Politics
‘NASS, Other Parliaments Most Misunderstood Govt Organ’

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the national assembly and legislatures in other parts of the world are the most misunderstood organ of government.
Gbajabiamila made this known in Abuja on Monday at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for the media committee.
He noted that the committee plays a major role in the activities of the house as it is the intermediary between the lawmakers and the public.
He added that that committee’s work goes a long way in shaping the perception that the public has of the House and correcting any misinformation that is in the public sphere.
The speaker said, “I took time out to actually look at the dictionary definition of media. If you look at that definition you will understand the importance and critical roles the house of representatives has to play in defining or reframing the narrative of the house of representatives, in giving direction to the legislature, in propelling policies of government and indeed, that is why many of you who practise in this field of endeavour, the institution is referred to as a 4th Estate of the Realm.
“The house of representatives or the national assembly in general, like every legislature in the world, is perhaps the most misunderstood institution in the world. Some of that misunderstanding is unintentional, based simply on lack of knowledge; some of that misunderstanding is intentional and sometimes it is political.
“Some of that misunderstanding, unfortunately, is pure ignorance and lack of interest in finding out the truth.
“It, therefore, falls on the media committee to begin to educate the public and change the much-needed narrative because we are not aware of the unforeseen consequences of what will happen when a small committee or an institution such as the national assembly is misunderstood or misjudged. It has the possibility of snowballing into a larger and more dangerous effect on our democracy.”
The speaker, therefore, said the committee should not be looked at from a narrow prism but as a committee “that is so strategic to the survival of our democracy; not the survival of the national assembly but the survival of democracy.”
Gbajabiamila also said, “Before I continue with my speech; it has been mentioned already but it is worth mentioning again; I want to note that the Vanguard Newspaper reporter in the House of Representatives, Tordue Salem, who has been missing for some weeks now, is yet to be found.
“I and indeed the house have been in contact with the leadership of the press corps since the matter came to light. I want to encourage the security agencies not to relent in their efforts to locate Tordue and bring him back to his family. Anything that forces one, torches on all of us.”
Chairman of the Committee, Benjamin Kalu, in his address, noted that the 21st Century media environment is dynamic and continues to develop in novel, sometimes in unanticipated ways that have serious consequences for democratic governance.
Kalu added that the new media has radically altered the way that government institutions operate, and the way that political leaders communicate and engage citizens.
He said, “The media today disseminates a tremendous amount of political content, most of which are trivial, unreliable and polarising. The media’s watchdog role, hitherto performed by trained journalists and gatekeepers such as established mass media institutions, has evolved in the face of technological innovation.
“Today, every actor with a smartphone is able to disseminate information and frame political issues in their various spheres of influence. The press has been decentralised, with oftentimes destructive outcomes. But such is the price that we must pay for the beauty that is democracy and the exchange that we must uphold for freedom of speech- the inalienable right of every Nigerian.”
However, Kalu said, “The 9th House of Representatives continues to stand for freedom of speech, recognise the value of the fourth estate of the realm to our democracy, especially in times like this, and remains committed to protecting free speech and independence of the media and its journalists.”
Politics
PDP Crisis: Wike Accuses Makinde Of Betrayal, Instigating Party Members Against Him

Amid the seemingly intractable crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of betrayal, accusing the governor of instigating party members against him.
In a statement at the week-end, Chief Wike said the party had been enmeshed in a protracted crisis due to dishonesty and lack of trust amongst key stakeholders, with efforts to address issues and “enthrone fidelity to agreements” for the party’s progress.
“To this end, a meeting of the G5 was held in Lagos. In that meeting, I made it clear to the governor of Oyo State, HE Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems, pointing out to him that non-adherence to agreements reached was the bane of the party and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly. At the end of the meeting, we resolved to bury the hatchet and make progress,” Chief Wike said.
The minister referenced an expanded meeting attended by the party’s key stakeholders, where he alleged that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State was serially reneging on agreements.
“At the end of the meeting, we came to some resolutions, including (a) That Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the national secretary of the PDP in tandem with the Supreme Court judgment; (b) All legal matters relating to Rivers State must be withdrawn by the national legal adviser; (c) The suit on the state of emergency be withdrawn forthwith; and (d) Nobody should deviate from the agreements so reached,” he said.
Chief Wike claimed he was begged to attend the stakeholders’ meeting at the Bauchi Government Lodge, which led to the formation of the reconciliation committee headed by former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Alleging the violation of agreements reached before the Saraki-headed committee was constituted, the minister accused Mr Makinde of conniving with Peter Mbah of Enugu State to orchestrate the meeting of South-East leaders to recommend that if Ude Okoye was not adopted as secretary, they would pull out of the PDP.
The former Rivers State governor said, “Again, Seyi Makinde organised some people in the national secretariat to insist that the deputy national secretary should act as national secretary, in violation of the agreement earlier reached. To attempt to give credence to this farce, a letter was written by the deputy national secretary, calling for a meeting of the NEC of the party.
“Furthermore, the letter confirming the candidacy of the governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming governorship elections in Anambra State, duly signed by the national secretary, Senator Anyanwu and the acting national chairman, was portrayed as rejected by the party through a rebuttal letter signed by the national publicity secretary, acting on the orders of Seyi Makinde and Peter Mbah.”
Chief Wike said a well-publicised and properly attended zonal elective congress of the PDP slated to be held on May 24, 2025, was aborted because the party’s deputy national secretary signed the letter inviting INEC to the congress.
He added, “INEC refused to attend because the proper signatory recognised by law, that is, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was not a signatory to the invitation notice.”
The minister described the development as provocative and annoying, stating the actions completely violated agreements.
Meanwhile, Chief Wike announced his withdrawal from all the agreements reached earlier and insisted on fighting until justice was served.
Politics
He Is God’s Gift To Nigeria, Arthur Eze Says Ahead Tinubu’s Second Year In Office

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Atlas Oranto Petroleum, Chief Arthur Eze, has described President Bola Tinubu as “God’s gift to Nigeria,” commending his leadership style, reform-driven governance, and dedication to national unity.
In a statement over the weekend, the Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said Chief Eze praised Tinubu in an upcoming State House documentary commemorating President Tinubu’s second anniversary in office.
Chief Eze noted that President Tinubu represents the bold, God-ordained leadership Nigeria requires at this critical juncture in its history.
“God doesn’t make mistakes. That man, Tinubu, was created for a purpose. God gave him the power to change lives.
“Tinubu has no enemies. He is a unifier. He speaks with humility and honesty; that’s why we admire him”, he said.
Drawing from his experiences during the Nigerian civil war and his strong ties to the south-east, Chief Eze said President Tinubu has shown unparalleled dedication to inclusivity and development in the region.
“What Tinubu has done for the Southeast, nobody else has. He gave us the Minister of Works, the Minister of Science and Technology, and the Southeast Development Commission. This is an opportunity for the Igbo to unite with the rest of Nigeria,” he said.
Commenting on the Renewed Hope Agenda, the business leader expressed confidence that President Tinubu has honoured his commitments.
He emphasised that the president assumed office during a period of economic fragility and political uncertainty but has displayed the wisdom and determination needed to guide the nation toward progress.
“God has given him the wisdom to change Nigeria for the good of the present and future generations,” Chief Eze said.
The Atlas Oranto CEO called on Nigerians to support the president in fostering stability, growth, and future prosperity.
“He’s not a man of division — whether Christian or Muslim, he respects all. All he asks is that we pray to God and work together,” he said.
Additionally, Eze prayed that “may God guide Nigeria and President Tinubu,” adding that “he gave him this power and will help him complete the job”.
Politics
Electoral Reforms: Group Seeks Partnership, Collaboration With NUJ

A civil society organisation, Kimpact Developmental Initiative (KDI), has briefed the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on various initiatives it (KDI) has undertaken to engage critical stakeholders such as the National Assembly members with regard to the implementation of the much needed electoral reforms for the advancement of the democratisation process in the country.
The Programme Director of KDI, Sannom Sarki, accompanied by the Senior Programme Officer, Gbemisola Adebowale, said this when the National Democratic Institute of the United States and the KDI paid a courtesy visit to the National Secretariat of the NUJ in Abuja, recently.
Lady Sannom explained that KDI has been collating feedbacks from its engagements across the six geopolitical zones, part of which included a national survey of over 4,000 youths across the country that focused on the youths evaluation and assessments of key aspects of the country’s electoral processes which has the ultimate goal of promoting electoral reform and effective governance.
She solicited the support and collaboration of the NUJ in achieving these objectives, emphasising the importance of enhanced relationship between the two organisations.
According to the leaders of the NDI Nigeria and the KDI, Mr Bem Aga and Sannom Sarki, the visit was aimed at strengthening the existing collaborative relationship between their organisations and the NUJ, and to explore ways of discovering new frontiers, especially in the area of electoral reforms.
Mr Aga, Programmes Director of the NDI Nigeria, who led the delegation, expressed his organisation’s readiness to work closely with the Alhassan- led administration of the NUJ to achieve shared collective goals.
He also emphasised the importance of the mutual relationship between the NDI and the NUJ and stressed the need to further strengthen the partnership to achieve greater shared objectives.
Mr Aga also underscored the significance of the developmental initiatives being undertaken through its partnership with KDI which is aimed at orientating Nigerian youths towards participating actively in the democratic governance of the country.
In his response, the NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya, who warmly welcomed the KDI and DNI delegations, pledged to work closely with the two organisations.
Comrade Yahya gave the assurance that NUJ would do all it could to fully collaborate with the NDI and the KDI, leveraging on the Union’s structures across the 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Comrade Yahya also extended an invitation to the NDI and KDI to the upcoming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Union for the purpose of making a presentation.
It is hoped that this successful visit will mark the beginning of a renewed partnership between the NUJ, NDI, and KDI. It is expected that the renewed collaboration will yield positive outcomes, particularly in the areas of governance, youth development, and robust media engagements.
The highpoints of the occasion included presentation of mobilisation materials and group photographs.
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