Category: Lead

• ‘Political actors conspiring to stop inauguration of President-elect Tinubu, governors’

There is an ongoing plot to derail the May 29 transfer of power, Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba alerted the nation yesterday.

Those behind the plot are “political actors” and “subversive elements and their foot soldiers”, the police chief said at a news conference in Abuja.

He vowed that by working in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies, such plots will be crushed.

The warning is coming on the heels of a previous one by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who won the February 25 poll, is billed to take office on May 29 as Nigeria’s fifth president of the Fourth Republic.

Three candidates are in court challenging his victory. Apart from the court action, many of those who felt aggrieved as a result of the loss of the preferred candidate have been making incendiary remarks on the outcome of the poll widely seen as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s electoral history.

The IG said the police and the intelligence community cannot fold their hands and allow the subversive agenda, political radicalism and extremism to unleash tension and derail the orderly transfer of power.

The DSS had warned against a plot to set aside the constitution and install an interim government after May 29 by misguided elements.

Read Also : APC releases Tinubu, Shetima pre-inauguration photographs

Although he refrained from naming the plotters, DSS Spokesman Dr. Peter Afunanya, in a statement, warned those behind the conspiracy to thwart democracy to retrace their steps.

Alkali, who maintained that May 29 is sacrosanct, said those who are not satisfied with the outcome of the January 25 poll should stop heating up the polity.

He said: “Following the successful conclusion of the 2023 general elections, it has been observed that some major political actors that the outcome did not favour, have been issuing public threats that are directed at instigating actions to frustrate the presidential inauguration on May 29. 

“The Nigeria Police and the national intelligence community have been closely monitoring the activities of these political elites as well as other elements who have formed themselves into unpatriotic brands whose only fantasy, in recent times, is to subvert our national security interests.

“In so doing, they seem to be bent on deploying extra-judicial and undemocratic means to truncate our democratic heritage in the advancement of their narrow personal political considerations. 

“The 29th May 2023 date for the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and indeed, other inauguration ceremonies at national and state levels, are sacrosanct.”

Alkali said at this stage of democratic transition, the peace and security of Nigeria should be sustained.

He said while the police, in synergy with other security agencies and the intelligence community, continues to closely monitor the activities of these political elements, it has become expedient to issue the stern warning.

The IGP said: “Firstly, the Nigeria Police hereby sternly warns all political actors with subversive agenda and their collaborators, particularly, their foot soldiers who they are exposing to political radicalisation and extremism should, henceforth, jettison their ongoing premeditated attempts to create tension within the national space with intention of derailing the 29th May 2023 presidential inauguration ceremony.

“Secondly, any such persons, regardless of their political affiliations, who continuously engage in acts that are inimical to our nation’s democratic and security interests, should not be in doubt on the firm determination of the Nigeria Police under my watch to closely collaborate with the law enforcement family and the intelligence community to defend our democracy, keep the internal security order stable and optimally deploy our common unique assets towards guaranteeing the successful conduct of the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.

“Thirdly, we note that the inauguration ceremonies at all the national and state levels of government are a critical constitutional requirement for the sustenance of our political order as a nation and the Nigeria Police is duty and legally bound to defend our democratic heritage and closely police the constitutional processes. 

“Consequently, I assure the citizens that our loyalty to our democratic and political order remains firm and unwavering. We will defend our democracy at all costs.”

Alkali said the police have the mandate to secure governance and ensure the successful inauguration of elected public officers at all levels.

Stressing that the police will undertake the tasks optimally and manifestly, he said: “Anybody that stands in the way will be identified, promptly isolated, and brought to deserved justice in the overriding interest of our national security and stable political order.”

Alkali urged Nigerians to be mindful of the antics of political elements who may want to manipulate their political passion to advance parochial, undemocratic, and unconstitutional objectives.

He added: “They should resist such, go about their lawful businesses and prepare to be part of the advancement of our democratic journey as patriotic citizens by freely participating in the inauguration ceremonies, assured that the Nigeria Police have acquired adequate assets to guarantee their protection. 

“They are also encouraged to promptly report any attempts by the misguided political elements to infiltrate their ranks and engender political tension in the country for appropriate law enforcement response”.

The IGP also urged the international community not to be swayed by the ill-informed actions of unpatriotic political actors who may be creating false red flags through social media.

He said Nigeria’s democracy was on course and that the country’s security order remains stable: “and the presidential inauguration will be held as scheduled under a very peaceful atmosphere”.

IGP appealed to the media practitioners to also be wary of the intentions of these political gladiators and resist the urge to deploy their credible outlets to advance their destabilisation plots.

He said: “Nigeria remains our national heritage and working together, we should continue to advance and place her interests over and above parochial personal or group interests.”

Inauguration constitutional, says Agbakoba

Also yesterday, a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said it would be unconstitutional for the inauguration not to hold on May 29.

He said in a statement: “It is important to state that the inauguration of Mr Bola Tinubu on 29 May 2023 is bound to happen under our constitutional process.

“While the election tribunal deals with the petitions, there is no constitutional process to delay the inauguration on 29 May. We need to obey the rule of constitutionalism.”  

• Tinubu to get guide from Transition Council

Nigeria spent over N13 trillion on petrol subsidies in 16 years, the Federal Government said yesterday.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the money was spent between 2005 and 2021.

Mustapha spoke in Abuja at the launch of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2022 – 2026 Strategic Plan.

He said the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) would release the guide that emanated from the discussions on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol subsidy to the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu.

“From that Policy Advisory, over N13 trillion (N74billion) is documented to have been expended on the payment of subsidy between 2005-2021,” he said.

He assured Nigerians that the Federal Government had been keenly following subsidy conversations having borne the burden of fuel subsidy over the years.

“While we remain open to the ongoing debate, a comprehensive position to guide the incoming administration on when and how to make this decision is being developed by the Presidential Transition Council which I currently head,” Mustapha added.

According to him, the N13 trillion figure in relative terms is equivalent to the country’s entire budget for health, education, agriculture, and defence in the last five years.

It was also, he added, almost the capital expenditure for 10 years between 2011 and 2020 if the government computed in financial terms other economic and opportunity costs to the nation.

The opportunity cost of petrol subsidy, he explained, included the slashing of allocations for the health, education, and technology infrastructure sectors and the deterioration of the downstream sector with the declining performance of Nigeria’s refineries.

Others were a disincentivized private sector investment in the down and mid-stream petroleum sector; low employment generation since the refining process is done outside the country’s shores and inefficient supply arrangements which often lead to scarcity and its attendant queues.

The SGF said the government had also noted other debates around subsidy removal, including the need to fix national refineries and the creation of visible safety net programmes to reduce the impact on the poor and vulnerable, especially workers.

He referenced the “strong argument” on adequate mechanisms to be put in place to ensure that the revenues that will accrue from subsidy removal are prudently managed and channelled to the development of key infrastructure and other areas of national development

There is “no doubt that the incoming administration will consider our position on the issue and make an informed decision in the overriding public interest,” Mustapha added.

Meanwhile, NEITI Executive Secretary, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji revealed that the Federal Government earned $ 394 billion from oil and gas in 10 years.

He regretted that the solid minerals sector could only generate N624.1 billion in 13 years.

Orji said: “From the NEITI reports, a total of N624.1billion was recorded as revenue that has accrued to the government from the sector over a 13-year period which, in today’s exchange rate, amounts to about $1.4billion compared to the enormous $394b earned in the oil and gas sector in just 10 years.”

Expressing concern over the low performance of the sector, Orji said it shows negligence to the enormous potential in the solid minerals sector.

He said: “Then the second area that we will also talk about is that we are very displeased that the solid minerals sector currently contributes a little over 1.8 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP.

“This is an enormous sector that can grow the economy more than oil. Our projection is that if the solid mineral sector is thrown open for investment, it has the potential to contribute over 60 per cent to the nation’s GDP. At 60 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP would mean outperforming oil.”

He, however, revealed that NEITI has done an extensive scoping study and identified six strategic minerals for focus, adding that NEITI’s next major focus would be on the development of these strategic minerals.

The Executive Secretary said so far, NEITI has conducted and published 11 cycles of audits in the solid minerals sector, spanning the years 2007 – 2020.

The United States yesterday said it has imposed visa restrictions on individuals who undermined the democratic process during the 2023 general election.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in a statement, said the move was not targeted at Nigerians or the government. 

He did not name the affected individuals.

“The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Nigeria and around the world. 

“Today, I am announcing that we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 elections cycle. 

“These actions are specific to certain individuals and are not directed at the Nigerian people or the Government of Nigeria as a whole,” he said. 

Read Also : Elections are over, it is time to support incoming govt – Gambari

The decision, Blinken added, complies with Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

These individuals “will be subject to restrictions on visas to the United States under a policy covering those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy”. 

Blinken said the individuals were involved in the intimidation of voters through threats and physical violence, the manipulation of vote results and others.

“The decision to take steps to impose visa restrictions reflects the continued commitment of the United States to support Nigerian aspirations to strengthen democracy and the rule of law,” he said. 

Nigerian chef Hilda Baci has set a new world record of 100 hours cook-a-thon, making her the new record holder.

The latest Guinness book record holder broke the record of 87 hours, 45 minutes, and 00 seconds set by Chef Lata Tondon in Rewa, India, in 2019.

Read Also : Hilda Baci extends cook-a-thon to 100 hours

Hilda was initially scheduled to stop at 4 pm Nigerian Time culminating into her former 96-hour target but stopped at 8pm after an extension of four hours.

Supportive Nigerians at the cook-a-thon competition, taking place at the Amore Gardens, Lekki, saw her through the event which commenced on Thursday, May 11, 2023.

Detail shortly…

The United States on Monday announced that it has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 elections.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in a statement, said the move was not targeted at Nigerians or the government. 

The Secretary of State however did not name the affected individuals.

“The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Nigeria and around the world. Today, I am announcing that we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 elections cycle. 

“These actions are specific to certain individuals and are not directed at the Nigerian people or the Government of Nigeria as a whole,” he said. 

The decision, Blinken added, is in compliance with Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Read Also: PDP seeks visa ban on Buhari, family over alleged poll rigging

 These individuals “will be subject to restrictions on visas to the United States under a policy covering those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy”. 

These individuals, he said, were involved in intimidation of voters through threats and physical violence, the manipulation of vote results and others.

“The decision to take steps to impose visa restrictions reflects the continued commitment of the United States to support Nigerian aspirations to strengthen democracy and the rule of law,” he said. 

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba on Monday cautioned political parties trying to foment trouble on May 29 presidential inauguration to stay off.

IGP said the inauguration date remains sacrosanct. 

He vowed to do everything possible alongside other security operatives to defend democracy.

The police boss, who gave the warning while briefing reporters in Abuja, said: “Following the successful conclusion of the 2023 General elections, it has been observed that some major political actors that the outcome did not favour, have been issuing public threats that are directed at instigating actions to frustrate the Presidential inauguration ceremony on 29th May, 2023. 

Read Also: May 29: Transition crisis lingers in Benue, Taraba, Abia, others

“The Nigeria Police and the national intelligence community have been closely monitoring the activities of these political elites as well as other elements who have  formed themselves into unpatriotic brands whose only fantasy, in recent times, is to subvert our national security interests. 

“In so doing, they seem to be bent on deploying extra-judicial and undemocratic means to truncate our democratic heritage in advancement of their narrow personal political considerations”.

He said the beauty of democracy lies not just in the freedom of the citizens to freely exercise their franchise within the electoral cycle: 

“It is also hinged on the right of aggrieved political actors to submit grievances on the electoral outcome to the judicial process for consideration,” he added. 

Details shortly…

•Expect 50-year masterplan from incoming administration •What to do on economy

Toba Adedeji, Osogbo and Osagie Otabor, Akure 

President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the most prepared anyone has been for the top job, his longtime ally Chief Bisi Akande has said.

The pioneer All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman believes Tinubu can deliver on his renewed hope manifesto to lift Nigeria to a higher height.

Akande, a former Osun State governor and one of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s political sons, spoke on the preparedness of the President-elect for the job, which he will take up on May 29, and what the country should do to get out of economic difficulties, during the 97th birthday anniversary of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti in Akure.

The speech was made available to reporters in Osogbo yesterday.

Akande said: “We thank God that this time around; Nigerians have elected a leader who has planned for a long time to be our President. 

“When Tinubu was Governor of Lagos State, he did not just plan for his eight years in office; he did a Master Plan for Lagos which has since been running for more than the past 20 years and which has transformed the city-state into the powerhouse of the Nigerian economy.

“Therefore, it is right and necessary to expect a 20 or 50 years Master Plan for Nigeria from President to be Tinubu when he assumes office. This will transform this blessed country into a great one.” 

To the political class, putting Nigeria first must be a priority, Akande advised.

He said: “In our country, we know the President cannot be the sole agent of change. There are leaders and there are followers! 

“All good patriots need to get involved and keep all hands on deck. We need to align modernity with our development.

“We cannot be in love with the products of modernity like cars, telephones and air travels while we continue to live in dreadful underdevelopment. But presently, to our collective shame, almost all the cars on Nigerian roads are imported.

“We import foods, wines, spirits, clothing, perfume, body sprays, toothpick and toiletries and then turn around to complain that the Naira is not strong. Let us, as followers, make the Naira strong by changing our ways.

“Let us learn to make our own cars, produce our own food, drink our own wine and wear our own clothes because those individuals, corporate entities or countries, who think deeply daily, plan meticulously and work assiduously towards the realisation of their plans would continue to devise all means to confuse, exploit and enslave the lazy, fun-loving and planless pleasure seekers.

“All good living can only happen when we change the way we think and the way we educate the next generations.” 

Extolling the Afenifere leader, Akande said: “Again, Chief Fasoranti was among the first to chart a new course of educating our youths. 

“After years of serving as principal of various secondary schools, he and his wife established Omolere Nursery School and St. Francis Grammar School.

“They took this path in reaction against the destructive interference in education by the military administration. Today, graduates of these schools are leaders in education, industry, and even in politics.”

Akande said Nigeria needs a future that would resemble more of its past when the likes of Baba Fasoranti were in charge.

Read Also: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the appointment with destiny

“We need to think more and plan more about our future as individuals and as collectives. 

“We need to produce more and consume less of those things that we need but had to be imported.

“We need to be more godly and less religious and we need to be united in demanding accountability and good performance from our leaders.

“Our country is rich and we need to make her wealth to serve the poorest among us so that the poor would not go to bed hungry. 

“No rich person can sleep peacefully when his poor neighbour is awake because of hunger,” he said.

The former Osun governor believes the country failed because of the inability to plan for the future.

He blamed underdevelopment on the inability of successive governments to have a development plan for critical sectors.

Akande said when he served as governor between 1999 and 2003, he balanced the budgets, cleared the debts his administration inherited and did not borrow to finance projects.

He also said he did not leave any uncompleted projects and did not owe any worker, contractor or suppliers.

According to him, he followed the template set by the late Bola Ige and Awolowo to prove that good governance is possible.

Akande said: “In our government, we planned. We executed the plans for the good of our people. Our government did not live beyond its means.

“We followed the examples of those before us in the Awolowo School of Politics and Public Service. 

“We need to ask ourselves today whether we can say the same thing about the current emerging set of our leaders.

“We fail to plan and, yet, we are surprised that we fail in almost all sectors as we are all lapsing into generations of plan-less hypocrites.

“I can assure you, that was not what we inherited. In this same country, we use to have five years capital development plans and seven years capital development plans. Now we only plan for the immediate next election.”

From Gbade Ogunwale, Tony Akowe, Jide Orintunsin, Abuja; Osagie Otabor, Akure and Oyebola Owolabi

The support base for Senate President aspirant Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President aspirant Barau Jibrin has widened to 69 out of 109 senators-elect, Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) said yesterday.

Ndume said the 69 Senators-elect are members of the ‘Stability Group’, who had already appended their signatures for their aspiration.

Ndume, who led the Akpabio campaign team to Lagos, said the former Akwa Ibom governor will win with a clear majority.

He spoke when the Stability Group visited Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Lagos House in Marina.

Sanwo-Olu pledged to support just as Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari, also assured Akpabio/Barau of his backing.

Eighteen former federal lawmakers from the Southsouth also expressed support for the Southsouth/Northwest zoning of Senate President/Deputy Senate President, announced by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ex-lawmakers, under the aegis of the ‘Former National Assembly Members, Southsouth Zone’, urged the APC leadership to intensify its consultation with stakeholders to ensure a smooth election of presiding officers.

Led by John Agoda, other members of the forum include Egberedin Donald, Abubakar Momoh, Senator Clever Ikisikpo, Edet Etiebet, Abass Braimoh and Patrick Ikhariale.

However, Senator Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West), who is eyeing the Senate Presidency, rejected the zoning formula, urging the Northwest to resist the zoning of Senate President to Southsouth.

Sanwo-Olu, who received Akpabio and 40 other members of the Stability Group, said he aligned himself with the zoning decision, having read the legislative agenda being pushed forward by the Akpabio-led team to raise the bar of lawmaking and its readiness to collaborate with the incoming administration of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The senators-elect’s visit to the governor came a day after House of Representatives members-elect visited him for consultation.

Sanwo-Olu said Akpabio’s and Jibrin’s nomination were in order, stressing that Akpabio’s team possessed the political credentials and leadership qualities to bring about uncommon transformation in the country.

The governor urged the nominees to make purposeful legislations their priority, while maintaining harmonious working relationships with other arms of the government without compromising the Red Chamber’s independence. 

Sanwo-Olu said: “Having discussed extensively and listened to all the plans and agenda presented by Stability Group led by Senator Akpabio, I believe it is proper and appropriate that we, in Lagos, give them our official endorsement. This is a project for the stability of the country, which will benefit Nigerians, especially the people who elected these distinguished lawmakers-elect. They are committed to working harmoniously with the executive and this will bring about a win-win for all our citizens and for democracy.

“We are encouraging other lawmakers-elect who are yet to be on this team to fall in line. I will also appeal to the Stability Group to continue their consultation and collaboration, and not to take anyone for granted. They have personally assured me that they will make the senate leadership as inclusive as possible. The diversity they are preaching is reflected in the number of the senators-elect on the team; it is not one party. The membership cuts across all the parties that are represented in the National Assembly.

“I believe the incoming 10th National Assembly will be about great possibilities and shaping new course for the nation. Given the outstanding profile and experience Senator Akpabio and his team are bringing to the table, I believe there will be new standards and new legislative records will break. I will only urge the incoming senate leadership to surpass whatever achievements recorded by the 9th senate.”

Akpabio: I am confident of victory

Akpabio said he was confident of victory based on his support base across party affiliations.

He was accompanied by the 69 senators backing him.

The former Akwa Ibom State governor promised to work with President-elect Tinubu to achieve his nationalistic project in the country.

Akpabio said: “We would collaboratively work with others and the governor to ensure Lagos succeeds, bring foreign direct investment, and make sure Nigeria becomes a business-friendly destination for all, among other benefits,” he said.

He added: “Today, we about 69 and its still growing. By June, we expect this group two have risen to about 85 or 86, and all I know is that we will win.”

Group: we support zoning

A group, Progressives Foundational Movement (PFM), Tinubu and the National Working Committee (NWC) not to yield to pressure to upturn Tajudeen Abbas as the consensus candidate for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

PFM’s position was contained in a statement by National Coordinator, Aganaba Johnson, in Abuja.

The group noted that apart from his academic excellence and a proven leadership track record in public service, Abbas was a member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the political parties that merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Johnson said: “It will amount to injustice against the defunct CPC members in the APC if other defunct parties like Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that produced the President-elect, the defunct All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) produced Vice President-elect and the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) is allowed to produce the Senate President, and Abbas who is the eyes of CPC is not allowed to represent the defunct CPC as Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

“We appeal to all the aggrieved aspirants to the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives to accept the endorsement of Hon. Tajudeen Abass as the next Speaker as an act of God.

“There is no need to gang up against the anointed candidates and the party because the opposition is waiting in the wings to exploit your differences.”

Read Also: NASS: Why APC settled for Akpabio, Abbas, by Shettima

House of Representatives members-elect threw their weight behind Abbas, saying that the party is supreme.

Led by Mike Otaba, the members said: “Majority of the representatives from Cross River State, irrespective of political party affiliations, have resolved that the party is supreme and we will continue to give our unalloyed loyalty and support to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Zoning is best, says group

A group, Tinubu Hope of Nigeria Vanguard urged National Assembly members-elect to accept the zoning arrangement as proposed by the leadership of the party.

It said the APC’s zoning of NASS leadership aligned with the principles of justice, fairness, inclusivity and national cohesion.

The group backed Akpabio to emerge the next Senate President.

Convener and leader of the group, Olurotimi Daudu, who spoke to reporters in Akure, said if the leadership positions at the National Assembly were not shared across the geopolitical zones, it could lead to marginalisation of some geopolitical zones.

Daudu said the whole arrangement would help to foster stronger unity among the various sections of the country.

He said: “We have an abiding trust in the capacity of Asiwaju as the President to reduce inter-ethnic tensions and deepened national unity. We advise all those who are opposed to the zoning formula to sheath their sword and cooperate with the President-elect.

“It is needless to start any form of distraction at a time when the need to renew the hope of Nigerians has become compelling.

“Senator Akpabio will provide the much needed robust and stimulating leadership. He has the pedigree, track record and experience to lead the NASS.

“People forget so easily that Senator Akpabio as a seasoned statesman has made profound and criticism sacrifices for the unity, stability and progress of our country. He was the first aspirant to step down for the President-elect at the presidential primary of the APC. He was very forthright and statesmanlike on the night. He is well equipped and positioned to work with Asiwaju to turn around paradigm of leadership for the benefit of Nigerians.”

‘Don’t jeopardise Northwest interest’ 

A group, Northern Business Roundtable said ethnicity and religion should not be the criteria for electing the president of the 10th Senate.

Its leader, Hajia Larai Kolo, urged the 21 senators-elect from the seven states in the Northwest to close ranks and “defend the position of the zone”.

The pro-Yari group said the Northwest zone was in the forefront of the agitation for the APC to zone its presidential ticket to the South, stressing that it is time for the South to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the Northwest for the position.

Kolo said: “We are, however, not saying that the Northwest is superior to any other part or zone in the federation. Our desire is the country’s development and the peaceful coexistence of all.

“Just as the South insisted that they must have the presidency, that is how the Northwest is also insisting that they should have the Senate presidency and there is nothing wrong with that.

“What is right is right, and what is fair is fair for justice, fairness, and equity so that together, everybody will live peacefully and happily in the country.

“The issue of religion should not be brought to play in this regard, as Nigerians are one, whether Christian or Muslim. We must not be denied what is ours on account of our faith and belief.”

Coalition cautions APC 

Two groups, Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizen Awareness and Generation Next Collective (GNC) warned APC against handpicking the leadership of the National Assembly to avoid shooting itself in the foot.

While the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizen Awareness urged the APC and the President-elect to allow the lawmakers choose their leaders in line with constitutional provisions, the GNC said those aspiring to the positions should be allowed to go ahead with their aspirations.

‘Southeast will speak with one voice’

Labour Party (LP) House of Representatives member-elect for Aba South/Aba North Constituency, Emeka Nnamani, said the Southeast will speak with one voice during the election of the Speaker of the House.

Nnamani told reporters in Abuja that in spite of being elected on different platforms, the zone would speak with one voice and provide bloc votes.

He said: “People will ordinary think the 10th National Assembly is going to be chaotic and dramatic, but I can assure you that it is going to be interesting and the legislature is not going to be a rubber stamp.

“And it will not lose its independence. The 10th Assembly is going to be quite interesting and intriguing because of the mixture of people from different parties and platforms that have arrived for the legislative business.”