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NASS Cannot Be Intimidated – Dogara
The National Assembly says it cannot be intimidated into abandoning its duty of providing platform for Nigerians to agree or disagree on any proposed legislative measure.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara said this yesrerday in Abuja in his remarks at the resumption of plenary after the legislators’ seven-week recess.
Dogara, reacting to the controversy surrounding the NGO Bill, said that transparency was what Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) promoted and therefore, should welcome the opportunity to interrogate the issues with open arms.
According to him, everyone should understand that the principal objective of the NGO Regulation Bill is to inject transparency, accountability and prevent the subversion of national security from within and without.
“No one can nor indeed, should gag the operations of NGOs in Nigeria.
“But, just as they aspire for this freedom, it must be stated that freedom does not come without responsibility as there is no such thing as freedom to be irresponsible.
“There are also desperate attempts to instigate religious bodies and cultural organizations to oppose the Bill by spreading falsehood that they are the target of this bill.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let me state once again that churches, mosques, esussu, market women associations as well as local quasi financial institutions are “not NGOs’’ and thus, the bill has nothing to do with their operations.
“The legislative process cannot be short circuited,’’ he said.
The speaker said that members of the Lower Chamber were also aware of the criticism over the NGO Bill which had passed second reading and was at committee stage.
“Honourable members are also aware that the media have been awash with scathing criticism of the institution of the House of Representatives over the NGO Regulation Bill which has passed second reading and is at committee stage.
“Public criticism of the content of the Bill is a welcome development and there are many who are doing just that.
“Indeed, it is the reason why every Bill is subjected to public hearing so that the inputs of stakeholders can be obtained to ensure public buy-in.
“I hasten to say that all Nigerians and other corporate persons, including non-Nigerians, are stakeholders and have a right to support or oppose a Bill.
“However, when opinions are targeted at disparaging the institution of the legislature, then it becomes imperative to interrogate the motives driving such, especially when this emanates from those who should know,’’ he said.
Dogara also urged Nigerians to desist from hate speech, saying it had no place in democracy and could instigate violence.
According to him, hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence.
“We must learn to love one another, understand each other and respect each other for Nigeria to reach her full potential politically, socially and economically.
“Of course, all healthy democracies are noisy, but they are filled with noise that elicits debate, not noise that incites to violence.
“When speech or noise leads to debate, it’s called free speech but when noise or speech incites to violence then that is hate speech.
“Hate speech has no place in a democracy and must never be tolerated or allowed.
“Words are powerful and once spoken, it’s difficult, if not impossible to take them back. Words have the power to create the atmosphere in which we live.
“There is nothing that exists that was not created by or in consequence of spoken words. Hate speech multiplies words that have the capacity to drown the truth.
“In the midst of hate speech, the truth is usually the casualty. There lies the real danger of hate speech. Yet, it is only in the truth that everything finds its worth,’’ Dogara said. (NAN)
A former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, has claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is “playing god” in the current political crisis that has pitched him against the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Dokubo also chided President Bola Tinubu for, according to him, handing over “Rivers and Bayelsa” to the ex-governor.
“He is now playing god. It is dead on arrival, all those things that he is doing,” Dokubo said in a video that surfaced on X.com on Monday.
He added, “I advise my friend, President Bola Tinubu; what you are doing to all Ijaw, Ikwerre people in Rivers State (sic). You took Rivers state and gave it one man”
In April, Fubara revealed that the administration has raised the monthly Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N12 billion which he met upon assumption of office to N27 billion.
Dokubo described the development as commendable while alleging that the governor only had access to N6 billion when he assumed office.
“The governor had come out to say that the IGR for Rivers State is now N27bn up from N12bn. The governor is even being economical with the truth. When the governor came in, they were giving him a paltry sum of N6bn,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another twist to the ongoing crisis, Fubara on Monday said that he would set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
He disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticized recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
He stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a tripartite committee to streamline visa processes and acquisition for investors interested in investing in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this, yesterday, after the FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our visa processes are becoming cumbersome. The ease of doing business is also tied to our visa processes.
“Going forward, those investors, tourists would find it easy to acquire a visa within the next 48 hours,” Idris said.
The meeting which began on Monday was adjourned till Tuesday to allow for other “far-reaching” decisions, the information minister had told journalists.
News
Panel To Probe Governance In Rivers Underway -Fubara …Swears In Iboroma As New Attorney-General
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his readiness to set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
Fubara disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticised recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
Fubara stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
Addressing the new AG, the governor said, “You have a big task. As it is today in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affair of governance.”
The governor further said there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration, saying, “If we disagree, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved.
“But it has become very clear that this disagreement there is no headway to it, and for many reasons, there is very visible evidence that there is sabotage, a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“Maybe where they are they are telling them nothing will happen, it is happening here live, we have our own legislators that are performing their duties according to the Constitution. So that record is threatened.”
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