Politics
Abaribe Wants More Women In Governance
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Senate minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has called for more inclusiveness of women, saying their role in the nation’s development can no longer be ignored.
Abaribe who stated this at the opening ceremony of the silver jubilee celebration and conference of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria, NILOWV, in Abuja, noted that the country must come up with a strategy to encourage women participation in the political process.
“We must try to encourage and support women as much as we can because we cannot have 50 per cent of our society not being given the opportunity to contribute to society. We must realize that the good of society also depends on women because they are our nurturers. If things are not going well for women, you can imagine how that will affect the rest of us,” he said.
The federal lawmaker also lamented the plight of women in their quest for elective offices, saying a lot of hurdles have been stacked against them in the past.
“I think what is going on is that ignorance is being pushed and of course religion and traditional practices are used to suppress women. So, it is up to women with education to arise and speak up. One of the things that even men find difficult to understand is that women sometimes find it difficult to support themselves and that is a bit difficult for those of us who continue to push for women to get farther than they are at the moment,” he added.
Speaking earlier, President and founder of NILOWV, Esther Uduehi, said the time had come for Nigerian women to take their place in the collective task of nation-building.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Nigerian women: overcoming challenges in politics and leadership for national development,” Uduehi noted that the organization “seeks to empower women and girls from age 18 and above politically and economically for national development,” adding that NILOWV “believes that if the nation is to progress, there is need for gender mainstreaming in all facets of life.
According to her, “gender inequality is not a women’s issue but an economic one. Gender inequality does more harm to the general and economic development of any country and every effort should be made to enthrone gender equality in Nigeria.”
The group called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government as well as sub-national governments to do everything possible to consider the full implementation of the 35 per cent affirmative action for women.
Other dignitaries at the event include, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, Special Assistant to President Buhari on Political Affairs, Babafemi Ojudu, among others.
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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