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Poor Preparation, Absence Of Lawmakers Stall Debate In House Of Reps

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4 years ago

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Some bills and motions slated for debate in yesterday’s plenary at the House of Representatives were stepped down as the legislators who sponsored the bills and motions were absent at proceedings.
The bills and motions were stepped down when the Deputy Speaker of the house, Rep. Ahmed Wase, who presided over the sitting, called the members to lead the debate.
Some of the members were not on the floor while others approached the Chairman House Committee on rules and Business to ask that the bills and motions be stepped down for further consultations.
The nine bills and motions, as listed on the Order Paper for debate, were stepped down as a result of the absence of lawmakers and poor preparation.
The bills are – “A Bill for an Act to Provide for Upgrade and Conversion of Iron and Steel Company Clinic, Ajaokuta, to a Federal Teaching Hospital, Ajaokuta, to Provide Facility for Healthcare Services and Medical Training for students of the Federal University, Lokoja; and for Related Matters (HB.1207) (Rep. Lawal Muhammed Idirisu) for Second Reading).
“A Bill for an Act to Repeal the National War College Act, Cap.N82, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Enact the National Defence College Bill; and for Related Matters (HB. 1143), sponsored by Rep. Aminu Ashiru Mani for Second Reading.
“A Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act, Cap. N117, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters (HB. 868) – (Rep. Dozie Ferdinand Nwankwo) for Second Reading.
“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to make the Vice President and Deputy Governors Act for the President and Governors respectively in official functions; and for Related Matters (HB. 997) (Rep. Olajide Olatubosun for Second Reading.
“Urgent Need to Investigate the Clandestine Operations of the Agencies Responsible for Land Allocation, Administration, and Development Control in the Federal Capital Territory by Rep. James Adisa Owolabi:
“Need to Ascertain the Progress of Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment Programmes in the country, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Idahosa.
“Need to Establish a Unity School in Surulere 11, Federal Constituency of Lagos State, sponsored by Rep. Shoyinka Abiola Olatunji:
“Need to Complete Omoku–Egbeda–Uju–Awara–Obosima–Owerri Road Project, sponsored by Rep. Uchechuku Nnam–Obi.
Reacting to the development, the Majority Leader of the house, Rep. Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano), urged his colleagues to always liaise with the house committee chairman on rules and business.
He said that the chairman of rules and business committee must get in touch with relevant members so that bills are not put on schedule only to be stepped down because the member is not on the floor of the House.
He said this mostly affects “Bills that are meant for second reading, second reading bills are very fundamental, it is when a member is expected to debate the general principles of the Bill.
“All members should please take it very seriously and be more dutiful when time comes for any bill to be taken for second reading,’’ he said.
Also, the minority Leader of the house, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta), urged members to always check their mails as the committee on rules and business do send messages to alert member ahead of plenary.
“I align myself with the submission of the House leader, but also let us refresh our memory that on this floor, members accused the Rules and Business Chairman of being selective in listing bills that are before him.
“I think what he has tried to do is to ensure that everybody is given equal representation in terms of listing their bills.
“Members should always check their mails, emails are sent before sitting. I think some members do not go through their mails,’’ he said.
The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, said that the bills that were stepped down will not be rescheduled again until the sponsors explain their absence on the floor of the house.
“I think the observation brought by the leader (Doguwa) is getting quite serious. Out of the good number of Bills that has been scheduled today, majority of the members are not available to present them.
“I think we will not reschedule them again until they have cogent explanations as to why we should.
“For that reason, I am inviting all those who are not here to present their bills to a meeting maybe within this week,’’ he said.
Wase, however, said that”A bill for an Act to Amend the Immigration Act, Cap. I1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for Payment of all Monies Received by the Service into the Federation Account, in accordance with Section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to Establish the Nigerian Immigration Patrol Border Patrol Agent as a specialised Directorate in the Nigeria Immigration Service to Patrol, Maintain Surveillance, Conduct Borderline, Watch and Prevent Persons from Entering or Leaving Nigeria without Permission and to Provide for Deployment of Border Technology to Facilitate the Prevention of Illegal Migrants through Nigeria’s Porous Borders; and for Related Matters (HBs.201, 774 and 1156), sponsored by Rep. Dachung Musa Bagos, Rep. Benjamin Bem Mzondu and Rep. Armayau Abdulkadir for Second Reading”, was stepped down based on the advice of the leadership of the house as the Federal Government was in the process of privatizing the asset.

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Cleric Tasks APC On Internal Stability, Warns Otti

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5 days ago

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November 24, 2025

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In a dramatic escalation of spiritual commentary on Nigeria’s shifting political climate, the General Overseer of Light of the World International Church, Prophet Joshua Arogun, has issued a stern prophetic alert concerning the internal workings of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as the political trajectory of Abia State.
Speaking during a weekend prayer gathering in Lagos, the prophet delivered what he described as “a message directly from the throne of heaven,” urging political actors across the country not to ignore the warning signs unfolding in the nation’s political sphere.
Echoing earlier prophecies from other religious voices, Prophet Arogun raised concerns about the APC’s internal stability under its current national leadership.
According to him, divine scrutiny has intensified over the party, and any attempt to manipulate its internal democratic systems would spell disaster at the polls.
“Heaven is watching the process, not just the outcome. Any undemocratic means of bringing candidates into the APC such as imposition, manipulation, or forced consensus will trigger an automatic loss at the polls. This is a spiritual law already activated”, the prophet declared.
He insisted that the party’s future electoral fortunes would depend not on money or alliances, but on fairness, transparency, and genuine respect for the will of party members.
Turning to Abia State, Prophet Arogun delivered what many congregants described as a precise and unusually direct message.
He warned that the state was heading into a period of intense political realignment, marked by a clash between entrenched and emerging power blocs.
According to him, even if the sitting governor, Dr. Alex Otti, joins the APC, he must be ready to submit himself to a full and competitive primary rather than expecting a free pass.
“If Governor Otti joins the APC, he should come with humility and readiness to participate in the full electoral process. There are long-standing leaders in Abia State with structures, deep grassroots loyalty, and the capacity to unseat him if he underestimates them. People like Nkiru Onyejeocha and Orji Uzor Kalu are deeply rooted with massive follower-ship and acceptance by the people”, Prophet Arogun warned.

He predicted that before the next election cycle, Abia’s political landscape would witness broken alliances, surprising mergers, and new contenders emerging from within established networks.

Prophet Arogun concluded with a broader appeal to Nigeria’s political leaders, emphasizing the need for justice, peace, and integrity in public governance.

“Nigeria is the assignment. Only righteousness will stabilize this nation. Only fairness will preserve the mandate. Let those who have ears hear”, he said softly.

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DEFECTION: DON’T HIDE UNDER OLD SENTIMENTS TO FIGHT DIRI – AIDE 

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5 days ago

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November 24, 2025

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Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa State governor on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Wisdom Ikuli, has taken a swipe on persons he alleged were hiding under the guise of old sentiments to fight the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
He said one thing politicians of various divides in the state have forgotten was that before the inception of the administration of the governor, leadership and governance in the state were made the exclusive rights and preserves of just a few political actors.
 Hon. Ikuli alleged that participation in active politics, which seemed to have been the only ticket and guarantee for government patronage in the state, has changed since the inception of the Senator Diri’s administration.
“Before the ‘ASSURED Prosperity’ administration of his excellency, Senator Douye Diri, there were two broad categories of Bayelsans: politicians and beneficiaries of government patronage and spectators. But the coming into office of the prosperity governor changed all these and gave all Bayelsans equal opportunity and access to government.
“There’re incidents and situations where public officers even referred to state resources as their money. It was so because they were the then Chief Custodians of the commonwealth and patrimony of the state who were elected to hold and also manage the resources in trust.
“Few years ago, there was less emphasis on competence and performance. It was a case of ‘my turn versus wait for your turn’ to do whatever you like.
“Again, it was a known fact that Bayelsa State was regularly in the news for negative reasons. So, the lack or near absence of development and the negative impressions about the state resulted in her isolation, but the advent of the ‘ASSURED Prosperity Administration’ has changed the whole narrative.
“Under the ASSURED Prosperity administration, government and governance is all inclusive. All Bayelsans are partakers and critical stakeholders. As a matter of fact, you do not need to know anyone in government to get available benefits that are always thrown open to all, irrespective of political party affiliations”, he added.
The governor’s aide, who described him as ‘God sent’, noted that Senator Diri was  specifically brought in by God for the mission to change the story of the State and her citizens.
“What is happening in Bayelsa State is exactly what happened in Akwa Ibom State, where at a point, Akwa Ibomites were ashamed to introduce themselves as Akwa Ibomites. Most of them claimed their old identity as people from Cross River State. And so it was that God brought Senator Godswill Akpabio to change the story of his state when he was governor.
“Today, Gov. Douye Diri  has turned the whole of Bayelsa State to a construction site with roads and bridges criss-crossing everywhere. Government’s edifices, health centres, primary and secondary school buildings are not counted as major projects in the Diri’s administration, and I say so because they are almost countless, and are everywhere.
“Sadly and unfortunately too, some insignificant leaders without positive impacts on their people are trying to create impressions that Gov. Douye Diri left the PDP that gave him a platform to the APC. For this group of leaders and their followers that make up less than 5% of Bayelsans, their only credential is that they have remained in PDP for eternity.
“Bayelsans are not gullible. Vast majority of the people of the state know that political party is like a vehicle that conveys people from one destination to another. What is most important is the destination where available opportunities are harnessed and appropriated for the common good of the people”, Hon. Ikuli maintained.
The Governor’s Technical Adviser restated that it was no longer secret that  citizens of the State were eye witnesses to the fact that investors are now relocating from many places to the State due to the conducive business and investment atmosphere that the governor has created, noting
that the State’s number one citizen has not only restored peace and unity to the state, but that he is also working with stakeholders and various security agencies to make Bayelsa the safest in the country.
“The community policing strategy of the state is so unique that many states are emulating it. Governor Diri has successfully set a leadership and development standard for successive administrations to build upon as the state is no longer among the ones that are disregarded due to the vision and leadership style of our God-sent governor.
“The earlier those who are conspiring to paint the governor in bad light wake up to the realities of the time, the better for them. Never again shall Bayelsa State be entrusted to unserious characters whose only credentials is the number of years they have played politics and also stayed in a particular political party.
“Our Governor, Senator Douye Diri, is the greatest thing that has happened to our contemporary democracy. He is a God-sent leader that is leading very well, while we are following him”, the governor’s adviser said.
By: Ariwera  Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Makarfi Resigns As PDP BoT Secretary 

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2 weeks ago

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November 18, 2025

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Former Governor of Kaduna State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) Secretary, Senator Muhammed Makarfi, has resigned his position as the BoT Secretary of the party.

Senator Makarfi’s resignation comes on the heels of the national convention that saw the emergence of the new Chairman of PDP, Dr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

In his letter of resignation, which was addressed to the PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Monday evening, the former governor said, “Chairman and Members of the Board of Trustees may recall that about two months ago I had resigned as Secretary of the Board and posted same on the Board’s WhatsApp platform.

“Mr Chairman, you may also recall that you personally urged me to stay on until after a convention that produced a Chairman.”

He added that the principal reason he initially tendered his resignation then “and now, was and is still my belief that the National Chairman of the Party and Secretary of the Board of Trustees should not come from the same geopolitical zone.

“Now that a chairman has emerged from the North West, where I come from, it’s necessary to give him full space to do the needful. Accordingly, I hereby formally resign as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party with effect from today, November 17th, 2025.”

While commending the BoT Chairman for his support during his tenure as Secretary of the Board, he stressed, “I truly appreciate the very respectful relationship between us during my period as Secretary,” adding that, “I also appreciate all Board members for their support and the good relationship that prevailed during my period as Secretary.”

Meanwhile, Dr Turaki on Monday pledged to ensure that power returns to the Nigerian people, urging the judiciary to uphold the tenets of democracy.

Dr Turaki, while giving his acceptance speech after the swearing-in of new officers at the end of the Elective Convention of the PDP in Ibadan, assured that there will be “no more impunity, no more suppression of the will of Nigerians”.

The chairman appealed to the judiciary to uphold the principles of stare decision, abiding by the decisions of the Supreme Court, and not to “willingly or unwillingly put yourselves in a situation where, rightly or wrongly, it may be assumed, correctly or incorrectly, that you are part and parcel of the process to truncate Nigerian democracy.”

According to him, the new leadership of the party would be open to listening to the yearnings of members, with a view to aligning with their will, declaring that “No more monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” adding that “if baboon wants to chop, baboon must be seated to work.”

He noted that the PDP has maintained its original name, motto and logo, unlike the other parties that started with it, making it a recognised brand anywhere in Nigeria.

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