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Tag: Speaker

  • Anxiety, fears in Ekiti as policemen take over Assembly complex

    Anxiety, fears in Ekiti as policemen take over Assembly complex

    The Ekiti state House of Assembly complex was on Wednesday morning taken over by the men of the  Nigerian Police following a tip-off for a planned invasion of the secretariat.

    Recall that the Ekiti Assembly recently elected Gboyega Aribisogan, as the new Speaker following the death of the former speaker.

    The police operatives were stationed at strategic locations in the Assembly complex to prevent the purported invasion and breakdown of laws and order at the complex.

    Some staff of the Assembly, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that there was an order from the State Police Headquarters that workers should vacate the complex in view of an alleged plot by some people to attack the House of Assembly.

    However, the newly elected speaker, Aribisogan, told pressmen that there was no crisis in the Assembly.

    He said “The leadership of the police command in Ekiti informed us this morning that they had verifiable intelligence about some hoodlums coming to attack the Assembly complex, hence the need for their presence. They have promised to conduct an investigation into the matter and report to us before the close of work today.

    “I want to encourage my colleagues and staff of the Assembly to be patient and bear with us, normalcy will soon return to the House,” Aribisogan said.

    In his reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said the law enforcement agents took prompt action by placing restrictions to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

    Abutu, who urged the public not to entertain any fear, said, “We acted on the security alert we received that some people were planning to invade the Assembly and we owe it a duty to safeguard the lives of the people and public utilities.

    “We can’t wait or tarry and allow the lives of the staff of the Assembly to be threatened by any means. So, we took proactive measures by deploying our men there to secure the assembly complex. No cause for alarm, we are on top of the situation,” the police spokesperson said.

  • Ekiti State: Assembly declares Seven days mourning over Speaker’s death

    Ekiti State: Assembly declares Seven days mourning over Speaker’s death

    The chairman House Committee on media, Mrs Yemisi Ayokunle noted via a statement signed and released by her that the flag in the Assembly complex would be flown at half mast during the period.
    Mrs Ayokunle, who described the late Speaker as an embodiment of courage, excellence and a highly committed man to public service, maintained that Mr Afuye will be greatly missed.

    According to the statement, the Speaker died on Wednesday evening during a brief illness at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, at the age of 66.

  • 2023: Lagos assembly member denies plotting against Obasa

    2023: Lagos assembly member denies plotting against Obasa

    A legislator, Mr. Gholahan Yishawu, says he not only wants the Lagos Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, to be re-elected in his constituency in 2023, but also wants him to again lead the 10th Assembly in the State.

    Yishawu, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Eti-Osa 02 state constituency, made this known during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday.

    The lawmaker, who is Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Planning, denied an allegation that he was part of a plot to stop Obasa from leading the house again after the present ninth Assembly.

    He said that the number of terms a person could serve as speaker was not limited, and the more experienced the person, the better he would deliver on the job for the benefit of the people.

    Yishawu said he maintained a good relationship with the speaker and aligned with his good agenda to move the assembly and the state forward.

    “I support his re-election in the 2023 general elections and as speaker in the next 10th assembly because of his leadership skills.

    “I will continue to support the vision of Mr. Speaker to fast-track the success of the House and the development of our dear state,” he said.

    The lawmaker advised all members of APC to disregard rumours deliberately instigated to cause misunderstanding among leaders and members of the party.

    He said his primary duty was his legislative responsibilities and activities targeted at improving the lives and welfare of his constituents, which he had been doing.

    Yishawu said that the attention of every member of the party should be on preparations for the forthcoming elections.

    He said that they must be focused on ensuring victory for Sen. Bola Tinubu in the presidential election.

    Yishawu said attention should also be on achieving victory for the APC candidates in the Governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and the House of Assembly elections.

  • BREAKING: Ekiti Assembly Speaker, Afuye is dead

    BREAKING: Ekiti Assembly Speaker, Afuye is dead

    The Speaker of the Ekiti House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye is dead.

    Afuye, who represents Ikere constituency 1, died on Wednesday evening at 66 after a brief illness.

    Afuye appeared at the inauguration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, on Sunday and was said to have also attended plenary on Tuesday before the sudden turn of events on Wednesday.

    The late Assembly Speaker served as Commissioner for Information during the first term of former Governor Kayode Fayemi between 2010 and 2014.

    Details to follow…

  • 2023 Elections: Speaker, three others decamp to PDP in Sokoto

    Alhaji Aminu Achida, the Speaker of Sokoto State House of Assembly and three gubernatorial aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

    The four decampees were received by the Delta state Governor and  PDP’s vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa at the party secretariat in Sokoto state.

    The gubernatorial aspirants who decamped to the PDP are former Minister of Sports Yusuf Suleiman, Alhaji Abubakar Gumbi and serving Rep. Balarabe Salame.

    Some of the personalities who defected alongside included Rep. Yusuf Kurdula, Sen. Bello Gada, state Assemblyman Murtala Maigona, serving National Commissioner in the Public Complaints Commission and Sen. Jibril Gada.

    Speaking after receiving the decampees , Okowa said that the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has the quality and knowledge to solve the country’s numerous challenges.

    “Our party is working judiciously to salvage the country from its current challenges of insecurity and other numerous challenges.

    “Atiku is the man to take Nigeria out of its present stage, as such our country of tomorrow needs every one in the struggle by PDP,” he said.

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State expressed happiness over the acceptance of the defectors to join the PDP in the state.

    “Today you are all retuning home. I am happy that all of you are satisfied and convinced with the PDP leadership in Sokoto and Nigeria,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Sokoto state Governor, Tambuwal further described Atiku and Okowa as true nationalists with passion for Nigeria’s prosperity, saying their combination will yield the right leadership needed for the country.

    Earlier, the PDP National Chairman, Mr Iyorchia Ayu, said the party was witnessing favourable signal ahead of its victory in the 2023 general elections.

    Ayu, represented by Amb. Umar Damagum, said that PDP has come to be in Sokoto and Nigeria

    “This development is an indication that we are true democrats with vision. Our unity, resilience and strength demonstrates the party’s capacity to deliver to Nigerians what their yearnings are,” he said. (NAN)

  • Benue speaker emerges PDP guber candidate

    Benue speaker emerges PDP guber candidate

    The speaker of Benue House of Assembly, Mr Titus Uba, has picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the state governorship election in 2023.

    The Returning Officer for the primaries, Mr Bode Ojomu said this when he announced the result of the election on Wednesday in Makurdi.

    Ojomu said that Uba scored 731 out of the 851 votes at the event, adding that the deputy governor, Benson Abounu placed second with 81 votes, while Prof. Dennis Ityavyar got two votes to take the third position.

    Reacting, Uba described his victory as an act of God.

    He appreciated some aspirants, who stepped down for him, saying the action as a sign of comradeship.

    “My challenge now is how to move both the party and the state forward but with the support of PDP members we will be able to achieve great things for the party and state,” Uba said.

    He thanked Abounu for showing him immense love in spite of the fact that they were aspiring for the same position.

    Also speaking, Gov. Samuel Ortom, attributed Uba’s victory to God.

    “A man cannot get anything unless given to him by God. God has done it and we return all the glory to Him.

    “This victory is not Uba’s victory, neither is it mine but it is victory for Benue and PDP,” Ortom said.

    He pledged to give Uba the needed support to enable him succeed, saying that PDP would work to retain the state in 2023 general elections.

    He lauded the electoral process, saying it was free, fair, credible and transparent.

  • BREAKING: Court sends Fmr speaker Dogara packing from HoR

    BREAKING: Court sends Fmr speaker Dogara packing from HoR

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fired Yakubu Dogara from the House of Representatives and declared his seat vacant.

    The former soeako, who represents Bogoro/Dass Federal constituency of Bauchi State, was the Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019.

    The judge, D.U. Okorowo, on Friday, ruled that Mr Dogara’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was wrong and meant he should vacate the legislative seat.

    Dogara defected to the APC after winning his re-election under the PDP in 2019

    His frosty relationship with his state governor, Bala Mohammed, was one of the main reasons he ditched the PDP which he joined less than five years ago.

    Details soon…

  • Defection: We are not aware of court judgment sacking us – C’River Speaker

    Defection: We are not aware of court judgment sacking us – C’River Speaker

    The Speaker, Cross River House of Assembly, Mr Eteng Jonah-Williams, has said that he is not aware of any court judgment sacking him or any member of the house.

    Jonah-Williams disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Calabar on Monday.

    He said the affected members had not been served with any court order.

    “As far as I am concerned, I am not aware of any court judgment sacking me or any member because we have not been served with any court order as we speak,” he said.

    Recall that a Federal High Court in Abuja has declared the seats of 20 lawmakers from Cross River vacant over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo dismissed the defence argument that PDP (plaintiff) had no locus standi to institute the case.

    Meanwhile, Mr Francis Ovat (PDP), representing Obubra 2 State Constituency, has hailed the judgment as sound.

    “If you are elected into a political party and you hold the people’s mandate, it is wrong for you to jump from one party to the other.

    “Elected officials should learn to stay in one party.

    “If there is any rancour or crisis in their party, they should stay in the party and resolve it.

    “Jumping from one party to the other kills democracy.

    “The judgment is a good one and it came right on time,” Ovat said.

  • Constitution Review: Committee recommends immunity for Senate President, Speaker, others

    Constitution Review: Committee recommends immunity for Senate President, Speaker, others

    The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Reviews has recommended immunity clause for Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Reps and heads of judiciary.
    This is contained in the report of the constitution amendment Bill that was presented before the House by Rep. Ahmed Wase, the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee on Wednesday in Abuja.
    In the reports presented by Wase, the committee recommended immunity for presiding officers of the legislature and judiciary.
    Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the Spokesperson for the House further alluded to this while briefing newsmen, adding that since the executive is enjoying immunity, the legislative should also enjoy it.
    He also added that the legislative should be part of security council so that they could be part of the decision making because they pass bills and move motion to that effect
    Rep. Segun Odebunmi(APC-Oyo) sponsored the Bill titled “An Act to alter section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to extend immunity to cover presiding officers of the legislative institutions.”
    Newsmen reports that the committee had earlier stepped down the bill during the meeting between the committee and consultants.
    Newsmen report that several lawmakers in the committee also spoke against the bill during the meeting.
    Mr Abdulhamid Mohammed, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is one of the consultants working with the committee, opposed the immunity clause in the bill.
    “It is really unconventional all over the world for judicial officers and presiding officers to have immunity, this is self-serving from the angle of morality.
    According to him, there could be a conflict of interest if the immunity is now extended to judicial officers and that you need to go to the judiciary to seek leave to sue the officers concerned.
    “You are now going to apply before the judicial officers because these are courts of competent jurisdiction.
    In all, the Committee recommended 68 bills to the House for consideration.
  • I am the frontrunner of Delta State 2023 gubernatorial election- Oborevwori

    I am the frontrunner of Delta State 2023 gubernatorial election- Oborevwori

    Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has said he is a frontrunner in contesting the State governorship election in the 2023 general elections.

    The Speaker who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Dennis Otu, commended Deltans for their massive support for his gubernatorial race.

    He berated a faceless author circulating a mischievous and malicious publication on his political aspiration.

    Oborevwori asserted that he is still contesting the State governorship election in the 2023 general elections.

    At no time have I been invited by any anti-graft agency for questioning of fraud-related issues

    According to the malicious publication, he has been persuaded to step down to pave way for a better aspirant to pick the governorship ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”

    The Speaker noted that the evil machination of the author is to deliberately promote falsehood and deceive Deltans.

    “However, Deltans are wiser and cannot fall for such cheap blackmail,” he opined.

    Oborevwori called on Deltans to ignore the wicked publication purporting that he has stepped down from the race, saying “politics should be issue-based and not attack personalities”.

    The Speaker further said that at no time has he been invited by any anti-graft agency for questioning of fraud-related issues.