News
Gbajabiamila vows to tackle MDAs which fails to implement budget
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the House would not hesitate to take action against government agencies that fail to implement the budget as is expected of them.
Gbajabiamila bemoaned a situation where Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government would fail to implement aspects of budget for which funds have been allocated and released.
Addressing his colleagues in a welcome speech at the resumption of plenary after the lawmakers’ annual recess, the Speaker also said members of the House would ensure that they keep their contract with Nigerians.
“Early in the life of the 9th House of Representatives, we promised that we would return to a regular budget cycle, running from January through to December. We kept that promise in our first year and set a standard from which we must not deviate.
“However, there is an ongoing problem of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government failing to implement projects and programmes for which funds have been provided in the Budget.
“It bears restating that the Appropriation Act is not merely a policy document or a statement of intent. It is the law of the land that binds us all. Any expenditure of public funds outside of the Appropriation Act is a crime, as is a failure to implement programmes and projects for which funds have been allocated and provided.
“But more than that, it is a betrayal of the public trust that undermines faith in the government and frustrates good faith efforts at national development. The House will take action against those who fail in their responsibilities in this regard. I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that.”
The Speaker commended President Muhammadu Buhari for assenting to the Police Bill, noting, however, that more reforms are needed in the Nigeria Police through additional legislation.
“Two weeks ago, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR signed the Police Reform Act into law. The Act is the first significant reform effort in a generation. It is the beginning and not the end of such measures. The Nigeria Police Force, as it currently operates, has too long and too often failed to meet the expectations of the Nigerian people.
“In many parts of our country, people are more afraid of encounters with the police than they are of criminals. That’s not right, and we can no longer stand for it.
“There will be, in this 9th House of Representatives, further legislation to improve police performance across the board and to introduce mechanisms for individual and collective accountability in the Nigeria Police Force. Our objective is nothing short of a total overhaul of the culture and practice of policing in Nigeria.”
Gbajabiamila also disclosed that the House has commenced work on the Armed Forces Trust Fund Bill so that in the shortest possible time, we can finalise and pass legislation that ensures once and for all that the resources we need to protect the homeland are never at the mercy of politics or changes in policy or personnel.”
On the Petroleum Industry Bill transmitted to the National Assembly by the president, the Speaker assured that this time around, the House would succeed in passing the Bill for it to get the president’s assent.
“This is not the first time that we have initiated the Petroleum Industry Bill or similar efforts at broad oil and gas sector reform in the National Assembly. I assure all Nigerians that we in the 9th House of Representatives fully intend to succeed this time around.
“However, I must appeal to stakeholders in the public and private sector, to the media, to the host communities and all who wish our country well to support this process. Let us reject cynicism and resist all attempts to frustrate this reform effort in service of the narrow interests of any particular group. Let us put Nigeria first so that history may judge us kindly.”
To ensure that the House passes Bills and motions that are in line with its contract with Nigerians, the Speaker announced the setting up of an ad-hoc committee headed by Rep. Henry Nwawuba to guide the implementation of its Legislative Agenda across the Committees and other institutions of the House.
Gbajabiamila reminded his colleagues that the success or failure of the House would not be the result of any single individual but a collective one, calling on them to rededicate themselves to their duties and responsibilities.
News
Reports of Justice Agim accompanying Wike to UNICAL convocation false, misleading Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has denied that one of its justices, Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanies the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to the convocation at the University of Calabar in the South South Nigeria.
The denial came amid suspicion that Justice Agim who wrote a judgment of the Supreme Court in favour of the 27 lawmakers in Rivers State is close to Wike, hence, his presence around Wike has triggered speculations.
Wike is the former governor of Rivers State and a current of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who controls lawmakers in Rivers.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Festus Akande, he refuted the claims, saying Agim attended the event on his own.
The statement described the rumour as misleading, insisting that Justice Agim attended the event as a honoree, urging Nigerians to disregard the social media lies.
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“Hon. Justice Agim attended the convocation as an esteemed honouree and an alumnus of the institution, who the Governing Council had found worthy to be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law (Doctor Honoris Causa),” the statement read.
“That Justice Agim was recognized for his significant contributions to the legal profession, which reflect his dedication to justice, integrity, and the rule of law.
Naija News reports that the statement highlighted that Justice Agim’s achievements serve as an inspiration for aspiring legal professionals and students alike.
The statement also addressed the claim that Justice Agim had attended the convocation ceremony in the company of Nyesom Wike.
It stressed that this was a false narrative, stating that Justice Agim’s attendance was independent of any government ministry or department and that he was not accompanying any government official.
“Any insinuation to the contrary is not only inaccurate but undermines the judicial independence that is crucial to our democracy,” the Supreme Court emphasized.
Additionally, the statement noted that Justice Agim had been scheduled to attend the burial ceremony of Hon. Justice Stanley Alagoa in Bayelsa State but had sought permission to attend the convocation ceremony instead.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court urged the media and the public to verify information through credible sources before dissemination.
“We encourage the public and media to verify information through credible sources before sharing or publishing to prevent the spread of misinformation,” the statement concluded.
News
State of Emergency in Rivers: $5,000 shared to Reps as ‘Sallah gesture,’ not bribe – Hon. Betara
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.
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