Tag Archives: Speaker

BREAKING: Plateau House Deputy Speaker Impeached

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The Plateau State House of Assembly has impeached its deputy speaker, Yusuf Gagdi.

Mr. Gagdi, who is of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, was removed from office on Tuesday after the majority leader, Henry Yunkwap, read the impeachment notice signed by 18 of the 24 members of the House.

According to the majority leader, the impeachment notice followed a vote of no confidence on Mr. Gagdi.

The clerk of the assembly, Ayuba Gongu, confirmed verification of the signatures of the legislators who signed the impeachment.

Mr. Gagdi was immediately replaced by Sale Yipmong, a member from Dengi constituency, southern Plateau state.

Commenting on his impeachment in an interview with journalists shortly after Tuesday sitting, Mr. Gagdi said he was happy that his removal was not linked to any fraud, saying he believed it was done in good faith.

Mr. Gagdi represents Kantana constituency in the House.

Similarly, the new deputy speaker pledged to work for the progress of the entire state.

 

Source: Premium Times

BREAKING: Ondo Assembly Elects Bamidele Oloyelogun As New Speaker

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Bamidele David Oloyelogun, the lawmaker representing Ifedore Constituency on Monday morning emerged the new Speaker of the crisis-ridden Ondo state House of Assembly, SaharaReporters can authoritatively report.

Mr. Oloyelogun became the new speaker of the Assembly with nine votes after beating Olamide George from Akure North Constituency ‘I’ who polled four votes during an election described by critics as shady.

Thirteen rebel lawmakers who suspended former female Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, from the Ondo State House of Assembly conducted the election of Mr. Oloyelogun,

SaharaReporters correspondent reported that Mr. Oloyelogun, who is presently a two-term member of the parliament, was favored by in the voting after the acting speaker, Malachi Coker, voluntarily stepped down from the seat in an apparently acting on a script.

During the election, Ogundeji Iroju, from Odigbo Constituency also emerged as the new Deputy Speaker, unopposed.

Mr. Ogundeji was the former spokesman of the rebel lawmakers opposed to Mrs. Akindele style of leadership in the Assembly.

Meanwhile, factional lawmakers loyal to the formal Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, has said they have not been carried along in the election conducted in the hallowed chamber of the Assembly today.

The faction explained that they didn’t boycott the election of the House of Assembly as currently being insinuated by the rebel faction, they claimed that they were not notified of any sitting scheduled for Monday.

Siji Akindiose, the spokesman for the faction, disclosed this in a terse message obtained by SaharaReporters.

“No notification was sent to us that there would be a sitting today and the House does not usually sit on Mondays and Fridays, which are reserved for committee activities,” he said.

Akindiose further disclosed that the factional lawmakers had on Sunday held a meeting with a senior aide to the governor on Legislative Matters, Abdusalam Taofeek to resolve the lingering crisis in the House.

He revealed that the faction loyal to Mrs. Akindele was surprised by the announcement of a new speaker this morning (Monday) without being carried along in the election.

 

Source: Sahara Reporters

BREAKING: Ondo Assembly speaker, Jumoke Akindele, resigns.

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The embattled Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele, has given up her struggle to keep her seat by forwarding a letter resigning as Speaker of the House.

The deputy speaker, Fatai Olotu; the Majority Leader, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu; Deputy Majority Leader, Obadiah Vincent; Whip, Adesanya Kemisola, and Parliamentary Secretary, Towase Kuti, also resigned their portfolios.

The resignation of the principal officers was contained in a single letter addressed to the Clerk of the House and dated March 20.

A copy of the letter was submitted to the governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

“We the undersigned hereby resign our positions as principal officers of this august house.

“Our resignation has become imperative in the face of the new geopolitical configuration of the state so that peace which is the hallmark of any administration will continue to reign in the land.

“Moreover, we are desirous of moving the state forward for the benefit of our people.

“We thank the members of management and staff of the assembly for the opportunity given to us to serve.”

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Segun Ajiboye, confirmed that the letter was officially received on Monday morning.

He said the governor would study the letter before initiating any further steps in the resolution of the crisis.

It was gathered that a faction of the lawmakers led by Malachi Coker, who controversially removed Ms. Akindele, is also expected to drop its ambition to pave way for the election of a new leadership.

However, Mr. Coker, led his group in a plenary on Monday, and insisted that the impeachment of Ms. Akindele and other principal officers remained unchanged.

Crisis began in January after 13 of the state’s 26 lawmakers announced the impeachment of the speaker after accusing her and her principal officers of a N15million fraud.

Monday’s resignation is believed to be part of the agreement reached with Mr. Akeredolu to end the crisis.

 

Source: Premium Times

JUST IN: Katsina state assembly removes speaker

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Aliyu Muduru, speaker of the Katsina state house of assembly, has been removed.

Members of the assembly replaced Muduru at plenary on Wednesday.

Hanbali Faruk,  majority leader, who represents Katsina constituency, moved the motion for Muduru’s removal, and was seconded by Abubakar Total, member representing Funtua constituency.

Twenty-four of the 34 members voted in favour of the impeachment and removal of the speaker.

The lawmakers elected Yahya Abubakar from Kusada constituency as the new speaker.

He was sworn in during the session.

Bishir Mamman Dutsin-ma, the chief whip, was also removed and replaced with Nasir Yahaya, member representing Daura constituency.

N15m Fraud Scandal: Ondo Assembly Suspends Impeached Speaker

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Mrs. Jumoke Akindele, who, last week, was impeached as Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, has been suspended by the House indefinitely.

Mrs. Akindele, who represents Okitipupa Constituency, was suspended along with her Deputy Speaker, Mr. Fatai Olotu and Majority Leader, Mr. Ifedayo Akinsoyinu,  at about 5 pm on Friday.

Sources told SaharaReporters that 12 House members sat and announced the suspension.

One of the members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that eight members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the five members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) signed the letter suspending Mrs. Akindele, the former Deputy Speaker and former Majority Leader.

The source confirmed to our correspondent that Mrs. Akindele was accused of attempting to steal N15million belonging to the House.

Paymaster ferrying cash worth N15m to Mrs. Akindele’s residence “The discussion during the sitting was that the paymaster of the Assembly was caught by some members with the sum of N15million at Assembly Complex.

“When confronted, the paymaster said Mrs. Akindele asked him to bring the money to her private residence. None of the other members was aware that the money was withdrawn from the account of the House. This made members suspend Mrs. Akindele and two principal officers,” the source said. Paymaster ferrying stash of cash allegedly stolen by Mrs. Akindele

The House has since announced Mr. Malachi Coker of Ilaje Constituency as the acting Speaker pending its investigation into the alleged fraud.

“After the announcement of Coker, lawmakers quickly adjourned the sitting of the House,” a source added.

The House also announced and inaugurated Mr. Ayodeji Arowele (Owo Constituency) as Deputy Speaker, and Mr. Olamide George (Akure North Constituency) as Majority Leader.

As at the time of filling this report, the Police have stationed an armoured vehicle at the Assembly Complex entrance.

Rather Than Sell National Assets Revise The Budget, Cross River Speaker Tells FG

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The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. John Gaul-Lebo, has advised the Federal Government to revise the 2016 Appropriation rather than sell national assets.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Wednesday, Gaul-Lebo said national assets should not be sold to raise funds to bail the country out of its current recession.

He suggested that rather than sell the national assets, the Federal Government should revise the 2016 national budget from N6.06 trillion to N4 trillion. He said that the suggestion became necessary following the present economic recession and the challenges of funding the 2016 Budget.



He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to work with the National Assembly on the need to revise the budget for optimal implementation.

“If the economy is in recession and then the budget that we have is N6 trillion, the first thing to do is to revise the budget to an amount that is realisable.

“Mr. President should do a budget priority and identify those projects that can be funded. He should look at those projects that can re-engineer the economy and fund them adequately.

“If our budget can go down to N4 trillion that we can realise and spend, then it will be better. We should revise the budget rather than sell our national assets,’’ the speaker said.

Budget Padding Scandal: Police Invite Dogara, Others.

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Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has raised a five-man special team to probe the alleged padding of the budget by House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and some of his principal officers.

 

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Amodu Ali-led Special Investigative Panel (SIP) has invited Dogara, his deputy Yusuff Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor to appear before it on Friday.

 

The panel Tuesday had what was called “a preliminary session” with ousted House Committee on Appropriations chairman Abdulmumin Jibrin, who accused Dogara and others of padding the budget with N284 billion.

 

Last Monday, Jibrin petitioned the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies over the matter.

 

Jibrin was said to have “furnished the SIP with vital information and a heap of documents” at their meeting yesterday.

 

A highly-placed police source, who spoke in confidence, said Ibrahim has directed the SIP to conduct a “comprehensive investigation into Jibrin’s petition.”

 

We have commenced full investigation into the N284billion budget padding in the House of Representatives based on a petition from Hon. Jibrin.

 

A Special Investigative Panel (SIP), with a crack detective, AIG Amodu Ali as the chairman, is the one saddled with the responsibility of looking into the allegations in the petition.

 

The same Ali uncovered the lid on the $620,000 bribery scam in the House for which a former Chairman of the House Committee on Fuel Subsidy Management, Mallam Farouk Lawan, and the Clerk of the committee, Mr. Boniface Emenalo were indicted. The case is in court.

 

“You will recall that Ali was deeply involved in the investigation of the $180million Halliburton scam. So, the SIP is led by an officer who is tested.”

 

Asked of the preliminary work done by the SIP, the source added: “As I am talking to you (4pm yesterday), a letter of invitation has been addressed and sent to the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Chief Whip and the Minority Leader.

 

“They will be interrogated by the SIP on Friday. As a prelude to the invitation of the principal officers, the SIP chairman and members had a session with Jibrin on Tuesday.

 

“It was not a grilling session. But Jibrin furnished the team with vital information and a heap of documents to back up the petition he submitted on Monday.

 

“We are going into the merit or otherwise of the petition on Friday by inviting Dogara and three others. It is going to be a gradual thing but we will crack the padding controversy.”

 

Jibrin confirmed on Tuesday that security has been beefed up around him by the Department of State Service (DSS) and the police.

 

He also asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to prevail on Dogara to reconvene the House and step aside to face prosecution for alleged budget padding.

 

Jibrin, in a message on his Twitter handle, said: “My attention has been drawn to media reports that I have been summoned to appear before a disciplinary committee of our great party.

 

“That I received a letter yesterday evening (Monday) inviting me to a meeting in respect of the crisis in the House on Tuesday (yesterday) by 2pm at the party’s office.”

 

“The letter did not in any way indicate it as a disciplinary committee. And I have responded that I will attend the meeting despite my tight schedules shuttling between security and anti-corruption agencies to provide support and evidence against Speaker Dogara and nine others.”

 

“I am confident that the party will do the right thing by throwing its weight to support our resolve to wipe out corruption in the House and direct Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority Leader Ogor to reconvene the House immediately and step down to face imminent prosecution and save the party and our dear country from further embarrassment.”

Stop Blaming APC For Nigeria’s Economic Challenges – Dogara

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Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, House of Representatives, has called on the critics of the All Progressives Congress-led administration to stop blaming the government for the current economic challenges facing Nigeria.

 

Dogara made the call in a statement signed by Mr Turaki Hassan, his Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs and issued to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

 

The statement said Dogara made the statement when he received unemployed Aeronautic Engineers and Pilots from Bauchi State who paid him a courtesy visit.

 

He said that instead of the blaming the APC-led government, the people who brought Nigeria to its current state should be blamed.

 

Dogara said that the Buhari-led government was working hard to sanitise the system, adding that it would take some time to achieve the objective.

“You know that we are facing challenges in the country at the moment. Even though people do not want to talk about on the ground that we campaigned that we are going to fix the country,’’ he said.

 

“We have sowed in the wind and we are now reaping whirlwind and as long as the earth abides, there will be seed time and harvest time. We do not want to dwell in the past, we are facing the future,’’ he said.

 

The speaker urged unemployed youths in the country not to despair and assured them that government was doing everything possible to create job opportunities.

 

“Investment in education, skills and knowledge is never a wasted investment,’’ he said and expressed optimism in the ability of the government to reduce unemployment in the country. Don’t despair because no training is wasted; but it is our responsibility to open the private sector for job opportunities,’’ he said.

 

He urged Nigerians to join hands with the government to sanitise the system to enable it create job opportunities, especially for the youth.

 

“If youths are not employed, it will be a disservice to the society as well as discouragement to the graduates, ’’ he said.

 

Speaking earlier, the leader of the team, Capt. Bala Jibrin, said that the pilots and Aeronautic Engineers, who were sponsored by Bauchi State Government to acquire knowledge in the United States, graduated in 2011.

 

Jibrin, who said that the pilots and Aeronautic Engineers had been unemployed since their arrival in the country, requested the speaker to facilitate their employment.

 

He said that Bauchi government spent N1 billion to train the 20 youths drawn from the 20 Local government areas of the state.

 

 

(NAN)

Rivers State House of Assembly: Tribunal Did Not Sack Me, Members- Speaker

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Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, has stated that neither him nor any member of the Assembly was sacked by the Elections Petitions Tribunal on Monday.

Ibani’s statement yesterday was on the heels of the judgement of the tribunal which nullified the elections of the Speaker and 20 other lawmakers of the State Assembly.

Addressing journalists at the Assembly complex, the speaker, representing Andoni Constituency, said the Tribunal gave judgement and ordered a re-run within 90 days.

He said: “I heard over the news that the Speaker and 20 others have been sacked by the Election Tribunal. No member, not even the Speaker has been sacked. The lower Tribunal gave judgement in their opinion. In their judgement they argued that there should be a rerun within 90days.

“The Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani was not sacked by any election petition tribunal, and none of the members were sacked by the election petition Tribunal. I am still the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and the members still remain members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“The whole world knows that the election was conducted in the State on April 11. The whole world knows as well that INEC prepared for the election for a long period. Because we have faith in the judiciary system, we have faith in the judges and justices we have in Nigeria, we believe that our case will not be different.”

Igbani disclosed that the lawmakers had directed their counsels to appeal the matter, expressing optimism in the credibility of the judiciary to deliver unbiased verdicts.

Credit: SunOnline

Nigerians Reject Immunity For Senate President, Speaker

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Mixed reactions have trailed the proposal by the national assembly to grant immunity to its presiding officers? with many Nigerians describing the move as unnecessary and Ill timed.

The minority leader of the House of Representatives Hon. Leo Ogor was quoted as saying that the national assembly was proposing to amend the constitution to grant immunity to the presiding officers as well as the head of the judiciary as enjoyed by the president and his vice and governors and their deputy.

According to a lawyer, Barrister Manasseh Ejiofor, the proposal was uncalled for and smacks “legislative rascalism?”

“Why are they bringing up the issue of immunity now? Whose interest are they serving? There are so many issues for the national assembly to address the least of which is the issue of immunity for its presiding officers. They should concentrate on making laws for the benefit of Nigerians and not their selfish selves.

“For instance, why can’t the national amend some of our laws that are obviously regain and needs to be brought in tune with modern realities. Granting immunity to the presiding officers of the National Assembly is the least problem that we have now. It is being done in bad faith” he said.

Read More: vanguardngr

Osun Judge Ready To Testify Against Aregbesola- Speaker

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The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, said on Thursday that Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, who wrote a petition calling for the impeachment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, has expressed her readiness to defend her allegations against the governor.

The Speaker said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo through his media aide, Mr. Goke Butika.

The Speaker, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress just like the governor stated that the Assembly had written to Aregbesola demanding his response to the allegations leveled against him by the petitioner.

He said, “The onus of proof lies on the petitioner who has expressed her readiness to defend her allegations before the parliamentarians, while Gov. Aregbesola’s response would also be awaited for the sake of fair hearing…”

Read More: punchng

Sultan Helped Me Become Speaker- Dogara

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has thanked the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, for helping him emerge Speaker.

To emerge speaker, Mr. Dogara defeated his challenger, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was supported by their party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking at a Thanksgiving Service held in his honour at the Church of Christ in all Nations, COCIN, Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi State, the speaker said the Sultan intervened in his election despite his being a Christian.

“This victory; what he celebrate here today, won’t have been possible without God, the Sultanate and others across the country,” he told the church congregation. “For us who are Christian minorities in the North, we should acknowledge that this victory we are celebrating here today, was made possible by the intervention of the Sultan and other others. We should know that there is new thinking in the North.”

“We owe it a duty to make sure we unite our own part of the country and other parts of the country. My emergence as Speaker is as a result of the support of all major tribes of Nigeria, and all faiths in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr. Dogara hails from same part of Bauchi State as Nigeria’s first and only Prime Minister, late Tafawa Balewa. He did not, however, state how the Sultan helped him win the election.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Dogara Cautions Politicians Against Early Campaigns For 2019

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Wednesday urged politicians to avoid early campaign for positions in 2019. Rather, he advised that they should cooperate with the Buahri administration to move the country forward.

Dogara gave the advice when the Presidential Primaries Convention Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), visited him in Abuja. “We have to rally round with all the tools we can get, to make this government a success.

“We cannot fail our people and that is why I fault those who are already having their eyes on 2019,” Dogara said.

He stressed that the preoccupation of the lawmakers and the party members should be the wellbeing of the country.

The Speaker reiterated his commitment to collaborate with President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to ensure the implementation of programmes that would affect the lives of Nigerians positively.

Earlier, the leader of the committee, Dr Alex Ideh, urged the speaker to carry every member of the House along in the business of the House. “Please reach out to Representative Femi Gbajabiamila and the party in the true spirit of humility and sportsmanship,” Ideh advised.

He said a strong cooperation between the National Assembly and the Presidency would speed up development in the country.

Credit: NAN

Dogara Appoints Ex-PDP Rep As Chief Of Staff

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has appointed Jerry Manwe as his Chief of Staff.

A letter of appointment with reference No. NASS/SPK/MGT/VOL.I/002 dated 15th June, 2015, addressed to the Clerk National Assembly and signed by the Speaker, conveyed Mr.  Manwe’s appointment as his chief of staff.

Mr. Manwe, a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for years, made a surprise defection to the Social Democratic Party in January.

He blamed his decision on alleged manipulation of the last primaries of the PDP in his home state of Taraba.
Born on June 26, 1958 in Karim Lamido, Taraba State, Mr. Manwe was first elected as member of the House of Representatives in 1991, and later in 2007 and 2011.

He is the immediate past chairman of House of Representatives committee on Electoral Matters and had chaired House Committees on Finance and Economic Planning, Interior and Communications.

The new chief of staff was also a Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development in Taraba State between 1999-2001, member Christians Pilgrim Board 2001-2003, Chairman, National Commission for Colleges of Education, 2005-2007.

He holds Certificate in Accounting, Higher National Diploma in Business Management and Bachelor of Technology (in view).

He attended Lau Primary School between 1966-1973, Government Secondary School Jalingo 1974-1979, Federal Polytechnic Mubi, 1984-1986 and Federal University of Technology Yola.

He started his working career as an Accountant with Mubi Burnt Bricks from 1985-1989.

The appointment is with immediate effect.

Credit: premiumtimesng

Fani-Kayode Begs PDP Lawmakers To Vote Gbajabiamila For Speaker

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 Former Director of Media and Publicity of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation in the 2015 general elections, Femi Fani- Kayode has urged the PDP members in the House of Representative to vote for Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the House.

Gbajabiamila is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the position. Fani- Kayode described Gbajabiamila’s emergence as  the APC consensus candidate for the post as a welcome development.

Gbajabiamila polled 154 votes out of 182 votes to beat Yakubu Dogara in a primary conducted by the APC in Abuja on Saturday.

Read More: DailyPost

PDP, Mark Back Saraki, Dogara For Senate President, Speaker

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Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, under the leadership of outgoing Senate President, David Mark, have resolved to cast their votes for Senator Bukola Saraki, as Senate President and Hon Yakubu Dogara, as Speaker, tomorrow.

If this decision is effected and it succeeds, it would have forced the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to taste the bitter pill the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, forced down PDP’s throat in 2011.

National Mirror authoritatively gathered in Kaduna yesterday that the decision of the former ruling party followed the outcome of APC’s mock election, which took place over the weekend where the party adopted Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and House Speaker, respectively.

Many PDP House of Representatives members-elect confided in National Mirror that the APC mock election to pick principal officers of the National Assembly would never stand on the floor of the green and red chambers in tomorrow’s voting, as almost all of them have concluded arrangements to vote for Dogara for fairness, equity and independence of the House.

It will be recalled that after the PDP emerged the majority party in both the upper and lower legislative chambers of the National Assembly in the aftermath of the 2011 election, the then ruling party zoned the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the South West zone, zeroing on Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola as the preferred candidate.

The defunct ACN, under the leadership of former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, mobilised opposition lawmakers to truncate the zoning arrangements of the PDP, leading to the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, a development many analysts said signaled the beginning of the end of cohesion in the PDP.

Informed inside sources disclosed to National Mirror that to the PDP, it is now payback time, as it is poised to avenge the 2011 truncation of its plan by Tinubu.

At a recent retreat for PDP lawmakers, Senator Mark was alleged to have told all PDP lawmakers-elect to remain in the party, threatening that anyone who defects would most certainly lose his seat as the full wrath of the law will come to bear on such turn coat.

He was said to have said that PDP has the numerical strength to determine what goes on in the National Assembly, hence the need for cohesion and unity of purpose among all its lawmakers.

These were said to have informed the position of the PDP senators and House members to play the spoiler for the APC, if it insists on foisting surrogates on the National Assembly.

Another source told National Mirror that “we are going to vote a neutral person, who can carry all of us along. It happened during Tambuwal and Akande Adeola’s speakership race.

“Both of them were PDP members, but when PDP took side against Tambuwal, some of us with the opposition voted for him, as he was an independent candidate against PDP’s anointed candidate.

“The same thing is likely to happen this time around. If not properly managed by the APC, what happened during Tambuwal will repeat itself on Tuesday.”

A returning PDP member of the House disclosed that Saraki would also enjoy the backing of PDP senators, including Mark.

Read More: nationalmirroronline

Mudashiru Obasa Elected Speaker Of Lagos House Of Assembly

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True to pre-inauguration speculations, Mudashiru Obasa, the lawmaker representing Agege Constituency 1, was on Monday elected Speaker of the 8th Assembly of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Mr. Obasa, believed to enjoy the backing of a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, was elected unopposed.  The APC is the majority party in the assembly.

The contest for who heads the assembly was subject of intense horse trading within the APC as various interest blocks pushed for their candidates to emerge speaker.

Last week, negotiations got so intense that the inauguration of the assembly was postponed from Thursday to Monday.

On the floor of the assembly today, Mr. Obasa, a fourth term legislator, was nominated by Olanrewaju Oshun of Mainland Constituency II (who was named as one of the front runners for the position) and Sola Giwa of Lagos Island constituency II seconded the motion.

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Ondo State 8th Assembly Inaugurated, Speaker & Deputy Elected

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The Ondo State House of Assembly, on Monday inaugurated members of its 8th Assembly and swore in Ms Jumoke Akindele and Mr Fatai Olotu as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

Akindele of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) represents Okitipupa 2 Constituency, while Olotu of the same party represents Akoko North-East Constituency. The speaker promised to carry all members along and be a vibrant speaker but solicited the cooperation of members to ensure dividends of democracy to the people.

Mr Olamide George of PDP, representing Akure North Constituency nominated Akindele, who was unopposed, while Joseph Araoyinbo also of PDP (Akoko North-West 2) seconded the nomination.

Similarly, Mr Adeniyi Coker (PDP Ilaje 2) nominated Olotu, who was also unopposed as deputy speaker, while Bamidele Oleyelogun (PDP Ifedore Constituency), seconded the nomination.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 26 members sworn-in in the assembly comprise five All Progressive Congress (APC) members and 21 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members.

Credit: NAN

Lawmakers Split Over Tambuwal’s Endorsement Of Dogara As Speaker

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The alleged endorsement of Yakubu Dogara as the next Speaker by Aminu Tambuwal, the outgoing Speaker, has divided the House of Representatives.

Some federal lawmakers from Kano State have condemned Tambuwal for endorsing Dogara. The lawmakers accused Tambuwal of backing Dogara for selfish interests.

They accused Tambuwal of instigating members to snub the yet-to-be announced All Progressive Congress (APC) zoning formula if it does not favour Dogara.

Some other lawmakers from Kano have, however, threw the weights behind Tambuwal’s choice.

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APC Won’t Zone Senate President, Speaker- Akande

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The former interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande has said that the party will not use zoning to choose the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. He noted that zoning is not part of the APC as it is not in the party’s constitution.

Akande, who spoke on Tuesday in Lagos, said it was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that brought zoning into Nigeria’s polity.He stated that the party will not copy the style of the PDP.

He rejected the notion that the party was standing in the way of any qualified senator in its fold to contest the position of Senate President.

Read More: PremiumTimes

Buhari Refuses To Intervene In Choice Of Senate President, Speaker

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President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has declined attempts to drag him into the ongoing intrigues surrounding the election of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Buhari’s decision not to get involved in the politics of the National Assembly is because he does not want to be seen as an interloper.

He had told leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who have approached him  to intervene in intrigues, that he was ready to work with whoever is elected as the Senate President as well as the Speaker.

He had told the leaders that he does not want people to see him as dictator because that was the tag his opponents have put on him since he started bidding for the Presidency in 2003

Buhari’s resolve not to get involved has unsettled many of the leaders of the party, who believe that he has to put his feet on the ground to forestall the looming crisis in the party.

Read More: TheCable

North-Central Reps Caucus Endorses Dogara For Speaker

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Members of the North-Central caucus in the House of Representatives have endorsed Yakubu Dogara as the next Speaker of the House.

The lawmakers said they have resolved to vote for Dogara in bloc because of his leadership qualities.

The caucus in a statement on Wednesday said members from the six states of the region and the Federal Capital Territory have resolved to queue behind Dogara during the election of the next Speaker of the House in June.

The statement was jointly signed by a group of both returning and newly elected members of the House of Representatives from the zone.

Those that signed the statement were Herman Hembe (Benue), Zaphaniah Jisalo (FCT), Umar Bago (Niger), Samson Okwu (Benue), Umar Buba Jibril (Kogi), Zakari Mohammed (Kwara), Davematics Ombugado (Nasarawa) and Golu Timothy (Plateau).

Read More: NewTelegraph

Speaker Of Kebbi Assembly Impeached

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The Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Hassan Shalla was on Tuesday impeached. He was impeached by members of the House for alleged breach of trust and embezzlement of allowances of his colleagues.

12 out of the 24 members of the House carried out the impeachment. The motion for the impeachment was moved by Aminu Musa Gumbi from Yauri constituency and seconded by Aliyu Mohammed Mutubare.

The members also elected Aminu Musa Habib Jega as the new Speaker. Jega was impeached in a controversial manner in December 2014.

Read More: PremiumTimes

APC In Bauchi Calls For Dogara As Speaker

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The All Progressives Congress in Bauchi has called for the House of Representatives to appointYakobu Dogara as the speaker of Assembly.

The Chairman of the APC in Bauchi, Musa Adamu Lar was addressing people at a NUJ secretariat press conference about how worthy Dogara is for being a Speaker of House of Representatives. Dogara was further described as a competent member; even there was a campaign of calumny against him by a former governorship aspirant of the APC.

Read More: DailyIndependent

Reps Move For Gbajabiamila, Jibrin As Speaker, Deputy Speaker

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Some All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the House of Representatives are rooting for the candidacy of  Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker and Abdulmumin Jibrin for the position of deputy speaker in the coming assembly. The lawmakers have begun the ground work  to get majority of the caucus members to buy into the idea.

The choice of  Gbajabiamila and Jibrin according to the lawmakers is based on the pedigree of the two legislators. Gbajabiamila is seen as the voice of the opposition in the House, while Jibrin has wealth of financial and economic expertise counting in his favour.

Gbajabiamila is from the South-West while Jibrin is from the North-West.

Read More: DailyTrust