Politics
APC Reps Vow To Vote Against Party’s Anointed Candidates
Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau), a member of the G-7, says his group remains unruffled despite a change in the House of Representatives rules that now allows open ballot voting.
The Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Mr Gagdi, said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja.
Last week, it was reported that lawmakers threatened to impeach Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, accusing him of forging the House’s standing rules in favour of Tajudeen Abass as his successor.
The lawmakers alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila falsified the clause on the procedure for electing the Speaker and his deputy in the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (10th edition), with the doctored document stating that presiding officers will be elected through an open ballot.
The existing rule requires voting via a secret ballot.
However, Mr Gagdi said the new rule would not deter the G-7 legislators.
The G7 are a group of aspirants for the position of the presiding officer of the 10th House of Representatives, opposed to Mr Abass, the anointed APC candidate.
Members of the group are Ahmed Wase, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Sada Soli, Sani Jaji, Miriam Onuhoa, Aliyu Betara and Mr Gagdi.
“Look at the composition of the house: the opposition has 182 put together, while the ruling APC has 178, in the circumstances, the comfortable majority we do not have as the ruling party,” Mr Gagdi explained.
He added, “You think the 182 will not be scared of their governors and leaders who already gave them instruction regarding who becomes the speaker.”
The lawmaker stated that the consequences of the open ballot would affect all groups, adding that with this, the G-7 would be good to go in whatever way the House plans to approach the election.
A former clerk of the House, Gani Ojagbohunmi, said voting during the election of the two presiding officers of the Senate and Reps was usually through secret ballot.
Mr Ojagbohunmi stated this during the presentation of a paper titled ‘Opening of a new Parliament: The Case of National Assembly at the Induction of New Members-elect’.
“Voting is usually by secret ballot. After the result has been collated, they are handed over to the clerk of that house, who shall submit the result of the division to the clerk to the National Assembly,” he said.
Politics
Why I Won’t Help Tinubu’s Govt Overcome Economic Challenges – Sanusi
The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, says he would not help President Bola Tinubu’s administration to correct the administration’s policies affecting the citizens.
Emir Sanusi spoke on Wednesday in Lagos as the chairman of the 21st Anniversary of Fawehinmiism (Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture 2025).
The emir stated that while there were “a few points” he could offer to explain the trajectory the administration had taken and how such decisions were predictable, he chose not to do so because “they don’t behave like friends.”
He said explaining the government’s policies would help the government, but he did not intend to assist them due to the way they had treated him.
“I can give a few points that are contrary, that explain perhaps what we’re going through and how it was totally predictable, most of it, and maybe avoidable. But I am not going to do that.
“I have chosen not to speak about the economy or the reforms or to even explain anything because if I explain, it would help this government, but I don’t want to help this government,” the emir said while addressing some of the points made by speakers about the economy.
He added: “You know they’re my friends, but if they don’t behave like friends, I don’t behave like a friend. So I watch them being stooges. And they don’t even have people with credibility who can come and explain what they are doing. I am not going to help. I started out helping, but I am not going to help. I am not going to discuss it. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why the policies that are being pursued are being pursued.
“Meanwhile, I’m watching a very nice movie with popcorn in my hands. But I will say one thing: What we are going through today is, at least in part, not totally, but at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.
“People were told decades ago that if you continue along this path, this is where you’re going to end up, and they refused to open their eyes. Now, is everything being done today correct? No.”
Emir Sanusi, who was deposed as the 14th Emir of Kano in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the current national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was reinstated as the 16th Emir of Kano in 2024 by the New Nigeria People’s Party-led Kano State Government.
His emirship has faced ongoing challenges from forces believed to be backed by the federal government, including federal officials’ continued recognition of his predecessor, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.
Last month, the police barricaded his palace, with the state government accusing the federal government of orchestrating the action to stir unrest in the peaceful state.
Politics
Reps Loses Deputy Chief Whip
The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Oriyomi Onanuga, is dead.
Also known as Ijaya, Rt Hon. Onanuga, who was the member representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, is said to have died following a brief illness.
This was confirmed in a tweet on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday night.
Rt Hon Onanuga, who was born in Hammersmith, London, to Nigerian parents on December 2, 1965, was a politician and entrepreneur. She held the position of Deputy Chief Whip in the Nigerian House of Representatives since 2023.
She contested and won a seat in the House of Representatives under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. She also served as the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.
Politics
Aiyedatiwa Dissolves Cabinet, Retains Finance Commissioner, Attorney-General
Gov. Aiyedatiwa, however, exempted two members of the cabinet from the dissolution due to the critical nature of their duties.
The two commissioners exempted include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kayode Ajulo, SAN, and the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowunmi Isaac.
This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Mr Adeniyan said in the statement that “All the affected cabinet members are to hand over all government properties in their care to the accounting officers of their respective ministries.
Gov. Aiyedatiwa thanked the executive council members “for their service and contributions to the development of Ondo State under his administration and wished them well in their future endeavours”.
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