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LAGOS LG POLLS: SANWO-OLU VOTES, PROMISES TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR LAGOSIANS

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Lagos LG Polls
Lagos LG Polls
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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday reassured Lagosians that his administration will continue to make life better for the citizens.

He gave the assurance while speaking to journalists shortly after casting his vote at Polling Unit 019, Femi Okunnu/Lateef Jakande, Ward 09 Ikoyi II, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the State.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who arrived the polling unit alongside his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu at 11:03am and voted at 11:08am, said the recent upgraded and rehabilitated network of roads, comprising Thompson Avenue, Milverton Road, MacDonald and Lateef Jakande Road in Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, is a reflection of what is happening in all our local government areas in Lagos State.

“We are doing construction works everywhere in Lagos State. What you see here (Lateef Jakande Road) is a reflection of what is happening in all our local government areas. Like you observed, two years ago, this particular road,  Lateef Jakande was not like this and now it is wearing a new look. We are doing same thing in all our local governments and other places in the Lagos State. I believe that the whole idea around governance is to improve and make life better for our citizens,” he said.

Speaking on the local government elections, Governor Sanwo-Olu commended Lagosians for participating in the council polls and promised that the State would increase voters’ education and enlightenment to ensure robust participatory democracy.

Governor Sanwo-Olu noted that though people were on the queue, the turn out for the local government elections could have been better as the local government level remains the closest to the people.

He said the beauty of democracy is for people to elect their representatives through free and fair elections.

“I observed about four polling booths on my way to my polling unit. I would not say they are crowded polling booths but it seems to me that things are going on peacefully. The reports I have gotten so far in the last two hours is that things are going as expected. We are expecting that everything will go on smoothly, free and fair to all eligible voters.

“This is about the only time when we can express ourselves freely and openly. Talking about low percentage of voters, it is a reflection of the society. We need to encourage more participation and increase advocacy for the citizens. All the infrastructure and logistics have been provided by the Government. It is really for our citizens to come up and express themselves. So, it is work in progress; that is the beauty of democracy.

“For some other countries that we follow, they have been on it for over 200 years and you will see that there is never an election where you have 100 per cent but you continue to improve on the advocacy and everybody has a role to play. This is another clarion call for our people tn.vo come out and express themselves willingly,” the governor said.

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Natasha Not Suspended for Sexual Harassment Allegation, But Violation of Standing Orders, Senate Clarifies

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The Senate has faulted pervasive claims that one of its members representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for accusing the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.

Rather, the upper chamber clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended specifically due to her flagrant disobedience to Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and her unparliamentary behaviour during its plenaries and proceedings.

The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele made these clarifications in a three-page statement released on Saturday amid the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organisations.

Contingent on the report of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the Senate had suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over alleged misconduct and refusal to comply with its sitting arrangement during the plenary.

The Senate upheld her suspension with a proviso that if Akpoti-Uduaghan “submits a written apology, the leadership of the chamber may consider lifting the suspension before the six-month period expires.”

Rather than submitting to the Authority of the Senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan had been misinforming the unsuspecting public that she was suspended because she accused the senate president of sexual harassment.

In a statement he released on Saturday, however, Bamidele clarified that the disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan was unequivocally a response to her repeated violations of legislative decorum.

In the same vein, the statement further clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition on sexual harassment failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the Senate.

The statement reads in part: “It has come to the attention of the Senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.

“This is completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts. If Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving,” the statement said.

Specifically, the statement revealed that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was “a decision of the Committee of the Whole Senate, following the submission of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.”

The statement noted that the report found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and recommended her immediate suspension.

As established in the findings of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the statement pointed out that the disciplinary action was “a response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s repeated violations of legislative decorum stated as follows:

” Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on 25th February 2025, despite multiple pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking Senators—an act of open defiance and disorderly conduct.

“Speaking without being recognized by the presiding officer, in clear violation of parliamentary practices and procedures on 25th February 2025.

“Engaging in unruly and disruptive behavior, obstructing the orderly conduct of Senate proceedings. Making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the Senate.

“Defying and refusing to comply with the summons of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated to investigate cases of misconduct,” the statement highlighted violations of the Senate Standing Order 2023 (As Amended) by Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The statement, therefore, noted that these actions represented a direct challenge to the Authority of the Senate and a violation of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) that govern the business of the Senate and the conduct of all its members without any exception.

The statement noted that the disciplinary measure was imperative, necessary and justified to restore order and uphold the integrity of the Senate as the country’s foremost democratic institution.

“Contrary to the false claims being circulated, Akpoti-Uduaghan was not suspended for making any sexual harassment or for submitting a petition. Her petition was rightfully discountenanced because it failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the Senate.

” The rules of the Senate apply to all members without exception, and no petition—regardless of its subject—can be considered if it does not follow due process. To suggest that her suspension was linked to her petition is not only a distortion of facts but an intentional and malicious attempt to mislead the public,” the statement noted.

While thanking some media organisations for their reporting, the statement urged the media not to distort facts to suit a false narrative expressing dissatisfaction with an attempt to politicise a disciplinary action that was strictly based on clear violations of Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended).

The statement said: ” This coordinated misinformation campaign is nothing more than an attempt to politicise a disciplinary action that was strictly based on clear violations of Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended).

“It is reckless, misleading, and a disservice to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who deserve truthful and factual reporting. We, therefore, urge all foreign correspondents and responsible media houses to correct these misrepresentations and avoid propagating falsehoods that undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process.”

 

 

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Bill To End HND, BSc Dichotomy Scales Second Reading In The House

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A bill to abolish the dichotomy and discrimination between Bachelor’s Degree holders and Higher National Diploma (HND) holders has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

According to the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, the bill sought to replace HND with Bachelor of Tech so that graduates of polytechnic would be able to compete favourably with other university graduates.

The bill, which was sponsored by a member, Fuad Laguda from Lagos State, also emphasised the importance of technical education.

Speaker Abbas said the position taken by all boards of polytechnics in Nigeria is “the abolition of HND and in place of it to have Bachelor of Technology so that at least graduates of polytechnics will be able to compete with those from universities”.

“At the same time, they are calling for hybrid supervision where the degree component of the polytechnic education will be handled by the NUC (National Universities Commission) while the national diploma will continue to be handled by the NBTE (National Board for Technical Education).

“Because of the degree component of this amendment, they felt that the qualification for being rector should also be upgraded to a Ph.D holder at the minimum since you will now be talking about degree programmes, it is only proper for such kind of establishment to have a Ph.D holder as the head of the institution,” he said.

Abbas subjected the bill to a voice vote and the lawmakers approved it to scale second reading.

 

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Tax Reform Bills: Senate To Consider Viable Opinions Of Stakeholders

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The chairman, Senate committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, says the Senate will consider viable opinions of all stakeholders in the passage of current Tax Reform Bills .

Senator Musa who stated this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja emphasized the need for Nigerians to be patient for a tax regime that would be beneficial to all and sundry.

He explained that the red chamber would evolve a legislation that is workable in line with international best practices.

Senator Musa told newsmen that president TINUBU needs one trillion dollar economy adding that the proposed Tax regime would outlive every individual including the lawmakers.

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