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  • Updated: Gbajabiamila is 9th House of Reps Speaker

    Femi Gbajabiamila has emerged Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives with a landslide victory.

    He polled 281 to defeat his only rival, Umaru Bago, who got 76 votes from a total of 358 votes.

    Two members were absent with one invalid vote.

    Bago went to Gbajabiamila to congratulate him even before Gbajabiamila’s votes were counted

    The exercise that took less than two hours with two voting points saw some members voting on the floor while many made sure the trio of Gbajabiamila, Idris Wase and Abdulmumin Jibrin made a show of displaying their ballot papers after voting before casting it.

    No member made attempt to display how he she voted to Bago, who sat in the third row.

    Read Also: Gbajabiamila, Bago battle for 9th Speaker’s seat

    Sorting of cards with total silence from the floor by Sergeant at Arms were witnessed by the Jibrin, Linda Ikpeazu, Mark Gbila and Yunusa Ahmad.

    Even before the sorting was concluded, members began jubilating and congratulating Gbajabiamila

    Sorting completed, Jibrin first did a bow down, reminiscent of Islamic prayer after which he went straight to Gbajabiamila for a congratulatory hug.

    The Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) Muhammed Sani-Omolori declared Gbajabiamila winner, having polled majority votes

  • Breaking: Wase becomes Deputy Speaker unopposed

    Hon Ahmed Idris Wase(Wase federal constituency, Plateau) has been elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    He was nominated for the post by Hon Sade Sole from Kastina state.

    The nomination was seconded by Hon Onifioke Luke, a member-elect from Akwa-Ibom.

    Wase emerged a few minutes after the landslide victory of Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker.

    Read Also: Gbajabiamila is 9th House of Reps Speaker

    The duo ran on a joint ticket following the stepping-down of Wase for Gbajabiamila.

    When the Clerk requested for other nominations, members-elect shouted ‘no’.

    After the third requests with no nomination, he declared Wase elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker.

    Details shortly…

  • I’ll be a fair servant to all, says Lawan

    Newly elected President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan has assured that he will lead as a servant and be fair to all in the running of the affairs of the upper legislative chamber.

    In his maiden address, Lawan, who represents Yobe North senatorial district, said political, ethnic and religious considerations would have no place under his leadership.

    Lawan, who was the Majority Leader in the Eighth Senate, pledged to ensure the upper legislative chamber performed its role for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    He said: “Elections are over. It shows that we voted for a united Senate and it is clear that the outcome is bipartisan.

    “All parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) voted for me and with this outcome the Ninth Senate is ready to take off as a united Senate.

    “Today means so many things. It is the commencement of another decade of our democracy and we will work to ensure best global parliamentary practice among other things,” he said.

    Promising to work toward ensuring a secure and a prosperous future for all Nigerians, Lawan pledged the new Senate would be responsive to the needs of the masses, who he said, were the owners of the mandate.

    Urging his colleagues to work collectively to ensure a robust Senate, he charged them not to settle for anything less but the best, adding that, “we will dream big, aim high and take good initiatives”.

    Senator Lawan further stated that improved Information Communication Technology (ICT) would be one of the focal points of the Senate under his leadership.

    He said the Senate would work in collaboration with the executive arm to tackle rising cases of banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other crimes in the country.

    “We will work with the executive for sustained pursuit of national ethical renewal”, he said, adding that youth unemployment, high rate of suicide, depression, corruption and insecurity would be frontally tackled.

    Bemoaning the estimated 14 million out of school children across the nation, Lawan said the Senate would work toward finding lasting solutions to the growing menace, which he declined as embarrassing.

    Read Also; Seven things you may not know about Senate President Lawan

    He allayed fears and insinuations in some quarters that the Senate under him would be subservient to the executive arm.

    “The Senate will be independent while working with the executive. We will choose unity of purpose instead of conflict”, he assured.

    He also promised to strengthen and broaden the relationship between the federal legislature and other key stakeholders, including the media as civil society organisations.

    “We must drive a transformative Senate dedicated to serving the people with confidence, courage and patriotism. In doing so, we are convinced that our past was only a story told while our future can yet be written in gold,” Lawan said.

  • Breaking: Gbajabiamila elected House of Reps Speaker

    Hon Femi Gbajabiamila has been elected Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives.

    He secured 281 votes to defeat his only challenger, Umar Bago who garnered a paltry 76 votes.

    His supporters, including National chairman of All Progressives Congress(APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, couldn’t hide their excitement immediately he got the threshold.

    Details shortly…

  • EFCC rejects transfer of ex-minister Akinjide’s case to new judge

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected the transfer of a money laundering case against former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Mrs Jumoke Akinjide to a new judge.

    She was arraigned last January 16 before Justice Muslim Hassan, but the case was transferred to Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke at the instance of the defence.

    When the case came up before Justice Aneke on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to reverse the transfer.

    He argued that by the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, an application for transfer of a part-heard case must not be in writing.

    He added that the trial had already gone far before Justice Hassan, with the case at a trial-within-trial stage to determine the admissibility of a document, before it was transferred.

    “Whether rightly or wrongly, this matter is going through turbulence, a case of 2016. Why should we start afresh?” he asked.

    But defence counsel Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) objected to the application, describing it as an “ambush”.

    According to him, the prosecution ought to have made the application formal (in writing) and served it on the defence for it to reply.

    The SAN prayed the court to refuse the application, saying that it should be brought properly.

    His submission was adopted by other defence counsel.

    Ruling, Justice Aneke agreed that the prosecution’s oral application was an “ambush”.

    He ordered the EFCC to file a formal application for a reversal of the case transfer.

    While EFCC is rejecting the transfer of Akinjide’s case after trial had begun, it was the commission that applied for the transfer of the trial of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to a new judge after 13 witnesses had testified for the prosecution.

    EFCC charged Akinjide along with a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Oyo State Chief Olarenwaju Otiti and a former Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District Ayo Adeseun.

    Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke said to be at large, is also named in the charge.

    The defendants were arraigned on January 16 last year before Justice Hassan on an amended 24-count charge.

    Trial had begun before Hassan before the case was transferred to Justice Aneke.

    Otiti and Adeseun had on February 6 prayed Justice Hassan to recuse himself from the case.

    Read Also: Alleged fraud: Court gives EFCC June 28 to re-arraign Fayose

    They accused him of bias, claiming that as a former head of EFCC’s legal unit before he was appointed a judge, they did not believe they would get justice in his court.

    Although the judge had refused to recuse himself, the Chief Judge eventually reassigned the case to Justice Aneke.

    EFCC accused the defendants of conspiring to directly take possession of N650million from Mrs Alison-Madueke, which they reasonably ought to have known was part of proceeds of an unlawful act, and without going through a financial institution.

    The alleged offence, EFCC said, contravenes the Money Laundering Act.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Aneke adjourned until June 26 for hearing of EFCC’s application

  • Breaking: Ndume pledges to work with Lawan

    Senator Ali Ndume on Tuesday pledged to work with the newly elected Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and his deputy, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

    Speaking immediately after the election, which he lost to Lawan, the Borno South Senator said that he will work with Lawan in the interest of the country.

    He described Lawan as a well experienced lawmaker, who is four years ahead of him.

    He explained that he happily went into the election for the position of Senate President in line with democratic norms.

    Ndume expressed optimism that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not see his action as a rebellion but as an act to deepen democracy in the country.

    He asserted that his action made the election of Senate President credible.

    Ndume said: “Ahmed Lawan is my brother who is well experienced having been here four years ahead of me.

    “I will give him all the necessary supports. I insisted on contesting against him in order to deepen democracy.

    Read Also: Seven things you may not know about Senate President Lawan

    “I hope the party would agree with me that what I did was in the interest of democracy and I do know that power belongs to God. It’s God’s will that my colleague becomes the President.

    “I will do all I can with others for him to succeed because his success is our success.”

    Ndume was the main challenger to Lawan in election that Senator Ahmed Lawan won 79 votes.

    For Ndume, election time is over.

    He said: “This is the time to settle down to face legislative functions.”

  • LIVE UPDATES: Ninth National Assembly Inauguration

     

     

     

     

     

  • Man, 41 beats wife to death

    A 41-year-old man, Sunday Ngwu has allegedly beaten his wife to death over an undisclosed marital issue in Ibollo, Idemili North local government area of Anambra State.

    The suspect, a native of Nkanu local government area of Enugu State, reportedly engaged his wife in a fight on Monday night.

    The Nation gathered the suspect and his late wife, identified as Amara had been living peacefully in an apartment at Ikwo street of the area before the incident happened.

    A neighbor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said fight broke out between them
    after a heated argument, during which the suspect thoroughly beat her up.

    She said: “Even though he had upper hand in the fight, he still proceeded to use a heavy metal to smash her head, leaving her in that unconscious state.”

    The neighbor, who feigned ignorance of the cause of the fracas, however revealed that the man had been arrested.

    The Police spokesperson in the state, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident.

    He said the matter has been transferred to Awka while the corpse had been deposited in a morgue.

    Read Also: ‘I love my husband beating me, I enjoy seeing him angry’

    According to him: “On the 10/6/2019 at about 8:pm, Police detectives attached to Awada Division arrested one Sunday Ngwu ‘m’ aged 41 years from Nkanu LGA of Enugu State but resides at Ikwo Street Ibollo in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.

    “Suspect allegedly beat his wife one Amara Ngwu ‘f’ aged 39 years of the same address to pulp and then used a heavy metal object to hit her on the head leaving her unconscious.

    “Scene was visited by Police detectives attached to Awada Division and victim rushed to Bex hospital where she was confirmed dead on arrival by a medical Doctor and corpse deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura has ordered for immediate transfer of the case to State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka to conduct a discreet investigation in order to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident after which suspect would be charged to Court for prosecution.”

  • Anti-graft war must start from the top, says Rwanda’s Kagame

    The President of the Republic of Rwanda, Mr. Paul Kagame, on Tuesday, said the anti-graft war can be won in Africa or elsewhere if it starts from the top.

    He also said corruption has become the norm on the continent because leaders have made it acceptable.

    He said corruption does not take decades to eradicate but with determination it can be eradicated quickly.

    Kagame made the submissions at the National Democracy Day Anti-Corruption Summit in Abuja, which was organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The theme for the summit was “Curbing electoral spending: A panacea for public corruption”.

    He said African leaders must make sure that anti-graft institutions work because they are created to give results.

    He said: “Corruption needs to be tackled from the top down using four key principles: “culture, responsibility, accountability and effectiveness. It is also the most effective because it empowers the public to join the fight. In that wise, corruption can be reduced to the minimum.

    “Where corruption has become the norm, it is because leaders have made it acceptable.

    “We tend to pay more attention to petty corruption than the monumental because the rich and the powerful are the most beneficiaries.

    Read Also; Suspected kidnapper arrested in Ondo

    “Corruption does not take decades to eradicate, it can be eradicated quickly if we decide to do away with the habit. We are in charge of our own habit.”

    Kagame said the fight against corruption is not an easy one for any leader.

    He said: “You risk many things, including bad names if you are fighting corruption.

    “The so-called opposition members will turn us into authoritarian leader because of anti-corruption campaign.

    “But choosing between fighting corruption and being authoritarian, I prefer being called authoritarian.”

    The Rwandan President insisted that the war against corruption is winnable.

    He said: “There is one of your own [Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala], who wrote a book, titled, fighting corruption is dangerous; so she gave me the book, and as I was looking at the title, I reminded her and said you need to be thinking of writing another book to state that not fighting corruption is even more dangerous.

    “This is a fight that can be won; tolerating corruption is a choice, not inevitability. It is within our power to end it.

    “That is the most important starting point; otherwise, it will be a waste of time to keep talking about it.

    “We have to set our sights high, it is not enough to fight corruption just as merely fighting poverty, it is too small an ambition for Africa.

    “We want to create value; we want to create wealth, not merely fighting corruption.”

    Kagame also said corruption is not peculiar to any particular culture or continent.

    He added: “We must discard the myth that corruption is endemic to a particular culture.

    “Corruption is a universal weakness, not an African one, and it is not part of our destiny as a continent.”

  • How Omo-Agege defeated Ekweremadu

    The election of Delta Central Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, did not come as a surprise to many having been endorsed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency.

    What may have come as a surprise was the nomination of the immediate past Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, to take the seat of Deputy Senate President.

    Ekweremadu (Enugu West Senatorial District), was nominated against all odds, by Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North) and seconded by Senator Rose Okoh (Cross River North).

    His nomination came after Senator Ahmed Baba Kaita (Katsina North) had nominated Senator Omo-Agege to take the seat of Deputy Senate President.

    The nomination of Omo-Agege was seconded by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North).

    Ekweremadu had been Deputy Senate President for 12 successive years under Senator David Mark (eight years) and under Senator Bukola Saraki (four years).

    Omo-Agege and Ekweremadu accepted their nomination.

    Read Also: Eight ways I’ll fight corruption in second term, by Buhari

    While Omo-Agege promised to assist the Senate President, Lawan to perform his functions effectively, Ekweremadu said that the election of the Deputy Senate President was a referendum on the invasion of the Senate on 18th April, 2018

    Before the election, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sanni-Omolori, announced that the same voting procedure used for the election of the Senate President, would also be used for the election of Deputy Senate President.

    Omolori went ahead to direct the Clerk to the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh, to make the roll call.

    At the end of election and counting of votes, Omolori announced that 105 Senators-elect voted.

    He said that one Senator-elect abstained from voting while one invalid vote was recorded.

    Omolori said that Omo-Agege received 68 votes to defeat Ekweremadu who got 37 votes.

    Ekweremadu told reporters that he contested the election to make a statement on the invasion of the Senate on April 18, 2018.

    He said, “For over 20 years I have been very busy with politics and governance. So I think I can have a rest and reflect on other things.”

    On why he contested Ekweremadu said: “I believe there must be a referendum. Look at what happened on a day I was presiding and the chamber invaded. It is embarrassing that someone who led that operation will take a bow and be endorsed and we all work home like it doesn’t matter.

    “I wanted a situation where we could present a referendum in respect of what transpired.”

    Asked at what point he took the decision to contest, he said:

    “Early this morning, we were not minded to run for any office, we thought that our friends in APC will present a consensus candidate that we can all be proud of. We don’t want a situation where we will say what happened here and then you come and endorsed the same person Deputy President of the Senate.

    “We need to exonerate ourselves. It was not a contest to win or lose. I wanted to make a statement.”

    Also in a statement titled “Ekweremadu congratulates Lawan, Omo-Agege” the former Deputy Senate President, congratulated the newly elected presiding officers of the Ninth Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on their elections.

    This was also as he appreciated his colleagues, constituents, and Nigerians for their support, noting that he had made his point.

    Ekweremadu, who took to his social media handles after the inauguration of the Ninth Senate, said: “I congratulate the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan and my successor as Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on their elections.

    “I specially appreciate my colleagues, who supported me as I vied for the office again to preserve the hallowedness and honour of the Senate and uphold equity as a priceless ingredient for building a Nigeria of our dreams.

    “I have made my point and my colleagues have made their choice. It is now for us all to join hands across all divides to work for the success of the Ninth Senate and National Assembly as well as the peace and prosperity of our nation.

    “I am deeply indebted in gratitude to the good people of Enugu West and well-meaning Nigerians, whose support and prayers have seen me this far. They can rest, assured that I will continue to give them quality representation”.