Across the length and breadth of Nigeria, here are the biggest stories around Nigeria’s legislators and the institution of parliament you mustn’t miss this Monday:
Four arrested as fake security team invades residence of Niger Senator
About four members of a fake security team have been arrested by the Police in Niger State for invading the residence of the lawmaker representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, on Saturday.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the arrest followed a distress call about their presence at the lawmaker’s residence under the guise of being in search of foreign currency and arms kept in his residence along the popular old Alheri Clinic road, Tunga area in Minna.
“During interrogation, the suspects claimed that they were mobilised by one Sherrif, a purported whistleblower who was reportedly claiming to be working with a security agency at Abuja but presently at large,” the Niger PPRO explained.
Electoral Offences: INEC wants National Assembly to expedite action on legislation
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has lamented the non-passage of the National Electoral Offences Commission Bill, 2022; urging the National Assembly to expedite action on its passage.
Chairman of the election management body, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in disclosing this on Saturday, at a one-day strategic interactive meeting with line editors in Lagos, noted that the challenges being faced in the area of prosecuting suspects of electoral offences is as a result of an enabling legislation.
“Until the two chambers of the National Assembly pass the National Electoral Offences Commission Bill, there is nothing INEC can do. Until a Bill for an Act to establish the National Electoral Offences Commission becomes operational, INEC will not be able to expeditiously deal with electoral offenders,” Yakubu added.
2023: INEC Facility in Imo suffers second attack in one week
There seems to be no end in sight yet to the attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office across the country.
As contained in a statement by the commission on Sunday, INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, confirmed that its office in Oru West LGA of Imo State was over the weekend attacked.
“Overall, this is the 7th attack on our facilities in five States of the Federation in the last four months. Once again, the commission expresses its concern on the consequences of what appears to be a systematic attack on its facilities across the country on the conduct of elections in particular and electoral activities in general,” Sylvia Uchenna Agu, the Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
2023 Budget: Ekiti signs N21bn Supplementary Appropriation into law
Ekiti Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has assented to the 20222 Supplementary Budget duly passed by the State House of Assembly, totalling N122.6 billion.
Speaking at a brief ceremony on Friday, the governor noted that one of the reasons for the ceremony was to put pressure on the Assembly with respect to the 2023 Appropriation Bill, for the lawmakers to pass the appropriation before the end of the year.
With Friday’s development, the Appropriation for the 2022 Fiscal Year in Ekiti now stands at N122,669,039,657.27 (one hundred and twenty-two billion, six hundred and sixty-nine million, thirty- nine thousand, six hundred and fifty-seven hundred, twenty-seven Kobo).
READ ALSO: 2023 Budget: Fact File on Proposals by States [South-West and North-West]
Retirement Saga: Lawan wades into crisis rocking NASS Management
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has intervened in the crisis rocking the management of the National Assembly over issues bothering the retirement of the outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Olatunde Ojo.
The President of the Senate is said to have written a second letter to the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), seeking a directive from its Chairman, Ahmed Amshi, to CNA Ojo instructing him to immediately proceed on his three months pre-retirement leave and handover to Sani Tambuwal as Acting CNA.
Sources confirm that NASC confirmed the latest development, noting that the outgoing clerk would get the commission’s letter, latest by Monday.
Ojochenemi Onje-James
Ojochenemi Onje-James is a research writer and journalist with years of proven footprints in areas of crime and politics. She has a M.Sc in International Relations and Strategic Studies as well as a B.Sc in Mass Communication.
