News
Akpabio can’t resign, call immoral – Senate Spokesman
Spokesman to the Senate, Senator Yemi Adaramodu has berated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for calling for the resignation of Senator Akpabio over the unfounded claim of N3.7 trillion budget padding allegation by the suspended Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi.
Reacting on Thursday the Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs declared that “The PDP has elevated chicanery to statecraft and fatally failed in their sordid attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting public, on the ineffectual, but spurious allegations of budget padding.
The party’s ludicrous call for the resignation of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President is unthinkable and shows the party as a massaging balm for falsehood and immoral Legislative outbursts. He stated that Akpabio will not resign and has no intention to resign at any time because he has not committed any wrong doing to warrant a resignation”.
According to him, it is shocking that the PDP leadership could not comprehend what transpired at Tuesday’s plenary where the allegations were debated and Senator Abdul Ningi, who was given the ample opportunity to defend himself and prove the budget padding allegations was suspended after he failed to substantiate his claims in the full glare of the public.
He said “Contrary to the contention by the PDP that N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects, and what transpired on the floor of the Chamber, it is open knowledge that no such absurdity is found in the budget passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is being implemented judiciously by the Federal government. Perhaps, the N3.7trn being mentioned in the PDP’s shocking statement exists only in the fickle minds of its purveyors and serves as a dubious version of the budget generated by PDP’s ‘unidentified political flying objects’.
Senator Adaramodu said the Senate did not in any way violate the constitution or its standing Rules and Orders, in not referring the matter to a relevant committee but the decision to take the issue in the Committee of the Whole was for transparency and fairness; and to afford the public the opportunity to follow the proceedings and have a value judgement as to who was lying to the nation. Albeit, it is the constitutional responsibility of the Senate to vary and determine its internal rules, as deem fit.
According to him, “Contrary to the unspeakable grandstanding, Senator Ningi was never intimidated nor harassed, neither was he gagged nor denied the privilege to exercise his right of reply as the senator was given ample opportunity to defend himself. But the whole world saw how he floundered, since he had no verifiable facts to substantiate his allegations and his futile efforts to defend lies.
“So, the decision to debate the matter in the Committee of the Whole was in sync with the resolve of the leadership of the 10th Senate under Senator Akpabio to stand for transparency, justice and fairness.
“The proceedings of the plenary were transmitted live by at least five popular national television stations, making all right thinking people to wonder the basis on which the PDP is questioning the process. The PDP expected the Senate to sweep the unfounded allegations under the carpet but the 10th Senate under the leadership of Senate President Akpabio has zero tolerance for corruption, insipid lies and egregious falsehood such as the N3.7trn budget padding allegations and could not have conducted the investigation in the closet as suggested by the PDP”
Making the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio the fruit to receive the stones is curious, the Senate and the House of Representatives made the Appropriations law,hence the suspended Senator disparaged and impugned on the social, political and Legislative integrity of all.
“No amount of lies and fake allegations will distract the 10th Senate, under Senator Godswill Akpabio, from delivering good legislation and effective oversight for which Nigerians elected us for” Adaramodu concluded.
Member representing Biu/Bayo/Shania/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno State, Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara has disclosed that he shared $5,000 with members of his committee as a “Sallah gesture”.
Betara who is the Reps Committee Chairman on FCT said the money was not a bribe to pass resolution declaring a state of emergency in Rivers as being insinuated.
The was posted by a Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafar on his X handle.
Jaafar said Betara explained this to him after the lawmaker reached out to clarify that the $5,000 given to lawmakers was merely a “Sallah gesture” and not an inducement.
He quoted Batara to have said the gesture was a long standing g tradition and has nothing to do with the state of emergency I Rivers.
Jaafar wrote:
“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.
“According to him, he maintains the tradition—like Santa Claus—every year.
“As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg.”
The clarification by Betara came amid strong speculations that Senators received $15,000 bribe to pass a resolution to sustain declaration of state of emergency rule in Rivers.
The bribe was reportedly shared on Tuesday before they voted on Wednesday.
News
INEC holds crucial meeting to look into petition recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proceeded into a crucial meeting to study and look into a petition submitted to it by constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
CAPITAL POST gathered, it a top management meeting as it was claimed that over 250,000 constituents signed the petition out of 480,000 registered voters.
The meeting was confirmed on Monday by the Acting
Director of Publicity, Esther Chibuikem, stating that the meeting held at a committee room at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
It was also confirmed that the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on received the petition against Natasha on Monday.
The petition follwed the nod given by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday where the earlier judgement restraining INEC from accepting the petition was set asid3.
Last week, constituents from Kogi Central were said to have i initiated a recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, but some constituents claimed that they were d3ceived into exercise as they were told to gather with their voters card for 3 powerment.
However, the Court, in a judgement delivered in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents.
The court urged the constituents to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.
The development was after the court on Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
As at press time, INEC hasn’t release information on the next action as signatures may have to be critically compared with its register to determine validity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday received a petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Uduaghan from the 10th Senate.
The petition was submitted by the constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District to recall Natasha having signed the petition which claimed to have met the requirements as stipulatedby the Constitution 1990 as amended.
Our correspondent who monitre the development at the Maitama headquarter of INEC report that th3 petition was submitted with over 250,000 signatures out of 480,000 registered voters.
The Constitution however required above 50% register3d voters’ recall signatures before it could be recognised and acceptable.
Senator Natasha is currently on suspension for six months for breaching Senate Rules and has proceeded to Court to challenge the Senate decision which was yet to determined.
She also alleged sexual harassment by the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio.
CAPITAL POST gathered that the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has highjacked the recall which is being pursued through proxies disguised as constituents in order to contest for the Senate if the exercise succeeds.
State of Emergency in Rivers: $5,000 shared to Reps as ‘Sallah gesture,’ not bribe – Hon.
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INEC holds crucial meeting to look into petition recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
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