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Dr Zainab Bagudu Received Kebbi Female Aspiy Hon. Zahrau Wali

Published

4 years ago

May 7, 2022

Muktar BagudoThe First Lady of Kebbi state, Her Excellency Dr Zainab Shinkfi Bagudu has received Hon Zahra’u Wali and her entourage at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, 5/05/2022. Hon Zahrau, the former Special Adviser to the Governor of Kebbi State on Women and Social Development, is vying for the position of the Kebbi State House of Assembly Member representing Kalgo. She had just received her form at the APC state Headquarters.

The aspirant was accompanied by the state Party Women Leader, Aisha Gunabi, Her Deputy, Jameela Babah, and Zonal women leaders- Shafa Bala (Kebbi South), Talatu Ba’ara (Kebbi North) and Zuwaira Bunza (Kebbi Central). Also on the entourage were the entire Kalgo Local Government Ward Exco, ward Chairmen, 16 elected Female Councillors, Female Area Development Councillors, Female APC party members and other stakeholders.

The visit was to present her form to the mother of the state and champion for women and seek more support.
In her remarks, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu expressed her excitement to be receiving the delegation and the form. She described the APC as a female friendly Party as evidenced by the decision to give female aspirants and free forms.

Equally, she described the administration of Sen Abubakar Atiku Bagudu in Kebbi state as gender balanced as women have been prioritised through various women centered programs. She added that it is important to carry women along decision making activities to represent the interest of women with attention to religious guidelines. This is why over 50 women have been appointed into the recently constituted Area Development Councils across the state.

Her Excellency went on to say that considering the precedence, Kebbi ought to set the pace in women’s inclusion in the 2023 elections.
She further described Hon Zahrau as a woman who has demonstrated the zeal and the commitment to deliver in the state house of Assembly and assured her and other female aspirants of her full support during the campaign. Finally she pleaded for support of the male leaders to make this happen.

Speaking earlier, the State Party Women Leader, Hajiya Aisha Gunabi explained the purpose of the visit as one to show their mother the just obtained form in line with tradition.

She said that the delegation is made up of women the First Lady had supported to clinch positions in state politics.
The state party Chairman, Alh Abubakar Kana Zuru in an address at the party headquarters earlier where the aspirant received the form, welcomed Hon Zahrau’s candidacy saying as Special Adviser she has been involved in the Government’s effort to improve the livelihood of women and as such she is aware of the priority the party and the government of Kebbi placed on the female gender. He added that the party is hopeful that more women will come out to obtain forms for the 2022 elections.

The gathering also witnessed goodwill messages from the former commisioner of women affairs and current board member of FMC Yola, Haj Habiba Ibrahim, Ameerah of Fomwan, Kalgo LGA Party Exco among others.

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

6 hours ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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