Politics
Lawan Clashes With Akpabio As Senate Fixes 11am To 3pm For Plenary
…Senate President Asks IGP, PSC To End Rivalry
…Confirms DIG Argungu (rtd), Chairman Police Commission
Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
The Senate has amended its Order Paper to start holding Plenary from 11am to 3pm.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, had raised two motions at the commencement of plenary.
One of them was an amendment to the standing rules which proposed that the Senate shifts the timing it’s sittings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 11am, and close by 3pm like their counterpart in the House of Representatives.
The Senate Leader also moved his second motion on Standing Committee’s Amendment of order 96 to create the Senate Committee on Reparation and repatriation.
However, the second motion was stepped down as senators opted to debate on the issue of sitting time.
While lending his voice to the issue, Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio had indicated that the most urgent motion was to align the time of resumption with what obtains in the House of Representatives.
He suggested that the motion should be separated and that the first one to be taken should be the time of sitting.
However, the Immediate past President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan while making his contribution, disagreed with Akpabio.
Lawan said, “I don’t know the basis at the moment for which we want to shift our sitting from 10 to 11 and end at 3pm, for me, we have more energy, our eyes are clearer in the morning and one hour into the day, probably we would have lost some energy.
“If we work between 10am and 2pm, if we sit in the plenary between 10am and 2pm, our committees would do better. If we don’t have any reason except we have to synchronize with the House, I think we need to look at it again.
“However, if we have other reasons that we must change, that is fine. If it is just to synchronize with the House may have their reasons for sitting at 11 and close by 3pm but here I don’t see the reasons.”
Responding Akpabio threw it back at Lawan that the idea of the Senate sitting by 11am started during his time as the President of the 9th Senate especially during the period of the COVID-19.
But Lawan reacted by saying it was as a result of the COVID-19 that the time was tinkered from 10am to 11am adding that they had to cut down on the number of days for plenary.
Akpabio then reacted that, “Our rules said 10am but we came to meet the tradition of 11am, the only thing that we changed was to add additional day because during that COVID-19 period we were sitting twice a week.
“I said no, since there is no more COVID we should sit three times in a week and we maintained what we saw, 11am but now we are.saying that we have not been able to justify the 11am sitting unless it reflects same on our rules.
“The Idea of 3pm in my view is not correct because it does not mean you must sit till 3pm, it simply means if we don’t have musc to do we can close at 1pm or 2pm to enable our colleagues to go for committee sittings and other matters related to the proceedings of the Senate such as clearances and all that.
“The only aspect of it is to legalise it so that people dint have the impression that you are sitting at 11am while the rule says 10am.
Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has urged the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to stop struggling with the Police Service Commission (PSC) in the interest of the country.
Akpabio stated this at plenary on Thursday after the Senate confirmed President Bola Tinubu’s nominee, DIG. Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd) for appointment as Chairman, Police Service Commission.
He said, “The Committee on Police Affairs should also ensure oversight functions hereafter to avoid the mistakes the yester years, particularly the idea of the office of the Inspector General of Police struggling with the Police Service Commission on its issues of recruitment and thereby retarding the progress of security in the nation.
“In the last two years, we probably would have had additional 20,000 Nigerians into the Nigerian Police Force, but unfortunately, as a result of personality clashes, the issues went as far as the supreme Court.
“Whether withdrawn or not withdrawn, this Police Service Commission we have just cleared today, the office of the inspector-general of police should be cautioned to take the interest of Nigerians into consideration and the security of this nation uppermost and not their personal interest and work harmoniously toward the realisation of Mr. President’s vision that Nigerians should be allowed to sleep with their eyes closed”.
The Senate confirmation was sequel to the report of the Committee on Police Affairs on confirmation of the nominations of the following persons for appointment as chairman, secretary and member of the Police Service Commission.
Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Abdulhamid, Mallam-Madori Ahmed (Jigawa East) urged the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on Police Affairs on the confirmation of the nominations of DIG. Hashimu Salihu Argungu (Rtd), (Chairman), Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, (Secretary) and Barr. Fredrick Taiwo Lakanu, (member).
Chairman of Police Committee, Senator Mallam-Madori Ahmed said with the confirmation of members of PSC, the recruitment exercise which was put on hold due to absence oa a board will be brought to a logical conclusion.
David Olayinka, Akure
The Jagunmolu of Ikaleland and Ojagbulegun from The Source, Prince ( Dr.) Gen. Olu Bajowa, CFR has commended Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, describing him as a Governor whose victory at the November , 16th poll was made possible by God , the Almighty and the good people of Ondo State , who showed him massive love and vote support on election day.
Gen. Bajowa gave this indication in a special congratulatory statement, personally signed by him , which copy was obtained by thepolity.net
In the statement, the retired top brass Army General said, ” I write to join all well-wishers to congratulate you on your well deserved election victory as ” the God’s anointed” Executive Governor of Ondo State.
“The people have spoken loud and clear! Your outstanding and overwhelming performance with the wide margin at the polls is a testimony of your popular acceptance by the good people of The Sunshine State.
” As the old proverb says, ‘ Vox Populi, vox dei’ ( the voice of the people is the voice of God), therefore by God’s grace , you are the Executive Governor of Ondo State for the next four years. ”
While congratulating the Governor on his ‘ sweet victory,’ Gen. Bajowa said Gov. Aiyedatiwa has enormous responsibilities in making life more abundant for the people of Ondo State, noting that the Governor’s responsibility includes providing adequate security, transformation of Agriculture , health and education sectors among others; the fight against poverty, hunger and unemployment , ensuring adequate water and regular power supply for the growth of SMEs and reactivation of all the moribund industries with serious attention to road network and infrastructural development. Going further, Gen. Bajowa noted, “Also important are the issues of the development of our natural resources and solid minerals : bitumen, oil, fisheries and the Ondo State deep seaport project.
” You can count on me , my family and the entire Bajowa Royal Family for our continued support and loyalty to good governance and administration of Ondo State,” Gen. Bajowa stated.
While wishing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa a successful tenure , Gen. Bajowa wished him more of God’s guidance , protection and good health as he governs Ondo State afresh.
…as voting commences across wards
Feranmi Daniel, Abeokuta
There was very impressive turn out in Sagamu and Ikenne Local Governments on Saturday during the Local Government elections going on in the State, as voters were seen trooping to their various polling units to cast their ballots.
Recalled that Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) had earlier slated Local Government elections for Saturday, 16th November, 2024.
An election observer from Advocacy for Social Justice & Liberty, Charles Odunuga, commended the electoral body for what he termed decent and well organized process.
He therefore, urged electorate to maintain the peace till the end of the exercise, adding that peaceful environment plays pivotal role in strengthening democracy.
Also, a voter in Sagamu, Pastor Sola Komolafe, euologised the proactiveness of the electoral commission and level of preparedness, including level-playibg ground for opposition parties to thrive.
In the same vein, Mrs Kafilat Sokoya, another voter in Grammar School area of Ikenne described the process across the town as peaceful and orderly, as she advised voters to shun inducement and act of violence.
Feranmi Daniel, Abeokuta
The ongoing local government polls in Ogun State got off to a good start on Saturday. This newspaper can exclusively report.
Election into chairmanship and councillorship positions are currently ongoing in the 20 local government councils of the state, with the major political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) saying that they will have a good showing.
In the polling units surveyed in major cities such as Abeokuta, the state capital; Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, Ota and Ilaro, election materials arrived on schedule even as voters expressed confidence that the exercise would be concluded without any hassles.
Findings by reporters across the state have not shown any incident of voter harassment or ballot box snatching so far.
This contradicts the false alarm raised by a major opposition party in the state to the effect that the election has been bedevilled by violence.
Some voters, however, complained of late arrival of materials even as officials of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) interviewed across the state said materials have reached all polling units in the State and they expected voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise.