Connect with us

Politics

Ogunlewe, Duke Chart Path To Ministerial Nominees’ Screening

Published

on

A former Minister of Works, Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, on Tuesday called for enactment of a law to compel attachment of portfolios to ministerial nominees presented to the Senate for screening.
Ogunlewe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
He said that the law, if enacted, would ensure that nominees were subjected to better screening by the senate, based on attached portfolios.
Ogunlewe commended the Senate for the way it was handling the screening, but said that senators would have done better if portfolios were attached to nominees.
“The Senate has done well so far, the only problem is that there were no portfolios attached to the nominees.
“There is no opportunity for thorough screening based on portfolios that will be assigned to the nominees eventually.
“As far as I am concerned, the Senate has done what it is supposed to do. We saw improvements on the Day Four and Day Five.
“They (senators) listened to complaints of the people and decided to ask questions, but the questions were of general applications; they were not about specific portfolios.
“There is the need for the country to have a law that will compel any administration to attach portfolios to ministerial nominees,” he said.
The former minister said that with the law, nominees might not need to be screened at the plenary, as they might need to go to the different senate committees for thorough screening.
“Probably, after they have been screened and asked relevant questions at the committee level, they are presented to plenary. That is what we should have,” he said.
On the decision of the Senate to give soft landing to some nominees by asking them to take a bow, Ogunlewe said there was nothing wrong with it.
He said that it was the tradition of the senate to give privileges to nominees who were former lawmakers by not asking them many questions.
According to him, criticisms trailing the decision are not necessary.
Ogunlewe congratulated the immediate past Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on his successful screening by the Senate.
He urged those advocating splitting of portfolio held by Fashola into three, to leave the decision to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ogunlewe said that it was in the powers of the president to assign portfolios, adding that he believed that the president would put the right people in the right places.
The former minister who recently defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, said he was integrating well in his new party.
“I am doing well in my new party. You know I am a grassroots man, I am doing a lot for the party at Igbogbo Baiyeku, where I have my ward.
“It has been good so far. I am happy in APC, the party of the progressives, ” he said.
Also, a former Governor of Cross River, Mr Donald Duke, faulted screening of ministerial nominees without portfolios.
Duke said that the screening would have been better with portfolios attached.
“How can you screen nominees without portfolios? It is not just right. It shows we are not ready to get things right,” he said.

Continue Reading

Politics

Gov Alia Appoints TuFace As Adviser

Published

on

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”

Continue Reading

Politics

Oborevwori, Okowa Dump PDP For APC

Published

on

Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Continue Reading

Politics

Speakers Conference Tasks FG, Governors On Wanton Killings

Published

on

The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.

Continue Reading

Trending