Former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Kalu has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a rare leader with strong passion for the growth and progress of Nigeria.

Extolling the virtues of the President, Kalu acknowledged the personal attributes of the Nigerian leader, adding that the President is a role model for his contemporaries and the younger generation.

The former Governor stressed that the President has sustained his goodwill over the years in view of his leadership approach, adding that President Buhari has taken Nigeria to enviable heights.

Kalu made these assertions in a goodwill message in commemoration of the 79th birthday anniversary of the President.

He said, “on behalf of the people of Abia North Senatorial district, I join other Nigerians in celebrating President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 79th birthday anniversary.

“The President is a genuine leader and selfless statesman, who is committed to the development of Nigeria.

“The President, a strong advocate of probity, transparency and accountability has carved a niche for himself in leadership, governance and humanity in the global community.

“The accomplishments of the President Buhari- led federal government are remarkable, impressive and worthy of emulation.

“The President enjoys robust followership across the country in view of his outstanding leadership style anchored on good governance.

“As President Buhari marks his birthday, I pray for longer life for him in the service of humanity”.

Kalu wished the President a joyous birthday celebration.

Many traders at the popular Balogun market in Lagos State, wept, Thursday morning as fire burnt their goods.

The fire was said to have occurred at 5a.m., before it was put out by combined efforts of the federal and state fire services.

Many of the traders lamented that they had stocked millions of naira worth of goods for end-of-year sales before the fire incident occurred.

Many traders selling clothes and bags were the most hit.

One of the affected traders, identified simply as Iya Akande, broke down in tears while narrating the incident.

She lamented that some of them took loans to purchase goods ahead of Christmas and the New Year.

“I just came to the market to open my shop and saw many traders crying. I looked up and saw that our goods have been gutted by fire. We are in trouble. Many of us took loans to get goods so that we can make much profit during this festive period.”

Asked to estimate the amount of goods burnt, she said it runs in “billions.”

Another eye witness, said the shops were among the 56 shops of a three-storey building in Gbode Plaza where leather material are sold.

Ikechukwu Odum said the inferno started from the ground floor and affected the shops.

He said: “My brother, Nnamdi called and told me about the incident but on getting there, it has been contained.”

The incident was confirmed by acting Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Lagos State Territorial District, Ibrahim Farinloye, who said it was completely put out at 7a.m., saying: “No life was lost to the incident and nobody sustained injuries.”

At press time, the cause of the inferno could not be ascertained.

Vanguard

The House of Representatives has urged security agencies to remove multiple checkpoints on highways leading to the South East, ahead of the yuletide.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Obinnna Chidoka (Anambra-PDP) at plenary on Thursday in Abuja.

Moving the motion, Chidoka said that security checkpoints on the Lagos-Onitsha Road were up to 60, causing untold hardship to motorists.

He alleged that the checkpoints had turned into tollgates were motorists were extorted.

“These multiple checkpoints, couple with the terrible condition of the roads cause unnecessary traffic buildup on the roads with untold hardship to users,” he said.

The House thereafter, directed that the checkpoints be removed forthwith to facilitate free flow of traffic to and from the South East.

It equally mandated the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to deploy men and materials to ensure free traffic flow between Asaba and Onitsha among others.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Kwara State has admonished Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to get down to the serious work of governance instead of throwing wild allegations around and hunting for imaginary enemies.

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Tunde Ashaolu, said this in a statement released in Ilorin, in reaction to some allegations made against previous administrations in the State by the Governor while playing host to his Borno State counterpart, Baba Gana Zulum.

“We find it quite strange that when Governor Abdulrazaq could have seized that opportunity to show off his own achievements to his celebrated guest, he instead decided to repeat the same story that he has told everyone since he came to office, blaming past administration for his failures and hoping that this would explain to his host why he has nothing to show.

“Governor Zulum must have intimidated Mallam Abdulrazaq so much that he felt the need to explain his failure, even in such a stuttering and incoherent manner,” he added.

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The statement further noted that it should have occurred to Mallam Abdulrazaq that if his manifestly superior counterpart had also decided to continue to blame his predecessors, he would not have accomplished so much even in the face of daunting security challenges.

“But we can understand Mallam Abdulrazaq’s state of mind. He sees himself as the champion of his family in an imagined feud for supremacy with the Sarakis.

“This is why he could not resist the opportunity to exploit even that moment of courtesy to traduce his imaginary enemy.

“Kwarans did not vote for you to the State’s chief blame-monger or to settle perceived family scores. They voted for you because they thought you would be better. Now they know better,” he stated.

“Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq claimed that because of the failings of past administration, it would take fifteen years to solve the problem in education in the state.

“How laughable. Thank God he was talking to a man who knows better. Of all the governors in Nigeria, Zulum has the best excuses not to do anything, blaming insecurity and claiming that because of the devastating activities of Boko Haram, it would take one hundred years to solve the problem of education in Borno.

“But he did not do that. Instead he got down to work and showed what purposeful leadership can achieve even in the face of daunting challenges.

“Our Governor should have been aware of this. He should have used the opportunity of that visit to ask his Borno State counterpart for tips on how to govern a state instead of trying to recruit him into his pity party,” he further stated.