TheNewsGuru

Tag: Gbajabiamila

  • 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.

  • Thank you for finding me worthy – Gbajabiamila appreciates Tinubu

    Thank you for finding me worthy – Gbajabiamila appreciates Tinubu

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has appreciated President Bola Tinubu for appointing him as his Chief of Staff.

    Gbajabiamila was appointed by Tinubu on Friday as his Chief of Staff.

    Confirming the appointment in a statement via his Facebook page, the speaker lauded President Tinubu adding that his appointment takes effect from June 14 after the expiration of his current office.

    “Having spent the last 20 years in the Nigerian Parliament, and after winning my 6th term election into the National Assembly, I shall work with Mr President in discharging the enormous task ahead of him for the peace and progress of the federal republic of Nigeria.

    “I shall give my best when I take office on June 14 2023 as reflected in Mr. President’s official letter,” he wrote

  • UPDATED: Tinubu appoints Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, others

    UPDATED: Tinubu appoints Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, others

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Friday in Abuja announced the appointment of Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, and Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, as Deputy Chief of Staff.

    This is disclosed by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director Information, Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity on Friday in Abuja.

    He said that the president also appointed Mr George Akume, the former Governor of Benue, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

  • 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

  • Speakership race fallout: DS challenges Gbajabiamila openly during plenary

    Speakership race fallout: DS challenges Gbajabiamila openly during plenary

    … Gbajabiamila retorts this is the first time in history a DS is challenging a speaker

    The cold war between the outgoing speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and his deputy, Idris Wase was openly displayed during legislative session on Wednesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that Gbajabiamila had endorsed Hon Tajudeen Abass to replace him as speaker to the chagrin of some lawmakers who considered Abass to be too unpopular to lead the HoR.

    Both principal officers did not hide their hidden angst during plenary over the announcement by the Speaker that the Order Paper for Thursday be made lighter to allow members attend the official Commissioning of the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS).

    Before adjourning the plenary, the Speaker announced the NILDS permanent site along Airport Road will be commissioned by 3.00pm on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He asked the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business to ensure that the order paper was not clouded with the day’s business so that the House can adjourn early enough for the event.

    But Wase fired back saying “Mr. Speaker, the House is not about I, but us”.

    Gbajabiamila first ignored his Deputy, made another announcement before returning to address him saying “DS, I have been in this House like long enough to know that this is the first time in the history of this House that a Deputy Speaker will openly oppose what the Speaker says.”

    Turning to the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Gbajabiamila said: “make the order paper light for tomorrow. This House will adjourn at 2.00pm” while members present at plenary chorused Carried.

    The endorsement of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the 10th House has created a sharp division between the Speaker and his Deputy.

    Wase us said to have avoided attending the usual leadership meeting held before plenary everyday, while also shunning the Speaker’s procession to the Chamber.

  • I regret ever supporting Tambuwal to become speaker – Gbajabiamila

    I regret ever supporting Tambuwal to become speaker – Gbajabiamila

    Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said he regrets ever supporting Aminu Tambuwal to become the speaker of the 7th National Assembly.

    Recall that Tambuwal emerged the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011 with the support of key members of the Green Chamber.

    Tambuwal is now an outgoing two-term Governor of Sokoto State.

    “I regret it,” Gbajabiamila stated while recalling the previous attempts by speakership aspirants to oppose the chosen candidates of their respective parties.

    The Speaker made these remarks in Abuja on Wednesday night during a meeting of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly, a coalition of members-elect from the All Progressives Congress and opposition parties for the upcoming 10th National Assembly.

    During the meeting, the coalition adopted Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as the anointed candidates of the APC for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, for the 10th House.

    Before Gbajabiamila spoke, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the APC candidate for President of the Senate, accompanied the Speaker into the venue, delivered a brief remark, and then left.

    The meeting is currently ongoing at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja as of the time of filing this report.

    However, Tambuwal will  be returning to the National Assembly as a Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District having served as three term Federal House of Representatives member representing Kebbe/Tambuwal federal constituency where he emerged as the Speaker between 2011 to 2015.

     

  • House Rules: It is impossible for Gbajabiamila to have interfered with my work – Prof Ihonvbere

    House Rules: It is impossible for Gbajabiamila to have interfered with my work – Prof Ihonvbere

    … insists Process was transparent, in line with House Rules

    Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services and former Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the Standing Order of the House of Representatives has said that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila did not in any way interfere with the process of amending the Rules of the House in 2019.

    The lawmaker who also chaired the House, Ad-Hoc Committee on the Legislative Agenda said that the process of amending the House Standing Order in 2019 was transparent and in line with provisions of the House Rules.

    Ihonvbere’s statement which he personally signed on Tuesday was in reaction to Media reports that the House Speaker, ‘Femi Gbajabiamila faces impeachment for allegedly doctoring the House Rule in order to “impose his stooges” on the House as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

    The statement read: “Let me state very clearly that I was the Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee that reviewed our standing orders.

    “Those that know me, can attest to the fact that I adhere to the highest levels of integrity in any assignment I undertake.

    “The process was transparent and in line with our Rules.

    “Mr. Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila did NOT interfere once in our deliberations. I never had even a one-on-one meeting with the Speaker throughout the process. The committee finalised its work and it was laid accordingly…the rest is history.

    “It is not my wish to take up issues on the merit and demerits of the recommended and approved process. For now, let me state very categorically that the document was not tampered with in any way.

    “As democrats, we must all refrain from trying to corrupt, contaminate or compromise the Democratic process in any way,” Prof. Ihonvbere submitted.

    “In the document in circulation, it could be seen that the alleged doctored Rule was gazetted as official document of the House over 3 years ago, just as the Votes and Proceedings of the July 25, 2019 shows clearly the decision of the House at the Committee of the Whole on the affected provisions.

    Order Sub-Rule 3 deals with
    election of presiding officers where the word Tellers appears reads this: “when two or more Members-elect are nominated and Seconded as Speaker and where the two or more accept, the election shall be conducted as follows:

    “Division /Tellers method of voting.
    (i) By electronic voting; or
    (ii) voting shall be conducted by the Clerk to the NationalAssembly using the
    list of the Members-elect of the House, with the Proposers and Seconders as
    Tellers;

    “(iii)every member voting shall name clearly the candidate of his choice;
    (iv) when all members that are present and who wish to vote have voted, the
    Clerk to the National Assembly shall declare the exercise closed;

    “(v) the Clerk of the House shall submit the result of the voting to the Clerk to the National Assembly who shall then declare the member-elect who has
    received the highest number of votes as Speaker-elect,” it said.

  • Overlapping inter-agency functions affecting evacuation of Nigerians from war torn Sudan -Gbajabiamila

    Overlapping inter-agency functions affecting evacuation of Nigerians from war torn Sudan -Gbajabiamila

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said overlapping inter-agency functions is affecting evacuation of Nigerians from war torn Sudan.

    Gbajabiamila stated this
    as he welcomed colleagues back to plenary on Tuesday.

    According to him, there was also inter-agency disagreements due to overlapping functions, hampering the ongoing efforts.

    He said: “Over the last few weeks, the Republic of Sudan has descended into war. Unfortunately, this rapid descent into the carnage of violent conflict has entrapped many Nigerians resident in that country.

    “Efforts are underway to ensure that our citizens resident in the Republic of Sudan, as students, business people and in other vocations, are evacuated quickly and safely.

    “I have requested the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to invite the honourable minister of Foreign Affairs and officials from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to appear before the House to give an account of the status of evacuation efforts.

    “The House is aware of ongoing difficulties with the evacuation efforts and the federal government’s response to the developments in the Republic of Sudan. We are also mindful that some of these difficulties flow from interagency disagreements arising from overlapping mandates and the absence of established operational guidelines for such circumstances. While our priority is to ensure the welfare and well-being of our fellow citizens caught in this war, we must further revisit the statutory and other frameworks that have left us seemingly unprepared to respond promptly and effectively.

    “The conflict in the Republic of Sudan reminds us once more of the fragility of nations. In pursuing our political objectives, we must never lose sight of the fundamental truth that in war, everybody loses; in peace, everybody can win.

    “All our personal, partisan and sectional interests must always succumb to the overarching and overriding interest of ensuring the unity and stability of Nigeria. If we fail in this regard, nothing else will matter, and none of us will be absolved in the judgment of history.

    #

  • HOR Speakership: Gbajabiamila speaks on endorsing a candidate

    HOR Speakership: Gbajabiamila speaks on endorsing a candidate

    Femi Gbajabiamila the Speaker of the House of Representative of the 9th assembly  has denied reports making the rounds that he’s working against current Deputy speaker, Idris Wase and eight others from becoming the speaker of the house.

    Gbajabiamila made this denial known via a tweet on his verified account, insisting that he has not endorsed any candidate for the position.

    There were speculations that  Gbajabiamila is supporting Kaduna Lawmaker, Tajudeen Abass for the position.

    “Today, April 13, 2023, a national daily carried a cover story in which it reported that I was against the aspiration of my deputy, Ahmed Idris Wase and some other aspirants to the office of Speaker in the 10th House. I have not declared support for any of my colleagues who have declared their interest,” he tweeted.

    He added that only the All Progressives Congress (APC) can decide the fate of the candidates through zoning.

    “I have made my position abundantly clear that there is a need to wait for the Party to complete its zoning exercise as I cannot work against my Party’s interest and position. I am a product of APC’s zoning in 2019, and I shall adhere to that any time the party comes up with its arrangement. Anyone/media peddling rumours of my endorsement of any of the aspirants should desist forthwith,” the tweet read.

  • Gbajabiamila gives Julius Berger 30 days to complete NILDS project

    Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has issued a 30-day ultimatum to a construction firm, Julius Berger, to complete the permanent site of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).

    Gbajabiamila, who visited the site on Thursday in Abuja, issued the ultimatum after expressing disappointment with the level of job so far done on the project.

    He said that the leadership of the National Assembly had done all it could to ensure that the project was completed.

    “We have dedicated funds and we are not getting anything commensurate with the funds that have been sunk into this project.

    “The last time I was here two years ago, the work was at 95 per cent completion stage.

    “If they have moved a little bit and it is at 98 per cent now, the remaining two per cent should not be a problem in terms of completion in the next 30 days.

    “I am very disappointed that we are still at this stage and there is nobody working here,” he said.

    The Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, also expressed disappointment with the level of the project which, he said, had been awarded since 2013.

    “We got commitment from Julius Berger that once the liabilities on the projects, as at two years ago, were settled, they would come back to site.

    “As at today, I can tell you we are not owing Julius Berger; we are not indebted to them; there is no outstanding liability and the pledge they made to us has not been kept.

    “That is why the speaker is insisting that the project must be commissioned in the next 30 days by Mr President before he leaves.

    “Whatever it is going to take them to do something between now and the next 30 days, I expect them to give it,” he said.

    Suleiman said that the project was not a retail business where cash and carry should be applied, stressing that when contracts were awarded, the project should normally go on while money comes in.

    According to him, the construction firm may like be facing the problem of having too many projects outside Abuja.