POLITICS
Tiv Professionals Petition Gbajabiamila over Nigerians in Diaspora’s Petition Rejection
By Terseer Evelyn, Abuja
A group, OnTiv Professionals has petitioned the Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila over the refusal by the House Deputy Speaker, Hon.
Idris Wase to hear a petition filed before the House r by the Mutual Union of the Tiv in America (MUTA).In a petition, dated March 15, 2021 and signed by its President, Aza Emmanuel and General Secretary, Donald Andoor, the group said it was disappointed over the way and manner Hon.
Mark Igbilla, who presented the petition on the floor of the House was shut out by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, who presided over the plenary sitting of the House on March 10, 2021.“As the presiding officer, the Deputy Speaker is duty bound to be impartial and fair. But the Deputy Speaker in this particular case was undemocratic and dictatorial as he shut out Hon. Mark Igbilla, from presenting a petition from his constituents. His undemocratic approach invariably shut out the lawmaker and by implication the entire constituents thereby depriving them of their rights to fair hearing.
“In fact, the Deputy Speaker has no right to audit petitions brought by members, under the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (Ninth Edition).
For avoidance of doubt, the Standing Orders states under “Petition” sections “2, 3 and 4” as follows:
“A member presenting a petition shall confine himself to a brief statement of the parties from whom it came, the number of signatories attached to it, the material allegations contained in it, to reading the prayer of such petition.
“No debate shall be allowed on such petition, but it may be read by the clerk if required.
“All petitions shall be ordered, without question being put to be laid upon the table, such petitions shall stand referred to the Committee on Public Petitions,” the petitioners said.
It added that: “In spite of these clear provisions, the Deputy Speaker chose to play god by stopping Hon. Gbillah, representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency of Benue State from submitting a petition on behalf of his constituents, who happen to be in the diaspora.
“Hon. Wase as presiding officer has no powers to decide which petition or the residence of who can submit a petition to the parliament.
“Any Nigerian or group of Nigerians, whether residing in the country or abroad have absolute rights to petition Nigeria’s parliament. Even non-Nigerians who are aggrieved can petition the parliament.
“From the Standing Orders of the House, Hon Wase has no right and power, whatsoever to stop a fellow lawmaker from presenting a petition on behalf of his constituents.
The group contended that a petition was not a motion and there was nowhere in the House Standing Orders or in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where such powers were given to a presiding officer to reject a petition, the group added.
It said Wase’s action as a ranking member of the House with vast legislative knowledge was a personal sentiment or deliberate injustice, and calculated attempt to marginalise the Tiv ethnic nationality and Benue State for reasons best known to him.
The Group then urged all lovers of democracy to condemn what it described as legislative impunity and rascality exhibited by the Deputy Speaker.
From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo
The Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, yesterday charged newly inaugurated members of the Osun Central Senatorial District Accord Campaign Committee for Aare Ganiyu Olaoluwa Asejere to deploy their experience and political networks for effective grassroots mobilization, wider public engagement, and strong support for Aare Asejere.
Governor Adeleke gave this charge while speaking at the official Inauguration of the Osun Central Senatorial District Accord Campaign Committee for Aare Ganiyu Olaoluwa Asejere, at Adebimpe event hall, adjacent Osogbo City Stadium, along Ikirun Road,Osogbo.
The Governor who was represented by his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi said, the campaign council committees should intensify grassroots mobilization from now till Election Day.
Governor Adeleke admonished entire people of Osun Central Senatorial district to see themselves as one and remain under the umbrella of the Accord while they should continue to demonstrate their unalloyed love and support for Aare Asejere for him to emerge as the next Senator for the area in January 2027.
“I am appealing to you all my dear people to extend the same love you gave me in the just concluded Governorship election in Osun State to Alhaji Asejere in the forthcoming election as he must be in the Red Chamber by January 2027 by the power of the Almighty God” Governor Adeleke stressed.=
Yeye Dupe Adeleke Sanni, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun and a current Commissioner in Osun, Hon Bunmi Jenyo, while inaugurating the committee, charged them to be up and doing and work towards the victory of Aare Asejere in the coming election.
“The committee should make sure our Accord candidate for Osun Central Senatorial district wins the Senatorial election to the Senate as Aare Asejere’s Senatorial ambition is a round peg in a round hole towards the development and betterment of the people”.
The Chairman of the Campaign Committee and Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye as well as the Director-General of the Asejere Campaign Committee and the incumbent Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, while speaking congratulated Aare Asejere in advance saying, nothing will stop his emergence as Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial district in the coming election by God’s Grace and people’s support.
Also the Osun Accord Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande enjoyed the newly inaugurated committee for the emergence of Aare Asejere to see the assignment as a task which they should not take with levity.
“Our man, Aare Asejere has been tested, he has never been found wanting, he’s a man of his word and he is a complete grassroots politician who loves to develop people, let us join hands together and support his ambition”, Pastor Akande said.
Responding, Aare Asejere who was highly elated for seeing large numbers of people from far and near promised not to let the people of Osun Central Senatorial district down, adding that he will ensure he involves the whole people in his performance while his representation will be meaningful.
Aare Asejere once again called on the people of Osun Central to vote him in as the Senator representing the district assured that he will not fail them.
He appreciated Governor Ademola Adeleke in absentia, his deputy, the SSG, Bobagunwa Igbalaiye, Oluomo Alimi, Yeye Dupe-Sanni, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Hon Egbedun, Hon Abesin, Hon
Funso Ishola, party leaders, members of the Accord, community leaders, Iyaloja-General and her team, Oluomo Rasaki, Hon Adigun Olaide, among others.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously called for urgent and coordinated actions to protect Nigerian girls from child marriage and other harmful practices.
The call followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by the member representing Kosofe Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Rep.
Kafilat Ogbara, in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child, marked every October 11th.Ogbara, while moving the motion, decried the prevalence of child marriage and other harmful practices against the girl child.
She called on government at all levels to strengthen national programmes aimed at preventing child marriage and protecting girls at risk.
The Speaker, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, in adopting the motion, also urged governments at all levels to ensure that every girl child has access to education, and quality healthcare.
The theme for the 2026 commemoration siught to reaffirm commitment to ending child marriage and upholding the fundamental rights of every girl child.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restated its commitment to an inclusive electoral process.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Prof. Adeniran Tella, stated this on Wednesday in Ibadan at a training programme for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Tella noted that persons with one form of disability or another constitute an important segment of the society.
He said such individuals are citizens with equal rights, responsibilities, aspirations and contributions to make towards the development of the country.
He said: “The commission recognises that electoral inclusion goes beyond permitting PWDs to register and vote.
“It also involves ensuring that they have access to reliable electoral information, understand electoral procedures, can access polling units and are able to participate in other aspects of the electoral process.”
Tella said the commission would provide relevant assistive devices such as magnifying glasses, Braille guides and posters for voters with hearing impairments at polling units to give Persons with Disabilities a more pleasant voting experience on election days.
He added that INEC guidelines and regulations provide that priority should be accorded to PWDs at polling units without them having to wait in long queues during voting.
He further said that eligible PWDs would be engaged and trained as ad-hoc staff during the elections.
The REC explained that the objective of the commission was to ensure that eligible PWDs in the state were not discouraged, excluded or prevented by avoidable barriers from exercising their franchise during the elections.
He further asserted that “democracy is stronger when every eligible citizen has a fair opportunity to participate in shaping its future.”
He urged PWDs across the state to cooperate with the commission to remove avoidable barriers, promote electoral awareness and encourage peaceful participation.
The state Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Oluwaranti Abiodun, commended INEC for giving special consideration to PWDs ahead of the forthcoming general election.
Abiodun urged the electoral body to give priority to the plights of Persons with Disabilities when planning its activities towards the conduct of the elections.
He demanded that more consideration should be given to eligible PWDs who are interested in working as ad-hoc staff.
He also called on members of the association to support INEC and be ready to perform their civic responsibilities during the 2027 elections. (NAN)
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