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PDP Lawmakers Differ On Reps Plan To Summon Jonathan

Some opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have reacted to the plans by an ad-hoc committee investigating the $1.3 billion Malabu Oil deal to summon former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, over his role in the controversial award of OPL 245 licence.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, who also chairs the ad-hoc panel investigating the scandal, Razak Atunwa, had told newsmen, yesterday, that his committee would invite the former president for questioning.
Atunwa later released a statement to the media restating his position, with sources saying that the committee has the approval of the Speaker to summon the former president.
Although Jonathan has denied receiving anything from the over $800million transferred into the private account of ex-petroleum minister, Dan Etete, by his administration, from the money paid by oil giants, Shell and ENI; investigations in Nigeria, United States and Italy, indicate that the former president may have benefitted from the deal.
Apart from Jonathan, other officials believed to have benefitted from the Malabu funds, include his former justice minister, Mohammed Adoke, and then petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
It is based on recent revelations suggesting Jonathan’s involvement that the committee decided to invite the former president.
However, some lawmakers from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have, however, expressed reservations with the decision.
Atunwa, like House Speaker, Hon Yakubu Dogara, is of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but his committee, like the House of Representatives, also has PDP members.
In an interview, yesterday, the House Minority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor, said there are modalities in summoning an ex-president.
“If it is the resolution of the House, we’ll follow it logically,” he said, adding that, “This isn’t the first time a former president will be summoned by the House”
The PDP House leader said rather than summon the former president; the two oil firms (Shell and ENI) who paid the money into the Federal Government account should be investigated.
“The ex-president said he doesn’t have a foreign account,” he said.
“I think the committee should rather investigate the oil firms, the minister of petroleum and attorney general since they participated in signing the MoU.”
He, however, expressed optimism that Jonathan will be exonerated at the end of the investigation.
“I chaired that committee in the 7th Assembly, we did our investigations, and I’m sure Jonathan will be exonerated”.
Also commenting on the potential summon, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, a PDP lawmaker from Edo State, said he was not aware of such plans but believes the ex-president will appear if summoned.
“I know Jonathan is a man who believes in the rule of law, he will definitely appear if he is invited.
“We shouldn’t be talking about that now since he has not been invited”, Agbonayinma said.
He said the allegations against the former president, who is spearheading moves to unite a factionalised PDP, had not been proven in court.
Also speaking on the matter, Nicholas Ossai, from Delta State, said any plan to invite the former president must be discussed at plenary.
“Former presidents, irrespective of their political parties are senior citizens, and there are certain levels of respect accorded to them”, he said.
“If there is any plan to summon him, it has to be deliberated on the floor of the House”.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.