By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Aliko Dangote Foundation has unveiled the 2025 Annual National Food Intervention Project valued N16bn to benefit one million Nigerians across Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Mr Aliko Dangote, made the disclosure during the inaugural ceremony on Thursday in Kano.

Represented by his daughter, Marya Aliko-Dangote, he said the annual initiative, which embodies compassion, solidarity, and shared responsibility, is part of the foundation’s response to the current economic challenges facing the nation.

“The distribution of one million bags of 10kg rice to the poor and most vulnerable Nigerians across the 774 Local Government Areas is in line with the core values of this foundation.

“We are collaborating with state governments to ensure that the food reaches the most vulnerable individuals in each state.

“Our foundation focuses on improving the living conditions of Nigerians through support projects, which tackle hunger and water supply problems.

“We are also strengthening the quality and scope of health and education, as well as promoting economic empowerment at the community level,” he said

Dangote urged other industrialists and firms to lend a helping hand in combating hunger through programmes and initiatives that would place food on the tables of vulnerable Nigerians.

According to him, there’s a need to complement government efforts in fighting hunger and poverty through a public-private partnership.

“I commend the government at all levels for efforts in addressing the food crisis.

I am certain that with time, we shall overcome these challenges. Therefore let us support the government to achieve its target of a better life for Nigerians,” he said.

On his part, Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf of Kano State said the intervention reflects the unwavering commitment of Dangote in addressing poverty and hunger in Nigeria.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam-Gwarzo, he said the gesture would go a long way in alleviating hardship, particularly during the blessed month of Ramadan.

He said the state government has set up a committee including relevant stakeholders including security agencies to ensure transparency in the distribution process

his remarks, the Managing Director of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, reiterated the commitment of Dangote to continue giving back to society in various ways including supporting governments in fighting poverty and hunger.

Also speaking, the Deputy Commander-General of Hisbah Board in Kano, Dr Mujahid Aminudeen, commended the foundation for the initiative and urged others to emulate Dangote.

He said the board would be actively engaged to ensure that the products reach the targeted beneficiaries.

(NAN)

…No Propaganda, Lies or Blackmail To Set President Tinubu Against Minister Wike By Ugochiyere, Adeyanju & Co Will Stand…

The Concerned PDP League (CPDPL), has alerted Nigerians and the general public of a calculated and deliberate misinformation and smear campaign against the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister His Excellency Barr. Nyesom Wike, with the aim to set President Tinubu against him by a self acclaimed activist Barr. Deji Adeyanju, because Ugochinyere’s press conference is becoming worthless to his sponsors and meaningless to the general public hence, the coming into the business by Adeyanju.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Alhaji Tasiu Makila Muhammad
National Secretary and Comrade Justina D. Dashi Acting Director of Publicity and Communication.

Recall that Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochiyere has enjoyed patronage by way of sponsorship of his propaganda career against the FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike, by the Governor of Rivers State Sir Sim Fubara, since the political tension in Rivers State, which Ugochiyere has maximized to become his Cocoa farm, but for our apex leader and group that has constantly exposed his lies and propaganda, which has made Nigerians to take his Press Conferences with a pitch of salt because, it is always full of lies and propaganda.

“But it seems there’s a transition from him to Adeyanju.

“We have reliably gathered that, Deji Adeyanju himself or via a proxy person or group is preparing to address a State of the Nation press conference pretentiously titled, Akpabio Vs Natasha and Other Matters Arising, at his wuse 2 office by 9am tomorrow Friday the 14th of March, 2025. But deliberately didn’t include the Rivers State matter which he is planning to dwell on during the press conference, knowing fully well that, that is the main theme for the briefing, considering that, the Rivers State Governor is bank rolling the expenses, allegedly.

Also Nigerians can recall that, the FCT Minister sometimes ago exposed the hypocrisy of Adeyanju and how he came to beg for Wike to make him the PDP National Publicity Secretary (NPS) and the FCT Minister in his usual characteristics manner blatantly said no to him, that he lacks the capacity to be PDP NPS, and that was below the belt blow that Deji has not recovered from. Ever since then, he is bent on castigating Wike and is acideously working towards setting President Tinubu against Minister Wike, which he hopes to achieve with his tomorrow’s press conference.

We want to assure Adeyanju that, his tomorrow’s press conference which he disguisingly titled Akpabio Vs Natasha and Other Matters Arising but with the primary intention to talk about the Rivers State issue and attack the FCT Minister, will be of no consequence and has already failed.

Therefore, we urge Nigerians and the general public to disregard Adeyppanju’s sponsored press conferences tomorrow, aimed at making the Minister look bad before Mr. President and the general public. We want to advise the Rivers State Governor that, sponsoring propagandists and commercial activists will not help his situation which Ugochiyere, his minders and new found friends has put him in, in any way.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Senate has begun moves to amend the Electoral Act that will provide opportunities for Nigerians on essential duties to perform their franchise rights of voting early at elections.

A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act No. 13, 2022, to provide for early voting at elections, including criteria for eligibility, procedure at the elections and for other related matters, 2025 (SB. 412) was sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, APC, Katsina Central.

The bill scaled second reading in the Senate.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, APC, Kano North, who presided over plenary, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action and report back in four weeks.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Senator Yar’adua, who noted that the bill sought to enfranchise a significant group of Nigerians, said, “Who, due to the nature of their duties on election days, are denied the opportunity to exercise their most fundamental democratic right: the right to vote.”

The senator who disclosed that the bill was read for the first time on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, said that in any democratic process, equal opportunity must be given to all citizens to participate in elections regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, occupation or socioeconomic status.

He said, “This ensures the true reflection of the will of the people, thereby enhancing the stability of the democratic process.

“Unfortunately, a huge number of Nigerians who are involved in making Nigeria’s elections a success are excluded from the crucial decision-making of choosing their leaders through the ballot.”

The senator who noted that over one million citizens who play critical roles in ensuring the smooth conduct of the elections are disenfranchised said, “These include INEC officials, including ad hoc staff, the security personnel, journalists, observers and others who work on election day to uphold the integrity of the process are effectively denied their right to vote.

“This is because they are deployed to polling units far from where they registered.

“This is an irony that should not be lost on us, and this bill seeks to correct that by making provision for early voting for such citizens.”

Senator Yar’adua, who noted that the number of those excluded from voting could change the outcomes of election results, said, “This bill is a necessity to address the disenfranchisement of eligible voters.

“As lawmakers, it is our duty to ensure that every Nigerian citizen, regardless of their profession or duty on election day, has the opportunity to participate fully in the electoral process.

“Incorporating early voting in our electoral legal framework shall strengthen universal adult suffrage, as our Constitution guarantees every eligible Nigerian the right to vote.”

He added that the bill, when passed, will improve Nigeria’s electoral system, aligning it with international best practices.

In his contribution, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, APC, Ondo South, who noted that exclusion of anyone from voting is “terrible to democracy, said, “The bill seeks to reduce the lacuna between our electoral process that disenfranchises some of our citizens.”

Also, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South, said that “if we can unbundle the voting arrangements on election day, it will ease our work.”