GRPolitics

Saraki, Dogara, other National Assembly leaders hold emergency meeting today

Published

6 years ago

August 7, 2018

grassroots

The leadership of the National Assembly has summoned an emergency meeting for Tuesday (today).

The Special Assistant to the Senate President on International Relations, Bankole Omisore, called the meeting via his Twitter handle on Monday.

The tweet reads, “NASS leadership will tomorrow meet at noon to consider some national issues. The National Assembly leadership comprises both @NGRSenate and @HouseNGR.

“It will be followed by another meeting with the leadership of @inecnigeria led by its Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu.”

It was gathered that the meeting, which will be attended by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and the principal officers of both chambers would be briefed by INEC on the 2019 general elections.

It was further gathered that the leadership would also discuss the recent defections, which had generated controversies in both chambers.

There had been rumours earlier on Monday that the National Assembly might reconvene on Tuesday, suspending its ongoing two-month annual recess. But a source at the Senate dismissed the resumption reports, stating that it was a leadership meeting and not plenary.

The source said, “Yes, a joint leadership meeting has been called for 12 noon tomorrow. The meeting is on the current issues in the National Assembly, all the issues.

“By 1pm, chairman of INEC and other leaders of the commission will join the meeting to brief the National Assembly on the preparations for the 2019 general elections.”

Meanwhile, members of the Parliamentary Democrats Group have said that the Senate and the House will reconvene only after getting assurances that there will be no attempts to remove the leadership of the National Assembly.

The spokesman for the PDG, Mr Timothy Golu, in a statement on Monday, said lawmakers would be briefed on the outcome of the meeting of the leadership on whether to reconvene or not.

The statement read, “Our leaders are meeting to brief us on the appeal by the Presidency for us to reconvene. There must be assurances that no illegality will be attempted against any of our leaders.

“We are worried by the statements from some anti-Saraki senators like Adamu Abdullahi and Ali Ndume to the fact that the Senate President must be changed.

“Talks are ongoing and as long as there is no threat to our democratic peace, we can reconvene to attend to issues.

“We want peace and stability for our democracy to grow and produce more good fruits. If among ourselves we are found guilty of any form of sabotage for personal reasons, then we are not fair to the people.”

The group noted that only lawmakers could decide among themselves to change their leadership and not through interference by the executive arm.

“The legislature is an independent arm of government and as legislators, nobody can dictate to us. So, we advise the Presidency and the ruling APC to allow us to decide our fate.

“Our presiding officers are doing well and we have no cause to complain. Those stoking embers of discord in the parliament should kindly stay off,” the PDG said.

Senate leader urges immediate resumption as Enang fears govt shutdown

But even as the National Assembly leadership planned its emergency meeting, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, on Monday stressed the need for the National Assembly to reconvene immediately in order to address some requests made by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He told State House correspondents that the need for the federal lawmakers to reconvene from their ongoing vacation formed part of the discussion he had with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said, “I have come to brief him (Osinbajo) on the situation in the Senate and the discussion also considered the need for the National Assembly to reconvene immediately for us to pass the virement on the supplementary budget presented by Mr President.

“You know that the budget for 2018, the capital aspect will be largely funded by foreign facilities, loans. Now we need to approve that.

“We also need to approve other important and essential requests, especially that of INEC and other security agencies for our security to be improved.

“It is therefore very essential that we reconvene immediately to look into those issues because our government is almost stalled and I believe that if we are able to pass the supplementary budget and virement request from Mr President, this will enable our administration to provide the various infrastructure that we have planned to provide for Nigerians and also all the other aspects of national development.

Lawan said to do otherwise would lead to sabotage of the administration and democracy.

He wondered how the lawmakers would describe themselves if they cannot provide essential things for Nigerians and provide funds for INEC to plan for the 2019 elections.

When asked what will happen if the presiding officers fail to reconvene the Senate, Lawan said, “The presiding officers are people like you and I; they are Nigerians, they should listen.

“So, I don’t even want to contemplate that the presiding officers will say they will not reconvene the chambers of the National Assembly based on the fundamental and primary request of Mr President of passing the budget.

“I believe that the presiding officers should do the needful to reconvene the two chambers of the National Assembly to give us the opportunity to pass the supplementary budget and virement request of Mr President as quickly as possible.”

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, restated his appeal to the National Assembly to suspend its ongoing vacation in national interest.

He said if the federal lawmakers failed to approve the request soon, it might lead to complete government shutdown.

Enang said, “We are still appealing to the National Assembly to reconvene. You remember that we passed the budget with the understanding that the greater amount of it would be sourced from foreign loans.

“Although it was approved that there would be loans, amount to be sourced was not approved. The Fiscal Responsibility Act requires that the President should specifically state the amount the government wants to get from foreign loans and present it before the National Assembly.

“That letter has been presented to the National Assembly and the National Assembly has to pass that amount before the money could be obtained from foreign financing institutions.”

He added, “This is what we are asking and if it did not happen in the next few months, we may have a complete government shutdown. What we are receiving from the federation account as the Federal Government share of the capital component is not enough to sustain even the 15 or 20 per cent of the budget.”

Source: Punch

GRPolitics

With Commitment, Resilience We’ll Defeat Banditry and Terrorism – Badaru

…it is time to end it…Reports SANDRA ANI

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

grassroots

The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian Airforce to intensify the use of their various platforms to bring an end to banditry and terrorism.

According to the Minister, you are key to this this fight and we must put our acts together on your active component to end this war.

In a statement signed by Henshaw Ogubike, director information and Public Relations, Badaru said this during his operational visit to the Air Component Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA at Katsina state on Monday 18th November 2024.

The Honourable Minister appreciated the heroic Air warriors who has continued to shine as beacons of hope, courage and resilience which is an inspiration to Nigerian people.

Furthermore, “the Minister opined that their efforts are yielding positive results as farmers are gradually returning to their farms, schools are reopening, businesses are picking up and Nigerians can now sleep peacefully.”

According to the Minister, the President and commander in chief of the Armed forces Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has expressed confidence on their unwavering loyalty, perseverance and professionalism. He recognizes the personal sacrifices you make every day to keep our country together.

It is pertinent to know that the President has provided the Nigerian Airforce with state of the art Aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance their attack capabilities. With the induction of these new platforms including the T129 Attack Helicopter, ” I am confident we will make Mr President and Nigerians proud.”

Consequent to this, ‘it is no coincidence that I am here today to flag off this critical phase of the Operations’. “I therefore urge you to synergize with the ground forces and other stakeholders to ensure maximum effect from these combat enablers” Badaru said.

The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON mni continued his operational visit by also going to sokoto to inspect the combat readiness of the platforms and also toured the new site where the permanent base of the newly established Airforce component of military operations against banditry and terrorism and facilities will be built at Sokoto Airport.

In his remarks, the chief of the Air staff , Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, appreciated the Minister’s servant leadership style which is an inspiration to all. For him , the T129 Attack Helicopters will transform our operational capabilities to those who think they can destabilize our nation.

GRPolitics

Jigawa Youth Agenda Refutes Allegations Against Badaru

By, Al-Amin Aliu, a Public Analyst

Published

5 days ago

November 16, 2024

grassroots

Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar

The Jigawa Youth Agenda has vehemently denied the unfounded allegations made by a mysterious group claiming to represent APC youth in Jigawa State against Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar.

After thorough investigations, it was revealed that this group is not officially registered with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa and seems to have been hastily formed to spread misinformation and disrupt party unity.

The Youth Agenda are in solidarity with Minister Badaru Abubakar as they reaffirmed its unwavering support for Minister Badaru Abubakar, acknowledging his exceptional contributions to the APC and Nigeria. His leadership and commitment are indisputable, from his transformative tenure as Governor of Jigawa State to his current role as Minister of Defence.

The them, Minister Badaru has done excellently well and the highlighted his key schievements to include but not limited to the following:

– Strengthening National Security: Minister Badaru Abubakar has enhanced Nigeria’s military capabilities, ensuring protection of lives and property.

– Forging Strategic Partnerships: He has fostered vital alliances with global defence organizations to bolster Nigeria’s security and modernize defence infrastructure.

– Promoting Youth Empowerment: The Minister has launched initiatives focused on education, employment, and entrepreneurship in Jigawa State.

– Advancing APC Unity: Minister Badaru Abubakar promotes unity within the party, fostering collaboration across Jigawa and nationally.

The so-called APC Youth Group’s allegations are an attempt to create division within the united APC family. The Jigawa Youth Agenda urges APC members and the public to disregard these unfounded claims and focus on strengthening party unity and ideals.

Minister Badaru Abubakar’s legacy remains a source of pride for Jigawa State and Nigeria. His dedication to national development, APC principles, and the Tinubu administration demonstrates his integrity and effectiveness. The Jigawa Youth Agenda urges Nigerians to recognize his achievements and support his efforts to build a stronger, more secure nation.

The Jigawa Youth Agenda reaffirms its full confidence in Minister Badaru Abubakar’s ability to lead and contribute positively to Nigeria’s development. Together, let us reject misinformation and uphold APC unity and progress at state and national levels.

GRPolitics

Unmasking the Campaign of Calumny against Dr Bello Matawalle

Writer: Habib Usman, writes from Abuja

Published

1 week ago

November 13, 2024

grassroots

Recent protests and allegations against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle MON, have stirred controversy.

Organized demonstrations outside the Department of State Security (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, filled with hired crowds by APC AKIDA sponsored by Tijjani Ramallan and the Zamfara state government with unsubstantiated accusations, reveal a calculated attempt by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to discredit Dr. Matawalle.

This orchestrated campaign, fueled by political motives and a desire to undermine Matawalle’s position, demands closer scrutiny.

Reports indicate that these so-called protests are not spontaneous outcries from Zamfara’s citizens but rather an agenda-driven spectacle designed to tarnish Matawalle’s reputation.

According to sources, the protestors arrived in approximately 12 long buses, clearly organized and funded to create an image of discontent aimed at the minister.

The protestors, reportedly waving placards accusing Matawalle of colluding with criminals, are part of a broader strategy to mislead the public and manipulate the narrative around Zamfara’s complex security situation.

This orchestrated misinformation aligns with the ongoing media offensive spearheaded by Governor Lawal who has now recruited Tijjani Ramallan and his cohorts. Despite lacking concrete evidence, the governor has been on a persistent media campaign, linking Matawalle with criminal elements and falsely alleging his complicity in the state’s banditry crisis.

However, these accusations have repeatedly failed to withstand scrutiny, as underscored by a recent ruling from the Kano High Court.

The court issued an interim injunction barring Governor Lawal and his associates from continuing their smear campaign against Matawalle, stating that any further defamatory actions would be illegal until a substantive hearing on the matter.

The court order highlights the groundlessness of the governor’s claims and serves as a reminder that accusations against public officials must be substantiated by evidence, not driven by political vendettas.

By pursuing a smear campaign against a fellow public servant, Governor Lawal risks destabilizing not only his state but also the critical national security efforts in which Matawalle is involved.

Such actions could divert attention and resources from urgent security issues, ultimately harming the very citizens the governor purports to defend.

The governor’s tactic of repeatedly visiting media houses to disseminate misleading information about Dr. Matawalle has sparked concern among political observers and security experts alike.

His attempts to block Matawalle’s reappointment appear to be rooted more in political rivalry than in any genuine concerns about Zamfara’s security. It’s no coincidence that this intensified campaign began just as discussions about a potential cabinet reshuffle surfaced.

Dr. Matawalle’s growing influence, coupled with his steadfast loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has evidently made him a target for those who feel threatened by his rise.

For Nigerians, it is crucial to separate truth from politically motivated propaganda. The allegations against Dr. Matawalle are part of a coordinated campaign to undermine a dedicated public servant who has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s defence apparatus.

As the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle plays an essential role in shaping security policy, a responsibility he takes seriously and executes with distinction.

The public is advised to view the recent protests and media blitz with caution. It is imperative to consider the context: Governor Lawal’s relentless pursuit to discredit Matawalle, despite the court’s injunction against these defamatory efforts. Rather than yield to such divisive tactics, Nigerians should remain vigilant, prioritizing the integrity of national discourse over political maneuvering.

In conclusion, let us reject efforts to smear individuals serving in crucial roles, particularly when these efforts lack factual foundation and threaten to undermine national security. The Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, deserves due process and an unbiased evaluation, free from political interference.nmasking the Campaign of Calumny Against Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle

Recent protests and allegations against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle MON, have stirred controversy. Organized demonstrations outside the Department of State Security (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, filled with hired crowds and unsubstantiated accusations, reveal a calculated attempt by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to discredit Dr. Matawalle. This orchestrated campaign, fueled by political motives and a desire to undermine Matawalle’s position, demands closer scrutiny.

Reports indicate that these so-called protests are not spontaneous outcries from Zamfara’s citizens but rather an agenda-driven spectacle designed to tarnish Matawalle’s reputation. According to sources, the protestors arrived in approximately 12 long buses, clearly organized and funded to create an image of discontent aimed at the minister. The protestors, reportedly waving placards accusing Matawalle of colluding with criminals, are part of a broader strategy to mislead the public and manipulate the narrative around Zamfara’s complex security situation.

This orchestrated misinformation aligns with the ongoing media offensive spearheaded by Governor Lawal.

Despite lacking concrete evidence, the governor has been on a persistent media campaign, linking Matawalle with criminal elements and falsely alleging his complicity in the state’s banditry crisis.

However, these accusations have repeatedly failed to withstand scrutiny, as underscored by a recent ruling from the Kano High Court.

By pursuing a smear campaign against a fellow public servant, Governor Lawal risks destabilizing not only his state but also the critical national security efforts in which Matawalle is involved.

Such actions could divert attention and resources from urgent security issues, ultimately harming the very citizens the governor purports to defend.

The governor’s tactic of repeatedly visiting media houses to disseminate misleading information about Dr. Matawalle has sparked concern among political observers and security experts alike.

Dr. Matawalle’s growing influence, coupled with his steadfast loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has evidently made him a target for those who feel threatened by his rise.

As the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle plays an essential role in shaping security policy, a responsibility he takes seriously and executes with distinction.