Politics
House Members Clash With Speaker Over $15 Million Distribution Dispute
The House of Representatives members may be headed for a confrontation with Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila due to claims of uneven allocation of a $15 million gift from the executive branch of the government.
The group of discontented lawmakers specifically accused Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila of engaging in a clandestine agreement with the executive branch to approve a N22.7 trillion borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and subsequently, failing to fairly distribute the $15 million offered to the House as a sweetener.
As a result of this situation, Gbajabiamila has reportedly postponed the resumption of the House’s plenary session, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday, in order to address the concerns of the disgruntled members and find a resolution to the brewing crisis.
The Speaker justified the adjournment of the plenary by claiming that the previously announced date was a mistake.
The clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria, in a terse statement on Monday said, “This is to inform all Hon Members and the general public that the House of Representatives will not resume plenary on Tuesday 16th May, 2023 as earlier announced.
“The next adjourned date will be Wednesday 17th May, 2023 at 11:00am. Please disregard earlier notice and date; it was made in error. All inconveniences are highly regretted.”
It is currently uncertain whether the tensions between the House members and the Speaker have been resolved or not.
According to one of the lawmakers who spoke with a correspondent, a significant number of representatives hold grievances against the Speaker, and it is possible that there may be a physical altercation when the plenary session reconvenes.
The House had on Tuesday, 31st January, authorised the president to borrow a fresh N1 trillion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to fund the 2022 supplementary budget.
While the House approved restructuring of the N1tn WMAs, the lawmakers dropped the request for N22,719,703,774,306.90 from the CBN.
After several negotiations with members of the concerned committees of the House and other critical stakeholders, Gbajabiamila secured commitment of the House to pass the request on Thursday, 4th May.
It was also gathered that the $15milion was allegedly negotiated for by Gbajabiamila but he kept it away from his colleagues until last week when lawmakers got wind of the funds and accused him directly.
It was further gathered that the speaker immediately ordered disbursement of $10, 000 to each lawmaker, amounting to $3.6 million, as their own share of the largesse, and adjourned plenary. A rough calculation of the amount suggested that the speaker might have kept over $11million to himself.
“You can see that he didn’t allow the plenary to reconvene as planned. He knows that there is a crisis and he doesn’t want the deputy speaker to preside over a plenary with the situation on ground. How can only one person even take more money than the entire 360 members and call himself a leader. He is too greedy,” the member said.
Another member who spoke to our correspondent alleged that short-changing lawmakers had been Gbajabiamila’s stock in trade and that the speaker already bit more than he could chew.
“Let me tell you, this is not the first time. The executive released about N10bn for members of the House ahead of the elections; we only got $10, 000 each. Members are asking, what did Femi do with the balance? A similar amount was approved for the Senate and each Senator received about $40, 000,” he said.
Gbajabiamila Keeps Mum, Plot To Adjourn House Indefinitely Thickens
The special adviser to the Speaker on media and publicity, Lanre Lasisi, refused to answer his calls or respond to text messages via his WhatsApp Portal on Monday and Tuesday.
Another aide of the Speaker who was central to the transaction picked his call but as soon as the question was put to him, he hung up the phone on our correspondent and never picked repeated calls made to his mobile phone.
A returning lawmaker from the North Central confirmed to our correspondent that the money was shared and he got his own $10, 000 share.
When pointedly asked if it was for passing the N22.7 trillion, the ranking lawmaker said, “That is what they said, it is true, I have collected my own.”
The member representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency of Benue State, Benjamin Mzondu, however, denied knowledge of the transaction.
Mzomdu in a telephone conversation with our correspondent yesterday said, “I am not aware of this, I am hearing it from you for the first time. I am a lawmaker and I didn’t get any money.”
When our correspondent argued that the information was released on the lawmakers’ group chat, Mzondu said, “I didn’t see it on our platform, I am not aware of it.”
The Ways and Means provision allows the government to borrow from the apex bank when in need of short-term or emergency finance to fund delayed government expected cash receipts of fiscal deficits.
The federal government had said it would repay the loan, which as at December 2022 stood at N22.7 trillion, with securities, such as treasury bills and bonds issuance.
President Buhari in December last year asked both chambers of the National Assembly to approve his proposal but the lawmakers, who had promised to consider it before proceeding for the election break, failed to do so.
While presenting reports on the Ways and Means to the plenary in January, the chairman, House Committees on Finance, Banking and Currency and Aids, Loans and Debts Management, Hon James Faleke, said, “The committees looked into the request of Mr Buhari to restructure the N22.7 trillion ways and means advances.
“In the report, the committees recommended that the government take the N1 trillion CBN loan ‘based on the observations and the exigencies of the federal government’s current fiscal situation’ for the “implementation of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriations Act as passed by the National Assembly.”
It further recommended “further engagements with the executive by the joint committee to allow for thorough and detailed work and submissions on the larger part of the advances, which amounts to N22.7 trillion.”
In December 2022, President Buhari made a request to the National Assembly, seeking their authorization to convert the N22.7 trillion debt and an additional N1 trillion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) into federal government securities.
Real Madrid president Real Madrid has confirmed the return of José Mourinho after incumbent president Florentino Pérez secured a landslide victory in the club’s presidential election, extending his rule until 2030.
Pérez won re-election with a commanding 65% of the vote, defeating challenger Enrique Riquelme, who secured 35%, according to the club’s Electoral Board.
The result reinforces Pérez’s long-standing leadership, which has now spanned more than two decades across two separate terms.
SEE ALSO: Bruno Lage Sacked As Benfica Move To Secure Mourinho
Speaking after his victory, Pérez described the outcome as a strong endorsement of his vision for the club’s future, insisting that Real Madrid will continue to thrive both on and off the pitch.
The president also used the moment to confirm a major sporting development—the return of José Mourinho, a move that immediately sparked excitement among supporters.
Mourinho, who previously enjoyed a successful spell at the club, is widely regarded as one of the most influential managers in modern football.
Pérez said the club remains committed to competing at the highest level in Europe, with ambitions of securing a record-extending 16th UEFA Champions League title while continuing the redevelopment of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
He also reaffirmed his stance on the club’s ownership model, stressing that Real Madrid will remain a member-owned institution despite growing global trends toward private ownership in football.
The announcement has been widely interpreted as the beginning of a new competitive era for the Spanish giants, with expectations rising among fans following both the election result and Mourinho’s return.
Pérez ended his address with a call for unity among supporters, including those who did not vote for him, promising to continue addressing concerns while focusing on sporting success.
The political rivalry between Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has escalated once again as both men exchanged heated words ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The confrontation follows renewed political realignments in Delta State, including Governor Oborevwori’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he previously defeated in the 2023 governorship election.
SEE ALSO: 2027: Tinubu Will Defeat Atiku If Election Is Rigged — Babachir
Oborevwori has since pledged full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, describing the President as his “number one project” and a key political ally whose victory would benefit Delta State.
However, Omo-Agege, who recently left the APC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), accused the governor of political fear and abandoning party structures in the state.
“He is not a threat” — Oborevwori
Responding to criticisms, Governor Oborevwori dismissed Omo-Agege’s political relevance, insisting he poses no electoral threat.
“He is not a threat because I’ve won him before,” the governor said, adding that many of the senator’s supporters had already left him before his exit from the APC.
Oborevwori also accused Omo-Agege of political betrayal, claiming he had previously turned against key figures who supported his rise.
“He betrayed James Ibori, he betrayed Great Ogboru, he betrayed O’tega Emerhor. So if he says he wants to betray me, he’s not a threat,” he stated.
“He panicked and ran into APC” — Omo-Agege
Omo-Agege fired back, alleging that the governor defected to the APC out of fear of losing political ground.
“The governor panicked, chickened out, and ran into the APC,” he said.
He insisted that his performance in the 2023 elections proved his continued strength in Delta politics, particularly in Delta Central.
“If Sheriff believed I was not a threat, why didn’t he stay back in the PDP and take me on in 2027?” he asked.
Governance and ₦3.15 trillion controversy
Both politicians also clashed over governance performance and state finances.
Oborevwori defended his administration, saying infrastructure development had improved across all local government areas, with contractors being paid promptly.
“First time in history, no contractor is being owed,” he said, citing ongoing projects such as Effurun Roundabout, DSC Roundabout, and PTI Junction.
Omo-Agege, however, described the administration as underperforming despite receiving over ₦3.15 trillion in three years.
He alleged that about ₦750 billion remained idle in the Central Bank of Nigeria while critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure suffer neglect.
Tinubu vs Obi political divide deepens
The rivalry has also taken a national dimension, with both politicians backing different presidential candidates for 2027.
Oborevwori declared support for President Tinubu, calling him Delta’s “in-law” and urging residents to back his re-election.
“Tinubu is my number one project,” he said.
Omo-Agege, on the other hand, declared his support for former presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating that he would contest under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
“My presidential candidate in 2027 is Peter Obi,” he said.
Political tensions rise ahead of 2027
Observers say the renewed exchange signals an early start to a high-stakes political battle in Delta State, with shifting alliances and competing loyalties likely to shape the 2027 elections.
With both camps firmly entrenched in opposing political directions, Delta State is expected to remain a major flashpoint in Nigeria’s unfolding political landscape.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would emerge victorious against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar if the 2027 presidential election is determined by electoral manipulation.
Lawal made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, where he weighed in on the growing political permutations ahead of the next general election.
According to him, no politician in Nigeria currently possesses the capacity to outmaneuver Tinubu if election rigging becomes the deciding factor in the race for Aso Rock.
ALSO READ: VDM in Trouble as Presidency Seeks Legal Action Over Alleged Fake Tinubu Audio
“If the parameter for winning elections in Nigeria is rigging, nobody can face Bola Tinubu in this country. If Atiku’s strength is in manipulating results, I wish him luck; he will meet the master rigger in front,” Lawal said.
The former SGF further argued that President Tinubu would record a landslide victory if the election outcome were determined by such means, describing the president as a formidable political strategist.
Lawal also took a swipe at Atiku Abubakar, distancing himself from the former vice president’s political ambition and insisting that he would not support his bid for the presidency.
He stated that after studying Atiku’s political history and leadership record, he believes an Atiku administration would perform worse than the current government led by Tinubu.
“I have studied his antecedents and realised that his presidency will be worse than Bola Tinubu’s,” he said.
The former SGF also criticised Atiku for what he described as insufficient engagement with Nigeria’s worsening security situation, including recurring cases of kidnapping and violent attacks in different parts of the country.
Despite his criticism of both Tinubu and Atiku, Lawal maintained that he is yet to endorse any presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 election.
“I am supporting nobody. I don’t want to be part of anything for now,” he stated.
His comments come shortly after his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he accused the party of manipulating its recent presidential primary in favour of Atiku.
Lawal alleged that results from the exercise were altered to produce a predetermined outcome, claiming that candidates who won in some areas were replaced by individuals loyal to the former vice president.
He said the alleged irregularities influenced his decision to leave the party, which he described as a “rigging machine” ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the ADC leadership has denied the allegations, insisting that the primary election was conducted transparently and reflected the wishes of party members.
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