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Tag: Gbajabiamila

  • COVID-19: Conduct public hearing on NCDC Bill before passage, PDP tells Gbajabiamila

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised the the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila to subject the Infectious Disease Control Bill to public hearing.

    The party gave the advice in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan on Saturday in Abuja.

    Ologbondiyan said that the bill should not be passed without recourse to the laid down procedure of public hearing to allow Nigerians participate in the process of making the law.

    He said that shutting out Nigerians from public debate on such a crucial legislation would raise suspicions of sinister objectives as the nation combats the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

    “This is especially as the bill seeks to prescribe clauses on critical issues, particularly that of vaccination, which has become globally controversial in the face of raging conspiracy theories on the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “The PDP is alarmed that such approach is already worsening public mistrust in the polity,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan added that such move would heighten apprehension over the intentions of the presiding officers of the House of Representatives and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration at this critical time.

    “The PDP insists that Nigerians must be carried along in the decision making process of such a critical legislation, which seeks to make provisions that will directly affect their health as well as overall individual and collective safety and well-being.

    “The party stresses that anything short of that would be counter productive and capable of breeding an avoidable public resistance, especially given the deepening fear and anxiety in the polity over the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan urged lawmakers in the National Assembly to stand firm against the passage of bill until there was a public hearing to get the inputs of Nigerians into the proposed law.

  • Workers’ Day: Gbajabiamila salutes Nigerian workers, tasks them on productivity

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has congratulated the Nigerian workers for marking this year’s International Workers’ Day.

    Gbajabiamila said although the day is being marked quietly across the globe as a result of the lockdown necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is much to remember about the sacrifices made by Nigerian workers.

    Gbajabiamila, in a statement marking the Workers’ Day signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, commended Nigerian workers for their commitment and dedication to work over the years, which he said has shaped the country tremendously.

    The Speaker, however, called on Nigerian workers to be more productive now and always, saying no matter what was achieved before now must be sustained and improved upon.

    “I want to salute the courage of Nigerian workers, who have over the years given their best to their work. Indeed Nigeria and Nigerians are proud of you.

    “I urge the Nigerian workers to redouble their efforts at this time of our national development. They must continue to put in their best in the work that they do for the betterment of the country,” Gbajabiamila said.

  • Maltreatment of Nigerians in China amicably resolved – Gbajabiamila

    Maltreatment of Nigerians in China amicably resolved – Gbajabiamila

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the maltreatment of Nigerians in China has been resolved between both countries.

    The Speaker announced on his official twitter handle that the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria has communicated his finding on the issue and expressed hope that future communication will be swift.

    The Speaker said: “I’m glad the matter of maltreatment of Nigerians in China has been sorted out between both countries. The Ambassador has communicated his findings and we hope that moving forward communication will be swift and clear and due process will be observed even where there are allegations of wrongdoing by citizens of other countries.

    “It is important that we follow up on this and Nigerians can legitimately go about their business in the People’s Republic of China.

    “I spoke with the Acting Consul General, Mr Razak Lawal whose robust defence of the rights of Nigerians in China went viral and I salute the gentleman diplomat for his dedication to duty and his patriotism”.

    Recall that the Speaker had demanded an official explanation from the Chinese government over the maltreatment of Nigerians in Beijing, China, warning that Nigeria will take lightly such treatment being meted on her citizens.

  • Photos: Speaker Gbajabiamila visits Lagos explosion site

    Photos: Speaker Gbajabiamila visits Lagos explosion site

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday visited the scene of the Abule Ado explosion, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

    A huge crowd welcomed the Speaker to the scene of the tragedy.

    Gbajabiamila at the scene of Abule Ado explosion. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

    Gbajabiamila at the scene of Abule Ado explosion. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

    Gbajabiamila at the scene of Abule Ado explosion. Photo: Efunla Ayodele

    Gbajabiamila leaving the scene of Abule Ado explosion.

  • Gbajabiamila sympathises with victims of Lagos explosion

    Gbajabiamila sympathises with victims of Lagos explosion

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has expressed sadness over the pipeline explosion in Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Sunday.

    In a statement, Gbajabiamila, who represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, commisserated with the victims of the explosion.

    The Speaker called for calm as the State Government makes frantic efforts to ascertain the cause of the incident and address the effects.

    He commended the Lagos State Government and all relevant agencies for taking action following the explosion.

    Gbajabiamila said that everything should be done to avert the reoccurrence of such incident in future.

    “My heart goes out to the people of Abule Ado, especially the victims of the explosion, in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area; I sympathise with the people and Government of Lagos State over the incident

    “May I call on all the agencies of government to do diligent work to ascertain the cause of the explosion to avert a reoccurrence,” Gbajabiamila said.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has put the death toll of the unfortunate fire incident at 15.

    NAN recalls that oil pipeline exploded on Sunday morning (March 15, 2020), while many Christians were in church.

  • Almajiri Debate: Gbajabiamila seeks amendment to NYSC Act

    Almajiri Debate: Gbajabiamila seeks amendment to NYSC Act

     

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Hakeem Gbajabiamila has advocated that willing youth corpers should be accommodated as teachers.

    To this end, the speaker seeks an amendment to the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC to accommodate willing corpers to be teachers.

    The speaker made this advocacy at the ongoing special plenary for out of school children in Nigeria.

    Full Text:

    I welcome you all to this special plenary session of the House of Representatives, and I thank you for being here this morning.

    2.​We have come here today to consider the matter of the millions of children in our country who are out of school, and who as a result are denied their fundamental right to receive the training and skills acquisition opportunities that will allow them to have better lives than their parents before them, and provide a better future for their offspring.

    3.​We are here to consider the failures of policy development and implementation, the vagaries of culture and religion that have contributed to the plight of these young people. We are here to advance solutions to this problem.

    4.​We are here to act in the best interests of our people by ensuring that the solutions presented here today are formulated into actionable policy plans to be implemented diligently, with haste. This is a commitment that we made in our Legislative Agenda, and we will live up to this and all other commitments which we have freely made before God and the Nigerian people who have chosen us to represent them here in this hallowed chamber.

    5.​Over the last twenty years, the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has committed to a programme of educational reform that has resulted in the allocation of significant sums of money to fund basic education access in our country. These reforms have been intended mostly to address the availability gap by building new schools and providing teachers in previously underserved areas.
    These investments have not yielded the desired outcomes.

    6.​In too many parts of the country, the school attendance rates have not improved, and the quality of education being received by those who enrol and attend still falls far short of our most fundamental expectations. We must consider that perhaps the time for a massive course correction has come.

    7.​That process of course correction must begin first with
    a critical assessment of everything we have done so far, so that we can objectively determine for ourselves what works and what doesn’t, what can be learned from reform efforts and what is necessary to ensure that no Nigerian child, born in this age will ever be denied the benefits of an empowering education.

    8.​Let no one be left in any doubt, we will not eradicate poverty from our land or meet the challenges of insecurity, we cannot defeat ignorance and strife or attract foreign investment in significant numbers to make a substantial economic difference until we have ensured for all our people access to a modern education that empowers them to participate fully in the 21st-century knowledge economy.

    9.​We have spent the past two decades building schools. It has not been enough. Now is the time to lift our ambitions to the consideration of bigger things and begin to build capacity for the future survival of our nation. The complex interconnectivity of modern life means that we cannot be satisfied with merely shoving more children into failing and failed school systems just so we can maintain the appearance of education access. We must aim for better.

    10.​An enlightened education gives hope and the confidence that through the studied application of the human mind and human ability, individuals can remake their existence and make their world better.

    11.​Education excellence calls for ongoing curriculum reform, and a broad embrace of technology in our schools. At the earliest possible stage of their education, we must begin to equip.

  • Nigeria loses 400,000 barrel of crude oil daily – Speaker, Gbajabiamila

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila said on Tuesday that the nation is losing about 400,000 barrel of crude oil daily to crude oil theft.

    The Speaker, who said this at a public hearing on crude oil theft, explained that money from crude oil stolen from the country would have been appropriated and used to improve the nation’s educational and health care system.

    He drew the attention of the public hearing to similar investigations carried out in the past, but lamented that the practice has continued unabated leading to huge financial loss to the country.

    He however expressed confidence that the present investigation will go a long way to address the challenge in the sector.

    Chairman of the Adhoc Committee and Deputy Leader of the House, Peter Akpatason said the house delayed the investigation as a result of reluctance of some stakeholder to make available relevant information to aid the work of the committee.

  • Ma Gbajabiamila’s 90 Birthday Bash in Dubai : Points of Order Mr. Speaker – Ikeddy Isiguzo

    Ma Gbajabiamila’s 90 Birthday Bash in Dubai : Points of Order Mr. Speaker – Ikeddy Isiguzo

    By Ikeddy ISIGUZO

    ORDINARILY, there is nothing wrong about Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila celebrating birthdays wherever he pleases, but Femi Gbajabiamila, as he is more famously know, is the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, the fourth in the nation’s power ordering, and a Member of the House of Representatives since 2003. In that stretch he has been Minority Leader of the house for eight years before he became Speaker in June 2019.

    There is nothing ordinary about him though he seems to be the only one not to have realised this. It is not surprising that Nigerians are still in shock at the news that he was hosting a week-long 90th birthday anniversary for his mother Alhaja Lateefat Olufunke Gbajabiamila.

    The older Gbajabiamila, first Chair of Surulere Local Government Area, the constituency the son represents, deserves a birthday bash. The contention is the content and context of the celebration. The Speaker’s defence of the celebration failed woefully to understand the feelings of Nigerians about extravagance in the midst of the grinding poverty that is hurting Nigerians.

    A previous birthday party put Mr. Gbajabiamila in the news two years ago. Then he was not the Speaker, but who would forget the golden-plated G-Wagon jeep that he gave his wife for her 50th? The number plate was Assurance.

    Many writers spent weeks speculating on the cost of the vehicle and the haute couture attire that Gbajabiamila wore on the occasion. Some of the figures mentioned as the costs of the items were too outrageous to bear repeating here.

    The same measures have been using in calculating what could have been spent on the celebrations in Dubai. Mr. Speaker insists that it was a purely private family affair with a few friends in attendance. The fact that no figures were released for attendance weakened the denial that over 300 guests were ferried to Dubai for the bash.

    Emphases have again been ringing loud on the point that public funds were not used in hosting the party. Mr. Speaker’s understanding of how the public sees public funds may be central to the disagreements that would arise over this. Mr. Speaker is a public figure who the public maintains at great costs. The concepts of these costs vary and could include trips with official vehicles like aircrafts from the presidential fleet, and security that is provided at costs to the public.

    Being a public officer means that he is expected to provide some services in manners that align with public perception of the conduct of public officers in their various capacities. If Mr. Speaker is impressed by these arguments, he has not shown it.

    The points of order that Mr. Speak has to note are –

    You are is too public to be private

    Gbajabiamila has been 17 years in the House of Representatives. There are few things about him that are still private, and none of them was an issue in the outrage about the birthday celebration of his mother. If he understands how very public, he is, it will help in his future conducts.

    Sensitivities, sensibilities

    When you serve the public, there are expectations that you would have a feel of what the public goes through surviving. Times are so tough that the public has no sympathetic ear for explanations from public officials who hold these ground-breaking parties. There is an increasing distance between the public and those who serve them. The public sometimes think these celebrations stamp the decisions of public officials to do as they please whatever the public feels. People are suffering without any hope in sight. Hunger, insecurity, illnesses, unemployment are ravaging them. Mr. Speaker is living about these circumstances, and flaunting it.

    What is it about birthdays?

    Two major birthday parties in two years mark the Gbajabiamila family as celebratory. The loudness of these parties remains the contentious matter. People know the costs of these celebrations – they count guests, they remember travel costs and accommodation. They arrive at their own conclusions hence these contentions. Whether the resources are pooled from family members or friends, the Speaker would not escape being seen as the one behind them.

    Anything the matter with Dubai?

    Is there anything that commends Dubai to Nigeria’s big men and women? What would have been wrong if the celebration was in Lagos and the billions Naira exported abroad is spent on locally? Should Alhaji’s friends and families not have been around her as she celebrates?

    Time is ripe for Mr. Speaker to know that the public – including the voters in Surulere I Constituency that he represents – have higher expectations from him. Birthday parties are among the expectations.

  • Nigerians in Diaspora can’t vote until we amend the Constitution – Gbajabiamila

    Nigerians in Diaspora can’t vote until we amend the Constitution – Gbajabiamila

    Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, says that constitutional amendment is needed before Nigerians in diaspora can be allowed to vote.

    Gbajabiamila said this at the Diaspora Voting Stakeholders Workshop in Abuja.

    He said that millions of Nigerians, who resided outside the country, had as much a stake in the present and future of Nigeria as those who lived in the country.

    “Nigerians abroad use their resources to develop businesses and support family members here at home; they invest in their communities and support national development, so it is not strange that they are seeking to participate in the electoral process.

    “But, before allowing diaspora voting, there is a need to plan well by first understanding the nuances, intricacies and the hurdles in front, before considering diaspora voting if Nigeria will get it right.

    “I was the principal officer when this bill came up in the 7th assembly and I shut the Nigeria in diaspora voting bill down.

    “I did that for reasons the house came to understand; the language of the constitution is black and white and it states that you can only vote if you are resident in Nigeria.

    “So, bringing a bill for diaspora voting at that time was a wrong move because you cannot use a bill to amend the constitution and it was on that basis that we could not take that bill.

    “I am not proud of it but it was a necessity and someone had to take the responsibility; I am for diaspora voting, but all I am saying is that we have to do it right, so for that bill to stand, the constitution has to be amended first,’’ he said.

    Gbajabiamila said that there was need to check if Nigeria was ready for diaspora voting because the elections conducted here come with a lot of issues and many litigation, afterward.

    “Our elections here are not yet perfect, so how do we deal with diaspora voting? here, we consistently have litigation after elections, so how do we deal with that in diaspora voting?

    “There are issues with diaspora voting, for instance, which of the elections will they participate in and which court will they eventually go to in case of litigation after elections?

    “The topic of diaspora voting has, within a short period of time, become a matter of intense public debate; it causes us to confront the simple, unavoidable reality that this is a subject matter for which we must find resolution within the shortest possible time,” he said.

    Gbajabiamila said that the workshop provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to jointly consider the value of the proposals being currently offered and develop therefrom, a workable plan of action for policy makers and the general public.

    Dr Ajibola Bashiru, Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, said that the agenda of the 9th assembly was to work for Nigerians but that the issue of diaspora voting should be a consensus with Nigerians.

    Bashiru said that there was need to look at what the constitution said about such bills before it would be passed, marking out all the intricate parts to be taken into consideration.

    Earlier, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who was represented by Dr Mohammed Lecky, National Commissioner of INEC, said that the commission was ready for diaspora voting.

    Yakubu, however, said that legislative backing remained a challenge.

    “We cannot have inclusiveness without carrying every Nigerian, wherever he or she may be, along in the electoral process; we need to bring our diasporas into the voting system because they matter.

    “ This is a subject matter in which the commission has shown a great deal of interest; we have studied it very carefully and positioned ourselves to do the needful at the appropriate time. We are ready,’’ the INEC chairman said.

    Yakubu said that the commission had a wide range of first hand knowledge on how other election management bodies handled issues of diaspora voting, adding that there was no reason why Nigeria should not practice diaspora voting.

    He said that the commission was convinced that diaspora voting was the way to go but hurdles like the election to allow diasporas participate in, logistics, funding, legislation among others still needed to be addressed.

  • Help us defeat Boko Haram, Gbajabiamila begs US

    Help us defeat Boko Haram, Gbajabiamila begs US

    The speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabimila, yesterday in Abuja asked the United States Government to assist Nigeria to defeat insurgency and other security challenges affecting the country.

    Gbajabiamila, while receiving the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard, asked: “What is America doing to assist Nigeria defeat insurgency? Is the outcome of the Layee Act affecting the way international organizations operate? What is the status of the Tucano jets we paid for?

    “The house and indeed Nigerians are worried about the lingering insecurity in many parts of the country and many citizens of Nigeria are looking up to the United States of America for assistance to tackle this challenge”.

    Gbajabiamila commended the US Government for its decision to repatriate the over $300m Abacha loot.

    Responding, Leonard said the US was committed to helping Nigeria tackle its security challenges. She promised to assist in the timely delivery of the Tucano jets to Nigeria.