Reps mandate Speaker to meet Buhari over Saraki’s trial

In what seem to an interesting political development, the leadership of the House of Representatives is set to meet President Muhamadu Buhari over the perceived travails of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who is currently standing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The decision of the House followed a motion brought before the House under matters of urgent Public Importance by a member, Hon. Raphael Igbokwe with the title: “a motion on Nigeria’s 55 years of independence: need for vigilance.”

The President recently said he has no hand in the trial of Saraki who is facing a 13-count charge, bordering on corruption and false assets declaration before the Code of Conduct tribunal, and that the case will run its course .

The lawmakers in their resolution passed “a vote of confidence on the leadership the National Assembly, urged all institutions of government to be guided by the rule of law and due process and avoid being used to undermine any arm of government.”

Sequel to an amendment by the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, and Hon. Patrick Asadu, members at plenary yesterday mandated the leadership of the House to meet with the President ” with a view to politically resolve all outstanding issues relating to National Assembly in the interest of Nigerians”

His amendment to the original motion, which was also granted included mandating the Speaker “to intervene in the issues and challenges being faced by the Chairman of the National Assembly ( Saraki) with a view to finding a political solution and protecting the institution of the National Assembly as a whole for the interest of our democracy.”

Members while congratulating Nigerians on the 55 years of independence, urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace, harmony and charity to one another.

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Drama in Senate over absence of ministerial list

A mild drama played out on the floor of the Senate over the absence of the much awaited ministerial nominees’ list on Wednesday.

The Senate gallery was unusually crowded by people who thought that the ministerial list would be read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The drama was sparked by the outburst of the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The Senate President had hardly concluded reading a letter from the South West Senate caucus which nominated and endorsed Senator Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central) as Senate Chief Whip when Akpabio sought and was granted the leave to speak.

Akpabio started by thanking President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for calling to sympathize with him over the auto crash he was involved in last month in Abuja.

He said the newspapers, television stations and other media outlets were awash with the news that the ministerial list had been sent to the Senate.

He added that President Buhari promised that the list would be submitted to the Senate in September.

He noted that most Nigerians were also concerned that submission of the list had been unduly delayed.

He said, “Mr. President, today is September 30th. Where is the ministerial list. I am surprised that the list is not part of what was read by Mr. Senate President.”

Before Saraki could respond, Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, took the floor.

Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South) stood in for Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, who was not in the chamber.

He noted that since the question Akpabio raised had to do with the All Progressives Party (APC) government, it was his duty to respond.

Na’Allah said that it was still too early for anybody to conclude that the ministerial list would not be submitted on Wednesday.

The Deputy Senate Leader said he was aware that the office of the Senate President remains open till 12 midnight every day.

He insisted that the ministerial list could still be submitted to the Senate especially when September 30th ends at 12 midnight on Wednesday.

He said, “11.59pm up to 12midnight is still September 30th. The day is still very young. The ministerial list can still be submitted. So there is no cause for alarm.”

Na’Allah’s response drew wild laughter from Senators on both sides of the divide. Some were gesturing to pat Na’Allah on the back.

Saraki said that based on the explanation of Na’Allah, he has no option than to rule Akpabio out of order.

There was further laughter in the chamber.

 

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Amosun submits Commissioner’s list to Assembly

Governor Ibikunle Amosun has submitted his commissioner – nominees to the Ogun State House of Assembly, seeking the legislators’ approval.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi who read the letter at the floor of the house during Wednesday plenary of the Assembly, informed co – lawmakers that the governor is seeking their support and confirmation of the nominees.

In the list , the governor nominated five former commissioner who were; former commissioner for finance; Mrs Kemi Adeosun, former commissioner of agriculture ,Mrs Ronke Sofekun, former commissioner of local government and Chieftains affairs, Bashorun Muyiwa Oladipo and former commissioner for works and infrastructure, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite.

Others who served in the Governor’s first tenure and still made the list are former commissioners for commerce and tourism , Otunba Bimbo Ashiru and Yewade Amusan respectively.

Those whose names were on the list include,Arch. Segun Abiodun, Hon. Jide Ojuko, Mr. Sunday Segun Bamiwola, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, Barr. Leke Adewolu, Mr Folabi Afuape, Mr. Gbenga Adeosun, Chief Kolawole Wasiu Lawal and Olumide Ayeni

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Sylva wins Bayelsa APC governorship ticket

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has emerged as the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the December 5 governorship election in the state after winning the party’s primary.

Sylva polled 981 votes to defeat his distant rival, Mr. Godknows Powell, who scored 39 votes in a peaceful primary conducted at the state secretariat of the party in Yenagoa by a seven-member Electoral Panel led by Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (retd).

A former two-time member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Warman Ogoriba scored 28 votes; Diekivie Ikiogha, 22; Ebite Williams 9; Charity Valdego 7; Preye Aganaba 8 and Febo Austin 7.

Others are Romeo Dekeye 10 votes; Ebitimi Amgbare 3; Ambassador Otiotio 1, Felix Oboro 1 and Christopher Enai 2.

Out of 1147 votes cast at the poll, the chairman of the panel declared 1, 120 votes valid and invalidated 27 votes.

The internal election was peaceful and largely devoid of rancour and violence which characterized the initial exercise that was held on September 22 at the Sports Complex.

Delegates conducted themselves orderly and waited patiently from 11pm on Tuesday till Wednesday afternoon when they cast their votes after accreditation.

There was, however, a brief protest at the venue of the election when Ikiogha led some aggrieved aspirants to the area accusing the panel of shutting them out of the exercise.

For about an hour, Ikiogha, Prof. Tarila Tebepah, Pastor Apirila Tonye and Austin Ogiohwon kept the panel chairman busy with their complaints.

Ikiogha said the panel arrived the state without meeting with them to intimate them on the modalities for the election alleging that the committee came with a mandate to stop them from partaking in the exercise.

“This election is worse than the previous exercise that was cancelled. We are aware that a new list of delegates was compiled the previous night for the purpose of the election. This is not the change we advocated for. We are appealing for the cancellation of the election”, he said.

But the committee chairman insisted that the process was transparent and appealed to the aggrieved aspirants to maintain the peace.

After lodging their complaints, the angry aspirants walked out of the venue of the exercise and refused to come back till the end of the election.

Speaking shortly after he was declared the winner of the poll by the chairman, Sylva said the victory only signaled the need for members of the party to close ranks and work harder to win the December 5 election.

He congratulated the former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, for withdrawing from the race and demanded his support and cooperation of other aspirants ahead of the general election.

The APC candidate commended security agents who stayed awake to maintain the peace throughout the exercise.

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2019: PDP zones presidency to North

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2019 presidential ticket to the North. The party, however, did not state which of the three zones in the region will take the ticket.

The party’s Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, made the disclosure at the party secretariat on Wednesday while receiving the report of the Post-Election Review Committee.

Secondus said the decision was part of the recommendations of the committee, chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu.

He described the report as a turning point in the fortune of the party, saying the PDP is well organised and ready to play the role of vibrant opposition.

The party chairman said the report of the committee would be presented before other organs of the party for adoption and ratification.

Ekweremadu had, while presenting the report, stressed the need for the party to strictly adhere to the zoning principle at the local, state and national levels.

He said, “Since the last president of PDP extraction came from the southern part of Nigeria, it is recommended that PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election should come from the northern part of the country.

“This is in accordance with popular views expressed in the submissions to the committee. This will also assuage ill feelings in the north over any perceived breach of the party’s zoning principle.

The committee also recommended that the title of “party leader” be discarded forthwith at all levels, as it has no basis in the constitution of the PDP, adding that this would go a long way to strengthen the structure of the party at all levels.

Similarly, the committee also recommended that the party do away with the use of delegates for picking its candidates for elections, saying the process had been grossly compromised and abused.

Instead, it recommended the adoption of direct primaries as means of electing candidates for elections at all levels. This, according to the report, was a practical way of returning the party to the people.

 

 

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Breaking News: Saraki confirms receipt of ministerial list

Senate President,  Dr. Bukola Saraki, has confirmed getting the ministerial list from President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a tweet on his handle @bukolasaraki, the Senate President wrote ” About an hour ago, I received the list of President’s Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees from the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Abbah Kyari and the Special Adviser to Mr. President on National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.”

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Judge withdraws from Saraki’s suit against CCT, others

Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday withdrew from a case filed by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, against the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Saraki is seeking to retrain the CCT, the Federal Ministry of Justice and others from proceeding with his trial on alleged false declaration of assets.

Justice Mohammed had on September 17 declined to grant Saraki’s prayer for an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents.

Instead, the judge ordered that the respondents be put on notice and for them to explain on September 21, why the prayer sought by Saraki should not be granted.

On September 21, the judge, after entertaining argument from parties, elected to hear the substantive suit.

Justice Mohammed said it was more honourable for him to hand the case file back to the court’s Chief Judge for reassignment to another judge.

To avert a possible misrepresentation of the day’s proceedings, the judge directed an official of the court to make printed record of the proceedings, signed by the judge, available.

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