Wamakko: PDP No Longer Alive in Sokoto

Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

Former Sokoto State Governor, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko saturday said the Peoples Democratic (PDP) was already dead in the state, noting that those who joined the opposition party would soon regret their action.

Wamakko, also the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum, stated that he had no reason to fight Governor Aminu Tambuwal, despite his decision to defect to the opposition party.

He expressed the view while addressing a crowd of supporters at his residence in Sokoto yesterday, describing the PDP as a dead party in the state.

He emphasised that the people of Sokoto “are solidly behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.”

He explained that politics “is local. The people of Sokoto will not associate with a dead party in the state. As far as I am concerned, PDP is dead in Sokoto. Politics is local and people of Sokoto are solidly behind APC.

“We have two senators while PDP has only one. We also have seven members of House of Representatives while PDP has three. Most of our people especially women and youths do not associate with the PDP.”

Wamakko posited that he had no reason whatsoever “to fight Tambuwal. The battle now is between APC and a dead PDP in the state.”

He expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of supporters at his residence, saying those who left APC would soon regret it.

He said: “I must say without fear that those who left APC will regret their actions and I really pity them. I have no reason to abuse my opponents or those who left us but I am assuring you that they are wasting their time.”

Osinbajo Canvasses Use of Local Technology to Mitigate Climate change

The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said the development, deployment and transfer of locally relevant climate technologies remain the best solution to climate change challenges,

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity Saturday, Mr Laolu Akande Osinbajo said the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre “is a public-private partnership involving the federal government, the World Bank Group and the Pan-Atlantic University.”

He said the centre would provide holistic, country-driven support to accelerate the development, deployment and transfer of locally relevant climate and clean energy technologies.

Osinbajo said the task of advancing climate action was crucial, especially for Nigeria, in the view of the challenge of climate change and the need for the adoption of an innovative approach.

“The pressure for livelihoods and food for a huge population will put tremendous pressure on natural resources and the implications for climate change will be dire indeed.

“The creation of an enabling environment for climate-smart businesses to thrive is simply the only way to go,’’ he said.

Osinbajo said he had visited several start-ups, technology hubs and innovation spaces around the country and seen innovativeness, creativity and drive of Nigerians.

He said Nigerians were “constantly developing and deploying solutions in many sectors’’, including “agriculture, health, transport, security, climate action and many more locally relevant climate technologies’’.

According to him, one of the key sectors where there is potential for high impact interventions by green technologies is the off-grid solar sector.

Osinbajo said the Solar Home Project and Energising Economies Initiative were some of the private-sector-driven efforts targeted at providing off-grid power to homes, markets and economic clusters across the country.

He said that so far, 13,000 shops at Sabon-Gari Market in Kano were currently being powered through high-capacity stand-alone solar systems.

He said more were expected to come on stream soon at the Ariaria Market in Aba, Sura Market in Lagos, and other markets in Oyo, Edo and Ondo states.

The acting president challenged the new climate Centre to develop and deploy technology and expertise required to deliver clean energy in areas prone to oil pollution and other related hazards.

According to him, the innovation centre must seek to develop the technology and expertise required to deal with the oil spill challenge in the Niger Delta region.

He said the Federal Government was investing considerably in Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) to help overcome challenges and risks brought about by the use of kerosene and firewood in homes.

Osinbajo tasked the NCIC team to come up with innovation in smart cooking equipment that could utilise LPG in the most efficient manner.

The acting president urged stakeholders in the off-grid power sector to take advantage of the Green bond issued by the Federal Government and the opportunities provided at the newly inaugurated climate Centre to fund their projects.

“It provides a platform to attracting or unlocking venture financing and private equity funds for climate-smart businesses and Nigerians providing climate-smart solutions.’’