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Why the Ninth N’Assembly will continue to work in synergy with the Executive – Lawan

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President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has continued to justify the position of the Ninth National Assembly to work in synergy with the executive arm of government saying it is to enhance service delivery to the people.

Lawan spoke on Wednesday while playing host to a delegation of the Arewa Film Makers Association of Nigeria which paid him a courtesy call at the National Assembly, Abuja.

The Senate President argued that the reason why the Legislature and the Executive were elected is to make them work together for the citizens.

“We in this current session of the National Assembly are determined to work for Nigerians and in doing so, we believe that we have to work very seamlessly among ourselves in the National Assembly, both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“But we also believe that we should continue to work with the executive arm of government. We decided right from the beginning that we need serious synergy, partnership and cooperation between the two arms of government.

“The essence of electing the Executive and the Legislature is to bring the two arms together to work for the citizens.

“In the process, the Legislature is supposed to oversight the Executive and in that process, we are expected to disagree but we are expected to agree more than disagree.

“This is because the citizens are at the heart of either government policies or parliamentary legislations. Anything short of that is chaos.

“If someone believes that the National Assembly or the Legislature should always be fighting with the executive arm of government before you recognise that Legislature as being active, that person is getting it wrong.

“The Legislature is supposed to be in scrutiny of the activities of the Executive to ensure that the people, the citizens, get what they are supposed to get from the government that they have elected.

“So we have chosen to be very sensitive and alive to our responsibility as parliamentarians. That is to say if we see something that the Executive is doing that is wrong, we say that it is wrong but if the Executive is on the right track, we will ensure that we are supporting it for it to deliver the services to the people.

“I want to urge those who feel that if you are not fighting the Executive, you are not doing anything, to look at what the Ninth National Assembly has been doing. Judge us by our actions and activities. No sentiments.

“Some people, maybe, misunderstand what the role of the Legislature is. But many Nigerians know that in today’s administration, the Ninth National Assembly has played a very significant role in ensuring that we provide infrastructure in this country. That we provide services.

“That does not hide the fact that we have issues in the country – issue of insecurity particularly is everywhere. Yet we also believe that we must work together with the Executive to provide solutions to these myriad of security challenges across the length and breadth of our country.

“So this Assembly will continue to work for Nigerians. We don’t mind what somebody will say so long as we discharge our responsibilities to our citizens, we will be happy with ourselves that we are doing the right thing.

“That does not stop anyone from being critical but when you are critical of us, tell us how we can be better. Don’t just call people name because you have access to some media houses. Tell us where we are wrong so that we can improve and do better. That is what we want because the business of governance is everybody’s business even though responsibilities are cut for different arms of government and even for citizens,” Lawan said.

Talking about the film making Industry, the Senate President assured his guests that the Ninth Assembly is willing to partner with any film making organization from all part of the country.

Lawan said the film making Industry could play a very significant role in the national re-orientation efforts.

The Chairman of the Arewa Film Makers Association of Nigeria, Ahmad Turaki Kaka who led the delegation expressed the desire of his Association to partner with the National Assembly with a view to tackling some of the challenges facing the country.

He announced that his Association had decided to make the Senate President it’s Grand Patron and during the visit also conferred on Lawan the title of Garkuwan Arewa.

 

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Nigeria Was On Life Support When Tinubu Assumed Office – Akpabio

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President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio
President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio
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The Senate President and Chairman of the 10th National Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has said the country was on a “life support” as at the time President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.

Speaking at his 2024 Constituency Briefing and Empowerment Programme held at the Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium, Akpabio, who represents Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial District, he called on Nigerians, particularly the people of Akwa Ibom State, to continue supporting President Tinubu as he works to address Nigeria’s economic challenges.

“Nigeria Was on Life Support,” he said.

His stance comes following ongoing major reforms such as the introduction of the tax bills, removal of fuel subsidies, floating of the naira, and others introduced by Tinubu.

Akpabio recounted a conversation with President Tinubu about the state of the economy inherited from the previous administration.

“Nigeria was on life support when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu took over. I once asked him, ‘Are you excited about being president after seeing the economy left behind by Emefiele?’ He replied, ‘I must tell you, I didn’t know it was this bad.’”

The Senate President expressed optimism about ongoing economic reforms, noting that while they may be painful, they are necessary for sustainable growth.

“You did it in Lagos, and you will do it again for Nigeria. It’s just a matter of time. We are praying for you, and God will grant you the wisdom to lead us to El Dorado.”

He advised beneficiaries not to sell their empowerment tools but to use them to uplift their families economically.

“We have enough foodstuff to distribute; there should be no stampede. These items are being extended beyond Ikot Ekpene to other senatorial districts in the state.”

“Your support has not only enhanced our educational experience but also inspired us to strive for excellence. Thank you for your unwavering support.”

Akpabio commended Governor Umo Eno for promoting peace and inclusivity in Akwa Ibom.

“Without peace, there cannot be development. The governor has embraced all Akwa Ibom people, regardless of political affiliations.”

He also acknowledged the governor’s Christmas gesture of distributing 1,000 bags of rice to the APC family in the state and announced an additional 1,500 bags of rice for the PDP State Chairman.

Akpabio praised Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, for fostering unity in the Senate.

“Everyone in the Senate has an equal voice, regardless of party affiliation. Opposition is good, but it should be constructive.”

Senator Abba Moro described Akpabio as a leader committed to empowering his people.

“It takes wisdom to know what to give people for lasting benefits rather than instant gratification.”

Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, called the empowerment programme “mega, marvellous, and magnificent.”

The event was attended by key political and community leaders, including,

Obongemem Ekperikpo Ekpo (Minister of Petroleum Resources, Gas) Senator Ita Enang (APC Chieftain), Senator Ekong Sampson (Akwa Ibom South), Paramount Rulers of Ikot Ekpene and Essien Udim

In closing, Akpabio emphasised the importance of collective effort in building a better Nigeria and assured constituents of continued representation and development-focused initiatives.

 

 

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Lakurawa Terrorists, Not Bandits Responsible For Zamfara Explosion — Police

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The state’s police commissioner says members of the dreaded group were seen around the scene of the incident shortly before the explosion.

The police have fingered newly formed terror group Lakurawa as the mastermind of an explosion that occurred along the Dansadau-Gusau Road in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Wednesday.

“This Lakurawa (group) when they were dislodged by the Army in Sokoto and Kebbi, the rest of them that survived the military onslaught were trying to find new enclaves,” the state’s police commissioner Muhammed Dalijan said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily breakfast programme on Thursday.

“As they were passing that village to Birnin-Gwari forest, they planted a bomb under a bridge. Then a motorist was passing and step on it. It exploded and killed the driver and three other people were seriously injured.”

The police commissioner said members of the dreaded insurgent group were seen around the scene of the incident shortly before the explosion.

Dalijan said planting of explosive devices was a new development in the North-West state. He said though Zamfara has had a long battle with deadly bandits, they don’t have the capacity to plant explosive devices.

“They were seen passing through a village and as we were getting reports, trying to get ourselves prepared to pursue them, this (explosion) happened. So, we are sure that they were the ones that planted the bomb.

“The bandits here (in Zamfara) don’t use bombs because they don’t know how to make it; they don’t know how to improvise explosive devices. So, we are 100% sure that they (Lakurawa) are the ones because planting bombs in Zamfara State is a new development and bandits don’t have that capacity,” he said.

Zamfara, located in North-West Nigeria, has become the “hub of banditry” in Nigeria, as described by Governor Dauda Lawal.

The governor said the marauding bandits whose kidnapping-for-ransom trade is booming in the state can be strangulated in two weeks with the right political will.

Meanwhile, military authorities have vowed to eliminate Lakurawa insurgents and other terror groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

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Senate Sets Up Committee To Review Tax Reform Bills With AGF

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The Senate on Wednesday set up a committee to to review the controversial Tax Reform Bills that are before the National Assembly.

The Committee which is headed by Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South) will meet with the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to address grey areas in the bills and revert to Senate before public hearing.

The Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin disclosed this during plenary on Wednesday.

Barau, who presided over the session, said that the executive arm of the government agreed with the Senate that there is need to resolve all the issues causing disagreements in the bills.

Barau said, “We decided to put politics, ethnicity, regionalism aside to sit among ourselves in order to find a way forward in respect to issues affecting the tax reform bills. It is on this note that we extended our view to the executive arm of government, and it was agreed that there should be a forum to sit down to look at the areas that are creating disagreements in order to resolve them so that the entire country will remain united in our efforts to solve our problems.

“Before the introduction of these bills, we know we have been faced with several problems; insecurity that we and the president have been trying to solve, issues about our economy which is in line with global economic problems. And we also agreed that we shouldn’t allow any other to come in to aggravate the problems of our country.

“It is on this note that it has been agreed by the executive and by us that there should be a forum that should sit with the Attorney General of the Federation so that we can sit and look at all the areas of disagreement and resolve them for the interest of this nation.

“It is therefore proposed that tomorrow there will be a meeting with the committee that will be set here to sit down with the Attorney General to look at those issues and resolve them. It is on this note that the Committee on Finance that the bills have been referred to halt action with public hearing and other issues until we resolve those issues.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on October 3, 2024, forwarded four tax reform bills to the National Assembly.

The proposed Tax Reform Bills have generated a lot of controversies since its introduction at the National Assembly, meeting serious resistant especially from the Northern part of the country.

Following the controversies the bills have generated, the National Economic Council had advised President Bola Tinubu to withdrawal the bills to allow for further consultations, but he had refused and said that the bills should go through the necessary legislative processes.

Last week, the bills were passed at the Senate for second reading through voice votes.

The proposed legislation seeks to harmonize, coordinate, and resolve disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.

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