TheNewsGuru

Tag: election

  • Six days after inauguration, Kano Gov Yusuf supervises demolition of buildings

    Six days after inauguration, Kano Gov Yusuf supervises demolition of buildings

    Barely six days after inauguration the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf in the early hours of Saturday started the demolition of buildings on public lands, which he termed illegal.

    Already, a 3-storey building with 90 shops on a race course by Filing Sukuwa, Nasarawa GRA, was brought down around 2.00am on Saturday, becoming the first victim of the demolition campaign.

    Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, an Engineer by Profession, to show his commitment to the demolition exercise, led the removal of the illegal building accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gumel.

    It could be recalled that Abba Kabir Yusuf shortly after being declared governor-elect, threatened to demolish buildings in the state on public properties.

    This is the first demolition carried out after assuming office on Monday, May 29th.

    Also, on Friday, the governor directed the developer carrying out construction works at the Hajj Camp to stop ongoing construction

  • Why we met Tinubu, Wike, Ibori, Makinde give reasons

    Why we met Tinubu, Wike, Ibori, Makinde give reasons

    Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has given reason himself, immediate past governor Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and former governor of Delta State (1999-2007), James Ibori, with President Bola Tinubu.

    Makinde said that the purpose of their visit was to show their support for the current administration.

    On the issue of subsidy, the Oyo State governor described it as a tough decision but that the president had started on the right note.

    He called for citizens’ support for the policy.

    Asked why they were in the Villa, Makinde said: “To let him know that he has started well and he has the support of the generality of the people.”

    Asked whether they discussed the subsidy issue, he said: “Yes, we discussed it. It’s something that is on top of public discuss right now. We know it’s a tough decision for the people and he needs the support of everybody to see this through.”

    Wike, also speaking on the subsidy removal said: “There’s no big deal about it, the governor of Oyo has told you what we came to do; to give him support. We are supporting all the decisions he’s taking. It shows that he’s prepared for the job and there’s nothing bad about that.

  • Abbas hails Gbajabiamila over appointment as Tinubu’s Chief Of Staff

    Abbas hails Gbajabiamila over appointment as Tinubu’s Chief Of Staff

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the speakership position in the incoming 10th House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has congratulated Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila on his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

     

    In a statement issued on Friday evening by his campaign Media team, Abbas said Gbajabiamila’s appointment is a testament of his pedigree, capacity and competence to handle any national assignment given to him.

     

     

    The lawmaker, who represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, hailed President Tinubu for making the right choice.

     

     

    He said Gbajabiamila is bringing to the table two decades of parliamentary experience during which he occupied the positions of Minority Whip, Minority Leader, Majority/House Leader and ultimately the Speaker.

     

     

    Abbas said Tinubu has once again demonstrated that he is truly a talent hunter and a strategist by appointing Gbajabiamila to be his Chief of Staff.

     

     

    “I want to appreciate Mr. President for making the right choice in appointing our Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as his Chief of Staff.

     

     

    “To me, this is one appointment that has shown that Mr. President is not only strategic in his thinking but also sagacious in his leadership.

     

     

    “I know that the Chief of Staff to the President will work assiduously with Mr. President to make Nigeria great,” Abbas said.

     

    Gbajabiamila’s appointment as Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, announced on Friday, takes effect on June 14.

  • Oyo guber battle: Makinde survives round one as Tribunal upholds his election

    Oyo guber battle: Makinde survives round one as Tribunal upholds his election

    The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has upheld the re-election of Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The governorship election was held on Saturday March 18 and the result was declared on Sunday March 19, 2023. Makinde polled a total of 563,617 votes to defeat his closest rival, Senator Teslim of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 251,230 votes. Chief Adebayo Adelabu of the Accord came a distant third, polling 38,757. But Folarin and Adelabu did not file any petition against Makinde before the tribunal.

    The tribunal in a unanimous ruling on Friday, read by Justice Ejiron Emudainohwo, and supported by Jutices Baraka Wali, and I.S. Galadima, dismissed the petition filed by the AA governorship candidate, Babatunde Ajala, and awarded a cost of N600,000 against him.

    The tribunal awarded a cost of N100,000 in favour of INEC, and N250,000 each in favour of Governor Makinde and PDP. INEC had asked for a cost of N300,000, while counsel to Makinde asked for cost of N5million, and PDP also demanded a cost of N3million. But the petitioner’s counsel pleaded for forgiveness from senior legal counsel and the panel.

    In the petition, INEC was the first responded, while Governor Seyi Makinde was the second respondent. The PDP was the third respondent. A legal luminary, Otunba Kunle Kalajaiye (SAN) held brief for Governor Makinde, while Mr. Isiaka Olagunju (SAN), was the counsel for PDP.

    The lead counsel to Ajala, Mr. Etibo Orowo King, had withdrawn the case before the judgment was delivered, saying the petition was withdrawn in order not to disrupt the current peace in the state, saying: “It was not a judgment. It was a ruling on our application to withdraw our petition. We actually withdrew the petition in the interest of justice, peace and tranquility in Oyo State. This is why the panel dismissed our petition based on our application for withdrawal.”

    Kalejaiye had told the panel before the judgment was read that it should reflect in their judgment that the Electoral Act should be amended to have a threshold that any candidate that did not score a particular number of votes should not be eligible to raise a petition against the winner of the poll. But the panel asked him during te hearing if the request would not infringe on the fundamental human rights of the candidates. And Kalajaiye said he said that to push for the amendment of the Electoral Act. But in the unanimous ruling, the panel said the request would be sent to the National Assembly.

    The PDP counsel also supported the move for the amendment of the Electoral Act to reflect a threshold for eligibility to file petitions before election tribunals.

    Speaking with journalists after the judgment, Kalejaiye said: “It was the final end of the petition brought by Action Alliance against the emergence of Governor Seyi Makinde in the March 18 election. The petition was essentially to ask for rerun of the election on the basis that the candidate that was cleared for the election was not the candidate that was filled for the candidate of that election and the petition was filed, and we have responded to the petition, only for us to come this morning and find out that the party and the candidates claimed that they have looked at the petition again and they are not sure that they will succeed and they brought an application to withdraw the petition.

    “We are convinced that it was when they saw our response to the petition that they made up their minds on the unavailability of the petition because we attached our petition on 18 grounds and that comminated into what happened today. The tribunal has dismissed the petition and has awarded cost against Action Alliance (AA).

    “But there is one thing that is very clear which I made to the tribunal. Candidates, and political parties, who performed abysmally in an election should not be allowed to come to court to waste judicial time. Where a political party only scored 387 votes, and challenged a person, who scored 563, 617 votes in all the 33 local governments, is a waste of judicial time.

    “The electoral act needs to be amended to create a threshold that if you have not scored at least a quarter, or 25 per cent of all the total vote cast in a state, you should not come to the election tribunal. Three judges have left their jurisdictions to come and sit for a petition that is dead on arrival. So, only serious petitioners will have access to court. This is a call for the amendment of Electoral Act.”

  • Just In: Wike, Ibori, Makinde in closed door session with president Tinubu

    Just In: Wike, Ibori, Makinde in closed door session with president Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu is in a meeting with the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori and the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Former Governors Wike, Ibori, Makinde arrived the State House at about 4:20 pm.

    Ibori and President Tinubu served as governors between 1999 and 2007, while Wike just left office after completing eight years.

    Wike and Makinde are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and belong to the group of governors, the G-5, that worked against their party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the February 25 elections.

    Ibori was said to have worked for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the last general elections as his candidate for the PDP governorship election lost to the candidate of the former governor Ifeanyi Okowa during the PDP primaries.

    There has been unconfirmed rumour that Ibori may soon defect to the APC, having lost control of the PDP in Delta State which he controlled for 16years.

    Wike on his own is having a running battle with the leadership of the PDP.

  • BREAKING: Tinubu formally announces fresh appointments

    BREAKING: Tinubu formally announces fresh appointments

    …see list

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday in Abuja announced the appointment of outgoing Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.

    The president also appointed Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, as Deputy Chief of Staff.

    In a meeting with the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), the President also named a former Governor of Benue State and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, to serve as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

    Details shortly…

  • Just In: Tribunal adjourns APM case challenging Tinubu’s victory till June 9

    Just In: Tribunal adjourns APM case challenging Tinubu’s victory till June 9

    The election petition of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC), and President Bola Tinubu has been adjourned till Friday, June 9.

    The tribunal had adjourned at the last sitting, to enable parties obtain copies of the judgement in a similar matter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) versus the APC and Tinubu, which the respondents in this matter say have been thoroughly dealt with.

    The matter was adjourned again Friday on the ground that the counsels have not been able to obtain copies of the supreme court judgement referred to here.

    The party was in court for proceedings on its suit challenging the February 25 election of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

    The APM, in its petition, contends that the withdrawal of Mr. Ibrahim Masari, who was initially nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, invalidated Tinubu’s candidacy in view of Section 131(c) and 142 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

  • Gbajabiamila: Finally, First Lady, Remi Tinubu confirms outgoing speaker is CoS

    Gbajabiamila: Finally, First Lady, Remi Tinubu confirms outgoing speaker is CoS

    …hails his emergence

    Finally, First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has cancelled all speculations concerning the emergence of outgoing speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as new Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls Gbajabiamila’s appointment has been riddled with speculations in different quarters in the last five days after the 16th president was inaugurated last Monday.

    To rest the speculations, the First Lady has congratulated Gbajabiamila on his appointment as the CoS, thus ending the hours of uncertainty on the issue.

    She took to her Twitter handle on Thursday, June 01, 2023 at 5.19 pm to congratulate Gbajabiamila.

    She wrote: “Congratulations Femi Gbajabiamila on a well-deserved appointment as Chief of Staff to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    “This appointment was made based on merit, courage, competence and good heart.

    ” I wish you a good service.”

    Remi Tinubu

  • Senators, Reps to get N30bn as severance package [SEE breakdown]

    Senators, Reps to get N30bn as severance package [SEE breakdown]

    The National Assembly management has started clearance of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives for payment and collection of severance packages, as the 9th Assembly comes to an end.

    The Clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria, made this known in a notice to members at the plenary on Wednesday.

    The 9th Assembly, which was inaugurated on June 11, 2019, is expected to wind down by the first week of June, while the 10th Assembly is billed for inauguration on June 13, 2023.

    The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, read out the Clerk’s notice to members on the floor.

    Danzaria informed “all honourable members to collect their clearance forms for the payment of severance gratuity from the Office of the Clerk to the House and submit same after completion in Annex Room 2.154 or 2.031, Finance and Accounts Directorate on or before Friday, June 9, 2023.”

    For the outgoing 9th Assembly, over N30bn has been budgeted for severance and welcome package for outgoing and incoming members and aides in the 2023 Appropriation Act.

    Under statutory transfers, the National Assembly and its affiliate bodies will spend a total of N194,839,144,401 this financial year.
    The sum of N169bn was proposed for the federal bi-cameral legislature in the original bill.

    Details of the National Assembly budget are as follows: Severance/inauguration of outgoing and incoming 9th and 10th Assembly (legislators and legislative aides) – N30,173,520,592;

    National Assembly Office = N30,492,518,529;

    Senate = N33,267,001,807;

    House of Representatives = N51,994,511,954;

    National Assembly Service Commission = N10,555,809,322;

    Legislatives Aides = N16,520,653,763;

    PAC_Senate = N118,970,215; and

    PAC_House of Representatives = N142,764,258.

  • Speakership: PDP Rep-elect, Ikenga pushes for more opposition endorsement of Abbas, Kalu

    Speakership: PDP Rep-elect, Ikenga pushes for more opposition endorsement of Abbas, Kalu

    A member-elect representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency of Imo state, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP) has said that the support to leading aspirants for Speakership, Deputy Speakership positions for the incoming 10th Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has automatically increased the duo’s support from opposition members-elect.

    The Governor had on Wednesday while receiving Abass and Kalu said, “We respect and support the APC zoning formula, I call on you all to support the PDP zoning arrangement in the House, and kindly reciprocate our gesture by supporting the PDP agenda in the House. As we are supporting you, support Osun in our desire. We seek the support of the House for the appropriation of fund for the Osun State Airport project so that the facility can open up our economy”.

    Ugochinyere who’s also the spokesman, Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP in statement said Adeleke’s support has increased the main Opposition PDP members-elect and other oppositions parties by 80 percent and thereby increasing their chances of winning.

    This also, Ugochinyere said has also reduced to the barest minimum the opposition by the aggrieved aspirants to the duo anointed tickets.

    Ugochinyere disclosed that in the coming days, he will be pushing for the Peoples Democratic Party, other opposition parties endorsement of Abass and Kalu as consensus candidates, but most importantly based on their competence.

    He said, “The coming days are very critical, we have more work to do. We at the Tajudeen Benjamin Kalu (TBK) group will continue meeting more of our colleagues, in the opposition parties towards the actualization of Tajudeen, Kalu ambition. The duo doesn’t need any introduction, their qualifications and legislative achievements speak for them. However we ain’t slowing down on our mission, as part of bridge building, peacemaking and in a bid to carry everyone along we will continue pushing for the endorsement of our colleagues.

    “Majority are with us already, at the moment as disclosed to the governor by Abass, over two hundred lawmakers, both serving and new are with us. But we will continue reaching out to the others. The success of every democracy rests squarely on the quality of the parliament hence the need to always have in place a solid legislature with sound players.

    “Abass and Kalu are sound players, with the legislative experience and competence to preside over the affairs of the incoming tenth national assembly. We are optimistic that more members-elect will join the team as time goes on and in the end both lawmakers will emerge victorious,” he reiterated