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Tag: Ahmad Lawan

  • National Assembly will amend Electoral Act – Lawan

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan has stated that the red chamber will try to amend the electoral act in order to work on the weaknesses in it.

    Lawan made this known  during plenary on Tuesday afternoon , following a matter of National importance brought by Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP-Kebbi)

    The Yobe born politician  described the judgment by the Supreme Court on Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act as a landmark judgment that vindicates the National Assembly.

    He said further amendment of the Act would strengthen it ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    “Let me say that this is one major landmark judgment by the Supreme Court, that the National Assembly had done their job and the court upheld it.

    “The idea of what method of primaries should be adopted at the moment is entirely left for the political parties to decide.

    “But as we implement the electoral act 2022, we are supposed to be very observant of the strengths and weaknesses of the law.

    “This law is supposed to improve on the electoral processes and procedures in our country.

    “So, it is for us to ensure that where there are weaknesses, we try to come up with measures, amendments to deal with the issues of weaknesses in the law.

    “And, I’m sure it will come full circle when the 2023 elections are held.

    “I have no doubt in my mind that all of us in the National Assembly, not only in the Senate, but in the House as well, feel that we must do everything and everything possible to make this electoral act serve the purpose for which it was passed and assented to.

    “Therefore, I believe that we should work tirelessly to take note of those areas that we feel are not strong enough – that are weak points in the law – with a view to strengthening them before we finally take our exit in 2023,” he said.

    Rising under Order 42 of the Senate Standing Orders, Abdullahi in his presentation lauded the Ninth Assembly for resisting the pressure from the executive to amend section 84(12) of Electoral Act 2022.

    He applauded the Supreme Court for the clarity, decisiveness and unanimity of its verdict in upholding the separation of powers principle enshrined in our 1999 constitution.

    He said the Supreme Court verdict was a major victory towards true democratic governance anchored on the rule of law.

    “In my view, the Supreme Court verdict should be celebrated for the following reasons.

    “It restored and anchors the power of making laws to the National Assembly, and establishes a principle that once the President accents to a Bill he/she can’t approbate and reprobate, i.e. he/she cannot go to the courts to amend/reject the Bill in part or in whole”, he said.

    Abdullahi, however, emphasised the need to amend the electoral act to revert to the Direct mode of primaries.

    “One issue still remains outstanding, and that is amending the Act (after the 2023 elections) to revert to our earlier stance on Direct primaries.

    “Our recent nasty experience of the misuse of consensus and delegate system has vindicated our earlier position on the merit of direct primaries provided that a verifiable membership register of political parties kept simultaneously at the Ward level and with INEC with all the necessary safeguards against corruption and data manipulation, is put in place.

    “As the political process towards 2023 unfolds, the National Assembly needs to be observant of the loopholes and weaknesses of the 2022 Electoral Act.

    “So that a comprehensive assessment is undertaken to provide adequate grounds for making amendments to the Act before the end of the term of office of the ninth Assembly in May 2023”, he said.

  • Corruption Allegation: Senate President asks C’ttee to wade into crisis rocking Judiciary

    Corruption Allegation: Senate President asks C’ttee to wade into crisis rocking Judiciary

    President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has mandated the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to, as a matter of urgency, wade into the crisis presently rocking the Judiciary.

    Lawan gave the directive on Wednesday, moments before the chamber adjourned plenary.

    He said, “We may recall that there were some issues coming out of the Judiciary.

    “We must have interest in what is happening in that arm of government.

    “I believe that we owe it to Nigerians, to look into what is happening in that arm of government, with the view to bringing solutions to the problem that our Judiciary in Nigeria faces.

    “So, I’ll urge our Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, to get involved with the CJN and Judiciary generally – at this level with the Supreme Court – to find out what the real issues are; and how the National Assembly can help.”

    Recently, 14 Justices of the Supreme Court leveled allegations of corruption against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed.

    The Justices, in a memo, protested the non-payment of legitimate entitlements by the CJN.

    According to them, annual foreign training, meant to enhance capacity building for the country’s judicial process, had been blocked.

    They also protested the non-replacement of poor vehicles; accommodation problem; lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic; epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court; increase in electricity tariff; no increase in the allowances for diesel; lack of internet services to residences and chambers, amongst others.

  • 2023: INEC explains only way Lawan, others can contest senatorial election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained the only way Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and others who didn’t contest the primaries could return to the Senate in 2023.

    INEC explained that unless  the individuals who won the primaries  or legally nominated by their parties withdraw from the race.

    Although the INEC’s National Commissioner of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who appeared on Arise TV on Monday morning, said he has not come across the names of candidates submitted by political parties, viral report has it that the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Yobe North Senatorial District has replaced the name of Bashir Machina with that of Lawan.

    Machina had contested Yobe North senatorial district and won at the time Senate president Ahmad Lawan was slugging it out in the All Progressive Congress (APC ) presidential primary election.

    Okoye said that the Commission monitored and has the reports of all the senatorial and House of Representatives primaries, adding that properly nominated candidates must write to INEC with a sworn affidavit, asking for a fresh primary, which would be conducted within 14 days before a replacement can be made.

    “I completely agree with you that someone who has not contested party’s primary should not be in a position to be nominated as party’s candidate,” Okoye said.

    “But now the Independent National Electoral Commission is not in a position as at now to make a determination in relation to what you’re saying or to make a determination in relation to whose name was submitted by a political party.

    “The Commission monitored the primaries of different political parties. Their senatorial and House of Representatives primaries and we have our reports. So if somebody emerged from the party primary and someone else’s name is submitted, it is the duty of that particular individual to utilise Section 285 of the Constitution, Section 84 and 29 of the Electoral Act to seek redress in a constituted court of law.

    “Moreover, what the law provides is that at the end of this nomination process, if any of the candidates that have been properly and constitutional nominated withdraws in writing and sworn affidavit that the ‘political party that nominated me must and shall conduct fresh primaries within the period of 14 days and then make such replacement.’

    “Then the person must do this through a letter submitted to the political party that nominated him with an affidavit indicating that he or she has voluntarily withdrawn. So that is the state of the law as at today.”

  • Senate President, Lawan remains member of APC – Aide

    Senate President, Lawan remains member of APC – Aide

    Senator Ahmad Lawan is a committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has no reason whatsoever to renounce his membership of the party, Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser (Media) to the Senate President has said.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Awoniyi made this known in a statement on Saturday in reaction to a viral video in which Senator Lawan was seen saying he has dumped the APC for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The statement reads: “We have seen on the social media a video clip in which the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, purportedly announced his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    “The original video clip, which was mischievously edited to 26 secs, is a 3mins 30secs clip of the Senate President reading the letter by His Excellency, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero of Kebbi State, informing his Distinguished senator colleagues at plenary of his defection from the APC to the PDP over issues in the state chapter of the APC.

    “It is common knowledge that the Senate resumed from a recess on Tuesday and adjourned sitting on Wednesday to next Tuesday.  So how could the Senate President have made such announcement at plenary either on Tuesday or Wednesday without it being reported by journalists who covered the proceedings?

    “The fact is that, at the commencement of the session on Tuesday, the Senate President read out some correspondences, one of which was the said letter written by Senator Aliero. Senator Aliero was not the only senator that officially announced his defection this week from one party to another.

    It was the video clip of the Senate President reading out Senator Aliero’s letter that was doctored to give the wrong impression that Lawan has renounced his membership of APC. For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Ahmad Lawan is a committed  member of the APC and has no reason whatsoever to renounce his membership of the party.

    Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the video in reference as it is the handiwork of mischiefmakers”.

  • I will never step down for Lawan – Yobe senatorial candidate, Machina

    The All Progressives Congress  APC  Yobe North  senatorial candidate, Bashir Machina has insisted that he would never step down for current senate president Ahmad Lawan.

    Machina further revealed that Ahmad Lawan does not nurse the ambition to return to the senate after contesting the party’s presidential primary election.

    Machina, who insisted on not giving the ticket to Lawan, stated the senator would not have contested the party’s presidential primary if he had the ambition of returning to the Senate.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Lawan contested  APC’s presidential ticket and lost to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed at the primary by finishing in fourth position.

    However, there are insinuations flying around that Lawan is now seeking a transfer of the senatorial ticket secured by Machina to him to return to the Senate.

    Machina made this statement when he appeared on a current affairs programme on a Lagos based platform Channels TV on Wednesday evening.

    Machina revealed that the matter is a mere speculation that will not see the light of the day.

    “The pressure is more or less speculative. There wasn’t any clear-cut person or message directly that says I should step down but from the headquarters of my party (APC), recently I was informed that if I was still in the race, I should write formally to inform the party that I am.”

    He confirmed  that the letter that trended online was his response to the request from an unnamed caller from the national headquarters of the APC.

    “I formally wrote a letter to the party, reiterating and affirming my position, that I am still the candidate; that I did not withdraw, and I am not withdrawing, and I’m in the race in the event that anybody is contemplating or doubting that there is any move,” he said.

    When asked if the party’s leadership  ask him to step down for Lawan, Machina said, he wouldn’t.

    “No, I won’t step down because Ahmad Lawan did not contest for the Senate. Of course, it is a known fact that Ahmad Lawan contested for president and lost. And when I contested for Senate, Lawan did not participate (in the primary) or did not contest (for Senate). So, I don’t think that may be in any way an issue.”

    Asked if he would step down if president Buhari begs him to do so, he replied that APC would not repeat the undemocratic tendencies in other parties for which the ruling party was created to end.

    Machina further revealed that he’s got experience than Lawan by legislative ranking, saying that he joined the National Assembly long before Lawan.

    ” I was in the House of Representatives in the defunct Third Republic while Lawan joined the National Assembly in the Fourth Republic thus making me a senior to him”

     

  • BREAKING: Finally, NASS staff call off one-week-long strike

    Finally, the protesting staff of the National Assembly has called off a one-week-long strike.

    The NASS staff had embarked on an indefinite strike to drive home their demands of unpaid allowances and conditions of service among others.

    The strike was called off after the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, pleaded with the staff and assured them that the money owed them by the National Assembly would be paid by the end of June 2022.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalled that the strike would have stalled the resumption of the lawmakers today June 14, 2022.

    The lawmakers had to postpone their resumption by one week to ensure a smooth resumption.

    Details to follow…

  • APC consensus: All is not well with ruling party

    APC consensus: All is not well with ruling party

    To say all is not well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is to state the obvious.

    If for nothing, the back and forth about the issue of a consensus confirmed it.

    The party had severally brought forward candidates, with many saying those with pedigree such as Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Dr Kayode Fayemi and others be allowed to slug it out among themselves as southern options, but that decision is being fought with all fiber of some interests’ being.

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has been vocal in his opposition to the decision to zone the party’s ticket to the South and would not have it any other way.

    Senate President, Ahmad Lawan is doing his own scheming with people like the Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu in cahoots.

    Late Monday night, security operatives evicted journalists from APC National secretariat in Abuja while waiting endlessly for the presidential convention accreditation to commence.

    They motioned newsmen to hurry up with their belongings, disclosing that they are acting on the order of the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

    ALSO READ: Presidential primary: Adamu runs for cover as APC Govs meeting with NWC ends in deadlock

    “When asked to give a reason for the eviction, one of the operatives retorted that Adamu asked them to clear out the premises because he was planning to ‘host an important meeting and won’t like to see journalists hanging around when he returns.”

    The incident almost resulted in a stampede as journalists were seen rushing to pack their laptops, tripods, cameras, and bags.

    This is a proof that something is not right, if the presidency and the national secretariat of the party would be speaking in discordant tunes.

    Abdullahi Adamu had announced at the meeting of the National Working Committee that the party has settled for Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after due consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Just a moment after the NWC meeting ended, the report was subsequently debunked by the presidency, which disclosed that it was yet to agree on a particular aspirant.

    The crack within the leadership of APC became noticeable when seven members of the same National Working Committee held a press conference and denied choosing the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as its consensus candidate.

    The National Organising Secretary of the APC, Suleman Argungu, reiterated that the choice of Lawan was not the decision taken by the party as alleged.

    In his words, “It’s not an issue that has been discussed on the floor of the NWC and we have just, and just recently about two days ago, the northern Governors meeting had a meeting that the leadership of this country, under the leadership under the All Progressive Congress should go to the north.

    “And equally, the Southern governors also affirmed that. So we as members of the NWC are also with the governors on what they have said and some minutes ago the governors in the North have gone to the presidency and have just briefed the president that they are still on what they said with regards to the power shift to the south.

    “It is information and all of us are entitled to our opinion, we are all democrats.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Bola Ahmed Tinubu had angrily told delegates in parts of Southwest that he made Buhari and Osinbajo become President and Vice President respectively and that it was his turn to rule Nigeria.

    That comment has sparked a lot of controversies within the rank of the party.

    Osinbajo is seen as a more sellable candidate by some northern interest given the obedience he has shown Buhari throughout their almost eight years rulership since 2015.

    Other contestants, especially those in the North feel the APC should also field a northern candidate as done by the major opposition party, PDP to neutralize the chances of the opposition winning in certain areas because of religious and tribal appeals.

    This is not going down well with others as well, causing the crisis within APC to escalate.

    But several political analysts have blamed what is happening on President Buhari who has refused to take charge and lead from the front.

    Yakubu Aminu, a political commentator told TheNewsGuru.com that Buhari has failed everyone that believed in him and his capacity to lead by standing aloof while crisis festered within the ruling party.

    He said Nigerian democracy has not matured to the extent that a president would leave party affairs solely to members of the National Working Committee.

    “In fact, from 1999 to 2007, we saw the iron fist with which Obasanjo held the PDP. He was actively ensuring those who refused to tow the line were shown the way out across the country. He was the all-and-all and many persons thought he was undemocratic, but that gave the PDP stability and hold to their office holders.

    “One expected a bit of that from Buhari, but we didn’t see even a sign of that from him. He is just nowhere to be found. I sense implosion within the APC if nothing is done urgently to arrest the situation.

    “This is not what Nigerians deserve,” he emphasized.

  • APC primary: What should happen if South fails to produce consensus candidate – Akeredolu

    APC primary: What should happen if South fails to produce consensus candidate – Akeredolu

    Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has said only qualified persons from the Southern part of Nigeria should be allowed to contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressives (APC) if the region should fail to get a consensus candidate.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Akeredolu made this known on Monday while faulting the position of APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu on the choice of Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party.

    Akeredolu stressed that the APC has not changed its position that the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 presidential election should come from the Southern region of the country.

    “My attention has just been drawn to the expensive joke purportedly enacted by the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

    “The speculation is rife that the Chairman took a flight of fancy and decided to make a pronouncement beyond his competence. He has, allegedly, made public his preferred choice as the candidate of the APC for the Office of the President in the next general elections.

    “This alleged pronouncement runs contrary to the position of majority of Northern Governors in APC and their counterparts in the South. Our agreement is unanimous on this issue.

    “The office of the President should be contested for by qualified persons from the Southern part of the country if the move to get a consensus candidate fails. There has been no shift from this settled issue.

    “Let it be known that the Chairman or anyone who holds a contrary opinion does so at a personal level. He is at best embarking on a frolic which reasonable people will consider dangerous.

    “We are grieving but have not forgotten that Power MUST shift to the south. On this we stand,” Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum stated.

  • 2023: Kashim Shettima apologises to Osinbajo, Lawan

    Former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, has  apologized to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, for his outburst towards them

    Shettima tendered an open apology via his Twitter handle saying he did not mean to denigrate them.

    Recall that Shettima had gone on politics today on Channels TV to describe Osinbajo as a decent man who should be selling popcorn and ice cream.

    He said, “Osinbajo is a good man; he’s a nice man. But nice men do not make good leaders, because nice men tend to be nasty. Nice men should be selling popcorn, ice cream.”

    On Lawan, Shettima said the facts are clear that the senate president, who cuts the image of a tomato trader, lacks capacity to confront the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    “Go to Ohafia or Arochukwu and ask for Ahmed Lawan, the first thing that will come to their mind is that of a tomato dealer who is bringing tomatoes from Maiduguri. Go to any part of the south. Does the brand name sell?” he said.

    However, a remorseful Shettima took to his Twitter account to apologise days later, saying his remarks were misrepresented.

    He said, “My interview on Channels TV was taken out of context. When I appeared on Channels TV last Friday amidst the tension rippling through our political arena, it was to underline the promise of Tinubu’s presidential bid held for those yet to establish the certainty of the hurdle ahead of the convention.

    “I never set out to denigrate the personality of any aspirant, and definitely not that of my dear friends and allies. None of them is an opponent, so their aspiration isn’t a threat to us.

    “They appear so in the sprint to become the party’s presidential flag-bearer in the 2023 elections, but they are our allies in the marathon.

    “My assessments of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and Senator Ahmad Lawan, were well-intentioned. I never set out to subject them to ridicule but, rather, to stir up interest in the contrasting virtues of the cast of aspirants putting up a fight against my preferred aspirant, one most favoured and advantaged to guarantee APC’s victory in the forthcoming presidential election.

    “The interpretations of my remarks on Osinbajo and Senator Lawan are, thus, being done literally and overblown. The interpretations of my remarks on Osinbajo and Lawan are, thus, being done literally and overblown.

    “My words weren’t woven to portray them as unworthy aspirants, but merely to qualify them as non-threatening contenders. I, however, take full responsibility for my utterances and wish to appeal to our teeming supporters to neither take my words out of their metaphoric contexts nor interpret them as a measure and declaration of hostility towards my dear friends and allies.

    “I, hereby, tender my unreserved apologies to the Vice President and the President of the Senate for the unintended pains my jibes might have caused them and their families and supporters.

    “A divided house, even if in the assumptions and imaginations of supporters with a distant grasp of our relationships with other aspirants, is the last impression we wish to create among Nigerians. I want this to be taken as an appeal to our supporters across all political camps to build bridges and mend fences as the actual journey is just about to begin. Victory, for the discerning, has always been the first lap of the race.”

  • I have not been appointed Ahmad Lawan’s Campaign DG – Orji Kalu

    Former Abia state governor and  All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Orji Kalu has denied reports that he was appointed as Director-General of Ahmad Lawan’s Campaign Organization.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that senate president Ahmad Lawan has joined the presidential race and is looking forward to become the party’s flag bearer in the forthcoming primary elections.

    Reports emerged on Thursday that the Chief Whip of the Senate and other key stakeholders were appointed to head his campaign organization.

    In his reaction  Kalu, via  a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Thursday night, denied the report, saying the list of the campaign team currently making the rounds was not authorized.

    Kalu appealed to the general public to disregard report claiming that he’s been made campaign DG of Ahmad Lawan.

    He said, “My attention has been drawn to a list of committee Chairmen of Ahmad Lawan Campaign Organization in which I was also mentioned as the Director General.

    “The list should be disregarded as no authorization was given to the effect of its publication.

    “As the Chairman of the meeting held at my instance, it is important to notify the general public that we are not yet in the Campaign proper. A committee will be inaugurated to that effect once our most preferred candidate, Senator Ahmad Lawan emerges as the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “I am also running for election in my senatorial district and would rather recommend a sitting Governor who is not running for an election to chair the campaign team at the right time .

    “Several private visitors who were not even part of the meeting were also reported to have been in attendance. Senator Betty Apiafi, just as Senator Uche Ekwunife who visited on a different bipartisan matter concerning the Senate was also mentioned.

    “It is mischief to have included these names as part of Ahmad Lawan Campaign Organization”.