State creation divides delegates; Senate confirms Shekarau, Adeyeye others, as ministers

The clamour for state creation pitted delegates against one another at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja. Intensive debate on Wednesday greeted the Report of the National Conference Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government, presented to the Conference on Tuesday by the Committee’s co-chairmen, General Ike Nwachukwu and Hon Mohammed Kumalia.

Although the Committee’s recommendations are yet to be adopted by the Conference, high on the list is the creation of additional state for the South East geo-political zone, to place it on the same level with other zones.

Some delegates claimed that it was wrong for the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government to have recommended for the creation of one state for the South-East alone without anything for the other zones.

President Jonathan appoints Tukur Ambassador-at-Large

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the immediate past Chairman of the ruling PDP, as Ambassador-at-Large.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the appointment in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Tukur as an envoy, will be “assigned special duties by the president’’ under the new appointment.

The statement chronicled the former PDP chairman’s achievements in public and private service.

Tukur served as the General Manager and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Ports’ Authority from 1975 to 1982 and Governor of the then Gongola State in 1983.