Nation
No Motion On Pantami’s Removal, Reps Clarify
The House of Representatives, yesterday, said there was no time at its Wednesday’s plenary that a motion on the resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, was treated, let alone being shut down.
The House at plenary, yesterday, through a motion by Rep. Ahmed Jaha from Borno State, said it was surprising that some sections of the media reported that Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila had killed a motion brought by the Minority Leader, Hon Ndudi Elumelu, on Pantami.
Jaha, who came under Order 6, Rule 1 and 2 of the Standing Orders of the House, which border on matters of the privilege of the individual lawmakers, the same order cited by Elumelu, last Wednesday, said there was a complete misrepresentation of what happened in the chamber.
He explained, “I woke up early in the morning today to have my Sahur and came across media publications that this House took a position and refused or stopped the minority leader from bringing a matter for the removal of the minister of communications and digital economy.
“He said his privilege was breached because as someone that was in the chamber on Wednesday, there was no motion that was blocked by the Speaker, who presided over the day’s plenary.
“From what happened, this House did not stop any such move. What I know is that the presiding officer only said the order cited was wrong and that the minority leader can come through the right order.
“There was no point where this presiding officer stopped the motion (calling) for removal of the minister.”
He said the issue of insecurity was a very serious one, noting that, “The interest of the nation is above any individual interest.”
Before ruling on the matter, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said as Jaha rightly observed, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu came under Order 6, which dealt with matters of privilege.
“As provided for in our rules, matters that come under privilege are not debated. They are not motions. They are not seconded as a motion should.
“I think it behoves on all of us to educate our constituents on such matters. It was not a motion. We noted the privilege. We only followed our rules. It’s important that our constituents get to know. As is the practice, your point of order is noted.”
After Jaha, Rep. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta came under the same matter of privilege.
He said the matter at hand suggested that the people outside were mindful of what happened in the House.
He then suggested that it should come under motion on notice for the House to take a clear position.
The Speaker said as observed, there was no motion on the floor of the House on the matter on Wednesday.
The Speaker went ahead to advise the journalists covering the House to always report what transpired in the House accurately.
“Abonta, if you have a motion or Elumelu has a motion, you know the proper thing to do. We have a procedure to follow, and I’m sure members will do justice to it”, Gbajabiamila added.
Nation
Council Boss Impeached 48 Hours To LG Polls In Katsina
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
Nation
Association Tasks Fubara On Rumuwoji Market Phase Three
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
Nation
AfDB President Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.
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