TheNewsGuru

Tag: House of Representatives

  • Electoral Act: Whatever you are doing is a nullity – opposition Reps tell Gbajabiamila

    Electoral Act: Whatever you are doing is a nullity – opposition Reps tell Gbajabiamila

    Opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Friday declared that whatever the Speaker of the House, Femi is doing on the Electoral Act amendment is a nullity.

    The lawmakers sensing the situation, politely staged a walk out from the chamber to address the press

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Ndudi Elumelu the minority leader of the House without mincing words made it clear that there is no way Nigerians can accept an Electoral Act amendment without electronic transmission of results.

    Elumelu flanked by other opposition lawmakers said the controversial clause is being hoarded by the House for obvious reasons.

  • BREAKING: Aggrieved members of House of Representatives stage walk out

    Aggrieved members of the House of Representatives led by the Minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu have staged a walk out at the plenary after the deputy speaker Ahmed Wase refused to revert to the controversial Clause 52.

    The Section 52(2) of the draft bill proposed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may adopt electronic voting.

    After waiting to see the end of the Clause by Clause consideration spearheaded by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Elumelu stood up to ask the Deputy Speaker to revert to Clause 52 which he refused. This led to the members walk out.

    Wase had earlier pleaded with members to calm down to allow other Clauses consider while the controversial Clause 52 will be considered separately after the end of the 158 Clauses are made.

    Currently, the aggrieved members are addressing the correspondence of the House of Representatives.

    Members of the House, mainly of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party staged a walkout as the House adopted manually transmitted election results.

    The House however, rejected electronic transmission of election results.

    The bill also proposed that the commission may also adopt any other method of voting in any election it conducts as it may deemed fit.

    It further states that voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission.

    However, Rep Ahmed Wase, who presided over the consideration of the report at the Committee of a Whole ruled that the section had been taken.

    This was contrary to the expectations of the opposition party which made the House had a stormy session on July 15 over the controversial section.

    The House had adjourned till July 16 in a bid to reconsider the report and calm frayed nerves.

    Wase, in his remarks, said that the gavel had been banged on July 15 over the issue and there was no need to revisit it as those in support of manual transmission of election result had the “Yes” as against those opposed to it.

    This however, stirred another controversy when he said that the House had already considered items 1 to 54.
    The development brewed some commotion as the session became rowdy.

    Rep Ndudi Elumelu, the Minority Leader of the House of Reps immediately led other PDP lawmakers out of plenary.

    Rep Toby Okechwuku, the Deputy Minority Leader, of the House had earlier raised issue concerning section 52(2) when he noticed that it was skipped by Wase.

    A disagreement had occurred on whether or not members should vote on the electronic transmission of election results.

    The disagreement was after the House had taken presentations from the officials of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) team at plenary.

    The House however, adjourned till Sept. 14.

  • Only 50% of polling units have 3G network to transmit election result – NCC

    Only 50% of polling units have 3G network to transmit election result – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), says only about 50 per cent of polling units in the country has 3G network that can transmit elections results electronically.

    The Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Mr Ubale Maska made this known while addressing the House of Representatives on Friday in Abuja.

    Recall that the commission was invited to brief the lawmakers, following the uproar that erupted in the house on Thursday, while members were considering clause 52 of the Electoral Amendment Bill.

    The house was divided over the clause which made provisions for transmission of election results electronically.

    The house could not make progress as some members were in support of electronic transmission of results while others insisted on manual transmission, saying that not all polling units had network coverage.

    Responding to questions from lawmakers, Maska told the house that in 2018, the commission conducted an analysis of the 119,000 polling units in the country.

    According to him, about 50.3 per cent of the polling units have 3G and 2G network coverage, while parts of the remaining 46.7 have only 2G and the rest do not have coverage at all.

    He explained that only polling units with 3G network coverage could transmit election results electronically.

    He, however, explained that results could be uploaded in areas covered by 2G and later be moved to an area with 3G for the transmission to be completed.

    On possibility of hacking the process, Maska said that no system could be 100 per cent free from activities of hackers.

    He was responding to a question from a lawmaker which bothered on the ability of the agency to prevent hackers from tempering with the process.

    Maska recalled that the 2016 presidential elections in the United States were widely believed to be hacked, saying that activities of hackers were reported daily.

    The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila said that haven informed members, the house would revert to the Committee of the Whole to consider clause 52 and other clauses yet to be considered.

  • Reps step down consideration of PIB conference committee report

    Reps step down consideration of PIB conference committee report

    The House of Representatives on Thursday in Abuja stepped down the report of the National Assembly conference committee on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    The report was earlier scheduled for presentation, but was stepped down for reason that may not be unconnected with percentage due to host communities.
    Rep. Mohammed Monguno, the Chairman, Committee on PIB, was billed to present the report before it was stepped down.

    The report was on the Conference Committee on a Bill for an Act to provide legal governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the Nigerian Petroleum Industry and the Development of Host Communities.

    The House had hurriedly dissolved into an executive session to iron out some grey areas on the PIB that was deemed unacceptable to some lawmakers.

    Some of the lawmakers, mainly from the oil producing states, had earlier gotten wind of the conference report that recommended three per cent for the host communities.

    The lawmakers therefore engaged in a shouting match before commencement of plenary to consider the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and the conference report on PIB Bill.

    Rep. Chinyere Igwe (PDP-Rivers), Rep. Boma Goodhead (PDP-Rivers) and Bede Eke (PDP-Imo) were seen visibly angry and shouting that they were not going to accept the three per cent for host communities.

    The trio and other lawmakers insisted that it must be five per cent or nothing.

    The House had earlier agreed on five per cent while the Senate agreed on three per cent, but the conference committee report via harmonisation settled for the three per cent.

    This, however, did not go down well with the lawmakers, which resulted in shouting match and eventually snowballed into a rowdy session.

    The Senate had earlier recommended three per cent for the host communities.

    However, sequel to the row, the Speaker of the House of Reps, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, and other principal officers walked into the chamber without the usual announcement.

    Gbajabiamila immediately dissolved the House into an executive session.

  • HAPPENING NOW: PIB sparks commotion in National Assembly

    HAPPENING NOW: PIB sparks commotion in National Assembly

    The National Assembly (NASS) was thrown into commotion on Thursday as the House of Representatives was forced into a closed door session over considerations of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Senate was not left out in the commotion that ensued over considerations of the PIB upon its return from the PIB harmonisation committee.

    The commotion started as a result of reduction to 3% of PIB funds for Host Communities, forcing the House to go into closed doors after a shouting match as some lawmakers insisted on 5% for Host Communities.

    Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, the Senate had adopted and sustained the 3% equity fund for Host Communities in the harmonised version of the PIB brought back to the chamber.

    This was after consideration of the conference committee report with the House of Representatives.

    Recall that the Senate passed the PIB on July 1, allocating three per cent to the host communities after the House of Representatives had passed the bill and allocated five per cent to the communities.

    Members of the House of Representatives alleged betrayal by the PIB harmonisation committee for accepting 3 percent instead of 5 percent agreed for oil producing communities.

    As at 12.20 pm, shouts by majorly Niger Delta Reps rented the air as they waited for the arrival of the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.

     

     

    Details shortly…

  • Electoral amendment bill to be laid July 13 – Reps Spokesman

    Electoral amendment bill to be laid July 13 – Reps Spokesman

    Mr Benjamin Kalu, the Spokesman for the House of Representatives, has said that the electoral amendment bill would be laid on July 13 before the House goes on recess.

    He said this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja, saying the report would be laid before the National Assembly proceed on recess.

    Kalu’s clarification was coming against the backdrop of speculations that the electoral amendment bill had been tinkered with by members of the committee.

    According to him, people are judging and speaking too soon on electoral bill, not knowing the National Assembly does not operate on the pages of newspapers.

    He stated that a bill must go through the whole “nine yard”, before it would be considered, stressing that it would be unfair if the House was judged, based on mere speculation.

    Kalu agreed that it was the right of every Nigerian to ask questions and expressed their opinion, but added that they must ask such questions, based on knowledge and required facts.

    He said that until the report goes through the Committee of a Whole, it would not become an official document.

    He added that the news of tinkering with the electoral bill remained in the realms of speculation and a hasty conclusion.

    The House of Reps Spokesman said that if any alteration found its way into the electoral bill, “we can then make the requisite noise.”

    He stated that for now, the House would not address issue on what was not before it, adding that as at now, the report had not yet been brought the House.

    On the issue of PIB, Kalu said he had encouraged most of its members to explain the details of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to their constituents.

    He said that the interface as well as the engagement had revealed that the agitation among Nigerians had been doused and are beginning to soften perception of some people in certain quarters.

    He stated that there was nothing self- serving in the laws the National Assembly made for Nigerians, and that it would always do things that reflected their will.

  • State Police Bill scales 2nd reading at House of Reps

    State Police Bill scales 2nd reading at House of Reps

    A Bill for an Act to provide for state police in Nigeria, on Tuesday scaled second reading at the House of Representatives.

    Rep. Onofiok Luke (PDP-Akwa-Ibom) who sponsored the bill, said it was aimed at removing the police from exclusive list to concurrent list, towards enhancing security of lives and property in the country.

    He said it would also help to reduce crimes at the grassroots, by complimenting the role of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in crime control.

    “We have had some security challenges and some states have had to set up state security apparatus to fill in the gap,” Luke said.

    This he said, was due to upsurge in crime following the current security challenges in the country, which appeared to have overwhelmed the police.

    Rep. Tobi Ukechukwu (PDP-Enugu), in his contribution, said creation of state police was germane to the survival of the country.

    “About an hour ago, we observed a minute silence in honour of those killed in Kaduna, children have been taken captive and we have had situation in this country that ordinarily this issue of state police should have been addressed,” he said.

    He said the bill was a patriotic move by the sponsor, stressing that the exclusive list needed to shed weight and this would ensure a well secured country.

    “There is no state that does not run its own vigilance group as at now, but they are lacking the power to bear arms, arrest and prosecute.

    “We cannot be pretending that everything is okay, it is not a joke that schools are closed in Kaduna,” he said.

    Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, put the bill to a voice vote and it unanimously adopted and referred to the House Ad Hoc Committee on the review of 1999 Constitution.

  • Drama in Edo: Obaseki takes over federal constituency project of House Deputy Majority Leader

    Drama in Edo: Obaseki takes over federal constituency project of House Deputy Majority Leader

    There is currently a drama playing out in Edo State as the State Government has taken over a federal constituency project of Mr Peter Akpatason, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and member, Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the drama started when a constituent of Akpatason, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a live video that went viral called out the project for not being executed up to standard.

    In the viral video shown below, the constituent, who gave his name as Paul aba Lawani, was heard raining curses on politicians and alleging in the video that the road project fell short of standard and quality.

    Watch video below:

     

    MATTERS ARISING.

    LAWANI STREET, IGARRA
    AKOKO-EDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE NIGERIA.

    -PAULSON GREAT

    Posted by Paul Alaba Lawani on Saturday, 3 July 2021

    TNG reports a visible signboard along the on-going construction indicated that the project is being undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Agency, constructed by Royal Jeff Nigeria Ltd and Sponsored by Akpatason.

    The project was for the construction of link roads and drains of 200m at Igarra Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.

    After the video went viral, Akpatason quickly wrote a letter to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Agency, calling for urgent investigation of the allegations as contained in the viral video.

    Akpatason’s letter to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Agency reads: “It has been brought to my knowledge that the above road project awarded to Royal Jeff Nigeria Limited by Rural Development Department as part of the Zonal Intervention Projects in the 2020 Appropriation Act is allegedly being poorly executed to the dissatisfaction of my constituents.

    “I am personally very embarrassed by the disturbing allegations contained in a short video by one of my constituents, who claims that the ongoing job is grossly substandard.

    “Therefore, I request that Rural Development Department should urgently investigate the allegations as contained in the viral video and report back within 24hours with details of your findings for necessary actions to address this unpleasant development.

    “Also furnish my office with details of the awards as well as Bills of Quantity. Please treat as urgent. Accept the assurances of my esteemed warm regards”.

    However, on Tuesday, the Edo State Government orders take over of the project for the construction of link roads and drains of 200m at Igarra Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the State.

    Following the viral video online, which exposed the poorly executed road project, Governor Godwin Obaseki, represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, inspected the project and affirmed that it is substandard.

    A statement ordering take over of the project by the State Government reads: “the Edo State Government has taken over the construction of the Lawani Crescent Federal Constituency Road project in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.

    “Following a viral video online, which exposed the poorly executed road project, we undertook an inspection of the project and affirmed that it is substandard. The project falls short of the standard that we have maintained in execution of road projects across Edo State.

    “We call on citizens to take charge of all government properties in their area. The contractor handling the Lawani Crescent project must be arrested for the bad job done and handed over to ICPC and the EFCC, to enable us ascertain exactly what happened.

    “The contract for the project stands revoked. The National Assembly allocated N360m for constituency projects in Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency this year. We would investigate all to ensure we have value for money”.

  • I’ve not been able to pay my only daughter’s school fees – Rep Waive

    I’ve not been able to pay my only daughter’s school fees – Rep Waive

    The member representing Ughelli North/South/Udu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Francis Ejiroghene Waive has said he was yet to be able to pay the school fees of his only biological daughter.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the priest cum politician did not give details why he was yet to pay the fees of his only biological daughter but said in the past week he assisted one of his constituents with the sum of N70,000.00.

    Waive was reacting to allegations that he was owing his political appointees backlog of salaries when he said he had also empowered and established several of his constituents, some of whom were the appointees, who were recently relieved of their appointments.

    The House of Representatives member said some of his appointees were relieved of their appointments for certain reasons.

    He stated that some of the appointees were clustered within certain Wards, whereas other Wards did not get any, and that there was an uproar as a result.

    He also stated that there was also the issue of some of his aides with double appointments.

    Waive stated: “Upon my assumption of office and against all known practice from both current and past House of Representatives members, I appointed additional Aides outside my OFFICIAL Aides and placed them on monthly stipends. This was born out of my genuine love and commitment to add value to the life of my people.

    “After payment for several months, there were alot of uproars from some Wards and Local Governments as to the fact that some of the appointees were clustered within certain Wards, whereas other Wards did not get any. There was also the issue of some of my Aides with double appointment. That is, some of them were on my payroll and also at the same time on the payroll of the DSP.

    “Sequel to the preceding paragraph, I called for an interactive meeting of all 70 ADDITIONAL AIDES in July, 2020, to review the challenges faced with their appointment. During deliberations, we considered what we can do to make them independent and self-sufficient. At the meeting, we jointly agreed to stop further payments and exit everyone from monthly stipends subject to everyone receiving empowerment in one way or the other.

    “We first counted and exited those who have concurrent appointment with the DSP. And in fulfilment of my promise to them, several of them have gotten cars from me, and others got Grants and other forms of serious empowerment running into thousands and millions of naira. Alot of them have through the Grants established themselves and are self-sufficient.

    “The issue of monthly payment was put to rest since July, 2020. I clearly stated this in my 2nd year stewardship statement of 11th June, 2021, which was widely circulated.

    “Immediately after that 2020 meeting, Voke Iwhiwhu (aka Amb Respect) and Osborn met me and requested to be given motorcycles as their empowerment. I tried to encourage them to wait for Grants and better empowerment. When they will not listen, I called in my SLA & other Appointees to talk with them. But we could not convince them.

    “I, therefore, arranged for the motorcycles to be purchased for them the next week in Ughelli. Sadly Osborn sold his motorcycle almost immediately. Voke Iwhiwhu (aka Amb Respect) requested that his be converted to an initial deposit for tricycle (Keke Napep) at a MicroFinance Bank in Ughelli. He however went back to collect the cash from Bank. But I had kept my word to both young men.

    “I am aware that as the race to 2023 hots up, mug slugging will increase. Thus I was not surprised to get a phone call yesterday that Voke Iwhiwhu (aka Amb Respect) had hit the social media space with a fathom resignation and the issue of pymt of stipends to Appointees taking centre stage. I hear that Osborn, Ekokotu & others are lined up to do the same.

    “I have continued to support this Voke Iwhiwhu (aka Amb Respect) and many others despite our collective agreement to end the payment of monthly stipends. Only this past week I sent Voke Iwhiwhu (aka Amb Respect) a total of N70,000 through his Bank account. This is at a time when I’ve not even paid the school fees of my only biological daughter.

    “They say that this is politics, but I disagree. My resolve to change the narrative in our polity remains unshaken. We shall not deter in our determination to ensure that our people get the best in representation and good governance”.

  • US House of Reps begins impeachment move against Trump

    US House of Reps begins impeachment move against Trump

    The US House of Representatives has begun impeachment move against President Donald Trump few days to his exit as president.

    The move to carry out second impeachment on Trump followed incitement of a mob to invade the Capitol last week.

    The House is currently debating on the impeachment process and votes may decide whether to go on or not.

    Steny Hoyer,the House majority leader, rejected Republicans’ arguments that a swift impeachment would only further divide the country, after the president incited a violent mob to storm the Capitol.

    “There are consequences to actions, and the actions of president of the United States demand urgent, clear action by the Congress of the United States,” Hoyer said.

    According to the UK Guardian, Hoyer quoted the five Republican members of Congress who have already said they will support impeachment, including Liz Cheney, the House Republican conference chair.

    The majority leader predicted that more Republicans would join them in supporting impeachment when the vote happens this afternoon.

    Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina takes the stand for her first speech as a representative. She begins by saying everyone must be held accountable for what happened.

    She quoted Rev Martin Luther King Jr, saying: “The time is always right to do what is right.”

    If Congress is “serious about healing divides,” she continued, “then both sides need to recognise, number one, that our words have consequences. That there is violence on both sides of the aisle, we’ve contributed to it.”

    She called on lawmakers to “acknowledge there is a problem and stop being part of the problem.”

    Republican Jason Smith of Missouri said it is “vital” to get the facts on what went wrong and ensure it never happens again, saying that he was in the chamber when Ashli Babbitt lost her life, “less than 50 feet from where we stand”.

    “I was in this chamber when those gunshots rang. That is real stuff. That should never happen in the People’s House.”

    The Missouri congressman asks Democrats to aim for healing.

    “At a time when our nation is more divided than ever before, let’s put people before politics. President Trump will be leaving in seven days. Let’s try to heal this nation, let’s listen to the American people.”

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    He called this a “reckless impeachment” that would only serve to “bring up the hate and fire more than before”.

    Last week, Smith voted to object to the presidential election results which had been approved by the states and in dozens of courts just hours after the riot.