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Tag: senator

  • 2019: El-Rufai, Senators’ misuse of power, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon

    What’s happening (happened) in the Kaduna chapter of the All Progressives Congress, and at the Senate of the National Assembly is what warrants the charge of politics being a dirty game. Whereas it should be otherwise: the politicians, and not politics, are dirty!

    How do you classify the action of Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State in ordering, and allegedly personally supervising the pulling down of a house belonging to Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) because the lawmaker heads a faction of the state APC, which queried and suspended the governor for six months “for anti-party activities”?

    Similarly, how do you justify the sacking of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, as chair of the Northern Senators’ Forum, on the strength of his leading some senators to question the Senate reordering of the sequence of elections for 2019?

    Let’s give the backgrounds to the plots. The Kaduna State APC has been factionalized from the get-go of the government of Governor el-Rufai, first between the governor and his bloc of the party and that of Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), and later between el-Rufai’s group and the camp of Senator Hunkuyi.

    Meaning there are three factions tugging at the heart and soul of the APC in the state. Flowing from this division, accusations and counter-accusations, queries and counter-queries and suspensions and counter-suspensions have taken the place of advancing good governance, and growth of the party in Kaduna.

    The culmination of these political skirmishes was the suspension of Governor el-Rufai by the Senator Hunkuyi APC faction, and el-Rufai’s government’s retaliatory destruction of the lawmaker’s house that served as his group’s secretariat, which opened shop barely a week earlier.

    And what reason was advanced by the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) for the leveling of Hunkuyi’s house? According to the Director General of the Kaduna Geographic Information System (KADGIS), Mr. Ibrahim Husseini, the property was removed for “flagrant violations of land use and non-payment of ground rent since 2010.”

    Why was it so compelling for the KASUPDA to resort to pulling down the property over indebtedness just after its owner, Senator Hunkuyi, chaperoned its APC faction to query and suspend Governor el-Rufai from the party? Why didn’t the agency seek lawful redress in court or, in the worst-case scenario, seal off the property until the ground rent was settled?

    If we are pissed with Governor el-Rufai’s authoritarianism that brooks no impeachment of its absolute power, we should also scoff at the bellipotent display by the Senate, which threatened to deal with the Senator Adamu-headed recalcitrant members for insinuating that the new sequence for the 2019 elections was “directed at an individual.”

    But unlike Governor el-Rufai that shoots from the hip, and doesn’t hide his hand in the cookie jar, the Senate has initiated its “punishment for the disgruntled senators” through a proxy – the Northern Senators’ Forum that Senator Adamu chaired until last Wednesday.

    However, employing the el-Rufai tactic, the senators suddenly remembered that the Adamu executive had “chopped” the N70 million it inherited coming into office. So, if the former governor of Nasarawa State did not accuse the Senate of directing its reordering of the election sequence at checkmating President Muhammadu Buhari’s aspiration for a second term, the forum would bury the “fraud” from public knowledge?

    How about Senator Ali Wakil’s debunking of Adamu’s removal as a collective decision of the Northern Senators, whose letter to the Senate was read by the presiding officer and Senate Deputy President, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, without publicizing the number of signatories and their names? Doesn’t that smell of forgery, perhaps abetted by the Senate?

    To think that in the wake of the destruction of Senator Hunkuyi’s property, the Senate was very vocal in condemning Governor el-Rufai and his APC-led administration’s action, as related by Senator Sani, a professed Nemesis of el-Rufai! This was how Senator Ekweremadu summed up the governor’s exploit at plenary:

    “This is not open to debate. We need to condemn this action. I send my sympathies to Hunkuyi. This democracy has no place for tyranny and impunity. If we decide to go on the road of democracy, we must accept some of the things that come with it. One is the rule of law. If we have any grievances, we should use the courts.”

    A noteworthy and timely admonition, only that the lawmakers sooner fell into the same trap of employing “tyranny and impunity,” which “democracy has no place for.” Wouldn’t this rank them among the hypocrites, whom Jesus describes as those who give alms (Matt 6:1-4), pray (Matt 6:5-6), and fast (Matt 6:16-18) in public “in order that people may see them”?

    Besides, the senators appear to forget the adage: “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” which Wikipedia says meshes well with the Golden Rule, or ethic of reciprocity, often stated as “Do unto others as you wish to be done for you.” (See Matt 7:12; Luke 6:31)

    All said, it’s clear, even to the most apolitical in the society, that the fights in the Kaduna State chapter of the APC, and the shadow-boxing in the Senate have all, and everything to do with the 2019 elections in less than one year away.

    But while pursuing their aspirations, politicians should heed Senator Ekweremadu’s entreaty “not to overheat the polity and imperil our democracy… Our courts can be trusted to deliver justice. We hope this (malicious destruction of property) will not happen again.”

    That’s a word being enough for the wise, and especially for politicians to make politics clean rather than dirty!

     

    * Mr. Ehichioya Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

  • Monkeys invade, cart away N70m in senator’s farm house – Shehu Sani

    Senator representing APC Kaduna Central in the Senate, Shehu Sani on Wednesday explained how and why a fellow senator, Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa-APC) was removed as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.

    Sani said about N70 million belonging to the group was claimed to have been carted away by monkeys in a farmhouse.

    Recall that Adamu’s removal was announced in a letter read by the presiding officer, Ike Ekweremadu, shortly before the end of the plenary on Wednesday.

    The letter signed by the forum’s Public Relations Officer, Dino Melaye, noted that Adamu was removed for ‘financial mismanagement and misadministration.’

    Responding to questions on why the senator was removed, Mr. Sani said the financial mismanagement borders on a N70 million belonging to the forum.

    He said the money was rumoured to have been carted away by monkeys in a farm house.

    In his words: “There are some things some of my colleagues will not say but I’m not used to holding back. When we assumed office, Senator Ahmed Lawan tendered the sum of N70 million to the 8th Senate. That N70 million was money gathered from the 7th Senate. It was handed over to northern senators of 8th Senate. The rumours going round, which I don’t know whether it’s true but I believe other senators know, is the fact that there were allegations that some monkeys raided the farm house of some of the executives of the northern senators forum and carted away some of these money.

    “I think, this country is becoming a huge joke. First of all, it was the rodents that drove away the president and then we now have snakes consuming about N36 million and now we have monkeys raiding farm house. So, they don’t want this to be said but I believe that we should be very clear.”

    He, however, didn’t mention whose farm house it is among the executives.

    Speaking on the change, Dino Melaye said the decision was that of the majority in the forum.

    “All I will just say is simply that the decision of the majority of the Northern Senators Forum is that they want to have a change of leadership. The allegations investigated and found out to be true is that there was financial mismanagement. Monies were spent without the consent of members or the excos. The organisation is becoming moribund and we need to inject some vibrancy in the organisation,” he said.

    He declined to comment on the N70 million allegation.

    The embattled senator also declined to speak on the allegation. He told journalists he would speak at an appropriate time.

  • Senator denies empowering women with gas cooker, frying pan

    …says politicians spreading falsehood about me

    Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Mao Ohunabunwa, has described report that he empowered women in his constituent with frying pan and camp gas as mischievous and deliberate spread of falsehood.

    Senator Ohunabunwa, who spoke through his Special Assistant, Uche Okoli described the report as a distortion of fact and misrepresentation of what happened.

    Okoli said that the senator conducted a skill acquisition training programme in 2017 which was handled by Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN), adding that after the training, each person was equipped with the necessary tools needed in the area of training with a financial support of up to N50,000.

    “Politics of lies and falsehood only makes a mockery of the individuals involved, the picture being peddled around only tells a part of the story.

    “In 2017, the Distinguished Senator Mao Ohuabunwa in line with his commitment to teaching Ndi Abia North to fish instead of giving them fish, embarked on Skill Acquisition Training programme for Abia North Women and Youths in Partnership with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) and part of the skills included making pastries; the beneficiaries chose the skills themselves.

    After the training they were given working tools and grant to start up the business with a firm commitment from Senator Mao Ohuabunwa to facilitate access to SMEs loans as the business grows from subsistent stage to SME,” Okoli said.

    The Senator’s aide further noted that the picture trending on the social media ‘is only an edited part of the story to suit the narrative from the usual suspects to achieve an agenda best known to them’ “

    We are not bothered about the narrative these individuals are pushing, the distinguished senator cannot be distracted, his focus on empowering the people of Abia North is already paying off as these women empowered with these equipment are very grateful and they are already impacting positively to their families.

    Other youths who were also trained in Solar Power and other skills are bringing in results” he added. Okoli added that the second phase of the programme is ongoing. One of the beneficiaries of the skill programme, Mrs Ogechi Nwosu from Isuikwuato local government area said that she makes about N3,000 daily from her pastry business. “

  • 2019: We are planning Buhari’s retirement; Atiku is next president of Nigeria – PDP Senator

    2019: We are planning Buhari’s retirement; Atiku is next president of Nigeria – PDP Senator

    Senator representing PDP/Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce on Sunday said his party (Peoples Democratic Party) was already making a good retirement package for President Muhammadu Buhari while also making preparations to install former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as next President of Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Atiku announced his defection to the opposition, PDP on Sunday after resigning his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, last week.

    Murray-Bruce tweeted from his Twitter handle @benmurraybruce, “Just watched @atiku, the next President of Nigeria,#Atikulately announcing he would return to my party, the @OfficialPDPNig.

    “We in the PDP already have a good retirement package for President @MBuhari. Time to#ChangeTheChange.”

    In his defection speech, the former Vice President said:

    “Some of you may know that I was elected Vice President under the banner of the PDP, which is the political party I had helped to found some ten years before.

    “And some of you may also know that I left the PDP four years ago when I believed it was no longer aligned to the principles of equity, democracy and social justice upon which we had founded it.

    “I joined the APC as I had hoped it would be the new force that would help improve life for our people and I was excited about the party’s manifesto to create three million new jobs a year.

    “The result has not been the change people had been promised or voted for, as in the last two years almost three million Nigerians have lost their jobs.

    “And today with a record 25% of people aged 18-25 unemployed, I can see how difficult it is for our youths to find a job.

  • JUST IN: Senator Muhammad Jibril is dead

    Reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com now has it that Senator Muhammad Kabir Jubril on Tuesday passed on.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Jibril represented Kaduna Central Senatorial district from 2007 – 2011 on the platform of the then ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    Born on 18 May 1958, Jibril attended Ahmadu Bello University in 1984 and later to Nigerian Law School in 1985.

    He served as member of committees on Solid Minerals, Security & Intelligence, Police Affairs, Interior Affairs, Gas and Air Force.

    Prior to election to the senate, he was the National Legal Advisor and National Secretary, North-West Zone for the PDP.

    In July 2009 the Nigerian Senate unanimously passed a bill to establish the National Climate Change Commission, sponsored by Senator Jibril.

    Other bills that Kabiru Jabril sponsored or co-sponsored include National Inland Waterways Authority, Nigeria Police Equipment Commission (Amendment), Legal Practitioners Act (Amendment) 2009, Police Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) 2009, Prison Service Act Repeal and Re-enactment 2009 and Criminal Justice Act (Amendment).

    Details later…

  • Dancing senator, Ademola Adeleke thrills fans with new dance moves

    Watch the dancing senator representing Osun West, Ademola Adeleke thrill his fans in another video, where he recently sang and danced like there is nobody watching during a thanksgiving service in a church.

    Recall that Adeleke made headlines after dancing to celebrate his victory in a video.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCoijQc4S3Y

  • We need to apologise for messing up Rivers youths – Senator-elect, Uchendu

    We need to apologise for messing up Rivers youths – Senator-elect, Uchendu

    Chief Andrew Uchendu, Senator-elect for Rivers East Senatorial District has blamed political leaders in the state for non-empowerment of the youths in education.

    Uchendu said this at a forum organised by the Inter-Ethnic Network for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday in Port Harcourt to celebrate his victory at election tribunal.

    He said that political, traditional and religious leaders in the state did not deserve to be praised for failing to build the youths of the state.

    The senator-elect said that the first administration in Rivers embarked on an aggressive educational development scholarship programme that involved training of youths overseas.

    “Our state provided everything for us in our days; we went to school with scholarship and jobs were available when we graduated from school.

    “Whatever I have been, I am the product of the Rivers society. I have been given every opportunity to grow, to be myself by this same state.

    “From secondary school, I was offered a scholarship, I was given a scholarship to the university and when I graduated after my service, I had about three jobs,” he said.

    Uchendu said that after his graduation from the university, he had training with different government establishments for two months with a hotel accommodation.

    “By the time I finished the two months training in Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, a car was available for me with a driver and a furnished three bedroom apartment.

    “That was the Rivers I was born into but there is nothing near to that today,” he said.

    Uchendu said that the last time such empowerments were given was under the administration of Mr Chibuike Amaechi, now Federal Minister of Transportation.

    He said that Amaechi resurrected the scholarships and overseas education during his administration.

    “Today I am being told that those scholarships have been cancelled and our young boys and girls are loitering the streets of London.

    “These people cannot be proud of coming from Rivers.

    “This is not the state we expect to have, I became GM of Rison Palm at the age of 32, so, what am I trying to infer?

    “We need to apologise to this generation of young men and women; we have messed you up big time; we don’t need to be praised,” he said.

    Uchendu said that he had decided personally to use the mandate given to him by his constituents which were recovered from the court, to identify well-meaning Rivers sons and daughters.

    “So that those mistakes and problems created for them will be reversed now.

    “We should come and rebuild this state so that the youths will have the benefit some of us had in the remaining part of their life,” he said.

    Uchendu said that it was not going to be easy for the youths, and urged them not to carry arms or fight anybody but must stand up and exercise their rights legally.

     

     

    NAN

  • Saraki mourns Sen. Kanti Bello

    The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has expressed grief over the death of former Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Kanti Bello, (72), who passed away on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The deceased, who served in the Senate for two terms represented Katsina North Senatorial District between 2003 and 2011 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, described late Bello as an outspoken and courageous legislator.

    He noted that Bello was always guided by national interest and that of his community in discharging his legislative responsibilities.

    “With the death of Sen. Kanti Bello, the Senate and indeed the National Assembly has lost a reliable adviser.

    ‘’His wise counsel on national issues was always being sought by both the leadership and individual senators.

    “During his stay in the Senate, late Bello was known for his outspokenness, forthrightness and courage in telling the truth to those in power without attaching any partisan, religious or tribal sentiments,’’ he said.

    The President of the Senate said the late lawmaker’s wise counsel, insight and forthrightness would be missed by the Senate, his community and the country at large.

    While sympathising with the immediate family of the deceased his friends, constituents and the government and people of Katsina State, Saraki prayed Almighty Allah to grant his soul eternal rest.

  • ‘You failed us, we’ll recall you in 10 days’, constituents tell Senator Ben Bruce

    ‘You failed us, we’ll recall you in 10 days’, constituents tell Senator Ben Bruce

    Constituents, mainly students, from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, have threatened to recall the Senator representing them in the National Assembly, Mr. Ben Bruce.

    The aggrieved constituents accused the “common sense” senator of neglecting them and having no plans for his constituency, which comprises Nembe, Brass and Ogbia local government areas, Bayelsa State.

    Leaders of student bodies for the three local governments made their grievances known Tuesday in a statement.

    The statement was signed by Samuel Tari (Nembe), Ambrose Joseph (Brass) and Mark John (Ogbia).

    They lamented that the senator was not in good relationship with his people and had continued to shy away from his constitutional responsibilities.

    They cried out that the senator was donating relief materials to people in other states when his constituents were wallowing in poverty with many students unable to pay their fees.

    Besides, they said since he was elected, Bruce had not visited his people.

    They said: “Since Bruce became a senator, he has failed to look into the basic needs and challenges currently bedeviling the East Senatorial District, such as education, as most of our students cannot access good quality education.

    “He has failed to attract a single project to the district in terms of infrastructures, roads and others. He has continuously and deliberately ignored efforts by the people to create a working relationship that will bring out purposeful leadership for our people.

    “He is yet to fulfil any of his campaign promises; painfully, he is an Abuja-based senator. He refuses to visit his constituency, except only once when he visited his hometown and couldn’t even stay for up to four hours.

    “Sincerely, we are tired, other places are enjoying the benefits that come from having a national representative. Our case has been a curse rather than a blessing. We are just like a district without a senator. This is why we are intended to change that narrative”.

    The student leaders gave the senator a 10-day ultimatum, to amend his ways or face consistent protest and the recall process.

    They asked the senator to organise a town hall meeting with his constituents and take out time to tour his constituency.

    “We are, hereby, giving him an ultimatum of 10 days, starting from 21st August. If he fails to meet with us, we shall take our protest to the National Assembly.

    “We will mobilise all the students, our mothers and our fathers. We will initiate his recall process. Our people deserve a better treatment from him. We request to have a town hall meeting.”

     

  • ‘I trained Davido’ Says Senator Ademola Adeleke [Video]

    Dancing, according to the senator representing Osun West senatorial district, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, is merely a form of exercise.

    Adeleke who disclosed this in an interview with the Special Assistant to the Senate President on new media, Mr. Bankole Omisore, said dancing, entertainment was a gift to his family, the Adelekes’ while stressing that he trained, transferred some of his talents to his kids, B-B-Red, Shina Rambo and nephew, popular singer, Davido.

    The ‘dancing-senator’, whose triumphant dance triggered a viral conversation on the internet recently, had his educational background in Law; specialised in Enforcement and Criminology, but achieved most of his exploits in life as a businessman and a politician.