Tag Archives: Assembly

Ondo Assembly crisis: PDP blasts aggrieved house members, issues ultimatum.

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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State has expressed displeasure with the recent attempt by some members of the State House of Assembly to forcefully change the leadership of the house.

In a statement signed by its Director of Publicity, Ayodele Fadaka, the party said it took  exception to the “needless crisis” foisted on the house and the state by a few members.

“Their indecent assault on the paymaster of the House of Assembly can at best be equated with gangsterism and this is unbecoming of members of that respected organ of Government,” the statement said.

“The party also takes absolute exception to the ploy to misrepresent the government and party as being on a looting spree, the money that the paymaster went to bank to withdraw was to take care of certain expenditures by the Parliament and these honorable members are aware of that fact.

“Sequel to the foregoing, the Party hereby makes the following declarations;
(1) That it continues to recognize Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele as Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly. The Party also recognizes all other Principal Officers of the House of Assembly as the legitimately elected officers.

“(2) The Party also commiserates with the Paymaster who was needlessly assaulted, maligned and misrepresented in the media by these group, but urges him to take actions to address the infractions on both his fundamental human rights and official responsibilities.

“The Party therefore mandates these group of Assembly members to as a matter of urgency apologise to the Government and Party, for intentionally misrepresenting us as looters, and for assaulting and maligning the Paymaster in two national newspapers within the the next five days of face its wrath.”

It added that the PDP would not tolerate indiscipline and ordered the faction to begin to conduct itself with decorum forthwith.

The PDP-controlled assembly erupted in a factional crisis when 13 members allegedly suspended the speaker and her deputy as well as the majority leader on allegations of fraud.

While the PDP has 21 members in the house, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has five, but the faction loyal to the Speaker had accused the APC of masterminding the crisis.

The tenure of the PDP led-government will end on February 24, when Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, who won the November 26, 2016 governorship election, will be sworn in for a tenure of four years.

Enugu Assembly to blacklist, prosecute erring contractors

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The Enugu State House of Assembly has threatened to blacklist any contractor who failed to complete the job given to him on schedule.

The Chairman, House Committee on Works, Housing and Urban Development, Sunday Ude-Okoye, made the assertion when he led members of his committee to Aninri and Awgu Local government Areas in an oversight function.

He expressed disappointment over the slow execution of work in some of the project sites visited.

Ude-Okoye regretted that some contractors collected over 30 per cent of the total sum of the contract awarded to them and abandoned the job.

He vowed to organise a thorough Public Hearing on ongoing state projects in all the local government councils in the state.

The chairman warned the contractors to mobilise back to site or risk being blacklisted and prosecution.

He said, it will no longer business as usual in the state, where some scrupulous individuals collect government money without doing the work they were paid to do.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that Enugu government in October, 2016, inaugurated over 35 projects in 17 local government areas of the state.

Fayose’s N93bn budget gets a free pass through the state’s assembly.

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The Ekiti state house of assembly has passed the 2017 budget presented to it two weeks ago by Ayo Fayose, governor of the state, without any alteration or amendment.

The assembly passed the N93.4 billion budget via an appropriation bill tagged: ‘Budget of Consolidation for Higher Heights.’

The 2017 appropriation bill recurrent was N55.02bn, which is 59 per cent of the budget, while capital expenditure was N38.42 bn or 41 per cent of the estimates.

The budget is 33 per cent higher than the N70.5bn presented for 2016.

Fayose had explained that the increment was due to the economic recession and the high exchange rate of the naira to the US dollar.

The house passed the bill on Tuesday after considering the report of its finance and appropriation committee.

During its presentation, Fayose had said he was the one in charge at the assembly and that Kola Oluwawole, the speaker, was only holding brief for him.

“I’m the speaker, he (Oluwawole) is on that seat on my behalf. He is the acting speaker, therefore, he cannot be wrong,” he said.

“If he is wrong, we will take it to the Government House and resolve it. Therefore, I will pass the budget myself.”

When the budget passed second reading, members of the assembly spoke on the policy thrusts as highlighted in the details of its estimates.

It was committed into the committee of the whole house, scrutinised page-by-page by the members and later passed.

Oluwawole said the budget had taken care of all areas that the administration would look into in 2017.

“I want to commend the committee of finance and appropriation and other members for a job well done”, he said before adjourning sitting till February 20.

Kaduna Assembly approves N214.9 billion 2017 Budget

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The Kaduna State House of Assembly on Thursday passed into law, the state’s budget of N214.9 billion for 2017.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the figure is N1 billion less than the budget proposal forwarded by Governor Nasiru El-Rufa’i to the assembly on October 12, for approval.

 

The Speaker of the assembly, Aminu Shagali, who read the content of the budget clause by clause, said N83.46 billion was approved for recurrent and N131.45 for capital expenditure.

 

He said the budget would cover from now till December 31, 2017.

 

The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Ahmed Mohammed, later told journalists that the N1 billion cut from the original proposal was from the expected revenue of two agencies.

 

He said that revenue projection of the state Geographic Information System and Internal Revenue Service was reduced by N500 million for each of the agencies, “in view of current economic realities.”

 

He assured that the assembly would monitor the implementation to ensure that it serve the people better.

Akwa Ibom Assembly confirms 18 nominees as commissioners

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The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed 18 commissioner nominees and two Special Advisers as requested by Governor Udom Emmanuel.

 

The confirmation of the nominees followed their screening by the committee of the whole.

 

The House Leader, Udo Akpan, moved a motion for their confirmation and Aniekan Bassey (PDP-Uruan) seconded the motion.

 

The new commissioners are Paul Udofia, Ime Ekpo, Nse Essien, Eno Ikpe, Idoroenyin Udo and Nsikan Nkan.

 

The others are Uduak Udoinyang, Charles Udo, Orman Esin, Iniobong Essien, Dominic Ukpong, Uwemidimo Nwoko and Victor Antai.

 

The rest are Monday Uko, Glory Edet, Udoh Ekpenyong, Akan Okon as well as Ephraim Inyang.

 

The new Special Advisers are Ekong Sampson and Ekemini Umoh.

 

The Speaker of the House, Onofiok Luke, said that the nominees during the screening exhibited high level of intelligence and responsibility.

 

Mr. Luke therefore urged the commissioners-designate to help the governor in his endeavour to build a strong state.

 

He noted that the times demanded some sacrifice from all the new commissioners.

 

The Speaker also urged them to work with the permanent secretaries for effective service delivery to the people.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Mr. Emmanuel dissolved the former state executive council on October 15.

 

The governor forwarded the list of 18 nominees and two special advisers on November 25, made up of nine old executive members and 11 new ones to the assembly for confirmation.

Lagos Assembly Summons Contractor Of Itokun-Ikorodu Poorly Constructed Road

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Lagos Assembly Summons Contractor of Poorly Constructed Road In Itokun Ikorodu. DHV Nigeria Limited, the construction company that constructed the substandard Low Cost Bye Pass Itokun road in Ikorodu North Local Council Development area has been summoned by the Lagos state Assembly over poorly constructed road in the said area.

 

The road condemned barely two weeks after commission. Itokun Road is part of the 114LGA Road commissioned by Governor Ambode.

Osun Lecturers Storm Assembly, Sit On Bare Floor Over Unpaid Salaries

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Lecturers under the aegis of the Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions on Monday took their protest over unpaid salaries to the state House of Assembly.

However, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salam, walked out on them. The workers are protesting the non-payment of their salaries for eight straight months.

It was learnt that the Speaker walked out on the lecturers after spending some minutes with them.? The lecturers had been on strike for the past three months.

?Chanting various anti-government songs, the lecturers carried various placards some of which read: ‘Save our Souls’, ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Pay our Salaries’ and ‘We Reject Half Salaries’.

The workers, who were led by leaders of the body including Chairman, Lasisi Jimoh; Secretary Olusegun Lana and Public Relations Officer, Dotun Omisore decried the speaker’s action.

Read More: dailytimes

Assembly Begins Probe Of Tambuwal, Wamakko

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The Sokoto State House of Assembly said yesterday that its probe of the state’s finances was to ensure that due process was followed in the utilisation of the funds.

NAN reports that the assembly had directed the government to furnish it with details of the state’s finances and expenditure from January to August.

The probe will cover the tenure of former Governor Aliyu Wamakko, who handed over to Governor Aminu Tambuwal on May 29.

Alhaji Malami Galadanchi, the chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, told NAN that the probe “is to examine expenditures, state of revenues, financial statements and the beneficiaries of such.

Read More: thenationonlineng

Court Restrains Wike, Assembly From Sacking Council Chairmen

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The National Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa has granted an interim injunction restraining Rivers State Governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike and the State House of Assembly from dissolving the 23 local government councils in the state.

The court, presided over by Justice James Justice Agbadu-Fishim, also restrained the state Attorney-General of the state and agents of the state government from dissolving, suspending, sacking terminating or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the tenure of office of the councils.

The interim order, in Suit No: NICN/YEN/26/2015, which was granted on Monday, June 22, 2015, followed a motion ex-parte and affidavit of extreme urgency filed by chairmen of the 23 local government councils on behalf of themselves, and the 23 local government councils of the state.

Read More: leadership

Group Rejects Assembly’s Hasty Passing Of Bills

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The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has rejected the 46 bills reportedly passed by the National Assembly.

According to the prodemocracy group, the bills were passed without recourse. “The lawmakers passed the 46 bills within a space of 10 minutes with no sense of reflection about the implication of their action on the image of the country,”TMG Chairman, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said.

“This disturbing output, coming at a time the seventh National Assembly is winding down in preparation for the inauguration of the eighth Assembly, is indeed the same impunity that became the hallmark of those entrusted with the responsibility of running the Nigerian State in the recent past.
It was therefore not surprising that they ran the country aground.”

His group also condemned the alleged subtle attempt by the lawmakers to promulgate decrees instead of legislating for the good governance of Nigeria.

“We take exception to the use of the nation’s democratic apparatus for acts of legislative rascality, such as the arbitrary passage of the 46 bills. At TMG, we wonder why the 7th Assembly would choose the twilight of its session to embarrass Nigeria, at a time when our country is basking in the glorious milestone of a successful transition,” the official said.

He said the latest move, which is said to cast Nigeria in a shameful light before the global community, was coming from “an excessively overpaid National Assembly that had been a drain pipe, taking a good chunk of the nation’s financial resources, without commensurate results to show for it.”

“TMG finds it disheartening that the lawmakers who are taking so much from the system do not have the character and good conduct to draw the line between what is proper, just and fair and that which is not. Since 2011, when the 7th National Assembly was inaugurated, lawmakers largely helped themselves through impossible allowances in the guise of making laws,”
Zikirullahi added.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to refuse assent to these hastily- passed laws and called on Nigerians to be vigilant in order to check characters of those willing to make the country a laughing stock in the global comity of nations.

“The President must send a clear message about his intention to exorcise all vestiges of impunity from our polity by rejecting this attempt to ridicule Nigeria. We also call on all Nigerians to be vigilant in order to check characters who are all too willing to make our country a laughing stock in the global comity of nations on account of their unexamined actions.”

Credit: CAJ News

Assembly Seat Loss: Dickson Fires Commisioner

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The Bayelsa state Commissioner for Sports, Chief Ebikitin Doingoli was yesterday sacked by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.
Doingoli’s removal was announced on major radio stations in Bayelsa state through a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Iworiso- Markson.

Though no reason was given for his removal investigations revealed that it is unconnected to the State House of Assembly election in Kolokuma/ Opokuma Constituency 2 which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

The winner of the election, Ebiye Tarabina who is believed to have been sponsored by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa is a cousin to Doingoli.

Checks indicated that Dickson who was irked about the loss of PDP at the election believed that some party leaders in constituency contributed to the defeat of the party.

According to investigations Dickson is of the view that Kolokuma/ Opokuma constituency 2 was lost because of disloyalty and he has decided to deal with disloyal members in the party.

The sack of Doingoli is seen as just the beginning as more heads would roll after the deputy governor submits his committee report. Doingoli in an interview confirmed he heard his sack from an announcement by Mr Iworiso- Markson on Glory F.M.

While stating that he has not committed any offence to have warranted his sack, he said he has sent a message to Dickson thanking him for giving him an opportunity to serve the state.

Doingoli admitted that Tarabina is his cousin but exonerated himself from the loss of the PDP at the poll.

According to him he had tried to persuade Tarabina to drop his political ambition but he insisted in contesting on the platform of APGA.

He said “I heard the announcement of my sack on the radio like every other Bayelsans. I have sent a message to the Governor thanking him for giving me the opportunity to serve the state. I believe it has something to do with the House of Assembly election.

Read More: sunnewsonline