₦airaland Forum

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will obey any lawful resolution of the parliament including that of the Edo State House of Assembly which declared the seats of 14 lawmakers-elect vacant. Mr. Rotimi L. Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, told Daily Trust yesterday in Abuja that the commission, as a law-abiding institution was committed to obeying the law. He was reacting to Wednesday’s proclamation of the Edo State House of Assembly declaring vacant the seats of 14 members-elect who were yet to be sworn in following controversies trailing the inauguration of the parliament.

He however said he was not aware if the Edo Assembly pronouncement has been formally sent to the commission. “Unless there is a valid court order served on the commission, asking it to take an action or asking it to stay action on an issue, it is duty bound to obey any lawful pronouncement that is it responsibility,” Oyekanmi said. The Edo State Assembly had during its plenary on Wednesday, presided over by the Speaker, Francis Okiye, declared the seats vacant and asked INEC to within 90 days conduct by-elections into the affected constituencies.

Meanwhile, the embattled members-elect have said the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, lacked the power to declare their seats vacant Spokesman of the members-elect, Washington Osifo, representing Uhunmwode constituency, described the action of the House as laughable. “It is a laughing matter because the matter is before the court and when a matter is before the court such action is prejudice. We are challenging the illegal inauguration of the house and anything put on nothing cannot stand. “We are not surprised because illegality begets illegality and for Okiye to be working with Governor Godwin Obaseki, the right thing cannot be done.

So we were not surprised because those who do not mean well for the people are entrusted with responsibility,” he said. On his part, Chris Okaeben, representing Oredo West constituency, said Okiye Edo currently has no House of Assembly as it did not form a quorum as spelt out by the 1999 Constitution. Also speaking, a former speaker of the house, Hon Victor Edoror, representing Esan Central constituency, said his constituents are happy with his decision to stay away from what he termed illegal assembly.

Also responding Seidu Oshiomhole, representing Etsako Constituency II, said the speaker was dreaming as he lacked the power to declare their seats vacant. Similarly, a group under the aegis of Reformed Oghomwan Mandate Group (ROMG) has commended the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), for declaring the seats of 14 member-elects vacant for not presenting themselves for inauguration.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/edo-assembly-well-obey-lawful-resolution-on-14-members-elect-inec.html

The governor-elect of Bayelsa State, Chief David Lyon, has said that the committee he inaugurated on Wednesday was not meant to probe outgoing Governor Seriake Dickson but to facilitate a transition from the incumbent to the incoming administration. Lyon, in a statement by his media aide, Chief Gift Ebiki, yesterday said the clarification became necessary following misconceptions in some quarters about the assignment of the committee.

The governor-elect emphasised that the committee, chaired by a former acting governor, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, was expected to ensure a hitch-free, peaceful and smooth transition. He said the terms of reference of the committee did not permit it to begin probing the outgoing government. “We are in transition and our actions and utterances are restricted to smooth transition.

The APC transition committee will interface with a similar committee set up by the outgoing government. “It is in their own responsibility, not only just to find and identify failures of outgoing administration but also proffer possible solutions to tackle economic, security, development, infrastructure and several other areas that often put any administration in the negative,” he said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/transition-cttee-not-meant-to-probe-dickson-lyon.html

Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday held a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over the lingering crises in the party. The meeting, which had Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari in attendance, was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governors, our correspondent reports, were led by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State Atiku Bagudu. Other governors who attended the meeting were Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Gboyega Isiaka (Osun), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), and Sani Bello (Niger).

The deputy governor of Kano, Nasir Gawuna and his Kogi counterpart, David Onoja, were also in attendance. The meeting, which started around 3pm, ended at 4:30pm. All the governors and deputies who attended the meeting refused to speak on the outcome of the engagement with the president. It was however gathered that the meeting was not unconnected with crises rocking the party in states including Edo State where the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole hails from.

Oshiomhole has been at loggerheads with Governor Obaseki over issues relating to the 2020 governorship election in the state. Also yesterday, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase held another meeting with Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-crises-13-govs-meet-buhari-in-villa-silent-on-outcome.html

A Kaduna State High Court has ordered that the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) Ibrahim Zakzaky be moved to the Kaduna Convict Prison after his lawyers complained they were being denied access to him. Daily Trust gathered that the IMN leader is being kept in a Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Kaduna where he has been since his return from India.

The court gave the order at the resumed sitting after counsel to the sheikh, Femi Falana SAN, who was represented by Barrister Haruna Magashi alerted that he had been prevented access to his client since his return from India. He then urged the court to adjourn the matter to a later date so that they can speak with their client on next steps.

Counsel to the Kaduna State Government and Director of Public Prosecution, Dari Bayero insisted that the case continue since a lawyer in Zakzaky’s legal team, Sadau Garba saw him on Wednesday. But Barrister Haruna further objected the matter and asked that the court give him five minutes to contact his principal on what to do next.

According to Haruna, “I called Falana but he did not pick his calls, so I called his aide and I was told that he is in court for the Sowore case and cannot pick calls. ” Counsel to the state government however did not object the appeal to move the Sheikh to the Kaduna prison saying, “Since his being in a DSS facility is preventing contact with his client, it will be better he is moved so that the case can continue.”

Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court then granted the appeal and asked that Zakzaky be transferred to the Kaduna prison and adjourned the matter to 6th February for continuation of the trail. Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat have been in detention over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace among other charge since December, 2014 when members of his movement blocked the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenet General Tukur Buratai in Zaria

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-court-orders-el-zakzaky-to-be-moved-to-kaduna-prison.html

m

Atiku is coming soon

Good one

Your question have been answered here

helinues:
https://www.nairaland.com/5565900/please-dont-handcuff-me-ex

source...

m

Fight against corruption cont....

j

b

2special:
Joshua Darius is from Plateau state

Joshua Dariye is from Plateau state

Bubu government is really fighting corruption! remain Abba Kyari and others

eeyah unlucky man...Go join your friends, Joshua and others

Handle him like other thieves please!

Go meet Gov Joshua Dariye and others

m

wayo

.

True talk

eeyah

hmmm

The Federal Executive Council yesterday approved N4.8bn for the completion of road projects in Kwara and Osun States. The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who briefed State House Correspondents after FEC meeting, said N4.027bn was endorsed for the completion of 26km Ajase-Ipo/ Offa/ Erinle Road in Kwara State. Fashola, who said 8km of the 26km road that connects Kwara to Osun was awarded by the previous administration, added that the approval was for the 18km section that completes the entire length of the road.

minister said the FEC also approved a variation of N825m for the ongoing construction of Osogbo/Ilesha Road that was awarded in 2012 to enable the road links Osogbo town. “Now, we have done 76 percent of the entire project. What we awarded today was a variation of N825m.

This is to expand the original contract by 3km to enable the road links into Osogbo town, the built-up area, because it ought to bypass the town. So, this is the 3.4km that the governor requested then when I went on nationwide road tour. Going through procurement and other things, we finally got approval today for N825m to include that part,” he added. The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mohammed Sabo Nanono, said the FEC approved a contract of N244m for the purchase of raw materials for the production of vaccines against poultry animal diseases and research at National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fec-approves-n4-8bn-for-kwara-osun-road-projects.html

The Edo State House of Assembly has declared vacant the seats of 12 members-elect who were yet to be sworn in following the controversies trailing the inauguration of the parliament. The house also declared the seats of Mr Uyi Ekhosuehi and Mr Henry Okaka, representing Oredo East and Owan East respectively, who didn’t meet mandatory sitting requirement as vacant.

The two members had not attended plenary since the inauguration of the house on June 17. The Speaker, Francis Okiye, while declaring the seats vacant during plenary yesterday, said the 12 members-elect defiantly refused to come and process the necessary documentation as part of the condition for their inauguration.

He said: “12 out of the 24 members-elect who completed their screening and documentation process were inaugurated on June 17, but two of them have refused to discharge their legislative duties. They have refused to represent their constituents in the House, invariably denying their constituents effective representation.” He said the house was declaring the seats of the 12 members-elect vacant in accordance with Section 109 Sub-section 1F of the constitution.

The 12 members-elect are Vincent Uwadiae Ovia North-East 2 constituency; Ugiagbe Dumez Ovia North-East 1; Washington Osifo Uhunmwode, Michael Ohio-Ezomo Owan West constituencies, Victor Edoror Esan Central, Kingsley Ugabi Etsako East. Others are Chris Okaeben Oredo West constituency; Sunday Aghedo Ovia South-West; Crosby Eribo Egor, Oshomah Ahmed Etsako Central, Ganiyu Audu Etsako West 1 and Seidu Oshiomhole Etsako West 2. The speaker called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-election within 90 days in the affected constituencies.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/proclamation-controversy-edo-assembly-declares-14-members-elect-seats-vacant.html

May God bless their union