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Tag: Lawmakers

  • 2021 Budget: Lawmakers air mixed reactions after Buhari’s presentation

    2021 Budget: Lawmakers air mixed reactions after Buhari’s presentation

    …It’s awkward to borrow to fund overhead expenditure-Rep Okechukwu

    …It’s another false narrative- Rep Tee Jay Yusuf

    …We should expect a fiscal deficit-Rep Faleke

    …Reps to suspend plenary over budget defence
    …NASS will never be used as a tool-House spokesman
    By Emman Ovuakporie
    Mixed reactions on Thursday trailed the 2021 Budget Estimates presented to the National Assembly by President Muhamnadu Buhari.
    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG, reports that the N13.08trillion budget presented by the president got some knocks and was widely described as a deficit budget.
    Read Reactions:
    It’s not right to borrow to fund overhead expenditure-Dep Minority Leader
    Reacting to the budget estimates, deputy minority leader, Rep Toby Okechukwu, PDP, Enugu said:
    “It’s not right to borrow to fund overhead expenditure because it won’t generate the desired results.
    Okechukwu, who is a lawyer/economist explained that”you can only borrow to fund a capital project that will generate revenue.
    “Borrowing to fund what will not generate revenue is very awkward because that’s what is captured in the budget.
    It’s another false narrative-Rep Tee Jay Yusuf, PDP, Kogi
    Yusuf who is also an economist bared his mind on the budget which he described as another false narrative.
    He explained that “once you hear a repeated narrative it now wears the toga of truth because we are borrowing to fund this budget at the same time swallowing the bitter pills of Brentwood institutions.
    “If you repeatedly tell the people lies then as time goes on it now looks like the truth, you are budgetting on what you don’t have.
    “Although it’s wrong to quote Hitler, I am really sorry about that but the German said when a lie is compulsory told it becomes a truth.
    “This is the sane trajectory, Jonathan only earn $100 per barrel in in late 2014 but this government has earned far more than him yet they heap blames at the doorstep of PDP.
    “Obasanjo earned as little as $28 per barrel and blames were not heaped on anybody.
    “You are servicing debts with N3trn in a Budget of N13trn and you already have a deficit of N5trn and you expect positive response from this budgetary process.
    “Well I have not really had time to go through it but I will create time to properly look at the bill.
    We should expect a fiscal deficit-Rep James Faleke, Chairman Finance Cttee
    Faleke in his reaction said” for me personally it is a good way to go, you remember that when he (Buhari) came on board, he started will all the ongoing projects, so it is a continuation of his decision to complete all the ongoing projects.
    Weather you like it or not, it is all tax payers money and the essence of those projects initially is to improve the economy of the country.
    What he (Buhari) has done by dedicating more funds to complete those projects is to continue the development of the country.
    You should expect fiscal deficit because we have low revenue, the COVID affected us; apart from that, Mr President did say that the greatest problem we have is revenue generation.
    You know that as Committee on Finance, we have made efforts so that more revenue come into the coffers of government.
    We are going to do a comprehensive review; the MTEF that was passed, gave the committee an approval to carry out a review of all agencies as we have in this country.
    To determine which ones are suppose to go out of budget and which ones can sustain themselves.
    What we have seen, mainly during our review is that most agencies spend their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rather remitting it to the CRF.
    We strongly believe that that is not good for us and we cannot allow that to continue; so definitely when you have shortfall in revenue, you need to borrow money to argument your budget.
    For us, the National Assembly at least this 9th Assembly we are trying our best, and am saying that in the next phase, we are already talking to an ICT company that can give us an online monitoring where by when you make the money, as you making the money, we are seeing it online rather than doing a postmortem approach.
    We’ll suspend plenary to treat budget-House spokesman
    The spokesman of the House of Representatives, Rep Benjamin Kalu said the House will suspend plenary after debate on the budget for “a thorough job to be done.
    He also debunked stories that the PIB Committee work will start by first quarter next year, “we are starting work immediately and this time we will pass it in record time.
    Asked about the Assembly being used as a tool, Kalu said”we can’t be used as a tool because to collaborate does not mean to corroborate, we shall do a thorough job during budget defence.

  • I have no power to bring back un-inaugurated elected Edo lawmakers – Obaseki

    Edo Gov. Godwin Obaseki has said that he had no power to bring back 14 state House of Assembly-elects yet to be inaugurated.

    Obaseki stated this in an interview with newsmen when he paid a thank-you visit to the National Working Committee (NWC), of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Abuja on Monday.

    Obaseki said that the group of the 14 elected-lawmakers were not prevented from being inaugurated but they “refused to be inaugurated”.

    “They were listening to their godfather who kept hoping and promising that he would unconstitutionally get the state House of Assembly to reissue a proclamation even after the court had settled the matter.

    “For more than 180 days they did not come. They refused to represent the people. Those seats became vacant; that’s what the constitution says.

    “They went to court after those were declared vacant by the Speaker. There is nothing I can do to that at this time.

    “I wish it did not happen but people were playing God and promising what is not constitutionally possible.

    “It is not about me. I am an elected governor of Edo. I am not one that plants people into the house of Assembly.

    “They on their own operated the rules the way it should be, the seats are now vacant.

    “We should learn that democracy is underpinned by the constitution and the law.

    “Even if I wanted today to bring them back, I don’t have such powers.

    “I do not have anything against them because I do not have such authority to bring them back to the house,” Obaseki said.

    Asked for his reaction to the declaration by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo Election that he was approaching the court that Obaseki was not qualified to run, the governor said he would wait for the court’s outcome.

    Obaseki, was accompanied by the Deputy Gov. Philip Shaibu and other PDP leaders from Edo including former Minister of Works Mike Onolememen and the former Minister of External Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi.

  • 17 lawmakers test positive for COVID-19

    17 lawmakers test positive for COVID-19

    As many as 17 Indian Members of Parliament (MPs) tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, the first day of the 18-day Monsoon Session of the Indian parliament.

    Among the infected MPs, a maximum of 12 belonged to the country’s main ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the others belonged to other regional or state-level political parties.

    All the 17 lawmakers are from the Indian parliament’s lower house Lok Sabha.

    They were tested at the testing facilities set up on Parliament House premises on Sept. 13 and Sept. 14, sources said.

    According to media reports, around 200 of the total 785 sitting MPs (from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) are above the age of 65 years, the population which is vulnerable to COVID-19.

    Over the past five months, at least seven union ministers and around 25 lawmakers and members of state legislatures had contracted the disease.

    Among them was Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.

  • Ondo 2020: Akeredolu ‘peppers’ seven lawmakers loyal to deputy, excludes them from car gifts

    Ondo 2020: Akeredolu ‘peppers’ seven lawmakers loyal to deputy, excludes them from car gifts

    Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu may have devised another way to get back at the seven lawmakers who opposed the impeachment of the Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi.

    According to reports, Akeredolu last week appreciated the 19 out of the 26 lawmakers with the 2020 model SUV KIA Sportage deliberately leaving out Ajayi’s loyal seven.

    According to the governor, his administration had kept its promise of providing the cars to the lawmakers despite the dwindling resources of the state.

    Meanwhile, the seven concerned lawmakers have knocked the governor for his decision to exclude them from the car largesse.

    However, one of the aggrieved lawmakers and deputy speaker of the Assembly, Mr Iroju Ogundeji, condemned the action of the governor against the seven legislators, saying they were denied the cars because they did not support the impeachment.

    He said, “They are using their power on us because we did not support the impeachment but I know the time shall pass. They even refused to obey the court that dismissed our suspension.

    Similarly, another lawmaker, Tomide Akinribido, said their exclusion was to penalise them for their refusal to sign the impeachment notice against the deputy governor.

    “It is not the governor’s personal gifts, this is statutory and the governor should not play politics with it,” Akinribido said.

  • Thugs invade Ondo Assembly as court quashes suspension of four lawmakers

    Thugs invade Ondo Assembly as court quashes suspension of four lawmakers

    Suspected thugs have invaded the premises of the Ondo State House of Assembly following a court ruling that quashed the suspension of four lawmakers.

    Those whose suspension were lifted are; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, the only woman in the House, Mrs. Favour Tomomowo, Hon Wale Williams and Hon Tomide Akinribido.

    They were among the nine lawmakers that refused to sign impeachment notice against the Deputy Governor, Hon Agboola Ajayi.

    The thugs were stationed at strategic locations in the Assembly complex

    Meanwhile, Speaker of the Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, insisted that they were not thugs but members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    He said the NURTW members were at the Assembly premises for a meeting on conduct during the forthcoming elections.

     

  • Edo 2020: Why federal lawmakers snub Obaseki, pitch tent with Ize-Iyamu

    Edo 2020: Why federal lawmakers snub Obaseki, pitch tent with Ize-Iyamu

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    More facts emerged on Wednesday as to why Edo Federal Lawmakers in the upper legislative Chambers shunned Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and pitched tent with the All Progressives Congress, APC Guber candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reliably gathered that Obaseki deliberately kept the lawmakers in the dark about his defection plans from APC to PDP.

    A source privy to this development told TNG that”he (Obaseki) didn’t deem it necessary to inform the lawmakers and this apparently irked the members.

    “If he sees them as not worthy enough to be part of his defection plans from APC to PDP at the appropriate time then it’s absolutely impossible for the lawmakers in APC to defect with him.

    “From day one he had plans to defect and he refused to tell them and this were members who stood with him all through and he turned his back on them.

    “This is one major reason why the who is who in Edo State is solidly behind Ize-Iyamu who has the best grassroots network in the state.

    “Look at the calibre of politicians campaigning for POI and you can easily decipher that Obaseki’s days are numbered in government house.

    “Do you expect the lawmakers in APC to go and ask him why he failed to inform them that he was defecting, of course the answer is a capital NO!

  • Court reinstates suspended Ondo lawmakers, awards N5m damages

    Court reinstates suspended Ondo lawmakers, awards N5m damages

    An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital on Friday quashed the suspension of four members of the state House of Assembly who refused to sign the impeachment notice of the state deputy governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.

    The lawmakers including the Deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroju, Mrs. Favour Tomomowo, Wale Williams and Tomide Akinribido were suspended for allegedly violating the rules of the House during a rowdy plenary where attempts were made to impeach the deputy governor.

    Three of the suspended lawmakers; , Ogundeji, Tomomowo and Williams are members of the APC, while Akinribido is the only member of the House elected on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

    The suspended lawmakers however approached a State High Court to seek redress.

    In his judgement, Justice Ademola Bola described the suspension as illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

    Justice Bola held that the House of Assembly as well as other members have no power to suspend any member of the Assembly.

    The judge held that the suit which has the House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Deputy Majority Leader, Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, the Parliamentary
    Secretary,, Prince Abayomi Akinruntan, and the Clerk of the House, Mr. Bode Adeyelu, as defendants violates sections 90, 91, 106 and 117 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.

    The court held that the lawmakers must be reinstated into their positions with immediate effect.

    Justice Bola ordered that a sum of N5million should be paid to each of the lawmakers as damages.

    Reacting to the judgement, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kola Olawoye, said there was no victor no vanquished.

    He urged all members of the House to unite and work for the progress of the state.

    Deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroju who spoke on behalf of others charged all members of the House to work together and ensure the House operates independently according to the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as ammended).

  • Wike presents 15 Prado Jeeps to National Assembly members

    Wike presents 15 Prado Jeeps to National Assembly members

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has presented 15 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado VX and TXL to lawmakers representing the State at the National Assembly and urged them to defend the interest of the State fearlessly.

    He has therefore advised them to resist distraction, remain united and consult the party regularly.

    Wike gave the charge at a brief ceremony for the presentation of 15 Land Cruiser Prado VX and TXL cars to members of the National Assembly at Government House, Port Harcourt.

    The Governor was represented by the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Desmond Akawor.

    Wike said the gesture would ease their movement and enable them to discharge their legislative duties effectively.

    He urged them to keep faith with the Party so they could collectively recover what was lost at the national during the forthcoming 2023 general election.

    Responding on behalf of the lawmakers, the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator George Thompson Sekibo expressed gratitude to the Governor for the gift.

    He noted that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the state finances, the Governor still saved funds to provide them vehicles.

    The member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Hon. Dumnamene Deekor commended the Governor’s benevolence.

    He said the governor has been consistent in encouraging the federal legislators to protect the interest of Rivers people.

    Also speaking, the member representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Hon. Kingsley Ogundu Chinda assured the governor of their continued support.

    On her part, Hon. Boma Goodhead who represents Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency prayed for greater triumph for the Governor because he has always integrated the National Assembly members in the scheme of things.

    In his reaction, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante representing Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency said they would reciprocate the gesture by representing Rivers people well in Abuja.

    Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo said there is healthy synergy between the national lawmakers and the state government.

    He said the synergy is made possible because Wike has remained a leader who unifies all segments of leaders.

  • 774,000 jobs: Reps reject slots, urge Buhari to review implementation process

    774,000 jobs: Reps reject slots, urge Buhari to review implementation process

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in House of Representatives have rejected the slots allocated to them in the ongoing recruitment of 774,000 artisan youths for public works jobs.

    President Muhammadu Buhari initiated the programme to keep some of the unemployed busy doing public works for three months, beginning from October.

    One thousand people are to be recruited from each of the 774 local government councils to participate in the programme. They are to earn N20,000 monthly per person. N52 billion has been voted for the programme in the 2020 budget.

    Governors, senators, House of Representatives members and ministers have been allocated slots to be filled from their constituencies. The average Nigerians will get the other slots after screening by the panels set up in each state.

    The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives said on Tuesday that allotting only 30 slots per local government to each member of the House from the 1000 jobs per local government, was unfair and unacceptable to the lawmakers and Nigerians.

    Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta) said the caucus was demanding more transparency and a review of the criteria being used to allocate the slots, which he said, favoured certain interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC), to the detriment and disadvantage of majority of Nigerians.

    The minority leader insisted that “the 30 persons allotment to be supervised by a member in each of the local government areas, cannot by any criterium, said to be a true representation of the people we are mandated to represent.”

    He said the 774,000 jobs are meant for the people, adding that the people look up to the lawmakers as major channels through which they are reached for social and economic empowerment, a situation, which makes the 30 person, out of the 1000 per local government, grossly inadequate.

    He said: “The 30 persons allotment per local government for lawmakers is grossly unfair, inadequate and unacceptable to Nigerians. As the representatives of the people, we are closer to them and they directly interact with us, irrespective of religion, class and political affiliations.

    “All Nigerians living in our constituencies are our constituents, irrespective of political leanings. We have a responsibility to protect their interests at all times. As such, lawmakers ought to have been carried along on the allotment.

    “Moreover, the questions are, what criteria are being used in the job allotments? Given the 30 persons out of the 1000 per local government area allotted to federal lawmakers, what happens to the remaining 970? What answers do we give Nigerians? How do we ensure that the programme benefit Nigerians and not enmeshed in allegations of sharp practices as witnessed in the COVID-19 palliative distribution?

    He urged President Muhamamdu Buhari to immediately order a review of the implementation process to ensure that the targeted citizens benefited from the programme as intended.

  • [TNG Analysis] NDDC Probe: It’s season of denials as lawmakers claim innocence

    [TNG Analysis] NDDC Probe: It’s season of denials as lawmakers claim innocence

    …Senators Manager, Uroghide, Nwaoboshi absolve selves
    …Urhobos, Ijaws, Itsekiris demand scrapping of IMC
    …Buhari remains unusually silent
    By Emman Ovuakporie
    Since the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio secretly revealed the names of lawmakers allegedly involved in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC contract scams it has been a season of denials.
    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) in this analysis brings to fore how lawmakers in a bid to rubbish Akpabio’s list of alleged contract scammers have been denying their roles in the massive looting of NDDC.
    The situation took a dramatic turn when Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila apparently forgetting that there’s espirit de corps in the parliament ordered Akpabio to submit the names of lawmakers he alleged got most contracts from the interventionist government body.
    Akpabio had alleged during an investigative hearing on July 20 that 60percent of contracts of the body were given to lawmakers.
    This did not go down well with the lawmakers who threatened to sue Akpabio if within 24hours he fails to submit the list.
    The Urhobos, Ijaws and Itsekiris too had in various statements called for the outright scrapping of Akpabio’s Interim Management Committee.
    Sensing the danger ahead, Akpabio denied exonerating the ninth Assembly and listed other assembies including himself who was part of the eighth Assembly.
    Senators Matthew Uroghide, James Manager and Peter Nwaoboshi in different statements denied any form of self enrichment from NDDC contracts.
    TNG will x-ray their various statements below in snippets
    *Akpabio is a serial liar-Sen Nwaoboshi
    *Akpabio is wicked and mischievious -Sen Uroghide
    *I sincerely in the name of God request for proof of evidence-Sen Manager
    The commonality in their various statements is denial as they all demanded for proof of evidence that they were involved.
    The member of the House that his name was very visible and was alleged to have garnered 74 contracts, Hon Nicholas Mutu has remained silent.
    The Urhobos, Ijaws and Itsekiris who are predominantly host communities of crude oil deposits in the Niger Delta Region have called for the scrapping of Akpabio’s IMC.
    In a briefing on Monday in Abuja, the President of Urhobo Leadership Forum, Olorogun Jonathan Esin in his statement demanded for an immediate scrapping of IMC.
    Chief Esin said “In order to bring the rot and looting in the NDDC to an end and reposition it to effectively deliver on its statutory responsibilities, the ULFA hereby recommends as follows:
    “That sensitive positions in the NDDC management, such as the Managing Director/CEO, should henceforth not be given to active partisan political actors.
    “Nevertheless, in light of the exigencies of the moment, the members of the Board earlier screened by the Senate, should be sworn-in without delay to enable the Commission settle quickly into its role,
    “A competent and reputable external audit firm should be engaged after the inauguration of the Board to execute the forensic audit of the Commission including top management officials since the inception of the NDDC.
    “The recommendations of the National Assembly’s investigation of the NDDC Interim Management Committee should be acted upon by the Executive branch of Government without delay,
    “All persons involved in financial embezzlement and misappropriation should face the penalty imposed by law, including forfeiture of improperly acquired wealth,
    “The audited accounts and reports of the NDDC should be undertaken and made available as stipulated by the enabling Act, 46 Government should strengthen the Commission’s financial management and internal control system. For example, in the implementation of the Procurement Act provisions against contract splitting should be rigorously enforced,
    “All major contracts or projects should be handled by reputable contracting firms, preferably in which the Niger Delta indigenes have substantial stakes,
    “Projects locations, completion status and costs should be regularly published on the NDDC portal and such information should be made available to the Niger Delta State Governments and the LGAS,
    “The Local Content of every project should be visibly verifiable.
    “The Commission should concentrate on mega projects with impact across create its own problems.
    “Therefore, this matter should be handled with the seriousness, equity and justice the situation demands so that there is no the Niger Delta area,
    “That NDDC must not be scrapped. The ULFA cautions that such an action will relapse or degeneration into the destructive militancy that predated the establishment of the NDDC.
    In all these developments, President Muhamnadu Buhari has remained unusually silent.
    The only reaction from the presidency is the denial that the IMC had not been scrapped as published in some communications channels last week.
    So far so good on NDDC it has been a gallore of denials.