Ramadan Message: Fayemi Urges Muslims To Promote Peace And Nation-Building

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and President of the Forum of the Regions of Africa (FORAF), has congratulated the Muslim Ummah on completing the Ramadan fast and celebrating Eid-el-Fitr.

Fayemi stated that the Ramadan fast provided Muslims with an opportunity to pray for Nigeria’s well-being, security, peace, and progress, and he hoped that God answered their prayers, ushering in a period of unity and peace for the country.


He urged Muslims to reflect on the values of Ramadan and promote peace, unity, and nation-building during the Eid celebrations and even after.

Fayemi said, ‘’ I extend my warm greetings to all Muslim faithful as they mark the completion of the holy month of Ramadan and celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr festival.

‘’As we mark the end of the 30-day fast, it is a time for us to reflect on the essence of Ramadan, which is to renew our commitment to our faith, promote compassion and generosity towards others, and deepen our spiritual connection with God.

‘’The Eid-el-Fitr festival is a time for joy, celebration, and reunion with family and friends. As we come together to share in the festivities, let us continue to promote peace, love, and harmony in our communities and country.’’

Signed
Ahmad Sajoh,
Head, the Fayemi Media Office, Abuja
April 21, 2023.

https://gistsmate.com.ng/ramadan-message-fayemi-urges-muslims-to-promote-peace-and-nation-building/

Tinubu Not In Sickbed, Orji Kalu Insists

The health status of Nigerian President-elect Bola Tinubu has been a topic of much speculation recently, with rumours circulating that he is unwell and receiving medical treatment.

However, Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu has dismissed these claims, stating that Tinubu is not currently in a sick bed. Kalu made these remarks during a celebration of Mass in Abuja to mark his 63rd birthday.

“Our President-elect is not sick,” he stated unequivocally.

“It is not true that he’s sick. I don’t want to say much. He is in good health; he is himself.”

Kalu went on to recount a conversation he had with a colleague about Tinubu’s health.

“One of my colleagues said yesterday he heard that the President-elect, Tinubu, was in the hospital,” Kalu explained. “I told him the incoming president was not in the hospital; it is not true that he is in the hospital.

We argued. I told him the President-elect was okay.”

The rumours about Tinubu’s health began to circulate on March 22 when reports claimed that he had been secretly flown out of Nigeria for medical treatment.

Tinubu had reportedly taken ill after months of uninterrupted political campaigning.

However, his media team quickly denied these reports, stating that the President-elect had merely travelled to Paris and London to rest.

Despite these denials, Nigerians continue to speculate about Tinubu’s health and whereabouts.

Tinubu not in sickbed, Orji Kalu insists

Opposition Parties Claim Majority In House Of Representatives, First Time Ever

10th NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: First Time Ever, Opposition Parties Claim Majority In Reps

Following the outcome of last Saturday’s supplementary elections, swelling the number of the elected members of opposition parties in the 10th House of Representatives to 182, one vote more than the statutory benchmark 181 votes required to elect a speaker, the opposition caucus has resolved to clinch the coveted position. 

LEADERSHIP had exclusively reported that the opposition parties won seats than the ruling All Progressives Congress in the February 25, 2023 elections for the House of Representatives. More than 30 seats were however not decided until the supplementary polls held on April 15, 2023.

Since the introduction of the presidential system of government in 1979, no ruling party in Nigeria has failed to win a majority in the two chambers of the National Assembly. Should the numbers claimed by the opposition be confirmed, it would be a first.

The Independent National Electoral Commission is yet to publish a comprehensive list of members-elect for the National Assembly. The commission has not published an updated list from the one it released before the April 15 supplementary polls. 

The list had the APC winning 162 seats while the seven opposition parties had won 163 seats. The lack an updated list has however not stopped the opposition parties from claiming the majority in the House of Representatives.

And according to Civichive, which has been publishing election results as declared by INEC, the APC has won 175 seats in the House of Representatives while the PDP has won 118 seats. The Labour Party has 35 seats with the NNPP winning 19 seats. APGA has five seats, while SDP and ADC have two seats each. YPP has a single seat with 3 seats still pending.

The lawmakers from the seven political parties that won election into the 10th House of Representatives after an emergency meeting in Abuja stated that it was primed to contest the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.

Speaking with journalists on the position of the Caucus, a member-elect from Anambra, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, stated that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria permits every elected member with the statutory right to gun for any leadership position, subject to the standing orders of the House.

“Besides the issue of ranking, every member is entitled to run for the office of Speaker, regardless of political party affiliation.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) or any political party for that matter, reserves the right to regale itself with talks about micro-zoning leadership positions in the National Assembly. But the overriding question remains, are such fanciful engagements binding on the generality of members-elect? The answer today, tomorrow and until our current constitution is altered to reflect that desire is a big No.

“Issues surrounding this all-important question is easily resolved, in the case of the House of Representatives, by Section 50(1)(b), to wit:” There shall be a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.

“While zoning is permitted, as an intra-party solution to the sharing of political offices, seeking to enforce such on the generality of members would be tantamount to affronting Section 50 of the Nigerian constitution.

“Besides, political parties must not always use the National Assembly as guinea pigs for their zoning fancies. Why didn’t these governors summon the same courage, which they currently seek to flaunt, during the presidential primaries, by micro-zoning the presidency to a particular zone? If it was okay to say that the presidential ticket should go to the South, then I think they ought to follow through with that same template, and propose, for instance, that the Speakership should go to the North.”

The question of unity has however dogged the opposition parties particular with feelers that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike may no longer be committed to the opposition People’s Democratic Party and has hinted at supporting the ruling APC in the selection of the leadership of the National Assembly.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Port Harcourt, spokesman of the New Rivers Vision Campaign Council, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, said the interest of the state comes first in the choice of the leadership of the National Assembly.

Referring particularly to the senate, Nwuke said: “It is too early to start asking who the Rivers caucus in the Senate will vote for as Senate President. They are yet to be inaugurated.

“You know that Governor Nyeson Ezenwo Wike has said it several times that he will support a leadership of the National Assembly that has the interest of Rivers State at heart.

“So, when the time comes, the Rivers State caucus will not for a Senate President who will not protect the interest of our state.”

The contest for the senate presidency however appears to be heading towards a smoother process as a good numbers of senators-elect under the ruling APC have committed themselves to following the party’s directive on the zoning of the seat of senate president in the 10th National Assembly and also support whichever senator the party throws its weight behind.

Senator–elect, Dr. Idiat Adebule (APC), who won the Lagos West senatorial seat is in the front roll of those backing the party in whatever it decides. She said, ‘’I am a product of the party. If you check my antecedent, I have always toed the position the party takes on an issue. I will always abide by the position the party takes and the party is yet to take a position on the leadership of the Senate.

Similarly, the Senator-elect representing Benue North Senatorial district, Senator Titus Zam (APC) said “I will vote as the party leadership will direct. I have no personal opinion on this.”

The senators representing, Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone, Engr Ken Eze (APC) and his Ebonyi North counterpart, Barr. Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC) have however expressed different views describing Governor David Umahi, who is the senator-elect of Ebonyi South Senatorial zone, as the most competent and qualified person for Senate President.  


The duo who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend said that they will vote for Umahi should the national leadership of the party zone the position to the South East region.

Governor Umahi had last month declared his intention to contest the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly and faulted the senate rule which gives preference to ranking members of the National Assembly to emerge contest for senate president.

On his stand for the zoning of the senate presidency of the 10th National Assembly, the Senator- elect who will be representing Borno Central at the upper chamber of the legislative body, Hon. Kaka Shehu- Lawan of the APC said he will abide by whatever decision the Vice President-elect, the state governor and the party leadership take on zoning. 

Hon. Shehu was the immediate Attorney General and commissioner of Justice in Borno State before he resigned to contest the senate.

Another senator- elect who will be representing Borno North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Hon . Mohammed Tahir Monguno, also of the APC could not be reached for his position as he was said to have travelled to Saudi Arabia alongside Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the senator representing Southern Borno senatorial district who was re-elected for the fourth time .
Sen. Ndume, a ranking senator of the APC is said to be one of the contenders of the senate presidency from the North-East zone. 

Although former Governor Godswill Akpabio, who ruled Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015, as the second civilian governor at the return of democracy in 1999, under the platform of the PDP before ditching the then ruling party to pitch his tent with the APC on August 8, 2018, is one of the front runners in the race for the Red Chamber’s top seat, his fellow senators-elect in the state are yet to commit to the senate’s leadership politics, LEADERSHIP Weekend learnt.

Akpabio, won the race to return to the senate overwhelmingly across the 10 local government areas of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom Northwest), except Ini LGA, setting the stage for the battle to clinch the apex senate position.

Other senators elected from the state include the out-going Speaker of the 7th State Assembly, Mr. Aniekan Bassey, of the PDP from Uyo Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom Northeast) and Dr. Ekong Sampson, a former commissioner, also of the PDP, elected to represent Eket Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom South).

Speaking on the matter in Uyo, the state capital, Sampson said his major pre- occupation, is how to succeed as a senator for the people, and not to entangle himself in the politics of senate leadership, adding that he would consult widely on the zone and whom he would support for the senate presidency.

He said: “We don’t need to be discussing now who is going to be the next senate president and the zone. What I want to be discussing now is how I can succeed as a senator; how I can make my people proud.

“When we get to Abuja, we will choose who is going to be our senate president. For me, I will consult my governor, I will consult widely with my people who sent me to Abuja before I make my choice as to whom and the zone I will support for senate presidency.”

Although efforts to get Bassey’s position on the matter proved abortive as he was said to have traveled to Abuja, and could not respond to calls, his media aide, Mr. Darlington Udobong, said his boss was yet to commit to the politics of senate leadership.

The senator-elect for Plateau Central Senatorial District under the platform of the APC , Hon. Diket Plang, in his reaction said they are waiting for directive from the party to see where they will zone the position of the senate president.

According to him, they are products of a political party but however said he believes that the senate president seat should be given to the zone that has no representatives in central government, because the North East has the vice president, South West has the president and these two zones should not have the senate president zoned to them.

“We still have the position of deputy senate president, speaker and deputy speaker of house of representatives. So it depend on how the arrangement will take place. We have to look at other variables. But I want to believe that my party, the ruling party will think well and will be very inclusive in the arrangement”.  

The senator-elect for Delta North senatorial district, Hon Ned Nwoko of the PDP has also differed to the party make the decisions.

Nwoko, former member, federal House of Reps said the party should zone the positions first, maintaining that he would not jump the gun.

While saying he would abide by the decisions of the party after its ratification of the zone, he said that will decide the candidate to vote for from the zone ratified by the party.

According to him, those nursing the ambitions from different zones are qualified but cannot decide for themselves but the party which will decide the zone to produce which and what positions to be contested for.

“Once the part decides the zones the principal officers will come from, then that will enable me to decide the zones to support during the election. For now let us wait for the parties to choose the zones” Nwoko stated.


APC Untroubled, Senators To Follow Party’s Lead On Senate Presidency – Lawan

Senate President Ahmed Lawan has said there was no need for concern regarding the leadership of the 10th Senate.

He disclosed this on Friday to State House correspondent at the Presidential Villa .

Lawan expressed confidence that senators would adhere to the All Progressive Congress (APC) decision and present a united front. 

He dismissed the possibility of the opposition party overruling the ruling party’s plan for the Senate presidency.

Lawan emphasised that APC senators would work together with colleagues from other parties in a bipartisan manner to select the house leadership. 

He affirmed that the APC was not in trouble, and he was confident that the APC members and senators-elect would respect whatever decision the party and its leaders would make.

Lawan stressed the importance of a united National Assembly, citing the successful bipartisan approach taken in the ninth assembly. 

He also noted that opposition parties were necessary for the passing of constitutional amendments, as at least 73 senators were required for the process. 

He believed that working with the opposition party from the beginning was critical for a more productive, stable, and calmer chamber, leading to better outcomes.

He said “the party is not in trouble. This is today’s Sallah, and by the grace of God, and most of those people who have travelled for either Umrrah or one reason or the other will be back in the country, including our president-elect, and I’m sure that our leaders will, come together and decide how the leadership of the 10th National Assembly will emerge.

“I’m very confident that the APC members and senators-elect will respect whatever our party and our leaders will eventually come up with, we are praying that we are able to deal with it as decisively as possible, and then keep ourselves united and work together with other parties. 

“We have been able to work together with other parties in the ninth assembly in a very bipartisan way, smoothly and seamlessly. 

“And I believe that we can repeat that. And it is very, very essential that we have a very United National Assembly. And I’m very confident that we will do that.

“I don’t think opposition parties are planning to usurp because it is presumptuous that the APC will not be a united party, APC is a United party and the opposition party will simply work with the APC majority for us to have stability.

“Because there is no way an opposition will decide who should be the senate president who should be the speaker, it is our party and other leaders that will decide which zone or whoever, and the rest of us in the party will key in and of course the opposition would have no option but to support.

“I don’t see anything wrong in the opposition talking to us, or we’re talking to the opposition to ensure that we’re on the same page, because we need opposition to ensure that we get most of our constitutional amendments when the time is right, passed. because we can’t have the 73 in the Senate. 

“So you need 73 senators at least for you to have any constitutional amendment. So you would need opposition. That’s why it is very, very critical, it is very essential that you work with opposition right from the beginning. Don’t ever think the opposition should be pushed away. 

“I know believe in that, I only believe in the very bipartisan chamber because it is more productive. It is more stable, it’s calm, and it gives you the kind of outcome that you will never get with a very rancourous chamber. And I’ve seen it, we have done it,” he said.

https://leadership.ng/10th-national-assembly-first-time-ever-opposition-parties-claim-majority-in-reps/

Cows Are More Important Than Nigerians’ Lives - Ortom Fires Back At Garba Shehu

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Thursday, accused the presidency of placing cows above human lives.

Ortom stated this through his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, while reacting to an earlier statement issued by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The president’s media aide had in a statement issued on Wednesday raised steps the Federal Government had taken to address the insecurity problem in Benue State but was frustrated by the outgoing governor who he said was paying lip service to security and using it to drive his politics in the state.

Shehu said, “Instead, Ortom stubbornly refused to engage with the detailed, holistic approach clearly spelt out by the federal
government.

“He arrogantly chose his own destructive path. He blamed the Fulani for every problem that arose. He ignored numerous intelligence reports passed to him for action.

“He rejected police findings into investigations that didn’t meet his egoistical worldview.

He politicised every life lost on his watch.

But Ortom likened the statement of the presidency to making animals urinate in the graves of victims of herdsmen invasion of the state, alleging that the president was indeed responsible for the killings in the state.

“It is an insult to Benue people including those killed and butchered children, the maimed, raped and abused women and the over two million people living under squalid conditions in Nigeria’s largest Internally Displaced Camps in the state.

He said, “The Presidency has shown in this recent public statement that they have placed cows above human lives and made the animals urinate on the graves of those they massacred in Benue and elsewhere across the country.

If not, they wouldn’t have gone to town to mock the slain in their graves.

“The Presidency’s statement is a reckless stab by agents of genocide against the Benue people by blaming the victims.

“The perpetrators are also well known to local and international authorities. Through this recent posturing, everyone is now aware that the perpetrators have the backing and sympathy of the Federal Government.

Ortom stated that the ongoing pogrom in the state was a designed plot by the Fulani against the people of the state to dispossess them of their lands adding that the atrocities were well documented.

On the mockery of PDP and Ortom’s senatorial seat loss, the outgoing governor said that such mockery now strengthens his belief that the massive deployment of security personnel for the elections in the state was planned and hatched in the presidential villa and supervised by agents of the APC.

Ortom who said he had publicly announced his readiness to sacrifice his senatorial seat for equity and justice however said that ‘the 2023 elections were heavily rigged using some security operatives, money, federal might and electronic means.

While describing the presidency’s statement as the ‘height of recklessness and gross insensitivity against the people of Benue’, Ortom said he had always given full cooperation to all layers of security agencies working in the state to help curtail the menace of the Fulani killing squad displacing various communities in the state and other internal security skirmishes.

”Governor Ortom’s decision not to challenge the result of the Benue North West Senatorial election in court again points to the fact that he is not a selfish and desperate politician.

“Between 2015 and this year, Governor Ortom has constantly held security meetings and gathered intelligence to support security agencies operating in the state.

“He has however consistently pointed out that the security agencies are grossly underfunded and deserve to be better equipped and motivated to tackle insecurity in the country.

“It is therefore laughable when Shehu ignorantly tries to whip up an unfounded lie against the Governor,” the statement read in parts.

https://punchng.com/presidency-places-cows-above-nigerians-lives-says-ortom/

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Obidients React As Twitter Removes Blue Tick From Peter Obi’s Twitter Handle

Obidients are at it again as twitter removes blue tick from Peter Obi’s twitter handle with some of them raising there concerns of whether the account has been hacked.

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Elon Musk Removes Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Other’s Twitter Verification Badges

Microblogging site, Twitter has stripped notable Nigerian musicians of their Legacy verification tick.

The microblogging platform, on Thursday, removed the verification badges of the Nigerian singers, Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid and Peter Okoye.

Recall that Twitter owner, Elon Musk, had in March, in a tweet accompanied by links to subscribe to the premium program, hinted at plans to commercialize verification tick.

He said, ”We will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks on the 1st of April. To keep your blue checkmark, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue.”

Announcing the final date for the free Blue badge removal on his verified Twitter handle, Elon Musk wrote: “Final date for removing legacy Blue checks is 4/20.”

The removal of the Legacy Blue Tick of the Nigerian superstars may be connected to the non-payment of their verification subscription fee announced by Musk.

Reacting to his Blue Tick removal, in a tweet on Friday, Peter Okoye said, ”Elon Musk is a business man period.”

DAILY POST

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Labour Party: Court Upholds Restraining Order Against Abure

A High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Thursday upheld the Restraining Order imposed on Julius Abure and three other executives from parading themselves as National Officers of the Labour Party (LP).

The three others are; Umar Farouk Ibrahim, National Secretary, Clement Ojukwu, National Organising Secretary and Mrs. Oluchi Okpara, National Treasurer.

According to a release obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday and signed by Eragbe Anslem, the LP National Youth Leader, the Nigeria Police Investigation & Forensic Audit Report indicted Julius Abure, National Chairman and the three others for: FORGERY, PERJURY AND CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY with financial malfeasance to the tune of over N400,000,000 – the basis upon which the FCT High Court Restrained Abure and others.

In a ruling by the Judge, the FCT High Court shall reconvene on 12th May, 2023 to consider the motion on preliminary objection filed by Julius Abure and others, while they remain restrained from parading themselves as National Officers of the Labour Party (LP).

Sequel to above, the NLC General Secretary, Comrade Emma Ugboaja, Esq and the Labour Party (LP) Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa addressed the press jointly before the Labour Party members and the Nigeria workers in solidarity to find an amicably and possibly way of settling the imbroglio out of court.

The release added, “The crisis rocking the leadership of Labour party in Nigeria may soon be a thing of the past as the two faction led by Julius Abure and Lamidi Apapa agreed to an out of court settlement on Thursday rising from a court sitting in Abuja.

“Recall that seven members of the party’s National Working Committee has invaded the secretariat where they announced the appointment of the National Vice Chairman (South), Lamidi Bashir Apapa, as Acting National Chairman.

“In his maiden address, Apapa said his appointment was part of the outcome of an emergency meeting of the NWC which was a sequel to the judgement of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

“As a supervisory parent body, the NLC has continued to mediate between the two factions to find a lasting solution to the imbroglio and this mediation came to a head Thursday when the NLC General secretary Comrade Emma Ugboaja esq, led Nigerian workers in solidarity to the court hearing of the warring factions at the FCT High Court.

“While addressing Nigerian workers and newsmen, he advocated for out-of-court settlement since it’s a family matter and his suggestion was affirmed by the aggrieved parties.

“The factional Chairman, Lamidi Apapa was also present as he affirmed to the out-of-court reconciliation as opined by the General Secretary of the NLC."

https://saharareporters.com/2023/04/20/labour-party-crisis-factions-agree-out-court-settlement-court-upholds-restraining-order

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