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Tag: 10th NASS

  • SPEAKERSHIP: Minority members-elect caucus to set up 11-man Cttee to source credible candidates for speaker, deputy in their fold

    SPEAKERSHIP: Minority members-elect caucus to set up 11-man Cttee to source credible candidates for speaker, deputy in their fold

    The minority caucus of Members-elect in the House of Representatives, after a meeting on Tuesday resolved to set up an eleven-man committee to fish out credible candidates within their fold to produce a body of principal officers for all key positions.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports these resolutions were contained in a communique issued at the end of the second extraordinary meeting held on Tuesday ahead of the inauguration of the 10th Assembly on June 13.

    The caucus comprises of members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Party (ADC), Youth Progressive Party (YPP), and New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP).

    The communique reads in part: “The Greater Majority with more than 180 elected members (being over 50% of elected members) will remain one indivisible coalition during the 10th National Assembly, with the interest of the country as its driving force

    “That the greater Majority of the 10th National Assembly will be continually guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the collective interest of Nigerians being its major concern.

    “To assure Nigerians not to lose hope due to the country’s current unpleasant situation, including the disunity plaguing the nation, which is the direct consequence of APC’s misrule and that the Greater majority of the incoming 10° National assembly will remedy these problems as a matter of priority. 6.The Great majority will continue to unify the coalition of opposition parties so that it can be an effective check on the ruling party in order to safeguard”.

    Earlier the convener of the meeting, Hon. Fredrick Agbedi (PDP) Bayelsa State, in his welcome address congratulated all the members of the Minority Parties for the successes so far and urged them to stay together for their common good.

    According to Agbedi, the meeting was organised to enable us to access the work we have done in our various zones” and reminded members on the need to stay focused and not be distracted.

    The Leader of the Labour Party, Hon George Ozodinobi, who spoke on behalf of the South-East Caucus, said the South-East members of the Minority Caucus have resolved to change the narrative.

    He noted that the South-East caucus has resolved to follow where other caucus members has aligned with to have a new Nigeria.

    “We are in totally with the greater minority. Our major aim is to have a new Nigeria and that new Nigeria, we are urging other caucuses to join to have a new Nigeria”. Hon Ozodinobi said.

    Hon. Oluwole Oke, urged all Minority Caucus members to remain united, assuring that the South-West is fully aligned with the decisions of the caucuses.

    “We are committed to this unity, to this progress, to this understanding that we shall work together to deliver to Nigerians the dividends of democracy.

    That we shall live up to the expectations of section four of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria”. Hon Oke said.

    He reiterated that the South-West caucus was committed to giving their various parties the proper image based on their mandates.

    From the North-East, Hon. Awalu Gwadabe, said that the 10th Assembly was unique as the rulling party does not have the highest number of members.

    ” Today, the tenth National Assembly as well as the party that is rulling the country does not have two-third members, neither do we as the greater minority. I believe we are going to give the rulling party a very serious challenge in the National Assembly once we stand united together irrespective of our party affiliations”. Hon Gwadabe said.

    He added that the North-East caucus would make its position known in a matter of days.

    The North-Central zone, represented by Hon Pastor Ojena, said that for the greater minority to succeed, members must put aside their personal interests.

    According to him, in order to achieve the desired goal, members must work as a team.

    Other speakers from other zones also pledged to help the caucus to succeed.

    On her part, Hon Lilian Orogbu
    re-echoed the inclusion of women in the mainstream affairs of the National Assembly; adding that the issues of women in parliament must be respected.

    “We are here to support this initiative. We are here to support the agenda wr are here to support the ideology and we crave for more involvement of women in this group”. Hon Orogbu said.

    On their part, members of the North-West caucus represented by Hon. MD Shehu, said that the zone was in on the ideas of the greater minority caucus.

    He added that all members must have the sincerity of purpose in the journey.

  • 10th NASS: Group rubbishes Ahmad Lawan’s ultra vires move to plant puppet Senate President

    10th NASS: Group rubbishes Ahmad Lawan’s ultra vires move to plant puppet Senate President

    A group under the aegis of Defenders of Constitutional Democracy (DCD) has accused Senate President Ahmad Lawan and his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege of a secret plot to alter the subsisting Senate Standing Orders and Rules on ranking to facilitate the emergence of a green horn senator-elect as Senate President.

     

    National convener of the group, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday warned that such a move will backfire as it is unconstitutional and alien to best democratic practices.

     

    “We want to inform distinguished Senators-elect and indeed all Nigerians that we have uncovered an unholy, secret and insidious plot by the outgoing Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege to amend the Senate Orders and Rules, which provides that only ranking senators shall be elected as presiding officers.

     

    According to Abdullahi, we have reliable information that the duo (Lawan and Omo-Agege) are working in cahoots to impose a puppet on the 10th Senate as Senate President. It is unthinkable that the Senate president and his deputy would want to indulge in such an act just to spite a particular senator who has an overwhelming capacity and whose pedigree the President-elect is comfortable and willing to work with.

    “We want to state categorically that this move cannot stand because it is a clear violation of section 311 of the 1999 (as amended, Fifth Alteration, No. 8), which has provided that only the standing orders and rules of a subsisting Assembly shall be used in the election of principal officers at the state and National Assembly.

    “Recall that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Alteration) (No.8) Act, 2023 alters sections 54, 96 and 311 of the Constitution to stipulate a quorum of at least two-thirds of members-elect for inauguration or first sitting of the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly, respectively and also mandates the use of existing Standing Orders of each legislative house at the inauguration”

    He explained: “As Defenders of the Constitution, we have already taken steps to seek judicial intervention by filing an originating suit at a Federal High Court. We are waiting for a date for the commence of proceeding.

    “We warned that nobody should surreptitiously alter or produce any fake aspect of the Standing Orders without approval and adoption by members.

    “The amendment to section 311 of the Constitution now provides that the Standing Orders of each house before its dissolution will be used for the first sitting of a new Assembly and may be modified within reasonable time after the inauguration and first session of the Assembly”

    “Our dear Nigerians, this amendment has finally and effectively put a nail on the coffin of any amendment of the Standing Orders of the Senate before the inauguration of the 10 Assembly. And since the subsisting Orders provides for a ranking senator to be elected as president or deputy president of the Senate, there is no room for a fresh senator-elect to emerge as senate president and we warn that anybody thinking of such should desist from forthwith because we wil not allow such illegality to stand.

    “We, therefore, advise Lawan and his deputy, Omo-Agege and their co-travellers to perish the thought of foisting a first-time lawmaker as the presiding officer of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when we have eminently qualified senators from the South South who can function effectively as the presiding officer of the 10th Senate. It is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and unacceptable.

    “The intendment of the ranking provision in the Constitution is to tap from the experience of lawmakers, engender proper legislative processes, which new lawmakers may not be exposed to. It is therefore undemocratic for outgoing legislators who benefitted from the ‘ranking’ provision to now be planning to scuttle the implementation of such a beautiful piece of legislation”

    Section 311 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states (1) The provisions of this section shall have effect until the National Assembly or a House of Assembly exercises the powers conferred upon it by section 60 or 101 of this Constitution as appropriate.

    “(2) The Standing Orders of the Senate established under the former Constitution shall apply in relation to the proceedings in the Senate established under this Constitution.

    “(3) The Standing Orders of the House of Representatives established under the former Constitution shall apply in relation to the proceedings in the House of Representatives established under this Constitution.

    “(4) The Standing Orders of a House of Assembly established under the former Constitution shall apply in relation to a House of Assembly of a State established under this Constitution.

    “(5) The Standing Orders of the former legislative houses referred to in subsections (2), (3) and (4) of this section, shall apply in relation to a legislative house with such modifications as may be necessary to bring them into conformity with the provisions of this Constitution”.

    “We call on Nigerians beyond barriers to stand up against dealers in governce and merchantalist politicians to enthrone selflessness leaders with pedigree, capacity and experience to drive our institutions and enhance the derivatives of democratic governance.

  • Gbajabiamila bares mind on 9 aspirants for Speaker

    Gbajabiamila bares mind on 9 aspirants for Speaker

    Femi Gbajabiamila has bared his mind on 9 aspirants seeking to occupy the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 10th Assembly.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Gbajabiamila, incumbent Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, disclosed he met with all 9 aspirants for the Speakership position on Thursday.

    Gbajabiamila said all 9 aspirants are well-known to him having worked with them for many years, adding that he has no doubt anyone of them will do well in continuing and building on the legacy of the 9th Assembly.

    “Yesterday I met with aspirants for the office of the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives in the coming 10th Assembly.

    “All 9 aspirants I have known and worked with for many years and I have no doubt will do well in continuing and building on the legacy of the 9th Assembly,” Gbajabiamila.

    Among those justling for the Speaker position are Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase; Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi; lawmaker representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in Kwara State, Abdulraheem Olawuyi, amongst others.

  • 10th NASS: Imo-West Senator demands to be Senate President

    10th NASS: Imo-West Senator demands to be Senate President

    Sen. Osita Izunaso (APC-Imo-West) met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Tuesday to intimate the president with his interest in the seat of the Senate President.

    He told newsmen after the meeting that there was the need to zone the Senate Presidency to the Southeast geopolitical zone.

    Izunaso said he is most suited for the position as he remains the highest ranking senator from the Southeast.

    “We are waiting for the party to zone the position to us. It is only fair and natural that the position be zoned to the Southeast.

    “Since, I’m the oldest senator from both the Southeast and South-South, it is obvious that I am vying.

    “There is no senator today in APC of Southeast or South-South extraction that did not meet me in the Senate. The Senate is an institution that believes in ranking.

    “I was in the House of Representatives before. I have been in the party for five good years.

    “I ran the party as National Organising Secretary, which saw us to victory in 2015 and in 2019. I think we have paid our dues,’’ he said.

    Izunaso is the third aspirant to the seat that had visited President Buhari in recent times.

    Others that had indicated interest in the seat are the Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Ebonyi, Senator-elect Dave Umahi, and former governor of Akwa Ibom, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.