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Tinubu taking responsibility for Nigeria’s challenges- Shettima

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Tinubu taking responsibility for Nigeria’s challenges- Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday said President Bola Tinubu was aware that Nigeria has challenges and he would never apportion blame but take responsibility.

He assured Nigerians that Tinubu has Nigeria on his mind.

This was as he said the government would neither deny the challenges in the country nor apportion blame, but rather accept responsibility and find solutions.

The Vice President made the statement during his remark at a book launch, titled “Beating all Odds: Diaries and Essays on how Bola Tinubu became President”, written by Sam Omatseye, Chairperson of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspaper, on Tuesday.

Shettima, who was Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, described Tinubu as “a man of courage and conviction”, noting that the President “took the bull by the horns”, by withdrawing the fuel subsidy and collapsing the multiple exchange rates regime.

The Vice President said, “Be rest assured that the President has Nigeria in his mind. Yes, we are having challenges, we are not denying that, and we are not here to apportion blame.

“Leadership is about accepting responsibilities and finding solutions to national challenges. The President is a man of courage and conviction. In the first week in office, he made far-reaching decisions.

“Oil subsidy had been an albatross around the neck of the Nigerian economy and the Nigerian nation. He took the bull by the horns and withdrew the fuel subsidy from day one. He was able to collapse the multiple exchange rate regime, which gave room for a lot of hanky-panky. And be rest assured that in the fullness of time, history will be kind to him.”

In his goodwill message, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Peter Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North), while hailing the qualities of the President outlined in the book, urged Nigerians to support the President.

“As the President faces governance, which is the stage which we are in currently, may I crave the indulgence of all Nigerians and all arms of government, to give him all the support he desires to succeed. With the agenda of Renewed Hope, our commitment to our national duty, and perseverance, I am convinced that we shall eventually reach the promised land”, he said.

Also at the event were former Governor of Ogun State, and Chairman on the Occasion, Olusegun Osoba; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; former National Chairman of the APC and Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole; former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, among others

Ningi’s budget padding allegation, a civilian coup

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Ningi’s budget padding allegation, a civilian coup

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has alleged that Senator Abdul Ningi is propagating an impeachment agenda against Senate President, Godswill AKpabio, despite the Northern Senators Forum not being in support of it.

Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central, on Tuesday, maintained that what Ningi did was tantamount to a failed civilian coup, adding that he only wanted to use the Northern senators’ forum to push his agenda.

The Senate leader further said the attempt to take over the Senate’s leadership beyond June 13, 2023, must stop.

Senator Ningi had, in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service) on Saturday, alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25tn while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7tn.

But, on Monday, at a press conference in Abuja, he clarified that he never said that the president was running two budgets but that there was an N3.7tn yet to be accounted for.

He said, “At no time did I say Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing two budgets.

“There was no time, at no time did I say Bola Tinubu was biased against the north. The Hausa version is there. At no time did I say Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing the N25tn budget.

“I said we have established beyond reasonable doubt that N25tn so far has nexus in the budget.”

However, Bamidele, while reacting to the allegation, said, “I am speaking as Senator Opeyemi Bamidele representing Ekiti, not as a Senate leader to say that Ningi was only fuelling this budget padding allegation to push for a failed civilian coup in the Senate.

“Over 60 senators voted for Akpabio, and over 40 voted against him. That’s the will of the majority. But a few have refused to let the electioneering activities pass them by. They still hold bile, and that is why it is always about Akpabio, never about the Senate, House of Representatives, DG, or Budget.

“All of us passed this budget, and it was never about Mr President who signed this budget. It is always about Akpabio. We have momentum; this is a defining moment for all of us to say if we are going to have a stable Senate.

“It is not about North and South. It is about our rules (the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria). It is about our people who are á.hungry and deprived. Mr President (Akpabio), make no mistake, if you people who feel they are not going to give you more than one year, to spend on this chair, they want to do everything possible before the 13th of June to remove you.

“I want Nigerians to know for history’s sake that the last time the people of South-South had a chance to be Senate President was 40 years ago. The last time the South had a chance to be Senate President was during Obasanjo’s administration when it went to the South East.

“Five people were elected because they were impeached in quick succession. But as soon as it left the South, we had peace because we (the South) will always cooperate. David Mark spent eight years. Ahmad Lawal spent four peaceful years. Even Saraki, with all he did, spent four peaceful years.

“It is about Akpabio; it is about the South; you can now understand why Senator Ningi will want to use the platform of the Northern Senators Forum to push an agenda even when they disagreed with him. Mr President, I plead with you that this is an opportunity for us to let our rules prevail.

Reacting to Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe’s (PDP, Cross-River North) claim that all ranking senators received N500m each, Bamidele said, “I beg all of you to let us do the right thing. We have 12 months to implement the 2024 budget. Let’s see if any of these senators will not use these monies (N500m each) for projects in their constituencies.”

The According earlier reported that the Senate has suspended Senator Ningi for three months over his claim that the 2024 Budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

The motion for his suspension was moved by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim moved an amended motion for the suspension of Ningi for 12 months while adding that Senator Sumaila Kawu (Kano South, NNPP) be warned.

Senate Clears Akpabio Of Any Wrong Doing Over N3.7 Trillion Budget Padding

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Senate Clears Akpabio Of Any Wrong Doing Over N3.7 Trillion Budget Padding

Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe ( Cross River North) has said there was no N3.7 trillion padded to the 2024 budget ,even as the Senate cleared the Senate President Godswill Akpabio of any wrong doing .
Senator Jarigbe who’s the chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas dismissed the reported N3.7 trillion padding to 2024 budget as false and urged lawmakers to always protect the sanctity of thr institution of the Senate. Senate at a plenary session in which members reacted to alleged N3.7trillion padding by Senator Abdul Ningi also insisted that it only passed N28trillion and not N3.7trillion as alleged by Ningi
But Senator Jarigbe on a reaction insisted there was no such padding adding that senators were at peace with explanation by the Senate Committee on Appropriation

 

According to him ” there was no padding of the Budget with 3. 7 trillion, as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations clears the issue of Budget Padding.

He advised Senators not to destroy the Sanctity and integrity of the Senate because most of the senior Senators got extra Projects in their Districts but some other Senators, like himself did not get that incentiveincentive.

Rivers APC tackles PDP over Akpabio, Fubara’s banter at Wigwe’s

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Rivers APC tackles PDP over Akpabio, Fubara’s banter at Wigwe’s

The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State are at war over the comments of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Governor Siminalayi Fubara during last Saturday’s burial of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, his wife Chizoba and son, Chizzy in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government area of the state.

Both Akpabio and Fubara spoke during the funeral service held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Isiokpo.

While the APC, the main opposition party in the state accused the governor of bringing in politics at the funeral, the ruling PDP berated Akpabio over his reactions to the Fubara’s comments.

The Chairman, Rivers State APC Caretaker Committee, Chief Tony Okocha, at a news briefing on Tuesday said all Fubara was expected to do was to give a tribute rather than introducing politics at such a solemn ceremony.

Okocha stated, “The same fifth columnist that are encouraging him (Fubara) to disobey Mr President, are on a new spree of casting aspersions, deriding the Senate President of Nigeria.

“A burial ceremony, if you have opportunity to speak, you are expected to do a tribute. Even when you want to sing what they call a dirge, you don’t introduce politics.

“The governor goes to Isiokpo, by protocol he was allowed to speak, tribute to the dead. The corpses were lying there. What did he do? A minute after he even started, he veered off; saying ‘I’m talking about the political class. Why are we killing and burying.?’

“Why is he interested in unnecessary public campaign validation? Come to think of it. Was Wigwe a politician? That population there that day, were they all politicians? Was that a political campaign ground? So he could have said anything without dragging in the political class.

“Its the reason the Senate President, when he took the stage said ‘What are you struggling for? If you don’t want it don’t struggle for it.’ He was passing a message.”

While taking a swipe at the state chapter of the PDP for attacking the Senate President, Okocha said it shows the kind of politics being played in the state.

“The ground you are was not a ground to play politics. But what we are hearing now is that they are abusing him (Akpabio).

“Well, it is their business, but Akpabio is a member of my party. I saw a stupidly written script by the PDP that Akpabio is an enemy of the state and that they will soon declare him a persona non-grata. I laughed. That is the stupidity of the system,” he added.

But the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Sydney Gbara, in a statement described Akpabio as an enemy of Rivers, following his recent utterances issued concerning the state.

Gbara alleged that Akpabio was angry due to the applause that greeted Fubara’s remarks on why politicians are fighting and killing over power.

Gbara stated, “It is now obvious that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, is an enemy of Rivers people, as evident in his past and present actions and utterances on issues concerning the state.

“The applause from sympathisers and mourners at the burial, however, drew the anger of Senator Akpabio who mounted the rostrum afterwards to fight, after narrating a concocted fallacious story between him and a former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State over a power struggle, attempted to ridicule Governor Fubara by asking him to resign if there was no need to struggle to kill for power.

“Akpabio had consistently shown disdain, unimaginable level of disrespect and hatred for His Excellency, Siminialayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State through his utterances at public functions in the state.

“His actions against Rivers people had never been pleasant but embarrassing, as he seems to have taken advantage of the political impasse in the state to perfect his evil enterprise of igniting more crises to the detriment of the state.”

The state PDP spokesman recalled that at a church service recently in Tai Local Government Area of the state, “The same Akpabio had made a ridiculous remark regarding the 2027 Governorship election in Rivers State

“Such a statement was a huge embarrassment which could provoke a crisis as the governor has not told anyone that he would not seek reelection in 2027.

“The PDP therefore uses this medium to advise Senator Akpabio to refrain from verbal attacks on the Executive Governor of Rivers State,, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, as the people of the state would no longer take for granted, such comments capable of further dividing the people”.

The PDP also warned that if however, Akpabio decides to continue to make negative unprovoked utterances against Fubara, he may not be welcomed into the state again.

The PDP appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call Akpabio to order, saying “His consistent throwing of tantrums at the state governor and the people is capable of provoking crisis in the state.”

Senate in uproar over revelation senior senators obtain N500m for tasks

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Senate in uproar over revelation senior senators obtain N500m for tasks

There was uproar in the Senate on Tuesday over the revelation that ranking senators received N500 million each for projects.

Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe of the People’s Democratic Party representing Cross-River North had revealed during a Senate session that ranking senators received a sum of N500 million each.

The Senator revealed this while speaking during the plenary while discussing Senator Olamilekan Adeola’s motion on breach of privilege by Senator Ningi.

Senator Ningi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Population and he represents Bauchi Central.

Senator Ningi had alleged in a media interview that the 2024 Budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

Senator Adeola had invoked orders 9, 10, 41, and 51 to present a motion of privilege and raise an issue of national importance regarding Senator Abdul Ningi’s interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Services).

In his interview, Senator Ningi alleged that the Senate operates with two distinct budgets, highlighting over N3 trillion in unexplained funds within the 2024 budget.

However, Senator Agom-Jarigbe’s revelation that ranking senators received N500 million each sparked an uproar among the senators and caused a rowdy session.

He said, “We are going back and forth on this issue and coming up with issues of the budget and individual issues concerning what came to our various constituencies.

If we want to go into all those issues, all of us are culpable. Some so-called Senior Senators here got N500m each, I am a ranking Senator I didn’t get anything, did I go to the press?

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) while speaking after the uproar had died down clarified that the said N500m was for constituency projects.

Credit: TVC

 

‘One-day principal’ seeks launch of kidnapped schoolchildren

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‘One-day principal’ seeks launch of kidnapped schoolchildren

One-day principal of the Anglican Comprehensive High School, Ipaja, Lagos, Ndieze Chibueze, has called on the Federal Government to swiftly secure the release of kidnapped schoolchildren.

Chibueze, a student of the school, was named one-day principal for his outstanding achievement of earning six distinctions out of seven subjects in the recent Cambridge O-Level Examinations.

Over 280 schoolchildren and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna State, were abducted by bandits last Thursday, triggering national outrage.

Two days later, 15 Islamic education pupils and a woman were abducted in Gidan Bakuso, a village in the Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

A statement on Tuesday noted that Chibueze, while addressing journalists after serving his ceremonial principal duties on Monday, thanked the school authorities for the recognition, stating that the experience has exposed him to leadership traits that will positively shape his future endeavours.

However, Chibueze also used the platform to condemn the recent spate of school abductions across the country, particularly in Kaduna and Borno states.

He said, “While it is important to commend the efforts of both the federal and state governments in tackling issues of insecurity in the country, it is equally important to say that all security agencies in the country must be adequately prepared to proactively deal with future occurrences.”

Chibueze expressed confidence in the ability of the current Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, an alumnus of the school, to uphold its ethos and principles in addressing the security challenges.

“It is also a delight to note that Nigeria’s current Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, is an alumnus of this great school, and I have no doubt that he will live up to the ethos and principles of the school,” he said.

The one-day principal event, witnessed by parents, staff, and the entire student body, marked the beginning of the school’s 51st year of existence.

The school principal, Joseph Adedeji, described the programme as designed to “celebrate and promote academic excellence amongst the students on one hand, and also, more importantly, to inculcate leadership skills in the students and prepare them for future endeavours.”

Adedeji echoed Chibueze’s concerns over the recent abductions, calling on security agencies to collaborate effectively and fulfil their responsibility to protect lives and property.

Abductors of 15 Sokoto college students demand N20m ransom

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Abductors of 15 Sokoto college students demand N20m ransom

The bandits that kidnapped 15 Qur’anic students in Sokoto State have established contact with their families, demanding N20 million before releasing them.

The proprietor of the school, Liman Abubakar confirmed this development in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Tuesday.

According Online reports that the said students were abducted by bandits who raided Gidan Bakuso village in the Gada Local Government area in the early hours of Saturday. 

 Abubakar said the bandits called him and requested for N20 million for the students to be freed.

He said, “They  (the bandits) called me this morning around 11 am and directed me to meet our village head and tell him to raise N20 million for the children.

“I went and discussed the matter with the village head but we are yet to conclude.”

 Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ahmed Rufai, said the command was still working on the release of the students.

“We are still searching the surrounding villages and forest to get the exact location of where the kids are being held.

“We are on it and hopefully we will get them rescued,” he added.

Sunday According reported that the threats of clampdown on bandits and terrorists abducting schoolchildren seem to have little or no effect on the terrorists as 15 pupils of an Islamiya school in Sokoto State were kidnapped in the early hours of Saturday. 

This comes after Thursday’s abduction of 287 schoolchildren in Kaduna State. On Wednesday, over 200 Internally Displaced Persons were kidnapped from their camp in Borno State.

Reacting to the incidents, President Bola Tinubu ordered security agents to secure the immediate rescue of all the abducted people.

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Funds padding allegations dent senate picture, Akpabio laments

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Funds padding allegations dent senate picture, Akpabio laments

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has lamented that the allegation of budget padding sparked by Senator Abdul Ningi’s interview has dented the image of the Senate.

Akpabio stated this while speaking on the Senate floor on Tuesday, expressing concerns about the damage inflicted on the Senate’s integrity by the controversy

Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, alleged in a recent interview with BBC Hausa that the National Assembly approved a budget of N25 trillion for 2024, contrary to the N28.7 trillion implemented by the Federal Government.

Akpabio, during an open session, lamented the negative impact of the allegation on the Senate’s reputation.

He criticised Ningi for his initial interview and a subsequent one where he seemingly defended his initial claim of budget padding.

“Nigerians are bashing the Senate. Many Nigerians will never in future come back to respect this chamber. The integrity of this chamber has been totally damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech.

“Instead of that, you said you have more documents to prove what you are saying. This thing is in the public glare. I have not received full details up to this moment. If you had given me full details, I would have been able to know what you know.

“So far, what you know is only known to you, it is not known to any other person. I don’t know how you rushed to the press carrying different versions. The social media is very fast. From Canada, the United States, everywhere, the story was budget padding by the Senate.

“I can quote a section of the Premium Times that said ‘this is the highest level of budget padding in Nigeria’s history where the budget passed a budget of N25 trillion but what we collect was N28 trillion,” he said.

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Senate suspends Ningi for 3 months over N3.7tn funds padding allegation

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Senate suspends Ningi for 3 months over N3.7tn funds padding allegation

The Senate has suspended Senator Abdul Ningi for three months over an allegation of N3.7 trillion padded into the 2024 budget.

Ningi is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Population and represents  PDP, Bauchi Central.

While the parties called for a probe into the allegation, some northern senators disowned the claims made by Ningi, saying the Bauchi State senator did not speak for them. (

The Bauchi senator, however, maintained his position on Monday that N3.7tn could not be accounted for in the 2024 budget.

In the plenary on Tuesday, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) raised a motion that there is urgent need to address the false allegation by Ningi.

Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, read the transcript of Ningi’s Hausa BBC interview on the floor of the house after Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for a committee of the whole house.

Meanwhile, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim moves for the suspension of Ningi for 12 months while adding that Senator Sumaila Kawu (Kano South, NNPP) be warned.

Senator Chris Ekpeyong (Akwa-Ibom North-West, PDP) opposed by moving a motion of amendment that it be adjusted to six months and it was seconded. Another Senator said a three-month suspension should be adopted.

Details later…

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Tinubu will not apportion blame on Nigeria’s challenges -Shettima

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Tinubu will not apportion blame on Nigeria’s challenges -Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday said President Bola Tinubu was aware that Nigeria has challenges and he would never apportion blame but take responsibility.

He assured Nigerians that Tinubu has Nigeria on his mind.

This was as he said the government would neither deny the challenges in the country nor apportion blame, but rather accept responsibility and find solutions.

The Vice President made the statement during his remark at a book launch, titled “Beating all Odds: Diaries and Essays on how Bola Tinubu became President”, written by Sam Omatseye, Chairperson of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspaper, on Tuesday.

Shettima, who was Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, described Tinubu as “a man of courage and conviction”, noting that the President “took the bull by the horns”, by withdrawing the fuel subsidy and collapsing the multiple exchange rates regime.

The Vice President said, “Be rest assured that the President has Nigeria in his mind. Yes, we are having challenges, we are not denying that, and we are not here to apportion blame.

“Leadership is about accepting responsibilities and finding solutions to national challenges. The President is a man of courage and conviction. In the first week in office, he made far-reaching decisions.

“Oil subsidy had been an albatross around the neck of the Nigerian economy and the Nigerian nation. He took the bull by the horns and withdrew the fuel subsidy from day one. He was able to collapse the multiple exchange rate regime, which gave room for a lot of hanky-panky. And be rest assured that in the fullness of time, history will be kind to him.”

In his goodwill message, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Peter Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North), while hailing the qualities of the President outlined in the book, urged Nigerians to support the President.

“As the President faces governance, which is the stage which we are in currently, may I crave the indulgence of all Nigerians and all arms of government, to give him all the support he desires to succeed. With the agenda of Renewed Hope, our commitment to our national duty, and perseverance, I am convinced that we shall eventually reach the promised land”, he said.

Also at the event were former Governor of Ogun State, and Chairman on the Occasion, Olusegun Osoba; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; former National Chairman of the APC and Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole; former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, among others

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