Akpabio, first Senate President from South in 16 years, Faces Potential Challenges Similar to Enwerem, Okadigbo
AdminSenate President Godwill Akpabio, who is the first Southerner to occupy the Senate president seat in 16 years is facing a tough battle to keep his seat, amid renewed opposition from within and outside the ruling party.
Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, is witnessing opposition to his style of leadership in the upper chamber, a place that many Nigerians now refer to as a “retirement home” to ex-governors.
Many of the lawmakers that have openly opposed him are members of the ruling party, APC.
Sen Ali Ndume, who served as the coordinator of the Akpabio’s campaign, is having what could be called a running battle with him, while Elisha Abbo spearheaded the anti-Akpabio movement until his sack from the House.
Ndume already challenged Akpabio openly twice. Last week, he was ruled out of order by Akpabio and he walked out of the Chamber, although he later claimed that he did not storm out of the Chamber but to pray at the Mosque.
However, Ndume is not seen by many as a formidable foe because of his history of fighting almost all Senate Presidents without any record of winning.
In 2015, he supported Bukola Saraki, however, he was later removed unceremoniously as the Leader of the Senate after he challenged the former Kwara State Governor.
And Abbo has been axed from the Senate after the Court of Appeal sacked him.
But the danger is not over for Akpabio. It could be recalled that Akpabio did not emerge with an overwhelming margin like Abbas Tajudeen in the House. Despite the endorsement from the president and the party, Akpabio polled 63 votes, while Abdulaziz Yari scored 46 votes.
Insiders in the senate told DAILY POST that there are senators who see Yari as a viable alternative in the face of opposition against Akpabio, who is now facing the hurdles that Southern senate presidents faced.
From 1999 to 2007, five southerners occupied the seat- Evans Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim, Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani. Three of the occupiers of the seat were forced out for different reasons. However, the Northerners that occupied the seat have had a relatively stable stay in the office.
Senator David Mark served as Senate President for eight uninterrupted years. Bukola Saraki served for four years despite the opposition from the executive. He completed the tenure and Ahmad Lawan also had a hitch-free tenure.
Many believe that the difficulty for southerners has to do with the distribution of the Senate. The South has 51 Senators, while the North has 58 Senators. In addition, the majority of the Senators from the South are in opposition parties.
“Akpabio just needs to be circumspect in managing the Senators, many of whom are also former Governors themselves,” a senior legislative aide told DAILY POST but wished his name not to be mentioned.
DAILY POST learnt that the distribution of appointments by President Tinubu has not really helped Akpabio as many of the Senators from the North have complained about the “yorubanisation” of the government and Akpabio has helped to confirm all the appointments to the chagrin of Northern Senators.
Meanwhile, many of the Senators do not want to offend President Tinubu by moving against the Senate President because they want better funding of the National Assembly, particularly with the 2024 budget expected to be presented anytime soon.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu had allocated N70 billion to the lawmakers at the commencement of this Assembly, and for the first time, all members of the National Assembly will get SUVs, instead of the usual Toyota Camry they used to get.
“No one is ready to offend the president. Did you see a recent report where members of the Labour Party shunned Abure (Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure) by insisting that they won’t reject the SUVs,” the aide said.
For now, Akpabio has the President on his side, with the President’s men, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Opeyemi Bamidele and Solomon Olamilekan also on ground to protect him.
The Federal Government has admitted that it is facing enormous challenges and revenue deficit amid a growing population.
This is as it lamented that it was struggling to pay salaries because “there is no money”.
Speaking in Abuja, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, urged non-governmental organisations to help the government to cover the spaces it could not.
Bagudu, represented by the ministry’s Director of International Cooperation, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, lamented that Nigeria’s population is fast increasing, adding that unemployment is surging amid high inflation rate.
“Government faces enormous challenges especially now; the government is facing a revenue deficit. There is no money anywhere in the country; the government is just managing to pay salaries.
“The growth rate is very slow and the population growth is fast pacing and increasing. Unemployment is surging in the midst of high inflation,” the minister said.
Dr. Sarah Alade, a former acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has said participation of Non-State Actors (NSAs) was key to the federal government’s target to lift millions of Nigeria out of poverty.
Alade, who was also Special Adviser to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on Finance and Economy, urged the government to collaborate with NSAs to achieve economic development.
The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Adamu Alhaji Ibrahim, the husband of murdered daughter of a Borno House of Assembly member representing Ngala Local Government Area.
Adamu Alhaji Ibrahim, 31-year-old, was arrested for allegedly killing his 25-year-old wife, Fatima Alhaji Bukar.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Sani Kamilu Muhammed disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, noting that the deceased’s husband was arrested alongside 39-year-old Bukar Wadiya of Dikechiri.
Part of the statement read:
“On 18/10/2023 at about 1800hrs, one Adamu Alhaji Ibrahim, 31yrs of Dikechiri Bayan Gidan Dambe area Maiduguri went to Gwange Division accompanied by one Bukar Wadiya 39yrs with a Honda Vehicle Reg. No MAG 230 AP and CHASSIS NO ANR742256679821 conveying the body of a woman who the said Adamu Alhaji Ibrahim claimed to be his wife and sought for an emergency help from the police.
“The woman was later identified as Fatima Alhaji Bukar.
“The husband stated that he is a staff of UBA and came back from work at about 1700hrs and found her lying down in a pool of blood”.
According to the statement, preliminary investigation revealed that before the incident, the couple had some domestic disputes over an alleged extra marital affair by the husband at their matrimonial home.
“The house where the incident happened located at Dikechiri Bayan Gidan Dambe area, Maiduguri was secured and during search, the following exhibits were recovered: one short pestle, a rope, a rug carpet stained with blood, knife and Honda vehicle with CHASSIS NO ANR742256679821, PLATE NO MAG230AP, and a mucus stained pillow”, the statement added.
It said a discreet investigation is ongoing for diligent prosecution.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that the process of admission requires candidates to upload their O’Level results on the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) platform, among others, to determine their eligibility for tertiary education.
The Board said it has also begun an investigation into claims in a report by an online medium that the University of Lagos (UNILAG) reportedly denied over 2,000 applicants admission over the failure of JAMB to upload their O’Level results on CAPS, stressing, however, that it is candidates and not JAMB that uploads results.
Head of Public Affairs and Protocol of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said in a statement on Friday in Abuja that the Board would want to state clearly that its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), a platform on which all admissions are conducted and through which candidates are expected to upload their O/level results, was established to engender transparency and accountability in the admission process.
According to him, resolving candidates’ complaints concerning their admission status is a major component of the software, which was introduced to ensure that no candidate is denied admission unjustly.
He added that one of the major provisions of the platform and others like the ticketing platform is their capacity to empower candidates to interact directly with the board with a meticulous record of such interactions archived and generate an electronic trail that all operators could access to ascertain the true position of things should any dispute arise.
“As a regulator, one of the central responsibilities of the Board to candidates and other stakeholders is to ensure that no candidate who is qualified to be admitted is denied such admission, hence the several provisions by the Board for candidates to always raise queries when they feel shortchanged.
“It is noteworthy that the process of admission requires candidates to upload their O’Level results on the CAPS platform, among others, to determine their eligibility for tertiary education.
“To ensure wider access, candidates are, at the point of registration, allowed to register with “Awaiting Result,” but such results being awaited must be uploaded before the commencement of admission by their chosen institution; otherwise, they would be deemed unqualified.
“Candidates who upload their O’Level results after the stipulated time for consideration of admission stand no chance, even when they eventually upload such results or petition their choice institutions.
“However, no candidate should be left out if he or she uploads within the stipulated time and is ranked amongst qualified candidates in any particular course of study,” Benjamin said.
He added, “To facilitate this, the CAPS tracking facility indicates the date, time, and even seconds that such results were uploaded and, as such, provides incontrovertible evidence in the event of disputes.
[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] Trade and Investment: President Tinubu Confers with South Korean Envoy
AdminPresident Bola Tinubu on Friday in Abuja met with Mr. Won Hee-Ryong, the Special Envoy of the President of South Korea, to discuss the areas in which a further expansion of investment and trade ties across key sectors of Nigeria's economy can expeditiously occur.
The meeting at the State House was a follow-up to productive discussions between President Tinubu and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during the G-20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi, India.
President Tinubu commended the efforts that have been made in implementing the commitments made during his discussions with President Yoon in India, noting that these commitments are aimed at strengthening the economic and technological partnership frameworks between the two nations.
"I am encouraged that your President acknowledged these requests and emphasized the importance of Nigeria in the African context by sending you as a Special Envoy. Rest assured, we are committed to providing the necessary support to bolster the bilateral relationship that has flourished over the years," the President said.
With an eye on an increased South Korean presence in the transformation of Nigeria's national, multi-modal transportation system, President Tinubu also emphasized the need for greater South Korean investment in the establishment of local industries for youth employment and technology transfer as Nigeria seeks to understudy and replicate South Korea's national transportation system.
He said this project is an important opportunity for fruitful collaboration and the evolution of a pragmatic and dynamic business partnership.
"Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa with an energetic and vibrant youthful population that is eager to make things happen. We must empower them. We are committed to removing any obstacle that may hinder the flow of investments between our two great countries," the President affirmed.
The Special Envoy delivered President Yoon’s letter to President Tinubu, outlining the South Korean President’s instructions to South Korea's ministries to diligently implement the important projects discussed during their meeting on the margins of the G-20 Summit, including the conclusion of the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) between both countries.
He also conveyed an invitation to President Tinubu to attend the Africa-Korea Summit scheduled for June 4–5, 2024, in Seoul, while seeking Nigeria’s support for South Korea’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Busan, South Korea.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 20, 2023
President Bola Tinubu is deeply saddened by the demise of Ambassador Mansur Nuhu Bamalli, the Chargé d’Affaires in the Embassy of Nigeria in Rabat, Morocco. The distinguished diplomat passed away on Friday at the age of 42.
The President has expressed his sympathy and condolences to the Emir of Zazzau, HRH Alhaji Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, on the passing of the Ambassador, who is his brother.
Apart from serving as Nigeria's Chargé d’Affaires in Rabat, Morocco until his death, Ambassador Bamalli also served in Nigerian Missions across multiple continents, including Dublin, Ireland; Accra, Ghana; as well as the State House and various Departments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his accomplished career in the Foreign Service.
The President joins the Bamalli family, the Zazzau Emirate community, and members of the Nigerian Foreign Service in mourning the loss of the Magajin Garin Zazzau, describing the deceased Nigerian as an astute diplomat and Foreign Service Officer.
President Bola Tinubu notes that colleagues, friends and admirers of the departed Ambassador in the Diplomatic Service and Zazzau Emirate will always fondly remember him for his humility, kindness, team spirit, dedication and resilience in the face of challenges.
The President prays Almighty Allah to grant the highly respected diplomat eternal rest and comfort for his family and loved ones who are grieving this irreplaceable loss.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 20, 2023
By powers vested in him by Section 86 of the 1999 Constitution (Amended), President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Shaakaa Chira as the substantive Auditor-General of the Federation, as recommended by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).
The President approved Mr. Chira's appointment after the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) conducted a screening exercise that identified Mr. Chira as the most qualified candidate who had also scored the highest in the examination amongst all qualified candidates for the office.
President Bola Tinubu expects the new Auditor-General to justify the confidence reposed in him and to live up to the high expectations that Nigerians have concerning the execution of the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 20, 2023
[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Approves Partial Waiver of the "No Work, No Pay" Order on ASUU Members; Orders Release of Four Months of Withheld Salary
AdminInvoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the partial waiver of the "No Work, No Pay" Order that was instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following the commencement of their eight-month industrial action which began on February 14, 2022 and was terminated on October 17, 2022.
In view of his determination to mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the "No Work, No Pay" Order on ASUU, which will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four (4) months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union.
The President has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and all other Education Sector Unions.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 20, 2023
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Director Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Willie Bassey, made this known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the President tasks Adeniyi with bringing his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment.
“The appointment takes effect from Oct. 19 and his tenure is in accordance with the extant provisions of the Public Service Rules.”
NAN
President Bola Tinubu has invoked the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy to approve the waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order that was instituted against striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, on August 1, following the commencement of their industrial action, which began on July 26.
The approval of waiver for the resident doctors was made public via a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in Abuja on Friday.
The statement said: “After several constructive engagements between the Federal Government and NARD, the resident doctors called off their strike on August 12.
“The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation was directed to withhold all salaries accrued by striking NARD members during the 17 days of their strike action.
“In view of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between the resident doctors and the Federal Government, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order on resident doctors.
“This will allow for the members of the NARD to receive the salaries which were previously withheld during the 17-day strike action.
“The President has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the National Association of Resident Doctors and all other Health Sector Unions.”
[Vanguard]
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Most of the 200 or so people kidnapped in Israel by Hamas militants and taken to the Gaza Strip are still alive, the Israeli military said on Friday.
“The majority of the hostages are alive. There were also dead bodies that were taken… to the Gaza Strip,” an army statement said.
The military said more than 20 hostages were children, while between 10 and 20 were over the age of 60.
There are also between 100 and 200 people considered missing since the Hamas attacks, the army added.
On October 7, the Palestinian militant group carried out a deadly assault on Israel, the worst in the country’s 75-year history, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials.
Israel has responded with a relentless bombardment that has killed at least 3,785 people in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.
AFP
President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, approved the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The appointment was disclosed in a statement released by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Willie Bassey.
According to the statement, the President tasked Adeniyi with bringing his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment.
The statement reads, “His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the confirmation of the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“The appointment takes effect from 19th October, 2023 and his tenure is in accordance with the extant provisions of the Public Service Rules (PSR). The President tasks him to bring his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment.”
Taking over from former CG, Hameed Alli in June, the new Customs boss had been in an acting capacity.
The Federal government has disclosed its plans to build 34,500 houses across the country in a move aimed at addressing the housing shortage in the country.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, stated this when the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry, in Abuja.
Dangiwa mentioned that as part of the first phase of the ‘Renewed Hope Cities Project’, the Federal Government aims to construct approximately 34,500 houses across the country.
This initiative will be carried out via a combination of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Federal Housing Authority, and Private-Public Partnerships (PPP).
He said,
- “With this project alone, we aim to create over 240,000 jobs at 7 per housing unit. This is in line with Mr. President’s goal to create jobs, lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty and grow the economy.
- In doing this, the government was building for the 80% of Nigerians who fall within the non-income, low-income and medium-income brackets. We are focusing on affordability but without compromising quality,”
Nigeria needs 55,000 new houses per annum
He further mentioned that the Ministry was collaborating with the National Population Commission (NPC) to determine the actual housing deficit in the country.
He said,
- “Our in-house estimates show that for us to meet the housing needs of Nigerians, we need to build about 550,000 new homes per annum over the next ten years,”
The minister also disclosed that the Ministry had communicated with State Governors, requesting approximately 50 hectares of land at no cost for Renewed Hope Cities.
According to him, this approach would enable the Ministry to offer the houses at a price that Nigerians could afford.
Revision of 1978 Land Use Act
He also sought the Governor’s support as the ministry intended to revise the Land Use Act of 1978 to streamline land administration and facilitate access to land, making it a more efficient, rapid, and cost-effective process with the enactment and adoption of the model mortgage foreclosure law that establishes mortgage registries.
[Nairametrics]
Insecurity: Allow Nigerians Buy Ak-47, Weapons To Defend Themselves Against Bandits – Gov Radda To FG
AdminKatsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has called on the Federal Government to permit individuals to legally buy and possess weapons such as AK-47 rifles and RPGs for self-defense purposes.
During a media chat in Abuja on Friday, the governor argued that if bandits, who are causing widespread havoc in the country, have access to the weapons market, then individuals should also be granted the right to protect themselves.
He stated, “If a bandit can easily buy AK-47, RPG, and various other weapons from the market, why shouldn’t ordinary people be allowed to do the same in order to confront the challenges they face?”
The governor emphasized the difference between holding weapons illegally, as the bandits do, and seeking legal ownership for self-defense purposes. He stressed that the government should enable individuals to hold arms and confront the security challenges.
Regarding negotiations with bandits, Governor Radda expressed his strong reluctance, stating, “From my perspective, negotiation with bandits is a no-go area. However, if I find myself in a position of advantage where the bandits surrender their arms and request a dialogue, we may consider reintegrating them into society.”
He also shed light on the limitations faced by governors in addressing security issues, explaining that though they are called chief security officers of their states, they lack the authority to command the military, police, or civil defense, as they receive orders from higher authorities.
Describing their efforts to tackle the security challenges, he mentioned the establishment of an intelligence unit within the Katsina Community Watch Corps. This covert unit operates separately from the corps members and serves to monitor and control any potential abuses within the organization, as well as gather vital information.