Politics
Rivers Lawmaker’s Death Hurts Reps Member
The member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, and Chairman, House Committee on Host Communities, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Robinson Dekor, has described the death of Hon DineBari Loolo, member representing Khana State Constituency two in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a personal loss and big blow to the Ogoni people.
Obviously devastated by the sudden news of the death of a man he said was a close and reliable ally, Rt. Hon. Dekor said the Ogoni people have sadly lost a rare gem.
Rt. Hon. Dekor made the remarks during a condolence visit to the wife and family of late Hon. Loolo at their Port Harcourt residence.
Accompanying the federal lawmaker on the visit were: Chairman of Khana Local Government Council, Hon. Thomas Bariere; former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Befii Nwile; the Acting Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Dr. Moses Neebee; His Majesty Suanu T. Y. Baridam, Gbenemene, and Kasimene VII of Ancient Bangha Kingdom; Hon. Inaania LeneBari, Chairman, PDP, Khana LGA, among other prominent Ogoni sons and leaders of the PDP in Khana.
Hon. Loolo’s demise, the federal lawmaker regretted, is not only a loss to his immediate family but also to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he (the deceased) was elected into the State legislature, and to Rivers State as a whole.
For the short period he served the State as lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Dekor noted, late Barr. Loolo was a rallying point because of his humility, legislative acumen and imitable sense of reasoning.
He regretted that late Hon. Loolo spent only spent 6 months in office during the 8th Assembly while death has just cut short his service to his fatherland barely three months in office in the 10th Assembly.
“My brother, and friend, Hon. Barr. DineBari Loolo, was an accomplished professional, respected politician and astute administrator. By dint of hard work, he was deservedly chosen by our people over his political opponents as our representative in the State House of Assembly.
“And while serving as a lawmaker, he made a remarkable mark, always radiating exceptional brilliance and courage. Loolo’s memories will continue to live with me as a brother, and friend, an associate and close ally who was always there for me and my family in all my political endevours”, Rt. Hon. Dekor reminisced.
The former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and one time Commissioner for Works in the state, however, expressed the belief that all hope was not lost as his late friend had a good family and left behind many he lifted as well as worthy legacies of honour and hard work.
He enjoined late Hon. Loolo’s wife to take solace in the fact that her husband lived a life worthy of emulation.
“On behalf of my wife, the good people of Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, I commiserate with the immediate family, the entire Loolo family, and the members of the PDP in Khana, and pray the ever faithful God to grant the family and all his loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss, and as well grant the soul of the departed eternal rest”, Rt. Hon. Dekor prayed.
Politics
Protest Rocks Kano Over Appeal Court Judgment
Protests erupted in Kano city and its environs on Monday afternoon with the demonstrators denouncing the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal that sacked the state Governor, Abba Yusuf.
The Tide’s source reports that uneasy calm pervaded the state capital following a contradictory Certified True Copy of the Appeal Court that affirmed the prayers of both the appellant and the respondent in the contentious Kano governorship, though the judiciary had since cleared the air.
In what appeared like a coordinated action on Monday, huge crowd of protesters had stormed strategic positions in the city as it visited temporary hiccups on commercial activities.
Kano- Zaria Road, Maiduguri Road by Muhammadu Buhari’s interchange, and Kantin Kwari (Kano textile market) were taken over by hundreds of youths who called for justice for Abba Yusuf.
Some of the placard read: “Kano my city my state”, “Justice for Kano”, “ Justice for Abba”, “Abba’s mandate was stolen in 2019, we will not allow it happen in 2023″.
The protest came on the heels of discovery by the Police that “some faceless group are bent on unleashing violence in Kano”, stressing that the police were on top of the situation.
Cp Hussaini Gumel told newsmen in Kano on Monday that already 7 suspects had been arrested and would be arraigned soon.
Gumel revealed that “we have the understanding with the leadership of the contending political parties, and they have signed a peace pact. In view of that, therefore, any one found outside this arrangement will be treated as common criminal”.
However, normalcy had since returned to the ancient city following the peaceful protest that lasted several hours.
Politics
NASS To Receive Tinubu’s 2024 Appropriation Bill, Today
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today, present the 2024 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly.
Secretary, Research and Information of the National Assembly, Dr Ali Barde Umoru, confirmed this on Monday to journalists while requesting the list of those to be allowed into the chamber during the budget presentation.
This will be the first budget estimate President Tinubu will present to the National Assembly in person.
He had earlier transmitted two supplementary budgets, 2022 and 2023, to the National Assembly, which the parliament speedily approved.
President Tinubu had, weeks ago, also forwarded to both chambers of the National Assembly, the 20224-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) where the sum of N26.1 trillion was proposed as the total expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.
The Senate, following the recommendation of its joint committee, which scrutinised the document, approved the MTEF/FSP.
It approved the N26.1trn proposed as the 2024 budget and other parameters as proposed by President Tinubu.
It approved the new borrowings of N7.8 trillion, pegged the benchmark of oil price for 2024 at $73.96, and oil production volume per day at 1.78 million barrels.
Other parameters approved are a GDP growth rate of 3.76%, an inflation rate of 21.40%, an exchange rate of N700 to $1 dollar, and a projected budget deficit of N9.04 trillion.
Politics
Muslim Clerics Offer Prayers For Tinubu, Kwankwaso In Kano
Over 1,000 Islamic clerics have offered special prayers for President Bola Tinubu and the NNPP national leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, for peace, progress and political stability in Nigeria.
Abdulmumin Kofa (NNPP-Kiru/Bebeji) hosted the ulamas at Kiru for the success of Governor Kabir Yusuf of Kano State at the Supreme Court, according to a statement by the lawmaker’s media aide, Sani Paki, on Monday.
During the prayer session, the clerics recited the Qur’an 1,101 times and prayed for peace, progress and political stability in the country.
Mr Kofa said his relationship with the president was no secret, noting that Mr Kwankwaso is his mentor. He said he would continue to support and promote a harmonious relationship between Messrs Tinubu and Kwankwaso.
Mr Kofa described NNPP as a promising party open to collaboration, alliance and merger with the APC and even with the People’s Democratic Party, Labour Party or any other party that showed interest, so long as it is for the good of Nigerians.
He also promised to deploy his modest political network to reach out to gladiators in Kano politics towards resolving all resolvable issues and to de-escalate the current tension in the state due to the Kano governorship seat.
Also, after the prayer session, the legislator hosted 5,000 primary school kids across his constituency, as he often does, and provided them with school kits.
According to the statement, Mr Kofa assured the pupils of the good plans of the federal and state governments, especially on free education and free school feeding programmes.
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