Tag: Majority Leader

  • Gunmen kill Majority Leader in Delta

    Gunmen kill Majority Leader in Delta

    A Councillor and Majority Leader of Sapele Local Government Legislative Arm, Delta state Chief Venture Kagbude, has been reportedly shot dead by suspected assassins.

    It was gathered that the tragic incident occurred at about 6 pm on Tuesday along the Sapele/Effurun/Warri Road.

    Chief Kagbude, was the Chairman of Okirighre community in Sapele council area, as well as the chairman of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), in the local government area, until his death.

    According to reports, the deceased was returning from Okuoke community located along the said road, where he had gone to inspect a house under construction for his mother.

    Unfortunately, the unknown gunmen waylaid and shot him dead.

    Director of the Asaba and Osubi International Airport, Austin Ayemidejor, while reacting to Kagbude’s death said, “it is sad news, a young man dreams to build a better society and is cut short by gunmen. He will surely be missed”.

    However, an undisclosed source related to the victim claimed that the late lawmaker was one of the frontiers against cultism and ritual activities in the area, adding that his demise must have resulted from his efforts, alongside the LGA chairman, “against cultism few months ago. I am sure his death must have come from there.”

    A senior police officer at the Sapele Police Area Command, name withheld, confirmed the development, stating that a search for the killers has commenced.

    But efforts to get official comments from the Delta State Police Command proved abortive, as repeated calls to the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, mobile phone were not answered as at the time of filing this report.

  • Ninth House: Doguwa emerges Majority Leader

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja

    …as Akpatason, Monguno, Onyejeocha, emerge Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip
    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Wednesday announced the Principal Officers from the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).
    Former Chief Whip of the 8th House of Representatives Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa has been announced as the new Majority Leader of the 9th House.
    Doguwa representing Doguwa/ Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State is a fourth term legislator and an All Progressives Congress APC stalwart.
    He was first elected into the House on the platform of Social Democratic Party SDP in 1992 alongside two former governors Sen Musa Kwankwasor of Kano State and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State.
    He was appointed the Chief Whip of the 8th House of Representatives by the then Speaker Hon. Yakubu Dogara in June 2015.
    Other lawmakers who emerge alongside Doguwa include Hon. Tahir Monguno (Borno, APC) who became the Chief Whip, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha Deputy Whip and Hon. Peter Akpatason Deputy Leader.
    Speaker of the House Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila announced at plenary that the constitution of the new House leadership was done in line with Order 7 Rule 4 of the House rules.
    He also hinted that he received official communication backed with signature from members of the All Progressives Congress APC Caucus in the House on the choice of the newly appointed leaders.
    Doguwa thereafter thanked the entire House particularly the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the APC leadership as well as older colleagues for bestowing what he described as what long sought for with his right hands.
    He further pledged to work with the leadership of the minority parties in the House to ensure that they engage the executive and judicial arms of the federal government for the benefit of the citizenry.
  • 9th N/Assembly: House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila declares for Speakership

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja

    The Majority Leader, House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has declared for the office of the Speaker of the House in the yet to be inaugurated 9th National Assembly.
    The 9th National Assembly is expected to come on stream after the proclamation of the Assembly in early June 2019 by the Clerk to the National Assembly Alhaji Mohammed Ataba Sanni Omolori.
    Gbajabiamila who recently won re-election in the House for a fifth term said he has been into the business of legislation in the past sixteen years having won election into the House to represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State in 2003.
    He further said that he studied and understood the intricate workings of the legislature. He said there is need including and the imperative of striking a delicate balance in the relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government without compromising the latter’s independence.
    The lawmaker who tagged his campaign ‘Nation Building, A joint Task’ said that that this onerous task can only be completed if we all come together I line with the legacies of our forbears and ensure that the labours of our heroes past is not in vain.
    He added that he seeks the office of Speaker to bring tendencies together and unite the country. He noted that there is much work to be done by way of legislation in many areas of our life including but not limited to education, health, power, infrastructure and poverty alleviation.
    He assured the lawmakers that the as Speaker he is going to be the a speaker elected to do their business and champion their cause and in doing so fulfilling their hopes and aspirations.
    At the event lawmakers such as Hon.Tahir Monguno (Borno, APC), Hon. Kadijah Ibrahim (Yobe, APC), Hon Alhassan Doguwa (Kano, APC), Hon. Ifeanyi Momah (Anambra, APGA) Hon. Iduma Igariway (Ebonyi, PDP), Hon. Peter Akpatason (Edo, APC) among others called on the lawmaker to ensure that he works to strengthen the relationship between the three arms of government in Nigeria if elected speaker of the upcoming 9th Assembly.
    Also speaking at the event, Director-General of Gbajabiamila Campaign Organization Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano) said that that the candidacy of Gbajabiamila is not about himself rather is about sanitizing our democracy.
    He added it is about bringing into effect international best practices into the nation’s democratic experience as is the the practice in other advanced nations of the world notably United States of America, Britain and other nations.
  • BREAKING: Plateau Assembly impeaches Speaker, Majority Leader

    BREAKING: Plateau Assembly impeaches Speaker, Majority Leader

    The Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Peter Azi, was on Wednesday impeached by 17 out of the 24-member parliament dominated by the All Progressives Congress.

    He was replaced by Joshua Izang Madaki, a legal practitioner representing Jos East constituency.

    Also removed was the Majority Leader, Henry Yunkwap, representing Shendam constituency, who was also replaced by Hon. Nanlong, of Mikang constituency.

    They were said to have been sacked over “irreconcilable differences” in the recent removal of Local Government Caretaker Committee chairmen.

     

    Details later…

  • Tension as Majority Leader, Deputy, Chief Whip of Imo Assembly tender resignation letter

    Three principal officers of the Imo House of Assembly on Tuesday in Owerri resigned their positions following alleged controversies surrounding the 2018 appropriation bill.

    The principal officers who resigned their positions are the Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji; his deputy, Kenneth Ibe; and the Chief Whip of the House, Marcel Odunze; all of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Tendering their resignation, the former majority leader said the action was in the `collective interest’ of the assembly.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that 17 of the 27 members of the assembly boycotted the plenary session and observed proceedings from the press gallery.

    There was a heavy presence of armed security personnel at the assembly earlier, prompting members to converge at the Speaker’s lodge.

    Meanwhile, the Speaker, Acho Ihim, announced the appointment of the member representing Ikeduru, Uche Oguwike, as the new Majority Leader and Chinedu Offor as the new Deputy Minority leader.

    Ihim also replaced the chief whip with Arthur Egwim, APC, representing Ideato North.

    The speaker said the action was in a bid to get over the `intrigues and counter-intrigues’ in the house.

    He said that the former principal officers were relieved of their duties before their resignation following a request by the APC in a letter signed by the state chairman, Hilary Eke, calling for their recall.

    Addressing journalists at the lodge, the minority leader of the House and representative of Ahiazu Mbaise, Ken Agbim, said that the lawmakers were acting in defence of democracy.

    Agbim described the presence of armed military and police officers at the assembly as an `attack on democracy’.

    According to him, the legislators had sought clarifications from the executive regarding the 2018 budget which was presented to the assembly on Dec. 28.

    “We needed some clarifications from the Executive concerning the budget and it is clear our questions did not go down well with the governor.

    “We believe what happened today is an attack on democracy and for the first time in a long time, we are trying to ensure our nascent democracy does not suffer,” he said.

    He also urged the state government to give the legislators the opportunity to work for their people, lamenting that they had been unable to execute constituency projects in their areas.

    Agbim, however, stressed that they were not fighting with the state government but to ensure that things were done the right way.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the lawmakers had earlier boycotted the presentation of the 2018 appropriation bill by Governor Rochas Okorocha last month.

     

  • Edo Assembly lifts suspension on ex-Speaker, Majority Leader

    …As former Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie

    The Edo State House of Assembly on Monday lifted the suspension of its former Speaker, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, and Majority Leader, Mr. Foly Ogedengbe.

    The resolution followed the recommendations of an ad hoc committee which had the new Deputy Speaker, Mr. Victor Edoro, as Chairman.

    It, however, said that the suspension of the former deputy speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, and the member representing Esan North-East II, Mr. Magnus-Desmond Ezehi, would remain until they showed a sign of cooperation with the committee.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Okonoboh, who represents Igueben constituency, Ativie and Ogedengbe were impeached last Monday by 19 members for alleged gross misconduct.

    The member representing Akoko Edo I, Mr. Kabiru Adjoto, had been elected as the new Speaker.

    The affected members had also been suspended for three months, pending the outcome of an investigation by an ad hoc committee.

    The chairman of the committee explained to the House that the former speaker and majority leader were “seemingly cooperative” with investigations while Ativie and Igbas allegedly showed no respect to the committee and the House as of the time of submitting its preliminary report.

    Edoro also noted some of the property of the assembly had been returned by the two suspended members.

    “Consequently, the suspension of the members, Okonoboh and Ogedengbe, is hereby lifted, while Ativie and Igbas remain suspended,” Adjoto said shortly after the resolution was passed on Monday.

    Meanwhile, the assembly has reconstituted its Principal Officers Council and 23 House committees.

    The new members of the council and their positions include Mr. Sunday Eghedo (APC), Deputy Leader; Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha (APC), Chief Whip; Mr. Sylvanus Eruaga (PDP), Minority Leader; Mr. Audu Ganiyu (APC), Deputy Chief Whip; Mr. Sunday Osazemwinde (APC), co-opted member; and Mr. Festus Edughele (APC), co-opted member.

  • Attempted Murder: Wike directs Attorney General to prosecute former Rivers Majority Leader

    Attempted Murder: Wike directs Attorney General to prosecute former Rivers Majority Leader

    Swears in 13 Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has directed the re-appointed Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Emmanuel Aguma (SAN) to ensure the conclusive prosecution of Former Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Chidi Lloyd over the attempted murder of a member of the State Assembly, Mr Michael Chinda.

    Governor Wike also directed the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to ensure the conclusive prosecution of Mr Ojukaye Flag Amachree who is standing trial for the murder of a citizen of Asari Toru Local Government Area during one of the rerun elections.

    According to him, anybody who commits crime in the state must face the full weight of the law.

    Governor Wike spoke on Saturday after swearing-in the reappointed State Attorney General and Commissioner and 13 Caretaker Committee Chairman of Local Government Areas.

    He said: “The Attempted Murder of a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly must be conclusively prosecuted by the office of the Attorney General.

    “Also, the person involved in the murder of a citizen of Asari Toru Local Government Area during the rerun elections must be conclusively prosecuted. Nobody is above the law.

    “I don’t know how the person who was almost killed on the floor of the Rivers House of Assembly will feel seeing his assailant moving around freely? How will the family of the murdered Asari Toru Local Government Area citizen feel knowing that the alleged murder suspect is roaming freely without conclusive prosecution “.

    The governor charged the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to ensure that all the victims get justice in accordance with the tenets of the law.

    He advised the Attorney General to sustain the enthronement of the rule of law to avoid a situation where people resort to self help on account that the state cannot prosecute criminal offenders.

    On the newly sworn-in Chairmen of Caretaker Committees of Local Government Areas , Governor Wike advised them to concentrate on the maintenance of security and environmental sanitation.

    He advised the Local Government Chairmen to work with security agencies to address security challenges in their respective local government areas.

    He warned them against the mismanagement of council funds for personal benefits or to influence top government officials or their families.