National Assembly Debacle, The Future Of Buhari's Presidency And The Urgency Of Now By Inibehe Effiong

The protracted scandalous impasse and controversy over the emergence of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and selection of other principal officers of the current National Assembly which escalated into fisticuffs on Thursday June 25, 2015 in the House of Representatives evinces that our country is yet to be freed from the clutches of evil forces and imperial elements. We are back to the trenches of national ruination orchestrated by the egregious activities and aspirations of unpatriotic racketeers whose insatiable inclinations takes precedence over the collective good of our country. There is no moral prescription that justifies the contemptuous treatment of the APC by its renegade legislators. The argument that the party cannot dictate who should be the Leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip of both houses is not only untenable but preposterous. Precedents shows that it is the Party Caucus of both houses that determines those that should occupy positions that are exclusively reserved for the party in the majority and minority as the case may be. If this is the case, the relevant question is: what is the decision of the majority in the APC Caucus in both the Senate and the House of Representatives? Since those who occupy these offices are invariably representing their political party, does the APC not have the right to determine, influence or at least set parameters for the emergence of those that should represent it? Can one become a Majority Leader for instance without being in the PARTY that has the majority of members in the house? The answer is obviously in the negative. So how can anyone say that the occupation of these offices are not to be dictated based on political party consideration? What has been the practice in the past? How did Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba emerge as the Leader of the 7th Senate? Was it not the decision of the PDP leadership and the PDP Caucus in the Senate then? Was it not the insistence of the PDP that enabled the emergence of Mrs. Mulikat Akande as the Leader of the 7th House of Representatives after she had contested against Tambuwal and lost despite being the official candidate of the PDP. It is true that Tambuwal emerged contrary to the wishes of his party at the time, principally because of the support he got from the then opposition APC. However, we need to advert our minds to the fact that that only happened because the election (voting) of a Speaker is constitutionally open to to all members of the House, irrespective of political party affiliation. However, it is on record that despite being the wish of majority of members of the then House, the then PDP federal government of Goodluck Jonathan refused to accord Aminu Tambuwal recognition after he joined the APC. His official security was withdrawn by a lawless and partisan Inspector General of Police without any supporting order of a court of competent jurisdiction declaring his seat vacant. I therefore find the press release issued by the PDP condemning President Buhari and the APC for their insistence on party supremacy as hypocritical, insulting and baseless. It is nauseating for the PDP, the very party that destroyed this country and derailed our democratic process, to be talking about democracy when they have not yet demonstrated remorse for raping our country mindlessly for 16 years. PDP should first re - brand her terrible image before building a structure for constructive, objective and mature opposition nurtured by truth, accountability and justice. If the present revolt against the APC is nemesis for the past support given to Tambuwal by the APC, that nemesis should have ended after the emergence of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, contrary to the wishes of their party. It is offensive to the ethos of political practice and the principles of party supremacy for Saraki and Dogara and their fellow renegade legislators to disregard the wishes of the party on whose glory and momentum they rode to power. It is unacceptable. While it is true that the legislators have the right to determine those who should lead them in various capacities, it should be noted that they were all elected on the platform of political parties. The present constitutional regime does not accommodate independent candidacy. The responsibility of the political parties did not cease upon their election into the National Assembly. Political parties do not merely exist to enable politicians win elections and actualise their political ambitions. The relationship between the parties and their candidates does not stop because of electoral victory. It continues and subsist throughout the currency of the elected members' tenure and even after. Therefore, I cannot decipher why some members of the APC in the National Assembly will totally disregard the wishes, feelings and views of the very party on whose platform they were elected in the first place. There is nothing undemocratic in the APC writing to Saraki and Dogara on those they prefer as principal officers that should represent the party in the National Assembly. More so when majority of the APC Caucus in both houses are in support of the party's position on the matter. Some have contended that it is undemocratic for the APC to express her preferences for the principal offices, and I ask: is there a democratic way of passing faeces? What the APC has done to my mind is basically an attempt to maintain cohesion in the party which may be endangered if the individual aspirations of the members is not checked. I am not a member of the APC, but I cannot understand why the likes of Dino Melaye who could not secure his reelection to the House of Representatives in 2011 will now be leading a revolt against the very party on whose glory he rode to victory in 2015. That is not activism, but the height of ingratitude. It is deeply saddening that the oasis of hope which herald the emergence of the Muhammadu Buhari's presidency is diminishing daily with its attendant destructive effects on the polity and the nation. It is a sad commentary that the leadership and members of the ruling APC in the National Assembly have not exuded the discipline expected of them. One would have expected that the APC will deliberately obviate the recurrence of the blunders, cancerous modus operandi and dictatorial proclivities of the PDP which ultimately led to the PDP's defeat in the historic 2015 presidential poll. Beyond the crisis over the leadership of the National Assembly is a worrisome and frightening possibility; the Buhari presidency may in the final analysis, be undermined and fatally derailed. If things remain the way they are in the National Assembly, I see a very challenging future for President Buhari. We cannot continue to deny the fact that some very corrupt characters supported and funded the election of Buhari and the APC. These characters cannot guarantee the security of their illicit lucre if they do not have a strong hold on the current government. They know that without access to the powers that be, they may not survive the expected onslaught against corruption in the country. Looking at the present crisis in the National Assembly, one can see the hands of these corrupt money bags. It is also a truism that some of the current crop of lawmakers in the National Assembly are among the most vicious and corrupt people in Nigeria. For example, do we expect some former governors who looted their states to a halt and sought refuge in the Senate to just sit back and allow a decent or saner leadership to emerge in the Senate? There is no need for prevarication. Buhari cannot fight corruption or transform the country without putting in place the required legislative framework. Certain laws will need to be enacted or amended. Actions of men are mostly actuated by the need for self - preservation. Corruption cannot fight corruption nor can the corrupt make laws against corruption. It is this possibility that makes the "I belong to nobody" attitude of President Buhari in the circumstance unacceptable to some of us. How can our President be sitting in the Presidential Villa singing "I belong to nobody" when a structure is being laid to frustrate his presidency? Does Buhari think that we are still in the military era when the Head of State can just wake up in the morning and issue a Decree to accomplish his purpose?. Is the President not aware that the National Assembly, though an independent arm of government, will play a vital and even indispensable role in the attainment of his much talked about change? Now that the National Assembly leadership has merged with the PDP that was rejected by Nigerians at the polls and other anti - change elements, what becomes of President Buhari? I do not know those advising Buhari, but they are leading him to a very vulnerable future. The change that the Nigerian people voted for seems to have been hijacked by a monstrous and corrupt cabal that is determined to truncate the change, development and anti - corruption mantra of Buhari's presidency and return our country to the era of the locusts. The President needs to rise up to the urgency of now. By virtue of his position, Buhari is the leader of his party. The APC should immediately assert it authority and restore discipline, even if it will entail expelling some people from the party. President Barack Obama wouldn't have succeeded in having the historic medical care for all legislation (Obamacare) passed by the American Congress if the Democrats in Congress were not strongly on his side during the heated debates on the law. That Buhari is sleeping comfortably while the very party that brought him to power is being destroyed is not a sign of responsible leadership. If this is naivety, then it is the worse type of it. Belonging to nobody does not mean committing political suicide. The time to act is now.

Corrupt people will face the consequences – Osinbajo

VP. Prof. Yemi Osibajo; The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has reiterated the commitment of the present government to ensure that people caught in acts of corruption will face the consequences. Osinbajo noted that corrupt practices, weak public and private institutions as well as public policies, were the greatest threat to the stability of the economy. While speaking at the 3rd Annual Christopher Kolade’s lecture on business integrity in Lagos, the vice president said integrity should be an acceptable standard and aspiration of every business leader. ADVERTISEMENT Speaking on the topic, ‘Beyond Compliance: Imbibing a Culture of Business Integrity,’ he added, “The most important thing is to do things right. It is important that what we do comply with the rule of law. There is need to ensure that people’s rights are not trampled on. And there is need to ensure that people face the consequences for wrongful actions. That balance is necessary. The administration will ensure that loopholes compliance are plugged and those responsible for creating loopholes will face the consequence.” “The greater good of the company also means the greater good of many people, their lives and families. The question is, how do we respond to the ethical dynamics of poverty and corruption when it concerns our friends, ethnic or religious groups?” Christopher Kolade noted the country was a difficult place to practise integrity because corruption was perceived as the norm. He said, “We use corruption in our conversations than we talk about integrity. Integrity should feature more in our conversations. Integrity is meant to be natural to human beings.”

Saraki appoints Okocha, Thisday Editor, Media Assistant, others

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday approved the appointment of Mr. Chuks Okocha, Thisday Politics Editor in Abuja and Environs and a former Regional Editor in the Niger Delta as his Special Assistant on Print Media. Okocha holds a Masters Degree in Sustainable Environmental Management from Middlesex University in London. Okocha comes to the job with a rich pedigree in journalism having covered the State House during the administrations of former military administrations of President Ibrahim Babangida, late Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar and during the interim government of Chief Ernest Shonekan. He also covered the National Assembly at inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999. In a statement released by the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Ben Efeturi announcing the appointments, the Senate President has also appointed former Nation Senate Correspondent, Mr. Sanni Onogu as his Chief Press Secretary. Mr. Bankole Omisore is Saraki’s Special Assistant on New Media. The appointments, said Efeturi, take immediate effect.

Nigeria deploys 700 soldiers to Liberia

No fewer than 700 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army are set for deployment for peace keeping operation in Liberia, just as the Army authority has warned the troops to prevent Ebola through hygienic living The troops were warned to avoid any act capable of dragging the image of Nigeria and Nigerian Army to the mud, as the army will not accept a situation where its soldiers are seen as soft targets. General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Kenneth Osuji gave the warning while addressing the troops at the graduation ceremony marking the end of their pre-deployment training in Jaji, Kaduna State on Friday. ‎General Osuji who is the GOC of the 1 Brigade, which is made up of the Nigerian Battalion (NIBATT)36 in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) said, they must work with the rules of engagement of the mission and respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of Liberia people. According to him, “Be reminded that the Nigerian Army will not accept any situation where its troops are seen as soft targets or conducting themselves in unprofessional manner such as trafficking in illicit substances of any kind including alcohol and drugs. “Additionally, you must respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of the people of Liberia. You must exhibit the highest sense of personal/environmental hygiene as Liberia is just emerging from an EBOLA epidemic,” the GOC stressed.

Chevron (CVX) to Sell Additional Oil Blocks Offshore Nigeria - Analyst Blog Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/chevron-cvx-to-sell-additional-oil-blocks-offshore-nigeria-analyst-blog-cm491288#ixzz3eBwErCIU

Per media reports, U.S. energy giant Chevron Corporation CVX is selling its stakes in two more Nigerian shallow water offshore oil blocks. The sale includes Chevron's 40% stakes in the Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 86 and 88, located in thNiger Delta.Earlier, Chevron had divested its 40% stakes in the OMLs 83 and 85. The properties had been sold to First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company, a Nigerian exploration and production firm. With the sale of OMLs 86 and 88, Chevron will have divested all the shallow water assets it had acquired with the Texaco buyout. Though no details have been available, the assets under sale are believed to hold substantial resource potential. Other big names from the energy industry like Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A and ConocoPhillips COP have also sold their respective stakes in OMLs located in Nigeria. Operating in the Niger Delta has been a challenging task for many of these energy majors. This is primarily owing to the oil thefts and pipeline destructions, which hamper production. Tax uncertainties further add to the woes. San Ramon, CA-based Chevron is one of the largest publicly traded oil and gas companies in the world, in terms of proved reserves. It is engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, refining and marketing of petroleum products, manufacturing of chemicals, and other energy-related businesses. Currently, Chevron carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock from the integrated oil space is PetroChina Co. Ltd. PTR . The company sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report PETROCHINA ADR (PTR): Free Stock Analysis Report CONOCOPHILLIPS (COP): Free Stock Analysis Report ROYAL DTCH SH-A (RDS.A): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/chevron-cvx-to-sell-additional-oil-blocks-offshore-nigeria-analyst-blog-cm491288#ixzz3eBwcxgJp

APC state chairmen lament NASS crisis

The All Progressives Congress chairmen from the 36 states of the federation on Friday expressed displeasure at recent happenings in the National Assembly. This is contained in a communique issued in Abuja by the Acting Chairman of the APC State Chairmen Forum, Alhaji Umar Mohammed. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the chairmen converged on the federal capital for a meeting, which began on Thursday, to review current leadership challenges facing the NASS. There was a free-for-all in the lower chamber of the National Assembly over the choice of principal officers and sittings had to be adjourned till July 21. The two-day meeting of the chairmen, apparently not yielding result, led to the adjournment of the forum to next week. According to the communique, the chairmen met to reaffirm their belief and loyalty to the party’s supremacy as contained in its constitution. ADVERTISEMENT “As direct grassroots leaders, we are concerned about the development and, therefore, reaffirm our belief and loyalty to APC’s supremacy as contained in the party’s constitution and decision of its leadership. “We are also not happy with recent developments in the National Assembly, especially the lower chamber, and call on the party leadership to put in place proper machineries to checkmate further occurrences. “We also call on party leaders to use the long break to resolve the matter so that the much needed change will be seen and enjoyed by everybody,” the communique urged.

Benue Assembly Beefs Up Security Around Complex

By Tor Vande-Acka, Makurdi The Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Terkimbi Ikyange, has noted the current security challenges faced in the country has made it to be wary of its surrounding. The speaker who made this known in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Bem Abunde, noted that it was in this regard that the assembly decided to beef up security in and around the complex. He observed that the security beef-up in the complex was what led to the misunderstanding that the Channels TV reporter was banned from covering the activities of the lawmakers. The speaker said that the fracas that recently ensued in the house was among some of the concerns raised by security agencies that warranted the increase in security. “The security concerns arising from the previous sitting of the Assembly, coupled with the security report received from security agencies, there was the need to beef up security in and around the Assembly complex, while journalists coming to cover its proceedings were also subjected to security checks.” He described as false the claim by the Channels Television reporter that all other journalists were allowed access to the complex except its crew members, insisting that the only group of journalists that were allowed into the Chamber was that made up the Assembly media crew due to their earlier accreditation. “It has been a policy of the House leadership to accredit all journalists covering the activities of the House, saying the Assembly has no intention to prevent any media outfit from covering its activities, but advised them to subject themselves to accreditation process” to enable it know journalists covering its activities,” Ikyange explained. Ikyange further pointed out that the explanation became necessary in view of reports making the rounds that he has barred the television station from covering its activities. He insisted that as lawmakers elected to represent the people, the House owed the public a responsibility to be accountable and transparent in all its dealings.

President Muhammadu Buhari Disbands NNPC Board in Oil Industry Clean Up

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari disbanded the board of the state oil company on Friday in an attempt to clean out corruption in the industry. “There’s no way he could proceed with the same board in place,” Femi Adesina, a spokesman for Buhari, said by phone from the capital, Abuja. “He said he was going to clean up the oil industry.” Buhari’s All Progressives Congress said during the elections it would probably strip the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp of its regulatory powers and break up the company into more efficient, commercially driven units. Remember! Last year, former Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi was suspended by then President Goodluck Jonathan after he alleged the NNPC hadn’t turned over about $20 billion of oil revenue to the government, which earns two-thirds of its revenue from the commodity. We hope to hear more information sooner...

FG, UK firm sign $250m satellite deal

The Federal Government on Friday in Abuja signed a $250million joint venture/partnership agreement with a United Kingdom-based company, Menasat Gulf Group Plc., to provide Synthetic-Aperture Radar satellites in the country. When operational, the SAR satellite technology will be the first in Nigeria, while images generated from it will benefit, particularly, the oil and gas operators, farmers, ocean monitoring, tracking of oil pipelines and also assist the military. The Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr. Seidu Mohammed, while signing the contract, said the SAR technology was necessary for Nigeria because of the challenges the agency have had in acquiring images in, mostly, the southern part of the country. “We have always had this constraint that even though we are the national repository for satellite images, we are not able to provide completely all the required images in this country. In the light of that, we have specially taken this opportunity to satisfy the Nigerian market,” he said. According to the NSRDA DG, Nigeria will contribute its expertise as well as make a place available for the firm that will set up a ground-saving station and equipment to process and make the images available for Nigerians Read more here:

Nigerians Are Supreme To Political Party, Group Tells APC

Onitsha-based human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), has urged All Progressives Congress (APC) to see Nigerians as supreme to the party and allow the National Assembly free hand to operate. In a statement by its Chairman, Board of Directors, Emeka Umeagbalasi; and Head of Campaign and Publicity, Uzochukwu, Oguejiofor-Nwonu, the group stated: “Though the people are the first among equals in the realm of the three sovereignties, but the Constitution is made the prime minister and chief executive officer and can only be removed by election or by a vote of no confidence (constitutional referendum or conference or major amendment)”. The group was reacting to the letter written to the National Assembly leadership by APC spelling out who should occupy which position in the assembly and urged the party to adhere to the Constitution of Nigeria and also allow the legislators their independence. It reminded APC that it was registered like any other political party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and it should realise that its bylaw is totally submissive to the Constitution of Nigeria and its subsidiary legislations were administratively created by INEC. for more info, follow the below link:

Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan: Tide turned against Boko Haram

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has said the tide has "definitely turned" against militant Islamists as regional forces recapture territory. His comments came hours after Boko Haram militants were blamed for killing 27 people in bombings in two commercial centres in the north on Tuesday. Boko Haram had hit "soft targets" because of the setbacks it had suffered in battle, Mr Jonathan said. Regional forces have recaptured eight major towns in recent weeks. So Mr Jonathan's comments appear to have some credence, even if he made similar remarks last year, says the BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi in the capital, Abuja. The Nigerian military, backed by regional troops, is now taking the war to Boko Haram, rather than fleeing the battlefield, our correspondent adds. However, at least six major towns are still held by Boko Haram, he says. Many residents fear the militants will regroup and launch a new offensive to regain territory, he adds.

Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan: Tide turned against Boko Haram

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has said the tide has "definitely turned" against militant Islamists as regional forces recapture territory. His comments came hours after Boko Haram militants were blamed for killing 27 people in bombings in two commercial centres in the north on Tuesday. Boko Haram had hit "soft targets" because of the setbacks it had suffered in battle, Mr Jonathan said. Regional forces have recaptured eight major towns in recent weeks. So Mr Jonathan's comments appear to have some credence, even if he made similar remarks last year, says the BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi in the capital, Abuja. The Nigerian military, backed by regional troops, is now taking the war to Boko Haram, rather than fleeing the battlefield, our correspondent adds. However, at least six major towns are still held by Boko Haram, he says. Many residents fear the militants will regroup and launch a new offensive to regain territory, he adds.

Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan: Tide turned against Boko Haram

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has said the tide has "definitely turned" against militant Islamists as regional forces recapture territory. His comments came hours after Boko Haram militants were blamed for killing 27 people in bombings in two commercial centres in the north on Tuesday. Boko Haram had hit "soft targets" because of the setbacks it had suffered in battle, Mr Jonathan said. Regional forces have recaptured eight major towns in recent weeks. So Mr Jonathan's comments appear to have some credence, even if he made similar remarks last year, says the BBC's Bashir Sa'ad Abdullahi in the capital, Abuja. The Nigerian military, backed by regional troops, is now taking the war to Boko Haram, rather than fleeing the battlefield, our correspondent adds. However, at least six major towns are still held by Boko Haram, he says. Many residents fear the militants will regroup and launch a new offensive to regain territory, he adds.

Young girl suicide bomber kills 4, injures 46 at northeastern Nigeria market

A girl suicide bomber as young as 10 blew herself up at a busy market in the northeast Nigerian town of Potiskum on Sunday, killing four others and seriously wounding 46 people, a witness and hospital records show. The girl, who appeared no more than 10 years old, got out of a tricycle taxi in front of the cell phone market and detonated her explosives on Potiskum's main market day, according to survivor Anazumi Saleh, who suffered injuries to his head. Officials have not immediately ascertained the girl's identification or her age from her remains. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the attack bears all the signs of similar bombings by Boko Haram and raises fears that Nigeria's home-grown Islamic extremists are using kidnap victims as bombers. It is unclear whether the girls and young women in many recent attacks have set off the explosions themselves, or whether the detonations are controlled remotely. We await further informatio from our currespondence.

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