The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate president

  • ‘Compensate Kano with Senate President’

    The senator-elect for Kano North, Barau  Jibrin, yesterday urged his colleagues from the Northwest to concede the Senate President to Kano.

    The senator noted that Kano played a vital role in the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the elections.

    Barau urged his colleagues to reward Kano for what he called the state’s “huge political investment” in the party’s victory over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Barau, a former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, sought the understanding of his colleagues to enable Kano get the Senate President’s seat.

    The former lawmaker noted that with the calibre of people representing the state in the Senate, “there is no gainsaying the fact that Kano needs to be given special attention  in leadership positions”.

    He added: “You are aware that we have three senators from Kano and we all have the experience in governance and legislation. Our leader, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, who is to represent Kano Central, was a deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives; Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, a former governor, is a third-timer at the Senate; I have been in the leadership of the House of Representatives.

    “So, apart from Kano being 100 per cent APC, we have people with the credentials to bring the change Nigeria needs. I do hope that our party and my fellow colleagues will consider this and do what is right.”

    Jibrin recalled that Kano gave President-elect Muhammadu Buhari the highest votes.

    The senator-elect said the state recorded similar feats in the other elections.

    He said APC won the governorship election, the three senatorial seats, the 24 House of Representatives seats, besides sweeping the 40 seats in the House of Assembly.

     

  • ‘Borno, Yobe deserve Senate President, Speaker’

    ‘Borno, Yobe deserve Senate President, Speaker’

    Borno and Yobe states are the most eligible northern states to be given either the Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives under the All Progressives Congress (APC) balance of power, the Special Adviser on Communications to Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, Malam Isa Gusau, has said.

    He based his position on his claim that of the 19 northern states, only Borno and Yobe have from 1999 to date remained in opposition parties, which gave birth to the APC.

    Gusau said the two states have suffered neglect in the hand of the PDP-controlled Federal Government in the last 16 years.

    He addressed reporters yesterday in reaction to media reports concerning the struggle by the geopolitical zones and states in the North to get principal offices of the National Assembly, following the victory of the APC, which won majority seats in the Senate and House of Representatives in the March 28 elections.

    His words: “For me, APC will not be fair to Borno and Yobe states if it fails to zone either the office of the Senate President or that of the Speaker to the two states, because I have tried to examine political developments across the 19 states of the North in the last 16 years and I’ve realised that of all the 19 states, only Borno and Yobe have consistently remained in opposition parties that gave birth to the APC, which is about forming the Federal Government.

    “From 1999, Borno and Yobe governorship elections and the majority of the national and state assembly elections were won by the All Peoples Party (APP) that later changed to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and which merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and some factions of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014.

    “From 1999 to 2015, apart from Borno and Yobe, other 17 northern states have at different times come under the control of PDP or remained under the PDP from inception and by being under PDP, the states have had some political goodwill from the Federal Government, while Borno and Yobe have consistently been punished by the PDP for remaining in opposition since 1999.”

  • I ‘ll not leave PDP, says Senate President

    I ‘ll not leave PDP, says Senate President

    Senate President David Mark yesterday denied that he will defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Mark said that he would be the last man standing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even if every other person leaves the party.

    The Senate President insisted that it was not true that he was contemplating joining the APC, affirming his loyalty to the PDP.

    He spoke at a special church service to mark his 67th birthday at St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo, Abuja.

    Mark said: “I have no reason to jump ship. I will not leave the PDP. I will be the last man standing for the PDP. The party gave me the platform to be where I am today.

    “I will stay in the PDP to contribute my quota to the rebuilding and restructuring of the party. This is democracy. Winners emerge and the losers go back to the drawing board and rejuvenate.“

    He noted that the outcome of the March 28, 2015 Presidential election in favour of APC was the will of God and majority of Nigerians.

    “We in the PDP have accepted the result in good faith,” he said.

    The Senate President described PDP faithful defecting to the APC as “fair weather friends of the PDP.”

    The defectors, he noted, “are seeking new green areas”, saying: “When the PDP bounces back, they will seek another return to the PDP.”

    In his remark, the Leader of the Senate, Senator Ndoma-Egba, praised the Senate president for the wisdom he used to pilot the affairs of the National Assembly.

    Ndoma-Egba added that Mark’s continued contributions to the nation’s socio-economic and political development remained unparalleled.

    Also, Senator Tunde Ogbeha prayed God to grant Mark good health, long life and courage in the years ahead.

    The Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, praised the Senate president for his resourceful leadership and harmonious working relationship between the management and the political leadership.

    In his homily, the Parish Priest of St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Innocent Jooji, noted that only God determines the destiny of all human beings.

     He said: “Whatever the future holds for each and every one of us is determined by God. We should continue to have faith in God.”

    But, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday congratulated Mark, on the occasion of his 67th birthday anniversary.

    The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, praised Mark for his contributions to national development over the years.

    Jonathan extolled the Senate President’s outstanding accomplishments to national service.

    He said: “On the auspicious occasion of your 67th birthday anniversary, I join your family, friends and well-wishers to thank Almighty God for your life, which has been marked by outstanding accomplishments and enduring fulfillment.”

  • Mark urges internet use for economic devt

    Mark urges internet use for economic devt

    Senate President, David Mark, has urged Nigerians to use the internet services available in the country to grow the country’s economy.

    Mark spoke at the inauguration of a new internet provider, Spectranet Limited at the National Assembly, Abuja.

    Represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Senator Anthony Manzo, he commended the new internet providers for bringing to the country internet services that could be comparable to the one provided anywhere in the world.

    Mark insisted that internet services should be used wisely especially for the development and growth of the country’s economy.

    He said: “Let us use the internet wisely. The internet can also be tools for destruction. So use we should use the internet for knowledge, education and growth of our country. Don’t use it to search for some equipment used in making bombs.”

    Mark who said that there is no doubt that the fasted way of moving data is through wireless added that the internet has made the world a small village and information available to the poor and rich.

    He said one of the successes of the country’s democratic experiment is liberalisation of the economy, especially internet connection, adding that one advantage the new provider has is that their services are not time bound.

    “It is a major plus and I hope they will reduce their price with time. In the West, internet is very cheap because their subscriber base is very cheap,” he said.

    Mark who said government alone cannot employ everybody noted that the country would reap from job creation from the new providers.

    He said: “The support government gives to companies like yours is what keeps the economy going because it creates jobs while the country benefits from the tax you pay. I am happy to associate with your company and I hope it will grow from strength to strength.”

    The Chief Operating Officer of Spectranet Mr. Atul Ojha said the technology of his company is equivalent to the best of the technology anywhere in the world.

  • Deregistration: Senate president wades into Fresh – inec crisis

    Deregistration: Senate president wades into Fresh – inec crisis

    Senate President, Dr. David B. Mark, has waded into the dispute between the Fresh Democratic Party, FRESH and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC over the latters’ deregistration of the party, founded by Rev. Chris Okotie, according to a press release issued in Lagos by Ladi Ayodeji, the party’s spokesman.

    It will be recalled that INEC delisted the party along with 27 others in December 2012, for alleged failure to win at least, one seat at either the State, or National Assembly; as well as the Governorship or Presidency. The Electoral umpire invoked the order based on the controversial Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).

    FRESH, along with Rev. Okotie, and Adefela Binutu, contested the deregistration at the Federal High court 5, Abuja Division; with INEC, the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Assembly and the Inspector General of the Police, IG, as defendants. In a landmark judgment handed down by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, the deregistration was not only voided, the entire Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) was ruled illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

    However, since the judgment was delivered on July 29, 2013, INEC has refused to recertify the party as expected. Consequently, both the Commission and FRESH have been involved in intense media skirmishes over the matter for about a year now. Several newspapers editorials and commentators have made strong cases for INEC to obey the court judgement, to no avail.