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Electoral Amendment Bill: Senators Move To Override President Buhari

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Strong indications emerged on Tuesday that senators may override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Amendment Bill, 2021, on Wednesday.

The development followed the rejection of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill, 2021, which a letter was acknowledged and read in the upper Chamber by the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan at Tuesday’s plenary.

Senator Thompson Sekibo, representing Rivers East Senatorial district and Chairman, Senate Committee Chairman on Nigeria Navy in an interview confirmed that signatures of lawmaker were being collated in ernest to override President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

The lawmaker described as a huge disappointment, President Buhari’s failure to assent to the amendment bill, saying that Senators would rise to the occasion irrespective of political differences.

Sekibo believed that majority of Senators were not happy, disclosing that about 73 signatures have so far been collated preparatory for Wednesday’s override of President Buhari’s veto.

Though, effort to access list of Senators who have already indicated through signatures proved abortive, a Senator from a Northwest State who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said, he and “many more others”, are committed to overriding President Buhari’s veto tomorrow.

“We are 109 in number and I can vouch for myself and many others that we form the required number in tomorrow’s plenary to override President Buhari.

“Remember that it’s not only direct or indirect primary election that was amended. There are several other items that are of immense benefit to the political developments of the nation.”

The lawmaker, who insisted that he should not be quoted further hinted that they may convene an emergency meeting of northern Senators before tomorrow to convince others to see reasons.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday wrote to the upper and lower legislative Chambers, saying he declined his assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill.

The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Dr. Ibrahim Lawan on Tuesday’s plenary.

Buhari’s letter to lawmakers cited several reasons he declined assent, among which he cited security concerns, lack of capacity of smaller political parties and the cost inherent in the conduct of direct primary elections.

Other lawmakers who spoke in similar vein, hinted that the overriding Buhari’s veto would precede passage of the 2022 budget.

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APC Group, Ondo Govt, Quarrel Over Money for Endorsement

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Lucky Aiyedatiwa

The Ondo State government and a group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Ondo State Redemption Initiative (OSRI) have disagreed over the allegation that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is using the State resources to fund his governorship ambition.
While OSRI said the governor has planned to use the resources of the State to procure endorsement of State lawmakers in Abuja’s secretariat of the APC, the government described the allegation as balderdash and not worthy of its reaction.
The group through its President, Pastor Adebayo Ogunsanmi, Secretary, Jide Oriola, and Publicity Secretary, Sunday Ayeni accused the Aiyedatiwa of setting aside $180 million to bribe lawmakers for phantom endorsement.
The group said it would be wrong for a Governor to use the State’s resources for selfish political ambition when majority of citizens are wallowing in abject poverty.
In a statement titled ‘Aiyedatiwa offers lawmakers $10.000 dollars for Abuja endorsement’ said Aiyedatiwa has taken his desperation to another level by using dollars to bribe lawmakers for endorsement.
The group said the previous endorsement has been denied and warned the governor against using the State’s resources meant for Infrastructural development to bribe lawmakers who have lost relevance in their constituency.
The OSRI said “Desperate effort by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state to offer 10,000 dollars to each member of the state assembly for endorsement has been exposed.
“The plot, according to inside sources, will involve a trip by 18 lawmakers from the state to accompany the governor to the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during which they will stage the endorsement.
“Aiyedatiwa is desperately going round for endorsements. The latest is a plan to get 18 lawmakers from the state to accompany him to the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja where they will endorse him.
“But since he knew that he could not get the 18 members to do the dirty job, he has offered each member 18,000 dollars, believing that the money would be too tempting to reject.”
However, the government in its reaction through Special Assistant to Aiyedatiwa on New Media, Mr Sunday Abire described the allegation as hogwash.
Abire said “Why will the Governor bribe the Ondo State House of Assembly in the first? The same Governor that has been accused by politicians of not being a spendthrift? Which should we hold dearly now? It is the season of mischief and the Governor is too focused to be distracted.”

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13 Ondo Assembly Members Disown Endorsement of Aiyedatiwa

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Lucky Aiyedatiwa
Thirteen members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have disowned an anouncement reportedly made by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, endorsing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election.
In a statement signed by the thirteen members, and tagged, ‘Ondo State House of Assembly’s speaker’s disrepect for the independence and integrity of the house in his endorsement politics’, they maintained that the assembly did not at any time passed any resolution to endorse Governor Aiyedatiwa.
The statement was jointly signed by Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, Majority Leader; Hon MoyinOlorun Taiwo Ogunwumiju, Parliamentary Secretary, Hon Oluwarotimi Babatunde Fasonu, Chief Whip; Hon Olajide Johnson Oguntodu, Minority Leader; Hon Raymond Daodu, Deputy Minority Leader and Hon Akinsuroju Akindolani Nelson.
Others are Hon Akomolafe Temitope, Hon Ifabiyi Samuel Olatunji, Hon Agbulu Tope Akeem, Hon Christopher Odunayo Ayebusiwa, Hon Atinuke Morenike Witherspoon, Hon Biola John Oladapo and Hon Afe Felix.
The thirteen assembly members, who expressed shock and disappointment in the action of the speaker, described the announcement made by him as untrue, misleading, un-parliamentary and ridiculous.
They subsequently came up with four resolutions: “1. At no point did the Ondo State House of Assembly deliberate the governorship ambition of any of the numerous aspirants that have indicated their interests to contest for the State’s 2024 Governorship Election, let alone agree to support any particular aspirant.
“2. Mr. Speaker lacks the moral and legal authorities to speak or pledge support for any governorship aspirant on behalf of the House without the explicit consent of members.
“3. Mr. Speaker has, by his unconventional and false public declaration, misrepresented the honourable House, and in so doing, brought the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly into disrepute, needless controversies and breached our confidence in his leadership.
“4. Consequently, we hereby pass a vote of no-confidence in the leadership of the Speaker, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji.”
The statement further states, “The Ondo State House of Assembly wishes to categorically state that it has not passed any resolution to endorse the incumbent Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, as purportedly announced by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji.
“The House of Assembly operates on democratic principles, and would formally take a collective decision, follow due process and the relevant laws governing the State where it wishes to take any decision regarding the endorsement of a gubernatorial candidate
“As Honourable members of the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly, we were shocked and disappointed to hear the public declaration made by the Honourable Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Olamide Oladiji, to the extent that the Ondo State House of Assembly has agreed to support the governorship ambition of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
“The said declaration by Mr. Speaker is untrue, misleading, un-parliamentary, and, to say the least, ridiculous.
We therefore wish to inform the good people of Ondo State at home and in the diaspora that:
“The House of Assembly however reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all decisions taken are transparent enough and are in the best interest of the people of Ondo State.”

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Otunba Gbenga Daniel Embarks on Thank You Tour of Ogun East Senatorial District

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OGD


The Senator representing Ogun East District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is set to embark on a thank you tour of the senatorial district, starting with Ijebu Ode Local Government.
The interactive session will take place at Obanta Club, beside Obalofin Court, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on February 19, 2024.
The event aims to provide a platform for Senator Daniel to receive feedback on his senatorial activities, as well as to engage with constituents on empowerment initiatives, eye surgeries, and distribution of palliatives.
Covering a wide area, the Ogun East Senatorial District includes the local government areas of Ijebu East, Ijebu North, Ijebu North East, Ijebu Ode, Ikenne, Odogbolu, Ogun Waterside, Remo North, and Sagamu.
Ogidi Omo, as he is fondly called and who was also a former governor of Ogun State from 2003 to 2011, brings a wealth of experience to his role as senator, having served in various capacities in Nigeria’s political landscape. 
His decision to serve his people at the national assembly was met with overwhelming support in the 2023 General Election, when he cleared all nine local government areas in the senatorial district.
Otunba Daniel secured 115,147 of the 190,640 valid votes to defeat other candidates in the contest for the senatorial seat.

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