The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lawmaker

  • Honour for lawmaker, others

    Honour for lawmaker, others

    The Majority Leader in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr Adeyeye Ajibola has been honoured for good public policy to demoracy. He was among dignitaries honoured by Citinet International Organisation, a non-governmental organisation involved in promoting peace and development.

    The event took place at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja, Lagos. It was part of its second quarter annual Corporate Social Responsibility dinner.

    Others honoured included Hon. Akinola Hassan Ramotalahi, Hon Ajala Rasaq and Prince Abimbola Aboderin. Aboderin bagged Socially Responsible and Employees’ friendly Administrator honour for 2013.This is due to his contribution to entertainment, hospitality and farming activities.

  • Lawmaker kidnapped in Anambra

    An Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Emeka Aniebonam, has been kidnapped.

    The lawmaker representing Onitsha South 1 was kidnapped from his private clinic in Onitsha.

    An eyewitness said Aniebonam was attending to patients when three boys, in a Honda Accord, stormed the clinic.

    He said the boys, who were armed with AK 47 rifles, went to the lawmaker’s office and whisked him away in their car.

    The eyewitness said: “We were in the hospital when three men drove into the hospital premises in an ash Honda Accord with tinted glasses.

    “Three of them, with AK47 rifles, entered the Out Patient Department (OPD) room.

    “They went into the doctor’s office. They did not even shoot.”

    The Area Commander in Onitsha, Benjamin Wordu, said the police had mapped out strategies on how to track the kidnappers.

    Wordu said the plan was to rescue the victim unhurt and called on the public to volunteer information.

    A source said the suspects have not contacted the family.

    “As I am talking to you, the Speaker, Mrs. Chinwe Nwebili and indeed all members are saddened by the act.

    “The family has not been contacted,” he said.

     

  • Lawmaker seeks seafaring training for Lagos youths

    The Presidential Amnesty Office and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have been urged to involve more youths from Lagos State in the agency’s seafarers’ training to prepare them for the future.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Compliance, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency1, Area of the state, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said there were many job opportunities in the maritime sector, lamenting that they are not open to some youths in the state because they lack the training.

    He was speaking at the empowerment programme he organised for over 2,000 youths in the area.

    The call, he said, became necessary considering the “army of jobless youths roaming the streets of Lagos,” urging the Federal Government and NIMASA to reverse the trend.

    The lawmaker said Lagos has the highest jobless youths in the country and urged NIMASA to help alleviate the problem by involving the youth in its seafarers’ training.

    NIMASA, he said, approved the National Assembly to train youths to become qualified seafarers in various universities across the world, so as to fill in the existing knowledge gap in the maritime sector.

    He bemoaned a situation where the youths from the state were neglected in the overseas raining programme embarked by NIMASA at the expense of their colleagues from the Niger Delta region under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).

    He said one way Nigeria could bridge the gap in the requirement of indigenous professionals in the maritime sector is for the government to develop capacity in the field by sending youth across the 36 states abroad for training.

  • Driver’s family to Edo lawmaker:We suspect foul play in our son’s kidnap

    Driver’s family to Edo lawmaker:We suspect foul play in our son’s kidnap

    Their accusation is borne out of illiteracy—Lawmaker 

    Felicia Igbinovia is currently in agony. At the corner of the gate leading to the Edo State House of Assembly, she sat weeping inconsolably. At times, she would jump up running around shouting for whoever cares to prevail on Hon. Victor Edoror to bring her husband back. She has joined her husband’s family to lead a three-day protest to the Assembly Complex over the whereabouts of her husband, Victor.

    Her husband is a civil servant attached to Hon. Edoror who is representing Esan Central Constituency in the house. Edoror is a first-term lawmaker elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    On Sunday February 3, Hon. Edoror called Victor to take him to a function at his constituency and on their way back, unknown gunmen waylaid them and abducted the lawmaker and his driver at Irrua, administrative headquarters of Esan Central.

    Two weeks later, Hon. Edoror was released but his driver is yet to be seen or heard from. The kidnappers are not calling to make any ransom demand. A lawmaker told The Nation that the kidnappers never mentioned the driver during the period of negotiation for the release of Hon. Edoror.

    The questions on the lips of Victor’s family are: Where is our son? If he were killed, where is his body?

    A three-day protest by the family members to the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly paralysed activities at the complex as workers were locked out for several hours before policemen intervened and restored order.

    The family said they are suspecting foul play about the fate of their son, alleging that the lawmaker is not showing enough concern to ensure the release of their son.

    Placards carried by the family members had inscriptions such as: ‘Edoror, bring back our son’; ‘Where is our son, your driver?’ ‘Tell us what you have done to our son’. ‘Why are you silent on our son’s release?’

    Felicia alleged that Edoror asked security officials to chase her away when she went to demand the whereabouts of her husband.

    She said: “Edoror called my husband on Saturday to take him to Irrua, that one of his relatives had an accident. Since that day, I have been waiting for my husband and I have not seen him. I asked the lawmaker, he said he didn’t see my husband, that they were kept in different places. They came to my house three times asking me not to worry, that if the lawmaker is released, my husband would also be released.

    “I am not sure this is kidnapping anymore. I went to his house to demand for my husband but he asked his security details to drive me away. One threatened to shoot me and I dared him to shoot.

    “He does not call us. He said the kidnappers gave him a cell phone and N3,000 but that he cannot make calls with the phone except the kidnappers called him.”

    An elder brother of the driver, Osahon, said the lawmaker has refused to meet with them over their missing brother.

    Reacting, however, Hon. Edoror said it was uncivilised and myopic of the family to accuse him of using his driver for rituals. He said the kidnappers were yet to contact him or make any demand for the release of his driver.

    Edoror explained that the kidnappers took his driver away in his yet-to-be registered official vehicle, adding that the kidnappers, did not mention his driver during his two weeks’ ordeal in their den.

    He said he heard gunshots while in the kidnappers’ jeep and they told him that his driver had been shot.

    According to him, “I have been putting heads together with the family to look for what to do. The kidnappers are not calling. They are not asking for anything.

    “The accusation that I have used their son for rituals is borne out of illiteracy. It is uncivilised. Look at my hands, I was tied for two weeks. I was kept in a cubicle and couldn’t stand straight. I sympathise with the family. I don’t want to believe that the driver was a part of my kidnapping. He is very close to me. I took him as my younger brother. I attend to his private needs. The security agencies should determine whether he was one of them or not.

    “The truth is that it is myopic for them to think that I am a ritualist. How can I use somebody for rituals?  In no distant time, the truth will come out. I have known the driver for three months now. I am an open person. When I was with the kidnappers, they never discussed about my driver. What surprised me was that the kidnappers told me I wasted their time because I had a little delay.

    “When the incident happened, the driver drove towards the kidnappers’ vehicle that had blocked us. He parked the car and ran out towards them holding his head. I was shocked at the way the driver surrendered to them easily. I was dumbfounded. I thought, how could the driver run out of the vehicle?

    They took him away to the other car and left me in the jeep. They put him in my car and the other car. They were eight all of them armed with assault rifles. I cannot do thanksgiving now because I have not seen my driver.”

    It was gathered that Governor Adams Oshiomhole has mandated the Directorate of the State Security Services and the State Police Command to resolve the kidnap saga and rescue the driver.

  • Lawmaker seeks support for Fayemi

    Lawmaker seeks support for Fayemi

    The member representing Ekiti North in the House of Representatives, Mr. Bimbo Daramola, has urged the people of Ekiti State to re-elect Governor Kayode Fayemi in 2014.

    He said a vote for Fayemi is a vote for “continuity and good governance”.

    Daramola said the governor has served the people well and needs another term to complete his programmes.

    He said: “Fayemi has done well for the state and should go for another term. This is coming on the heels of his endorsement by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). If you say ACN endorsed him because he is a member of the party, is CAN part of ACN?

    “People who seek a second term should be able to point to visible and verifiable achievements. You do not seek a second term without basis. We adopted Fayemi because we have seen two years of his first term and can foretell what will happen in the next two years.

    “He has built schools, roads and is working hard to industrialise Ekiti and improve the economy. What else do you want from a man that has showed so much interest in the people’s well being? Politicians who have taken the people for granted would no longer get their votes.”

  • Lawmaker provides tools

    Residents of Oyo town in Atiba State Constituency of Oyo State were in high spirits penultimate week as their representative, Hon. Waliu Ganiyu Alagbon gave them poverty-alleviating items.

    Dignitaries at the event included the permanent chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo, and his chiefs; the lawmaker representing Oyo Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Kameel Akinlabi; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, also an indigene of the town, other lawmakers, local government chairmen, Head, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing), Sheikh Taofeek Akeugbagold; party leaders and members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the constituency.

    The lawmaker was showered with encomiums

    Earlier, the Alaafin had commisioned seven boreholes at different locations and two blocks of three classrooms each at Community Primary School, Irepodun-Araromi Atiba and Aba Otefon. Items such as motorcycles, sewing machines, dryers, generating sets crash helmets, clippers, deep freezers, stoves, cutlasses, farm inputs and food items were distributed to people. Cash donations were made to deserving individuals.

    Commending the lawmaker for the gesture which he described as unprecedented, Oba Adeyemi said that people like Hon. Waliu would continue to enjoy the goodwill of the people, adding that those before him cannot walk freely in the town because they diverted money meant for constituency projects to personal use.

    He said that the town had produced five speakers but the last three before Hon. Sunmonu could not point to what they did when they were in office.

    He advised other politicians to emulate Hon. Waliyu’s gesture because ‘’the youth of nowadays will not hesitate to vote out those that are not performing; they are now exposed via many means.’’

    The reverred monarch said that he and the lawmaker’s father are childhood friends but they were always on opposing sides until the last election that brought his son in as a lawmaker.

    ‘’I called him and told him that we should come together and stop wasting his money as his son had contested twice unsuccesfully before the last election. We are happy that today, he has made us proud. Nobody has ever done what he did in the history of the town.

    ‘’Those before him cannot come out openly as they have soiled their names. I will advise him to continue with what he is doing.’’

    Commending the incumbent governor of the State, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, he said he will continue to support him if he is not misled by people.

    He said that with his populist programmes and respect for constituted authorities, Oyo State is on course with its programme of transformation.

  • Lawmaker launches NGO for challenged pupils

    Lawmaker launches NGO for challenged pupils

    Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Skande Adeola has launched Jokodolu Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation aimed at helping educationally and economically disadvantaged students.

    The event, which took place at the new Chelsea Hotel in Abuja, was attended by a large number of dignitaries. Vice-President Namadi Sambo was represented by Senator Isaiah Balat. Other guests were Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his Deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as well as past and serving members of the House.

    Dignitaries from the executive arm of government also attended the programme.

    Speaking on the structure of the foundation, Akande-Adeola said the mission statement of the foundation is to support and empower indigent students, children and women in order to help them to realise their God-given potential.

    In a chat with Newsextra, she said: ”The name Jokodolu has been in existence since 2008 and it’s my family name back in Ogbomoso in my constituency.

    “The foundation aims at assisting the less-privileged children pay their school fees. This is to ensure that they go to school. The foundation will also assist widows, by empowering them so that they could be self-reliant in order to take care of their children.

    “This foundation decided to lay much emphasis on education because we all know that education is the basis for any development in the world today. Without education, an individual cannot achieve much; and with an illiterate society, a country cannot develop or achieve greatness.

    “I’ve noticed that a lot of people have challenges paying for their school fees. Some of them don’t even have as much as N6, 000 to pay fees for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). I felt that if these students are assisted one way or the other to be able to go to school, definitely, that will enable them to develop their own innate skill and the sky will be the limit for such children.”

    She stated that the foundation though, though launched in Abuja, is based in Ogbomoso. “The catchment area really is Oyo and Ogbomosho. But within my constituency, we have the Igbo and Hausa and we have people from all over the country. They would benefit as well. It’s a national organisation. It’s not limited to the Yoruba alone.

    “This is just the beginning. It may just become international as we go along. Right now, it’s a national organisation.

    Senator Isaiah Balat, who represented the Vice-President noted that the effort of the Majority Leader in bringing the NGO to light shows a paradigm shift in the leadership mentality in the country.

    He enjoined those present to contribute their quota to support the less-privileged people.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who unveiled the model of the headquarters of the Jokodolu Foundation, expressed the goodwill of all the members of the House.

    He commended the Majority Leader’s gesture to ensure that the foundation covers the whole of Ogbomosho and by extension Oyo State.

    While pledging the support of the House in partnering with the foundation, he enjoined Akande-Adeola to continue to strive for the betterment of the people in her constituency and beyond

    Engineer Aneji, who was chairman on the occasion, extolled the virtues of the Leader in terms of her desire to help the less-privileged people. He noted that her interest in doing things that will benefit the lives of others is a virtue to be emulated.

  • Lawmaker tackles water scarcity

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Lagos Mainland 1 Constituency, Hon. Bashir Oloto, has inaugurated boreholes worth N8 million in his constituency to ease water scarcity.

    Oloto, who is the Vice Chairman, House Committee on Transportation, Commerce and Industry, did the commissioning alongside the representative of the Lagos State Water Corporation who facilitated the laying of pipes to the various streets in Mainland.

    According to the lawmaker, “The provision of pipe borne water to 12 streets in my constituency is to assist residents in providing adequate and uninterrupted water supply to the people of Mainland”.

    The areas that benefitted from Oloto’s gesture include: Fagbayi Lane, Balo Street, Esugbayi, Akinlolu, Ogundimu, Oba Odesanya way, among others.

    Expressing his gratitude to the people of Mainland for their support and prayers, Oloto said: “I want to tell my constituents that I will continue to provide basic amenities to them at any given time”.

    Pointing out his effort at improving the wellbeing of his people in recent times, the lawmaker said, “I donated power generating sets to some mosques, rehabilitated bore holes in some mosques and rehabilitated Otumara at Ilaye. I also donated generating sets to some streets to power boreholes when there is no electricity, most especially Evans Square and Makojko Ward A & B.

    The lawmaker further explained that last year, he organised a football competition which was competed for by the 11 wards in his constituency, saying that he would continue to sponsor Sporting activities to discover talents in the state in order to boost government efforts in the ‘Catching Them Young Programme’.

    He also promised to embark on poverty alleviation programmes this year which will include giving of loans to market men and women, distribution of JAMB and GCE forms to students and empowering artisans.

     

     

     

     

  • Lagos lawmaker ‘not part’ of PDP meeting

    THE  member representing Ojo Constituency 11 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Lanre Ogunyemi, has dissociated himself from a meeting purportedly held by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, with PDP leaders and youths in Ojo Local Government.

    Ogunyemi said the PDP group, Ojo Broom, circulated text messages and posted on facebook that his former campaign manager and aide were at the meeting.

    Speaking with reporters in his office at the Assembly Complex yesterday, the lawmaker said he was not perturbed by the development, adding that the group’s effort to tarnish his image had failed.

    He said: “I have and would continue to enjoy the confidence of my leadership about my person and integrity. I remain a loyal member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and my loyalty to the party’s leadership has never been in doubt.

    “It is on record that in my political career in over 20 years, I have exhibited unwavering loyalty to our party leadership. I have served at the topmost echelon as the state secretary, special adviser and now member of the House of Assembly. “Even when I did not hold any political office, my character remained impeccable and dependable. I thank all my leaders, constituents, supporters and well-wishers, who through their numerous call and visits, have expressed their concern, solidarity and confidence in my steadfastness.”

  • Ekiti lawmaker disowns campaign posters

    Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Budget and Research Opeyemi Bamidele has expressed concern over the pasting of his posters in Ekiti State.

    He said he had no intention of contesting the governorship election in 2014.

    Bamidele, who disowned the posters, described the move as an attempt to discredit him.

    He said he knew those behind the “mischevous act” and pledged to expose them.

    In a statement, Bamidele said: “It has been brought to my notice that less than 48 hours after I left Ekiti for the United States (US), some faceless individuals pasted posters purporting that I would be running for the 2014 governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

    “I was not responsible for the said posters. I am a founding member of the ACN and I have not joined any other party. I know those who masterminded the pasting of those posters and would address the issue at the appropriate time.

    “In the meantime, I reiterate that, if this is an attempt by those conspiring against my vision and destiny to preempt and harass me into surrendering on my principled stance on issues, then they have failed.

    “Like other well-meaning sons and daughters of Ekiti State, I have my dreams and vision for a new and united Ekiti and when it is time to aspire in furtherance of that vision, I will do so, most courageously, within the party and without any apology to pseudo democrats, who are trying to give the ACN a bad image through their acts of intimidation and intolerance, informed by leadership complex.

    “I have worked tirelessly with the leadership of the party since 2004, especially to strengthen the party in Ekiti State and I am sure the national and state leadership understand that I am out to whip out mediocrity and highhandedness in whatever form to protect the party’s integrity.

    “When it is time to aspire, God will give me the grace to do so as a responsible member without minding whose ox is gored.

    “This faith, I will keep, come rain or sunshine and under the banner of the Almighty God.”