Connect with us


Members of the Nigerian Senate loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari have started gathering signatures as part of efforts to frustrate moves by the upper chamber to veto the electoral bill.

It was also learnt that some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have intervened to ensure that the Senate’s decision to override Buhari’s veto power in the passage of the amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 was not successful.

The president had written to lawmakers on his decision to withhold assent to the controversial Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill which seeks to re-order the sequence of polls in such a way that the presidential election would come last during the general elections.

Punch reliably gathered that members of Buhari’s cabinet and governors on the platform of the ruling APC had been mobilising members of the National Assembly loyal to Buhari to frustrate the move to override the President’s veto on the amended Electoral Act.

An APC governor fro South-West and another from the North-West were said to have been part of a meeting with the lawmaker representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in Abuja last Thursday.

Adamu is leading the opposition to the amendment, which is considered to be anti-Buhari in the Senate.

It was reliably learnt that a minister from the South-South was also part of the meeting, where it was agreed that the pro-Buhari members of the National Assembly would be mobilised to frustrate the likely overriding of the President on the bill.

One of the senators opposed to the amendment told Punch on Wednesday night that it was the meeting that made Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP-Ebonyi-Central) to raise the alarm that there was a move to sack the leadership of the Senate led by Bukola Saraki.

The lawmaker however insisted that the meeting was to mobilise for Buhari’s defence and not to sack Saraki.

The source said: “Of course, there was a meeting but it was not held with Adamu in Lafia on Tuesday, it was held at his residence in Abuja last Thursday. But they started gathering signatures on Tuesday. The conclusion at the meeting was that senators who were opposed to the amendment should lobby others to reject the move to override Buhari’s veto on the bill.

“So far so good, we should have got the needed number that we need, which is just over 40. They need 73 or two-third of the 109 to override the veto but we need less than 50 to frustrate that.

“The Peoples Democratic Party caucus just met tonight and part of their agenda is how to achieve the imposition of the bill on the President.”

He said although the larger percentage of the PDP caucus is for the amendment, a particular member of the caucus from the South-East chose to sign the pro-Buhari senators’ list.

“He has already signed with us and there is a few others too,” he added.

BIG STORY

Senate Passes Bill For Ijebu State Creation For First Reading

Published

on

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed a bill for the creation of Ijebu State, marking the first reading of the proposal during its plenary session.

The bill, which seeks to establish Ijebu as an independent state, was sponsored by Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun State.

Titled the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth 1 Alteration) Bill, 2024 (Creation of Ijebu State),” the proposed legislation aims to carve out Ijebu from the current Ogun State.

The bill was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Michael Bamidele of the All Progressives Congress as the “fourth order of the day” during the plenary.

After reading the title of the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio moved the proposal forward, passing it for its first reading and setting the stage for further legislative processes.

The bill will now undergo a series of discussions and evaluations before it can proceed to the next stages of approval.

The push for the creation of Ijebu State is part of a broader national discourse on the need for more state creation across Nigeria, particularly in regions where there are growing demands for administrative autonomy.

If the bill successfully progresses through the required legislative procedures, Ijebu, currently a part of Ogun State, could become a separate state with its own governance structures.

This development comes amid increasing calls for state creation in various parts of the country, with proponents arguing that new states could better address local needs, foster economic growth, and enhance political representation.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

An Aspirant Gave Each Delegate $30,000 During PDP Primary In 2022 — Dele Momodu

Published

on

Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine, says he regrets spending about N50 million to buy the presidential nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2022.

Momodu spoke in a recent interview on Eden Oasis, published on Sunday.

The journalist and politician said the primary was heavily monetised, with a particular aspirant doling out $30,000 to each of the 774 delegates who voted during the election.

The politician stated that he would not vie for any party’s presidential ticket unless he is adopted as a consensus candidate.

“Experience is the best teacher. I have come to realise that there are powers that you can describe as principalities that control Nigeria,” he said.

“Unless a major political party decides to adopt me — where you have a consensus of people who say Dele Momodu is best suited to change and to lead Nigeria. Then I will consider it.

“But if I have to pick my money to buy a presidential nomination form of about N100 million… I spent about N50 million to buy the form for the last one.

“N50 million would have bought me a property. It was a waste. I didn’t get even one vote because everything was monetised.

“One of the candidates paid as much as $30,000 per delegate, and we had 774 delegates.

“So, how do you want to compete with them? They have stolen the country blind and are doing all kinds of deals to make money, especially those in the oil-rich areas.

“It is not easy. You can’t compete with them. That’s why they insult Nigerians anyhow because of the amount of money available to them in raw cash. There’s no country where people buy raw cash like Nigeria.

“The bulk of their money is not in any bank. So, they are not traceable to any bank. So, they have the money. If today you say to some politicians that you need $500 million to become a president, they will find it.

“So, people like us, where will I start from?”

Momodu was one of the presidential hopefuls of the PDP at the time. He did not secure any votes during the exercise.

Atiku Abubakar clinched the presidential ticket with 371 votes to beat his closest challenger, Nyesom Wike, now minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), who polled 237 votes.

Abubakar was defeated by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election.

Bukola Saraki, former senate president, scored 70 votes; Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, got 20 votes; Udom Emmanuel, former governor of Akwa Ibom, secured 38 votes; while Pius Anyim, former secretary to the government of the federation, polled 14 votes.

Sam Ohuabunwa, a businessman, alongside Momodu and Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti, received zero votes.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

We’ll Reintroduce Bill Seeking 6-Year Single Term For President, Governors Despite Rejection — Rep

Published

on

Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, a member of the House of Representatives, says the push for a six-year single term for president and governors will continue despite the bill’s rejection.

The bill, which was slated for a second reading during Thursday’s plenary session, was rejected by lawmakers in the Green Chamber.

Sponsored by Ikeagwuonu from Imo State and 33 other lawmakers, the bill also sought to amend Section 3 of the Constitution to recognize the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones.

Briefing journalists on Thursday evening, the lawmaker described the rejection of the bill as a “temporary setback.”

“The struggle to reform our constitutional democracy to be all-inclusive and provide an avenue for justice, equity, and fairness has not been lost,” he said.

The lawmaker added that voting against the bill by the parliament “does not put an end to agitation and hope that we will realise this objective.”

“This is a temporary setback which does not affect the campaign for an inclusive democratic process,” he said.

The Imo lawmaker stated that the sponsors of the bill will review the decision of the House and “find possible ways of reintroducing it after following due legislative procedures.”

“All I can tell Nigerians is that we will continue the advocacy and convince our colleagues to see reason with us. If elections are held in one day, it will reduce cost and rigging,” he said.

“If power rotates, it will help deescalate political tensions, and a six-year single term will go a long way in helping elective leaders focus on delivering their democratic mandate.”

“All hope is not lost, we will continue the advocacy, and we hope that when reintroduced, our colleagues will support it.”

Continue Reading

Most Popular