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Tag: Dogara

  • Saraki, Dogara, governors, others hail governor-elect Akeredolu

    Saraki, Dogara, governors, others hail governor-elect Akeredolu

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday congratulated Ondo State governor-elect Rotimi Akeredolu.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said Akeredolu’s victory did not come as a surprise going by his excellent credentials.

    He urged the governor-elect to be magnanimous in victory by working with stakeholders to move the state to the next level.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, maintained that the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a proof that the party is still loved by Nigerians.

    “The election of Akeredolu and the APC is a clear indication of the popularity of our party.

    “I would like to congratulate my learned colleague and commend our great party for a successful campaign,” he said.

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun hailed the people for choosing Akeredolu and the APC.

    Amosun said: “This is one choice that will bring unprecedented progress, infrastructural development as well as social and economic growth to the sunshine state.

    “Akeredolu’s victory portends a good omen for the collective development and progress of the Southwest.”

    Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha  described the victory as a confirmation of the party’s popularity in the Southwest.

    He said it was also a testimony of the people’s love for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom congratulated the people  for making a “loud and clear decision”.

    He described Akeredolu’s victory as well deserved as it has further confirmed the confidence Nigerians have in the APC administration.

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for a free, fair, credible and peaceful election.

    In a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said the onus is on the political class  to rally round the governor.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi,  said the people made the right choice.

    Fayemi described Akeredolu’s triumph as a victory for democracy.

    The minister said the people have demonstrated their preference for transformative leadership and progressive governance ,which Akeredolu represents.

    The APC governorship candidate in the 2015 general election in Rivers State, Dakuku Peterside, has urged the governor-elect to be humble in victory.

    Peterside said APC would always win free, fair and credible elections.

    He called on the governor-elect to see his emergence as the wish of the people.

    Afenifere chieftain Senator Ayo Fasanmi,  in a statement, said: “Your Excellency, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint. Congratulations on your well deserve victory.”

    A Second Republic Senator, Pa Olorunimbe Farunkanmi, urged Akeredolu to keep a large heart and embrace all aggrieved members.

    The Chairman, APC Elders Council, advised Akeredolu to be magnanimous in victory.

    The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG)  congratulated the people for their faith in democracy.

    In a statement by its Chairman, Olawale Oshun, ARG  praised Akeredolu and other candidates for pursuing their ambitions within the ambit of the rule of law.

    Such maturity and statesmanship, the group said, is needed to restore the pride of Yoruba land.

    “We urge Akeredolu, as the guardian of the people’s mandate, to continuously and consistently prove himself a leader worthy of his people’s trust, by constantly communicating his vision and managing the resources of the state towards the development and wellbeing of Ondo State.”

  • Senator Abe accuses Dogara of underming Rivers APC

    Senator Abe accuses Dogara of underming Rivers APC

    A chieftain of the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Magnus Abe, has described the public hearings on the Rivers State as “politically manipulated” to undermine the APC and lend support to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state.
    Abe, who made the remark in a letter addressed to the Speaker, explaining why he shunned the hearing, accused the Speaker of anti-party activities, saying the petition that led to the public hearing, which was sponsored through Dogara’s office, is nothing but an ill-disgusised attempt by the PDP to manipulate federal agencies and influence public opinion in order to secure undue advantage for the party in the coming rerun elections.
    The letter read in part: “Mr Speaker, it is sad to note that every intervention of the National Assembly in Rivers State usually begins with a boast by the Peoples Democratic Party led by Governor Nyesom Wike announcing the involvement of the National Assembly. Thus far, actions of the House of Representatives are tailored towards achieving a clear political advantage for the Peoples Democratic Party.
    “It is no secret that there are two armies operating in Rivers State today; the PDP army commanded by Governor Nyesom Wike and the Nigerian Army. Actions of the PDP Government in Rivers State are designed to restrict the operation of the Nigerian Army so that the PDP army can operate freely, particularly as it affects the elections.
    “This latest hearing instituted by your office is just another desperate attempt to embarrass the Nigerian Army in furtherance of the PDP agenda. If that were not the case, what is the point of inviting me and Hon. Barinaadaa Mpigi, the APC candidates in the rerun elections. Are we soldiers? The Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State has already instituted a narrative to link the APC to the activities of soldiers and you have now been recruited to provide the visual images for the PDP campaign in Rivers State.”
    He said the public hearing is a clear abuse of the constitutional powers of the House of Representatives and a violation of the Speaker’s oath of office, to be fair to all Nigerians. He said: “The Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot be a speaker for only PDP in Rivers State and this is made even more painful when we remember that you were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), the party you are now using the enormous powers of your office to persecute.”
    Abe said it is disheartening that the petitions of the APC members to the Office of the Speaker received no attention and that every action of the House of Representatives as announced by Governor Wike is implemented to the letter. He added: “For the first time in the history of our country, members of the House of Assembly elected on the platform of a political party are denied the right to participate in the affairs of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Their constituencies are denied representation simply because they voted for APC. This has elicited no response whatsoever from your office.
    “Painfully, hundreds of innocent Nigerians are being murdered every day by the PDP army in a sponsored orgy of violence against the APC members and supporters in Rivers State with no comment by the House or the speaker. Yet committees of the House of Representatives at your instance are always in Rivers State to do the bidding of Governor Wike and the PDP.”
    The APC chieftain said it is instructive that the hearings are always coming up whenever there are talks of holding the Rivers rerun elections.

  • Saraki, Dogara, others meet over MTEF, 2017 budget

    Saraki, Dogara, others meet over MTEF, 2017 budget

    The leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday held a crucial meeting in the office of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

    It was gathered that the meeting which lasted for hours, centered on the resolution of the controversial Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Budget 2017 and the virements to 2016 budget as requested by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The Senate last week threw out the 2017 to 2019 MTEF submitted to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    A reliable source at the National Assembly told our reporter that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara led the leadership of the House to the office of the Senate President to meet with their counterparts in the Senate.

    Findings showed that the issue of the  $30 billion foreign loan request rejected last week by the Senate was not discussed.

    The source said the meeting became imperative to ensure that the leadership of the two chambers speak with one voice on key issues affecting the country.

    It was also gathered that the two chambers decided to smoothen rough edges in anticipation of the submission and passage of the 2017 budget whenever President Buhari presents it for consideration.

  • Dogara, others for Top Leaders confab in Ghana

    Dogara, others for Top Leaders confab in Ghana

    Prominent Nigerians and Ghanaians have indicated their interest to attend the award and conference marking the 11th year anniversary of Nigerian Top Leaders international magazine next month in Accra, Ghana.

    A statement issued in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, by the Director of Public Communications of Top Leader Media Communication Company, publishers of the magazine, Mrs. Mercy O. Ajayi, listed special guests expected at the event as including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Kebbi State Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, Senator Dino Melaye, Senator Shehu Sani, among others.

    Ajayi stated that the anniversary lecture would be delivered by Dogara.

    Other speakers would include Melaye, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Vice Chancellor University of Ghana, Legon and Prof. Sani Kunya of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi.

    Ajayi added that eminent achievers would be honoured with different awards at the ceremony which would also be used to re-launch the special edition of the magazine.

  • Buhari, Dogara meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Dogara meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

    The meeting in the President’s office in the State House lasted for about one hour.

    At the end of the meeting, Dogara declined to speak to journalists on the purpose of his visit.

  • ‘Dogara shouldn’t be a judge in his case’

    ‘Dogara shouldn’t be a judge in his case’

    Mr. Ishaq Magaji studied law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. He was called to the Bar in 2008. He obtained a Masters degree in Law from the University of Jos (UNIJOS) in 2012 and an MBA in Finance and Investment from the Bayero University, Kano (BUK). In this interview with Legal Editor John Austin Unachukwu, Magaji speaks on the role of law in economic development.

    What do you make of allegations of budget padding rocking the House of Representatives? 

    Padding as an offence is unknown to the Nigerian law and no person shall be convicted of an offence, unless that offence is defined  in our laws. That’s the position of the law. So as a lawyer, I will not build my statement on the name created by the journalists for a certain conduct. If what transpired at the House of Representatives is a distortion of the unanimous resolution of the House by  few individuals, then it  is  forgery. And forgery is known to our law, therefore, the matter calls for an external investigation. The responsibility for investigation in to a crime lies with security agents and they are expected to do their job.

     What is your view on the Ethics commitee’s role?

    You can’t  be a judge in your own case.  This is  against the principle of natural justice and fair hearing. The Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Ethics is also accused of receiving N200million projects from Mr. Speaker. Therefore, since the allegation is hanging on the neck of Mr. Speaker and the Chairman of the Ethics Committee, the judge should be another person different from the two. Moreso, the Court of Appeal has already spoken on the powers of the House Committee on Ethics in a case between Peter Obi Versus Anambra State House of Assembly (2007) Pt 1028, where the Court of Appeal limited the power of the Ethics Committee within  Section 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution (as ammended).

    As a business law expert, what is your take on recession?

    It’s just unfortunate that we didn’t  heed  the advice  of some of our economic experts who foresaw this period and the attendant challenges. The recession could have been avoided, but here we are, in deep recession with no much saving to cushion the effects on the masses. The inflow of forex is short and the banks  are deprived of  public funds.

    So what is the way out?

    It’s my humble view  that we borrow a leaf from other countries that had once experienced a similar problem.  Remember that at a point in time, the American economy was caught in depression as a result of banks’ speculation on trades. What President Franklin did was to sponsor a Bill to the Congress that stopped banks from the act of speculation. Americans banks were directed to lend money to the citizens only and were  restricted from speculation. That was the legal solution  that the American government proffered to its identified economic problems. The culprits, that is the the banks, were identified and further restricted from the activities that pushed the country to economic depression.

    What do you make of calls for economic diversification?

    You have brought me to the theme of my Ph.D thesis. My view on this is that the  government must translate its words in to action. We all know that this country is blessed with fertile land for farming and endowed with  abundant mineral resources. But what structures did government put in place to tap  and harness  these enormous alternative means of resources. Banking from my experiences as a third generation miner in our family tree, I have these suggestions to the government. Mining of Solid Minerals is capital intensive. Government should encourage investment into the sector through incentives. The principal statutes regulating solid minerals sector is the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act, 2007 and it’s accompanying legislation, 2011.That is about  seven to eight years ago. Section 34 of the  Act provides for the establishment of Solid Minerals Development Fund. The funds were meant to attract  investors both  local and International into the solid minerals sector of the economy. Till date, this section of the Act is not considered by the government.

    Secondly, I will advise the government to consider  the creation of another  company  like the defunct Nigerian Mining Corporation. The company can be equipped with the identified restricted mining areas as assets for the start.  If government feels that it is important to retain the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), what stops it from retaining same provision in the Solid Minerals Sector. Equally, I will use this opportunity to call for the amendment of the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act, 2007 to reflect the gender participation in the sector.

    What do you mean by this?

    You know that gender is the number five issue on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Mining Act of many developed countries of the world, including South Africa, Canada and the United States  made provisions for the employment of certain percentage of women in the mining sector before Mining Licenses are granted to mining companies. Nigeria is a signatory to this protocol to the extent that we domesticated in the country. It is now part of our municipal laws, we now have Sustainable Development Goals, why can’t we strive to ,meet up with this gender provision of the law? That is my view. And remember, President Muhammadu Buhari assured the United Nations  in his recent address to the world body that Nigeria will realise all the 17 goals of the MDGs before 2030 and this gender issue is one of them so ,let us start with it.

    You hail from Bauchi State. What is your assessment of Gov. Mohammed Abubakar’s tenure so far?

    Observers have rated  him beyond an average. He  started receiving this commendation from the Chairman of the Melinda and Gates Foundation, in a letter he has written to him personally  dated  February 7,  2016. When he came on board, the state civil service was comatose, now he has restored sanity to  the system. Workers salaries are now paid as and when due. He is now owing only  one  month as a result of the state treasury garnisheed  by the courts last two months in favour of the counselors that served the state during last administration.  Despite the cash crunch, he has just approved the construction of additional 172 new roads in the state and that action alone will generate more than 200,000 jobs directly and indirectly for youth. Of course this is a remarkable achievement. The state’s  renowned  means of Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR)  which is tourism is now revamped to  meet international standards. In fact, the last progressives governors meeting  was held in Yankari park. This is to tell you the level of security and condition of the place. I can only urge him to do more in the solid minerals sector. The state should consider itself as a private player in the sector too.

  • Buhari, Dogara, Tambuwal meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed-doors with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The duo that came together in one vehicle to the forecourt of the Presidential Villa spent over 45 minutes in the President’s office.

    They declined to speak on the purpose of the meeting with State House correspondents when they came out from the President’s office.

    While Dogara kept mute, Tambuwal parried most of the questions from the journalists.
    On whether the meeting has to
    do with the House of Representatives, Tambuwal said: “Not at all.”

    Asked if it has to do with recession and sale of assets, he replied the journalists with: “I have already aired my views on the sales of assets.”

    Asked further if the meeting has to do with the clash between the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, he responded with: “I don’t know about that.”.

    Speaking on the visit to the Villa, he said: “We are here to meet Mr. President and greet him and to show our support.”

  • Buhari, Dogara, Tambuwal meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Dogara, Tambuwal meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed-doors with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The duo came together in one vehicle to the forecourt of the Presidential Villa and spent over 45 minutes in the President’s office.

    They declined to speak on the purpose of the meeting with State House correspondents when they came out from the President’s office.

    While Dogara was silent on the visit to Aso Rock, Tambuwal parried most of the questions from the journalists.

    On whether the meeting has to do with the House of Representatives, Tambuwal said: “Not at all.”

    Asked if it has to do with recession and sale of assets, he replied the journalists with: “I have already aired my views on the sales of assets.”

    Asked further if the meeting has to do with the clash between the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the party’s National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, he responded with: “I don’t know about that.”

    “We are here to meet Mr. President and greet him and to show our support.”

     

  • Recession: National Assembly to invite Buhari, says Dogara

    Recession: National Assembly to invite Buhari, says Dogara

    The House of Representatives will liaise with the Senate to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to address a joint session on the recession, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, has said.

    He spoke yesterday while ruling on a motion on the economic downturn by Olayiwola Kazzim (APC, Ogun).

     Kazzim  blamed the recession on the Federal Government’s monetary and economy policies.

    Dogara said the membership of the ad hoc committee to meet with the Senate would be constituted next week.

    Kazim noted that as a result of the crash of crude oil prices from over $120 per barrel in the last quarter of 2014 to about $45, Nigeria had been witnessing a dramatic reduction in oil earnings.

    Minority leader Leo Ogor identified lack of clear policies and inconsistency in government policies as being responsible.

    Chairman of the Committee on Aviation Nkeiruka Onyejiocha (PDP, Abia) said the effect of the recession on the aviation sector was massive.

    She called on the Federal Government to consider the possibility of declaring an emergency in the sector.

    Meanwhile, Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs Abdulrazaq Namdas, at his weekly press briefing, said the Speaker would not appear before the Ethics Committee for investigation on allegations by ex-Appropriation Committee Chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin.

    He said: “We were able to refer his case to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, and that committee has been given one week to turn in its report, and I think on that matter this is what we have been able to do so far.”

  • Between Dogara, Abubakar and Bauchi people

    I recently read comments credited to the governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed AbdullahiAbubakar, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, YakubuDogara is leading other federal lawmakers to wage a political battle against him because he was not in support of his emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives. It is instructive to note that the Speaker himself has never been on record to have said anything negative about the governor. I have searched in vain for a shred of evidence.

    The governor reportedly told State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday August 31, that, “My problem with Rt Hon DogaraYakubu started during the election for the leadership of the National Assembly. I stood on the side of the party. I directed every Bauchi lawmaker to toe the line of the party by voting Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker. At that time, nine out of the 11 Lawmakers did that, and later the candidate of Bauchi (Dogara) won.”

    The governor also said that the Speaker, who hails from the same Bauchi south zone with him, is the brain behind the troubles he is witnessing in the state and federal level.

    This came as a surprise, considering the well-known fact that it was the Speaker who gave Governor Abubakar a consolidated bloc vote of delegates from Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa during the primaries where he ran against his fellow lawmaker and friend, Hon. Yusuf Tuggar and former federal minister, Dr Yakubu Lame and won by 36 votes only. There is no informed Bauchi indigene including the governor that will deny the known contributions of Dogara to his emergence as governor of Bauchi State.

    On the contrary, this gesture was not returned by the governor, as he himself confessed that he refused to support Dogara during his race for the seat of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Instead, he mobilized Bauchi members to vote against him. But the Speaker is not one to bear grudges.

    Interestingly, the governor presently does not have the support of 11 out of these same 12 Reps members. As a testimony to what the Speaker stands for, even Hon (Dr) M S Abdu, his own brother from Bauchi State, who nominated his opponent during the Speakership election is now a committed ally; ditto so many honourable members who voted against him. He is also not known to hold any resentment against his main challenger, Femi Gbajabiamila who later became the House Leader. The question agitating my mind is why should the case of Governor Abubakar be different when the Speaker has reconciled with those who worked against him?

    Instructively, all the three senators from Bauchi State have parted ways with the Governor because they are not happy with the hardship his style of governance is bringing to the good citizens of the state who fought hard to bring him to office.

    The question governor Abubakar should be asking himself is: Why is it that nearly all National Assembly members from the state are not with him?  Why are nearly all Bauchi elites not with him? Why are preachers and traditional rulers against him? Are all these happening to him simply because he refused to support the emergence of Speaker Dogara? Certainly not.

    Indeed, not even a fool would fail, in the present circumstances, to see that the governor’s problems are much deeper than just a mere issue with Dogara over his emergence as Speaker.  The sooner the governor realizes this, the better for him. It seems it’s the entire people of Bauchi State or an overwhelming majority of them that have had enough of the governor and his antics and have decided to face him on their own.

    Why is the governor scared to mention other reputable stakeholders like MallamAdamuAdamu, Sen Ali Wakili, Senator NazifGamawa, Hon Yusuf Tuggar, Dr Yakubu Lame and others too numerous to mention who are all strongly united in rejecting his retrogressive brand of politics?  Is it cowardice or sheer brinkmanship? Is he saying they are not important enough to warrant his attention? Is he telling us that all these principled and distinguished stakeholders from Bauchi have abandoned him and joined forces with Speaker Dogara to fight him for no reason other than what he alleged?  Where are the marines that would buy the governor’s story? He talked about lies been spread about him without telling us what the lies were in specific terms. Has Speaker Dogara become so central to the politics of Bauchi so much so that he can orchestrate a counter revolution at will or spread lies so well that the mass of Bauchi will start voicing their displeasure at the governor in all the Local Government Areas he visits? Is that how Bauchi people have become, jeering at their governor for an election that was settled more than a year ago? Who really believes that?

    From all indications, Governor Abubakar does not have to look far to identify the cause of his woes. Neither the Speaker nor the federal lawmakers are responsible for his troubles. His anti-people policies and actions are clearly the reason for his estranged relationship with the Bauchi people. As if that is not enough, the governor is incurring the wrath of Bauchi people for sabotaging the APC in Bauchi in making his key appointments including composition of Local Government Area caretaker chairmen and committees.

    Since 2015, he sanctioned an unending salaries verification exercise for all public service staff to remove “ghost workers” and all this while, most workers and pensioners who have been denied verification have not received their salaries and entitlements – an exercise which the governor himself admitted in a BBC Hausa interview is a failure.

    It is time to focus on building the state and its institutions to serve the people of Bauchi. This can be achieved faster if there is a synergy between the governor, Speaker, Malam AdamuAdamu, senators, legislators and other stakeholders. Honestly any fight with any or all the major stakeholders, as is presently the case, will not do the governor any good. It’s the governor’s responsibility to provide the needed leadership by uniting the people behind him and to deliver on the APC change mandate. No smart adviser would counsel otherwise. But if the governor hopes that he can go alone and still succeed, then good luck. Ti

     

    • Mohammed wrote in from Alkaleri, Bauchi State.