Featured

Senate Moves to Restrain Buhari from Undertaking Foreign Medical Trips

Published

3 years ago

November 5, 2020

Eric

The Senate on Thursday issued a strong warning to State House Officials suggesting that henceforth, President Muhammadu Buhari should be restrained from embarking on foreign trips for medical attention.

According to the Senate, rather than allow President Buhari to jet out to seek medical attention and treatment, the government and statehouse officials should this year, put the State House Clinic in order for such purposes.

The warning was given by the Senator Danjuma La’ah, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna South led Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs when the State House Permanent Secretary, Tijani Umar, appeared before the panel to defend his 2021 budget estimates.

In its presentation, the State House official gave a budget of N19.7bn for 2021, out of which N1.3bn was proposed for the State House Clinic.

In his reaction to the budget estimates, the Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Danjuma La’ah explained that though the committee would approve the budget for the State House Clinic, but that President and other top officials of his government should no longer be flown abroad for medical treatment again.

Speaking with Journalists after defending his budget, the Permanent Secretary promised to put necessary arrangements in place to meet to medical needs of the President and other top officials once the budget was approved.

The Vanguard

Featured

Oyo Govt Demolishes Operational Base of Yoruba Nation Agitators

Published

3 mins ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Oyo State government, on Wednesday, demolished a building serving as the operational base of the Yoruba Nation agitators led by Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, in Ibadan.

Onitiri-Abiola, one of the widows of late Bashorun M.KO Abiola, had declared the creation of the so-called Yoruba Nation in a video posted online, which has been widely condemned.

Last Saturday, some armed men in military uniforms invaded the Oyo State Secretariat, with the motive to forcefully take over the State House of Assembly, before they were dislodged by the combined efforts of police and troops for the Nigeria Army 2 Division..

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, confirmed the demolition of the house located at Toye Oyesola Street in Ibadan South West Local Government Area.

Already, no fewer than 29 suspects – including a lecturer – arrested in connection with the foiled armed invasion were on Wednesday arraigned by the police before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.

In a case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 between the Commissioner of Police and the 29 suspects, they were accused of a seven-count charge of treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearms, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

Inspector Bakare Rasaq, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, said the offence contravenes, and is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

Featured

PDP BoT Queries Damagum, Anyanwu’s Continued Stay in Office

Published

29 mins ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has queried the continued stay in office of the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

Recently, many party members have raised concerns about the ongoing tenure of Damagum and Anywanwu in their respective positions.

Previously serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the role of acting National Chairman following the court’s suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March of the preceding year.

With the National Secretary being selected as the PDP candidate for the Imo State 2023 governorship election, the South zone has been grappling with nominating a replacement. Despite this, he, along with other party leaders, contested and retained the position of party secretary after losing to Governor Hope Uzodinnma.

The Punch

Featured

PDP Retains Demagum As Acting National Chairman

Published

6 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, has survived attempts to remove him from office.

In the lead-up to today’s National Executive Committee meeting, the issue of whether Damagum should maintain his position or be substituted has been the focal point of discussions among party officials.

Formerly serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the position of acting National Chairman after the court suspended the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The court’s decision followed a request by a PDP member, Terhide Utaan, triggered by a prior vote of no confidence passed on Ayu by his ward executives in Igyorov ward, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

Recently, 60 members of the House of Representatives called for Damagum’s ouster and called for the appointment of a substantive chairman from the North Central region.

However, shortly after this announcement, members of the House minority caucus, led by Kingsley Chinda, distanced themselves from the group, dismissing it as an unrecognised entity within the parliament.

The PDP Caucus meeting in the House of Representatives on Tuesday ended in discord, with lawmakers divided between those supporting Damagum’s continuation and those opposing it.

However, the primary goal of the pre-NEC meeting, which aimed to endorse Damagum with a vote of confidence by lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, faced hurdles and did not proceed as intended.

Recall that, on Wednesday, the PDP’s National Working Committee expressed full support for Damagum.

Nevertheless, after its caucus meeting on Wednesday, the North Central Zone of the party unanimously decided that the zone should nominate the next national chairman of the party following Ayu’s removal.

Speaking to reporters after the National Caucus meeting in the early hours of Thursday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that Damagum will continue to serve as the acting national chairman of the party until another NEC meeting after today’s session.

The PDP National Caucus is a crucial assembly of party stakeholders that convenes before the NEC meeting and sets the tone for every major decision to be made at the NEC meeting.

In many instances, when the National Caucus reach a consensus on matters, the NEC simply approves it, but when there is disagreement, other members of the NEC will vote either for or against the issue in question.

Ologunagba disclosed that the PDP National Caucus endorsed Damagum’s continued acting role to allow for broader consultations.

The Punch