Politics
New Primate Wants Christians Active Involvement In Politics
The New Anglican Primate in Church of Nigeria, His Grace, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh has urged Christians to participate actively in the politics of the country to provide the much-needed good leadership.
Okoh spoke in his sermon at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Gwarinpa, Abuja shortly after his presentation as the 4th Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria.
The new Primate argued that if Christians refused to get in active involvement in politics because of the dirty nature of he political game, the situation would give room for unchristian minds to hijack the political scene to the detriment of the citizenry.
The Archbishop noted that the Nigeria and Nigerians stand to gain if persons with the fear of God rule the polity. “When the righteous rules, the nation rejoices,” the cleric quoted the scripture to buttress his point.
The minister of God who blamed Nigeria’s woes on poor leadership said the involvement of more Christians in politics would strengthen the walls of Nigerian leadership to enhance quality service delivery to the citizenry.
He however, advised Nigerian leaders to pursue the general good of the people and not the interest of their pockets, noting that there is always a time for stewardship and accountability.
In another development, the General Overseer, Faith Revival Apostolic Church (FRAC), Idimu, Lagos, Apostle Paul Adenuga also stressed the need for active involvement of the church in politics in Nigeria.
Adenuga told newsmen that the involvement of upright and God-fearing people would provide the much-needed good leadership.
The cleric spoke at the end of a programme tagged: “Power to Heal Sickness,” held at the Church headquarters in Idimu, Lagos.
He however, advised Christians wishing to contest elective positions in 2011 “not to bring shame to Christianity through corrupt tendencies but to emulate Christ and not bring shame to his name.”
“They should remember that the world is not their home and would one day give account of their stewardship to God. If they understand this, they cannot misbehave,” he said.
Adenuga explained that people should seek not elective posts for the sake of pursuing personal wealth but to enrich the lives of others.
According to him, any Christian politician, who has failed the people cannot claim to be a Christian, noting that such a politician only operate under the cloak of religion.
Adenuga said for Nigeria to develop, there is a need for people in position of power to tell the followers the truth at all times.
He asked Church leaders to seek God’s forgiveness and return to true fellowship with Christ.
He decried the current spate setting up missionary universities by some Churches with the sole aim of making money. He said such motives have ruined the objective of missionary schools which were set up to provide morals and instill the fear of God in students.
Politics
2024 Budget: Funds Were Shared Among Senators -Abaribe
The lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has explained how the Zonal Intervention Project funds were shared among senators.
Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday revealed that ranking senators got N500 million each while he got nothing.
Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.
Speaking on the development on a live television interview on Wednesday, Senator Abaribe denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Senator Jarigbe.
Senator Abaribe said he got N266 million from the money allocated to lawmakers in the six geo-political zones.
According to him, lawmakers from some zones, like the Northwest, which has seven states, would expect to get less than what he got, as his Southeast zone has only five states.
He said, “I have been saying that all fingers are not equal and by privilege of office, certain people will get but not every Senator gets an equal amount.
“These are six zones in the country, and every zone gets its own N10 billion in intervention. Now, if you are from the Northwest zone, because you have seven states, the senator will get less than me who comes from the five-state zone.
“My state, Abia, gets N2 billion and if we break it down for both the Senate and the representatives, the Senate is getting 40% and the House gets 60%.
“I got about N266 million as zonal intervention. The person in the Northwest who has seven states, will necessarily get less, about a hundred million and something.
“So it’s not correct when we say every constituency must get an equal amount.”
Politics
Dump PDP, Enhance Your Value, APC Woos Gov Mutfwang
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has been advised to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that his good works and value can appreciate more.
The call was made on Wednesday by the North Central APC Forum in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during the forum’s first quarter of the year meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, the APC Forum Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, said they were meeting to review the state of the party in the region as well as the region’s economic and security situation, adding that the position of the Plateau State Governor was vital in the overall development of the region.
Zazzaga, who was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the last election, commended Governor Mutfwang for carrying the citizenry along in his developmental efforts, noting that his approach to boost peace and security of the state as well as his calm personality was impressive.
However, he said for the governor to attain a robust and exhaustive achievement of his agenda, policies and the development of Plateau State, he should defect to the APC.
He said the governor’s defection would not amount to relegating his former party to the background, but would rather strengthen him more to develop Plateau State.
According to the Chairman, the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, is a good example of someone who seeks development for his people and the nation at large, using any vital and handy platform or party to advance his cause.
“Governor Caleb Mutfwang has so far shown that he is a progressive governor through his works, words and deeds since assuming office. But for him to advance more, he should consider joining the APC.
“This is because joining the APC will put him on the same page with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has the interest of Plateau in his heart and has been doing his best to advance it.
“Besides, Governor Mutfwang will be on the same page with his other counterparts in the North Central who are of the APC, and together they will have a common ground and work for the interest and development of the region in general and their specific states in particular.
“Also, most of the legislators from the state are in APC, and they can work hand-in-hand to move the state forward, because the relationship between the executive and the legislature cannot be overemphasized in the pursuance of progress and development.
Politics
Step Aside Over Alleged Budget Padding, PDP Urges Akpabio
The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) on Wednesday demanded that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately steps aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
In a statement released by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, the main opposition party also demanded that Akpabio immediately report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case relating to N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State, allegedly looted under his watch as the governor.
The party similarly told the Senate President to speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam that allegedly occurred in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The PDP condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the Senate “without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.”
Recall that Ningi blew the whistle on the alleged unexplained N3.7 trillion inserted into the budget, leading to his suspension from the chamber for allegedly disparaging the legislature.
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