NEWS
It’s Time to Address Issues Hampering DICON’s Productivity – Senate
The Senate Committee on Defence says it is high time to properly address the issues hampering visible productivity of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, said this while speaking to newsmen after an oversight visit to the DICON factories on Tuesday in Kaduna.
He described DICON as a massive opportunity for providing the nation’s military and other security agencies with the needed arms.
Lawan said the corporation equally has a massive opportunity to dominate the market for arms in the West African Coast.
He said, “Very soon, every nation will be concerned with its own security, and of course if everybody is fighting, nobody will give you his weapons when he produces them.
“We need to have our own well functional and established DICON,”he said.
Lawan stressed that no investment would be too much for security in Nigeria.
He, therefore, said the armed forces and other security agencies must be funded within the nation’s means to enable them perform their responsibilities better.
“We need to secure these agencies of government so that when they function and security of Nigeria is better, every other thing will fall in place and make it easy for the country to develop and grow,”he said.
The committee chairman commended the DICON Director-General and his management for working under difficult situation.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for showing so much interest and commitment to the military.
Lawan restated their commitment to work with him to better the security of the nation, saying,”this is the government’s top priority.”
DICON’s director-general, Maj.-Gen Aniedi Edet, said they chose to celebrate more of the corporation’s prospects than its challenges.
He expressed optimism that with the support from the Senate Committee on Defence, the issues of DICON would be escalated to the strategic relevance it deserves.
“The efforts we are putting in place is just what we need to do because we don’t want the corporation to be moribund like our neighbors.
“Around us, the Nigerian textile and Peugeot automobile have folded up, but we refuse to because we are resilient.
”At the worst of the situation, we are still producing and will keep producing more to support the country,”Edet said.
He thanked the president for signing the DICON’s Act into law speedily, hoping that when its receives the necessary support, the country would be in the rightful place it was supposed to be.
Edet also thanked the committee for its support toward ensuring that the issues of defence and particularly DICON were at the forefront.(NAN)
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared himself the field commander of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in the FCT, saying he will also coordinate efforts in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the declaration on Monday, at a meeting of the Rainbow Coalition at his Abuja residence, attended by political leaders and candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Rivers State governor said the coalition was united behind Tinubu’s second-term ambition, urging members to put aside party differences and work towards a common goal.
He stressed that the presidential election was the coalition’s immediate priority, regardless of the parties its members belonged to.
“I want to let all of you know that we are going to work together. Nobody should say, ‘I am PDP’ or ‘I am APC.’ For the purpose of this election, we are together,” Wike said.
The meeting brought together APC and PDP chairmen, serving and former senators, National Assembly candidates and other political stakeholders from the FCT’s six area councils.
Wike defended the alliance, pointing to the 2024 Edo State governorship election as an example of how politicians from different parties could work together when they shared a common interest.
He argued that political affiliations should not prevent cooperation, particularly when the parties involved were pursuing the same objective.
He cited road construction, school renovations, police stations and other infrastructure projects as evidence of ongoing development.
Wike also listed the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission and the creation of the Women Affairs and Youth Development Secretariats among the administration’s achievements.
On the economic challenges facing Nigerians, the minister acknowledged the hardship but maintained that the benefits of Tinubu’s reforms would take time to emerge.
“Changing the economy of a country is not like a prayer,” he said.
Wike also threw his weight behind the proposed establishment of state police, describing it as a necessary step towards tackling insecurity across the country.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday struck out an eight-count forgery charge against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly posed as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Justice Mohammed Umar struck out the charge following an application by the Federal Government, represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
At the hearing, Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had reviewed the case file and identified gaps that informed the decision to withdraw the charge.
He said the government planned to take the case to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for a fresh arraignment.
Adeyemi, who has been in detention since July 14 following his arrest on a bench warrant issued by the court, was arraigned over allegations of forgery, fraud and impersonation.
The defendant later applied for bail, citing health concerns. He told the court that he was suffering from a contagious ailment that required urgent medical attention from his personal doctors.
The prosecution opposed the application, insisting that government medical facilities were available to cater for his health needs.
The bail hearing, however, could not proceed following the withdrawal of the charge.
Those listed as potential witnesses in the case included the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester.
Other proposed witnesses included Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, civil servants with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Councillor representing Tattara/Kondoro Electoral Ward and Chief Whip of the Karu Legislative Council, Hon. Barr. Ninda Yona, has urged constituents to support All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections, citing what she described as the party’s positive impact on the ward.
Yona made the appeal during the unveiling of an APC campaign banner featuring the party’s candidates, describing the event as a significant demonstration of her commitment to the party and its leadership.
She said the APC-led government had contributed to the development of the ward through infrastructure projects, women’s empowerment programmes and improvement in workers’ welfare.
According to her, the ongoing empowerment of women, alongside plans for another round of support, had strengthened her resolve to mobilise grassroots support for the party.
She explained that the banner was intended to showcase APC candidates across different levels of government, from the presidency to the State House of Assembly, while promoting party unity and increasing their visibility among residents.
Appealing to the electorate, Yona urged residents of Tattara/Kondoro to reciprocate what she described as the government’s contributions to their welfare by voting for APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.
“My plea to my electorate is that they should remember that one good turn deserves another. Having enjoyed the benefits of this government, we should also work to give back by supporting the APC at the polls,” she said.
She expressed optimism that Tattara/Kondoro would demonstrate its support for the party during the 2027 elections.
The council also expressed delight over the presence of party candidates and other stakeholders at the event, particularly Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi, Hon. Abraham Habu Ekpo, Hon. Bawa Rabo and Hon. Samson Muntari.
According to her, their presence was encouraging and reflected the solidarity among party members as preparations for the elections continue.
Yona expressed appreciation for the support shown by residents during the event and reaffirmed her commitment to grassroots mobilisation.
She urged constituents to remain engaged in the political process as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
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