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Tag: assembly

  • Assembly okays Obaseki’s N2.3b loan

    Assembly okays Obaseki’s N2.3b loan

    Lawmakers in Edo State House of Assembly have approved  Governor Godwin Obaseki’s request to secure a loan of N2.3 billion from Bank of Industry (BoI), to buy buses for Edo City Transport Services (ECTS).

    The loan, according to the governor, is to buy 75 44-seater buses at N30.8 million each.

    He told legislators that the loan had a five-year repayment period, with less than five per cent interest rate.

    Majority leader and member  from Orihonmwon South Roland Osoro, who moved the motion for the loan approval, said it would boost the services of the transport firm and enable the governor to execute the transport master plan.

    Speaker Kabiru Adjoto said the request was satisfactory, as it is meant to revitalise ECTS operations.

    He described as affront failure by contractors handling dualisation of Benin-Auchi-Okene Highway to honour lawmakers’ invitation.

    Adjoto said the Assembly would sanction contractors who failed to execute road projects after collecting mobilisation fee from the Federal Government.

    He said Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company and Mother Cat Nigeria Ltd must honour the House invitation on October 23 to explain why they abandoned the contract.

    The Speaker said contempt for the legislature was a serious offence under the law, adding that the Assembly will not succumb to threat or intimidation.

    He noted that the slow pace of work on Benin–Auchi Road has inflicted pains on the people.

     

     

  • Assembly denies impeachment move

    The Jigawa State House of Assembly has denied reports that it will impeach Governor Muhammad Abubakar.

    A statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Muhammad Bulangu, said “the report is baseless and unfounded”.

    Bulangu noted that since the inception of this administration, “the synergy and working relationship between the executives and legislative arm has been cordial”.

    He described the lawmakers as peaceful and brilliant in the discharge of their legislative process.

    According to him, the House has never had any misunderstanding with the executive.

    He urged the people to disregard the report as it is intended to create confusion and portray the government in badlight.

     

  • Assembly steps down Ambode’s budget re-ordering request

    •Bill stepped down as lawmakers seek clarification

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s request for the House of Assembly to reorder this year’s budget ran into stormy waters at the bill’s second reading  yesterday.

    It was stepped down pending further clarification and information from the Executive.

    Immediately the Clerk, Mr. Azeez Sanni, read the  bill seeking to re-order N42.028 billion in the Appropriation the second time – to set the stage for a debate – Chairman of the Appropriation Committee Rotimi Olowo noted that although the re-ordering was desirable because of ecology/environment and security issues, the Assembly needed more information and clarification from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

    The lawmaker said from the January-June (half-year) budget performance report from the Executive and interaction with MDAs, it was clear that the funds meant for execution of projects were not released to some of them.

    He said it was the same funds the Executive was seeking to re-order.

    Bisi Yusuff, who is representing Alimosho I and member of the Appropriation Committee, wondered why the Executive was talking of budget re-ordering in October when it should be talking or presenting the 2018 budget.

    He said: “Budget re-ordering is a failure of the Budget Ministry. Most MDAs have not been able to access their funds. We need an explanation on why some MDAs are pampered and others are treated otherwise.”

    Chief Whip Rotimi Abiru condemned some aspects of the budget re-ordering of a ministry that had an ambitious housing project and planned to release funds to the government for the bulk purchase of buses for public transportation.

    He said: “Government should provide an enabling environment for business, instead of purchasing buses for public transportation directly.”

    Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe, frowned at the re-ordering of funds meant for the Water Corporation, while the state has a terrible potable drinking water challenge.

    Lawmakers agreed that the Executive should give more clarification and information on the bill.

    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa said: “We are doing this in good faith. We are asking questions in good faith for the sake of the people. I hereby step down the bill pending clarification from the Executive.”

  • Bindow: Trouble in Adamawa Assembly

    SIR: Since its inauguration, the Adamawa State House of Assembly had enjoyed relative peace and smooth romance with the state executive. On Monday, September 25, everything changed. The impeachment of some principal officers on that day was a resounding political blow to Governor Mohammed Umaru Jibrila Bindow.

    The deputy speaker Peter Sunday, Majority Leader, Musa Mahmud, Deputy Majority Leader, Mutawalli Mohammed and Minority Leader, Justina Nkom were affected. Emmanuel Tsamdu, representing Madagali was elected as new deputy speaker, Hassan Burguma representing Hong, became new majority leader Abubakar Isa, deputy majority leader and Lamsumbani Dill, minority leader. It was simply a smooth takeover of the house by the loyalists of former governor Murtala Nyako and his allies.

    Before the storm occurred, the Adamawa state House of Assembly had two groups: an eight- member opposition group led by member representing Gombi constituency, Rufa’i Umar and 17-member group loyal to the governor led by speaker Kabiru Mijinyawa.

    The genesis of the crisis is tripod – poor leadership and alienation of other members by the impeached principal officers; governor Bindow’s bossy approach in dealing with members, and pure politics.

    The Rufa’i Umar group took the opportunity of the issues and won the heart of nine aggrieved members, thus forming a majority 17-memebr group who engineered the impeachment of the principal officers. In a nutshell, the Nyako group now has 17 remembers on its side, while governor Bindow is left with only eight members who may be publicly loyal to him; but unhappy with the way he is treating the house. This should be highly frightening to the governor, knowing the intricate working of the Adamawa House of Assembly which goes in tandem with the general local politics of the state.

    The Adamawa House of Assembly is young; but members have comparatively low level of education. Of the 25 members, only five are graduates. Governor Bindow appears ‘self-assured’ in the murky waters of Adamawa politics, because he thinks, as long as he has the former vice president Atiku Abubakar by his side, most political opponents can easily be dealt with thanks to Atiku’s immense war chest and history of successes in political legal battles.

    This time, Bindow may have read the doctrine of politics in a poor; rural and salary-dependent state, up-side-down.

    In fairness to him, the governor is doing well in terms of infrastructure development. But he made a political blunder in his failure to manage the widening division within his own party and the growing disconnect between him and some political bigwigs in the state, and now the powerful House of Assembly has joined the league of the opposition within.

     

    • Zayyad I. Muhammad,

    Jimeta, Adamawa State.

  • Kogi: Groups warn against distracting Assembly

    Kogi: Groups warn against distracting Assembly

    An amalgamation of groups  in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, yesterday praised the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Prince Mathew Kolawole and the assembly’s leadership, for what the groups described as the synergy with the executive arm.

    They hailed the Assembly for its partnership with the Governor Yahaya Bello government, in addressing issues that border on service delivery.

    “This positive collaboration has made it possible for the New Direction government in meeting the yearnings and aspiration of the people”, they said.

    They passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of the Assembly under Hon. Kolawole, who they described as a stabiliser, whose commitment to the tenets of democracy is unparallel.

    Those in attendance included Comrade Adaviruku Isah, Abaka Ojochugwu and Dr Adetokunbo Adeojo, of the Kogi Youth Alliance, Think Kogi First and Civil Society Coalition for Democracy respectively.

    They berated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader and critic of the state government,  Okai, describing him as an enemy of development.

    According to them: “In recent times, his activities and utterances have been targeted at division and inciting public disturbance in Kogi State. We are not surprised at his publication insinuating a divide or feud in the Kogi State House of Assembly or between the House and the Executive arm.

    “We have moral duty to inform Kogi citizens, so that the lies of  Okai and his failed sponsors who are responsible for the backwardness of the state and are desperate to cause confusion in the determination of the present change government to take the state to its rightful position amongst the comity of states known for economic prosperity and infrastructural development- be outed.

  • Report will be fair to Lagosians, says Assembly

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has assured residents that it will protect their interests in the review of the auditor-general’s report on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    Addressing reporters yesterday after the opening of the review for last year, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts (State) Moshood Oshun said the committee’s report would be fair.

    The review is being held at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium of the House of Assembly.

    Oshun said the Assembly, under Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, would not cut corners or hide behind one finger.

    He said: “We would protect the interest of the people of Lagos State and ensure that tax payers’ money is judiciously spent.

    “The Assembly will give the people the best and we will make sure that Lagos State continues to be the best.

    “All hands must be on deck for the state to continue to excel. So, it is not something that can be done alone. We must work together.”

    According to him, the House Committee on PAC (State) goes through the books of the MDAs every year, based on the auditor-general’s report on MDAs.

    Oshun said the books containing income/expenditure and other variables would be properly scrutinised.

    On what the committee observed, the lawmaker said it was too early to make assessment, adding that the MDAs did well, on the average.

    Oshun said there was no perfection in anything but that everybody was trying to attain perfection.

    He said: “You know Lagos is above other states. We expect a certain level of perfection in the state. We have asked the MDAs some information and they have been answering us.

    “The auditor-general has done her job with her team, but we need to verify the report. There is something called fair hearing, we don’t want to be prejudiced, we want to hear from everybody.

    “We will ask them questions where we need clarifications and we will applaud them where they have done well.

    “However, I can say they have done well, generally. The auditors have done a good job and they have made sure that everything we need in that report is included in it.

    “I want to commend the auditor-general and her team for doing a good job. They have shown that Lagos State is better than others. We are still going to work on the reports and make them available to the Assembly.”

    The committee chairman said the technicalities in the reports was being handled effectively, adding that the committee has the support of the Assembly, which employed consultants from different fields to assist them.

    The reports, he said, were for January to December last year while the review was done once in a year.

    According to him, the MDAs had full budgets while the committee wanted to make sure that the budgets were followed to the letter and make sure that those things that should be done were done in accordance with financial rules.

    Considering the reports of the state Number Plates Production Authority and the Deputy Governor’s office earlier, the committee directed the officials to go back to perfect their papers, which he said did not tally with the Auditors’ reports.

     

  • Assembly removes dead member’s name tag

    Assembly removes dead member’s name tag

    In line with its rules, the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday removed the name tag of the late Kazeem Alimi from his seat in the chambers.

    Alimi died on July 18 at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja after a brief illness.

    The lawmaker, who represented Eti-Osa Constituency I, was buried the following day according to Islamic rites.

    The House, which was on recess at the time of Alimi’s demise, resumed plenary and dedicated the legislative activities in his honour.

    The Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade moved the motion for the removal of the lawmaker’s tag and was seconded by Victor Akande.

    “With heavy heart, I move that the name tag of Alimi be removed from where he sits and be handed over to the Clerk,” Agunbiade said.

    Earlier, the lawmakers took turns to praise the deceased who they described as an “embodiment of humility.”

    Also, Bayo Osinowo stated the House should set up a committee that would come up with plans to support the family.

    Olanrewaju Ogunyemi said: “Though it is often said death is an inevitable end, it will come when it will come, but as mortals, we always wish we live long.”

    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the plenary, noted that the House did all it could to save Alimi’s life but it did not come out as expected.

    “We remember his good deeds; he was an embodiment of humility. You hardly heard him speak; all you see was smiles, as if the smile had been constructed on his face. He was loyal, dedicated and dutiful,” he said.

    While promising that the House would support his family members, Obasa advised his colleagues to learn from the death of Alimi by being good to others.

  • Edo Assembly: A tale of instability

    Since 1999,  the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly has always been zoned to Edo Central Senatorial District, either through political miscalculation or providence. However, no lawmaker from Edo Central has successfully served as Speaker for four years. Edo Central is mainly home to the Esans

    Between 1999 and 2007 when the House was dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, four persons-Thomas Okosun, Matthew Egbadon, David Iyoha and Friday Itulah served as Speakers. The lawmakers were caught in power play between Chief Tony Anenih and Governor Lucky Igbinedion. In 2007, the PDP zoned the seat to Edo North leading to the emergence of Zakawanu Garuba.

    The 2008 court judgment, which brought in Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as governor, distorted the PDP’s zoning formular. Oshiomhole hails from Edo North and his former deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu hails from Edo South but the defunct Action Congress through which Oshiomhole came to power has only eight lawmakers in the state Assembly and Zakawanu who hails from Edo North continued as Speaker till 2010 when he was impeached.

    After the impeachment of Zakawanu, an Esan lawmaker, Hon Bright Omokhodion from Esan West, defected to the AC to succeed Zakawanu. He stayed as Speaker till the 2011 general elections. The failure of Omokhodion to secure reelection  in 2011 made the Esans tô lose out as the ruling party, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, could only win one seat out of five in Edo Central.

    Omokhodion’s loss at the 2011 polls made the lawmakers elected Hon Uyi Igbe from Edo South as Speaker and made the only defunct ACN lawmaker from Edo Central, Festus Ebea, the Deputy Speaker. Between 2011 and 2015, the Esans got the position of a deputy speaker as Hon Igbe served  for four years.

    The current Assembly was inaugurated in 2015 and Hon Victor Edoror, a second time lawmaker from Esan Central, was elected Speaker. Perhaps, Edoror felt his position was secured being the only two- time lawmaker from Edo Central in the Assembly. What also gave him hope was that the lawmakers would abide by the APC zoning formular but he was mistaken.

    Edoror was impeached after 11 months in office over alleged  high-handedness, dictatorial tendencies and  recklessness. His removal altered the power balancing arrangement as a lawmaker from Edo South, Hon Elisabeth Ativie, was made Speaker while Hon. Justin Okonoboh representing Igueben in Edo Central was made Deputy Speaker.

    Ativie did not last long. Ativie spent only 84 days in office. She was pressured to step down for any APC lawmaker from Edo Central to assuage the feelings of electorates in Edo Central because the 2016 governorship election was near.

    In July last year, Ativie stepped down for Okonoboh, a first time lawmaker, to emerge as Speaker. Okonoboh got the speakership seat on a platter of gold. The lawmakers had to amend their rules for Okonoboh to be elected Speaker. However, Okonoboh managed to spend 11 months in office before he was replaced.

    Critics of Okonoboh described him as ‘Justina’ over his alleged inability to be firm and decisive. The move to remove Okonoboh began four months after he was made Speaker. There were complains of his inability to talk about the lawmakers’ welfare package with the new Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

    It was gathered that the first test case for Okonoboh leadership style and his trust for his colleagues was shortly after Obaseki was sworn-in. The lawmakers were said to have held a meeting where they agreed to push for financial autonomy. A source stated that hardly had the meeting ended when Okonoboh was called by some party leaders that he should jettison the issue of financial autonomy for lawmakers and not cause problems from the new administration.

    A close aide said Okonoboh was surprised that many lawmakers called the next day that they were no longer in support of the need to push for financial autonomy.

    The poor financial situation of the House pitched the lawmakers against Okonoboh as that it was difficult to buy diesel for the power generator. The House was indebted to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company that its power supply was cut-off. Microphones at the hallowed chambers were faulty. Plenary was held at the mercy of BEDC that whenever power supply is interrupted, sitting will end.

    Some lawmakers felt  Okonoboh was not bold enough to present their welfare package before the Governor for money to be released. Besides, during his recent birthday celebration, Okonoboh was alleged to have made some remarks that did not go down well with some political leaders in the state.

    Okonoboh would have been removed on May 22 but the plot to impeached him was leaked.  He quickly made an postponed resumption of plenary citing repair works at the Assembly complex. A lawmaker cited Okonoboh lucky escape this way, ‘the evil day has been postponed’.

    The repair work in the House given as reason for the suspension of plenary resumption became Okonoboh’s albatross as the contracts for the repair of generators and sound systems were allegedly discovered to have been awarded to some lawmakers.

  • Ekiti Assembly hails deputy governor on elevation to Prof. at OAU

    The Ekiti State House of Assembly yestrday congratulated Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola on his elevation to a professor.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Olusola was last week appointed a professor in Building Technology by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) at Ile-Ife in Osun State.

    The appointment was backdated to 2012.

    He had been a lecturer for 20 years before venturing into partisan politics and was, subsequently, made deputy governor of Ekiti State.

    In a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, Speaker Kola Oluwawole Oluwawole described the honour as well-deserved.

    He thanked God for making Olusaola reach the zenith of his academic career.

  • Edo Assembly may sue ex-Speaker 

    The leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly has threatened criminal action against a former Speaker Elisabeth Ativie, for refusing to return her official vehicles.

    It said claims by the former Speaker that the vehicles were given to her by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole were untrue as there was no evidence Oshiomhole and the House leadership took such decision.

    Ativie, who represents Uhunmwode, served as Speaker for 84 days after the impeachment of Victor Edoror.

    She stepped down following calls for balance of power, and Justin Okonoboh was elected Speaker. She became his deputy.

    Last week, both were impeached, but Ativie refused to return her official vehicles.

    Ativie, through her lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, wrote the Assembly the vehicles were given to her by former Governor Oshiomhole as compensation for stepping down as Speaker.

    She stated in the letter that she sold one of the vehicles, a Prado SUV 2016 model.

    New Speaker Kabiru Adjoto, in a letter to Ativie’s lawyer, said the signature in the letter purportedly written to Ativie by Oshiomhole was not genuine.

    Adjoto,  in the letter signed by the Clerk, Mr James Omoataman, said the leadership of the House warned of severe consequences of parading such document.

    He said original documents of the vehicles were still in possession of the House.

    The letter reads: “As your client will recall, the vehicles were purchased for the use of the Office of the Speaker when your client occupied the office. Consequently, when she became Deputy Speaker, the official vehicles were left with her office while alternative arrangement were made for the Office of the Speaker.

    “Despite the clarity of the above, your client deliberately skewed the words used in the purported letter from the former governor, claiming the former governor wrote to say the vehicles were given to her, which is far from the truth.

    “Further, the original documents of the vehicles are still in the possession of the House of Assembly till date, which means that title to the vehicles were never transferred or intended to be transferred to your client, contrary to your client’s assertions.

    “Accordingly, I hereby reiterate my instruction and demand your client’s return of the vehicles attached to the Office of the Deputy Speaker, which are still in her possession. Finally, if your client maintains that she indeed sold one of the vehicles, the Lexus Jeep 2016 model, then we expect that your client will furnish us with the details of sales.

    It warned further: “The House expects to receive all vehicles that have not been sold, together with details of the alleged sale of the Lexus jeep as enumerated not later than two days from the date of receipt of this letter. Failure to do so will attract the necessary legal action, both civil and criminal against your client”.