Author: Amina Ibrahim

SENATOR Ali Ndume of Borno South District in Borno State has asked that he not be held responsible in the event that the freshly elected Senate President Godswill Akpabio falls short of expectations in his new role. Ndume was one of those who spearheaded the campaign for Akpabio and Deputy Speaker Barau Jibril, leading up to their election on Tuesday. Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria, hours after the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, the senator was asked if Akpabio’s performance should reflect on him as one of his endorsers. He however argued otherwise,…

BENJAMIN Kalu, a returning member of the House of Representatives from the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia state has emerged the Deputy Speaker unopposed. Confirming that there were no other nominations for the position, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal, swore in Kalu as Deputy Speaker immediately. Kalu takes over from the Deputy Speaker of the 9th National Assembly, Idris Wase. The emergence of Kalu followed the election of a member from Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the Green Chamber. Abbas defeated Wase and Aminu Jaji in…

TAJUDDEEN Abbas, the All Progressives Congress preferred candidate, has been elected the Speaker of the House of Representatives in a voice vote on Tuesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. He defeated his APC counterparts Aminu Jaji and Ahmed Idris Wase. Abbas polled 353 votes from a total of 359 votes, while Wase scored 3 votes, Jaji got three votes too. Abbas currently serves as the Federal Representative representing Zaria constituency in the 9th National Assembly. Abbas, who has been a member of the House since 2011, was subsequently sworn in as the new Speaker of the House of…

THERE was jubilation in the chamber of the House of Representatives as the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Tajudeen Abbas, crossed the winning margin in the ongoing election for Speaker. After a roll-call of members-elect, 359 out of 360 members are participating in the process. There are three contestants in the race, with the winner expected to defeat the others by a simple majority. A significant majority of the members-elect have “openly declared” their votes for Abbas. Abbas is on the verge of defeating his opponents: outgoing Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, and Sani Jaji, who have one and…

VOTING has commenced in earnest for the Speakership position of the House of Representatives. It’s a three horse race with the APC preferred candidate for the office, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, the immediate past deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and Hon. Aminu Jaji on the ballot. The House adopted open ballot system where members easily mention to the electoral officer and the deputy clerk to the national assembly, Barr. Kamura Ogunlana the candidate of their choice by voice. It’s done on state-by-state basis and on alphabetical order. So far, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra Akwa Ibom and Benue have…

THE senator-elect representing Kano South senatorial district, Jibrin Barau, has emerged as the Deputy Senate President unopposed. Senator Dave Umahi nominated Senator Barau as Deputy Senate President and read his citation after which the nominee accepted the nomination. A member-elect, Salisu Mustapha supported the nomination. The Clerk of the Red Chamber after asking if there are further nominations, declared Senator Jibrin Barau as Deputy Senate President unopposed. Senator Barau was thereafter sworn in as Deputy Senate President of the 10th National Assembly. News Point Nigeria, on Tuesday, reports Godswill Akpabio was elected President of the Senate.

A CANDIDATE of the All Progressives Congress for the Senate presidency, Godswill Akpabio, has been elected as President of the Senate. The House of Senate, on Tuesday, elected Goodwill Akpabio as its President after scoring 63 votes defeating Senator Abdulaziz Yari who scored 46 votes. The former Governor of Akwa Ibom served as a Minister for Niger Delta Affairs from 2019 to 2022, represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial zone. The result was announced by the clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal. He said 107 senators voted. Akpabio was the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has signed into law the Student Loan Bill in fulfilment of a promise he made during his campaign. News Point Nigeria reports that this was announced on Monday by the spokesperson to the Federal Government, Dele Alake, saying that the funds will be domiciled in the Ministry of Education and will only be accessed by indigent students of tertiary institutions. The student loan bill sponsored by the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, which provides for interest-free loans to indigent Nigerian students, passed the third reading at the House, two weeks ago. The law…

VICE-PRESIDENT Kashim Shettima has raised the alarm over attempts at twisting his recent utterances in support of the candidacy of Senator Godswill Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate to cause disaffection. Shettima, in a statement by Abiola Sola, Director of Information in the Office of the Vice President, said his support for Akpabio was not to look down on anybody or a section of the country but to underline the importance of diversity and justice. “During an interactive session with senators campaigning for the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin to lead the 10th Senate, yesterday,…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu was not handed Nigeria at its best socio-economic state, and he knows this fact; perhaps, this has informed some of the steps he has taken within the last 13 days since he officially took the reins. Uneasy they say lies the head that wears the crown, and indeed the first few days have not been easy, especially because the new president had to delve headlong into the subsidy quagmire even as his lawyers continue to battle election petitions at the tribunal. There are many who have said that Tinubu has shown some applaudable character within these very…

HON NNOLIM Nnaji, immediate past Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, has accused Senator Hadi Sirika, former Minister of Aviation, of lying against him. He said this while responding to the allegation which the former minister of aviation levelled against him. When he appeared on an ARISE TV programme on Sunday, Sirika had said the lawmaker asked for 5 percent share of Nigeria Air. “Hon Nnaji asked me that I should give him 5% of Nigeria to carry him along with his people, and I said to him at that time, Honourable, a bidding process that has taken…

ASPIRANTS for the House of Representatives speaker, Hon Aliyu Betara and Hon Yusuf Gagdi have both agreed to stepdown for Hon Tajuddeen Abbas after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, News Point Nigeria gathered. Recall that this newspaper had exclusively reported that Betara was billed to announce his withdrawal from the speakership race anytime soon before the Tuesday, June 13 inauguration of the 10th National Assembly. Confirming the development in a statement on Sunday, Tajudeen Abbas/Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu Joint Task Campaign Office stated that the aspirant alongside others have formally stepped down for…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu will address the nation on Monday, June 12, 2023, at 7am to commemorate this year’s Democracy Day. News Point Nigeria reports that the broadcast will be relayed simultaneously by all radio and TV stations. In a press statement on Sunday, the Director Information, State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye urged all electronic stations to link up with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) for the broadcast. The statement read: DEMOCRACY DAY 2023: PRESIDENT TINUBU BROADCASTS TO THE NATION President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will broadcast to the nation on Monday, June 12, 2023,…

POLICE authorities have arrested a wanted logistic supplier and informant to a kidnapping and banditry group terrorizing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs. News Point Nigeria reports that the suspect, Mohammed Hamza a.k.a Auta, was arrested by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the FCT Police Command at the Mongoro Forest. The Police Public Relations Officer in FCT, SP Josephine Adeh disclosed this in a statement on Saturday night. “The suspect, who has been on the wanted list of the Command, is being held for his involvement in supplying firearms, ammunition and other weapons; food items and illicit drugs to…

IT was an emotional moment for lawmakers as the Senate held its valedictory session on Saturday. At the event well attended by lawmakers, the Senators took turns to recount their experiences in the 9th National Assembly. Vice President Kashim Shettima of Borno Central and Nigeria’s First Lady Remi Tinubu, and outgone Senate President Ahmad Lawan were some of the lawmakers present. In his valedictory speech, Shettima urged incoming senators to work for the betterment of Nigeria as the lawmakers elect their leaders. “To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a parable, ‘the stability of this nation is superior…

THE suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, is in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) custody, the secret police has confirmed. This is according to a statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Peter Afunanya, on Saturday. “The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is now in its custody for some investigative reasons,” it said. “The public, particularly the Media, is enjoined to apply utmost caution in the reportage and narratives concerning this.” The revelation comes hours…

VICE-PRESIDENT Kashim Shettima and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, attended the valedictory session of ninth Senate held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Saturday. Shettima is the outgoing senator for Borno Central, while President Bola Tinubu’s wife represents Lagos Central until the inauguration of the 10th Senate on Tuesday. The Senate President Ahmad Lawan suspended Order 12 to allow visitors to come into the chamber for the ceremony. The Clerk presented the certificates of legislative service to Lawan, followed by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege. Lawan presented the certificates of legislative service to the senators.

THE Department of State Services (DSS) has denied widespread claims that it has the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, in its custody. Reports of Emefiele’s arrest were widely shared online, moments after his suspension was made public on Friday evening. However, in response to the reports, DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya on Saturday said in a terse statement, “Currently, Emefiele is not with the DSS.” The Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Willie Bassey in a statement on Friday, announced Emefiele’s suspension. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended…

FORMER governor of Kano State Rabiu Kwankwaso has accused his successor Abdullahi Ganduje of appropriating government properties to himself and members of his family. He made the accusation on Friday while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House. The duo, who were political allies but have since fallen out with each other, visited the Nigerian leader individually on Friday. Ganduje came out first from his meeting with the President and slammed Kwankwaso over the demolition of property by Governor Abba Yusuf’s government, saying that he could have slapped his predecessor if they…

THE Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, over terrorism charges less than an hour after his suspension. News Point Nigeria reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Emefiele, from office with immediate effect,” the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Willie Bassey said in a Friday statement. A source in the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity told this newspaper that Emefiele has been arrested by the DSS barely an hour after his suspension was announced. More details shortly…