Politics

Speakership: Tinubu Settles For Abbas, Kalu As Speaker, Deputy

Published

5 months ago

May 7, 2023

There are indications that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has settled for Tajudeen Abbas and Ben Kalu as speaker and deputy speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, a move that leaves the North-central zone out of the top six positions.

Mr Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna State North-west, was picked as the preferred candidate during a meeting held on Friday afternoon at the Defence House, the official residence of the president-elect it was learnt.

Mr Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia State, South-east, was picked to balance what has now become a joint ticket.

Indications emerged on Friday that Mr Tinubu has also settled for Godswill Akpabio from Akwa-Ibom, South-south, and Barau Jibrin from Kano State, North-west, as senate president and deputy senate president respectively.

With Tinubu from the South-west and his running mate, Kashim Shettima from North-east—the presiding offices were expected to be zoned to the remaining four geopolitical zones.

However, Tinubu and his party have now zoned the Speaker and deputy senate president to the North-west, while the South-south and South-east now have senate president and deputy speaker respectively.

As things stand, there are still several aspirants in the race for the speakership but it’s unclear if they will agree to step down.

One of the aspirants from North-central, told PREMIUM TIMES on the condition of anonymity that he will not step down for anyone.

He said his consultation with leaders of the Labour Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governor Bala Mohammed and others gives him confidence that he will win the election scheduled for 13 June.

Other aspirants like Deputy Speaker Idris Wase (Plateau), Yusuf Gagdi (Plateau), Sada Soli (Katsina), Muktar Betara (Borno) Tunji Olawuyi (Kwara), Abubakar Makki (Jigawa), Aminu Jaji (APC, Zamfara), Ado Doguwa (Kano) and Miriam Onuoha ( Imo) are yet to react to the development.

Also, several other lawmakers have indicated interest in the deputy speaker position. They include Chinedu Ogah (Ebonyi), Adewumi Onanuga (Ogun), Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (Oyo) and Francis Waive (Delta).

Feature

Dollar is now the underground currency of Nigeria’s economy – Peter Obi

Published

1 day ago

October 2, 2023

Gift Oyekunmi

Businessman and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has lamented the ‘dollarisation’ of the Nigerian economy.

According to Peter Obi, the naira has faded in significance as the use of the dollar in the country has led to unproductivity.

“Dollar has become the underground currency of our economy. It shouldn’t be. We have a currency called the naira. All the things people use dollars to do that are not productive should be removed.’ Obi told Arise TV on Monday, October 2.

“I can assure you that when you remove it, it can strengthen the currency. Today, even when you want to do party primaries, people share dollars. That is not our currency.

“There should be a stiff penalty in dealing with the issue. If people earn dollars legitimately, let them spend it the way they want. However, it has now become a means of corruption and criminality in our system.”

Peter Obi added that the country should work more on exports to strengthen the currency.

Headline

Tribunal upholds Gov. Alia’s election

Published

1 week ago

September 23, 2023

Alero Danjuma

The Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Makurdi on Saturday upheld the victory of Gov. Hyacinth Alia of the APC in the March 18 Governorship Election.

Delivering the judgment, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Ibrahim Karaye, held that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain pre election issues raised by the petitioners, Titus Uba and PDP.

Karaye, who read the unanimous judgment, stated that only the Federal High Court had the exclusive jurisdiction to entertain issues bordering on pre-election matters.

He further said the petitioners’ case was also an abuse of court processes because the same case was filed by the petitioners before the Federal High Court Abuja Division and its judgment was not challenged by the petitioners.

He said the petitioners lacked locus standi to challenge the nomination of the 2nd and 3rd respondents by the 4th respondent since they were not members of the 4th respondent.

Justice Karaye further said that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of forgery against the 3rd respondent before the tribunal.

He said the 2nd and 3rd respondents were qualified to contest the March 18 Governorship Election and therefore, dismissed the case.

The petitioners, Titus Uba and the PDP, had dragged the respondents, INEC, Hyacinth Alia, Dr Sam Ode, and the APC before the tribunal, challenging their declaration by the INEC.

The petitioners argued that the 2nd and 3rd respondents, Gov Alia and Dr Ode, were at the time of contesting the election, not qualified to contest the March 18 Governorship Election.

They averred that the 4th respondent – the APC – did not follow the provisions of the law in the nomination of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

They also alleged that the 3rd respondent had presented a forged certificate to the 1st respondent, INEC, therefore, should be disqualified.

They, therefore, prayed among other things, for the nullification of their election and declare the petitioners as winners of the election, having scored second highest lawful votes.

The also contended that having not qualified to contest the election, their votes should be declared invalid and certificates earlier issued to them by INEC be withdrawn.

NAN reports that the petitioners in the suit did not challenge the result of the March 18 Benue Governorship Election but qualifications of the candidates.

However, the respondents in their counter arguments, urged the tribunal to dismiss the suit in its entirety as it was an abuse of court processes.

The respondents stated that the Federal High Court Abuja Division, had before the election, delivered judgment on the same matter which was filed by the petitioners but they did not appeal the judgment till date.

They also said that the issues raised were all pre election matter and only the Federal High Court had the exclusive jurisdiction to entertain same.

The 2nd and 3rd respondents clearly stated that since the prayers sought by the petitioners were all pre-election matters, the petitioners case was status bar and should be struck out.

They said the petitioners lacked locus standi to challenge the nomination of candidates of other political parties as they were mere meddlesome interlopers.