₦airaland Forum

FOUR secondary school students from Caro Favoured Schools, Ajegunle, a remote area of Lagos State have produced mobile solar traffic lights to ease off traffic congestion on our roads. By this, the SS3 students,Blessing Omosebi, Sarah Onabanjo, Uchechukwu Fedricks and Emmanuel Anyanwu have written their names among achievers. The quartet, three girls and one boy said the inspiration to produce the device was borne out of the incessant traffic congestion experience by motorists and commuters while going and coming from school.

According to them, after they conceived the idea, there was practically nothing they could do to actualised their dream until they heard about the Junior Achievers of Nigeria. JAN is a non governmental organisation saddled with the vision of empowering students with ideas on how they can be useful to themselves and the community. Part of the functions of JAN, they noted was to financially empower the youth with ideas and also assist financially where necessary. They said: ‘’Having enrolled with JAN, the organisation was able to disclosed how we could generate and effectively manage wealth and create jobs for our communities. To our amazement, we were taught how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace and the necessary skills in securing our financial future. Speakingwith Vanguard in Lagos,Emmanuel Anyanwu said:‘’The problem of Africa is sum up by one word, transportation. Many people all over the world are looking for how the problem of transportation could be removed. That was why we created the mobile traffic light to ease off traffic and allow our society to be more proactive. Lamenting the untold hardship traffic congestion could bring to road users, she asked: ‘’How would you feel if you spend five hours on one hour journey all in the name of traffic congestion. ‘’How would you feel also if you hear that your child was involved in an accident all because of reckless driving? These problems could be solved with functional traffic light. ‘’Our product is powered by solar energy, such that it does not need electricity supply to function. Once there is sunlight, our product stores its energy which could serve the users for days depending on the usage. ‘’After the creation of the device, we had contested with our fellow JAN in Africa Continent and came first.

We are also looking forward to when we shall contest with other JAN globally. JAN which started in the United States of America is 100 years old, while in Nigeria we are just 20 years today.’’ Meanwhile, the Executive Director of JAN, Simi Nwogugu who spoke during the unveiling of the product and announcing its 20th Anniversary decried the uncertain future of our youth. She said: ‘’Every year , over one million would-be university students enter the workforce without tertiary education or appropriate training. ‘’The inability of many young men and women to obtain the requisite STEM skills that are in high demand has rendered them unattractive to the 21st century employer. ‘’This is why some of our programme will focus on digital to unlock its potential for the benefit of the country. ‘’We are more committed than ever to our mission of ensuring our youth have the values, skills and confidence to secure their financial future.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/4-ajegunle-students-produce-mobile-solar-traffic-light/

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Alh. Aliko Dangote


John Alechenu and Godwin Isenyo

Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Wednesday expressed concern about the high rate of poverty in the North, saying northern governors should wake up to address the problem.

Dangote stated this when he delivered a keynote address at the 4th edition of Kaduna Economic and Investment summit (KADInvest 4.0).



He noted that 60 per cent of northerners lived in extreme poverty, saying it was unacceptable for a people with vast arable land for agriculture to live in poverty.

The billionaire urged the governors to wake up and pull the region out of its current economic woes.

He said, “The North must focus on harnessing its massive agricultural potential in terms of both production and processing. No region with high such agricultural potential should be this poor.

“We have what it takes to turn around our fortunes and I pray all the 19 governors of the northern states will wake up and follow the footsteps of the Kaduna State Government.

“Given the vast arable land and conducive condition, I think in the next 10 years, agriculture can generate more revenue and prosperity than oil that we have now if we have the right commitment.”

He also told governments in the region to identify their areas of comparative advantage, adding that the provision of information and data on what was available in various states was equally necessary.

According to him, efforts should be made to encourage local investors because “they will attract foreign investors.”

Dangote said, “While the overall social economic consideration in the country is a cause for concern, the regional indicators are very alarming. In the north-western and north-eastern parts of Nigeria, more than 60 per cent of the population lives in extreme poverty.



“It is instructive to know that the 19 northern states, which account for over 54 per cent of the country’s population and 70 per cent of its landmass, collectively generated only 21 per cent of the total sub-national internally generated revenue in 2017.

“Northern Nigeria will continue to fall behind if the respective state governments do not move to close the development gap and that is why we are always saying that the biggest challenge we have and what we are always praying for is to have 10 governors like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in the North.”

Yakasai, Balarabe Musa back Dangote

Meanwhile, elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, and a former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, supported Dangote’s position.

In separate telephone interviews with one of our correspondents, in Abuja, on Wednesday, both men expressed displeasure with the way northern governors were administering their states.

Yakasai said, “We still have arable land and a growing population of young, energetic but jobless people roaming the streets but our governors are not providing the right kind of leadership to turn this population into a useful force in our farms.

“What is required of the Federal Government are the right policies as well as provision of power and other infrastructure because the governors own all the land in Nigeria and land is key to agriculture. Dangote is absolutely right.”

Also, Musa said, “I agree with Aliko Dangote, our governors are part and parcel of our problem especially in the area of corruption. These governors are engaged in massive stealing, corruption and waste of public resources.

“The North certainly has no business with poverty but we are certainly not making progress with the kind of leadership we have both at the federal level and in the various northern states today.”

At the event, President Muhammadu Buhari said the Federal Government would accord priority to economic recovery.

Buhari noted that the implementation of the economic recovery and growth plan would no doubt create sustainable jobs and prosperity for Nigerians.

Earlier in his remarks, El-Rufai assured the people of the state of his administration’s willingness to implement the suggestions made at the last edition of the KADinvest, especially the state development plan, the tax consolidation and the development of a digital land registry.

El-Rufai also announced that the state had attracted over $500m investments in four years in spite of the challenges confronting it.

Source:https://punchng.com/reactions-as-dangote-asks-northern-govs-to-combat-extreme-poverty/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday declined assent to a bill seeking to fund the completion of Ajaokuta Steel Company, which was forwarded to him by the National Assembly in February this year.

The President equally declined assent to seven other bills, including the controversial National Housing Fund Bill, which was passed recently by the federal parliament.



The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, disclosed this while reading at plenary separate letters by the President informing the Senate of his decisions.

Buhari, according to the letters, cited several grounds, ranging from infractions on extant laws, duplication of responsibilities of existing agencies, to financial constraints for refusing assent to the bills.

Giving reasons for rejecting the Ajaokuta Completion Fund Bill, the President said voting $1bn to the steel rolling mill from the Excess Crude Account, as proposed by the bill, was not the best strategic option for Nigeria at this time of budgetary constraints.

“The nation cannot afford to commit such an amount in the midst of competing priorities with long-term social and economic impact that the funds can be alternatively deployed towards.

“Bills, which seek to make appropriation of revenues to fund public expenditure should be consolidated in the annual Appropriation Act, such that the proposals pass through the traditional scrutiny that budget proposals are subjected to by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the National Assembly.

“Furthermore, as the Excess Crude Account Funds belong to the federation, it would be proper to consult with the National Economic Council where the states are represented.

“Relevant stakeholders, such as the Ministries of Mines and Steel Development, Industry, Trade and Investment, were not fully consulted.

“The inputs of key stakeholders are necessary to create the optimal legal and regulatory framework, as well as institutional mechanism to adequately regulate the steel sector,” the President said.



In another letter of refusal of assent dated March 27, 2019, President Buhari cited provisions contained in Section 32 of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency Bill 2018 as the major reason for refusing assent to it.

He added that if signed into law, the agency would have similar objectives as that of the Bank of Industry, particularly with regard to the funding of Small and Medium Enterprises.

“Accordingly, it is important to streamline its functions to avoid a duplication or overlap of functions with other government institutions performing similar functions aside the likelihood of increasing public recurrent expenditure by the proposed creation of new public sector bodies,” he added.

Other bills rejected by the President included the Nigerian Aeronautical Search and Rescue Bill 2018; the Chartered Institute of Training and Development of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill 2018; and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Bill 2018.

He also declined assent to the National Housing Fund Bill 2018; the National Institute of Credit Administration Bill 2018; and the National Bio-technology Development Agency Bill 2018.

Source: https://punchng.com/buhari-rejects-ajaokuta-completion-bill-national-housing-fund-others-2/

A former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Tuesday dared the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, including President Muhammadu Buhari, and the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, by unfolding his agenda as a candidate for the Senate presidency in the ninth National Assembly.

The party leadership had last week endorsed the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, as the Senate president.



But on Tuesday, despite the stand of the party, Ndume went ahead to unveil his nine-point agenda if elected as the next Senate president on June 9.

The Borno South senator in a document, a copy of which was made available to one of our correspondents in Abuja, promised to improve upon the performance of the 8th Senate.

He also pledged to make the office of the Senate President less attractive by reducing the unnecessary privileges attached to it.

The former Senate majority leader pledged to uphold the independence of the legislature and expressed his willingness to “work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the executive without undermining the principle of separation of powers.”

Ndume said he would prioritise and ensure the passage of the Constituency Development Bill to make “constituency projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and effective.”

He said the Senate would agree on timelines for confirmation, passage of bills especially the annual budgets, which he said, would not exceed 90 days from the day of submission.

Ndume added, “We will make laws that will block leakages devise improved means of generating revenue, especially through the amendment and review of our tax laws which will help to reduce reliance on local and foreign loans to finance budget.

“We will run the 9th Senate transparently, through open accountability with full participation of all senators .For example, we will transfer the approving powers of the privileges of the senators like foreign travels, allowances to Senate services committee or a new committee to be known as “ways and means committee.”



He also said that his presidency would uphold the party’s principles and policies and that the Senate under him would make laws and review existing ones in tandem with the APC’s Next Level agenda for Nigeria.

Recall that the APC national chairman, had at a meeting with the House of Representatives members-elect last week, said the party had endorsed Lawan as the Senate president.

But Ndume in his reaction said Oshiomhole unilaterally picked Lawan without the backing of the party.

The spokesman for the APC, Lanre Isa-Onilu, however, faulted Ndume, saying, “The ticket he (Ndume) is holding belongs to the APC and he cannot go and work with the opposition to give what belongs to the APC to the opposition, like it happened in 2015 when the position of the Deputy Senate President was given to the opposition by some desperate former members of the APC.

“Ndume will be wrong to be calling out the party’s national chairman. The national chairman spoke on behalf of the party. And when we talk of the party in this instance, it is not just about the NWC.

“The President (Muhammadu Buhari) was there when he said it. He did not say anything that the President was not aware of. He did not say anything that the leaders of the APC are not already part of.”

Our leaders will take a decision on Ndume, says APC

However, Isa-Onilu on Tuesday said the party hierarchy would meet and take a decision on Ndume’s declaration.

He expressed the hope that the issue would be resolved since negotiation was ongoing.

“The party will look into it and a decision will be taken. Remember that consultation is still ongoing,” Issa-Onilu told one of our correspondents shortly after Ndume made his public declaration.

When asked how soon the party would take a decision on the matter, the APC spokesman said, “We are not putting a timeline on when the decision will be taken.”

Ndume, others should be allowed to test their popularity – PDP

But the PDP on Tuesday called on the APC and the President to allow members of the National Assembly to elect their leaders.

It also said that both the President and the ruling party must allow democracy to thrive in the National Assembly.

The former ruling party insisted that it would be wrong for the APC and the President to force leaders on the lawmakers, saying Ndume and others should be allowed to test their popularity among their colleagues.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke with one of our correspondents on Ndume’s declaration, however, said that his party had yet to take any decision on who to support.

Secondus said, “We believe in multiplicity of ideas. Democracy is having more than one option. Though consensus is part of democracy, when that is not achievable, every contestant or interested person must be allowed to test their popularity. That is the beauty of democracy.

“It is wrong to force lawmakers or coerce them to follow a particular road or a particular candidate who they do not have confidence in. The President and his party should not plant moles as the leaders of the National Assembly.”

Secondus, therefore, asked the members of the National Assembly, especially the senators, to follow their conscience in choosing who would lead them.

“Senator Ali Ndume and other members of the Senate who are qualified to run for the office of the President of the Senate should be allowed to test their popularity,” he added.

Source:https://punchng.com/ndume-defies-buhari-oshiomhole-on-senate-presidency-unfolds-nine-point-agenda/

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that it will wait for the pronouncement of the Supreme Court before taking any decision on the primary elections of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State.

The commission had withheld certificates of return of the state Governor-elect, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu, following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Sokoto.



But the APC and the governor-elect, in a letter to the commission last week, said the Court of Appeal did not nullify their primary elections.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Monday in Abuja, said the commission was law-abiding.

He said, “The Independent National Electoral Commission is a law-abiding institution. It is the policy of the commission to obey court orders and court decisions.

“The commission took the decision to exclude the candidates of the All Progressives Congress from the list of nominated candidates on the grounds that the party did not conduct primary elections.

“The party has taken the matter to the Supreme Court and it is only rational and prudent to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court before proceeding. The commission took a cautionary approach in suspending further issuance of certificates of return to the members-elect of the state assembly, the deputy governor-elect and the governor-elect. The commission will abide by the decision of the Supreme Court on the matter.”

He added, “The commission does not have any interest in who becomes the governor of Zamfara State but is only interested in the processes and procedures leading to the declaration of results and issuance of certificates of return.

“We are confident that the Supreme Court will conclude the hearing of the matter and deliver its judgment before the inuguration of elected members of the national and state assemblies.

“We believe that the people of Zamfara State deserve to know who their governor and representatives are before the terminal date of this regime.



The commission receives dozens of letters daily. The commission replies letters it receives but takes decisions based on the orders and judgments of courts.

“The commission studies the judgments and takes its decisions based on the judgements and orders and not based on the opinions and decisions of lawyers.”

Meanwhile, the state Governor and senator-elect, Abdulaziz Yari, led other federal lawmakers-elect from the state to an induction course in Abuja on Monday.

When contacted, one of the newly elected members of the House of Representatives, who preferred anonymity, told one of our correspondents that nobody had told him anything about withdrawing his certificate of return.

“I have been following the drama playing out in our party from the pre-primaries to our victory at the polls, and nobody has notified me that my election had been voided that will necessitate the withdrawal of my certificate of return,” he stated.

Source: https://punchng.com/well-wait-for-supreme-courts-pronouncement-on-zamfara-apc-inec/

At the backdrop of the continued comatose state of the Nigeria’s local refining capacity, the country may have spent about N10 trillion in the provision of pump price subsidy on imported petroleum products from 2006 to 2018. fuel-pump A research report by BudgIT, a public finance focused Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, said this amount came from the price shocks in the international energy market as well as the exchange volatility. However, the report also indicated that the subsidy regime has opened Nigeria’s public finance to huge corruption and illegal exportation of petroleum products to neighboring countries.

The report titled, “Nigeria’s Petrol Subsidy Regime: Dilemma of the World’s Most Populous Black Nation”, stated: “Nigeria currently imports an average of 91 percent of its daily petrol needs, thus disproportionately exposing local petrol prices to price shocks from international factors of production and exchange rate volatility. “There is a near perfectly inverse relationship between the fall in the value of Naira and the rise in the cost of imported petrol. That is, when next the Naira is devalued, Nigeria’s subsidy bill can be expected to jump.” It stated further: “The continuation of petrol price regulation perpetuates safety nests for exceptional forms of corruption within the country’s subsidy regime. Import subsidy creates petrol price arbitrage – the differential between the regulated price in Nigeria and the high petrol prices in neighbouring countries – which is big enough to incentivise smuggling of subsidized products to neighbouring border towns.” On the implication of the adverse development, the report stated: “BudgIT notes with dismay that fuel subsidy deprive Nigeria of funds needed for critical socio-economic development as it discourages investors, who generally prefer a deregulated industry, from investing in the downstream sector especially in the area of refinery construction and operation.

For instance, the 10 trillion consumed by the subsidy regime is sufficient to construct 27,000MW of electricity or build about 2,400 units of 1000-bed standard hospitals across 774 local government areas of Nigeria, found our research. “We equally note that the Nigerian masses worship low oil prices. More so, the political class fears that increases in petrol price (and in the cost of living by extension), occasioned by a deregulated price regime, and could become a flashpoint for mass uprisings and political instability. Nonetheless, we can never shy away from the opportunity cost of the corrupt subsidy regime.” Related NIGERIA’S FUEL SUBSIDY: A palliative, a burden

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/nigeria-spends-n10trn-on-petrol-subsidy/

Middlesbrough attacker Britt Assombalonga has praised his teammate John Obi Mikel by describing him as an ‘uncle’ with awesome and incredible qualities. Mikel Obi The 31-year-old has established his presence in Tony Pulis’ team with imperious performances in the midfield since his arrival as a free agent in January. His displays earned him a special song from the fans and Assombalonga, Boro’s leading top scorer with 10 goals this season, has lauded the Super Eagles midfielder for his exemplary role.

“Uncle – I call him Uncle – is a real rock in midfield,” Assombalonga said. “You can just see the pure quality he brings to the pitch in midfield in every game. “When you have that quality and experience on the pitch you always have an extra edge and an advantage. “He lets the other boys in midfield go out and express themselves.” Mikel has made 11 appearances for the Riverside Stadium outfit so far including an appearance in the FA Cup though with a record of three wins, five losses and three draws. However, the DR Congo international is raving about the playing style of the former Chelsea midfielder. “He is incredible. He drags players towards him and that creates time and space somewhere else and then he gets the ball, keeps the ball and threads it into those empty space for someone to pick up and use,” he continued. “You can give him the ball even when he has players on him and he always gets out of sticky situations and finds space. “You can give him the ball absolutely anywhere on the pitch and he will manoeuvre and find a space or an angle and find a way to give it to someone else in a better position. He’s awesome.” Mikel joined the Championship side as a previous winner of the Uefa Champion League, the English Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup before leaving for Chinese Super League side Tianjin Teda in 2017.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/mikel-is-real-rock-in-midfield/

BENIN—Federal Polytechnic Auchi has sanctioned 27 lecturers for engaging in sex for marks, money for marks and other unethical practices. Eleven of the affected staff were dismissed, the appointments of six were terminated, while 10 others were downgraded. Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Sanusi Jimah, who said these at the 25th Convocation ceremony of the institution, said an additional 250 staff were recruited to strengthen the capacity of the institution. Edo Poly Usen floats Mass Comm Programme He stated that the institution has enhanced its staff development policy by sponsoring staff to acquire higher degrees through TETFUND interventions. Chairman, Governing Council, Olarewaju Oloyo, represented by Prince Felix Oba Okojie, said unethical conduct of staff would no longer be tolerated.

Oloyo urged the Federal Government to consider the allocation of special grant to the institution to enable it to replace all instructional materials and equipment. A total of 28,325 graduands of the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 were presented with Post-Higher Graduate Diploma, Higher National Diploma, and National Diploma. Also speaking at the event, Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, called on Nigerian polytechnics to key into programmes that would promote indigenous technology. Represented by a Director in the ministry, Linus Egeru, the minister said there was need for polytechnics to focus on biotechnology, nanotechnology, renewable energy and rail-way engineering as well as aerospace technology. Related

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/auchi-poly-sanctions-27-lecturers-over-sex-for-marks-saga/

Illiteracy...... let her do the time. That's how some " not so sensible girls" were supporting the shaming of a woman that was alleged to have slept with someone else's husband and now she is doing the time.

Yes off course... when ever each of them heard that the other scored they don't sleep well

Uyo – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday issued certificate of return to Gov Udom Emmanuel and 25 legislators elected during the March 9 governorship/state assembly elections in Akwa Ibom. Udom Emmanuel The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Mike Igini, presented the certificates to the Governor-elect and the others in Uyo. Igini said that he could not announce the winner of the Essien Udim Constituency election because of the irregularities surrounding the result.

He said the result would be announced by the INEC headquarters in Abuja at a later date. Igini lauded the people of the state for giving INEC staff in the state the opportunity to serve them and their father land in the just concluded general elections. In his remarks, Gov Emmanuel said the election had come and gone but Akwa Ibom people remained. Emmanuel said his reelection was a call to serve the people with strength and vigour. The governor thanked God that no life was lost in the state during the 2019 general elections. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of the 25 house of assembly members-elect issued with certificate of return, 11 were returning members. (NAN)

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/inec-issues-certificates-of-return-to-gov-emmanuel-others-in-a-ibom/

When I watched the Video i Laughed..... Oge needed the Film money sha.... How the Pastor Picked her out beats my imagination

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the suit filed by the Nigeria Employer’s Consultative Association and Nigerian Breweries against the National Lottery Regulatory Commission on whether sales promotion by companies fall within the regulation of the commission.

A statement in Lagos on Wednesday said NECA and Nigerian Breweries had on November 15, 2018 dragged the NLRC to court, asking it to determine certain issues regarding the power of the commission in regulating sales promotion and others.



Joined in the suit as defendants were the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Lottery Trust Fund. The plaintiffs were NECA and Nigerian Breweries.

In the suit, the plaintiffs sought the determination of 10 questions by the court, one of which was whether the National Lottery Act of 2005 and the National Lottery Regulation 2007 could be made in exercise of federal legislative powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The plaintiffs wanted the court to determine whether sales promotion to consumers of manufactured goods arising from the purchase of the 2nd plaintiff’s (Nigerian Breweries) product, otherwise titled, “United we shine, win a trip to Russia,” or any such promo comes within the contemplation of the business of the National Lottery and consequently subject to the regulatory powers of the NLRC.

In his judgment, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo said the two views formulated by the 2nd defendant (National Lottery Regulatory Commission) could conveniently resolve the dispute and accommodate all the arguments of the parties.

In the first issue, Justice Taiwo held that the National Lottery Act of 2005 was in no doubt enacted by the National Assembly by the powers vested in the National Assembly to make laws as provided by the constitution.

He ruled, “It will therefore be wrong to declare that the National Lottery Act was enacted in violation of the constitution. The National Lottery Regulation 2007 was made by the governing board of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission with the consent of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as provided in Section 55(1) of the National Lottery Act and as such, if these laws were made in violation of the constitution, they would not have seen the light of day. To this end, I distill from the issues on this point in favour of the defendants.”

On the second issue, the judge averred that the processes filed by the plaintiffs in the suit revealed that sales promotion carried out by them had all the essential elements of a lottery scheme or arrangement and that the argument of the plaintiff that it did not sell tickets to participants was of no merit because the right to participate in the promo was limited to the customers who participated in the business of the 2nd plaintiff within a specified period of time.

He ruled, “Consequently, I hold that I resolve this suit against the plaintiffs (NECA and Nigerian Breweries) and refuse all reliefs sought by the plaintiffs. Consequently, I hereby dismiss the suit of the plaintiffs in its entirety. I make no order as to cost.”

Source: https://punchng.com/court-dismisses-neca-nigerian-breweries-suit-against-lottery-commission/

The ruling All Progressives Congress on Wednesday said only the decision on the party’s preferred candidate for the position of the Senate President for the 9th Assembly had been taken.

It said the zoning formula for the remaining positions in the Senate and those in the House of Representatives was still being worked out.



The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Lanre Isa-Onilu, said this at a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

He said, “We have decided who will be the next Senate President according to what democratic principles allow and that person is Senator Ahmed Lawan.

“That has been done and announced, it is left for the party to cross the‘t’s and dot the ‘i’s to get that sorted out.

“My emphasis is on the fact that we are not going to share powers, including what the PDP people call juicy committees and we call strategic committees, with people that Nigerians have rejected. They are exclusive for the APC.

“We don’t need them to head any committee where they are going to compromise the promises we have made to Nigerians.

“Nigerians cannot give us a mandate and we will go and give part of it to those they have rejected. We cannot betray the people of this country and we will never do it. The zoning arrangement for all the other positions is in the works.

“Just as the media and Nigerians have been informed about who our preferred candidate for the Senate Presidency is, we will come out to tell you what the zoning formula will be for the remaining positions in the Senate and also in the House of Representatives very shortly.”

The party spokesman said the APC had decided to go beyond zoning to identify candidates who were fit for the positions.”



In reaching the decision, he said there was nationwide consultation among party leaders.

Isa-Onilu said the presidential system of government being practised in Nigeria encouraged the “winner to take all.”

This, he said, was the reason why the PDP would not be allowed to produce any leader in the National Assembly.

He said, “It is democracy. I have listened to the PDP and in their usual style, they exhibited gross ignorance. What we practise in Nigeria is called presidential system of government. In this type of government, it is winners take all. Once you win, you take whatever you want. There is no room for power sharing.

“We don’t need it because we don’t need them (the PDP) to run this government. We have enough number to run this government. In any case, when we were campaigning, we never told Nigerians that we were going to share power with any other party.

“What we told them was that they should entrust power to us. As it is clear that we have made good use of power in the last four years, we are going to make better use of it in the next four years.

“Nigerians accepted this. It will be a betrayal of that trust to go ahead and start sharing power with a party, particularly the PDP, that has been rejected by Nigerians.

“They were banking on the experience of the last four years when some traitors within the APC fold sold our birthright to an opposition party. Some people now took that to be the new norm. It is not. In fact, that action was not democratic. It was treachery. “

APC does not envisage election

The party spokesman also said the APC did not envisage any election on the floor of the National Assembly.

He said names of the preferred candidates would only be read to them.

He added, “We have enough number to elect all our officers. We don’t need a single vote from the PDP. In any case, we don’t actually envisage any election on that day because we are going to present our members that will occupy these positions.

“All our members are very experienced politicians who understand what this means. When we get to the floor, we are going to read out the names. If the PDP so desire, it can bring its candidates up. Since the party does not have the number, it will be an exercise in futility for the PDP to nurse the ambition to share from what Nigerians have taken away from them.

“There are positions for minority parties; the APC will not contest those positions with minority parties. They belong to them.”

Isa-Onilu said Senator Ali Ndume’s position on the party leadership endorsement of Lawan as the Senate president was not wrong, saying the dissenting senator was merely expressing his fundamental right.

He, however, said since he had signed to be a member of the APC, he must be ready to abide by the position of the party.

PDP senators will support Lawan – Senate spokesman

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, has said senators elected on the platform of the PDP, will support Lawan to succeed as Senate President in the 9th National Assembly.

He also assured Nigerians that the decision of the APC to pick Lawan as its candidate for the office of the Senate President, would not lead to any crisis.

Lawan: Oshiomhole has APC’s leaders backing

Abdullahi, who is also the spokesperson for the APC senators canvassing support for Lawan, said the Senate Leader’s choice was not unilaterally done by an individual but was a collective decision of the party.

He said the APC leaders after due consultations only asked the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to announce Lawan as the party’s candidate.

This, according to him, was contrary to claims by Senator Ali Ndume that Oshiomhole’s announcement did not have the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari and that of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“I was at the dinner along with other APC senators-elect, the National Chairman of our party, Adams Oshiomhole, never made any announcement or submission that can be described by anybody as imposition.

“He said in the spirit of avoiding what happened in 2015, the party leadership along with the Presidency, gave the required direction for the party as regards the position of President of the 9th Senate in a very persuasive and convincing tone and recommended Senator Ahmed Lawan for the position.

“The recommendation was spontaneously and instantaneously applauded by all the APC senators-elect in attendance without anybody dissenting.

“So, for Senator Ndume to later tell a story of imposition and shock through his media briefing, is nothing but being economical with the truth,” he said.

I’ll contest deputy senate presidency, says Kalu

However, a former governor of Abia State, Uzor Kalu, has said he will contest the position of the deputy senate president in 9th National Assembly.

Kalu, who is also Abia North senator-elect, wanted the APC to zone the position to the South-East in the interest of equity and justice.

Speaking with journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, Kalu said he was aware that the APC, which had the majority in the Senate, had zoned the Senate President position to the North-East and the Deputy Senate President to the North-West.

He said, “I am a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the Senate presidency position to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will. But the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East.

“So, as far as I am concerned, in the South-East, I am going to run openly on the floor of the house for the position of the Deputy Senate President.

“I am not going to listen to the party neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party.”

Asked to react to the threat by Kalu’s position, Abdullahi said no APC senator-elect would go against the party on that day.

He said, “I don’t have the idea on what the party is doing on the position of the Deputy Senate Presidency. The party will ensure that a senator from each of the geopolitical zones benefit from the leadership positions, that is, two presiding officers and the four principal officers.”

He said Oshiomhole was correct for saying that the ruling party would take all the available leadership positions meant for the majority party in the Senate.

He said, “Oshiomhole was actually talking to those in the majority. The majority will have their way while the minority will have their say but the two must co-exist.

“Let me tell you very clearly that we have been engaging our colleagues in the PDP and I will tell you that majority of them are actually working for us to see that we have a harmonious, rancour-free, non-tumultuous Senate.

“Our colleagues in the PDP are not interested in any fight. We are engaging them and we are talking. They know the truth and I know that we shall work together and succeed together.”

Abdullahi ruled out the possibility of a repeat of the 2015 crisis on the day of inauguration.

Meanwhile, Isa-Onilu said the party could not help the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who had been denied his certificate of return as a senator-elect because he was still on suspension.

He said the governor himself was aware of his suspension, hence, he had not reported his dilemma to the party.

He said, “This party cannot take any action. Don’t forget that Governor Okorocha is on suspension. As far as this party is concerned, that situation remains. He also has not come to us to say the situation he has because he also realised that he is on suspension.”

On the reported suspension of Senator Kabir Marafa, Isa-Onilu said it was within the powers of the party executive at the ward level to discipline errant members.

He added, “It is within the power of the party executives at the ward level, if they have good reasons to initiate punitive measures against a member they have considered to have flouted the rules of the party.

“In this case, we don’t have all the facts at the NWC. They don’t really need to come as far as this level before they can take that decision.”

Source: https://punchng.com/our-decision-on-lawan-final-pdps-votes-unnecessary-apc/

Good for him.face the Music

No Source? Bad news anyways

Those Criminals are still around

Was thinking it would be Rivers.... didn't know it happens in Lagos too