Free for all as Nasarawa APC, PDP lawmakers trade blows

Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly engaged in a free-for-all on Monday over the appointment of sole administrators for 11 local government councils by Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

Lawmakers fighting

The free-for-all occurred on the floor of the legislature barely two hours after the governor inaugurated the 11 sole administrators.

Glasses were shattered while tables and chairs were upturned in the violence that engulfed the House.

A faction that described the governor’s action as illegal was opposed by another faction that supported the action of the governor.

Some legislators sustained injuries during the violence while some had their clothes torn.

Briefing newsmen at the legislative complex, a member, House Committee on Information, Mr. Makpa Malla, said that seats and tables were broken during the fight.

Describing the appointment by the governor as illegal, Malla said the Assembly could not continue to watch the governor perpetrate illegalities in the state.

He said, “As you can see, this is the executive room of the state House of Assembly, where we sit down every morning to discuss matters which would bring development to the state and the country at large.

“Categorically, I want to state here that the division which caused this chaos was as result of the appointment of the sole administrators by the governor. As a responsible legislature with some of us as lawyers, we insisted that the right thing must be done.

“The Section 7 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – as amended – guarantees a democratic system of governance at the local government level. The provision of the constitution is explicit on how the local government structure should be run.

“That is why we are kicking against the appointment of the sole administrators. Sole administrators only existed during the military era and as respecters of the rule of law, we must ensure that the executive must also respect the rule of law.”

Malla, however, urged the people of the state to remain calm and be law-abiding as the law would take its course in the matter.

Also speaking during the press conference, Mr. Abubakar Kana, an All Progressives Congress member representing Kokona-West, said there was no provision for the position of sole administrator in the laws of Nasarawa State.

He said this was the reason why the lawmakers kicked against the action of Al-Makura.

He said, “Where would the sole administrators derive their powers from? Who determines the tenure and salaries of the sole administrators? Sole administrators are not known to Nigerian and Nasarawa laws.

“If the sole administrators commit any offence, under what law would they be tried?”

Reacting, the Deputy Speaker, Godiya Akwashiki, who is a Peoples Democratic Party member representing Nasarawa-West, condemned the action of those who opposed the governor’s action.

He said the 24-member House would not be cowed by a few members who had gone on a campaign of calumny against the state.

Akwashiki said, “They accused some of us of receiving N50m bribe each from the governor. I want them to come out with proof. They should show the world the video to back up their allegations.

“Although there is the principle of separation of powers, we still meet with the governor when necessary. The meeting could be on his request or on our request.

“Last week Friday, the Speaker of the House wrote a letter to the governor, requesting that the House wanted to see him. The governor granted our demand by honouring our invitation. The governor invited all of us but only 17 of us attended the meeting in Abuja while others stayed back.”

Akwashiki said the false allegation of bribery was one of the reasons why a few members of the legislature opposed the action of the governor.

The deputy speaker said the lawmakers met with the governor over a court judgment which ordered that the tenure of the 11 council chairmen must not exceed two years.

He said the governor had to inaugurate the 11 sole administrators because of the security situation in the state, adding that on account of this, it would be wrong to fault the governor’s decision.

“We cannot afford to leave the councils without heads. The tenure of the former local government chairmen expired on March 24, 2016,” he said.

Free for all as Nasarawa APC, PDP lawmakers trade blows

We were promised $1m to impeach Fayose - Ekiti Lawmakers confessed

Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have raised the alarm over plot to coerce them into impeaching Governor Ayodele Fayose, revealing that a sum of $1 million was being promised some of the members that will be ready to be part of the impeachment plot.

Fayose vows to lead opposition against APC

The Assembly members, who vowed not to collaborate with anyone to truncate the government of Governor Fayose, added that, they were prepared to spend the rest of their tenure in DSS cell, instead of joining people that they roundly defeated in five straight elections to cause another political instability in Ekiti State.

Addressing the press on Tuesday, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon Gboyega Aribisogan disclosed that “In the last four days, eight of our members had been visited by some men, who claimed to be officials of the DSS.

“Our members were told that their names were among those to be arrested and they must ‘cooperate’ if they do not want their bank accounts frozen and be kept in DSS detention indefinitely.”

The lawmakers said the 2006 experience, in which Assembly members in Ekiti State were hounded in EFCC detention and made to sign impeachment of Governor Fayose on the table of the EFCC Chairman will never be repeated in the State.

Aribisogan, who was flanked by 13 other members of the House of Assembly said: “We are here to inform the public through your various medium the open involvement of men of the Department of State Service (DSS) from Abuja in the plot to unseat our State Governor, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose.

“Last Friday’s invasion of the State House of Assembly by armed men of the DSS in which four of our members were abducted, has been established to be a prelude to the clandestine plot to coerce members of the House of Assembly to impeach Governor Fayose.

“As at today, even Hon Afolabi Akanni that we were able to confirm was with the DSS in Abuja is being held incommunicado. No one has been given access to him, not even his lawyers and doctors. We do not have any information as to the whereabouts of the other three.

“We are aware of the plot to arrest no fewer than 18 of our members with a view to forcing them to sign impeachment notice against Governor Fayose.

“The plot is being hatched by the same elements who masterminded the impeachment of Governor Fayose in 2006, which was eventually declared illegal by the Supreme Court and they are boasting of support of the DSS and the Presidency.

“In the last four days, eight of our member had been visited by some men, who claimed to be officials of the DSS. Our members were told that their names were among those to be arrested and they must “cooperate” if they do not want their bank accounts frozen and be kept in DSS detention indefinitely.

“They went on to promise that proper arrangement had been made for the impeachment of the governor, with a sum of $1 million already earmarked for sharing among “cooperating” assembly members.

“Also, our members were told that they will be provided with soft-landing in the APC if they cooperate. One of them revealed that they promised to make him the Speaker, and eventually the Acting Governor.

“We however wish to tell the plotters of evil against the government of Ayodele Fayose and by extension the people of Ekiti State that we, members of the State House of Assembly are not interested in their evil plot.

“We are prepared to spend the rest of our tenure in DSS cell, instead of joining people that we roundly defeated in five straight elections to cause another political instability in Ekiti State.

“These agents of destabilisation should be reminded of the 2006 episode, which was responsible for Ekiti State having six governors in three years!

“Most importantly, Governor Fayose is our benefactor. He is our leader on whose political strength we are members of the State House of Assembly. We can even be called his stooges, we don’t mind. We will never do anything to jeopardise his interest and be extension, interests of Ekiti people.

“We therefore wish to state unequivocally that we are not interested in any $1 million.

“We won’t because of any blood money join forces with enemies of our State, who are desirous of destabilising the State just because they lost power.”

We were promised $1m to impeach Fayose - Ekiti Lawmakers confessed

Enugu lawmakers reject bill seeking gender equality

A bill seeking to establish equality between men and women in Enugu State was on Tuesday rejected by members of the state house of assembly.

The proposed law, known as ‘Equal Rights and Opportunities for Men and Women and Other Matters Related Thereto Bill’, was sponsored by a female member of the House, Hon. Dame Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, representing Nsukka West Constituency.

Omeje-Ogbu is also the chairman of the House Committee on Gender Affairs.

The bill had scaled first reading before suffering a setback during a debate on Tuesday, with most of the male members kicking out viciously against it.

It was described as ‘anti-cultural’ and ‘un-African’.

The bill would have been rejected outright, had the Speaker, Hon. Edward Ubosi, not intervened by suggesting that it should be stepped down for reconsideration on a future, unspecified date.

Before then, the sponsor, Omeje-Ogbu, had explained that the ‘Enugu State Equal Opportunities Bill’, if passed into law, would protect all persons from discrimination on the basis of gender, in private and public places.

According to her, the bill provided “protection for women’s bodies, integrity, dignity and would affirm their right to equal opportunities to realise their full potentials”.

She added that the bill was also seeking positions and appointments for the women of Enugu State, noting that marriage, divorce and widowhood should not deny them (women) their rights.

However, many lawmakers spoke out against the bill.

The member representing Awgu North Constituency, Hon. Sunny Ude-Okoye, said that he would not be a party to the bill ‘because here is Africa and not America’.

Ude-Okoye suggested that if anybody wishes to embrace practices as suggested in the bill, such a person should relocate to America.

“I have risen to declare my stand, I have risen to take my stand that this is a colossal waste.

Other lawmakers were rising against the bill when the Speaker, Ubosi, suggested that it be stepped down for wider consultation.

Ubosi said the bill would be reconsidered in the future.

Thanking the sponsor, Omeje-Ogbu, for the bill, the Speaker said it would not be proper to kill it ‘prematurely’, even though most of the lawmakers had strong feelings against it.

Enugu lawmakers reject bill seeking gender equality

Dogara accuses executive arms of not carrying lawmakers along

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has picked holes in the manner of policy formulation by the executive arm of government, which he accused of not carrying the lawmakers along in budgeting processing.

Yakubu Dogara

Dogara gave the revelation at the just concluded Nigerian Economic Summit (21NES) held in Abuja.

The Speaker, who was represented by his deputy, Lasun Yusuf, lamented that the legislative arm of government had always been left out in the key decision making of government in budgeting and other key policy formulation, a trend he described as unhealthy development for the country’s economic growth.

This trend, according to him, had entrenched the culture of keeping the legislature in the dark of key policy decisions of the executive arm of government.

Speaking on the topic: Setting the Legislative Framework for a High-Performance Economy’, the House leader insisted that lawmakers have always been ignored by the executive arm.

“I’ll advise this August body to find a means of looking into that lacuna and come out with position papers to determine whether we are actually practicing communism, capitalism or welfarism because when all this are not properly define, there’s no way we can seat down and start making laws.’’

Dogara accuses executive arms of not carrying lawmakers along

Open Letter To All Nigerian Lawmakers On Hate Speech, Hate Crime, Value For Human Life

BY DAVID MARK.

I write to you our Honorable Lawmakers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I write to you to eradicate certain viruses that threaten the peace of our beloved “One Nigeria”. I choose not to join those that love to just sit down and criticize the government without suggesting any solution in any way. I want to be a part of the solutions to the problems we have in this country. This is the purpose for this open letter.

Senate

The just concluded 2015 election exercise was one full of tension. The polity was so heated up and as a lot of people fled the country in anticipation of a post-election war. Why? The polity was being heated up because different versions of “hate speeches” were flying all over the place by various politicians, religious and traditional leaders.

We heard a former presidential candidate threaten that “dogs and baboons will be soaked in blood.” An Oba threatened the Igbos in Lagos with the lagoon. A former first lady was insulting Northerners, calling them “born throw way”. Some religious leaders told their followers not to vote for Jonathan because he is an infidel. After the elections, a certain man told the Igbos not to expect anything from President Buhari and that they are free to leave Nigeria if they want to. And another man is on radio insulting the Yoruba’s and Hausas/Fulani’s. These are people that have all their family members chilling in Europe, and America while they provoke people and incite violence in Nigeria. And in the event of any break out of violence, they will be among the first to jet out of the country. People who make such derogatory, inciting, provocative and hate- filled statements are enemies of the peace of Nigeria and henceforth should not go unpunished because they love to capitalize on the gullibility and stupidity of their followers to cause mayhem in Nigeria.

What caused the Nigerian Civil war 45 years ago? Everybody has their side of the story but on taking a closer look, what led to the war were hate speech/messages and hate crimes. The civil war, ethnic/tribal wars, religious killings, pre/post-election violence were all fueled by hate speech and hate crimes. The Boko Haram we are all battling with today was built on the foundation of hate speech and hate crime before it was hijacked by some ghost sponsors.

The Nigerian government has always been a reactive government. We have never had a proactive government. We were warned to diversify our economy. We were warned that the shale oil production in America plus world oil politics would affect our crude oil dependent economy. Cameroon gave us an early warning about releasing the water from their dams. But what did the usual reactive Nigerian government do about all these? Nothing! We have developed a dangerous habit of waiting till things gets really messed up before we take action. This yeye attitude of governance by both the executive and legislative arms of government will not lead this nation forward. It is high time we developed a proactive system of governance.

One that solves problems before they occur, and prevents impending crises from shaking the nation unnecessarily. And if we must stop future violence and unnecessary killings in Nigeria, we must legislate against hate speech, hate crimes and tribal bigotry. . Hate speeches usually lead to hate crimes, and we cannot afford more episodes of violence or useless killings in this country. I therefore ask our lawmakers to pass a law that criminalizes and punishes hate speech, hate crime and tribal bigotry in Nigeria. This law will greatly minimize future election violence, religious and tribal killings, and totally bring more peace in Nigeria than we are having now.

Hate speech is a speech that attacks, threatens or insults a person or people because of their tribe, religion or political views, etc. Hate crime is a traditional crime like murder, arson, vandalism, etc, meted at an individual or group motivated by prejudice, intolerance or hatred for an individual’s tribe, religion or political view. Killing people in the name of religion or because of their tribe is an example of hate crime.

Therefore, I propose that henceforth, any politician, public office holder, religious leader, traditional leader, social icon, celebrity or public figure that publicly mutters any form of hate speech or encourages hate crimes against any tribe/ethnic group, religious group, political party, political opponent, whether during election campaigns, or through the internet or social media, TV or radio, should therefore be sentenced to life imprisonment or death by hanging, and without the option of an appeal. For the common man on the street, if found guilty with enough evidence, he should be sentenced to 50 years imprisonment. People should not be insulted, oppressed or killed because they belong to a certain tribe, have a certain political view or have a preferred choice of religion.

Freedom must be limited if not there will be anarchy in the land. If people are free to do what ever they like then armed robbery and kidnapping shouldn’t be crimes in Nigeria. The fact that armed robbery is a crime in a democratic setting means that people are not “free” to do whatever they like. Thus, freedom of speech and expression cannot include hate speech and hate crimes. Hate speech and tribal bigotry offenders are enemies of Nigeria and should be given the capital punishment because their sole aim is to disrupt the peace of this country. If our Nigerian lawmakers ignore this call, Nigerians will know that our elected lawmakers are not interested in the peace and progress of this country. We will be fully convinced that the “One Nigeria” concept is a scam.

It is a common thing that human lives are not valued in this country. That is why people are killed anyhow all over Nigeria and nothing is being done about it. And nothing is being done about it because we do not have laws that protect the lives of the average Nigerian on the street. Boko Haram we are struggling with today was a baby monster built on the foundation hate speech and hate. Today it has grown into full time terrorism.

I served in Bauchi State long before boko haram came to the lime light, and there I saw with my very own eyes that Nigerians can be slaughtered simply because of a page of the Koran that was found on the street. There were several religious killings during my service year and I thank God that I came out from there alive.

The Federal parastatal were I was posted to offered to retain me but I refused the offer because I couldn’t risk being slaughtered one day because of a page of the Koran being found on the floor, and I vowed never to go to the North for anything for the rest of my life. Why on earth should I work and live in such a place? I would rather be unemployed and alive than live in a place where Nigerians can be killed because of a cartoon on Mohammed that was made in a far country? A lot of my friends and colleagues lost their lives while serving their fatherland. I saw churches being burnt with reckless abandon. I saw lives being wasted for nothing. How many mosques are being burnt down in the south? And I also observed that the killings were not just religiously inclined, it also had serious tribal undertone because if it was just religion, then the Yoruba Muslims would have been spared. But the Yoruba Muslims had to also join us to run for their lives. Such hate crimes cannot continue to go unpunished in this country. It is high time our lawmakers passed a law that forbids and punishes all forms of religious, ethnic and tribal killings as hate crimes. Boko Haram is supposed to have taught us a lesson as a nation. And any right thinking government will thus make laws that will permanently prevent any issue that is a threat to human life in any capacity. Human lives must be valued in this country.

It looks to me that boko boys are going to be handing over the terror mantle to their Under-17 squad pretty soon. They are popular referred to as the “Fulani herdsmen”. These guys are going about killing and kidnaping people in the name of cattle rearing. And if we do not do something about these rascals who have no value for human life early enough, we will be moving from one regime of terrorism to another. Besides, nothing stops the ghost sponsors of boko haram from recruiting this bastards and giving us Boko Haram Reloaded to deal with, and maybe change their name from the popular Fulani herdsmen to “Fulani Gladiators”. By then we will start running to the US, France and all our allies in the West to help us fight “Fulani Gladiators”. We will ask the World Bank to lend us $1 billion to fight “Fulani Gladiators”. And maybe the PDP who is desperate to come back to power will use “Fulani Gladiators” as their major campaign strategy just as the APC did with Boko Haram.

Nigerians are being killed continuously in Plateau State, and this has been going on for the past 14 years and no one is doing anything about it. Maybe the Nigerian government is waiting for a new edition of Plateau-Haram before they act. We are not animals, and Nigeria is not an animal kingdom. Therefore, this attitude of waiting for things to go sour and get really messy before we jump into action and start dealing with the effects without even handling the root cause has to stop. It is high time we placed maximum value on human life. The lives of Nigerians must become important to the Nigerian Government.

Someone has to be held accountable for lives being lost in any part of Nigeria. When no one is held accountable by the law for religious, ethnic and tribal killings, people will go ahead and create such menace because nobody will take the responsibility of protecting the lives of Nigerians. It is high time the National Assembly makes laws that holds and punishes traditional leaders, and religious leaders for any ethnic/tribal or religious killing carried out under their watch. I believe that if the Imams, the Sultans, Emirs and Fulani leaders risk being jailed for life, they will be able to discipline their followers to respect other people’s tribe, religion and to value human life.

I do not mean to offend anyone, but I have seen people come out from the mosques to perpetrate violence and kill people in the name of Allah, and there is no way you will tell me that the Imam doesn’t know such people. If he is held accountable, and proven to be innocent and have nothing to do with such crimes, then he should be able to produce such people to face the music. The lives of Nigerians are more valuable than any religious, tribal or political sentiments.

Someone would say why not call the police? Well, we all know that the Nigerian police is the comedy department of the Armed Forces. And usually before the police even shows up the scene lives must have been wasted for nothing. The police and army cannot prevent religious and tribal killings but religious and traditional/tribal leaders can. We have to stop dealing with the effects. We have to start dealing with the root causes of stupid killings in this country. We have to pass laws that prevent such killings, and it will be a lot easier of people are held accountable by law. The army and police cannot prevent crises but laws can. Lives will keep being wasted until someone is held accountable. We have to set up mechanism to re-orient people on the value of human life. Boko haram experience is enough to teach us a lesson in this nation, except we don’t want to ever learn.

The Nigerian constitution is bigger than any religious belief, ethnic group or tribe. Nobody should be killed in any part of Nigeria because of his religion, tribe or ethnic group. I should be able to go to the North, live there and do business without being constantly afraid that one day I might just be butchered like a cow. I should be respected as a Nigerian irrespective of my tribe. Nigeria is a country with various tribes and ethnic groups and each tribe and ethnic group must be respected by others according to the law. I should not be insulted or oppressed because of my tribe. And the issue of “minority” tribe or ethnic group has to be abolished in this country because we are all important. No tribe is superior to the other and we must make laws that uphold this.

I noticed that an American citizen is always proud enough to tell anyone anywhere in the world that he’s a citizen of the United States of America, not just because America is the most powerful nation in the world, but because America as a nation values the life of its citizens, and he has hope and belief in his country that whatever happens to him America will protect him. I wish we could say the same of the Nigerian government. I am looking forward to a Nigerian Government that has maximum value for human lives.

We have always relied solely on the executive arm of government for protection but it has failed us woefully in the past. This is not an APC or PDP issue. This is not a matter of Christians vs. Muslims. We voted for CHANGE. Not for a political party. We needed change in the system. We needed change in the country. This is a matter of National Security and I therefore call on all Nigerian Lawmakers to prove to Nigerians now and again that the term “One Nigeria” is not a scam and that the life of every Nigerian is valued by the Nigerian Government.

Yours Truly,

David Mark

(A Patriotic Young Nigerian)

Open Letter To All Nigerian Lawmakers On Hate Speech, Hate Crime, Value For Human Life

Ex-governors, lawmakers to lose diplomatic passports forcefully

42 ex-ministers, ex-lawmakers hold on to official travel documents

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) yesterday asked 21 former governors, 42 ex-ministers, and more than 260 former members of the House of Representatives to return their diplomatic and official passports.

Passport

The NIS said it might be forced to impound the diplomatic and official passports of past public officers defying the directive.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Mr. M. K. Ibeshi, gave the directive in a statement he personally signed.

It was gathered that the Federal Government was worried that some former ministers, who have cases to answer, had been  junketing abroad with diplomatic immunity.

Although the statement was silent on the actual number of those affected, it was learnt that the list includes 21 former governors, 21 ex-deputy governors,   42 ex-ministers, 233 former members of the House of Representatives, 76 senators and more than 774 former local government chairmen,  among others.

The statement reads: “Further to the directive on the withdrawal of diplomatic and official passports held by unauthorised persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service hereby directs all affected persons to comply forthwith. These persons include, among others, former: (i) State Governors( ii) Senators( iii) Members of House of Representatives

(iv) Members of State Houses of Assemblies; (v) Ministers

(vi) Commissioners, (vii) Special Advisers/Special Assistants; (viii) Chairmen/Deputy Chairmen of Local Governments Areas;  (ix) all retired Heads of parastatals and (x) Retired public servants

“These categories of persons are hereby informed that these passports which were previously held by them have been revoked and should return them to the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters Sauka Abuja, with immediate effect.

“Failure to comply with this directive will amount to an offence under the Immigration Act 2015. Such unauthorised possession will be impounded at our control posts on arrival or departure.

This is the second time in a month that the Federal Government will issue the directive.

The government in August directed the former elective and political office holders to return their diplomatic and official passports.

“The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abubakar Magaji, Federal Ministry of Interior, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to retrieve all valid diplomatic and official passports with immediate effect from all persons who are not entitled to hold such documents,” the statement said.

“The attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to the fact that some Nigerians who are not entitled to hold diplomatic and official passports are in possession of these documents,” it said.

According to the statement, the measure is intended to protect and promote Nigeria’s integrity in the comity of nations in addition to ensuring law and order.

Ex-governors, lawmakers to lose diplomatic passports forcefully

APC stalwart, two others killed in Benue

A former member of the Benue State House of Assembly, who represented Ukum State Constituency, Mr. Douglas Bergha, alongside two other persons, have been killed by gunmen in Kundav, Ukum Local Government Area of the state.

Bergha, who is currently contesting the chairmanship of Ukum LGA on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, was a Peoples Democratic Party member while in the Assembly.

The PUNCH gathered that the ex-lawmaker was trailed by the gunmen and killed in the presence of his family members at his Kundav home around 7pm on Monday.

It was also gathered that after killing the APC stalwart, the assailants shot two other persons, who had yet to be identified.

The Assistant Police Public Relations Officer in the Benue State Police Command, Matthew Oku, confirmed the report but said two people were killed.

Oku said the gunmen, after killing the former lawmaker, also shot dead a motorcyclist.

Meanwhile, the APC chairman in the state, Comrade Abba Yaro, described the death as unfortunate, calling on security agencies to track the killers and bring them to justice.

APC stalwart, two others killed in Benue

Tribunal sacks two PDP lawmakers for APC members in Delta State

The Peoples’ Democratic Party in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State Monday suffered a fresh defeat at Election Tribunal sitting in Warri, as another of its lawmaker was floored by the candidate of the All Progressive Congress.

Prince Okorodudu Eustace Eyitene was ordered to vacate the seat of member representing Koko Ward 8 at the legislative arm of Warri North Local Council. He joined his colleague, Mrs Abigail Tosan Anighoro who had earlier been sent packing by the tribunal.

The election of Prince Eyitene (PDP) was challenged by Comrade Akatakpo Omatseye, of the All Progressive Congress, who averred that the election, conducted by the Delta State Independent Election Commission was marred by irregularities.

In the ruling delivered, the tribunal ordered Eyitene to vacate the seat and also directed DSIEC to conduct another election within 21 days from Monday.

Earlier on Friday, July 24, Mrs Anighoro was sacked from her position as councillor representing Warri 9, following a petition brought by Comrade Gboye Omagbitse Omatsola, councillorship candidate of the APC.

Delivering the judgment on Friday 24, the Chairman of a three-member Tribunal, A.T. Akujobi, upheld Omatsola’s petition and ordered DSIEC to conduct a fresh election within 30 days.

Speaking on the rulings, APC leader in the state, Mr Amorighoye Mene, said it has affirmed the party’s conviction that the judiciary remained the last hope of the common man.

“This is even more interesting considering that we were up against an incumbent governor who hailed from the area (Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan). But this has shown that power of incumbency cannot hold if you have a good case and are as popular as the APC is in Warri North.”

Tribunal sacks two PDP lawmakers for APC members in Delta State

Salary bail out: Rep withdraws suit against Buhari

By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA-A lawmaker representing Afikpo South/North of Ebonyi state, Rep Igariwe Enwo has withdrawn the suit challenging  President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing funds to states and local governments without consulting the National Assembly.

Igariwe had filed the suit on July 15 at an Abuja accusing President Buhari for releasing such money without following due process.

Chatting with journalists today, Igariwe said”I had to discontinue the matter as the House has resumed and the Federal Government has said it was going to be a loan.

“I will submit a motion in regard to this development and make my submissions”.

Details soon…

 

Salary bail out: Rep withdraws suit against Buhari

APC lawmakers accuse Speaker Dogara of planning to bar them from Assembly Complex

By Sani Tukur

As the House of Representatives get set to resume plenary on Tuesday, lawmakers loyal to the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, and Femi Gbajabiamila have alleged that Speaker Yakubu Dogara is planning to prevent them from gaining access to the Assembly.

Yakubu Dogara

The spokesperson of the group, Nasiru Zangon-Daura, who addressed a press conference at Protea Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja on Saturday also accused Mr. Dogara and his supporters of working with members elected under the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to frustrate the anti-corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr. Zangon-Daura said the Speaker is specifically planning to stop members of the ‘Loyalist Group’ such as Aliyu Madaki, Rufai Chanchangi, Philip Shaibu, Mohamed Soba, Isa Zuru, Ahmed Kaita, Ismaila Sulaiman, James Falken, Yusuf Ikara, Abdullahi Salame and Abubakar Chika from entering the chambers

“We strongly warn Speaker Dogara that we will not take any breach of our members’ privileges lightly and we will hold you, Speaker Dogara personally responsible. Honour is earned through honourable actions. A word is enough for the wise,” he said.

Mr. Zangon-Daura also said the attempt by Speaker Dogara to bring back the PDP to reckoning after losing the 2015 general elections would not work.

“We have therefore, resolved that enough is enough of the shenanigans of the PDP and Speaker Dogara group.

“We hereby remind Speaker Dogara group and his PDP allies in the House that we have fought the PDP and already chased them out of government because we were willing to pay the price to ensure that Nigerians are not short-changed.

“And we are ready to do it again now so that the Change Agenda prevails in the House of Representatives,” he said.

The lawmaker said the 2015 elections presented an opportunity to consign the PDP in to oblivion. He added that such quest of pushing the PDP to oblivion is being halted due to the activities of a few disloyal members “of the APC who had already formed an unholy alliance with the PDP in the House.

“We had hoped that with a difference of just 8 votes between Dogara and Femi, Speaker Dogara would have realised the need to cultivate a united House of Representatives.

“We are also cognisant that in politics there are always the subversive activities and antics of 5th columnist in any political movement to content with.

“We are also aware that this unholy alliance is a bid to truncate President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda, which include his anti-corruption stance by using the National Assembly to, at the very minimum, slow it down if they cannot stop this Presidential initiative dead cold.

“We know that this unholy agreement between the disloyal Dogara group and the PDP entail the deployment of PDP members and the disloyal APC group in strategic positions in the Structures and Committees of The House.

“The purpose of this strategic deployment is to enable the PDP to indirectly dictate the pace and activities of the National Assembly to the detriment of our party’s goals and objectives,” he said.

Members loyal to Mr. Dogara had on Friday stated that the crisis in the House is over because the” Dogara formula” which had conceded the position of House leader and Chief Whip to the Gbajabiamila group has been accepted by the nominated members, Alhassan Doguwa and Pally Iriase respectively.

Mr. Zangon-Daura had issued a statement Friday night denying any truce.

He said the Gbajabiamila group still maintains its stand that party supremacy must reign in the appointment of principal officers.

Speaking Saturday, the lawmaker said the group “deplore(s) the continued defiance of the APC and the APC House Caucus by Speaker Dogara as indicated in his disloyal letter to our Party National Chairman.

“We are also not aware of any concession(s) made by the Speaker Dogara Group to the APC Loyalist Group contrary to insinuations in the media, ” he said.

He also said to have a genuine agreement that is not tainted by the PDP, the Dogara group will have to first of all “cut off the umbilical cord between them and the PDP and secondly engage in candid reconciliatory discussions with our group as a whole through our approved members under the leadership of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.”

 

This was first published on PremiumTimes

APC lawmakers accuse Speaker Dogara of planning to bar them from Assembly Complex

Shocker! Lawmakers actual salaries revealed

NIGERIANS that have expressed surprise that each senator receives N506,600 per annum as wardrobe allowance may be in for a shocker as the lawmakers receive far more allowances under different other categories.

Investigation by our correspondent on Monday showed that senators’ allowances totalled N18,642,880 on annual basis.

Senate

In all, the allowance each senator receives is nine times more than his annual salary.

A senator’s salary is pegged at N2,026,400 per annum.

Each senator or a member of the House of Representatives is entitled to 19 different allowances.

These allowances are for vehicle maintenance and fuelling; domestic staff, entertainment, utilities, personal assistant, constituency, wardrobe, house maintenance, newspapers, recess, accommodation, furniture, severance, tour duty, estacode, special assistant, security, legislative aide and medical.

These allowances are specified in the Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders prepared by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

On an annual basis, the 107 senators receive   N1,994,788,160 as allowances. Only 107 senators are eligible for these allowances. The President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate receive fewer allowances because most of their needs are fully provided for by the state.

For members of the House, the annual allowances payable are about eight times higher than their annual salaries.

While the annual salary of a House member is pegged at N1,985,212.50, the annual allowances add up to N15,286,135.25. This means that the 358 members of the House (excluding the speaker and the deputy speaker) get N5,472,436,419.5 annually in allowances.

The allowances, however, are in categories. Some are tagged regular while others are tagged irregular allowances.

Regular allowances are those that are paid on monthly basis along with the monthly salaries while irregular allowances are paid at other intervals, ranging from annual to once in four years.

There are also other allowances not included in this calculation that are paid not at any fixed periods but as many times as they occur in the year.

The allowances are calculated as percentages of the annual salaries. While some are higher than the annual salaries, others are lower.

Basically, both senators and Reps are paid the same percentages of their salaries as allowances, except the constituency allowance where senators are paid 250 per cent while Reps get 100 per cent of their annual salaries.

Vehicle maintenance and fuelling allowance is 75 per cent; domestic staff, 75 per cent; entertainment, 30 per cent; utilities, 30 per cent; wardrobe, 25 per cent; newspapers, 15 per cent; house maintenance, five per cent; and personal assistants, 25 per cent.

For a senator, therefore, the vehicle maintenance and fuelling allowance adds up to N1,519,800; domestic staff, N1, 519,800; entertainment, N607,920; utilities, N607,920; wardrobe, N506,600; newspapers, N303,960; house maintenance, N101,320; constituency, N5,066,000; personal assistant, N506,600.

For a member of the House of Representatives, the vehicle maintenance and fuelling allowance comes up to N1,488,909.40; domestic staff, N1,488,909.40; entertainment, N595,563.75; utilities, 595,563.75; wardrobe, N496,303.12; newspapers, N303,960; house maintenance, N99,260.62; constituency, N1,985,212.50; and personal assistant, N 496,303.12.

The irregular allowances include housing allowance, 200 per cent of the Reps annual salaries; furniture allowance, 300 per cent; recess allowance, 10 per cent and severance allowance, 300 per cent.

Housing allowance is paid once a year. Furniture allowance is paid once in four years and recess allowance is paid when the lawmakers are on recess and they go on recess four times in a year. Severance allowance is at the end of the four-year tenure.

The housing allowance of a senator is N4,053,800. The furniture allowance is N6,079,200. On annualised basis, the furniture allowance is N1,519,800. The recess allowance climbs to N810,560 if they go on recess four times a year. The severance allowance is N6,079,200. On annual basis, it comes down to N1,519,800.

For Reps, the housing allowance is N3,970,425. The furniture allowance is N5,955,637.50. Annually, the furniture allowance comes down to N1, 488,909.38. Also, recess allowance comes up to N794, 084. The severance allowance is N5,955,637.50. On annual basis, it comes down to N1,488,909.38.

There are other allowances that the lawmakers are not paid directly but provided and paid for by the government.

These are allowances for special assistants, security and legislative aides. What this means is that those engaged in these capacities are paid directly by the government as the allowances cannot be claimed by political office holders. These allowances apply to senators and Reps.

Medical expenses are also borne by the government when the lawmakers have need for the services.

The lawmakers are also entitled to tour duty allowance and estacode whenever they travel out of the country. For a senator, the tour duty allowance is N37,000 per night while the estacode is $950 per night.

For a member of the House of Representatives, the tour duty allowance is N35,000 per night while the estacode is $900 per night.

Although political office holders in the country are among the highest paid government officials in the world, our correspondent reports that the worry of many Nigerians is not what they earn officially but what accrues to them through self-appropriation and corruption.

The budget of the National Assembly is never broken into components and efforts to get them to break down the budget have not yielded the required result even after the invocation of the Freedom of Information Act.

Lawmakers are known to collect huge quarterly allocations, some of which are ostensibly designated for constituency projects. The constituency allowance is different from the constituency project fund.

Constituency allowance is paid for the maintenance of constituency office and contact while constituency project fund are appropriated to enable the lawmakers to execute projects in their constituencies.

Shocker! Lawmakers actual salaries revealed

MEND threatens to resume attacks over lawmakers jumbo salaries

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has threatened to resume hostilities to protest National Assembly members’ jumbo salaries and allowances.

Niger Delta Militant

MEND in an email statement issued by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, said it observed with disgust, the brazing disregard for the feelings of the change-seeking masses by the “very selfish” members of the 8th National Assembly.

The group said: “These wicked individuals appropriate to themselves huge and absurd salaries and allowances at the expense of the millions of hapless Nigerians, who have not been paid for months, their salaries, pensions and other benefits they deserve.

“The Niger Delta region where the bulk of revenue that sustains the nation comes from, continues to suffer neglect, environmental degradation and lack, made worse by the very corrupt and visionless past government of Goodluck Jonathan and his cronies, some of who still shamelessly parade themselves on national television and other media platforms as ‘Niger Delta Activists.’

“Nigerians refuse to tolerate this ostentatious lifestyle of our lawmakers, whose main objective, it seems, is to enrich themselves and carelessly spend scarce resources. The Niger Delta people refuse to pamper and cater for the needs of these thieving Assembly rogues to their detriment.

“If the lawmakers refuse to make the necessary adjustments needed to accompany the needs of the masses and the Niger Delta region, it may lead to the resumption of hostilities.”

MEND also asked Nigerians to hold the members of the 8th National Assembly responsible, if its fighters resume hostilities, declaring that: “enough is enough.”

MEND threatens to resume attacks over lawmakers jumbo salaries

Youths task Edo lawmakers

A coalition of Youth groups in Edo state has urged the newly elected lawmakers both at the state and National Assembly to work in the interest of the people.

Senate

The youths under the umbrella of Edo Youths Fronts stress the need for the newly inaugurated lawmakers to work with the state government to make laws that will have direct positive impact on the people.

Coordinator of the coalition, Barrister Dennis Osaretin Agho in a statement after a stakeholder meeting urge the lawmakers from the state to deliver campaign promises made during electioneering.

“Our lawmakers must work in concert with the current government at both the state and Federal level to ensure the speedy development of the state and the delivering of democracy dividend to their constituencies as promised during the electioneering campaign.

“The people hope on having a vibrant and quality representation at the legislative arm must not be traded for political gain.”

The group said the people of the state needs a sound and vibrant legislative arm who will not be a rubber stamp for the executive.

“The newly elected lawmakers should rise to the occasion putting aside party affiliations in their new task, personal ambition must not over ride National interest,”

Agho said the youth coalition would constantly engaged the Assembly to ensure that the state is well represented and youths interest accommodated in decisions.

 

Youths task Edo lawmakers

Governor Aliyu bribes lawmaker with N17m each to stop impeachment

The impeachment plot against the Niger State Governor, Aliyu Babangida, may have been stalled as the members of the state House of Assembly pushing for the governor’s removal have been paid N17m each.

Governor Aliyu, Niger State

Our correspondent gathered that the lawmakers after receiving the N17m each were also promised by the state government that their other demands would soon be met.

Consequently, the lawmakers have decided to stop the impeachment move against the governor.

Though the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Isah Kawu, refused to comment on the issue when our correspondent sought his reaction to the development, sources at the assembly complex including lawmakers, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the development.

The speaker, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone said, “I cannot speak on this issue on the telephone or anywhere on the matter.”

But one of the lawmakers confirmed this to our correspondent.

He said, “It was not as if the governor bribed us, it is our legal entitlements and we have a right to ask for it before the expiration of our tenure. We have been paid and calm has returned to the assembly complex.”

Asked whether it was true that the lawmakers had dropped the impeachment plot against the governor, the lawmaker said, “there is no need for it again.”

Another source in the state House of Assembly Complex told our correspondent that each of the lawmakers was paid N17m as part of the allowances they were being owed since February.

This development, the source, who is a worker in the assembly complex said, had brought calm to the House of Assembly complex as the state police command had withdrawn security operatives from the building. This, he added, had given the lawmakers free access into their offices.

It will be recalled that last week, the lawmakers had sacked the leadership of the assembly and elected a new leadership over a series of allegations including non-implementation of house resolutions, poor staff and members’ welfare and non-release of the statutory allocation to the assembly for months. This, it was learnt, was done to pave the way for the removal of the governor.

To frustrate the lawmakers, the governor had headed for the court where he secured an order to restrain the legislators from making any move to impeach him.

The governor had gone to the court after the peace meeting between him(Aliyu) and the newly elected principal officers of the House failed.

The House of Assembly was also occupied by security operatives for so many days to prevent the members from entering into the assembly complex to carry out their legislative duties.

Due to this, Kawu had threatened to institute a legal action against the Niger State Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Amore, over what he described as the illegal occupation of the state House of Assembly by security operatives.

Governor Aliyu bribes lawmaker with N17m each to stop impeachment

Conspiring with labour Union won"t stop your impeachment - APC tells Fayose

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has said the conspiracy between labour union leaders and Governor Ayodele Fayose won’t stop the impeachment proceedings, if the lawmakers wanted to carry out their constitutional duties.

The party said it was vindicated over the alarm it raised that the state labour leaders had conspired with Governor Ayodele Fayose to help stall his impeachment by the House of Assembly.

APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said in a statement on Friday that the governor’s latest directive that workers should fill verification forms that would last for one month before he could pay workers’ salary was a confirmation of its allegation.

He alleged that the provocative action was in the full knowledge and cooperation of labour leaders who had been deceiving the state workers in a scheme clearly against their interests while the labour leaders smiled to the banks.

Olatubosun said the labour leaders were in the picture of the governor’s new initiative to fill verification forms.

“The exercise is billed to end on May 19 after which there will be a report to be submitted at the end of May.

“This will make workers angry and the Labour leaders will pretend that they are unhappy. They will then mobilise workers for indefinite strike to stall the governor’s impeachment,” he explained.

Olatubosun advised workers to be masters of their own fate as no amount of strike could stop the impeachment if the lawmakers wanted to carry out their constitutional duties.

“The lawmakers are not civil servants. The constitution does not say lawmakers cannot sit when workers are on strike. It is a pity that workers are facing their current challenges because they have a lawless, deceitful and uncaring governor.”

The APC spokesperson stated that the governor would have shortchanged  beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme of the Millennium Development Goals instrument by N70, 000, if not for its outcry in the media.

‎”This morning,  the governor quickly instructed  that the remaining N40,000 to the beneficiaries who may start receiving their alerts any moment from now be paid‎.”

Olatubosun said if Fayose was not planning to pocket the balance of N70,000 per head totalling N155.7 m, why didn’t he pay at once when the money had already been released by the MDGs office in Abuja more than five months ago?.”

Conspiring with labour Union won"t stop your impeachment - APC tells Fayose

Breaking: Court stops lawmakers from amending constitution

…orders NASS to maintain status quo till June 18

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA – The Supreme Court has stopped the National Assembly from taking further steps towards amending the ‎1999 constitution.

In a ruling this morning,‎ a seven-man panel of justices of the apex court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, ‎Justice Mahmud Mohammed, ordered the National Assembly to maintain status quo on the matter until June 18.

The apex court further directed the issuance of hearing notice on the NASS for it to appear on that date to respond to the suit that was lodged against the proposed alterations to the constitution, by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Details soon.

 

Breaking: Court stops lawmakers from amending constitution

Impeachment Saga: Police bars Niger lawmakers from sitting

The Police on Wednesday prevented members of the Niger State House of Assembly from sitting, claiming that those attempting to gain entrance into the assembly complex were non members.

Police Inspector General, Solomon Arase

But it was learnt that the police were allegedly acting on the orders of the state Governor, Aliyu Babangida, who the lawmakers had said they would remove for alleged misconduct.

The lawmakers including the new Speaker of the House, Alhaji Isah Kawu, had gone to the assembly complex for a sitting but found the entrance barricaded by the police.

The police and other security agents numbering about 300 locked up the gate to prevent the coming in or going out of people especially the lawmakers and the Assembly workers.

They threw teargas canister at the lawmakers and the workers who had come to resume for the day’s job.

The infuriated Speaker and 20 other lawmakers eventually left for an undisclosed place, where they reportedly met to discuss the impeachment plot. The outcome of the meeting was not known as of the time of filing this report.

Reacting to the plot, the embattled Speaker, Adamu Usman, a loyalist to the governor, insisted that the new leadership of the House was illegal

“What they did is unconstitutional and null and void and of no effect. We are still the leaders of the House of Assembly. I am happy they did not accuse any of us of financial mismanagement,” he said.

All efforts to reach the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Amore, proved abortive, but the command’s spokesperson, Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, defended the action claiming that it was to stop non members from getting access to the complex.

Gambari told the News Agency of Nigeria on the telephone that the police were also there to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

“The police are doing their job of protecting lives and property. Those who claimed to be members of the House are not members.

“Police cannot allow properties of the House to be damaged that is why they stopped people from accessing the building,” he said.

Reacting to the development, Kawu faulted the police, saying that they had no right to prevent members from sitting.

“We were prevented by the police from entering the House. Why will the Speaker and members be disallowed from sitting?

“Police do not have the right to stop legislators from sitting; why will the Commissioner of Police draft his men to the legislative arm of government in the absence of trouble?

“We are planning a transition, what is the essence of democracy if handing over to elected persons is not necessary,” he queried.

Impeachment Saga: Police bars Niger lawmakers from sitting

Impeachment: Pandemonium in Niger Assembly,Enugu House shut

There was pandemonium at the Niger State House of Assembly in Minna on Tuesday when 21 lawmakers   moved to impeach Governor Babangida Aliyu over the non-payment of their severance allowance and part of their   February to April salaries.

Governor Aliyu, Niger State

Some of the legislators had arrived at the assembly but could not gain entry as the gates were locked by a detachment of police. But on learning of the development, many that were already seated in the chambers raced to the main gate and engaged the policemen in a hot argument.

“Are we prisoners? Did we beat anyone? Did we cause riot? Why should you lock us in? You people are trying to cause trouble when there is no trouble,” they shouted at the policemen.

When the policemen did not open the gate, the legislators went for stones which they used to break the padlock.

Before then, the policemen had opened the gate for the   Clerk, Abdullahi Kagara, but disallowed a group of   lawmakers and journalists from entering.

Some of the journalists who tried to enter with Kagara were molested by the policemen.

While a Nigerian Television Authority reporter, Suleiman Kodogi, and Samson Alfa of The   Standard were hit physically, John Ogiji of The Guardian had his telephone smashed after pictures he had taken were deleted.

Enyioha Opara of The PUNCH lost his wristwatch during the incident.

When contacted on the telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Gambari, said there was no order barring   journalists from entering the complex.

“The men at the assembly complex are on their own. We only asked them to ensure peace and orderliness and not to harass journalists. The Police have the mandate to have good working relationship with pressmen. We can not infringe on the right of journalists,” Gambari said.

As the 21 lawmakers out of the 25 lawmakers settled down to begin the session, they noticed that their leaders, including the speaker, Usman Adamu, were nowhere to be found.

Our correspondent in the state learnt the assembly leadership stayed away on learning of the plot to impeach the governor.

The Aliyu administration which tenure ends on May 29 is said to be owing the assembly members   over N18m each as entitlements.

The   Chairman of the assembly’s Business and Rule Committe, Abdullahi Akwanu, expressed surprise, saying that   they had agreed after their executive meeting on Monday   that the assembly should sit on Tuesday.

He said that it was regrettable that     no leader of the House, including the speaker, was present.

At this point, he   drew the attention of his colleagues to order 8 of the standing rule which provides that in the absence of the speaker   without any reason, a speaker temporal should be appointed.

Consequently, a motion was moved by Usman Dada   for the appointment of a speaker temporal.

Another lawamaker, Isah Kawu,   immediately nominated   Abdullahi Akwanu as the speaker temporal.

Thereafter, Dada told the assembly that the failure of their leadership to   show up on Tuesday was       embarrassing. He then moved for the removal of the assembly leadership.

After this,   the speaker temporal   called for the nomination of the new leadership of the house.

Dada immediately nominated Kawu as the new speaker. He   was immediately sworn in by the clerk.

But   Adamu described his removal as illegal.

He said, ‘We are still the leaders of the assembly. I am happy that they did not accuse any of us of financial mismanagement.

“Since January 2015, we have never received over head cost because of problems associated with federal account. Everybody is aware. I do not control finance, as it comes I disburse. So, the impeachment beats my imagination.

“Whatever you saw today (Tuesday) is illegal because the mace is under my custody. So whatever decision they took   is illegal.

“Myself, my deputy, Abdulraham Gambo; the Chief Whip, Abdulahi Lawal, and the Majority Leader, Haruna Labaram, are still in charge. There are grudges that government has not done anything for us as expected.

“But we are making efforts to see what we can do about it. Sadly, we   are hearing that they carried out an impeachment without any offence.”

On the   governor,   Adamu said, “What it means now is that Babangida Aliyu should get himself prepared because I advised him before hand on this matter. So, anything that comes out of it, he should get prepared.”

Lawmakers can’t impeach me, Chime boasts

In   Enugu State, the  assembly complex was under lock and key on Tuesday as new twists emerged in the plot to impeach Governor Sullivan Chime.

A team of riot policemen, which was positioned in front of the locked gates, prevented both staff and visitors from gaining access to the assembly.

The development forestalled what was expected to be a showdown between the two factions in the House – the pro-impeachment lawmakers led by the Speaker, Eugene Odoh and the anti-impeachment legislators.

The anti-impeachment legislators had on Monday sacked Odoh   and elected   Chinedu Nwamba as the new speaker.

However, there were indications that the lawmakers could not sit because they had to honour a ‘peace meeting’ called by the Governor-elect, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The 24 members of the   assembly, including both factions, held extensive deliberations with Ugwuanyi in his Enugu residence on Tuesday.

It was gathered that Ugwuanyi succeeded in brokering a truce between the two groups. He was said to have settled the disagreement   between the aggrieved lawmakers and the governor.

It was gathered that a decision was taken to suspend the impeachment process, and also to take other steps to resolve the crisis in the assembly within two weeks.

Before the lawmakers met with the governor-elect on Tuesday, Chime had on Monday night boasted that the Odoh-led legislators could not impeach him.

The governor told journalists that he had not been served with an impeachment notice.

Chime, who cited portions of the 1999 Constitution to advance his argument,   said he would have left the Government House for his village in Udi by the time the plot to impeach him could become effective.

Arguing that 14 out of 24 members of the assembly did not constitute the two-thirds majority stipulated in the constitution, he said, “I know what they are doing will never see the light of the day.

“The Office of the Governor is a very serious office, you don’t just wake up one morning and you start thinking about impeaching a governor.

“The section that deals with that is section 188 of the Constitution. It deals with how the governor or deputy governor may be removed from office.

“The first step is that at least one Third of the members of the House of Assembly are required to sign a notice of allegation of gross misconduct against the holder of the office, that is the governor or deputy governor. And they present it to the Speaker.’’

 

Impeachment: Pandemonium in Niger Assembly,Enugu House shut

APC asks 19 Ekiti lawmakers to return

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has asked the 19 APC lawmakers in the state to return and commence sitting, saying the end of impunity has come with the victory of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

“Buhari’s victory marks the beginning of sanity in the polity wracked by lawlessness, corruption and impunity. All democratic institutions will operate unfettered within the ambit of the law.

“On this note, we urge our 19 members in the House of Assembly to return to work immediately and take control of the affairs because a new era of law and order has returned,” the Ekiti APC said on Tuesday in a statement by its publicity secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun.

The party congratulated Nigerians for their peaceful conduct in the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections that returned Buhari as the winner and told the residents of the state to defy the curfew imposed on the state by Governor Ayo Fayose.

It commended its members and supporters for recording remarkable votes despite provocations, inducements, harassments and infractions on their rights by the state government.

The APC described the curfew as “sheer wickedness on the part of Governor Fayose to want to prevent” the people from celebrating and described the curfew as wicked.

The party urged the police not to allow them to be used as “anti-democratic agents to unleash terror on Ekiti people and APC members.”

The statement read, “Our party has asked its members to defy order barring them from celebrating their party’s victory because it is their legal right. We are not fighting; we are celebrating.

“Fayose should remember that he urged Ekiti people to defy Governor Kayode Fayemi’s curfew order when there was apparent threat to peace in the state. This time, there is no threat to peace and so there is no authority that can bar Ekiti people from celebrating our liberty and this victory. End of impunity has come.

“It is not only victory for Ekiti people, but victory for Nigerians for a successful transition from one civilian administration to another.

“Nigerians from all walks of life are celebrating this special moment, Ekiti cannot be an exception. We are not mourning but celebrating. It is sheer wickedness on the part of Governor Fayose to want to prevent this celebration.”

According to him, the victory of the APC’s candidate is a vote for transparency, performance and building of hope among Nigerians, assuring that Buhari would take Nigeria back to her deserved position in the comity of nations.

APC asks 19 Ekiti lawmakers to return

Lawmakers warn Jonathan to bury tenure extension idea

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Members of the National Assembly have vowed to resist any ploy by President Goodluck Jonathan to extend his tenure by six months on the pretext of insecurity.

President Jonathan

There has been speculation since the February elections were shifted that the President is on the verge of sending a tenure extension proposal to the National Assembly, using the insecurity in the North-East as an excuse.

However, senators and members of the House of Representatives, in separate interviews with SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday, said the President should bury the rumoured plan.

On Tuesday, the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress in the Senate, Senator Femi Ojudu, had alleged at a forum that Jonathan had tried to get some members of the National Assembly to elongate his tenure, but that he had so far met a brick wall.

He reportedly spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State at a social discourse organised by the Afenifere Renewal Group, held in honour of a former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi.

He had said, “President Jonathan has been begging us to allow him do two more years but the Yoruba must cry out and also be strategic in their call for change.

“We are resuming in the next one week and the President might likely bring the proposal for the election to be postponed for the next six months or one year.”

But in separate interviews with SUNDAY PUNCH, lawmakers across political parties called on President Jonathan to jettison the idea, if indeed there was such.

APC caucus leader and minority leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, dismissed the thought of tenure extension as “baseless and impossible.”

He told one of our correspondents that the idea of tenure extension was strange to him since there were no grounds for it.

“It will not pass; there will be no support for it. There is no point wasting time and energy on that issue,” he said.

The Deputy House Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, also argued that, tenure extension would not get popular support, and that Jonathan did not have such a plan.

The lawmaker from Delta State added, “Mr. President is running a campaign for his election. What does he need tenure extension for? Is he afraid of elections like the APC, who know they will lose?”

Another lawmaker from Plateau State, Mr. Bitrus Kaze, said members would oppose a tenure extension proposal because the mood of the nation was not prepared for it.

Kaze said, “The mood in the House of Representatives and even the nation right now will not support tenure extension; it will not fly.”

Similarly, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance from Imo State, Mr. Eddie Mbadiwe, said any plan to extend the elections by six months would be dead on arrival.

“Nobody will table such a proposal and even if it comes, it will not pass. There is no way anybody will contemplate tenure extension,” he added.

On his part, the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning, Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue North East ), said, “As a democrat who has been the National Chairman of two major political parties in this country in the past, I can never support such an undemocratic arrangement few weeks to a general election that we have been preparing for as a nation for about four years.”

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, (PDP Ondo Central) described the alleged tenure elongation plot as “a fallacy, cheap blackmail and an unwarranted allegation to heat up the polity”

Akinyelure said, “Nobody would bring such bill to the National Assembly except if the person is an enemy of democracy.”

A senator from the South West geo-political zone told one of our correspondents in confidence that the plot was real because there were moves by some members of the red chamber to sell the idea to their colleagues before the current break.

He said, “I can confirm to you that the idea of tenure elongation was sold to some of us before we went on break.”

Other senators who corroborated this view, also on conditions of anonymity, noted the idea might come up when the chambers resume on Tuesday.

One of them said, “The real reasons why the election was shifted by six weeks was probably to perfect the tenure elongation saga by using the National Assembly members who would resume next week Tuesday, to execute the plot.”

The senators, however, vowed to resist any attempt to extend the tenure of the current administration beyond the May 29 handover date.

When contacted, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, said it was not true that the President planned to use the Senate to extend his tenure.

Efforts made to get the reaction of the Peoples Democratic Party were not successful. Calls made to its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, indicated that his telephone line was switched off.

Also, the call made to the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Olisa Metuh did not connect.

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Lawmakers warn Jonathan to bury tenure extension idea