NEWS : Buhari’s snub of NASS questions our existence – Rep member

 

Published

 

on

 December 10, 2020

By

 Abdul Seye

The member representing Ahoada-East/Abua/Odual Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Solomon Bob on Thursday described the snubbing of the Joint Session of the National Assembly by President Muhamadu Buhari as of a clear case questioning the existence of the legislature.

Mr. Bob raised a point of order on privilege, demanding answers from the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila on why the President who was scheduled to appear before the joint session of the House did not honour the invitation.

It would be recalled that the President, following a motion of the House was invited to appear before the Joint session of the National Assembly.

DAILY POST reported that the President will honour the invitation.

However, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami on Wednesday in a press statement said the House had no right to summon the President.

Mr Bob, citing order 8, rule 6, said the privilege of the House has been breached, adding that President Buhari flagrantly disregarded the resolution of the House.

He said: “Last week we passed a resolution, bordering on security. I read in the newspaper that the president agreed to come. However, the events following the resolution has shown that the resolution has been flagrantly disregarded. If this House should pass a resolution, and it is disregarded, then it questions our existence here. Our very existence here is being questioned.

“The Speaker should address us. Maybe there has been a back channel, we need to know. Nigerians are watching, the world is watching, watching what we will do. This action is capable of showing that the House is of no significance.”

Ruling on the point of order, the Speaker said his motion has been noted, adding that the House is “waiting for official communication from the President.”

NEWS : CNN AND BBC DOCUMENTARY ON #ENDSARS DISGUSTS ME – BUHARI

 

President Buhari has disclosed that he is disgusted with the documentary of EndSARS protests by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and America’s Cable News Network (CNN). 

Buhari stated this at a meeting with state governors at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday December 8. 

In a statement released by his spokesman Garba Shehu, Buhari accused CNN and BBC of failing to report about the killing of security personnel and attacks on police stations and prisons.

 

He said;

 

“I was disgusted by the coverage, which did not give attention to the policemen that were killed, the stations that were burnt, and prisons that were opened. (They said we are all at fault. We don’t have the sympathy of anyone. We are on our own).”

He also warned that his administration would no longer allow violent demonstrations in Nigeria as “democracy does not mean confusion or lack of accountability.”

NEWS : 2023 Olawepo-Hashim warns Nigeria over zoning of president

 

Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Trust (PT) in the 2019 presidential election, has warned that zoning of the presidency in 2023 will be counter-productive.

Olawepo-Hashim, in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Abuja, said that Nigeria needs a good president from any region who is prepared and capable of promoting the nation’s socio-economic development.

He explained that the issue of rotation or zoning might not foster national unity and development and described the talk of zoning as a false narrative, divisive and inimical to national development.

“This phenomenon is dangerous for national unity, cohesion and national development, and more importantly, rotating president is a pedestrian diversion from the current subject of devolution and decentralisation of power from the over-centralised centre to the federating states in Nigeria.

“Nigeria would not just become a just and equitable federation simply because a southerner is exercising the over-blotted power at the centre.

“It will be more equitable and efficient when the powers are devolved more to the states, regardless of who occupies the office of the President,” Olawepo-Hashim said.

Olawepo-Hashim, a business mogul, said that the position of the president “should not be based on tribe, religion or region but on a candidate’s ability to support the social and economic development.

He recalled that with no zoning in 1993, the late Chief Moshood Abiola secured more votes from Kano State than Alhaji Bashir Tofa, who hailed from there.

Olawepo-Hashim added that former President, Olusegun Obasanjo won the 1999 elections based on the votes he secured from the six regions and not only from the South-West.

“The emergence of any particular leader or presidential candidate at any time is usually a product of intense horse-trading, negotiations and bargaining, not outright zoning to any particular region,” he said.

NEWS : BREAKING, Taraba House of Assembly member, Bashir Mohammed kidnapped

 

Unknown gunmen have kidnapped a member representing Nguroje Constituency in the Taraba House of Assembly, Barr. Bashir Mohammed.

Mohammed was abducted from his residence at about 1am, on Wednesday, a family source told DAILY POST.

The lawmaker was the Chairman of the House Committee on Information.

This happened barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to unleash the military against kidnappers.

Buhari said he would ensure the military eliminates kidnappers and bandits across the country.

He spoke during his meeting with the 36 state governors yesterday in Abuja.

”We are thinking very hard on the issue of kidnapping.

”We will make it possible for the military to get to the bandits and kidnappers and eliminate them,” Buhari had said.

The police is yet to confirm the abduction of the politician.

NEWS : End SARS ‘I’ve not seen my brother since he was arrested in 2017’ – Petitioner

 

A petitioner on Monday before the Enugu State Police Brutality and Extra-Judicial Panel, Miss Uzoamaka Ugwuoke, says she has not seen her brother, Nnaemeka Ugwuoke, since he was arrested in 2017.

Ugwuoke told the panel on Monday in Enugu that her brother was arrested by men of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Jan. 12, 2017 and had not been seen since then.

Ugwuoke, a native of Iheaka in Igboeze South Local Government Area of the state, said that his brother was taken to the SARS office in Enugu after the arrest.

She said that her brother was arrested alongside three other persons, adding that while one person was released after two weeks, the other person was released after six months.

“We made several attempts for the release of my brother to no avail. The last time we went to SARS office was in 2018. We do not know whether he is still alive,” she said.

Ugwuoke said that one Anthony Obi, who was handling the matter, had threatened to kill her brother if they reported the matter to a lawyer.

“At some point, my life was at risk due to threats from Obi and one Alex who was the SARS commander,” Ugwuoke said.

Responding, the chairman of the panel, Justice Kingsley Udeh Rtd., told Ugwuoke to furnish the secretary of the panel with details of the police officers involved so as to invite them.

NEWS : End SARS protest resurfaces in Osun

 

Youths protesting against the brutality and extrajudicial killings by police on Monday hit the streets again in Osogbo, capital of Osun State.

The second wave of the End SARS protest commenced in Lagos, Oyo and Osun States.

DAILY POST reports that demonstrators have returned to Lekki toll plaza, the scene of the military shooting currently under probe.

The youths in Osogbo armed themselves with different placards explaining the reasons for their actions.

“We are not fighting for any political party”, “#End Bad Judiciary in Nigeria”, ” #End fake judicial panel of Inquiry in Osun”, “Unfreeze all the frozen account”, ” We are Nigerian youths” among others.

The youths converged at the Ogo-Oluwa area and marched to the Osun State House of Assembly.

The protesters were demanding the release of all detained protesters and unfreezing of their accounts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

NEWS : End SARS Fresh protests begin in Lagos, Ibadan

 

The second wave of End SARS protest has commenced in Lagos and Ibadan. Ibadan is the capital of Oyo State.

Demonstrators have returned to Lekki toll plaza, the scene of the military shooting currently under probe.

Teams of policemen and soldiers are around to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

Security has been heightened at other flash points in Lagos, Nigeria’s biggest city.

On Sunday, the police reiterated its ban on gatherings, warning that such might be hijacked by unscrupulous elements.

The End SARS protest initially commenced on October 8 in Lagos. The youth-led outcry spread to other states.

For nearly two weeks, agitators demanded for an end to police brutality. Their resilience forced the police to scrap the notorious unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

But the protest went awry from October 21, one day after the Lekki shooting. Hoodlums, in many states, targeted attack on residences and businesses.

Several public and private property were looted or set on fire.

According to the federal government, the civil disorder, which lasted about a week, caused the death of 100 civilians and security operatives.