Author: The Nation

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Gbolahan Yishawu (APC- Eti-Osa II) on Sunday, decried alleged ill-treatment meted out to patients in some hospitals across the state.

Yishawu expressed his worries at the 10th Assembly inaugural reception for his constituents in Ikoyi,  Lagos.

Speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the ceremony, Yishawu said the inability of patients to understand their rights had led to loss of lives in both private and government hospitals in the state.

Yishawu said the ill-treatment of patients had become rampant because most patients in both private and government hospitals never understood their rights.

According to him, this has led to complications arising from ill-treatment or maltreatment by medical personnel in hospitals across the state and even like loss of lives in some instances.

Read Also: Panic in Anambra Assembly as armed men try to arrest lawmaker

Yishawu said  already, he had a bill with the title;  “Lagos Patients Right” that would guarantee rights of patients in both private and government hospitals.

“The Patients Right Bill is to protect the rights of patients in hospitals from negligence, possible over billing and ill-treatment or maltreatment in hospitals.

“The bill will also document the minimum condition of service expected of a medical facility in the treatment of patients in  Lagos located in the state .

“This bill is in addition to the two bills namely: Lagos State Urban and Regional Data Surveillance Bill and the Lagos Research Trust Fund Bill, that will be presented as soon as plenary resumed,” he stated.

Yishawu said  the three bills which were ready, would be presented before the house for deliberation and passage for assent by the governor.

The lawmaker, also a former chairman, house committee on budget, further gave an assurance that he would work with his colleagues to ensure speedy passage of the three bills.

He explained that the second bill was to establish the Lagos State Urban and Regional Data Surveillance that would register all buildings used for commercial purpose and  create awareness  for the use of close circuit television.

Yishawu noted that the development  was for the purpose of surveillance, monitoring and facilitating the provision of footages of potential harmful and dangerous occurrence in the building and adjoining public areas within the state.

According to him, the proposed bill will further enhance security and assist any relevant investigation by law enforcement agencies.

Speaking on the Research Trust Fund Bill, Yishawu said the objective of the bill was to allocate funds to researchers who desired to carry out research work that were of public interest.

Yishawu said the fund shall be funded through the allocation from the state, contributions from relevant ministries and agencies, aids and donors from the public.

“The third bill I am looking at, is a bill to set up Research Fund whereby scholars and researchers within our state can access funds to carry out research particularly on diseases.

“The beauty about the bill is that the fund will not be restricted to health and medical alone, it will also be extended to digital space innovation.

“I believe this bill will be achievable because there are researchers with ideas who can come up with solutions in our day to day needs,” he said.

On his agenda for his constituents, the lawmaker promised an improved health insurance scheme, people-centred representation, health support and skills acquisition, amongst other things.

While appreciating his constituents for giving him their mandate to serve for another term, he promised not to rest on his oars in ensuring improved programmes for them.

Yishawu said he remained fully committed to the welfare and up-skilling of the people of Eti-Osa Constituency II, especially the youths.

“The pact I have with you remains unbroken. Together, we shall continue to push further, taking on new frontiers for the good of the people of Eti-Osa constituency II,” he said.

The lawmaker lauded them for the trust and confidence they had reposed in him over time, praying that by the grace of God, the future would be better for the constituency.

(NAN)

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoy, the Chairman of, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has admonished Nigerians to hold on to God for blessing, rather than taking to crime to enrich themselves.

Owasanoye gave the advice during a sermon at the House of Truth Church on Sunday in Abuja.

The theme of the sermon is: Angelic Tiding and Goldly signs.

He read from the book of Luke 2:8-12.

According to him, a lot of youths are leaving Nigeria because they feel life is better out there, rather than wait for the plan and purpose of God for their lives.

He stated that some people would rather also go the extra mile to lie about their conditions, even change their names, all in a bid to leave the country.

Read Also: Court restrains EFCC, ICPC, DSS from detaining ex-Gov Yari

“Going out of Nigeria does not guarantee that they will be successful, it is the blessing of God that makes the difference,” he noted.

On corruption, he stated that some people had acquired assets for themselves that they could not even see or enjoy in their life time, because of greed.

“These are the things killing our nation, Nigeria is a blessed country that needs men of integrity to make the difference,” he said.

He stressed thatbGod would not bless anyone involved in criminality or by committing crime, but by doing the right thing and living a good life.

The chairman added that Nigeria is a great country and needed all hands to be on deck to ensure that it became the country of the people’s dream.

He however appealed to Nigerians to believe in God and angelic ministration, because He is real, noting that some people had actually encountered angelic ministration.

Owasanoy said the advent of technology was to help people and make life easy and not to commit crime, adding that people cut corners to achieve success, instead of doing the right thing and wait for God’s blessings.

The ICPC boss urged believers to ask God for the ability to redeem the time and not be afraid.

(NAN)

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th House of Representatives on June 13, Rep. Ali Isah (PDP-Gombe) has emerged the consensus candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Minority Whip.

This is contained in a communique issued by the Northern PDP caucus and signed by members in Abuja on Saturday.

The event was officially endorsed by 49 members in attendance, while their position would be presented to the party.

Among those who contested for the position were Rep. Beni Lar (PDP-Plateau) and Rep. Laori komati (PDP-Adamawa); both were returning members of the 10th House of Reps.

Read Also: PDP warns against influencing election of National Assembly leadership

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the position was zoned to North under the PDP Minority caucus for the 10th Assembly.

This according to the communique, has become imperative to guide the next speaker of the 10th house, particularly the minority leadership slot.

NAN also gathered that other members of the minority caucus for other positions such as the choice of minority leader, would hold their meeting separately to elect their preferred candidate.

(NAN)

The Labour Party (LP) has faulted the suspension of Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) by President Bola Tinubu. 

The party said Emefiele’s suspension was unconstitutional because the President didn’t seek the permission of the National Assembly.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the Julius Abure- led faction, Obiora Ifoh the party insisted that the removal of Emefiele from office was not in good taste and sounded punitive.

Read Also: BREAKING: DSS takes suspended CBN Gov Emefiele into custody

The statement reads: “The leadership of the Labour Party is disturbed by the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend/sack the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, albeit unconstitutionally without seeking the permission of the national assembly and we insist that the action was not in good taste and sounds punitive.

“Drawing inspiration from what Femi Gbajabiamila, then Minority Leader, had said years ago over a similar situation when President Goodluck Jonathan sacked former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, wherein he questioned the powers of the President in sacking the CBN Governor. The opposition leader made it clear that the President lacks powers under the laws of the land to sack the CBN boss. One wonders what has changed between that time and now.

“Femi Gbajabiamila is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives and also holds the enviable portfolio as the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu. He had then argued that the law requires the President to seek the approval of two-thirds of the Senate to be able to sack the CBN Governor. Reasons being essentially to enforce the doctrine of Checks and Balances and to avoid the abuse of powers of a capricious and arbitrary President, while at the same time guaranteeing the autonomy of the CBN. But under Gbajabiamila’s watch, Emefiele was fired in a most unconstitutional and vindictive manner. 

“It is only in Nigeria that we find people that approbate and reprobate at the same time. People say one thing from one side of their mouth and another from the other side, especially when it favours them politically and otherwise. That explains why the country is in shambles: no rule of law, no equity, no justice, and no fair play. People don’t follow standard rules and procedures. That is why every aspect of our lives, be it our economic, political and social lives, is challenged.

“Gbajabiamila because he was in the opposition at that time, he saw everything wrong with President Jonathan sacking Sanusi, today he is on the other side of the divide, he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. This is what Nigerians will face in the APC government, where perceived enemies are dealt with, perceive opposition parties and their members are dealt with, even when they are protected by the law. 

“Most Nigerians will not forget in a hurry the famous Naira redesign policy initiated by Emefiele primarily to check vote buying in the last general election. A noble policy which a particular candidate then unfortunately believed was targeted at him. To him, it was a mortal sin which cannot be forgiven and must be punished. The Labour Party believes that Emefiele, a fall guy, is paying for his ‘sin.’

“The government said the suspension of Emefiele is ‘sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.’

“It is laughable to read that statement as most Nigerians are already aware of the intention of the government. If indeed, there is any government agency that should be investigated with this utmost urgency, should it not be the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu? This is the institution that is responsible for the mockery of our democracy. This is an institution which asked and received N355 billion in tax payers money to conduct, the worst ever election in the history of Nigeria and in Sub Saharan Africa. This is an election umpire that has shamelessly chosen to be partisan during and after the election, even at the tribunal.”

Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) and Sen. Kabir Barkiya (APC-Katsina) have rejected suggestions that the outgoing 9th Senate was a mere “rubber stamp” to the executive.

There have been allegations that the 2019-2023 Senate was a mere rubber stamp to the executive with critics insisting that it did not exercise its role of checking the executive.

But the duo, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Abuja on Saturday, said that the 9th Senate, whose legislative year has ended, performed well.

Moro, who will be returning to the 10th Senate, said that the lawmakers were committed to a better Nigeria.

“With all sense of responsibility, the 9th Senate has performed fairly well.

Read Also: Ninth Senate worked for better Nigeria – Shettima

“It’s unfortunate that certain things took place which warranted the nick naming of the 9th Senate as a mere rubber stamp.

“Sometimes some of the criticisms of the activities of the senate of the 9th assembly are borne out of lack of proper understanding of the dynamics of parliamentary practice.

“And then, of course, the relationship between the executive and the legislature, law making and providing for good governance does not require avoidable confrontations.

“It is not everything that comes from the executive that is wrong as people will want to think.”

Moro said that bills by the Executive that the Senate rejected included the Inland Water Authority (amendment) Bill.

“The bill to amend the Inland Water Authority Act was rejected. It is a bill that the executive had long wanted, by our own understanding.

“That bill would have been introduced through the back door because the House of Representatives would have passed it. They needed the concurrence of the Senate to make it go through.

“Some appointments by the immediate past administration were rejected.

“It is not in all circumstances that the Senate had looked like a lame dog senate or a rubber stamp.

“In exceptional circumstances, I think the senate had stood up to the bidding and had done the right thing to ensure that the right things were done for Nigerians.”

On the successes of the 9th Senate, the lawmaker said that it introduced some innovations.

“Some reformative activities are taking place, amendments have been made to old and traditional ways of doing things.

“We have created a new innovative platform for activities to take place with less human touch, and more digital application or technology.”

Moro further said that the electoral process, in spite of the human errors that had complicated the electoral process, witnessed a fine attempt at introducing technology into the electoral process.

He said that the intention was to minimise the human limitations that had occasioned the scuttling of the electoral process.

“Our efforts were targeted at introducting fine technology.

“For some of us, who would have expected that the electoral process is digitised all through from accreditation to voting to transmission of results, calculation of results, all of them would have been technology-driven.”

For Barkiya, the actions taken by the 9th senate were nothing compared to attract the tag “rubber stamp”.

He said that all bills and motions were debated and voted for, so calling the 9th senate rubber stamp would hold no water.

Barkiya said that the outgoing assembly had recorded so much successes including passing the Constitution amendment bill and the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), now an Act.

(NAN)

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has called two additional witnesses to further prove his allegation of malpractice at the Feb. 25 election.

The two make a total of 18 witnesses he has so far called out of 100 witnesses planned for the exercise.

Abubakar and his party filed their petitions against the election of President Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC at the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja.

They are challenging the outcome of the election on the ground that INEC, the electoral umpire, did not conduct the election in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

At the resumed hearing on Saturday, one of Abubakar’s new witnesses, Ms Alheri Ayuba, said she was unhappy at her inability to upload results from her polling unit unto INEC’s Result Viewing Portal.

Read Also: JUST IN: We complied with all rules during election, Atiku/PDP’s witnesses tell court

“There was a form that I filled at the ward centre where I stated that I was not happy at my inability to transmit the result.

“I could not log into the INEC portal. If I had logged into the system and posted the result perhaps it could have “pending’’ status and when network is restored, it would upload,’’ she said.

The witness also told the court that she was not induced or influenced by any politician before or during the election.

The second witness, Ms Sadiya Haruna, told the court that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machine she used malfunctioned.

Haruna told the court that the result she entered manually at her polling unit was what she took to the ward collation officer and that party agents assigned to the unit monitored the entire process.

She said she took a photo shot of the result as collated manually on the result sheet with the BVAS machine, but that she couldn’t ascertain whether it was retained in the machine or not.

Earlier, INEC’s counsel, Mr Kemi Pinhero (SAN) and Mr Akin Olujimi (SAN) counsel for President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, objected to the admission of the witnesses’ statements in evidence.

Mr Abiodun Fashanu (SAN), counsel for APC aligned with their objection.

The counsel submitted that their reason for objecting to the admission of the witnesses’ statements on oath would be advanced at the stage of final addresses.

They, however, did not oppose the invitation of the witnesses to testify before the court as well as the presentation of their letters of employment as Presiding Officers for the election by INEC.

Abubakar’s counsel, Mr Chris Uche (SAN) who led both witnesses in evidence prayed the court to discountenance objections by the respondents and admit the witnesses’ testimonies.

Presiding Justice Haruna Tsammani reserved ruling on the objections until the final judgment.

Justice Tsammani also adjourned further hearing in the petition till June 13.

(NAN)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday in Abuja cautioned against any form of intimidation as the 10th National Assembly elects its principal officers on Jun 13.

PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba told a news conference that members of the National Assembly should be allowed to elect their leaders freely.

He said information at the disposal of the PDP indicated that there had been attempts to harass and threaten lawmakers-elect as to their choices of leaders of the National Assembly.

“Reports in the public space indicate plots to arrest individuals who are considered to be strong proponents of the independence of the legislature.

Read Also: JUST IN: We complied with all rules during election, Atiku/PDP’s witnesses tell court

“The PDP notes that the independence of the legislature is a prerequisite for a virile democracy and therefore insists that members-elect in both chambers must be allowed to elect their leadership.

“The National Assembly is the symbol of sovereignty of the people in a democracy. The people exercise such sovereignty through choices made by their representatives on the floor of the National Assembly.

“Fundamental to this sovereignty is the choice of presiding officers which must not be appropriated by any group or individuals.

“Such will amount to a dethronement of the sovereignty of the people,’’ Ologunagba said.

He advised lawmakers-elect to assert their independence in the election of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He called on the members-elect to note that Nigerians reposed their trust in them to uphold the independence of the legislative arm of government in electing their leadership.

“As a party, we charge the lawmakers to remain steadfast in their resolve because we are conscious that majority of them are resolved to defend the independence of the legislature.

“We call on them to keep in mind that Nigerians expect them to assert their independence in the election of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives,’’ Ologunagba stressed.  

(NAN)

Vice President Kassim Shettima has said the Ninth Senate worked for a better Nigeria.

He insisted that the stability of the country is better with the stability of lawmakers while urging Senators-elect to vote wisely to elect Presiding Officers on Tuesday.

The First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu also expressed gratitude to God for sustaining her in the Senate for three consecutive terms.

Shettima and Oluremi spoke at the valedictory session organised in Abuja by the outgoing Ninth Senate.

Read Also: Tinubu, Shettima will take Nigeria to greater heights, says Betara

Shettima said: “To my fellow colleagues who will depart from this chamber, I address you not as colleagues left behind but as experienced lawmakers who have become an integral part of my history.

“We have shared many things in common and standing shoulder to shoulder in times of adversity. We have fought relentlessly for the betterment of our dear country.

“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a paradox. The stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely. Let us vote for the Nigerian nation.

“The stability of our country is better than the stability of our pockets. Let us vote wisely on Tuesday.”

Senator Tinubu said: “God sustained me for three terms, from 7th Assembly to 9th Assembly.

“I am still confused myself how I have been able to continue the journey because serving the nation takes a lot of sacrifice.

“It started with the sacrifice from your homes, your children even your better half. It is also a great privilege for all of us that are here because over the years, we have made friends, brothers, sisters across our various tribes, ethnicity and religious divide.

“We have the entire Nigerians being represented and we were able to forge ahead and come together when we need to make very good decisions in the overall interest of the nation. We did that as elder statemen and women.

“My thanks will go to my husband for even giving me support. He gives me advice when I seek for it. He gave me the freedom to be myself self and to be able to make contributions necessary to improve the lives of our people especially our women, youths and children.

“God used me to do exploit in this hallowed chamber. I did all that is required of every legislator. Motions, bills including those that had been assented to by law.”