The INEC on Tuesday in Abuja issued a Certificate of Return to Murtala Nyako, the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Adamawa.

The ruling PDP candidate got 302,986 votes to beat his Action Congress of Nigeria challenger, Markus Gundiri, who polled 260,405 votes.

The CPC candidate, Buba Marwa, got 107,564 votes.

Receiving the certificate, Nyako promised that his administration would deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

He commended the electorate for giving him the mandate to steer the affairs of the state in the next four years.

“We promise to behave ourselves, we will also deliver the dividends of democracy to them and we are going to do our very best to give our party, the PDP, a very good name.”

He said INEC’s conduct of the election gave fair and equal opportunity to all contending parties, adding that the commission had improved in the conduct of elections since April 2011 general polls.

Earlier, Dr Nuru Yakubu, INEC National Commissioner representing North East, said the commission was delighted by the conduct of the people of Adamawa during the governorship polls.

Yakubu, who presented the certificates to Nyako and his Deputy, Mr Bala Igilani, said the peaceful manner demonstrated by the people aided INEC to conduct a free and fair election in a conducive atmosphere.

He urged other states where such elections would be conducted in February to emulate the people of Adamawa.

Governorship elections will be conducted in Bayelsa on Feb. 11; Sokoto, Feb. 18 and Cross River, Feb. 25.?

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, says the Federal Government will ensure that the four-year Strategic Plan for the development of the sector is fully implemented.

The minister stated this in Abuja on Tuesday when she met with directors and heads of parastatals under the ministry.

Rufa’I explained that the plan was the ministry’s way of achieving both sectorial and national objectives of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

She, therefore, urged them to pay attention to identified activities in the plan and those other actions that would lead to their success.

“In the next few days, as part of the implementation process of the strategic plan, we are going to inaugurate some committees as part of our drive to develop efficient national systems.

“One of the legacies that we must leave is that of providing mechanisims that ensures greater efficiency in the implementation of education policies.”

Rufa’I said that the committees would be working on Guidance and Counselling in schools; Monitoring of Learning Achievement; and National Teacher Development Needs Assessment.

She stressed that the strategic plan would include the development of Teacher Professional Development Framework and Quality Assurance.

According to her, the committees will work towards developing or updating frameworks to enhance practice in each of the areas identified in the strategic plan.

She said implementation Task Teams were already in place to liaise with the directors and heads of parastatals to actualise the plan.

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The Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), has directed the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta, to give reasons for the non-arrival of a training vessel paid for since 2009.

The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Magnus Abe, issued the directive in Abuja on Tuesday when the PTI defended its 2012 budget before it.

“The vessel is a core facility as far as training is concerned. Therefore, we will like you to provide us with the entire details of the contract.

“You have to present before this committee, the original contract sum, the amount paid so far, the amount required to complete the contract and the name of the contractor.”

The Ministry of Petroleum Resources had through the PTI, released N985million in 2009 as payment for the training vessel which had yet to arrive the Nigerian shores from Singapore.

The sum of N173 million was budgeted for it in 2010 but N142 was released while N915.7million had been proposed for the vessel in the 2012 budget.

The Principal of the PTI, Mrs Nnenna Dennar, had told the committee that the contractor was unable to meet the contractual agreement due to financial constraints.

“We were invited in 2010 for ship inspection but when we got there, the ship could not sail. The vessel was not in good condition to sail to Nigeria.

“We need to raise some money to complete work on the ship to enable it sail to Nigeria.”

The committee also directed the PTI to provide it with the list of all the intervention projects being handled by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in the institute.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on Tuesday queried the rationale behind the payment of salaries to judges who were serving outside the country.

This followed the explanations by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr Sunday Olorundahunsi, that the apex court was responsible for the salaries of judges serving outside Nigeria.

The Supreme Court had earmarked N70 million in its 2012 budget as foreign service allowance for Nigerian judges serving in some African countries.

A member of the committee, Sen. Chris Anyanwu (APGA-Imo), noted that any country that invited Nigerians to work in their judiciary should be responsible for salaries of such judiciary officers.

“Nigeria is not in a position to play Father Christmas anymore. We have too many problems in the country that needs to be funded.

“If they invite our judges, they should pay for their services and not put the burden on us.”

The Chairman of the committee, Umaru Dahiru directed the Supreme Court to furnish it with details of how it spent N60 million appropriated for overtime cost in 2011and the amount returned to government.

This was sequel to the inability of the Chief Registrar of the apex court to justify the increase of the overtime cost from N60 million to N93 million in the 2012 budget.

The judicial agencies that defended their 2012 budget before the committee included the National Judicial Council (NJC), the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies.

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it is establishing a special fund that will provide loans to women by the end of the 2012.

The CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, made this known at the 6th Annual Microfinance Conference and Entrepreneurship Award on Tuesday, in Abuja.

He said the loan was to assist the women improve on their businesses.

“I am pleased to inform you that the Bankers’ Committee has declared 2012 the year for women empowerment.

“Before the end of this year, the CBN will introduce a fund that is aimed at ensuring that business owned and managed by women gets access to single digit interest loans.

“On the agenda of the bankers committee is an attempt to get banks to give a commitment to preserving a minimum percentage of seats of their directors and top management for women.”

Sanusi said it was the apex bank’s belief that involving women at that level in the sector, would improve financial inclusion

He said the bank would establish a Web Fare considering the role of Information and Communication Technology in entrepreneurship development

According to him, the fare will enable young entrepreneurs to key into e-business on the web.

He, therefore, tasked all the state governors to create avenues that would promote women and youth empowerment in the country.

He called on the state governors to establish more incubation and industrial centres, saying such establishments would provide the environment conducive for youths to take advantage of their entrepreneurship skills to create jobs and reduce restiveness in the country.

The CBN governor pointed out that it was necessary to reposition the micro-finance sub-sector, given the considerable role it could play in entrepreneurship development in the country.

He said that the sub-sector had several challenges such as inadequate financial infrastructure leading to low banking penetration.

He said, the apex bank had revised the microfinance policy, regulatory and supervisory framework, and concluded on the National Micro finance Development strategy to address low banking penetration.

“The Bank made a commitment at the 2011 Alliance for Financial inclusion Global policy forum held in Mexico to reduce? Nigeria’s Financial exclusion rate? from 46.3 to 20 per cent by 2020.’’

Sanusi lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for supporting the bank in its effort at enhancing the nation’s economy.

Also speaking at the conference, Mrs Antonique Koning, a micro-finance specialist from Washington DC, said there was need for all stakeholders to enforce financial inclusion in the country.

This, she said, would help to build visionary financial inclusion strategy in Nigeria and help boost the economy.

“The timing for redoubling the collective commitment to financial inclusion in Nigeria is ripe.

“Indeed increasing access to finance is one of the tools that can help to reduce the vulnerability of citizens and enable them to build access.

“Nearly 60 million adults in Nigeria have no access to formal financial services, according to the 2010 finance survey as already mentioned.”

She urged all stakeholders to work hard to ensure that they increased the level of financial inclusion in the country.

Highlights of the conference were the award of various entrepreneurship honours to the Best National farmers of the year; Best Innovative Small/Medium Entrepreneur; and the Best micro Entrepreneur, among others

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has told Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to live up to expectations, warning them that excuses would not be accepted for non-performance.

Abubakar, who issued the warning at a meeting with the DCPs on Tuesday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, said the time for excuses was over as the new era in the force demanded hard work and results.

The IG reminded DCPs that they occupied strategic and sensitive positions at their commands, adding that the effect of their postings had not been felt over the years either as a result of their complacence or administrative deficiency.

“Whatever be the case, let me state categorically that the time for excuses is over and we are now in an era that demand results.

“This administration will not tolerate incompetence, docility, shirking of responsibility, corruption and the lackadaisical attitude that have characterised policing in this country.”

Abubakar, who advised the police chiefs against rivalry with their commissioners, however, charged them as second in command to support their CPs to achieve results.

“Commissioners of Police will not take the blame alone but DCPs and Area Commanders. No rivalry, you must work together, enforce discipline and give complements, failure to complement your superior will now attract query.

“Deputy Commissioners of Police must take their positions in their Commands and advise their Commissioners appropriately in all matters concerning the command.

“Other senior officers must be taken to task on the core mandate of policing in all commands of the force, discipline must be restored, police ethics and code of conduct and proper supervisory standards and principles instituted.

He said that incompetent DCPs would be removed from their positions and have same reflected in their service records.

Abubakar said that some of the DCPs might soon be elevated but stated that he would not make incompetent officers to take charge of state commands.

?“In spite of the consequence, I will do what is right, posting will be based on competence.”

The IG disclosed that he had set up a committee which would go round various commands to monitor the conduct of officers, adding that any command found wanting would be restructured.

Abubakar restated the difficulty of the task ahead, saying that he was committed to improving internal security as well as the image of the force.

He decried a situation where the military had to provide security for the police in the face of the current security challenges.

“It is shameful for us to bring the military to provide us security. It is failure on our own part.”

He said that the police had not met public expectations as a result of various factors, including internal shortcomings and external factors.

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Rev. George Adeboye, the founder of Rhema Chapel International Church, Ilorin, has identified corruption as the greatest act of terrorism confronting the nation.

Adeboye said on Tuesday in Ilorin that there was need for the Federal Government to make concerted efforts to eliminate corruption.

“Corruption among majority of Nigerians, particularly the leaders, has destroyed the country and affected all spectrums of the economy,” he said.

He said inspite of the proliferation of churches and mosques; the Nigerian society was still bankrupt morally.

Adeboye, however, expressed optimism that the country would overcome its problems and advised political leaders to be more focused and sincere.

?“What we need as a nation is attitudinal change. No country of the world ever developed today without experiencing what Nigeria is passing through,” he said.

The cleric appealed to the adherents of Christianity and Islam to eschew violence, noting that all religions abhorred killing of innocent people.

“The activities of the Boko- Haram sect are the handiwork of a few people who have negative interpretation of the practice of Islam.

“The Federal Government and security operatives should closely study their activities because I believe that the issue needs to be addressed from the grassroots through dialogue,” he added.

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The National Automotive Council (NAC) is partnering with an automobile company to set up a recycling plant for “End of Life Vehicles (ELV)” in Nigeria.

A statement by Mr John Gbassa, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Kaiho Sangyo Co. Nigeria Ltd, said the project was aimed at preserving the environment and fostering economic development.

It said a meeting of stakeholders in the public and private sectors would soon be held to seek their full collaboration and cooperation to ensure the success of the project.

“The objectives of the meeting are to communicate the strategies for the implementation of the ELV recycling project to stakeholders.?

The statement said the meeting would also create a platform for interaction between the company, the government and other stakeholders on the project.

It said that Dr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Trade and Investment, was expected to be the guest of honour, while Mr Aminu Jalal, the Director-General of NAC, would give a key note address at the event, slated for Feb. 15.?

The Ministry of Aviation is auditing its agencies to verify the number of staff and pensioners, Mr Akin Olukunle, General Manager, Public Affairs, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), says.

Olukunle said in a statement on Tuesday that the clarification was necessary to correct an impression that a fraud of N737.8 million had been uncovered in FAAN.

He said the Minister, Ms Stella Oduah, had also set up a financial audit to look into the fraud allegation.

Olukunle said that the auditors had already begun the auditing on Feb. 1 as directed by the minister.

He said that FAAN did not spend its money on the renovation of toilets at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal, Lagos, as being alleged in some quarters.

He further said the agency was not involved in the alleged illegal purchase of vehicles and payment of estacodes to its staff who did not undergo trainings.

“We wish to state that FAAN indeed purchased 26 new operational vehicles in 2011 at a total cost of N246 million and these vehicles were procured for the use of the organisation.

“This transaction, however, is one of those that are currently being looked into by the financial audit as directed by the minister of aviation to ascertain that the required due process was followed,’’ Olukunle said.?

Mr Sulyman Abaya, the General Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch,? has canvassed? for peaceful co-existence among various ethnic groups in the country.

He said that the development of the nation was hinged on peace and unity.

?“It is high time various ethnic groups and religious adherents shun bias and mistrust in order to move the country forward.

?“There is need to have a rancor-free society that will promote rest of mind, irrespective of ethnic and religious background,’’ he said.????

He said the security challenges facing the nation were disturbing, but expressed optimism that they would soon be tackled.

Abaya called on the Federal Government to fish out the perpetrators of various bombings in the country as well as their sponsors.

“Nobody is above the law and as such, the law must take its full course.

“Those responsible for all these bomb blasts that have claimed the lives of many innocent people must be brought to book,” he said.

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U.S. has reaffirmed its commitment to ending the painful process of female genital mutilation that has been widely considered as an affront to women's equality, rights and dignity.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the pledge during the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting which was observed globally on Monday.

“As we commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance and remember those who have been harmed, we reaffirm our commitment to overturning deeply entrenched social norms and abolishing this practice,” a State Department release quoted Clinton as saying.

“All women and girls, no matter where they are born or what culture they are raised in, deserve the opportunity to realise their potential, she said.

It is estimated that 100 million to 140 million women around the world have undergone this brutal procedure and three million girls are at risk every year, Clinton said.

“No religion mandates the procedure, though it occurs across cultures, religions, and continents, including Africa”.

“FGM/C became a federal crime in the U.S. in 1997, but the procedure persists in some communities.

“The U.S. Government is working with practitioners in the health and legal community to educate groups about the negative consequences of FGM/C,'' she said.

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The Kaduna State Government says it will spend more than N1.3 billion to conduct its local government elections this year.

Dr Hannatu Binyat, the Chairperson of the State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM), disclosed this in Kaduna on Tuesday.?

Binyat, however, declined to reveal the proposed date for the polls, but said that arrangements were on for the conduct of the council elections.?

She said the amount would be expended on printing of ballot papers, purchase of ballot boxes, payment for electoral personnel and other logistics.?

“This is to ensure that we (KADSIECOM) conduct a free and fair local government election in the 23 local government areas of the state,” she said.

The chairperson also disclosed that the state had about four million registered voters and 5,184 polling units.?

Binyat expressed optimism that the commission would overcome its challenges with support from the legislature, executive, judiciary and other stakeholders.?

She urged the House of Assembly to approve this year's budget proposed from the commission to enable it discharge its constitutional responsibility.?

According to her, the commission has embarked on sensitisation visits to the 23 local government areas of the state to enlighten the public on the forthcoming elections.

Binyat pledged to sustain the public enlightenment to enable the electorate understand the electoral process and appreciate the power of their votes.?

Displaced Igbo indigenes due to attacks by the Boko Haram sect have called on government to establish emergency relief fund to assist the victims from the South East geo-political zone.

Some of the returnees made the appeal at Umuahia Express Tower Park, when they were welcomed by their relatives on Tuesday.

The returnees conveyed in luxury buses comprised of 54 adults and 49 children totaling 103 persons mainly from Abia and Imo states.

The return of the displaced Igbo indigenes from Kano was facilitated by Chief Raph Uwazuruike, the leader of Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and his members.???

Mrs Mary Nwogu, a mother of six, told reporters that government should assist the returnees to enable them restart life.

She noted that such money would help assuage the excruciating effect of the violent attacks of the Boko Haram sect on victims.

“Majority of the returnees are coming home with nothing after living in Kano for more than 25 years, because the situation under which we are coming does not allow one to carry many items.

“To help victims survive, both the federal and state governments should establish special fund to resettle those affected, to avoid obvious anti-social consequences,” she said.

Nwogu, a native of Ezinnihete Mbaise, who resides in Dakata Quarters in Kano, also called on the Federal Government to evolve a more workable way of addressing insecurity problem in Kano and other parts of the north.

Another returnee, Mrs Comfort Ibeh thanked the leadership of MASSOB for its thoughtfulness in arranging for their return, noting that “more people are willing to come back to South East to restart life''.

Chief Larry Odimma, Aba Regional Administrator of MASSOB, who welcomed the returnees, said the group had evacuated more than 700 Igbo peoples from different parts of the north.

“We have established a camp at Okigwe, Imo, for those without home. MASSOB will continue to facilitate the return of more Igbo because our major concern is for our people to return to life,” he said.

Odimma said the group has no plan to revenge the killings of Igbo people by Boko Haram.

“MASSOB is a non-violent group. Our appeal to our northern brothers is to know that violence does not pay and killing in whatever form is evil before God and Man,” Odimma noted.?