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Reps Reject Bill Requiring Presidential Poll Winner To Secure Over 50% Votes

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The house of representatives has thrown out a bill that sought to make it compulsory for presidential and governorship candidates to secure more than 50 percent of the total votes cast, to be declared winners.
The bill seeking to change the current simple majority system of electing the president and governors, suffered a setback on the floor of the green chamber on Wednesday.
Sponsored by Awaji–Inombek Abiante, a lawmaker from Rivers, the bill sought to make it mandatory for a presidential candidate to be declared winner only if he or she scores more than half of the total votes cast, where there are more than two candidates in the contest.
According to the constitution, to win the presidential election, a candidate needs to obtain 25 percent of the votes in at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), along with an overall simple majority.
If a candidate fails to meet both requirements, a run-off occurs between the candidate with the highest vote count and the candidate with the most votes across most states.
Section 134 (1) of the constitution states that a “candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected, where, there being only two candidates for the election:
“(a) he has the majority of votes cast at the election; and
“(b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“(2) A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election:
“(a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and
“(b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”
Section 134 also stipulates same for governorship candidates.
But Abiante’s bill proposed that in a presidential race with more than two candidates, a candidate must secure a majority of the total votes which constitutes over 50 percent.
The bill had not even been debated when lawmakers roundly rejected it.
Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, called for the bill to be seconded after its presentation by Abiante.
However, as soon as the bill was seconded and put to a voice vote, it was rejected with louder “nays” than “ayes”.
The bill’s rejection process was highly unusual, as bills are typically rejected after the general principle has been debated.

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Why I Won’t Help Tinubu’s Govt Overcome Economic Challenges – Sanusi

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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.

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Reps Loses Deputy Chief Whip

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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.

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Aiyedatiwa Dissolves Cabinet, Retains Finance Commissioner, Attorney-General

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Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has dissolved the State Executive Council.
The State Executive Council members include commissioners, Special Advisers and the Secretary to the State Government, SSG.

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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