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  • Senate President, Lawan reveals senate top agenda after resumption

    Senate President, Lawan reveals senate top agenda after resumption

    President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan said the confirmation of the appointment of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and consideration of anticipated budget proposals for 2023 would be the immediate attention of Senate on resumption.

    The Senate is expected to resume it’s two months annual summer recess on Sept. 20.

    Lawan spoke on Friday in. Abuja, while responding to questions from Senate correspondents after inspecting renovation work at the temporary venue for the sitting of the Senate in the light of the ongoing remodeling of the main Senate chamber.

    Expressing satisfaction on the work done on the makeshift chamber, Lawan said:

    “This is going to be our temporary chamber for sometime, some months and I’m aware that it will be here that we will conduct the business of the Senate up till next year by the Grace of God. That is not an issue.

    “The way this place is renovated to accommodate Distinguished Senators is what matters to us. The chairs here and everything here will be temporary. Ours is to remain focus on what our jobs and tasks are.

    “I am happy so far that the renovation here, providing this environment, is going on smoothly,there are few issues that I feel should be attended to but these are not major issues.

    “This is also going to be resumption period for us where the last session of the (ninth) Senate will be and that is, this will be our last and final year.

    “We have the confirmation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria already waiting. Recall that the President sent the request but that was a day before the Senate went on its annual summer recess.

    “Therefore, this is go to be one of the first things we need to do to ensure that the acting capacity does not go beyond the required three months.

    “You also know that we are going to receive Mr President for the presentation of the 2023 budget estimates and we expect that the President will be doing that in the first week of October even though it may not be taken place here.

    “Imagine that the House of Representatives chamber will be the appropriate place like we have always done. But that is going to be one of the issues that we are going to tackle immediately we resume.

    “And of course, our focus has always been that we provide the kind of Legislative intervention that will make Nigerians be safer and of course, provide a better economic environment.

    “The security of our country, the security of our people has always been of great concern to us and will remain so and at this point let me commend our Armed Forces and other security agencies for upping the game and doing better in the last one month or so.

    “We hope that they will do better than that but I want to assure Nigerians that the National Assembly particularly the Senate will continue to support our security agencies and defence forces to fight for restoration of normalcy in our security situation in the country.

    “Our economy is challenged. It’s our focus that we make sure that the economy works for all Nigerians regardless of their socio-economic status.

    “We are optimistic that we will be able to pass a budget that will provide for better life for Nigerians.

    ” It has not been easy but nothing is impossible and no problem is insurmountable.

    “We also have so many other issues of ensuring that the 2023 general elections, at the end, the kind of elections that everybody will say, well, I have won fairly or I have lost fairly.

    “So we want to ensure that there is very credible elections that will be of integrity and we will support the INEC to the fullest to ensure that the 2023 general elections hold in such a manner that INEC does not lack anything, that Nigerians are able to exercise their franchise and at the end of the day.

    “We will have new set of leaders to continue to lead our country,” Lawan said

  • I’ve found Omo-Agege very supportive and reliable – Lawan

    I’ve found Omo-Agege very supportive and reliable – Lawan

    The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan has felicitated the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen.Ovie Omo-Agege on his 59th birthday coming up on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

    This is contained in a message personally signed by Lawan on Tuesday in Abuja.

    “I heartily congratulate my brother and friend, the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on the occasion of his 59th birthday.

    “I join members of his family, friends and political associates in felicitating the Obarisi of Urhobo land on this joyous occasion.

    “Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has been a great partner in the leadership of the 9th Senate.

    “He has invested his intelligence, experience and energy in promoting amity and productivity in the red chamber,” he said.

    Lawan added: “As the Senate President, I have found Omo-Agege very supportive and reliable.

    “The stability that we experience in the Senate today has been made possible by the cooperation of all our colleagues, with Omo-Agege taking the lead.

    “I wish my brother and the Delta APC governorship candidate a happy birthday and continued stability in the 9th Senate and success at the 2023 poll,” he said.

  • Lawan, APC N/East caucus react to Shettima’s choice as VP candidate

    Lawan, APC N/East caucus react to Shettima’s choice as VP candidate

    President of the  Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and North East caucus of the APC has congratulated  Sen. Kashim Shettima on his nomination as  2023 vice presidential candidate of the party.

    Shettima is running mate to APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    Lawan in a statement on behalf of the caucus in Abuja on Monday said Tinubu and the APC made an excellent choice in Shettima.

    According to Lawan, Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno joined the public service with impeccable credentials, which he had improved upon,  by demonstrating great competence, integrity, and courage in all the positions he has held.

    Lawan said Shettima’s background in academics and the private sector prepared him for the achievements that he recorded as governor and in the senate.

    He said the APC presidential running mate was a loyal and committed member of the party, adding that he possed what it took to be the vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We, the North-East caucus of the APC attest that Shettima is the right man for the job and that he will be an able and loyal lieutenant to  Tinubu.

    “We as a caucus, pledge our full cooperation and support to our candidates as we march again toward another resounding victory in the general elections.

    “We enjoin all members of our party across Nigeria to give the APC standard-bearer and his running mate their utmost support.

    “We also assure Nigerians that the choices that our party has made in our presidential ticket are for the best of our country,” Lawan said.

  • 2023: Why we didn’t publish Lawan, Akpabio’s names as candidate – INEC

    2023: Why we didn’t publish Lawan, Akpabio’s names as candidate – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday finally explained why the names of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio were not published for the 2023 senatorial election.

    INEC said it refrained from publishing the names of the candidates submitted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial Districts, Lawan and Akpabio, because it didn’t monitor the primary elections that produced them.

    The Commission insisted that the Constitution mandates it to monitor congresses and primaries of political parties.

    A statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye reads: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to speculations circulating online on the outcome of some of the recent primaries conducted by political parties and related issues. In particular, allegations intended to impugn the integrity of the Commission have been made in respect of the Akwa Ibom North West and Yobe North Senatorial Districts.

    “To set the record straight, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria mandates the Commission to monitor the organization and operation of political parties, including their finances, conventions, congresses and party primaries.

    “In line with its constitutional and legal obligations, the Commission deployed monitors to the various constituencies and received reports of such exercise.

    “In relation to the primaries for the Akwa Ibom North West and Yobe North Senatorial Districts, the Commission stands by the monitoring reports received from our State offices. For this reason, the Commission did not publish the personal particulars of any candidate for the two constituencies at variance with the State reports. Right now, the Commission is funtus officio in the two cases.”

    The Commission urged aggrieved parties to seek redress in Court.

    “Aggrieved parties are at liberty to approach the Federal High Court and seek redress as provided in section 285 of the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and sections 29(5) and 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022,” the statement noted.

    The Commission also disclosed that it is working round the clock to meet the rising requests for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents by interested individuals.

  • BREAKING: More palaver for Lawan as INEC confirms Machina as senatorial candidate

    BREAKING: More palaver for Lawan as INEC confirms Machina as senatorial candidate

    More palaver for Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the Independent National Electoral Commission has put its stamp of affirmation on the candidature of Bashir Machina.

    The Commission has recognised Machina as the winner of the governing All Progressives Congress primary for Yobe North Senatorial District ticket.

    A certified true copy of INEC’s report from the May 28, 2022, election showed Mr Machina scored 289 votes out of 300 delegates.

    This tallies with Machina’s repeated public claim that he won the primary election and remained the party’s candidate and not the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who did not participate in the senatorial district primary election.

    The document, certified by the electoral office on June 23, 2022, did not mention Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President who has been labouring to supplant Mr Machina in collusion with the party’s national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

    Adamu had listed Lawan as the candidate of the APC for Yobe North senatorial election slated for February 2023, claiming that a primary poll had secretly held in which Lawan purportedly emerged winner.

    Even though Machina has been certified winner by the electoral office, he still expects additional fights ahead when INEC will post candidates standing for election across different political parties in the coming weeks.

    INEC had said it lacked the powers to pick a candidate in an election, even though its authentication was necessary to certify that an election held.

    Lawan started making attempts to seize the ticket from Machina after losing at the ruling party’s presidential by convention, which was won handily by Bola Tinubu on June 8.

  • 2023: I’ll work for Tinubu same way I worked for Lawan – Orji Kalu

    2023: I’ll work for Tinubu same way I worked for Lawan – Orji Kalu

    Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu says he will work for the success of All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential Candidate, Chief Bola Tinubu in the  2023 elections.

    Kalu told newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday that he would make for Tinubu, the same level of efforts he devoted to the Senate President Ahmad Lawan before and during APC’s presidential primary election.

    Kalu, who expressed satisfaction with the conduct and outcome of the primary election, said that he had anticipated that the party’s presidential candidate would emerge through consensus.

    He pledged to work toward Tinubu’s victory at the polls.

    Kalu, a former Governor of Abia,  said that he was satisfied that the party held the primary poll.

    “The party would have been factionalised without the primary.

    “The next is to work for the APC and the APC candidate; we have no alternative. I am a  party man and do not shy away from issues.

    ”Now, the way I fought for Lawan is the same way I will fight for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

    He praised President  Muhammadu Buhari for not endorsing any presidential candidate.

    The former governor expressed the optimism that the southeast would vote for APC in 2023.

    ”I will always take my stand on any issue. I accepted that Bola Tinubu won and the whole party agreed.

    ”There is no doubt about his victory, and when there is no doubt about his victory, we just have to go to the field to work for our party’s victory.

    “I pray that my constituency, the South East,  will give us the same belief that they gave to President Buhari in 2019, which gave him 68 per cent votes.

    ”I hope they will be able to give APC the same number of votes,” Kalu said.

  • 2023: APC confident of victory with Tinubu’s candidacy – Lawan

    2023: APC confident of victory with Tinubu’s candidacy – Lawan

    The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, says the emergence of Bola Tinubu as Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reassured the party of winning the 2023 presidential poll.

    In a letter of congratulations that he personally signed on Wednesday in Abuja, Lawan said that outcome of the election process had shown that Tinubu was the popular choice of his party.

    Ahmad Lawan was also an aspirant in the primary.

    The letter reads: “The Presidential Primary of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the 2023 general election has come and gone.

    “I am elated and proud that the Presidential primary was manifestly free and fair, and conducted within our APC family under a most convivial atmosphere.

    “The success of the event demonstrates the capacity of our great party to run its internal affairs smoothly and devoid of rancour.

    “As Your Excellency is aware, I offered myself alongside your good self and other patriotic members of the party to fly its highly coveted flag in the 2023 presidential election,” he said.

    He said that he did so in the belief that he had the knowledge base, ideas, experience and desire to provide leadership for our dear country at these most trying times.

    “However, the outcome of the election process has shown that Your Excellency is the popular choice of our party for that assignment.

    “I do not have an iota of doubt in the wisdom of that decision by our party’s delegates from across the country.

    “I have no doubt that with your credentials, experience, antecedents and political sagacity, our great party will go into the 2023 contest confident of victory,” Lawan said.

  • Primary: APC NWC issue warning signal to Southern presidential aspirants, says Lawan is still Buhari’s choice

    Primary: APC NWC issue warning signal to Southern presidential aspirants, says Lawan is still Buhari’s choice

    The National Youth Leader of All Progressives Congress, Dayo Israel, has warned presidential aspirants and political leaders from the South against disunity.

    According to him, there is a danger for the Southern aspirants as the party holds its presidential primary today.

    Israel urged the aspirants to leverage the position of the Northern governors to shift power to the South.

    Among the southerners contesting are National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

    He said, “The Southern Aspirants better get their acts together and leverage on the commitment of the Northern Governors proposing to zone Presidency to the South.

    A word is enough for the wise. Ewu mbe loko longe (there is danger).”

    The Northern governors also asked aspirants from the northern region to withdraw.

    “We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.

    “We, therefore, wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.

    “We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries,” the governors had said.

    Israel also said members of the National Working Committee members rejected Ahmed Lawan as the consensus candidate of the APC because it negated the federal character principle.

    He said, “Earlier today, during the NWC meeting, the National Chairman informed us that after the consultations hosted by the President, he is instructed to inform us that Ahmed Lawan is the preferred choice.

    “We were only informed, it wasn’t deliberated upon. Neither was our opinion sought

    “The issue at stake is not about consensus but about federal character. Let’s not mix issues. What is at stake is should power be retained in the North or moved to the South? The Northern governors with the president have supported the Southern agenda, the NWC members support this.”

    An attempt by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, to select Senate President Ahmad Lawan – a northerner – as the preferred candidate of the APC, failed on Monday as both the Presidency and 12 northern governors of the party openly distanced themselves from the move.

    Adamu had summoned a meeting of the 25-member National Working Committee at the party’s headquarters in Abuja ahead of the presidential primary slated for Tuesday (today).

    At the meeting, Adamu informed the NWC that Lawan was the anointed candidate of the party, a move which was not accepted by all of the members.

    After the meeting, Adamu hurriedly jumped into his vehicle and zoomed off.

    The APC’s stand on Monday threatened the hope of the South to produce the next president as a northerner, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, on May 28 got the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party after defeating southern aspirants including the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

    But northern governors in the APC, at their meeting on Saturday night, raised the hope of the South when they insisted that the presidential candidate of the party should emerge from the southern part of the country.

    Adamu’s plot to impose Lawan was on Monday greeted by a groundswell of opposition from some NWC members, northern governors and other presidential aspirants.

    Moments after the NWC meeting, about seven members led by the National Organising Secretary of the APC, Suleman Argungu, told journalists at the party secretariat that Lawan was not the preferred candidate of the party.

  • LAWAN: APC Chairman made a pronouncement beyond his competence- Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, made a pronouncement beyond his competence, by announcing the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as APC presidential consensus candidate.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that on Monday, the APC national chairman announced Lawan as the consensus candidate for the presidential ticket, but the party’s national working committee (NWC) led by Sulaiman Argungu, the national organizing secretary, said it would align with APC governors on power shift to the south.

     

    Reacting to Adamu’s choice in a statement issued on Monday, Akeredolu said the decision made by the national chairman is beyond his competence.

     

    He said the chairman’s choice runs contrary to that of the majority in the party, and as such it is dangerous.

    Lawan
    Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu

     

    In his words: “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 the 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.”

  • Primaries: Tinubu uses provisions of Electoral Act to fault alleged emergence of Lawan as consensus candidate

    Primaries: Tinubu uses provisions of Electoral Act to fault alleged emergence of Lawan as consensus candidate

    The presidential campaign organisation of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has joined the arena of confusion in the All Progressives Congress, APC, to offer clarifications on relevant provisions of the Electoral Act that preclude or forbid the emergence of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as consensus candidate of the party in the manner he had allegedly emerged.

    Tinubu Organisation’s consequential intervention was contained in a statement signed by Babatunde Ogala, SAN, Director, Legal Directorate.

    Read the statement below in extenso: “The media is inundated with reports that the Chairman of the All progressives Congress (“APC”) has unilaterally announced the purported adoption of a certain aspirant the consensus presidential candidate of the APC for the forth coming presidential election in 2023. While the National Chairman is yet to deny or offer any clarification on the alleged declaration, it is necessary to state that such a declaration is a legal impossibility. This is because under the regime of the Electoral Act 2022, consensus, though provided for as one of the means by which a political party may produce its candidate, must specifically occur in a precise form.

    “Section 84(9) (10) and (11) of the Electoral Act 2022 are the relevant provisions and they state as follows: “(9) A political party that adopts a consensus candidate shall secure the written consent of all cleared aspirant for the position, indicating their voluntary withdrawal from the race and their endorsement of the consensus candidate”.

    “(10) Where a political party is unable to secure a written consent of all cleared aspirants for the purpose of a consensus candidate, it shall revert to the choice of direct or indirect primaries for the nomination of candidates for the aforesaid elective position.

    “(11) A special convention or nomination congress shall be held to ratify the choice of consensus candidates at designated centers at the National, State, Senatorial, Federal and State Constituencies, as the case may be”.

    “Instructively, none of the above conditions have occurred in respect of producing the presidential candidate of the APC. Therefore, any declaration of a consensus candidate would be premature and a violation of extant provisions of the law.

    “We are confident that as a law-abiding entity, the APC will not be part of such. We are further persuaded to urge our supporters to disregard this report considering that the overwhelming majority of the APC Northern Governors who, after meeting with the President, re-affirmed their preference for a president from the Southern part of Nigeria. This patriotic decision is widely accepted by all Nigerians as a demonstration of deep understanding of the nuanced fault lines of our nation.

    “In the circumstance, a unilateral declaration by the National Chairman of a consensus presidential candidate for the party will not only violate the law, but set the party on collision course with its Governors who are critical stakeholders in the party.”