News
Shasa market violence: Reps calls for speedy investigation
The House of Representatives has asked the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation into the recent violence in Oyo State, to allow for prosecution and punishment of those who instigated and participated in the killings and destruction of property.
Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, who announced this in an address on the Shasha violence and the rising spate of inter-ethnic violence in the country at Tuesday’s plenary, said the House would not sit back while Nigerians are killed by their fellow countrymen.
He said the Committees on Police Affairs and Justice were mandated to communicate the House’s position to the Inspector General of Police.
Gbajabiamila also said the House welcomed the committee constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari headed by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, to hold peace and unity consultations across the country.
“We will constitute a working group to participate in these consultations. We will work together to examine the cultural, religious, and localised conflicts over land and history that are often at the root of internal security challenges and violent upheavals such as occurred in Oyo state last week and other parts of the country over the years,” Gbajabiamila said.
While commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident, the government and the good people of Oyo State, the Speaker assured all Nigerians that the House would work, “within the powers available to us, to prevent reoccurrence of similar incidents, not just in Oyo State, but across our country – North, West, East and South.”
Describing the House as a microcosm of Nigeria, which represents every tribe, region, creed and religion, Gbajabiamila said: “we owe a duty to the people we serve, to do the things we believe sincerely in our hearts can improve the circumstances of their lives.
“Today, we serve that duty by calling on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation into the recent violence in Oyo State, to allow for prosecution and punishment of those who instigated and participated in the killings and destruction of property.”
Gbajabiamila urged all those who have large followership of people who listen to them and respect their voices, to be more circumspect about the information they share, the language they use, and the conversations they enable.
“The words we use about each other can have outsize consequences on our nation’s peace and stability because words have the power to build and also to destroy.
“And to political leaders, let me reiterate that we have a greater responsibility to keep the peace in our country. And to do that, we must first commit ourselves to the cause of equal justice and fair treatment for all.
“Only then, can we wage peace with resolve, secure in the knowledge that with peace, a more prosperous union is within reach.”
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.
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.
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