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Electoral Act: Reps Fight Over e-Transmission Of Results
Row over the consideration and passage of the Electoral Act Amendment, yesterday, spread to the lower chambers of the National Assembly as members of the House of Representatives engaged themselves in exchange of blows.
The Chairman of the Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Ashatu Dukku, after presenting the report of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2021, urged the House to consider and pass the bill for the smooth conduct of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.
The House quickly dissolved into a Committee of the Whole presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, for the clause-by-clause consideration of the amendment bill.
Mid-way into the exercise, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu (PDP-Enugu) raised a point of order over clause 52 (2) of the amendment bill, saying that the clause should be amended to read that there shall be electronic transmission of all election results.
The amendment was duly seconded by the Deputy Whip, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
At this juncture, Wase expressed divergent opinion, and said that the amendment may not be in the best interest of the nation as many rural communities do not have up to 20 per cent access to electronic devices for it.
He said, “I make bold to say that only less than 20 per cent of my constituency has network coverage”.
When the motion was put to vote, the “ayes” were clearly louder but the deputy speaker ruled in favour of “nays”.
The action drew the anger of the lawmakers and commotion ensued.
When calm returned to the chambers, the deputy speaker complained that some of his colleagues insulted him.
“We have legal rights to canvass issues and lobby each other. I take exception to those who came in here to insult me”, he stated.
However, Wase’s explanation could not abate the situation as members continued their opposition to his ruling against the adoption of electronic transmission of results.
In the midst of the heated arguments, Hon. James Faleke moved an amendment that, “results should be transmitted both electronically and manually” but was shouted down.
Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, intervened, and advised the deputy speaker to accommodate as many amendments as he can but this fell on deaf ears.
But leader of the House, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, countered the speaker, reasoning that once an issue has been ruled on by the presiding officer, it cannot be resurrected.
Surprisingly, Wase, who presided over the session, said that the ‘nays’ had it, thereby throwing the House into a rowdy session.
Immediately he hit the gavel in his infamous ruling, many of the lawmakers moved up from their seats to that of the presiding officer to register their anger.
Some of the lawmakers, particularly of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) were heard shouting no! no! no! at the chambers.
It took the intervention of the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was seated at the first row at the chamber, to calm the lawmakers’ frayed nerves.
Gbajabiamila had told the House that it was imperative to get it right in this issue of amendment to the nation’s electoral laws.
He advised that the House to rule on the position canvassed by a member, Hon. James Faleke, to the effect that those who want manual transmission of results vote separately from those who want electronic transmission of results.
But the speaker’s counsel was not acceptable to the House Leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa, who immediately stood up, and countered the speaker’s position.
He said that the ruling of any presiding officer of the House on any issue was sacrosanct, adding that on this issue, the deputy speaker had ruled.
The deputy speaker, who later addressed the House amidst the crisis generated by the ruling, said that he was surprised that the lawmakers would behave the way they did on the matter.
He said, “I take exception to the conduct of some members who came here and abused me. It happened.
“If we have to transmit election results electronically, what happens to the farmers in rural areas in Plateau and Kebbi states?”.
But the lawmakers did not agree with the presiding officer as many of them left their seats to consult their other colleagues on the matter, and the rowdy session lingered.
So many other lawmakers later moved over to the presiding officer’s seat, and staged a protest to register their grievances on the ruling.
In the midst of it all, Hon. Yusuf, Mark Gbillah, Chudy Momah and a host of others made physical advances at each other.
Gbajabiamila, who participated in the voting from the floor, took over the proceedings, and announced the adjournment of the House till 10am today for continuation of the voting on the amendment bill.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.