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Tag: Speaker

  • Rivers: Factional Speaker claims Fubara planning to demolish residential quarters

    Rivers: Factional Speaker claims Fubara planning to demolish residential quarters

    Mr Martin Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor 1), the factional Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, has accused Gov. Siminialayi Fubara of planning to demolish the residential quarters of members of the State House of Assembly.

    Amaewhule made the remark on Friday in Port Harcourt while reacting to the governor’s recent visit to the quarters.

    Fubara had told newsmen during the visit that he wanted to ascertain the state of the facility for possible rehabilitation.

    Amaewhule described the visit as ‘unannounced and an invasion’ on the residential premises of Rivers assemblymen.

    ”His plan is to demolish the quarters the way he did to some parts of the state assembly complex in 2023,” he said.

    The factional speaker said that the governor’s move was purely political because the Rivers assembly residential quarters was still the best in the country.

    ”The residential houses were built by the administration of former Gov. Nyesom Wike in 2022.

    ”There’s nothing wrong with the buildings. They are in perfect condition. We have not called on the governor for any form of help.

    “The governor’s undue interference is one that is unbecoming of a sitting governor who is supposed to uphold the sanctity of the law,” he said

    Amaewhule further accused Fubara of always carrying out actions that were against democratic norms and principles.

    ”His actions show that he had declared war on all politically elected people in the state,” he said.

    Efforts to obtain the state government’s response to the accusations proved abortive as neither the governor nor the information commissioner was ready to react.

  • Ex-Edo speaker resigns from PDP

    Ex-Edo speaker resigns from PDP

    Mr Francis Okiye, a former Speaker of Edo House of Assembly on Friday resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Okiye said this in a letter addressed to Ward three PDP Chairman, Arue-Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo on Friday in Benin.

    “l write to officially inform you of my withdrawal of membership of the People Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.

    “This decision is stemmed from the alienation of majority of my constituents and supporters by the state government under Gov. Godwin Obaseki from activities and programmes of the party and government of the state.

    “As if that is not enough, the party’s candidate has declared that he will continue in the governor’s principle should he win the September election, other reasons are those personal to me.

    “On behalf of my family and supporters, l thank you and others for the opportunity given me to serve while in the Party,” he said.

  • Rivers Crisis: Governor Fubara’s loyalists elect Oko-Jumbo as Speaker

    Rivers Crisis: Governor Fubara’s loyalists elect Oko-Jumbo as Speaker

    The political crisis in the oil rich state of Rivers is far from over as some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara have elected the member representing Bonny constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo, as their Speaker.

    Oko-Jumbo, who is said to be the new speaker for the entire 32-member Assembly, was said to be elected at 10am during plenary on Wednesday, in line with the Standing Order of the House.

    Findings show that Oko-Jumbo was one of the four lawmakers loyal to Fubara in the wake of the political crisis in the state.

    They had at the time of the crisis elected Edison Ehie as the speaker but the latter later resigned from the State Assembly, and was appointed the Chief of Staff to the Governor.

    As at the time of filing this report it wasn’t clear  how many lawmakers were present during the plenary that produced Oko-Jumbo as speaker.

    Oko-Jumbo was led to the plenary with the original mace of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Sergeant-at-Arms, David Wariboko, who managed the last sitting of the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly in the same position.

    However, Oko-Jumbo in his acceptance speech thanked the members for electing him as the new Speaker sequel to the resignation of the former Speaker, Edison Ehie.

    He called on the Executive and the Judiciary, as well as the public to disregard every law purportedly enacted by the Amaewhule-led Assembly, describing it as an exercise in futility.

    “You will agree with me that after the House last sat on the 13th of December, 2023, and adjourned sine dine, there has been an avalanche of legislative rascality perpetrated by the 25 former members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule.

    “These former members, being fully aware of the provisions of Section 109(1)(g) of the CFRN 1999, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Party (APC) on the 11th of December, 2023.

    “Consequently, the Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie-led Assembly, on the 13th of December, 2023, wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaring the seats of the 25 lawmakers vacant in line with Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the CFRN 1999.

    “My distinguished colleagues, there are a plethora of cases pending in our courts further to the defection of the former lawmakers,” he said.

    “All laws, plenary sessions and actions taken by the illegal House members are hereby declared void and a nullity in the eyes of the law by virtue of the judgment of Lord Denning in the celebrated case of MacFoy v UAC (1961) 3 All ER 1169.” Oko-Jumbo emphasised.

    He said, “Furthermore, this House would want to most respectfully urge and call on His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, DSSRS, to desist forthwith from further dealings with the 25 former lawmakers, in whatever guise.

    “Those members are merely floating and do not have any landing ground or anywhere to berth their ship since their defection to the All Progressives Congress on the 11th of December, 2023.

    “This House is the legally and constitutionally recognised House of Assembly by virtue of the defection of the other members, and is ready to receive correspondences from and work with His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. Distinguished colleagues, let me thank you once again.

    “I know I can count on your unalloyed and unwavering support as we work with His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in moving our dear Rivers State forward in promoting the progress and welfare of the State.”

  • Speaker mourns Second Republic lawmaker, Sidi Ali

    Speaker mourns Second Republic lawmaker, Sidi Ali

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has described as painful, the death of a member of the federal legislature in the Second Republic, Alhaji Sidi Ali.

    Ali, a veteran journalist and ex-lawmaker, died on Thursday at the age of 86.

    Speaker Abbas, in his condolence message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, said the late Ali was a good ambassador of the National Assembly until his death.

    He also described the late Ali as one of the brilliant minds from the Northern part of Nigeria.

    The Speaker, while commiserating with the late Sidi Ali’s family, the people and government of Kano State, prayed Allah to grant him Jannatul Firdaus.

  • Projects delivery in NASS as Senate, Reps move to main chambers next week

    Projects delivery in NASS as Senate, Reps move to main chambers next week

    As promised last month by Visible Construction Company Nigeria Limited, handling the renovation work of both chambers of the National Assembly , plenaries are to commence there by both the Senate and House of Representatives from 23rd of this month.

    Confirmation on the planned movement to the main chamber , was contained in a written announcement made by the Chairman , House Committee on Media and Public Affairs , Hon Akin Rotimi Jr, to 359 other Honourable members penultimate week .

     

    The House spokesman in the official announcement dated 4th April , 2024, cited the need to resume plenary at the renovated and reconfigured main chamber , as reason for the postponement in line with the general wish of the members .

    The Spokesman in the announcement said :
    “The House of Representatives wishes to inform the public and stakeholders of the rescheduling of the resumption date from the ongoing recess, originally slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, to Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

    “This adjustment is necessary to accommodate the completion of renovations to the main chamber of the House of Representatives to ensure its readiness for plenary sessions, henceforth.”

    Two days after , the Clerk to the Senate , Barrister Chinedu Akabueze also issued a statement , postponing resumption of Plenary by the Senate from April 16, 2024 to April 23, 2024.

    Akabueze ‘s statement reads in part : ” Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption of the plenary sitting of the Senate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, 16th April 2024, has been postponed to Tuesday 23rd April 2024″ .

     

    It could be recalled that ahead of the projects delivery , the site Engineer of Visible Construction , Tajudeen Olanipekun , had early last month informed journalists covering the Senate , that the two main chambers , would be ready for use by both the Senate and the House of Representatives in April this year .

    Engineer Olanipekun’s assurance on delivery of the fully transformed and reconfigured Hallowed Chambers to management of the National Assembly, coincided with call by the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio, to the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal that both the Senate and the House of Representatives , want to move to their main chambers as soon as possible after close to two years of using temporary ones .

    In carrying out the subtle marching order , the Construction firm in the last five weeks , has carried out the required finishings on
    the upgraded and reconfigured hallowed chambers fixed with State – of – art chairs, parliamentary equipments , appliances and extended sitting terraces.

    Physically , the entire ambience of the space in and around the Hallowed Chambers have been transformed , just as barricades used to restrict movements at the foyer , have been removed .

     

    The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) had in March 2021, awarded a N30 billion renovation contract to Visible Construction Limited to rehabilitate critical segments of the National Assembly complex, which are almost completed now.

    Some of the critical segments are the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the Senators and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, watertightness of the roof of the complex , the cooling system, replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing among others

  • Speaker Abbas drags ex-Kaduna lawmaker to court

    Speaker Abbas drags ex-Kaduna lawmaker to court

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajudeen, has filed a direct criminal complaint against Suleman Wakili, former member, Kaduna State House of Assembly before a Magistrates’ Court No. 6 sitting at Chediya, GRA Zaria.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday in Zaria, Mr. M.I. Aliyu, counsel to the complainant, sought for adjournment to enable the representative of the speaker to appear in court.

    Mr. A.Y. Mohammed, counsel to the defendant, did not object to the application for adjournment.

    However, the presiding Magistrate, Mr Ibrahim-Adamu Salisu, adjourned the case until April 16 for continuation of hearing.

    The criminal complaint was pursuant to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law and was hinged on the alleged injurious falsehood and defamation of character

    The alleged offenses were contrary to the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017.

    The speaker instituted the case through his Legislative Aide, Alhaji Aliyu Waziri, on Jan. 9, 2023.

    He alleged that sometimes in November 2022 or thereabout, the defendant published on a social medium in Hausa Language (his Facebook page), series of injurious and blatant false statements with the knowledge that the publication would harm the reputation and integrity of Abbas Tajudeen.

    He added that the publication had tarnished the hard-earned image of Abbas Tajudeen, who is the member representing Zaria Federal Constituency and Speaker House of Representatives.

  • Why we impeached Oluomo – Ogun lawmaker

    Why we impeached Oluomo – Ogun lawmaker

    The lawmaker representing Obafemi Owode Constituency, Hon Oludaisi Elemide has revealed what led to the impeachment of the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Kunle Oluomo.

    Oluomo was impeached on Tuesday, with Hon Oludaisi Elemide appointed as the new Speaker in his place.

    According to the lawmaker, Oluomo lied that the governor, Dapo Abiodun, was not giving the House any money.

    Kayode said members found out that the Speaker was not informing them that the governor had been giving them money.

    “We never wanted him, but the leadership of the party thought he was a former Speaker, so we should allow him to continue as a Speaker. We all agreed as faithful party persons.

    “Now the situation is: Oluomo will go everywhere; he will come to us as members and tell us the governor has not approved for us any money, the governor has not given us any money, and that we should manage.

    “We keep managing. We later found out that the governor had been giving us money. He takes a memo to the governor, the governor gives him money, and he comes back to tell us he did not give him any money.

    “Let me give you a good example of this: the quarters allowance. When we came back, the governor gave us money for renovation. Oluomo took the remaining one and embezzled it.

    “Now, 18 of us came together and said we cannot be the same. How can we manage our future? He keeps inciting members against each other. This is so bad we cannot take it anymore.

    “We have now changed the leadership of the House. The House is now under the leadership of Hon Elemide and we remain the same. He (Oluomo) should go and clear his name with the EFCC, he said.”

  • Judiciary must give justice to NASS, House Plateau Lawmakers – Ex-Speaker Manswat

    Judiciary must give justice to NASS, House Plateau Lawmakers – Ex-Speaker Manswat

    Ex-Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon Istifanus Mawnsat has asked the judiciary to serve justice to the members of the Plateau State House of Assembly and the National Assembly who were unjustly removed from their seats by the Court of Appeal.

    Speaking in an interview following the judgment of the Supreme Court that faulted the Court of Appeal’s judgment, Mr Mawnsat said it was incumbent on the judiciary to give justice to the expelled lawmakers given the pronouncement of the Supreme Court that a great act of injustice had been done them.

    He said:

    “Given the doctrine that where there is injustice, there should be a remedy, I think that the ultimate thing that those who were unjustly removed need to do is to confirm from the courts what is the remedy for the injustice meted on them.

    “The injustice meted out on them at the lower courts is not our statement, it is the statement of the Supreme court because going by the letters and statement and wordings of Justice Okoro he did agree that his worry, regret and concern is that for those who were unjustly relieved of their positions by the miscarriage of justice at the lower courts.

    “It is a confirmation that there was injustice. The bench and the bar ultimately desire to give justice.

    “Since it has been established that there was injustice at the lower courts, in this case, in the appeal court, the question is what is the remedy?

    “Because when you don’t have a remedy for an injustice it means that justice has not been served.”

    Noting the irony of people who were rejected in the polls taking over as representatives of the people in the legislature, he said:

    “The Senatorial Election in the Southern Zone, PDP won in five local governments, APC won in one. There are 33 electoral wards, PDP won in 32, APC won in one. So, what is the moral justification for a person who won in one out of 33 wards to come and stand before you as somebody representing you. The question people will ask is who are you?”

     

  • Speaker Abbas seeks US assistance for Nigeria on security, anti-corruption

    Speaker Abbas seeks US assistance for Nigeria on security, anti-corruption

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has urged the United States Government to assist Nigeria in tackling insecurity and corruption.

    Speaker Abbas warned that the failure of Nigeria, the most populous black nation in the world, could have a global impact.

    The Speaker made the call in Abuja on Tuesday when a delegation from the US Embassy in Nigeria, led by the Chargé d’Affaires, Mr David Greene, visited him.

    Speaker Abbas described the US as the “strongest economic partner of Nigeria for a very long time.” He also said Nigeria is one of the few countries in Africa that have adopted the American style of democracy, noting that Nigeria-America’s relationship is strategic.

    The Speaker said: “It may interest you to know that in furtherance of our resolve to deepen democracy within the 10th National Assembly, we saw it expedient at the beginning of our inauguration to come up with parliamentary friendship groups, of which America happens to be the number one country that we identified that our legislators need to actually partner and collaborate with so that we can share ideas and learn from each other.”

    Speaker Abbas added that the idea was to strengthen the values of both countries and benefit from the experiences of each other, especially from parliamentary perspective.

    He said: “We are looking forward to further collaborate with your country. We also want to express our profound gratitude to your country for all the support that you have been giving to Nigeria, through your development partners and agencies that have been in Nigeria for a very long time, extending their humanitarian assistance in different ways.

    “You know where Nigeria is today. We are bedevilled by lots of insecurity. We are asking you to continue to look inward and see how you can support Nigeria in our various wars against corruption, banditry, Boko Haram and many others. Not that we don’t appreciate what you have been doing, but we believe that you can do more.

    “Nigeria, being the most populous country in Africa; if we can get Nigeria to be on the right path, I assure you that Africa will have a better perspective, and there will be a better future for the continent. If we get it right, America will get it right. If we get it right, the whole world will get it right. If we fail, the consequences of our failure will also extend to all parts of the world.”

    Earlier, the Chargé d’Affaires commiserated with the Speaker on the recent accidental bombing of civilians by the military in Tudun Biri community of Kaduna State, saying, “We’re very sad to see what happened.”

    Greene said: “…with the recent events in Kaduna, I want to extend my condolences on the tragedy that occurred…”

    The Chargé d’Affaires said the meeting with the Speaker was requested due to the fact that the US and Nigeria share many things in common.

    “One thing that we share is that we are two great Federal Republics that believe in the democratic process and the importance of representative government,” he said, while noting that the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives share similar patterns with the American parliament.

    Greene added: “So, when it comes to deepening the US-Nigeria ties, it is very important for me to meet with you…to talk about the issues that concern both the United States and Nigeria, and how we can cooperate and work together.”

    Signed:
    Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Kaduna bombing: Deputy Senate President sues for calm, joins calls for thorough probe

    Kaduna bombing: Deputy Senate President sues for calm, joins calls for thorough probe

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the recent bombing mishap in a village at Tundun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    Describing the incident as unfortunate, Senator Barau also joined calls for a thorough investigation into the incident as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    While urging the security forces to thoroughly scrutinize the matter, he appealed to the relatives of the victims and good people of Kaduna State to remain calm.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser, Media, and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir,
    beseeched Allah to grant the victims Jannatul Firdaus and provide their families the strength to bear the irreparable loss.

    “In this trying time, I stand in solidarity with the affected families and the entire community. I assure them of my commitment to supporting efforts that will prevent the recurrence of such incidents. I pray for a smooth recovery of the injured who are currently undergoing medical treatment,” he said.

    Media Office of the Deputy President of the Senate.

    6/12/2023