Connect with us

Politics

‘Legislators Should Enlighten Nigerians On Legislative Duties

Published

on

The spokesman for the 2020 National Legislative Conference, Amb. Chibuzor Okereke, says the Legislative Arm of Government must continue to engage in national conversations to sensitise Nigerians to its function, powers and deliverables.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, Okereke, said that the Legislature, which is the youngest of the three Arms of Government had suffered the most under successive military regimes.
He said that the Legislature had also come under serious attacks by Nigerians in recent times, blaming it on lack of proper understanding of the roles of the Legislature in a democratic system of government.
The spokesman said that the theme for the 2020 National Legislative conference, which will hold today, November 30, in Abuja is “Legislative Investigation Powers, Expectations and Challenges and the Way Forward’’.
According to him, the conference is being put together by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with HallowMace Communications Ltd and will bring state and national legislators to discuss salient issues with other stakeholders.
“We are bringing this conference to address the grey areas associated with the powers of the National Assembly.
There are people who ague the content of the investigative powers; we have seen cases where people have queried National Assembly’s investigative powers.
“People are also asking question about the powers of the National Assembly to increase or reduce the national budget.
“But we know that sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution give the National Assembly far reaching powers when it comes to issues of investigation.
“However, there are some schools of thought who argue that the National Assembly are only to expose corruption and most of these issues are in the Executive Arm.
“When the Legislature finishes its work, it still hands over the findings to the Executive for implementation.
“These are the challenges; so the conference will focus on us examing and beaming x-ray lights on how the National Assembly can effectively utilise its investigative powers and also look at the challenges.
“In the most recent hearings, we have seen party stalwarts go and air and asking the Senate President and the Speaker questions like, who is the majority in the National Assembly?
“Why do you have opposition members heading committees that are now embarrassing our government.
“So that perception that any investigative hearing being carried out by the National Assembly is a witch-hunt or if it is being done by a committee headed by the opposition is being done to embarrass the government, these are things to be looked at,’’ he said.
Okereke, who is also the Convener, Nigeria’s Peoples Assembly, said that of the four major functions of the legislature – lawmaking, representation, oversight and constituency services – the oversight function has come under serious scrutiny.
According to him, it is through the oversight function that the assembly institutes public investigative hearing.
Okereke said that since 1999, the National Assembly had conducted many investigative hearings including the most recent ones on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Chinese Loans.
 He said that there was a need to ensure that the outcome of such investigations met the demands and exceptions of Nigerians.
 ”Political interference by the political parties, the political will of the National Assembly to deliver and how open and transparent these process have been and most importantly, what have we done with report of previous investigative hearing.
“And looking at the way forward, it is the committees either standing or ad hoc, that carries out these investigations.
“So how are people appointed into committee either as chairman or as members and how can viable committee members help in conducting very efficient investigative hearing that will deliver the kind of result Nigerians expect.
“Majorly this oversight is put in place to ensure value for money, to ensure that Executives do not abuse their powers and to ensure efficiency in government and curb waste.
“It is important to pay less attention to lawmaking because every Legislative Assembly wants to score themselves on the number of laws they have made.
“But there are key issues about waste, cost of governance, abuse of power, human rights violation and poor delivery of jobs with government fund,” he said
The spokesman said that the keynote speaker for the conference will be the Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).
He said that the Senate president and Speaker are the special guests of honour while the Majority Leader of the House of  Representative and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami will be speaking at the panel section among others.
Continue Reading

Politics

Makinde Renames Polytechnic After Late Ex-Gov

Published

on

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.

Continue Reading

Politics

10 NWC Members Oppose Damagum Over National Secretary’s Reinstatement

Published

on

Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”

Continue Reading

Politics

Presidency Slams El-Rufai Over Tinubu Criticism …Says He Suffers From Small Man Syndrome

Published

on

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.

Continue Reading

Trending