Politics
Opposition Rift: Speaker Candidates Abbas, Betara Split Coalition
The coalition of minority members-elect in the 10th House of Representatives has become divided due to contests for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The ’10th Assembly Greater Majority,’ a group of minority lawmakers-elect, is reportedly backing Aliyu Betara, a member from Borno State, while a new coalition has emerged in support of Tajudeen Abbas, who has been endorsed by the All Progressives Congress.
A significant number of lawmakers-elect are withdrawing from the ’10th Assembly – Greater Majority,’ a coalition comprising members from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other minority parties in the 10th House.
The discontented opposition members, particularly those hailing from Rivers State and loyal to Governor Nyesom Wike, have announced their intention to establish a parallel coalition called the Minority Parties’ Forum, set to be launched today (Monday).
The new development came as the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority, planned to unveil aspirants for the positions of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker in the opposition camp this week.
On May 2, 2023, the coalition had previously stated its intention to nominate candidates for these roles from its own members.
The coalition justified its decision by citing the “divergent opinions” emerging from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The opposition lawmakers-elect expressed their determination to enter the fray by presenting viable and alternative leadership choices, highlighting their coalition’s strength of 183 members compared to the ruling party’s 177.
Consequently, the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority has established an 11-member committee with the responsibility of shortlisting, screening, and ultimately recommending aspirants within a week’s time.
The committee is composed of Nicholas Mutu from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) serving as Chairman, Victor Ogene from the Labour Party (LP) as Secretary, and Abdulmumini Jibrin from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as Deputy Chairman. Other members include Oluwole Oke, Jonathan Gbefwi, Beni Lar, Ali Isa, Alhassan Rurum, Mathew Kuzalio, Salisu Majigiri, Nnabuife Chinwe, Gwacham Maureen, and Idris Salman.
According to Ogene, who spoke to our correspondent on Saturday, some members of the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority have indicated interests in running for the leadership positions. He had also hinted that the opposition members might consider and adopt a candidate among the aspirants in the ruling APC.
However, a member-elect, Solomon Bob (PDP/Rivers), in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, disclosed that some members of the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority were pulling out and launching a new group of opposition members on Monday.
Bob alleged that the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority was billed to adopt the current Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Betara, as its candidate.
Ironically, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Iduma Igariwey (PDP/Ebonyi), is said to be leading the factional minorities’ coalition which is billed to adopt candidates anointed by the APC. An NNPP member from Kano State, Alhassan Rurum, will be the secretary of the pressure group.
The lawmaker said, “I belong to Joint Task – 10th Assembly; I don’t belong to the Greater Majority. In fact, they are the minor minority now, with the way we are going. We will form another coalition called Minority Parties’ Forum. We are launching tomorrow (Monday). It is parallel to that one, so that we will let the whole world know that there is one Minority Parties’ Forum.
“They cannot come and seek to monopolise the perception out there that the minorities are in one basket and they are (allegedly) pushing for Betara. We have steered the public perception, giving the false impression that all minorities are for Betara. That is not true.”
When asked about the leader of the new coalition, Bob said, “Igariwey is the one coordinating (the coalition) and Alhassan Rurum is the secretary.”
Responding to a question on why Igariwey would oppose Betara’s speakership ambition despite being deputy chairman and chairman of the same committee, respectively, Bob said, “Igariwey has not been with Betara from Day 1. Being deputy to Betara in a term that is ending is one thing, trying to usher in another term is a different thing.”
When asked about the claim by the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority that has more members-elect than the APC caucus, the Rivers lawmaker claimed that the Minority Parties’ Forum would have more opposition members.
Bob stated, “Where will they get the numbers from? Everybody in Oyo State; the 14 members are with us. In Osun, out of nine, they have only one and that is Wole Oke; all the eight are with us. In Rivers, all 13 members are with us. In Akwa Ibom, all 10 are with us. Where, then, will they get the numbers from?”
The PDP member, however, admitted that the Minority Parties’ Forum would adopt the APC candidates. “We are going for Tajudeen Abbas, the person endorsed by the APC,” he said.
When contacted, Igariwey confirmed the development but said the move was only to reposition the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority.
He said, “It is actually another group in the minority caucus. Greater Minority is not our slogan. It is still the same group but the only difference is that we are trying to reposition the group. It is still the same group of minorities being populated by the same people.”
When asked about leaders and members of the Greater Majority who have been attending meetings by the Joint Task – 10th Assembly, a coalition of members-elect of the APC and opposition parties which has adopted the zoning plan of the ruling party.
Igariwey said, “We are going to have our meeting tomorrow. We will come out with something like a communiqué with which you will be better informed about it.”
Ogene (LP/Anambra), who speaks for the 10th Assembly: Greater Majority, was contacted on the number of aspirants in the opposition coalition who had indicated an interest in the speakership race as well as the emergence of another group.
He, however, referred our correspondent to the coordinators of the group, Messrs Fred Agbedi (PDP/Bayelsa), Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP/Nasarawa) and Dachung Bagos (PDP/Plateau).
However, neither Agbedi nor Gbefwi and Bagos picked up the calls made to them.
Meanwhile, ahead of the June 13 inauguration of the 10th Senate, the South-South Youth Alliance on Sunday said those against the choice of Godswill Akpabio as Senate President were against the “will of God” for Nigeria.
The youth group in a statement issued in Abuja described Akpabio as a “democrat“ who is qualified for the position of the top senate job.
The statement signed by the coordinator of the group, Benjamin Nwizua reads, “Senator Akpabio was a performing governor of Akwa Ibom State who earned the title, uncommon governor. He proceeded to the Senate where he became Minority leader and later minister of Niger Delta Affairs.”
Also, a group of the ruling party under the aegis of the Progressives Foundational Movement has thrown its weight behind Abass as the next Speaker.
The group also pleaded with the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the leadership of APC not to bow to pressure and subtle threat to remove Abbas from the list of anointed candidates.
On Sunday, the plea was conveyed through a statement released in Abuja by Aganaba Johnson, the National Coordinator of the PFM (Presidential Front Movement).
However, a different group called the Northern Business Roundtable has urged Senators elected from different party affiliations to unite in support of Abdulaziz Yari, the former Governor of Zamfara State, in his bid for the Senate Presidency.
During a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, Larai Kolo, the group’s spokesperson, emphasized Yari’s aptitude and integrity, asserting that he possesses the necessary qualities to lead the Senate.
Politics
Nigeria’s Debt Service Ratio Falls To 65% As Tinubu Tackles Economic Woes
In an effort to reduce Nigeria’s debt burden and stabilize the economy, President Bola Tinubu announced on Monday that the country’s debt service-to-revenue ratio has fallen from 97 to 65 percent over the 17 months since he took office.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for seven new ministers at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the government’s progress in stabilizing the economy despite challenging conditions.
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“For us, it was a challenge when the nation was servicing its debt with 97 percent of its revenue. It was nothing but the edge of the cliff,” Tinubu said.
“But today, I can report to you that we have brought that down to 65 percent, and we have never defaulted in meeting all obligations, both foreign and domestic.”
His remarks follow Afreximbank’s recent projection that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio could reach 110.4 percent by 2024.
Afreximbank’s 2024 Nigeria Country Brief warned of a troubling upward trend in debt servicing, which could see the ratio surge from 33.8 percent in 2017 to a projected 110.4 percent next year.
However, with continued reforms, the report suggested the ratio might decline to 62.6 percent by 2025.
In the first nine months of 2023, debt servicing consumed 66.9 percent (₦5.79 trillion) of Nigeria’s total revenue, a slight improvement from 99.3 percent (₦4.23 trillion) during the same period in 2022.
Tinubu, while optimistic about economic recovery, acknowledged the ongoing struggles faced by Nigerians due to a sharp increase in the cost of living triggered by recent economic reforms.
“We have taken the bull by the horns,” the President asserted. “We have stopped the scavengers. We will fully put an end to the profiteers and smugglers of our resources across the country. We are not shirking our responsibility; we are confronting it head-on.”
He further expressed confidence that Nigeria was on a “good path” toward recovery, emphasizing that the government remains committed to re-engineering the economy.
He cited the introduction of a new minimum wage as one measure aimed at mitigating rising living costs.
Monday’s ceremony also saw the swearing-in of seven new ministers, part of a recent cabinet reshuffle.
In two batches, ministers including Idi Maiha (Livestock Development) and Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade, and Investment) took their oaths.
The reshuffle, which saw 10 ministers reassigned, five discharged, and seven new appointments confirmed by the Senate, reflects Tinubu’s stated commitment to reshaping his cabinet to meet Nigeria’s evolving challenges.
As the administration continues to implement reforms, President Tinubu emphasized a long-term vision for economic sustainability, not only for the current generation but also for future ones.
“Despite the challenges, we must undertake the job of re-engineering and retooling this country’s economic path,” he said.
Politics
Edo Deputy Gov, Omobayo Ordered To Court Over Refusal To Vacate Office
A Federal High Court in Abuja has mandated that Godwins Omobayo, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, appear in person on November 26, 2024, following allegations of contempt of court stemming from his failure to comply with a previous ruling.
Justice James Omotosho issued the order on Monday, asserting that Omobayo, described as the alleged contemnor, must be afforded a fair hearing in accordance with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
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The court action was initiated by Philip Shaibu, who was reinstated as Deputy Governor after the court invalidated his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly on July 17.
Justice Omotosho ruled that the impeachment proceedings lacked due process and that the grounds for Shaibu’s removal did not constitute gross misconduct.
Shaibu’s suit targets several parties, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Edo State House of Assembly, seeking enforcement of the court’s judgment and demanding that Omobayo vacate the deputy governorship position.
Omobayo assumed office on April 8, following Shaibu’s impeachment.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Omobayo was served legal documents but failed to appear.
In response, Shaibu’s attorney, Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, urged the court to compel Omobayo’s attendance, citing the need to uphold judicial authority.
In delivering his ruling, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until November 26 for further proceedings.
He directed that hearing notices be served to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th defendants involved in the charge.
“In the interest of justice and to provide the alleged contemnor with an opportunity to defend himself and receive a fair hearing, in accordance with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I hereby order that the alleged contemnor appear in court in person on November 26, 2024,” the judge stated.
It is noteworthy that the current tenure of the state government is set to conclude on November 12.
Politics
Presidency Fires Back At Atiku
On the heels of the salvo fired by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, signalling what might be a long-drawn hot exchange of words, the Presidency has made what it called ‘our initial response to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’.
This was contained in a statement put out on micro-blogging site, X, Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga.
The former vice president had detailed the shortcomings of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, making efforts to detail what he would have done differently, that would have better results for Nigeria.
In a swift response, the Presidency countered that Atiku and his ideas “were rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 poll”, based on his antecedents.
The statement reads, “OUR INITIAL RESPONSE TO ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR
“We have just read a statement credited to former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in which he tried to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s economic reform programmes while pushing his untested agenda as a better alternative.
“First, Alhaji Atiku’s ideas, which lacked details, were rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 poll.
“If he had won the election, we believe he would have plunged Nigeria into a worse situation or run a regime of cronyism.
“Abubakar lost the election partly because he vowed to sell the NNPC and other assets to his friends. Nigerians have not forgotten this, nor would they be comforted by Atiku’s antecedents when he ran the economy in the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government between 1999 and 2003.
“As vice president, Atiku supervised a questionable privatisation programme. He and his boss demonstrated a lack of faith in our educational system, and both went to establish their universities while they allowed ours to flounder.
“Talk is cheap. It is easy to pontificate and deride a rival’s programmes even when there are irrefutable indices that the economic reforms yield positives despite the temporary difficulties.
“Despite the futile attempt to hoodwink Nigerians again in his statement, it is gratifying that the former Vice President could not repudiate the economic reforms pursued by the Tinubu administration because they are the right things to do.
“His advocacy for a gradualist approach only showed that he was not in tune with the enormity of problems inherited by President Tinubu.
“It is so easy to paint a flowery to-do list. It is expected of an election loser.
“President Tinubu met a country facing several grave challenges. Fuel subsidies were siphoning away enormous resources we could ill afford, and there was criminal arbitrage in the forex market.
“No leader worth his name will allow these two economic disorders to persist without moving to end them surgically.
“While advocating for gradual reforms may sound appealing, Tinubu took measures that should have been taken decades ago by Alhaji Abubakar and his boss when they had the opportunity.
“Alhaji Abubakar calls for empathy and a human face to reforms. We have no problem with this as it resonates well with our administration’s focus. President Tinubu has consistently emphasised the need for compassion and protection of the most vulnerable.
“The administration has prioritised social safety nets and targeted support for those affected by recent economic transitions.”