—7
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT:
Fashola canvasses state police, special status for Lagos zNo hidden agenda —Mark BY DAPO AKINREFON, OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO
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AGOS— PRESIDENT of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State have agreed on the need to give Lagos State a special status in the President Goodluck Jonathan (5th right); Director General, National Institute for Policy and Startegic constitution. They said this, yesterday, Studies, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande (2nd left); Vice President Namadi Sambo (4the left) and others during a courtesy visit by the Senior Executive Course 34 of the institute on the President at the at the South-West zonal Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. public hearing on proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution, in Lagos. Also, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (ACN, Lagos East) justified the need to accord Lagos a special status, saying: “From the opinions of the people of this district, there is no going back on our resolve that Lagos be given Special Status. I have continually stressed that Lagos remains the BY LUKA BINNIYAT Buhari. Maduachi youths came out in large is truly saddened by the commercial and industrial & NDAHI MARAMA incident of capital of Nigeria in spite of village is about two numbers this morning gory Wednesday 14, 2012 in Abuja. It is also the largest kilometres from Zonkwa. and protested the ADUNA — THERE murder. It was a very Madauchi, Zangon employer of labour in was palpable Local Nigeria, a situation, which tough task calming them Kataf tension in Kaduna State, ...Kill three in Government. But even only a special status can down. I am told that the yesterday, as hundreds Maiduguri sustain and enhance for the in the face of such attackers are being The Kaduna killing of youths protested the and benefit and welfare of all alleged killing of six came against the trailed. It was indeed a unwarranted deliberate attempt to Nigerians.” gory sight to see these members of a family at backdrop of reports that This came as Mark incite and create chaos, corpses,” Yahaya said, Maduachi village in unidentified gunmen dismissed insinuations that the state government Another resident of the suspected to be members Zonkwa area of Zangon Emmanuel will not be deterred in the leadership of the Kataf Local Government of Boko Haram Islamic area, Danboyi, said the its quest of ensuring a National Assembly had a in the state by suspected sect, yesterday, trailed incident allegedly secured and united hidden agenda in reviewing three Igbo traders to their Fulani herdsmen. the 1999 Constitution. happened at about Kaduna State. respective shops in The youths carrying He explained that the "The state green leaves matched Maiduguri, capital of 11p.m. public hearings being held government, while He said: “In the day through the heart of the Borno State and shot across the six geo-political totally condemning the time, we saw a trailer town, condemned the them dead. zones of the federation, were killing as an act of parked but at about The death of the traders killing of the members of in the Bulabulin ward of 11p.m. when we had barbarism, sympathized aimed at ensuring that the family. Nigerians make Another eyewitness Biafra area of the state gone to bed, we began to with the families of the contributions to the departed, His hear gun shots for told Vanguard that the capital, brings to seven, constitution amendment gunmen numbering the number of people so several minutes. By Highness, the Agwam about 20 invaded the far killed in Maiduguri in then, I had to evacuate Bajju, Mallam Nuhu my family to a safe place. Bature, the Local village and shot the last four days. The Chairman of Later, we discovered that Government Council sporadically into the air Zagon Kataf Local all the people in the and the entire people of for over 30 minutes BY BEN AGANDE Government Area, Mr house had been killed the state. before entering the Meanwhile, in the and burnt beyond Yahaya family compound of the Dominic BUJA — A National Maiduguri killings, the confirmed the incident in recognition.“ victims to kill them. Policy on Public-Private State Police Public gunmen stormed the National President of a telephone interview Partnership (PPP) to Bajju Youth Association, with Vanguard, saying: Relations Officer, Deputy traders’ shops in a complement the tricycle, chanting God is Superintendent Aminu Gad Ezekiel, in his “The attackers came in Infrastructure Concession great and started firing Lawan, while confirming account said the the early hours of today incident on gunshots into the air to Regulatory Commission attackers killed all the (yesterday) and shot the the (ICRC) Act of 2005, has been said scare people away. members of the same family of one Yakubu telephone, approved by the Federal Vanguard learnt that investigation had family, leaving behind a Kayit. They killed Government. the Bulabulin ward, commenced, adding that little girl with bullet members of the family The guideline, according and burnt their corpses. no arrest had been made. facing the eastern flank wounds. to Vice President Namadi of popular Maiduguri Governor Patrick A little girl with bullet Sambo, is to provide the Monday Market, Yakowa of the state, wounds was the only Yakowa condemns legislative, regulatory and MMMK, has been killings however, condemned the survivor. institutional framework for off by However, a condoned killing, describing it as Public-Private Partnerships Government House men of the Joint Task saddening. Yakowa Tension as youths to thrive. Force, JTF, to prevent statement, yesterday, spoke through his Senior protest Sambo who disclosed this “There was really read in part: "The further attacks and while declaring open the Special Assistant (Media), Mr Reuben tension here when the Governor of Kaduna State killings.
Gunmen kill family of six in Zangon Kataf
zThree killed in Maiduguri zYakowa condemns killing as youths protest
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exercise.
No hidden agenda —Mark
Dismissing allegations of a hidden agenda, Mark said: “The Senate and indeed, the National Assembly has no hidden agenda. Nobody can say what will happen and what will not happen. There are so many topics that are before us, but we may not be able to take all of them in one single sweep." Fashola restates need for state police On his part, Fashola restated his stand on the need for a state police and a special status given to Lagos State. He said: “As far as Lagos State is concerned, its strategic importance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot be overemphasized; its contributions in terms of GDP, political, social and economic development cannot be argued. All those who have defined themselves in this country can call Lagos their first or second home. “Lagos is a place where you would see somebody who looks like you, who dresses like you, who eats your kind of food and who speaks your language. Lagos State was a federal capital of Nigeria but this is the only former capital that has been left on its own. And I think that in the national interest, Lagos now deserves and should be treated as a special state."
FG okays national policy on PPP
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fourth annual African Public-Private Partnership Conference, in Abuja said "the Federal Government is firmly committed to the promotion of PPP as a viable business model’. According to him, "this administration’s transformation agenda places a high premium on public-private partnership for the rapid modernisation and expansion of our country’s infrastructure," noting that "our goal has been to work with the private sector to close the capital investment and financing gaps."