Featured
Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill …Approves Electronic Transmission, Direct Primary …NASS Assures Transmission To Buhari In Seven Days
The Senate, yesterday, approved the conference committee report on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The report was approved after the Senate Leader, YahayaAbdullahi, moved a motion, yesterday.
This is as the National Assembly has assured that a clean copy of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill will be transmitted to President MuhammaduBuhari for assent within seven days.
The Senate Leader, YahayaAbdullahi, who chaired the Conference Committee in the Senate, presented the report on the harmonised version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In his presentation, he said the bill when passed by the National Assembly, and subsequently assented into law by the president, would regulate the conduct of Federal, State and Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory Elections.
He disclosed that the Conference Committee at its retreat considered and adopted twenty-one clauses in the bill.
“It is imperative to point out that with the successful harmonisation of this bill a process that started from the 7th Assembly through to the 8th National Assembly has now been completed by the 9th National Assembly.
“The bill is now ready for passage and Presidential assent.
“I am happy to state that most of what we call ‘citizens top priorities’ on the Electoral Act Amendment, including the use of technology have been addressed by the Electoral Bill, 2021″, the Senate leader said.
The chamber on October 13, 2021, re-amended certain aspects of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill contained in Clauses 43, 52, 63 and 87, respectively.
The re-amendment to the clauses was duly carried out amid a motion for re-committal sponsored by Senator YahayaAbdullahi.
Accordingly, while adopting the conference committee report on Tuesday, the Senate approved the re-amended clauses to provide for direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.
It also empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Clause 63 to determine the procedure for voting and transmission of results during an election.
The Senate and House of Representatives had in July passed different versions of the bill.
While the Senate proposed either direct or indirect mode of party primary, the House of Representatives made direct primary mandatory for all parties.
The Senate had also in its version, empowered the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to determine the electronic transmission of election results.
The House did not give such powers to the NCC in its version.
The provision caused an outrage, with many calling on the Senate to follow the example of the House of Representatives which adopted the use of technology “where practicable.”
The development led to the setting up of a conference committee.
In the conference committee report, both chambers of the National Assembly empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the best mode to transmit election results.
The electoral commission will now have to decide how to transmit election results — either electronically or manually.
Both chambers also approved that all political parties must use the direct primary mode in picking candidates.
A clean copy of the bill is expected to be produced and sent by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Amos Ojo to President MuhammaduBuhari, for assent.
However, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Kalu has disclosed that a clean copy of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill will be transmitted by the National Assembly to President MuhammaduBuhari for assent within seven days.
Kalu briefed journalists, yesterday, after the House adopted the report of the joint committee on the electoral bill.
The House had adopted the report of the AkeemAdeyemi conference committee which he laid yesterday.
Kalu, who appeared alongside Adeyemi, said the lawmakers have done their parts and it was now left for the president to assent.
“Today, we have asked the bureaucrats to pass the ball to the executive. Within the seven days or thereabout, this particular piece of legislation will be migrating to the president, who is interested in seeing that democracy is grown in Nigeria.
“This he has shown by the recent election that took place in Nigeria, where many who depended on him calling the shots from Abuja were disappointed.”
The adoption of the report by the Committee of the Whole was not without controversy, as the minority leader kicked against the adoption of the report.
He accused the Femi Gbajabiamila-led House of rushing the consideration of the report without giving the members opportunity to review the report.
He was, however, ruled out of order by the speaker, who informed him that consideration of harmonisation report does not require debate.
Featured
Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work
Fubara, who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the surest path to victory is for the members of the Presidential Campaign Council drawn from the APC and the Rainbow Coalition to embrace the spirit of teamwork.
He said what the state was witnessing in the current political season is a repeat of the successful mobilization done in 2022 and 2023, when a large campaign council worked in unity to deliver victory for him and for President Tinubu.
He added that the present council is bigger, wider and better coordinated and should therefore achieve even better results.
He noted that the beauty of the new council is the fact that some persons who were in the opposition camp during the previous elections are now part of the team, saying their inclusion has made the task easier, provided everyone works as one team and with sincerity of purpose.
The governor thanked the Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the council to fruition, stressing that nothing is impossible especially when people work together for a common purpose.
He expressed optimism that with seriousness and commitment, the state would record a higher number of votes than it recorded in 2023.
Fubara, while congratulating members who made the list, appealed to those whose names were omitted not to be discouraged, as there are still sub-committees to be constituted and the list can still be updated, even as he warned against double loyalty.
He said the state has gone past the stage of division and is now looking to the future and what God holds for Rivers people, expressing confidence that with the strategy already put in place, the APC and the Rainbow Coalition would come out victorious in 2027.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Coordinator of the Campaign Council, Chief Nyesom Wike, while inaugurating the Council, lauded Fubara for finding time to attend the ceremony and other engagements of the Council in spite of his busy schedules.
Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/ Rainbow Coalition, reminded members of the Council that they were chosen based on their capacity to participate in the activities of the group and deliver positive results.
He charged them to work hard to win votes for the candidates of the APC and the Rainbow Coalition for the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly as well as State House of Assembly elections next year.
He disclosed that apart from the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, the Local Government Campaign Councils will soon be inaugurated to ensure better coverage of the grassroots during the current campaign season.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.
The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.
The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.
President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.
The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.
The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.
The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.
Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.
-
Politics4 days agoLG CITY BOY COORDINATOR HAILS WIKE’S SUPPORT FOR ONYESOH, TINUBU
-
Politics4 days ago
DIRI INAUGURATES APC CAMPAIGN COUNCIL, SETS MILLION VOTES TARGET FOR TINUBU
-
Politics4 days agoNDC Candidate Urges Oborevwori To Probe Asaba Political Violence
-
News4 days agoArmy Recovers X Account After Hack Attempt
-
Business8 hours ago
‘NUJ, NPA’s Partnership Would Boost Port Producrivity, Economic Growth’
-
Politics4 days ago
2027: Oborevwori Tasks Media On Fair, Accurate Reporting
-
Politics4 days ago
2027: AKPABIO ENVISAGES TINUBU’S VICTORY IN SOUTH SOUTH REGION
-
Business4 days agoNigeria Loses N17tr Yearly To Abandoned Projects