Monday, November 18

Legislature

PDP Govs Set To Meet Today, Reps Caucus Clamour For Secondus Resignation
9Aug By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Legislature, News, Nigeria

PDP Govs Set To Meet Today, Reps Caucus Clamour For Secondus Resignation

Members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have called for the immediate resignation of the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus, to prevent it from collapse. This was part of a two-point resolution arrived at after a virtual meeting of the caucus in Abuja, on Saturday. It was contained in a document titled, “Resolutions reached at an online meeting of the PDP caucus of the House of Representatives on Saturday, 7th august, 2021 in respect of current concerns over party leadership, according to Punch. The document was signed by the Leader and Deputy Leader of the caucus, Kingsley Chinda, Chukwuka Onyema, respectively. It read in part, “Members of the PDP House of Reps Caucus met and deliberated extensivel...
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Hushpuppi: Reps Consider Reviewing Abba Kyari’s Honour
8Aug By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Legislature, News, Nigeria

Hushpuppi: Reps Consider Reviewing Abba Kyari’s Honour

The House of Representatives has plans are not yet in motion to strip the suspended commander of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, of the honour conferred on him util he is proven guilty of the allegations brought against him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. Kyari has been suspended by the Police Service Commission on the recommendation of the IGP, Usman Baba, pending his investigation by Nigeria’s police authorities. Recall that the House had on June 11, 2020, honoured Kyari for his exceptional service to the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria. The invitation and honour followed a motion moved by the member representing Chibok Federal Constituency in Borno State, Ahmad Jaha, two days earlier. Kyari, a Deputy C...
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Reps Set To Deny President Buhari Sole Power To Appoint, Sack Service Chiefs
8Aug By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Armed Forces, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Reps Set To Deny President Buhari Sole Power To Appoint, Sack Service Chiefs

The House of Representatives is undergoing the amendment to the Armed Forces Act 2004 which will strip the President of the exclusive right to appoint, remove and elongate the tenures of service chiefs. The amendment seeks to empower the Armed Forces Council to determine the qualification. This is being proposed in the legislation titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Foster Collaboration between the Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies in the Provision of National Security and Establish the Armed Forces Human Rights Unit to Provide a Reporting Channel for Civilians Whose Human Rights Are Violated by Members of Armed Forces.’ It was one of the eight bills passed for second reading on July 14, 2021, which w...
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Senate Indicts Accountant-General For Illegally Withdrawing N665billion From Federal Account
29Jul By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Finance, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Senate Indicts Accountant-General For Illegally Withdrawing N665billion From Federal Account

The Nigerian Senate has accused the office of the Accountant General of the Federal of illegally withdrawing N665.8billion from the Development of Natural Resources Fund and Stabilization Funds and issuing as loans to various government agencies. The upper legislative chamber said the money was withdrawn between 2004 and 2015 contrary to the established objectives of the fund. The revelation is contained in the report of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts on the Federation Account. The committee had been investigating expenditures of federal government agencies from 2015-2018 based on an audit report by the Auditor-General for the Federation. The panel presented the report of its six-month investigation on the Federation Account for the year 2015, which was approved by the...
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Both Christian, Muslim Schools Being Raided – Presidency Fires Back Bishop Kukah
19Jul By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Legislature, News, Nigeria, Religion, Security

Both Christian, Muslim Schools Being Raided – Presidency Fires Back Bishop Kukah

The presidency has countered Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah over his recent statement while addressing the United States Congress on the state of insecurity in Nigeria. The presidency alleged that the cleric was spreading falsehood with the intent to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Recall that Kukah had in the remote presentation before American parliament faulted Buhari’s approach towards tackling insecurity in Nigeria. He indicted Buhari for nepotism in key appointments and lopsided appointments in favour of Muslims over Christians. Reacting to the development, the presidency in a statement by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said Kukah was doing his “best to sow discord and strife among Nigerians” as 234 muslim pupils were still in ...
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Reps Approve $8b, €490m Loan Requests By Buhari
17Jul By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments
Legislature, News, Nigeria

Reps Approve $8b, €490m Loan Requests By Buhari

The House of Representatives yesterday gave the nod for President Muhammadu Buhari to take a loan of   $8,325,526,537 as requested by him. The House also approved a separate €490 million loan request by him. The approvals came under the  2018 – 2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan of the Federal Government. The loan approval followed the consideration of the interim report of the Committee on Aids, Loans, and Debt Management on the Proposed 2018-2020 external borrowing (Rolling) plan and the approval of the recommendations therein. The report was submitted by the committee chairman, Hon Ahmed Dayyabu Safana. The funding agencies according to the report are World Bank (WB) $796,000,000; China EXIM Bank $2,901,026,509; Industrial Commercial Bank of China $2,484,555,304...
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Senate Explains Onochie’s Rejection as INEC Commissioner
13Jul By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Elections, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Senate Explains Onochie’s Rejection as INEC Commissioner

The Senate has explained its rejection of Lauretta Onochie, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, as an Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, commissioner. The red chamber said the decision was informed by Onochie’s partisanship and breach of the federal character principle. This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate, titled Senate confirms five nominees as INEC Commissioners, rejects Lauretta Onochie’. Several Nigerians had reacted to Onochie’s nomination, noting that she was too attached to the Buhari administration to be an INEC commissioner. According to the statement, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South), said the committee also received several petit...
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Reps Seek to Make President, Govs Vacate Seats After Defection
11Jul By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments
Elections, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Reps Seek to Make President, Govs Vacate Seats After Defection

The House of Representatives is seeking to pass a bill that will force a president or governor to vacate their position if they defect from the political party on whose platform they won an election to another. Currently, the constitution only recommends such to National Assembly and state House of Assembly members. The bill is which is sponsored by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Taraba State, Rimamnde Kwewum, seeks to extend the same to the president, vice-president, governor and deputy governor. Three governors have cross-carpeted since the last general elections in 2019 among whom are David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Ben Ayade of Cross River State, and recently Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State. The bill, which is awaiting second reading by the House, seeks t...
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Onochie Denies APC Membership Three Times
8Jul By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments
Legislature, News, Nigeria

Onochie Denies APC Membership Three Times

Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Thursday denied membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) three times. This followed her being grilled intensely by Senators to determine her suitability for appointment as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Onochie, who appeared before the Senate Committee on INEC, said she parted ways with the APC and stopped her volunteer work with the Buhari Support Organization (BSO) since 2019. Onochie, whose nomination has continued to generate uproar, said people and groups are only after her because of her ‘due process stance’ and belief in the rule of law. President Muhammad Buhari had, on October 12, nominated Onochie (Delta), Professor Muhammad ...
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