POLITICS
Inside Details of Bauchi APC Assembly Members Meeting With Buhari

- Dont compromise your intergrity – Bubari tasks legislators
By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
The 17 aggrieved members of Bauchi State House of Assembly elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) who were sworn into office last Friday, following a reconciliation with their colleagues, have made u-turn and renounced their inauguration, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa on Wednesday.
The lawmakers were led to the meeting by Hon. Kawuwa Shehu Damina, who is the factional Speaker of the State Assembly.
Prior to the meeting with Mr President, the factional speaker alongside his aggrieved colleagues had sheathed their swords and accepted Abubakar Suleiman, who was elected by 11 members at a previous inauguration of the House, as Speaker.
The 31-member Bauchi Assembly is comprised of 22 APC Members; eight Peoples Democratic Party members and eight New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) members.
This is even as The President urged lawmakers not to give up their rights and the rights of those who elected them, charging them not to compromise on their individual integrity so as not to divide the House and the party.
He advised them to stay firm, bearing in mind their responsibilities to their constituencies and always keep the party in the State and at the centre informed.
The party members led by the Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, had briefed the President on events leading to the crisis in the House.
Emerging from the closed-door parley with Buhari, the lawmakers told State House correspondents that they no longer abide by the reconciliation they reached with their colleagues and the State Governor, Bala Mohammed in Bauchi five days earlier.
Speaking on their behalf, Damina said they now demand a fresh proclamation for the another inauguration of the State Assembly, so that a new Speaker can be elected.
He said: “The purpose of our coming to see Mr President is at the instance of our party. So we came to brief him on what is happening in the Bauchi State House of Assembly since the purported inauguration which as you are all aware, two leaderships emerged. Primarily he (the President) was fully briefed directly from us.
Asked on the true situation now having been inaugurated earlier, he said, “The situation is as it is now. Because in Arithmetic, there is nothing that will make 11 to be greater than 20; and later that 11 grew to 13. So that is the position.”
On how they intend to resolve this issue, he said, “let me clearly state that this is not about any individual. All what we from the APC are asking for is a sane institution irrespective of who emerges as a leader. All we are saying is that the right thing based on constitutional provisions should be done – with a proclamation issued, specifying date, time and venue should be announced. Once that is done election should be conducted and whoever emerges as leader, fine and good.
“If you are following the event where parallel leadership emerged, our senior colleagues at the National Assembly threw a motion by one representative from Bauchi, which resulted in its adoption and later setting up a committee.
“They even visited Bauchi and reported back to the plenary for the House of Representatives, which already a decision was taken, given a four weeks ultimatum to the State Governor within which to issue a fresh proclamation for proper inauguration of the state assembly to take place.
“So we have briefed Mr President being the leader of our party and father of the country and a custodian of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended, to seek his advise. “
When asked on the position of the constitution regarding proclamation and if it was right to make proclamation two times, the factional speaker said, “I don’t want to go into the details. But what actually happened was, on the day the initial proclamation was made was for a date which was Thursday, a time of 10am and a venue of the House of Assembly Chambers. All of us especially of the APC were ready in compliance with the invitation. We arrived in the chamber at 7:53am and to our dismay as at the time of our arrival, 11 out of the 31 members of the assembly members were already there and had conducted election for the speaker and other principal officers. “
“So what we did since the invitation letter was reading 10am, we decided to wait in the chamber. But unfortunately just as we were trying to wait at the chamber, a teargas was released forcing us to leave the chamber and one of us who is an asthmatic patient was affected and rushed to hospital. What we did was to comply with the constitutional provisions of waiting for 10 o’clock which we did.
“We gave an additional time of one hour to see if the governor and other members would come so we can do the needful but they didn’t so we conducted our elections. That is how the second parallel leadership emerged.
“Since then there have been crisis, after the House of Representatives committee visited they met with all the critical stakeholders and conducted a public hearing which they received over twenty submissions from different groups and individuals and their report was submitted back.
“Their resolution was nullifying both our faction and their own and directed the governor to issue fresh proclamation for another inauguration to take place. “
Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday, in Abuja said that he will work with the relevant constitutional bodies to resolve the crises rocking the Houses of Assembly in Bauchi and Edo states.
The President stated this when he received in audience, members of the Bauchi House of Assembly as well as other stakeholders in the State.
“I am aware of the problem in Edo and Bauchi states and I try to appreciate my position as the President, the political situation vis a vis the constitution of our country, the role of the commissioners of police and the party. I always like to be on the side of the constitution,” President Buhari said.
He promised to liaise with the Minister of Justice when sworn in, and the Inspector General of Police, to ensure that the rights of the constituencies and individuals were not aba a used in any form.
NEWS
Buhari Swears in Seven New Ministers, Announces Minor Cabinet Changes

President Muhammadu Buhari has announced minor cabinet reshuffle as he swore in seven new Ministers in the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected ministers swore in include Goodluck Opiah (Imo), Umar El-Yakub (Kano) and Ademola Adegoroye (Ondo). Henry Ikoh (Abia) Umana Okon Umana (Akwa Ibom), Ekumankama Nkama (Ebonyi) and Odum Odi (Rivers).
NAN reports that six of the ministers replaced six former members of the federal executive council, who retired to participate in the last party primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while El-Yakub replaced the former Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, who was removed from office.
While announcing the reshuffle shortly before the commencement of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, the president approved Minister of State, Health, Sen.
Adeleke Mamora as new the Minister of Science and Technology; Minister of State, Works, Mua’azu Sambo also moved to the Ministry of Transportation as substantive Minister.Umanna Umanna is now the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs while Minister of State Environment, Sharon Ikeazor has been moved to the Niger Delta Ministry as Minister of State.
Sen Gbemisola Saraki was moved to the Ministry of Mines and Steel as Minister of State while Umar El-Yakub is now the Minister of State Works and Housing.
The president also approved Goodluck Apiah as Minister of State, Education; Ekumankama Nkama. Minister of Health; Ikoh Ikechekwu, Minister of State, Science and Technology; Odum Udi, Minister of State, Environment and Ademola Adegoroye is now Minister of State, Transportation.
NAN reports that before the swearing in, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of Mohammed Barkindo, the outgoing Secretary-General of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who died at the age of 63, on Tuesday night.
Those physically in attendance are the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.
Other Ministers who were also in attendance include the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, Education, Adamu Adamu, Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.
Others are, Mines and Steel, Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and Minister of State, Budget, National Planning, Clem Agba and State, Industry Trade and Investment, Maryam Katagun as well as all the newly sworn in ministers. (NAN)
POLITICS
2023: Group Warns APC, Tinubu Against Muslim-Muslim Presidential Ticket

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a group under the aegis of Defence Watch has cautioned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tunibu against presenting a Muslim/Muslim ticket in the election.
The group made the appeal in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari titled: “APC’s Muslim/Muslim Ticket in Nigeria’s 2023 Elections: A Threat to National Stability, Regional Peace and Security’”.
The letter which was jointly signed by Alhaji Ahmed Adamu and Otunba Adeniji Adegoke, the group’s National Coordinator and National Secretary respectively, was made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
According to the group, the letter, was copied to all heads of democratic and security institutions as well as other international concerns in the country.
It said a Muslim-Muslim ticket would not only be a threat to national stability, but could also retard the country’s peace and security.
The group said presenting such a ticket as being proposed by the APC, would portray Nigeria as an Islamic and a sectarian nation.
It said, the pairing of two Muslims would be ultimately resisted by the country’s millions of practicing Christians, moderate as well as progressive Muslims and civic groups.
It added that ethno-cultural associations and enlightened members of the international communities could also protest such a pairing.
“We are therefore calling on President Buhari to direct the security forces to do the needful by advising Sen. Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate and the party on the possible threats this action could pose to security in the country.
“It is pertinent to note the serious implications of the action with regards to security, especially when one rightly imagines that Christians will feel threatened with a Muslim/Muslim ticket.
“They may resort to pulpit preaching and mobilization of opinions across the Christendom,” the group added.
It further went on to reveal that civil society organizations and students would likely protest if a Muslim- Muslim ticket was eventually introduced into the polity in manners that might constitute security concerns.
The group warned on the danger such political arrangement could cause on the continental security.
It noted that West African Sub-region and African regional peace and security were basically predicated on the presumption of Nigeria’s political stability.
“We therefore implore you to use your good offices to weigh in on Tinubu and the APC to thread with caution and refrain from unyielding desire to foist on the nation a Muslim Muslim ticket
NEWS
Bello Forwards Three Commissionership Nominees to Kogi Assembly for Confirmation

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has forwarded names of three Commissionership nominees to Kogi State House of Assembly for confirmation
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onogwu Muhammed disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Lokoja on Tuesday.
He said that the nominees are; former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, (Kogi West); Dr.
Zakeri Usman and Engr. Mohammed Abdulmutalab from Dekina and Okene Local Government Areas respectively.The Information Commissioner, Fanwo had resigned his appointment to contest the Yagba West House of Representatives ticket of the All Progressives Congress but lost.
It was also gathered that Dr. Usman if confirmed by the assembly, will replace the former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Haruna Audu who was sacked by the Governor from office in April 2022, over allegations of misappropriation of funds.
Meanwhile, Abdulmutalab will also replace Engr. Abubakar Ohere who resigned to pursue his senatorial ambition.
Ohere emerged the Senatorial candidate of the APC for Kogi Central Senatorial seat, and would be slugging it out with Barr. Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, the candidate of the main opposition- Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).