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Tag: Mao Ohuabunwa

  • I’ll retrieve my mandate from you, Sen. Ohuabuwa tells Kalu

    The senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, has vowed to retrieve his “stolen” mandate from a former Abia State governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Kalu winner of the poll in the February elections and the Commission had since issued Kalu with Certificate of Return.

    Ohuabunwa is a sitting senator who was elected on the platform of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but Kalu contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    But Ohuabunwa said INEC breached its own guidelines by giving Kalu the certificate of return, stressing that the “margin of win” recorded by Kalu was far less than the number of cancelled votes in that election.

    The senator said, “Kalu knows that what he has is a stolen mandate which he will soon surrender. He knows the truth but only thinks he can play smart. But unfortunately for him, we are resolute in reclaiming the people’s mandate”.

    Read Also: Senate: I’ve forgiven Theodore Orji, says Kalu

    Leaders of the PDP in Abia who were on solidarity visits to the senators, also vowed to ensure that the party explored every available means permissible in law to retrieve the mandate from Kalu.

    Zonal chairman of the PDP, Mr. Mathew Ibe who led the delegation of party chieftains to Ohuabunwa, said there was overwhelming evidence to believe that Kalu’s election cannot stand the scrutiny of electoral laws.

    Ibe appealed to the Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and the national leadership of the PDP to give Ohuanbunwa all the support he needed to retrieve the party’s mandate.

     

  • Why Uzor Kalu’s election can’t stand – Ohuabunwa

    The People Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, Friday faulted the declaration of Chief Orji Uzor Kalu as senator-elect for Abia North insisting that the purported election of Kalu cannot stand.

    Ohuabunwa who spoke at a press conference in Abuja said that at best the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should have declared Abia North Senatorial election inconclusive.

    He claimed that most of the announced results did not emanate from polling units in the senatorial district.

    Ohuabunwa said that Bende Local Government Area result did not emanate from the polling units as no results were declared at that level.

    He added that “all results in Bende LGA should have been canceled but the Returning Officer was forced at gunpoint to declare the result for House of Representatives even when he noted 7,601 canceled votes which was more than the margin of 3,547 and he fled afterwards to Umuahia where he issued a statement calling for the cancellation of what he declared.”

    Again he said that Nkporo in Ohafia LGAs recorded 21,360 cancelled votes in 32 units of two Wards; precisely Ndi Elu – 15 and Ndi Agbo – 17.

    In Arochukwu, his LGA, Ohuabunwa said recorded 31,284 cancelled votes with 72 of 149 Polling Units canceled.

    He also said that elections were cancelled at polling units inside Abia State University, Uturu in Isuikwuato LGA with about 19,563 registered voters disenfranchised.

    He said that that was more than the margin of victory of 3,708 votes recorded for the LGA.

    According to him, Ohafia town recorded 4,682 cancelled votes while total number of canceled votes stood at 76,889 with announced margin of victory 10,402.

    Difference between margin of victory and cancelled votes, he said stood at 66,487

    Ohuabuwan wondered why INEC should validly declare a winner of that poll with the discrepancies.

    He stressed that “the INEC returning officer for Abia North election, Dr Charles Anumudu, is a brother to Willie Anumudu of Globe motors, who is a long term associate of Orji Uzor Kalu and through whom he procured most of the vehicles he bought as Governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007.”

    He urged INEC to declare the election inconclusive to pave the way to hold election in areas results which were cancelled.

  • Senate wades into NHIS, NPHCDA crisis

    The Senate on Wednesday resolved to investigate the raging crisis in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

    The decision was following a motion by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North) who observed that Nigerians whose health needs the scheme is meant to serve, have been at the receiving end of the prolonged crisis in the NHIS.

    Ohuabunwa’s motion dwelt on the need to enthrone good governance, probity, reduction of high-handedness of operators, elimination of corruption and improving over all efficiency in the scheme.

    He observed that many federal agencies have moved away from direct focus on serving citizens and advancing economic and social development.

    The senator stated that instead, the NHIS has been embroiled in entrenching impunity that borders on personality cults, which runs contrary to the objectives of the federal government.

    It was also observed that the crisis at the NHIS stemmed from allegations and counter allegations of high-handedness, fraudulent cost manipulation and illegal investments.

    Read Also: Senate probes social intervention fund, Sure-P

    The senators similarly observed cases of unprofessional manipulation of human resources that led to clashes between the management of the NHIS and the Governing Board of the agency.

    The motion also observed similar developments at the NPHCDA where the Executive Director has been accused of high-handedness, reckless spending and illegal purchase of unwanted vehicles.

    It also listed Intimidation and unwarranted transfer of senior staff members without regards to due process as some of the ills plaguing the agency.

    “Conscious of the fact that these unguarded executive and administrative processes pervading our public agencies, if not verified, checked and redirected for good.

    “The important roles of our public agencies in advancing the economic, social and general well being of our citizens will be seriously impaired, and our nascent democracy will gradually lose its steam to emerging impunity of government appointed self-serving titans now looming large”.

    Consequently, the Senate mandated its joint committees on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases and the Health Committee to wade into the crisis of confidence and the alleged corruption plaguing the two federal agencies.

    The joint committees were given two weeks within which to submit a report to the Senate.

  • Senate orders removal of roadblocks in South East

    The Senate on Thursday asked the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to dismantle multiple roadblocks mounted along major highways in the South East geo-political zone.

    The upper chamber mandated its Committee on Works to take a tour of federal roads in the zone to ensure compliance with the directive without further delay.

    The resolution followed the adopting a motion presented by the Senator representing Abia North, Mao Ohuabunwa, on matter of urgent national importance.

    Ohuabunwa said the proliferation of roadblocks in the area was affecting the free flow of people, goods and services in the zone.

    He wondered why multiple roadblocks would be mounted in an area that does not necessarily need them.

    According to him, the roadblocks are seen by the people as instrument of intimidation and harassment.

    Senator Victor Umeh, (Anambra Central), who seconded the motion, said the roadblocks have  become a huge embarrassment to the people of the zone.

    Umeh said: “The proliferation of roadblocks in the South East by security agencies is becoming a huge embarrassment. It is killing businesses in the region. Our people who are business oriented can no longer ply their trade.

    “In the South East, we are not in any imminent danger. I don’t see the need why we should have more road blocks in the area. Sometimes, you have roadblocks in a distance of about 300 metres.

    “Security is important. But it should not be abused. Our people are complaining and we need to correct this. Our people now spend more time on the road because of these unnecessary roadblocks.”

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asked the Committee on Police Affairs and Army, to visit the affected areas and report back to the Senate for further legislative action.

  • Updated: Osinbajo is acting President – Senate

    Updated: Osinbajo is acting President – Senate

    What could have resulted in a major constitutional crisis over the medical leave embarked on by President Muhammadu Buhari was averted in the Senate on Tuesday.

    It centered on the ambiguity in President Buhari’s letter informing the Senate that he was proceeding on a follow up medical leave to London, United Kingdom.

    Relying on Section 145 of the Constitution which was also quoted in President Buhari’s letter, the Senate said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is Acting President since there is no provision for Coordinating Vice President in the Constitution.

    President Buhari had in letter dated May 5, 2017 which was read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, informed the Senate that he would be away for a scheduled medical follow up with his doctors in London.

    The President also told the Senate that while he was away, the vice president will “coordinate activities of the government.”

    He said the length of his stay in London will be determined by his doctor’s advice.

    The letter read “In compliance with section 145 {1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow up with my doctors in London.

    “The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.

    “While I am away the vice president will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept the distinguished Senate President the assurances of my highest consideration.”

    Hardly had Saraki concluded reading the letter when Senator Mao Ohuabunwa queried the wordings of the presidential letter through a Point of Order.

    Ohuabunwa, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, noted that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no provision for a coordinating president of a coordinating vice president.

    He said the presidential letters to the Senate, the highest legislative body of the country “should be direct and unambiguous.”

    Ohuabunwa said, “Whenever the President transmits to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or otherwise that he is unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such function shall be discharge by vice president as acting president.

    “Mr. President I don’t think in our constitution we have anything like coordinating president or coordinating vice president.

    “It is either you are vice president or you are acting president and any letter should be unambiguous and very clear.

    “So, am saying that this letter really does not convey anything because coordinating has no space or any place in our constitution.

    “We have been having letters like this and you tell us who is the acting president and we know who to deal with as a Senate.

    “This is the highest legislative body of the country and if you are sending us letter, it should be direct and unambiguous. So, I am saying that this letter for me is not right and maybe should be sent back.”

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, disagreed with the Point Order and asked the Senate to disregard it.

    Lawan noted since President Buhari cited Section 145 (1) of the Constitution in the letter, he was very clear on who should act in his absence.

    The Yobe North lawmaker said any other word contained in the presidential letter was irrelevant.

    Lawan said, “Mr. President, let me say that the Point of Order raised by my colleague and the explanation that subsequently followed shouldn’t have been.

    “I still rely on the first paragraph of that letter which Mr. President wrote to this Senate and read by the President of the Senate and I will read section (145) which reads whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation…”

    “Àny other word in this letter or indeed anywhere else is irrelevant. I therefore feel that Mr. President has done what the constitution requires him to do and I urge this Senate not to go ahead to discuss this because it is not an issue.”

     

     

     

  • Abia North: Court upholds Ohuabunwa’s victory

    The Appeal Court sitting in Owerri under the chairmanship of Justice Jimmy Bada has upheld the judgement of the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, Umuahia, Abia state which validated the election of Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected senator for Abia North.

    In a unanimous decision, the court dismissed the appeal of the former Abia Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu, who was the candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA.

    Recall that in September, the National Assembly tribunal dismissed the petition filed by Uzor Kalu for lack of merit.

    Dismissing the petition, in his over eight hours judgment, the Tribunal chairman, Mr. Justice James Abundaga, ruled that Kalu failed to prove some of his allegations that Ohuabunwa was not elected by majority of lawful votes, that voting was inconclusive in some wards, evidence of over-voting, thuggery, voting by many unregistered voters, harassment of voters among others.

    According to the result announced by INEC, Ohuabunwa polled 26,009 votes followed by Kalu’s 25,814, APGA’s Bourdex Onuoha 13,692 while the All Progressives Congress, Nnenna Nma Lancaster-Okoro, got 916.

  • Ministers: Senate may dump ‘bow and go’ practice

    Ministers: Senate may dump ‘bow and go’ practice

    The practice of “bow and go” accorded to Senators and members of House of Representatives nominated  as ministers may be jettisoned by the Senate during the screening of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees on Tuesday.

    The list of the much awaited ministerial nominees will be unveiled  by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during Tuesday’s plenary.

    The Chairman, Senate ad-hoc committee on media and publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, insisted in Abuja that the screening of the ministerial nominees will not be business as usual.

    Melaye said,” The era of ‘bow and go’ should be regarded a thing of the past since only the right nominees would scale through Senate screening crucible.

    Also setting the terms for screening of the nominees, Senator representing Abia North, Mao Ohuabunwa, told reporters on Monday that though the Senate would be guided by the constitution and Senate rules, the lawmakers had resolved to be quite stringent in their approach.

    Ohuabunwa noted that if Senators and members of the House are on the list, they would be accorded respect but should be made to speak to Nigerians through their representatives in the Senate.

    The Senate, he said, will make sure that whoever is nominated as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must be somebody “worth his salt. That is somebody we can rely upon and somebody who would have met the constitutional requirements of their appointments.”

    “The list will be unveiled on Tuesday, the Senate President kept to his word that the envelope will remain sealed until Tuesday.

    “We know that all we have been reading could be speculations until it is opened.

    “It will be read on the floor of the House and we will know. Even the 21 that people are speculating will be ascertained on Tuesday.”

    On Senate tradition of “bow and go” for Senator-nominees, he said, “We will be guided by the constitution and the rules of the Senate. This time around we have resolved that we are going to be quite stringent.”