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Tag: House of Representatives

  • ‘Why I want to go to House of Reps’

    The Oshodi/Isolo Local Government community association has assured,  Afeez Ipesa-Balogun of its support in his quest for a seat in the House of Representatives.

    A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the association, Canon Babajide Otegbade said the community will support Afeez Ipesa-Balogun, a former Local Government Chairman of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, because of his contribution to the development of the area.

    Ipesa-Balogun, an aspirant to the House of Representatives under the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently met with the community leaders under the aegis of Community Development Committee (CDC), the umbrella body of all Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the council area, to formally inform them of his intention and to seek their support in the build up to his party’s coming primaries for the ticket of Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency 1.

    Ipesa-Balogun said he was overwhelmed with the lavish praises poured on him by the people for what they termed his record of outstanding performance, humility, accessibility, maturity and friendly disposition to all and sundry for the period he was chairman of the Local Government, saying they had not found such in any other that has occupied the office since he vacated it.

    The community leaders recalled his landmark projects and compassionate disposition to all and sundry during his tenure as Chairman of the council area, and how he strengthened and encouraged the activities of CDAs across the Local Government Area by building and supporting them in all areas.

     

  • ‘Fayemi will boost food production’

    A House of Representatives aspirant in Ekiti State, Mr. Olusola Fatoba, has hailed governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for planning to improve agricultural production.

    He noted that huge investment in processing units across the value chains of crop export produce will be given priority by the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state.

    Fatoba, who is aspiring to represent Ekiti Central Federal Constituency I, expressed his willingness to work with the governor-elect to develop agriculture across the state.

    Ekiti State has comparative advantage in food and cash crops, including cocoa, coffee, cassava, rubber, cashew, rice and yam.

    He said Fayemi’s vision to boost agriculture requires the supports of like-minds to make the state great again.

    The APC chieftain, who addressed reporters yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, was reacting to Fayemi’s visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, to seek the ministry’s cooperation on how to improve agricultural production and employment in the state, especially among the youths and build on an agricultural development initiative he initiated during his first time in office.

    Fatoba noted that agriculture should be given more attention to enable it engage teeming unemployed youths and graduates.

    According to him, this will promote food production and reduce hunger among the people.

    He said: “Part of our blueprint is to strengthen the Agriculture sector because it has the potential to proffer solutions to major economic challenges bedevilling the society.

    “The fact that this lofty ideas and vision of Dr Fayemi in the Agricultural sector require a collective efforts, that is why I am offering myself to join in making this vision a reality for Ekiti State to be great again.”

    Fatoba said boosting the economy of the state through agriculture requires the political will of Nigerian leaders at all levels.

    The aspirant promised to complement the efforts of the state government to boost agricultural, if elected as member of the House of Representatives.

  • Dogara: I have not endorsed anyone for political office

     The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Friday denied claims that he had endorsed some aspirants to vie for elective offices.

    Dogara, while reacting to recent claims that he had endorsed some aspirants seeking elective offices in his constituency, described such rumours as “untrue and very wicked”.

    In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, Dogara specifically denied ever asking anyone to contest the Bogoro Constituency seat in the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

    Read Also: Dogara’s defection: Plot to polarise House uncovered

    “As a policy, I do not interfere in such processes. My constituents and political associates know that.

    “I have never endorsed anybody and have never asked anyone to seek elective office under the platform of any political party,” he declared.

    Dogara advised reporters to always confirm stories before publishing them, and urged people spreading rumours about him to desist from doing so.

    NAN

  • NERFUND’s missing N17b: Adeosun, Emefiele, others to face panel

    The House of Representatives is set to summon the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Governor of Central Bank (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Umaru Ibrahim over the collapse of the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND).

    Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee on NERFUND, Ayodele Oladimeji said the invitation of the minister and the others became imperative with the discovery that government agencies saddled with the responsibility of disbursing NERFUND’s N17b to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) became culpable in its collapse.

    Speaking before the panel over the weekend, former acting Managing Director, Baba Maina Gimba revealed that for 11 years when he served as the FUND’s Chief Executive, the federal government released only N2b but his major responsibility was the recovery of the N17b disbursed before his appointment in 2002.

    However, rather than disburse the N2b through the participating banks as prescribed by NERFUND establishment Act of the organisation, it was directly disbursed to beneficiaries through poverty alleviation organisations.

    Over 1000 individuals benefited with some getting as low as N200, 000 across the country.

    The ad hoc Committee wondered how NERFUND, established in 1989 with just an office located in Abuja would recover its loans from the illegal beneficiaries scattered around the country.

    The Committee cited two beneficiaries, a former staff, and another, who was a relation of a former Finance Minister between 1999 and 2007, both got N100m each but refused to repay till date.

    While the Committee asked Gimba the reason behind the jettisoning of the prescription of the law on the method of disbursement, he said the Fund was faced with difficulties getting banks to disburse the fund as most of the participating banks were distressed, while others had collapsed.

    “It was difficult for NERFUND to get any bank to disburse the money, coupled with the fact that there was no governing board for the Fund throughout its life span that can give other directives, so we had to disburse through poverty alleviation agencies,” he recalled.

    The former acting MD also countered saying the Act made no provision for the positions of Executive Director and Managing Director.

    The Committee was also told that the then Federal Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, who doubled as the Fund’s chairman presided over the disbursement of the N2b, with the Executive Management team left with endorsement of the list from the Finance Ministry.

    Raising some posers, the Committee queried, “Nigerians have to know why the law was set aside by those who should know. How would the Fund recover its direct loans, (which was against the law) from the beneficiaries scattered all over the country, knowing full well that it has no capacity to embark on such misadventure.”

    “We must find all these out. The House is not averse to the closing down of the operations of NERFUND but we have to know why it collapsed so that we can learn from it. How are we sure that what led to the death of NERFUND is not happening to its successors even as we speak,” Oladimeji stressed.

     

     

  • House of Reps aspirant urges member on party loyalty, peace

    A leading aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC) to the House of Representatives, Ibadan Southwest/Northwest Federal Constituency of Oyo state, Otunba Rotimi Ajanaku has called on the members of the party in the state, particularly in the constituency to remain peaceful and true to the visions of the founding fathers of the party, saying the ruling APC remains the party to beat in the 2019 general elections.

    He spoke while addressing his supporters as he rounds off visit to the wards in his constituency, where he was assured of victory by party stakeholders and members.

    Ajanaku who started his ward tour with wards in the Ibadan Northwest local government, had earlier met with the leadership of the party in Ibadan Southwest and Northwest local governments to intimate them of his ambition as well as present gift items including food stuffs, cash, materials among others in the spirit of the Eid-al-Adha celebration.

    The aspirant who was well received by the leadership and members of the party assured him of their support to emerge victorious in picking the party ticket as well as in the general election cone 2019.

    While in Ibadan Northwest, the constituents assured him of their unflinching support for his political ambition, adding that they were ready to vote for him in the coming primary election of the party as well as the general election.

    Similarly, party members in Ibadan Southwest LG pledged their support to Ajanaku whose campaign slogan is christened ‘Best Option’.

    Read Also: I will not leave APC, says House of Reps Deputy Speaker

    The constituent appreciated him for what they described as his “doggedness to remain with the progressives, irrespective of previous attempts.”

    In his response, a visibly elated Ajanaku thanked the constituents for the warm reception with a promise to deliver good representation.

    In order for the constituents to have a memorable Eid -l- kabir celebration, food stuff and cash gift were donated to each ward visited in the two local governments. Promotional items like shirts face cap and branded battery- powered fan were distributed.

  • No date for National Assembly resumption, says Saraki, Dogara

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Tuesday said that no date has been fixed to reconvene the two chambers of the National Assembly to consider the budget for the 2019 elections.

    Saraki and Dogara in a joint statement informed Senators, House members and Nigerians that no date has been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.

    Read Also:INEC Budget: NASS cannot reconvene now -Saraki, Dogara

    The statement by the media aides of Saraki and Dogara, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan respectively, said that “the leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.”

    The joint committees, it said, were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.”

    “However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.

    “Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj,” the statement said.

  • Reps tighten noose on forfeiture, proceeds of crime

    The House of Representatives has commenced the process of tightening the noose on forfeiture of assets procured with proceeds of crime.

    The members of the lower chamber passed the bill before proceeding on its annual two month recess recently.

    The bill provides a legal and institutional framework for the confiscation, seizure, forfeiture, recovery and management of assets or proceeds derived from unlawful activities including instrumentalities used or intended to be used in the commission of unlawful activities.

    Sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Crimes, Kayode Oladele (APC, Ogun), the bill also seeks to harmonise and consolidate the existing legal frameworks, in addition to  seeking  to establish a central agency to manage the proceeds recovered from illegally acquired properties.

    According to a report from the Federal Ministry of Justice on the necessity for the passage of the bill as far back as 2014, the Proceeds of Crime Bill is a product of far reaching consultations and collaborations with stakeholders and development partners all in a bid to ensure that its provisions are in conformity with global best practices while also meeting Nigeria’s legal framework for rule of law.

    “Civil forfeiture represents the second generation of modern forfeiture laws. It is obvious that the interim character of civil forfeiture which avoids the need to prove a person’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt would have an obvious appeal to policymakers,” it was noted in the report.

    Other stakeholders including the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, have also at various times, called for the urgent passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill which according to them would greatly assist the government in its anti-corruption campaign.

    According to an international lawyer, Akinwole Ogunlola stated that when signed into law, the bill will supersede the Executive Order Number 6 of 2018 on the Preservation of Suspicious Assets Connected with Corruption which was recently signed by the President on the same subject-matter and which in the opinion of Ogunlola, raises a lot of constitutional and due process questions.

    The bill had also scaled through Second reading in the Senate awaiting consideration by Committee of the Whole.

    It was however gathered that being similar, the House version will be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence in order to fast track its passage and transmission to the President for his assent.

     

  • Former APC Senators, Reps to work for Buhari – Presidency

    The last may not have been heard about the Tuesday’s defection of 13 Senators and 37 House of Representatives members from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    The Presidency Thursday said that it has received the commitment of the defectors to work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2019 election.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, made the stunning clarification at a press briefing in Abuja.

    Enang noted that most of the defectors expressed intention to work for and with President Buhari to ensure his re-election in 2019.

    Read Also:Buhari: defection a seasonal occurrence

    He said that the defectors came to the conclusion to work for Buhari’s re-election because they were convinced that their problems were domestic and internal to the political structure of their respective states which had nothing to do with President Buhari.

    Asked to name defectors who gave the assurance to work for Buhari in 2019 Enang parried the question.

    He simply said, “It will be improper and breach of confidentiality for me and for the persons to be named but I have had discussions with them. Most of them are coming back and most of them are defecting to political parties that are not challenging the APC.”

    Asked whether Senate President, Bukola Saraki was invited to the meeting President Buhari held with APC senators at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, Enang said that the senators were led by Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan.

    The presidential aide said that National Assembly members should bear in mind important pending issues even as they go on vacation.

    Enang said, “These senators by virtue of their procedure have not yet fully and effectually deflected but have expressed intention to defect by the procedure.

    As a political party interacting with the leadership of the APC and other parties there is a lot of room left “for conciliation and reconciliation.

    Again all the grievances expressed by the Distinguished Senators and Honourable members non is attributed or directed to  President Muhammadu Buhari nor his actions or any action or commission or omission  of the President or the Federal Government.

    “In my interaction pre and post expression of intent to defect by the Distinguished Senators and members,  all the dramatis personae, the Distinguished Senators and Honourable members expressed their solidarity and support for Mr. President and  expressed categorically that their grievances and consequent actions are not directed against President Buhari nor his reelection in 2019 but domestic actors in their constituencies political fields such as the governors, state party leaders or frustration over zoning or indeed calculations for a return ticket or platform  for 2019 elections.

    “Indeed a great number of them have indicated that even if they pursue their bid on different platforms, they will still campaign for President Buhari in 2019 on the platform of the APC.

    “What have been done by the Distinguished Senators and Honourable members are group notice to switch camp.  It is inchoate and lives windows, doors and rooms for further consultations and resolutions because our party, the APC minds and cares for all members in or out of office.

    “Like the Holy Bible enjoins, if you loss one sheep out of hundred, preserve 99 and go and search for the lost one sheep.

    “ I believe that all if you saw perhaps this morning that at the interactive between the distinguished Senators of APC and M. President which lasted till the early hours of this morning, some of the Distinguished Senators who expressed defection to other parties or intended defection have returned to the fold of the APC.

    They were with Mr. President and those who were not there, because the notice was short some of them could not return and most of them will still be joining further interaction within the weekend with the leadership of the party.

    “There has been a lot of return and a lot of calm on the family of the APC.

    “The executive, president and ministers will keep working with the legislature with respect due their offices and person and keep working with them as legislators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who make laws for the executive to execute irrespective of their individual political decisions while leaving all options open for conciliation.

    We will be praying the legislature, the leadership, membership to consider that there are many matters of very urgent nature which are pending before the legislature and unless considered, the functioning of certain institutions of the government will be hampered. If you recall a lot of the funding for the 2018 budget was budgeted to come from some external sources.

    The request for approval to raise funds from these external sources is before the legislature and unless considered it may hamper the level of implementation.

    Again, before the legislature proceeded on vacation, Mr. President also laid before them the request for virement, this also will be affected.

    Mr. President had earlier on laid the request for the application of some security funds for the purchase of Tucano jets to fight insurgency that is still pending.

    There is also the budget which is pending. You remember the president laid before the National Assembly some times in November last year the 2018 budget. It was the budget of the Federal Government and the budget of the government-owned corporations, what has been passed in 2018 is the budget of the Federal Government and the budget of the Federal Government corporations has not yet been passed.

    “You know that these budgets also include provisions for employment, provisions for capital spending which will affect the run of the economy, functioning and a lot other economy unless the legislature considers this, the executive is very law abiding and will not do a thing which the law requires the legislature to do, to approve first before it is done unless it is done. We will be praying the legislature to consider the emergency implications of this and decide to come out of this and consider this within the period of the vacation.

    “We accept that some exigencies may have caused the abridgment of the time within which they were to proceed on vacation.

    “We will be working with them to ensure that we have few of these considered and passed within a time that it will still be reasonable to attain the purpose of the economy.

    “All of them have said that they do not have a problem with the president.

    “These persons have expressed intention to work for and with President Buhari; all these are domestic and internal to the political structure of the respective states and has to do with the 2019 electoral calculations.

    “Some of them are questions that have to do with zoning. The president said that he is aware of the issues that they have. The questions that have arisen in this matter are party matters domestic to the different states. The national office of the party is handling the issues.”

  • Fanfare as lawmaker empowers 600 constituents

    No fewer than 600 people were empowered by the member representing Mushin Federal Constituency II, Bolaji Yusuf Ayinla at the House of Representatives on Sunday.

    The carnival-like event was held at Mushin Sports Centre formerly Archbishop Aggey Memorial Secondary School, Ilasamaja Mushin Lagos.

    Dignitaries such as monarchs, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), community and market leaders, religious leaders, representatives of corporate organisations and youth leaders from all the wards in Mushin Local Government Area were among the massive crowd that attended the event.

    Music flowed freely from the daughter of the late Fuji maestro, Dr Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Barry Tide.

    Veteran Yoruba Nollywood actor and praise singer, Sulaiman Ayilara Aremu, popularly known as Ajobiewe thrilled the gathering with poetry rendition.

    BYA, as Ayinla is fondly called, said 100 people are benefitting from the cash award.

    “This is going to be the third time we are giving back to our people and more are still coming. Quality representation can never be completed in our type of democracy if we do not meet the yearnings and aspirations of our people. I don’t want people to be servant of anybody. Everybody must be able to fend for themselves without begging others.

    “Between the last programme and today, I have been able to secure some temporary and permanent employments for some members of the constituency. They include 50 slots of N-power jobs and in other government agencies,” he said.

    Some of the items given out were tricycles, motorcycles, grinding machines, vulcanising machines, sewing and popcorn machines, power generating sets, clippers, hair dryers, deep freezers, GSM repair kits, beauty therapy kits and make-up boxes.

    He thanked the United Kingdom-based The Life Changers Foundation, headed by Mrs Sheri Adegbesan for being in partnership with his constituency office for the empowerment.

    Ayinla also thanked his constituency for keeping faith with him, even as he promised to raise the bar in terms of quality representation.

    He implored the beneficiaries to make good use of the items.

    The APC chieftain Cardinal James Omolaja Odunmbaku, hailed Ayinla for remembering his constituents by giving back to them.

    “Many have gone to Abuja with nothing to show for it, but Ayinla is different. BYA is a worthy ambassador,” he said.

    The Olu of Mushin, Oba Fatai Aileru prayed for Ayinla. He enjoined him to represent them again.

    The monarch urged the constituents to return BYA for another term in the next general election.

    A community leader and an APC stalwart, Alhaji Taoreed Faronbi aka Alado said Mushin is united and will always return the party in power to office.

    Alado warned the opposition to look elsewhere for votes, boasting that Mushin won’t fall into their hands.

    “I am a loyal party man. Whoever the party picks as candidate has our support,” he said.

    He praised Ayinla for his humane disposition.

    Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, Emmanuel Bamigboye thanked Ayinla for his strides in moving the party and Mushin forward.

    “He has done a lot for the party members and brought democratic dividends to Mushin. We thank him for a job well done,” he said.

  • We did our best to stop defection – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) tried hard to stop the defection of party members to other parties.

    He was reacting to the mass defection of some APC members in the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday mainly to the Peoples Democratic Party.

    The full text of his response published on his Facebook page reads:

    “I wish all of our party members who today defected, the very best in their future undertakings. The APC has done its best to stop the defections, and I must commend the party leadership for working tirelessly to unite the party and position it for future victory.

    I am confident that no harm or injury will be done by these defections, to the APC and its aspirations. I urge party faithful to not despair, but to instead see this as something that happens in seasons like this, on the eve of elections.

    Read Also: 32 Reps dump APC for PDP, four for ADC

    As the saying goes, all politics is local. We understand that some of the Distinguished and Honourable lawmakers have issues in/with their home states, especially on zoning which bars some of them from seeking another term in their constituencies.

    Let me also note that none of the defecting federal lawmakers has any specific grievances against me or the government I lead; neither do I harbour any ill-feeling towards any of them. I fully respect their freedom to choose what party to associate with.

    I am using this opportunity to restate my total commitment to the values of democracy, as well as my total willingness to work with ALL members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party, for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians.

    Muhammadu Buhari”