Na’Abba to Buhari: Endorse direct primaries

A former speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, Thursday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to endorse direct primaries provided for in the Electoral Bill passed by the National Assembly.

He spoke in Abuja at the Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series, with the theme ‘Constitution, Constitutionalism and the Future of Nigeria’, organized by the students’ wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups.

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“I believe that what the National Assembly or what the legislature proposed that there must be direct primaries and the proposal must be upheld by the president. No matter the cost.

“I believe we need good leadership, the imperative of good leadership is much higher than the cost involved and this is not a sum that the federal government could not afford.

“If the federal government can afford to dish out what they call conditional cash transfers to individuals, I think, they can as well fund direct primaries election.

‘’Nigerians have a pulse and I don’t think it’ll augur well for the country if Nigeria’s democracy continues to be held ransom by our governments and commended the CNG for mentoring youths,’’ he said.

Na’Abba charged the Federal Government to expand the economy for youths to be gainfully employed.

He said: “The economy has not grown and social mobility has become impossible. Therefore, we must expand the usage of our forces. We must deregulate politics because that will now release economic potentials for the benefit of Nigerians.”

On his part, CNG spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said it was time for the younger generation to rise, struggle and walk to displace leaders who think power is their birthright. 

Police Force facing gross housing deficit – IGP

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, says the Nigeria Police Force is facing gross housing deficit as less than 10 per cent of its personnel have proper accommodation.

He said this in Abuja Thursday at the Quarter Four 2021 Public Private Partnership Units Consultative meeting organised by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.

The IGP, represented by the DIG on Logistics and Supply, Zanna Ibrahim, said a good living condition was important for optimal service delivery as housing was considered a fundamental physiological human need and the foundation on which to develop higher human motivation.

“It’ll surprise you to know that with a workforce of over 350,000 in staff strength, the NPF has less than 10% of its personnel quartered in befitting barracks accommodation.

“The state of disrepair and integrity failure in our barracks need no emphasis and we are really in dire need of befitting accommodation to enable us tackle the art and act of policing the nation optimally.

“Suffice to add that there is an ongoing initiative to recruit 10,000 constables for the next six years annually, thereby increasing the housing needs for police officers and men,” he said. 

He said decay in police infrastructure, negative maintenance culture, years of neglect due to poor budgetary allocation, destruction of police infrastructure resulting from ENDSARS protests, banditry, Boko-Haram/IPOB activities and some others were still being grappled with. (NAN)