Defection of reps to the APC, concerns for border communities and a proposed commission for the youths were highlights of Thursday’s plenary
Consideration for border communities in palliative distribution
The House of Representatives has urged key ministries, including humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, agricultural production and food security, finance, labour employment, and productivity, and their relevant agencies to prioritise Nigeria’s land border communities in the distribution of palliatives. This aims to mitigate the impact of high fuel prices and inflation on these vulnerable areas. The House also mandated its committees on poverty alleviation, agriculture, finance, and labour to ensure compliance and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
This resolution followed a motion by Rep. Adegboyega Isiaka, highlighting the plight of border communities. He noted that a previous resolution from July 11, 2023, which called on the Nigerian Customs Service to lift the ban on the movement of petroleum products within 20 km of the border, remains unimplemented. The lawmakers expressed concern that while urban residents pay N1,200 per litre of petrol, border communities face prices as high as N2,000 per litre, alongside poor infrastructure and social amenities, exacerbating their hardships.
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Defection galore in Reps
Four Labour Party members and one Peoples Democratic (PDP) member officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Among the defectors was Rep. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, who cited internal crises within her former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as her reason for switching allegiance. Ibori-Suenu, who represents Ethiope Federal Constituency, was elected under the PDP platform.
Joining her were four lawmakers from the Labour Party (LP): Rep. Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Rep. Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Rep. Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Rep. Iyawe Esosa (Edo). Their defection letters were read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary, signaling their formal transition to the APC.
Reps advance youth commission bill
A bill seeking to establish a national youth improvement management commission has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. Leading the debate on the bill, Rep. Mohammed Dan Abba Shehu, said the commission is to be saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and regulating all forms of youth improvement through the government budgetary allocation including local and foreign donations.
BILLS CHART FOR THE DAY
Below is OrderPaper’s signature presentation of bills taken in the House plenary today. Readers are invited to contact us for further information via info@orderpaper.ng or WhatsApp via +234 704 700 3031
