Connect with us

Politics

APC, Tinubu favour Akpabio as Senate President, Abbas, Speaker

Published

on

The ruling All Progressives Congress and the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, may have adopted a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godwill Akpabio, as President of the Senate in the coming 10th National Assembly.

The leadership of the APC and top echelon of the party have also endorsed a member of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as Speaker of the 10th House, according to impeccable sources, who were at a closed-door meeting at the Defence House on Friday.

A credible source in the National Assembly disclosed that the positions of the Deputy President of the Senate and Deputy Speaker had not been decided, an indication that they might be contested by aspirants.

A message sent to one of our correspondents by one of the sources read, “President-elect, APC endorse North-West – Speaker; South-South – Senate President…settle for Sen. Godswill Akpabio and Rt. Hon. TJ Abass, Ph.D, as Senate President, Speaker.

“Zoning for Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker.

“North-West –Deputy Senate President. South-East –Deputy Speaker

“Decision taken at the meeting held at the Defence House today (Friday).”

Kano State Governor, Abdulahi Ganduje, had said Akpabio would be the next President of the Senate.

Ganduje stated this in Calabar on Thursday during a meeting with Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, and Prof Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

He said, “The Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come from the South-South and it is no other person than the former governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“The uncommon governor, the uncommon minister, who is going to be the uncommon President of the Senate. So, we have resolved that. I am giving you assurances; we are waiting for the D-Day that he will be the Senate President of Nigeria.”

Ayade, who also spoke at the meeting, said, “I want to thank you so much for zoning the Senate presidency to the South-South and to our brother from a neighbouring state, who is also part of Cross River State.

“We want to thank you for this great opportunity because our dream of a Bakassi seaport is becoming very real.”

Speakership aspirants differ

Meanwhile, aspirants who spoke to one of our correspondents before the announcement were divided on which method the APC should adopt in the choice of the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Several aspirants contacted expressed preference for a consensus candidate or to allow the aspirants in a choice zone to contest against each other, or for a free contest for all aspirants regardless of zones.

For instance, while the current Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, said he would abide by any mode adopted by the APC, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, said the party should give the seat to a zone and pick a consensus candidate from there.

Ado-Doguwa said, “I have always been unequivocal about my unflinching loyalty and respect for party supremacy. It is for the party to decide which option to take and I will definitely stand by it. Zoning, consensus, free contest, whichever option is taken, I will be fine with it God willing.”

However, Wase said, “Zoning and consensus applied together will foster national integration, while ensuring party unity at the same time.”

Another aspirant and current spokesman of the House, Ben Kalu, urged the APC to consider all interests – ethnic, zonal and religious – in the choice of the best mode of selecting candidates for leadership positions.

He said, “Like I have always said, I do not envy the decision makers at the moment, especially the President-elect, the National Chairman (Abdullahi Adamu) and the National Working Committee members, whose task it is to adopt a power-balancing formula that will sustainably increase our cohesion, unity, progress, prosperity and peace of the federation.

“Having said that, I am sure that they will consider all diversity, sensitive issues, competence, capacity and credibility to arrive at any option most acceptable to them. As party men, we will oblige them fully.

“For the administration of the President-elect to succeed, the foundation must be laid on non-acrimonious and rancorous-free relationships between the arms of the government, with each supporting the other towards achieving the desired national objective.

“That starts now with the design of the architecture of the legislature when well put together. I am confident that will not be an issue.”

Meanwhile, Yusuf Gagdi is billed to officially declare his bid for the speakership today (Saturday).

The former Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly had said he would abide by the zoning plan of the APC leadership if he considers it fair and just to all sides

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

General

Nigerian Air: This Embarrassment Is Too Much, Did We Not Tell You It Is A Scam? – Rufai Oseni

Published

on

Popular TV host, Rufai Oseni has reacted to the declaration from the House of Representatives stating that the launch of the Nigerian Air is a fraud.

Naija News recalls that the House of Rep had on Tuesday stated that report of the Airline launch was untrue.

Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, declared the launch of Nigeria Air a fraud after the major stakeholders in the deal between the Federal Government and Ethiopian Airlines denied knowledge of the launch.

The Ministry of Aviation claimed Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched, which the committee dismissed as an attempt to divert the lawmakers’ attention.

Members of the committee were shocked when NAMA disclosed that the aircraft bearing Nigerian colours was on a chartered flight to Nigeria.

Reacting to the reports via Twitter, Oseni stated that when he initially said the Airline launch was a scam people claimed that he hated Nigeria.

He wrote “We told them that Nigeria Air was a scam from the start, they said we hate Nigeria.Hahahahah. This embarrassment is too much, so where is the plane now. I got unconfirmed reports that the plane carried passengers for the real owners out of Nigeria that day.”

Continue Reading

General

Fuel Subsidy: What Nigerian Governors Discussed With President Tinubu

Published

on

State Governors on Wednesday expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to end fuel subsidy payments in the country and other early policy initiatives of the administration.

Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement by the State House Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye.

The governors, who took turns to speak when the President hosted members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by its chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, at the State House, expressed happiness with the President’s subsidy-removal decision, all-inclusive leadership and statesmanship.

They congratulated President Tinubu for tackling the fuel subsidy behemoth, promising to work with him to ameliorate the short-term impact of the decision.

President Tinubu had earlier called on the governors to collaborate with the Federal Government in tackling the menace of poverty in the country, saying the level of impoverishment was unacceptable.

The President advised the political leaders to downplay their differences and jointly focus on alleviating the sufferings and pains of the people.

“We can see the effects of poverty on the faces of our people. Poverty is not hereditary, it is from the society. Our position is to eliminate poverty. Set aside partisan politics, we are here to deliberate about Nigeria and nation-building,’’ he said.

President Tinubu stated that the nation should be seen as one big family.

“We are a family occupying one house, and sleeping in different rooms. If we see it that way and push forward, we will get our people out of poverty. A determined mind is a fertile ground for delivering on results,’’ he added.

The President said good governance would safeguard the future of democracy.

“Present in this room is our diversity in culture and politics, but we are one nation. The unity and stability of the country rest upon us.

“We are in a democracy and we have to nurture the democracy. It is a hard-earned system and not easy to manage. If anyone thinks it is easy, look at other nations who are over a hundred years in democracy.

“We have managed ourselves very well to have a democracy. We have campaigned and arrived at our present destination. We must work for our people,’’ President Tinubu told the governors, while assuring them that he would maintain an open-door policy.

The President said he was prepared to share ideas, strengthen institutions, and create bottom-up frameworks that will improve the livelihood of Nigerians.

“What do we do in the face of crushing poverty? What do we do with our development goals? We took the bull by the horns by removing the elephant in the room, before the nation sinks.

“We need synergy to fight other vices like corruption. We are trying to get smugglers out of the way. How do we work together to galvanize the economy, and put resources in place. We must think and perform.

“After removing subsidy, there must be savings accruing to the Federation Account,’’ he noted.

President Tinubu said the education sector must be improved as part of efforts to reduce poverty and penury:

“How do we address the unacceptable level of poverty? How much are we investing in education, which is the only tool against poverty? I am ready to collaborate with you.’’

Tinubu also drew attention to the security problems in some states, admonishing the governors that all efforts should be put in place to tackle the security situation, without thinking it’s only for those facing it.

The Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRasaq, thanked the President for the invitation to deliberate on the challenges of poverty and security, promising that the governors would support the Federal Government in meeting the targets of human development.

“The NGF will follow the tradition of working constitutionally and harmoniously with you,’’ he said.

The meeting, which was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and new Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, had 22 governors and two deputy governors from Edo and Niger States, in attendance.

The governors made suggestions highlighting the plight of citizens in their states, assuring the President of their support in proffering solutions through the National Economic Council

Continue Reading

Politics

Aregbesola blames devil for rift with Oyetola, seeks forgiveness

Published

on

Ex-Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has blamed the devil for the misunderstanding between himself and his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola during the latter’s administration.

Aregbesola who spoke in Yoruba language during a welcome rally organised by his loyalists to welcome him back to the state at Freedom Park, Osogbo, said the devil successfully allowed animosity to thrive between them after the Supreme Court victory party in July 2019.

The former Minister had attributted his political successes to President Bola Tinubu, who identified and supported his political aspirations since 1999 from Lagos state.

He however asked for forgiveness from everyone who felt slighted by events of the last four, saying he was in the state to seek reconciliation and development of the progressive tendency in the state.

According to him, politics in this part of the world is about acrimony but today, I am not here for that. We are here to seek reconciliation and forgiveness. My successes as governor were a collective achievement, including those who turned themselves into our enemies today.

“In July 2019 after the Supreme Court victory, we were together in this venue where we call on ourselves to be united. I said on that day that I’d concluded my tenure and hand over to the person I preferred but warned that it was left for my successor to be a good person and that I will be the godfather.

“But my statement was misconstrued and the devil took over leading to the rift that lasted four years. I did not request anything from my successor talkless of being denied such a thing but some people just feel envious of our presence. Despite all of these, I seek forgiveness from those who felt offended by some of our actions.

“After this, I will not beg anybody again. We didn’t offend anyone and we don’t believe anyone offended us but it’s possible that they believe we offended them, that’s why we are seeking forgiveness”, he said.

Meanwhile, the former governor was received into the state by jubilant residents of Ilesa and Osogbo following the completion of his appointment.

Escorted by his wife Sherifat, the duo was visibly elated by the warm reception given him by residents of the two major towns after visiting the palaces of Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran and Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji

Continue Reading

Trending