The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ex-lawmakers

  • Delta aspirant accuses ex-lawmakers of causing violence 

    A House of Assembly aspirant in Delta State,  Sheriff Mulade, has accused past lawmakers of Warri South West constituency of bad leadership.

    Mulade, a renowned environmentalist, spoke while unveiling his five-point agenda for the council area during a news conference in Warri on Monday.

    He vowed to ensure peaceful coexistence between the Ijaws and Itsekiris, the two ethnic nationalities in the constituency, if elected in 2019.

    The lawmaker hopeful, running under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said: “It is no gain saying the fact that the failure to pursue a programme that embraces both Ijaw and Itsekiri in Warri South West is the bane of development and progress in the area. For years, we have allowed ethnic differences to separate us. The consequences of what they did with the mandate we gave them was violence, hatred and divide and rule policies that attracted the anger of our young people that caused even greater problems than we could imagine.

    “Our people cannot afford to go back to the days of insanity perpetrated by some self-centred leaders with questionable characters. The cry of every right thinking person in Warri South West is for a man or a woman who has the capacity to build bridges of peace between the two inter-married Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic tribes in the council area.

    “Our people are in search of a person who for years has seen the need to work for the progress of our people through peaceful advocacy. Let me say with all sense of humility that if I am given the opportunity to serve, I will do everything possible to ensure that we will never again get involved in inter-ethnic strife. I will give equal attention to the needs of both ethnic groups. From henceforth, the people of Warri South West will view their representatives, not as Ijaw or Itsekiri, but as leaders with vision and mission for our rich and oil bearing communities.”

    He added that he would sponsor bills that would lead to the provision of quality education.

     

  • Ex-lawmakers condemn shooting of Bamidele, others

    The Ekiti State Legislative Forum, an association of former members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, has condemned the Friday’s shooting at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat.

    In a communique at the end of their meeting in Ado-Ekiti, they urged the Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Hon Opeyemi Bamidele and five other party members.

    The ex-lawmakers said the situation would have been avoided if the security agencies had been alive to their responsibilities.

    The ex-legislators accused Governor Ayo Fayose of reversing all the fortunes that Ekiti State had made since creation with alleged bad policies that has scared away investors and impoverish the people.

    The communiqué reads: “With Fayemi having the opportunity to lead, we have to set aside partisanship to support a man that will give our people hope again.

    “We appreciate all development and life-lifting initiatives of the last administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi particularly those initiatives made in alleviating poverty among the elderly people that were receiving monthly stipend in social security to give them hope for survival, including the empowerment schemes that moved Ekiti State youths from the streets for productive engagements.

    “Unfortunately, another Ekiti son, Governor Fayose came with deceit and lies and cancelled all these schemes to return these poor elderly people to their pitiful conditions again while our youths have returned to crimes.

    The group praised Ekiti people, particularly APC members, that demonstrated oneness of spirit by turning out massively to welcome

    Fayemi back home after serving as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to vie for the governorship of the state for quality service to Ekiti people. They promised to work with all relevant campaign committees at the local and state government levels to rally support for Fayemi to emerge victorious in the July 14 poll.

  • Ex-lawmakers rally support for Fayemi

    The Ekiti State Legislative Forum, an association of former members of the  House of Assembly, has expressed support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi.

    In a communique at the end of their meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at the weekend, members expressed confidence in Fayemi’s sincerity of purpose and competence to salvage Ekiti from what they called its “present quaqmire”.

    The group expressed sadness over the alleged parlous condition of the state in the face of abundant human and material resources that can turn her fortunes around for good.

    The ex-legislators accused Governor Ayo Fayose of reversing the fortunes that Ekiti State had made since creation, owing to his alleged bad policies that have scared away investors and impoverish the people.

    The communiqué reads: “With Fayemi having the opportunity to lead, we have to set aside partisanship to support a man that will give our people hope again.

    “We appreciate all development and life-lifting initiatives of the last administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi particularly those initiatives made in alleviating poverty among the elderly people that were receiving monthly stipend in social security to give them hope for survival, including the empowerment schemes that moved Ekiti State youths from the streets for productive engagements.

    “Unfortunately, another Ekiti son, Governor Fayose came with deceit and lies and cancelled all these schemes to return these poor elderly people to their pitiful conditions again while our youths have returned to crimes.”

    The group praised Ekiti people, particularly APC members, that demonstrated oneness of spirit by turning out massively to welcome Fayemi back home after serving as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to vie for the governorship of the state for quality service to Ekiti people.

    They condemned the shooting at the APC rally that hit a former member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, saying such unfortunate incident would have been avoided if the security agencies had been more alert to their responsibility “in a state where opposition members are routinely hounded”. They promised to work with relevant campaign committees at the local and state government levels to rally support for Fayemi to emerge victorious.

  • Ex-lawmakers make case for National Assembly

    A group, Initiatives, has called for the sustenance of the integrity of the National Assembly as one of the key institutions of democracy.

    The group called for the support of stakeholders for the legislature in the performance of its functions, including legislation, appropriation and oversight, warning that any blackmail against the institution could derail its vision and undermine its capacity for function performance.

    Its leader, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, told reporters in Lagos that the controversy surrounding the passage of this year’s budget has culminated in the “padding debate,” which he lamented has eroded the perception of the people about the budgetary process.

    Initiatives is a group of former members of the House of Representatives dedicated to ideals of probity, transparency and sustenance of the integrity of the parliament. It has promoted debate on the controversial Land Use Act and its impact on the push for the diversification of the economy. The group has also lent its voice to the fight against graft in high places.

    Eyiboh said honest Nigerians are shying away from offering constructive comments on the ‘padding controversy’  because of the public perception, which is wrong. He said while the public already has a negative perception about the National Assembly, the country should not allow an individual to bring down the institution.

    The former legislator said Sections 80 and 81 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the National Assembly to pass the budget laid before it by the President, adding that the process cannot be completed without the participation of the people through the public hearing.

    He said the executive arm can put many projects in the budget, the legislators, through the National Assembly can also attract projects to their constituencies.