Plenary at the House of Representatives turned rowdy on Wednesday.

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamilia, had he said received a letter from opposition members, which he was about to read to the lawmakers.

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Kingsley Chinda, however, raise a point of order but the Speaker ruled him out of order.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/house-of-reps-in-free-for-all-as-speaker-gbajabiamila-suspends-plenary

After its proclamation on June 11, 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari, the 9th Nigeria’s National Assembly begins its plenary journey to the first legislative year today. Although the major business the bi-cameral federal legislature carried out two weeks ago was to elect the principal officers, namely, speaker and deputy and president and deputy of the House of Representatives and Senate respectively, it is today that the two chambers are expected to consummate the preliminary steps in forming the 9h session.

As the National Assembly resumes today, recent developments, where money for votes allegedly featured in the election of principal officers and the volte-face demonstrated by the Senate President in the appointment of his staff have raised public anxieties and expectations.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/ninth-national-assembly-resumes-amid-uncertainties

Immediate past Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Kabiru Adjoto has vowed to open can of worms on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress and former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Adjoto was sacked by the Supreme Court two weeks after he was sworn-in as member of the House of Representatives.

He was replaced by Hon. Peter Akpatason who has the backing of Oshiomhole.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/edo-ex-speaker-threatens-to-open-can-of-worms-on-oshiomhole

Senator Godswill Akpabio has insisted the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial district election was massively manipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said the election that produced Chris Ekpenyong of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner was highly skewed against him by the electoral umpire.

Akpabio made the allegation when speaking as evidence in chief in a petition he filed at the National Assembly Election Petitions sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, challenging the declaration of Ekpenyong as the winner of the election.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/senator-akpabio-inec-manipulated-akwa-ibom-north-west-senatorial-election

Former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi has raised the alarm over plots to fund a smear campaign of calumny and lies against him.

Amaechi, in a statement yesterday, described the plot as “deceitful and misleading”.

The statement, by his media office, reads: “We know that attempts are being made to peddle all sorts of fictitious, misleading and concocted stories, distorted and manipulated documents that would smudge the image and cast aspersions on the character, integrity and high morals of Amaechi, an astute and accomplished public servant.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/rotimi-amaechi-there-are-plots-to-smear-me

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the most corrupt institution in the country.

The party also berated the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for claiming that the commission was the most improved service institution in the country.

It said “in reality, it has become the most debased, degraded and corrupted institution, particularly with the rigging of the 2019 Presidential election.”

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/inec-is-most-corrupt-institution-in-nigeria-pdp

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 2019 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has said his request and that of his party to inspect the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission was not rejected by the Presidential Election Tribunal.

The former Vice President in a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, entitled, “He who laughs last, laughs best,” on Tuesday, said the tribunal rather ruled that proceeding was still at preliminary stages and the main case has begun, adding that that the matter of granting access to inspect the INEC server is not relevant to the preliminary stage.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/atiku-abubakar-tribunal-did-not-reject-our-request-to-inspect-inec-server

The presidency has lauded the ruling of the Presidential Election Tribunal which rejected the request by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and his party to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow them access to the server used for this year’s presidential election.

Newsmen had earlier published details of the ruling on Monday.

Mr Abubakar is contesting the outcome of the 2019 polls, which initiated President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/presidency-rejection-of-atiku-abubakars-request-to-inspect-inecs-server-justice-served

Describing him as a persistent meddlesome interloper, a pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy organization, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, has cautioned the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, to steer clear of the governance of Edo State and allow his successor in office, Godwin Obaseki, to concentrate and deliver democracy dividends to the people.

Besides, the pro-democracy group said it was not in the place of the Chairman of a political party to dish out orders to either the state governor of Bauchi, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, or the state legislature on how to carry on the duties of the legislative arm of government.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/huriwa-to-oshiomhole-give-obaseki-breathing-space

Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in February 23, Presidential election Mr. Peter Obi has reacted to Monday’s Presidential Election tribunal’s rejection of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, legal team request to inspect the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, describing the commission’s behavior as unfortunate.

Obi, in a statement, said he had always respected the ruling of courts even where it was not favourable, but find it shocking that in this day and age, INEC who is supposed to be an independent umpire of an election will argue against subjecting itself to scrutiny “when ordinary referees in a football match subject themselves to Video Assisted Referee, VAR, and even go further to visit it to enable them make more informed decisions”.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/atiku-vs-buhari-its-like-referee-rejecting-var-obi-blasts-inec-over-server

Olu Onemola, who was appointed Special Assistant on New Media by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has rejected the appointment.

He announced his decision in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Onemola’s appointment was announced in a letter from the Senate President to the Clerk to the National Assembly on Monday.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/senator-sarakis-former-aide-rejects-lawans-appointment

One of Atiku Abubakar’s campaigners, Sani Adamu, has aimed a dig at INEC accusing the electoral umpire of attempting to drag Nigeria towards on a path similar to Abiola’s June 12 elections annulment conundrum as a result of its frantic attempt at denying that it electronically used servers to capture and store 2019 general elections.

Sani, while making reference to INEC’s 2017-2021 Strategic Programme of Action said it was evident that the electoral body obtained, deployed servers to the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory and that it has in fact used it during the 2019 general elections.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/inecs-server-saga-another-june-12-waiting-to-happen-atiku-abubakars-campaigner

A former Foreign Affairs minister and ex-governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has opened up on issues that resulted to the annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election.

He described June 12 as a story of political treachery, political double dealing, political betrayal, political deals and political opportunism, all rolled in one, according to Sun.

President Muhammadu Buhari had signed June 12 as the official Democracy Day thereby abolishing May 29.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/abiola-sule-lamido-finally-makes-revelations-on-june-12-annulment

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as a ‘charade’ the recent inauguration of new State Houses of Assembly in Edo and Bauchi States.

“A situation where 11 lawmakers in the 31-member Bauchi State House of Assembly and nine lawmakers in the 24-member Edo State House of Assembly were secretly ‘inaugurated’ and purportedly ‘elect’ principal officers behind closed doors is a joke and an embarrassment. It is an unfortunate reminder of PDP’s queer brand of democracy. Practices like this are unacceptable under APC-led administration. As a party that is committed to higher ideals, we would use all democratic means necessary to ensure the right thing is done,” the ruling party said in a statement by its spokesperson, Issa Onilu.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/apc-inauguration-of-edo-bauchi-assemblies-a-charade

A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olisa Metuh, Thursday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the N400 million project fund in which he is standing trial was paid to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan and not the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

Metuh informed the court that the money, which led to his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on money laundering charges, was paid to him by Jonathan to execute some national assignments for the federal government.

Giving evidence on behalf of his company, Dextra Investment Limited, which is the second defendant in the suit and the account where the N400 million was paid into, the ex-spokesperson of the PDP told Justice Okon Abang that he could not consider the money for act of any unlawful purpose because it came from the then president.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/jonathan-not-dasuki-gave-me-n400m-metuh-tells-court

Pressure from the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and the All Progressives Congress Youths contributed in no small measure to the decision of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, to finally drop Dr. Festus Adedayo as his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

The First Lady in her reaction to the appointment through her Twitter handle while quoting one of APC’s statements, tweeted: “You cannot drive an agenda with people who don’t believe in that agenda…how will you achieve your purpose If you bring in people who fought against your agenda.”

The APC youths also rejected the recent appointment, saying Lawan is giving appointments to Buhari’s enemies.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/how-pressure-from-aisha-buhari-apc-youths-forced-lawan-to-drop-festus-adedayo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday insisted that the results of the 2019 general election were not transmitted electronically to its server, stressing that the commission only experimented with the technology during some staggered elections held in 2018.

The commission said that the clarification was necessary because of rising controversy on the transmission of 2019 presidential election results from states to the INEC server.

Speaking during the post-election retreat organised by the commission for its staff and ad hoc staff engaged for the last general elections in Osun State, INEC National Commissioner, Mr. Solomon Soyebi, explained that many factors forced the commission to drop the idea of electronic transmission of the results to a central server.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/inec-we-only-experimented-with-server-in-2018

Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will not escape providing the server it used for the election.

Obi who spoke on Sunday in Atani, Ogbaru local government of Anambra State where he led the PDP family in the state to a special Thanksgiving victory service to appreciate God for His mercies, goodness and favour during the elections particularly in Ogbaru, said all hopes were not lost in their bid to reclaim “the mandate Nigerians gave to us the PDP.”

The former governor of Anambra State reassured that as the court case was still on, PDP would not give up, insisting that INEC must provide the server it used for the election.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/peter-obi-inec-must-provide-server-used-for-election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday reacted angrily to recent comments by MKO Abiola’s son, Kola, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Bode George, that Bola Tinubu former governor of Lagos State begged the late Gen. Sani Abacha for the post of a commissioner.

Joe Igbokwe, APC Publicity Secretary in Lagos, in a statement quoted Kola saying “It was after Tinubu had lost out that he decided to join hands with the National Democratic Coalition for the actualization of June 12 mandate.”

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/abacha-apc-explodes-over-bode-george-kola-abiolas-claims-against-tinubu

Witnesses have told the election petition tribunal in Akwa Ibom State that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled collated results compiled from their units and wards.

They also alleged that INEC produced voters’ register which were not used on election day.

Seven witnesses who testified on Senator Godswill Akpabio’s petition, told the three-man panel, that they were amazed to hear that collated results obtained from their units and wards were cancelled after they were announced at the polling units and wards.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/witnesses-inec-cancelled-akpabios-results

The European Union Election Observation Mission in Nigeria, 2019, has stated that Nigeria has made significant improvements from previous elections in the country.

The EU Election Observation Mission led by Marie Arena, its Chief Observer, while presenting its final report with recommendations for electoral reform at Transcorp Hilton on Saturday, and reacting to questions from journalists, highlighted that lots of recommendations the Observation Mission had made in 2015 had been addressed by the current administration in the 2019 elections.

The European Union Election Observation Mission in Nigeria had since 1999 observed all general elections in Nigeria. Previous reports had highlighted serious issues with the electoral processes in the country.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/eu-2019-general-elections-an-improvement-from-2015

The Presidency has welcomed the report of the European Union (EU) on the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, promising to analyse it fully and act on the recommendations in the best interest of the country.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made this position known in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

Shehu disclosed that the EU observers were invited to the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and welcomed by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/buhari-reacts-to-eu-report-on-2019-elections

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has declared that his commission was determined to reform the nation’s electoral process ahead of the 2023 polls.

He gave the indication on Friday at a meeting with the Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission, Maria Arena.

Professor Yakubu told his guest that recommendations to be provided by the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in the 2019 polls, would form major inputs in the areas of reform expected to be submitted to the Ninth National Assembly which was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/inec-we-shall-initiate-legal-reforms-ahead-2023-election

The Supreme Court on Friday declared Mohammed Sani Musa the winner of the last election for the Senate held in the Niger-East Senatorial District of Niger State.

The court set aside the April 8, 2019 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which declared Senator David Umaru, ex-Chairman, Senate Committee Chairman on Justice, Human Rights and Legal Matters, the valid candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who won the election.

In a unanimous judgment on Friday, The Nation reports that a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, upheld arguments by Musa’s legal team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) to the effect that Musa won the primary of the APC for the election and was the actual candidate for the election.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/supreme-court-sacks-apc-senator-declares-opponent-winner

Juventus have reached an agreement in principle with Chelsea over a deal for manager Maurizio Sarri to join the Italian champions, Sky Italia and the BBC reported.

There has been no official confirmation of the agreement from either clubs but Sarri, who won the Europa League with Chelsea, is expected to sign a three-year contract, Sky reported.

Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri left the Turin club at the end of the season but Premier League Chelsea wanted compensation for releasing Sarri to cover the final year of his contract.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/breaking-juventus-agree-deal-with-chelsea-for-sarri-reports

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied being in possession of the server where results of the February 23 presidential election were uploaded.

INEC’s position was made known at the ongoing Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja challenging the outcome of the election.

Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had through their lawyers led by Levy Uzoukwu (SAN) asked the tribunal to compel INEC to grant them access to the server and smart card readers used in the conduct of the election.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/presidential-election-we-dont-have-server-inec

Reno Omokri, the ex-Special Assistant on New Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day, is a desperate attempt to gain undeserved goodwill from Nigerians.

According to the Tribune, Omokri said Buhari’s administration had turned Nigeria into one of the poorest countries in the world, contradicting the personality of the late MKO Abiola who was known for his goodwill and commitment to the emancipation of the poor.

“It has come to my attention that the Buhari Presidency, embarrassed that not a single former President or ex-head of state attended Muhammadu Buhari’s June 12 celebration, is spreading tales, through faceless groups and expected to grace the headlines of tomorrow’s papers, to the effect that former President Goodluck Jonathan refused to rename the National Stadium Abuja despite advice to do so, because he was afraid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and lacked the courage to do so,” he said.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/june-12-reno-omokri-reveals-real-reason-buhari-named-abuja-stadium-after-mko-abiola

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, finally issued Certificate of Return to the immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, confirming him the senator-elect for Imo West senatorial district.

Shortly after receiving the certificate by 6.40pm and after the inauguration of the ninth Assembly, Okorocha confirmed to newsmen that the commission had officially invited him that his certificate was ready.

He said part of his mission to the upper legislative chambers of the National Assembly is to help rebuild the broken political bridge between the South East and the rest of the country.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/inec-issues-certificate-of-return-to-former-governor-okorocha

The immediate past Governor of Imo State and Senator-elect, Rochas Okorocha, has been denied accreditation by the National Assembly Officials for the inauguration of the 9th Senate.

Okorocha is a senator-elect but yet to be issued his Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Okorocha, who arrived the National Assembly around 7:40 am, was denied accreditation.

A Federal High Court had ruled last week that he should be issued a Certificate of Return by INEC.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/okorocha-denied-accreditation-access-into-national-assembly

Abia North Senator-elect, Orji Uzor Kalu, has shelved his ambition of contesting for the Deputy Senate President of the ninth Senate.

His decision followed the position of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) to support another candidate for the position.

The party on Monday announced Delta Central Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, as its preferred candidate for the position

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/deputy-senate-presidency-senator-elect-orji-kalu-steps-down-for-senator-omo-agege

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed support for Sen. Ali Ndume for the position of the President of the Senate of the 9th National Assembly (NASS).

The party in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Sen. Umar Tsauri, early on Tuesday also endorsed Mr Umar Bago for the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Tsauri said that the endorsement was arrived at after very extensive consultations with critical stakeholders ahead of the inauguration of the 9th NASS.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/national-assembly-leadership-pdp-endorses-senator-ndume-rep-bago

Determined to present a united front in the race for the Senate presidency of the Ninth National Assembly, one of the main contenders, Senator Ali Ndume, has come under intense pressure from the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to drop out of the contest.

Ndume is the main challenger to APC’s choice for the post, Senator Ahmad Lawan, after another aspirant, Senator Danjuma Goje, pulled out of the race last week following a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The National Assembly will be inaugurated tomorrow and the election of the Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives will kick-start the ceremonies.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/presidency-apc-mount-pressure-on-ali-ndume-to-stand-down