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APC finally capitulates! *Jettisons zoning, throws NASS leadership contest open

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Dogged by stiff opposition to its earlier decision to share the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to specific zones and individuals, as announce by the National Working Committee (NWC) a fortnight ago, the All Progressives Congress, (APC), have decided to throw the contest open for all members interested in the offices to contest for them.

The ruling party, had after a supposed meeting with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, its presidential candidate, who was announced the winner of the February 25 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced Godswill Akpabio as its choice of Senate President, and invariably the Chairman of the National Assembly.

In its decision announced by Felix Morka, Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, former Minority Leader of the Senate and former Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, represented the South-South, while the slot for the Speaker of the House of Representatives was given to Tajudeen Abbas and Jibrin Barau, named as the Deputy Senate President, both from the North-West, while Ben Kalu, from Abia, representing the South East, clinched the Deputy Speaker slot.

Multiple sources our reporter that following the APC NWC’s suspicions that its proposed zoning may be thwarted, it is, however, recommending that the contest be thrown open.

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Vanguard, reports that the party had made a U-turn in the arrangement, quoting multiple sources, as saying: “It appears the NWC is suspicious that their plan may not go as planned and that is why they are recommending a free contest. Secretly, they have recommended a free contest because they (NWC) have intelligence that the G-6 aspirants have already adopted a consensus candidate among themselves but they have not revealed the identity of that person.

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”The G-6 aspirants are confusing the party, the Gbaja boys are also confused because they don’t know who they are throwing up.”

Another source told Vanguard that the G-6 speakership aspirants might have settled to pick a deputy speaker from the South-South geo-political zone. Secondly, they have got concrete information that the G-6 is going to the South-South to pick their deputy.”

“There are issues and they need to be confronted because the more we delay in solving the issues once and for all, the more we keep on having fresh ones. For instance, we have credible intelligence that the aggrieved aspirants who have formed the G-6 are already in an alliance with the opposition parties.

“Initially, we thought it was not going to work but we gathered credible information that they swore to themselves not to betray one another and went ahead to concede the deputy speakership slot to the opposition parties. We first considered it an act of indiscipline and anti-party but in a second thought, we needed to be smart to throw the contest open to all aspirants. Whoever wins at every point is after all a party man.

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“Some suggested that they should be sanctioned but we looked at the bigger picture because we must learn from experience as party administrators. What are the consequences for those aspirants? And what are those consequences on the party as a whole? So, the message the party chairman gave to Senator Akpabio and his team when they visited was a coded message. It is left for them to decode it because it is difficult to do another rejoinder to repudiate what we had said earlier on zoning.

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“More importantly, our initial thought was that the aggrieved aspirants would quickly adopt someone amongst them but they are also smart enough not to do so for now. That keeps the suspense high and it will be risky to allow them to do the damage by allying with the opposition parties swiftly on the floor of the parliament that day.

“Of course, we know too well that most of the people milling around Akpabio or Abbas are playing politics. So, what is the guarantee that all are with us? So we have decided to slow down and lower our tone on streamlining to individuals; let all those interested come out to contest because if we don’t allow that to happen, the gang up of the aggrieved APC aspirants and the opposition will be too risky for us”, a lawmaker-elect told our reporter.

 

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Democracy in Africa, alive and well – Tinubu *Hails Faye, Senegal President-elect

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An upbeat President Bola Tinubu has hailed the current level of democratic culture in Africa, saying that the recent seamless polls in Senegal and Liberia, were indicative of how alive and well the culture had become, a development, which he said would serve the continent positively.

Tinubu, currently the Chairman of the Authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of Government, particularly congratulated Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his election as the president of the Republic of Senegal, in a statement on Wednesday by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale on Wednesday, March 27.

The statement read: “President Tinubu notes that President-elect Faye comes with great promise and a sterling record, wishing him success as he takes on this important job of leading the good people of Senegal.

“The President also congratulates His Excellency, President Macky Sall, for overseeing an election that has been widely adjudged as peaceful and transparent. President Tinubu states that the success of the presidential election in Senegal and the successful conduct of the general election in Liberia a few months ago have affirmed his long-held conviction that the taproot of democracy is deeply established in West Africa and will only grow stronger as it is watered by good governance, justice, and fairness to all.

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“As the chairman of ECOWAS, the President affirms that the successful conduct of the Senegal election is a boost to the sub-regional organization in its efforts to promote peace and constitutional order, as well as strengthen ties among member states. President Tinubu congratulates the people of Senegal and assures them of Nigeria’s best wishes and support.”

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Aiyedatiwa names seven Akerodolu’s commissioners in new cabinet

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Seven commissioners who served the government of the late Rotimi Akeredolu, have found their way into the list of the new cabinet of Lucky Aiyedatiwa, comprising of 12 Commissioner nominees, which was forwarded to the Assembly for approval, on Wednesday.

Ebenezer Adeniyan, spokesman to the governor, named the new nominees as: Segun Ayerin, Olaolu Akindolire, Hamidu Takuro, Banji Ajaka, Boye Ologbese, Sunday Akinwalere, Lola Fagbemi, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, Rasheed Badmus, Olayato Aribo, Adewale Akinlosotu and Gbenga Olaniyi.

A letter containing the list of the nominees to the Speaker Hon. Olamide Oladiji, urged the lawmakers to give expedited consideration to the confirmation of the nominees.

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Military to Okuama killers: We’ll get you *21 children, orphaned, 10 widowed – COAS

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From Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), came a definite message on Wednesday to those involved in the killing of 17 soldiers at Okuama, in Delta State, a fortnight ago – you can run, but you cannot hide – we will get you, wherever you are holing up.

Musa a General, who spoke at the burial ceremony of the fallen soldiers, held at the National Cemetery in Abuja, promised that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be brought to justice, as nothing would be left undone to hunt them down from their hiding places.

The highest Nigerian military boss, said at the ceremony, supervised by President Bola Tinubu: “To the perpetrators of violence who seek to sow division and fear among our people, know this: our resolve will not waver. We will hunt you down, we will bring you to justice, and we will restore peace and security to every nook and cranny of our dear nation.”

The slain officers, including Lt. Col. A.H Ali, Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, were given posthumous honours by Tinubu, who announced other largesse, including houses for the families and scholarship up to university level for their children, including the unborn babies from their pregnant wives.

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Ali, Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348), whose names had earlier been released by Defence Headquarters of the Nigerian Military, were awarded with Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), while the other ranks, were given the award of the Officer of the Niger.

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They included: SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290); LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).

Taoreed Lagbaja, a Lieutenant General and Chief of Army Staff, who also spoke at the event, described the killing of military personnel as demoralizing, adding that it was sad that those responsible for their deaths were the same people the soldiers, who were on legitimate duty at the time of their death swore to protect.

Lamenting that that a total of 21 children had been orphaned and 10 women widowed by the actions of the culprits, Lagbaja, also, sought the cooperation of the community to apprehend the culprits of the heinous crime, while promising that neither the army nor the Nigerian people would abandon the families they left behind.

He said: “The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigeria state – 10 windows (three of whom are 4, 5, and 8 months pregnant), 21 orphans, and many other dependents which include parents. While commiserating with the families of these gallant soldiers, I assure them that the Nigerian Army and the good people of this country will not leave them in the cold. We shall do all within our power to provide succor to them and preserve the memories of their departed loved ones.”

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