TheNewsGuru

Tag: Reps

  • Democracy: Reps hail Jonathan, says he acted like ‘a true African leader’

    Democracy: Reps hail Jonathan, says he acted like ‘a true African leader’

    It was indeed a surprising moment of showering encomiums on former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in the House of Representatives for willingly relinquishing power to his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015 after a keenly contested election.

    The reps noted that Jonathan’s action as helped in stabilising the country feeble and nascent democracy which has not witnessed the handing over of power from a sitting president to a president-elect from opposition party.

    The praises for the former president came as the House debated a motion to celebrate Democracy Day (May 29) and restate faith in it as the best form of government ‘in spite of present challenges’.

    Members generally kicked against any thinking that a coup or the return of the military to power was an option.

    The motion was moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules/Business, Mr Orker Jev, a member of the APC from Benue State.

    The House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, led members in praising Jonathan.

    He noted that the former President acted ‘uncharacteristically, as an African leader’, to have handed over power willingly to a successor.

    He further said that without Jonathan’s decision, the country might not be celebrating two years of the current administration in office.

    However, Gbajabiamila explained that the commendation was done to underscore the point that celebrating democracy should be above partisanship.

    He added that this was unlike the position of his colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party, who would say they had not seen any change in the country in the last two years after Buhari took over governance.

    The House leader argued that celebrating democracy actually meant celebrating the unity of the country since 1999.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan handed over power to President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015 after the 2015 general elections.

  • JUST IN: Another Reps member, Adamu Kamale dumps PDP for APC

    JUST IN: Another Reps member, Adamu Kamale dumps PDP for APC

    Another member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Kamale, on Tuesday decamped to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on the floor of the House of Representatives.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Kamale is a lawmaker from Adamawa State.

    Prior to his defection, Kamale was the only PDP member of the House from Adamawa State.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that just last week , another PDP representative from Plateau State, Edward Pwajok, SAN, also decamped to the ruling APC on the floor of the House.

    Details shortly…

  • Reps donate 82 boxes with assorted materials to 82 freed Chibok girls

    Reps donate 82 boxes with assorted materials to 82 freed Chibok girls

    Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday paid a visit to thereleased Chibok school girls at the DSS Clinic in Abuja and donated 82 boxes filled with assorted clothing and toiletries.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Women in Parliament, Rep. Evelyn Ogoro (Delta-PDP), led the delegation on behalf of the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

    Ogoro told the girls that the House held them in high esteem and would support them in every way to ensure that they realised their ambitions in life.She said the speaker sent thematerials to them so as to help reintegrate them into the larger society, adding that the lawmakers would continue to cater for their needs.“

    The speaker asked us to come and see you and give these boxes and items to you. We know this can never be enough but it is a show of our love and concern for yourwelfare.“We prayed and cried for you.

    And we can see among you here doctors, lawyers, engineers, senators, governors, architects, professors and what have you. Don’t be discouraged, you will go places.“Let me tell you, God loves you; for you to be great, you have to go through difficulties. Every human being must pass through difficulties even though it is not God’s design.“We thank God for bringing you back. You will grow into women and join us to move Nigeria forward”, she said.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights,Rep. Edward Pwajok (APC -Plateau), described the kidnapping of the girls as a violent intrusion into their privacy.

    He also described the act as disruption of their educational career while advising them to be steadfast.“When you leave here, don’t allow anybody to deceive youbecause the Federal Government loves you.“Our sister here (Hon. Asaba Vilita), is representing you in the House and we pray that you grow to be like her.

    “The Prime Minister of UK is a woman, the Chancellor of Germany is also a woman, the President of Liberia is also a woman.“So if you do not give up, you can achieve what they have achieved”, he said.

    He also told the girls that the international community wasalso supporting the Nigerian government in its quest to rescue the remaining girls and rout Boko Haram.

    The lawmakers, who spent sometimes with the girls praising and thanking God, also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for securing the abducted girls from captivity.

     

  • N13bn Ikoyi loot: I won’t honour your invitation, CBN Governor, Emefiele tells Reps

    Sequel to his invitation by the House of Representatives Committee On National Security and Intelligence to testify in the ongoing investigation into the $43.4m (N13bn) recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from an apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has said he won’t appear before the committee.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Committee is chaired by Hon. Aminu Sani-Jaji.

    The committee had thrice summoned Emefiele; the suspended Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Dr. Ayo Oke; the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu; and the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.) to testify.

    The third sitting of the committee was Wednesday (yesterday).

    But, like in two previous occasions, all the officials shunned the committee on Wednesday.

    However, Emefiele wrote the lawmakers to say that he did not think it was appropriate for him to come because he would be in breach of the National Security Agencies Act.

    In the letter, which was read out to members by Sani-Jaji, the CBN governor argued that the Act prohibited the disclosure of security information publicly.

    He noted that security information was ‘classified information’, which the law barred him from releasing to the public.

    The CBN governor further argued that a committee chaired by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had already investigated the cash recovery.

    But the lawmakers were enraged and berated Emefiele for acting like ‘someone who lacks the capacity to differentiate between a legislature and the executive arm of government’.

    Sani-Jaji stated, “This CBN governor doesn’t even know that there is something called separation of powers.”

     

  • Reps summon Fashola, Adeosun, others over violation of Procurement Act

    Reps summon Fashola, Adeosun, others over violation of Procurement Act

    The House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement, yesterday, summoned Minister of Power, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Ahmad Ali (retd), and others over their alleged roles in pre-shipment inspection deals bordering on violation of Procurement Act of 2007.

    The lawmakers also invited Director-General of Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Joseph Ari; Managing Director of Cobalt Nigeria Ltd, Mr Darlington Agha, and Managing Director, Trobell Int’l Nig Ltd, Sede Thomas. They are expected to appear before the committee next Tuesday.

    But an attempt by a member of the committee, Kolawole Gabriel, to include former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was resisted by his colleagues, who insisted that the current Minister of Finance has not in any way complained of any inadequacies.

    The lawmakers also expressed displeasure over the failure of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, towards payment of N25 billion into the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme, NESS, accounts.

    Oluwole Oke, chairman and members of the committee had during the second day of the investigative hearing on the “alleged abuse, breach and violation of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 in the engagement of Pre-shipment Inspection Agents, PIAs,” also frowned at the NNPC’s non-remittance of $20 million unspent fund to the Federation Account at the end of the 2016 financial year.

    The lawmakers also queried the failure of the appointed Pre-Inspection Agents, PIAs, to carry out inspection of all export terminals where all exports carried were out by NNPC at the inception of the scheme.

  • 2017 Budget: Reps reject N51.9bn vote for SGF’s office

    2017 Budget: Reps reject N51.9bn vote for SGF’s office

    The House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously opposed the N5.9bn voted for recurrent expenditure under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the SGF, Mr. Babachir David-Lawal, is on suspension over alleged contract infractions.

    Shouts of “no” no” took over the floor as the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, presided over the passage of the 2017 budget.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari recently ordered the immediate suspension of Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Amb. Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of investigation of allegations levelled against them.

    Details soon…

     

  • Reps propose N100, 000 fine for National flag abuse

    Reps propose N100, 000 fine for National flag abuse

    A Bill for a law to provide N100, 000 fine for people who distort the country’s national flag passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

    Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sam Onuigbo (Abia-PDP), in the debate, said the bill sought to amend Flag and Coat of Arms Act 2004 and would make further provisions to preserve the country’s national heritage.

    He said there had been surreptitious effort to change the national flag as many public and private offices constructed the Coat-of Arms on it.

    Onuigbo said that the offices even included official photographs of governors, ministers, and even national assembly members in the designs.

    According to him, it is important to declare that any addition, subtraction or superimposition outside the version designed by Pa Michael Akinkunmi in 1959 is not the Nigerian flag.

    He explained that the bill aimed to amend Section 7 of the principal Act by inserting new paragraphs to provide for stiffer penalties for offenders.

    According to the lawmaker, Section 10 of the principal Act is amended by removing the fine of N100 and replacing same with the sum of N100, 000.

    ‘‘Also any person who flies or exhibits the national flag which is deconstructed, thereby creating an impression of using the national flag, where actually the flag is deconstructed shall be guilty of an offence against the Act.

    ‘‘Similarly, any person who uses the national coat and inserts same into the national flag thereby creating an illegal form of our national flag shall be guilty of an offence against this act,’’ Onuigbo said.

    In his contribution, Rep. Nicholas Ossai (Delta-PDP), condemned the violation of the Act on the national flag by government and corporate organisations.

    Ossai, who described the distortion of the flag as disrespect for the nation, said that violating the Act was an infringement on what the national flag set to achieve.

    Also, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers-PDP) said that there was need to raise the consciousness toward protecting the country’s national pride.

    He advocated stiffer penalty for offenders, saying “it is criminal and the offenders should be adequately punished’’.

  • N13bn recovered loot: Reps set up independent panel to unravel owner

    N13bn recovered loot: Reps set up independent panel to unravel owner

    The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to investigate the ownership of the $43m (over N13bn) uncovered in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the money was recovered during a raid conducted on the building, located at Osborne Road, on April 12.

    Lawmakers said the investigation had become necessary owing to the controversies surrounding the “actual owner” of the cash in the light of the admittance by the National Intelligence Agency, NIA that the money belonged to the agency.

    The motion to investigate the recovery was moved by a member from Edo State, Mr. Babatunde Kolawole.

    He recalled that the cash included “$42m”; “£27,000” and “N23m.”

    Kolawole added that the conflicting ownership accounts of the money had raised suspicion that it might be “proceeds of crime or intended for money laundering or electioneering purposes.”

    In passing the motion, lawmakers noted that though the executive arm of government was already probing the cash recovery, the House would also conduct its own independent investigation into the matter.

    Part of the motion read, “Cognisant of the need for a thorough investigation into the matter in order to ascertain the source of the money, given the claims on its ownership and purpose and also the damaging effects it is having on the anti-corruption drive of the government, the House resolves to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the source and actual ownership of the money and report back in two weeks for further legislative action.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had called for immediate investigations to unravel the owners of the loot and also suspended the Director General of the NIA, following his alleged confession that the agency owes the money.

     

  • Malabu oil deal: Jonathan disgraced us, he must appear before Reps – MEND

    The controversies surrounding the Malabu oil deal maybe far from nearing its end as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Monday supported the decision by the House of Representatives to summon former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before it and give personal accounts of what he knows about the deal.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Chairman, House of Representatives ad-hoc panel probing the contract of Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245, Razak Atunwa, had said his committee will invite former president, Goodluck Jonathan, to assist in the ongoing investigation of the Malabu oil deal.

    Jonathan in a swift reaction, however, dismissed reports that he received the sum of $200m as kickback from the Malabu oil deal, stating that the deal predated the commencement of his administration.

    Reacting to the controversy, MEND, in an online statement issued by its Spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, claimed that ex-President Jonathan received $200 million as kickback from the oil deal.

    The group urged the federal lawmakers to compel Jonathan’s appearance

    It said, “We are compelled by natural justice, equity and good conscience to lend our voice to the most ignoble and despicable role played by the former President in the messy affair which has tainted the image of Nigeria, both locally and internationally.

    “Like millions of Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, who have keenly followed the OPL 245 saga, we have reasonable grounds to suspect that former President Jonathan may have indeed compromised his high office with regard to the matter, more especially, given the fact that key officials of his administration, including the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, have been indicted and charged before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    “We are in full support of moves by the House of Representatives to summon the former President to appear before the House to give answers to the myriad of questions concerning his role in OPL 245 saga.

    “Where he (Jonathan) refuses to honour the invitation, we urge the House to invoke its inherent powers to compel his appearance.”

    The militant group also said it was alarmed by media reports of the planned relocation of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to Lagos from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    It added, “Besides the massive loss of jobs, opportunities, taxes and other incentives, the planned move (by SPDC) will cause in the medium to short term, it is clear to all stakeholders, including the Federal Government, that such a move is ill advised, especially against the backdrop of the recent directive from the federal government to the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to relocate to their areas of operation in the Niger Delta.

    “To be sure, the Niger Delta region is no longer hostile to the business interests of the IOCs, including SPDC, as peace has since returned to the region; following the enervating efforts of MEND, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the various state governments and the federal government. There is therefore no reason whatsoever for SPDC to relocate to Lagos.

    “We use this opportunity to warn that we shall reconsider the unilateral ceasefire of May 30, 2014, if SPDC relocates to Lagos.”

     

  • Supreme Court sacks PDP’s Ezeonwuka as Reps member

    Supreme Court sacks PDP’s Ezeonwuka as Reps member

    The Supreme Court on Friday sacked Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Orumba North/South, Anambra Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

    Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun gave the judgment in an appeal filed against Ezeonwuka’s election by a member of the party, Chief Ben Nwanwko in Abuja on Friday.

    Nwankwo’s name was wrongly substituted with the first respondent (Ezeonwuka) after he had obtained the nomination of the party to contest the National Assembly election.

    Delivering her judgement, Justice Kekere-Ekun said: “Conclusion: having resolved the key issues in favour of the appellant, the appeal succeeds and it is hereby allowed.

    “The judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on June 26, 2016 is hereby set aside for being a nullity having exceeded its jurisdiction by granting relief not sought by the parties before it.

    “This follows that the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on February 20, 2015 was delivered without jurisdiction and it’s a nullity. It is equally set aside.”

    “The Originating Summons filed on Dececember 15, 2014 in FHC/Abj/CS/1013/2014 is hereby struck out’’, she said.

    Justice Kekere-Ekun further held that: “the consequence of the above order is that the parties shall revert to the status quo ante.

    “The existing position before the first respondent (Ezeonwuka) filed a suit at the trial court was that not only was the appellant’s name submitted to INEC for the March 28, 2015 election, he won the election.

    “It was at the point of being issued the Certificate of Return that he was confronted by a letter conveying the order of the trial court stopping that action.

    “In the circumstances, it is herby ordered that the appellant, Chief Ben Nwankwo, being the candidate duly sponsored by the PDP in that election is entitled to be issued with the certificate of return.

    “The second respondent (INEC) is hereby ordered to issue Chief Nwankwo a certificate of return in respect of the National Assembly election held March 28, 2015 forthwith’’, she said.

    The judge further said: “the first respondent (Ezeonwuka) is hereby ordered to vacate the seat of the Orumba North/South Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the National Assembly forthwith’’.

    “It is further ordered that Ezeonwuka shall refund to the National Assembly all monies collected by him by way of salaries and allowances since he took the seat within 90 days.

    “And finally, a fine of N500, 000 is awarded in favour of the appellant against the first respondent’’.