Why I can’t become a producer — Kate Henshaw

 

Top actress, Kate Henshaw has vowed never to delve into film production until the menace of piracy is totally eradicated in the country.

Kate made the vow, in a chat with HVP, at the launch of Africa Magic new sitcom, “Do Good” during the week.  She said, “I am not called to produce films yet, because I need to have everything perfect. Until the deal with piracy in this country, I won’t delve into producing films. Piracy need to be eradicated to a zero level in Nigeria.

The actress, who said her new movie, “Ëqual Journal”will soon hit the market, advocated the need for government to put strident measures in place to tackle the menace of piracy in the country.

Nigerians will revolt against APC if there is no change – APC Chairman, USA

Mr Anthony Isama

Ben Agande

In this interview with Ben Agande in Abuja, the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress in the United States of America, Mr Anthony Isama says Nigerians should allow President Muhammadu Buhari choose his cabinet at the time he wants but warn his party on the dangers ahead. Excerpts:

The president recently revealed the willingness of the world powers to assist Nigeria recover some of the stolen monies kept abroad. What role will the All Progressive Congress in the Diaspora play in ensuring that such monies are traced?

We will use the legal tools in our various countries of residence to reach out to our representatives in the congress to support the administration in this effort.

Despite several visits to solicit foreign direct investments, it has been argued that the result has not been commensurate with the efforts previous governments have put into it.   What do you think is responsible for this?

Expectation is one thing and recognition of the realities of the situation is another. Basically, a business person wants a place that is safe they can invest and make some profit at the end. If you don’t have such a secure environment, you can make all the arrangements. It wouldn’t work. You wouldn’t get the right people. So our party will first move to secure our environment. If we guarantee safety of people coming in, things will change.

Apart from the oil sector, there is little involvement of the United States of American businessmen in the country. What would you say is responsible for this minimal presence?

There are several factors and they all come down to the same thing: security. The oil companies have all been around for a long time, even in our most difficult times. The key is how to project the country for the values it has for an investor coming in to say this is our population. change.

What are your expectations from the Buhari administration in terms of people that should form his cabinet?

The president is experienced and he has come out to serve. He must have an idea on the character of the person that he would want to serve in his government. The essence of finding the right people remains the president’s prerogative and he has to give them his standard that he wants. We cannot define it for him.

Don’t you think that the crisis rocking the national assembly is capable of derailing the APC from its targets?

I don’t think so because the country voted for change and we cannot afford to fail the country.

The APC family will sort it out. We cannot continue to do what we were doing under the Peoples Democratic Party. We have to recognise that the country wants that change that they sought and if we don’t give them that change, Nigerians will revolt against us. The populace will revolt.

Are you not scared that the PDP will take advantage of this disagreement to the detriment of the APC?

I am not scared because PDP has consumed itself and as of now there is nothing like PDP. Maybe what is happening now may help to bring up some people to re-organise the party as a potential force which will be good for the country because we also need a strong a virile opposition.

NASS crisis: Four years not eternity, APGA chieftain tells Saraki, Dogara

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

A CHIEFTAIN of the All  Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abia State, Dr. David Onuoha-Bourdex, has told the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to resolve the crisis ravaging the party urgently because the four years mandate given to it is not eternity.

The APGA chieftain specifically told the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to use the four weeks recess to resolve all the impasse in the National Assembly so that they will hit the ground running when they resume for plenary on July 21.

Dr. Onuoha-Bourdex told Saturday Vanguard that the work before the Eighth National Assembly is enormous and that allowing the politics of who becomes what in the two chambers to linger would disappoint Nigerians who look forward to new and better ways of doing things in the country.

He advised that instead of dashing the expectations of the masses by fighting over issues of personal positions, they should settle down to review the activities of the preceding assembly with a view to learning from their mistakes and charting a path for progressive change.

The Abia North Senatorial candidate in the March 28 election, urged the two chambers to come up with modalities in some critical areas that require immediate attention for the strengthening of the Nigerian federation especially the electoral system.

Buhari, Nigeria will benefit from APC crisis—Ogunlewe, Ex Minister of Works

•Says Tinubu should have been smarter
•Jonathan caused PDP’s defeat

By Ishola Balogun  & Ebun Sessou

Former Minister of works and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Sen Adeseye Ogunlewe has described the composition of the principal officers at the National Assembly as the best that has happened to the country. In an interview with Saturday Vangaurd at his Ogudu, Lagos residence, Sen Ogunlewe stated that whether people like it or not, the development would benefit the President and the country more. Excerpts:

What is your view on the crisis rocking the governing party sequel to the emergence of the leaders of the National Assembly?

Well, I have been there before. I am not surprised. It is only those people who have not been there will be surprised at what happened. In a presidential system of government, the influence of the party with the members of the National Assembly or congress is very minimal. Once they are elected and they now follow the principle of the separation of powers, they will remove the toga of the party immediately and become national assets. You can see the oath of office they took; there was no mention of party.

 They have sworn to defend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is what they must do and they have done the right thing. The choice of who leads them, who presides over the chambers, depends on the legislators themselves. If you are not a member, you don’t have any right. I was only miffed by the party’s mock primaries. It is unheard off, even if you have it in your mind, you don’t exhibit it. It is okay to lobby or canvass. But, where you believe because you have money, you are the leader of the party, therefore you can dictate to the National Assembly, then you are making a mistake. The drama is just starting.

Right now, they are bitter about the position of the Deputy Senate President .   As a party leader, do you agree on the supremacy of the party as being canvased by APC?

You are talking about opposition party with 49 senators as against 59. Is that a bad minority? There is nothing they can do in that senate that would not require most major decision which is the 2/3 majority. So, how can you have a 2/3 majority if you don’t carry the 49 along. So, it is the most reasonable thing to do. 

Whether people like it or not, it will pay the country. There will be little conflict, but there will be progress in the nation. They will look at things dispassionately and arrive at a decision because they are all in the game.

President Muhammadu Buhari

But, if you say 49 senators are not relevant, only 59 should take everything. It is actually the 49 that will be against the 59.   And where they require 2/3 majority for any major decision, it will not happen. But, now things will go on smoothly to the benefit of Nigeria and Buhari himself.   If he has the two of them on board, it is the policy he has for the country that will serve the country and not the policy of APC.   It is the policy of Nigeria, so it is the best thing that has even happened to this country. And with that kind of cooperation, I can assure you that you will marvel at the level of achievements the country will record.

Do you see the alignment as a build-up to political re-invigoration , as your party has promised to return to power in 2019?

It is so easy for us to determine what is going to happen in 2019. The defeat of the 2015 election was caused by Jonathan. If not, it is impossible to defeat PDP.   Look at all the people that are playing games now including the governors, the Senate President, Speaker and others, they were from PDP. So, it is the majority party and it is going to come on board. We need Buhari now, no doubt, to straighten things out. And let us have a new direction to governance in the country.

How did Jonathan cause PDP defeat?

I was a member of the presidential campaign team in 2011 and this sentiment of the North being short-changed was discussed extensively by the Northerners. The supporters of PDP said they were finding it difficult in the North to campaign because the Northerners believed they had been short-changed. 

They said, it was their turn to be President.   So, if it were possible, Jonathan shouldn’t have contested and it would have been easy for PDP. This sentiment will never happen again in this country. When you are zoning, let the zone bring the candidate. We will never have North and South dichotomy in an election again; we will never have a Christian-Muslim division in our election again, because we barely escaped catastrophe. If there was no zoning, the situation would have changed. That was what Obasanjo enjoyed in 1999 when two candidates came from the South-West. The people of North conceded despite the fact that Obasanjo lost in the North-West, he became the President. I think they have conceded enough.   Is it proper for them to be short-changed this time? They wanted the power back and they got it.

But, the leaders of the party should have waded into the situation and prevailed on Jonathan not to contest?

As we are saying so, some people disagreed because they were benefiting from him. It was a cabal that surrounded him telling him what was not going to happen. People that stood their ground to defend PDP and Jonathan saw hell in the North.   It was a total movement in the North. They brain-washed them that the South was already using their turn and they needed to take it back. We have learnt our lessons, if it was the turn of the North, let them have it. And if it is the turn of the South, let all the candidates come from the South. If we can marry that, there will be less friction. The issues of ethnicism, religion are critical to the political decision of this country. And it can never go away.

In England, the Scots have their own party and they vote en-mass for them. Why do we believe that some people will not vote for their own people? It is self-determination and I praise their courage. The same thing played out in national assembly leadership tussle. They said they wanted it for the North central because of Saraki and Akume.   Immediately Akume stepped down for Lawan, a North-East person, I knew, they had lost it because Dogara is North-East.

That was why Gbajabiamila was defeated. I believe and I thought Tinubu was a clever politician until recently. He did not show any sense of political prowess. It is very easy to catch him. When your profile is rising, you are bound to have enemies and you must be careful not to believe that you can have it your own way all the time. Some people will want to cut your wings and that was happened. The man should learn how to be a team player. Everything in politics is not money and national politics is not Lagos state. He must sit down now, make more friends and concede a lot.

Is this part of the change Nigerians are yearning for?

The change was for Jonathan to go. It was the personality that they wanted   to change and they have achieved it. The man that has benefited from that change should perform. There is nothing new that he will do that we don’t know. We don’t need change other than to do what is right.   Are we changing in Lagos State where corruption is at its highest or changing for not paying salaries for seven months?   It is all gimmicks. The only change was between Jonathan and Buhari.

But do you agree that PDP is gaining from this development?

It was not a loss to PDP, it was Jonathan phenomenon. PDP is a solid party, PDP can hardly be defeated. 49 out of 59 senators was not a defeat. Before, it was a personality issue and it was a matter of time and we were seeing the handwriting on the wall that the battle would be lost and it came to reality. I am not surprised at all because I knew the pain of the people from the North.

Your party is also having its own share of crisis, the call for the disolution of the National Working Committee and the BOT issue, the Lagos crisis among others, what is the way forward?

You cannot throw away the baby with the bath water. Because you lost election, then heads must roll or the PDP must hold new congress or national convention, it is not going to happen that way. What everybody must do now is to sit down and strategies and bring people that are fit into the position so as to work for the party and safe the party. The election was lost because of the configuration of the country. Even if PDP were angels, they wouldn’t have stopped Buhari from winning. That was a man without structure, without a campaign from the South. In Jigawa state and other few northern states, Jonathan did not campaign. All the campaigns you saw on the television were last minute campaigns. All the emirs and other people had already made up their minds that they were going to take their mandate. We were lucky; they did not go to war. I can’t blame them because they can’t be chased out of government for sixteen years.

The crisis in Lagos chapter of your party is yet unresolved, why is it that leadership at all levels seems to have disappointed the people?

Leadership in this country is critical to development and that is why I believe Buhari should be the right person to govern this country, not people that are still struggling to send their children to school or build houses or build mansions and you are saying they should not be corrupt. If you are fulfilled, you want to serve, then, come and serve as President of Nigeria. It is not a training ground. We must establish that in this country and that is when we are going to make progress because there will be a lot of distractions. People that will be dealing with you all the day are businessmen who will entice you with money in order to gain favour.

So, you are vulnerable to influence, but if you are like Buhari, what else do you need in life that somebody will want to lure you into signing a particular contract. So, I have told them, that if they want a chairman that is reliable, then, they must bring a comfortable person, someone who is fulfilled and not desperate.   But, if you bring somebody who is not comfortable   your chairman, we will lose the election because politicians will bribe him. In the same way, if PDP wants to present a presidential candidate in the next election, it will belooking for somebody in the calibre of Buhari. A man who is not in a hurry and he will not allow anyone to distract him. People like that are available, there are credible Nigerians that can rule this country and I believe they will come out.

At least, we have the first experiment, Buhari does not have the money and that is an albatross. There are so many people that have done so much in their lives and cannot be distracted with money anymore because governance is difficult in Nigeria. In a poverty-stricken country where everybody wants to take advantage of you, where somebody wants to build mansion for you in England, your children also want to go to school in England and you are a younger person; the pressure on you will be so much and you can be easily swayed. But let’s see what Buhari will do, I believe he is going to be a torch-bearer.

In the light of current development and based on your experience in government and in partisan politics, how would you advise the President ?

 Muhammad Buhari, listen to me. There is nothing you can achieve if you rely on Indians, Lebanese or Chinese to do your construction work. There are enough Engineers in Nigeria to construct anything you want to construct in this country. That is the way to develop. You don’t rely on Lebanese or Chinese to develop your infrastructure, you will be a failure. So, get Nigerian Association of Engineering, Nigerian Academy of Engineers t do your constuction.   That was what they did in China, India. Engineers drive the economy of the country not the economists or the Minister of Finance who is a manager of funds and who does not create wealth. It is only the engineers that can create wealth.   Mr. President, call them. I tried it when I was a Minister of Works; they frustrated it because I knew from my experience that there is nothing a Nigerian Engineer cannot do.

The only thing they lack is equipment.   But, because the expatriates will give you more money as a Minister, they will build houses for you in England; politicians will say our Engineers are not good.   Anybody who feels otherwise can challenge me, I have been there, we have the best brain here with P.HD, Masters in Engineering but they are never allowed to do our work.

The second aspect is food. Never again should Nigeria rely on any country to feed itself. That was the proclamation of Indians and Chinese, Indonesians, Malaysians, Thailand; “Never again should any country in the world feed my people.” If you say that, then, you are making sense. It means you must grow your food by yourself and that is our policy. No importation of food and that is how to develop. We must have a benchmark. We should not think of growing rice and giving waiver to supplement. It is that waiver that Indians will cash on.

You must have a benchmark for your country. We will not import petroleum again even if heaven is going to fall. All you need is to call Nigerian engineers to design refineries for us and in another two years there will be no importation. But you see, everybody believes once democracy is fine, the economy will grow. There is distinction between democracy and national development and they don’t go together. There are countries that are more developed than Nigeria, yet they don’t practice democracy. But, we believe that once we have free and fair election, our country is growing. It is not true.

Why didn’t you give former President Jonathan this piece of advice?

I advised Jonathan to engage Nigerian engineers and it was agreed, but they went behind and did another thing. We can employ the service of consultants abroad for trainings and they will go back. It is not for our children to work under them. They will make mistakes but it will be corrected. A leader must make up his mind.

Transfer of Boko haram prisoners down to S’East is abomination – Ezeonwuka, Igbo leader

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

ONITSHA –The Ogirishi of Igbo land, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has described the recent transfer of about 47 suspected Boko haram insurgents who were in prison custody in various parts of the north, down to Aguata prison in Anambra state (if it is true), as an abomination in Igbo culture and tradition.

He said the authorities concerned should take the prisoners back to the north because Igbo land is so sacred that it does not need Boko haram insurgents to pollute the convivial atmosphere prevalent in the land.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday at his Rojenny Sports Stadium/Games Village, Oba, Anambra state in reaction to the alleged transfer of the detained insurgents to Aguata prison, Ezeonwuka declared: “any protest to remove the Boko Haram prisoners from Igbo land is encourageable because god of our land condemns or abhors such an idea and besides, the suspects should be tried in the area they committed the crime”.

On the issue of Biafra, Ezeonwuka noted that rather than struggling to get a republic of Biafra, Ndigbo should bring their investments scattered all over Nigeria and beyond back home and nurture them to growth.

He said that with adequate security and relocation of all the Igbo investments to Igbo land which will in turn create employment opportunities for Igbo youths, Igbo territory will begin to bubble like Japan, Korea and Dubai still within Nigeria which is better than struggling to shrink into a smaller enclave called Biafra.

“Igbo people who invested outside Igbo land should bring back their investments home to transform Igbo land into Japan, Korea and Dubai because to me, we are foolishly and stupidly developing other areas and denying ourselves of industrializing our own land”, he stated.

“We should concern ourselves with how to develop Igbo land and not how to become a Biafra republic because that name Biafra is treasonable and you can’t have a sovereign state in an existing one. How can we destroy what we have as Nigerians in search of Biafra republic? Once we create adequate security and productivity, we shall develop Igbo land and live comfortably”.

He said that Ndigbo are the true Nigerians who do not need to shrink into Biafra to get what they want, adding that as a pioneer contributor to burying the dead Igbo sons and daughters who died during the civil war, all that is required is to cleanse the land of evil vices, now that thousands of Igbo youths who died during the war had been given a befitting burial, to enable their hovering angry spirits rest in peace.

I did not say Buhari’s Administration worsened insurgency – Ekweremadu

•••Says insurgency, terrorism are beyond politics

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

DEPUTY Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu explained  yesterday that contrary to report, he never said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has worsened Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

He however warned that challenges like terrorism and insurgency, which have wasted lives and property of innocent Nigerians and many of our loved ones are beyond politics and should therefore not be trivalised on the alter of narrow political interest.

In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Uche Anichukwu and titled, “The Challenge of Insurgency is beyond Partisanship,” he said, “The attention of the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate has been drawn to the attempt to misrepresent and sensationalise an innocuous call by Senator Ike Ekweremadu to Nigerians to pray for and rally round the Federal Government to win the war against insurgency.

“Specifically, the Deputy President of the Senate was reported by two national dailies as stating that the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration has worsened insurgency.

“Whereas Senator Ekweremadu expressed concerns over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in parts of the country, at no time did he try to blame it on the present administration. It is instead on record that he not only commended the efforts of the present administration, especially in building international support and synergy to tackle the monstrous group, but he also called for greater inter-party, intergovernmental, and international collaboration to address the problem.

“It is instructive that his patriotic comments were well captured by many electronic and print media. They include:  “Boko Haram: Ekweremadu Seeks Support for Buhari” (Leadership, Friday, July 10, 2015) and “Boko Haram: US Pledges Deepened Support for Nigeria… Ekweremadu rallies Support for Buhari” (New Telegraph, Friday, July 10, 2015).

“The fact that out of the 75-man Senate Press Corps, representing various media houses, which were present at the function, only one medium sensationally skewed its statement out of context, while a second medium copied the same story without a byline (name of reporter), tells the whole story of a devious intent.

Buhari to earn N28.12m in four years, N7m a year

Buhari, Osinbajo slash salaries by 50 per cent

By Clifford Ndujihe & Levinus Nwabughiogu

AS part of his plans to actualise his campaign promise of reducing the huge cost of governance to free funds for the delivery of democracy dividends, President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo have slashed their salaries by 50 per cent.

With this Buhari and Osinbajo will earn half of what former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Namadi Sambo, earned.

The current annual remuneration of the President of Nigeria as published by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, is N14,058,820.00.

This means Buhari, henceforth, will earn N7,029,410 a year or N28,117,640 in four years

To formalize the process, the leaders have written to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to intimate it of the new development.

According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the letter detailing the presidential decision was delivered by the Permanent  Secretary of the State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emodi.

With reference number PRES/81/SGF/17, Emodi in the letter said, “I write to forward the completed IPPIS registration form of Mr. President and to draw your kind attention to Mr. President’s directive that only 50 per cent of his salary be paid to him”.

The move is expected to be emulated by a host of Nigerian leaders in due course.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, penultimate week slashed his remunerations by 50 per cent in view of the dwindling economic fortunes of the country.

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, last Thursday ordered that the salaries of political office holders in the state should be suspended until civil servants have been paid.

Last week, President Buhari directed the release of about N414 billion as bailout to states to pay the backlog of salaries they were owing civil servants.

Before electing to slash his salary by 50 per cent, President Buhari had earlier rejected a proposal from the Aso Rock bureaucracy to approve the purchase of five customised armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222) cars at the cost of N400 million.

Instead of buying new cars, the president, it was gathered said he would stick to the vehicles he inherited from the former President Jonathan administration.

War on terrorism: India pledges to train Nigerian security in intelligence gathering

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

AS the Boko Haram sect continues to unleash terror on Nigerians, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ghanashan Ajampor Ranganya, has pledged his country’s total support to the Federal Government on the war against  terrorism and all other forms of security challenges facing the country.

Ranganya, who made the promise when he visited the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, assured that his country will assist Nigeria in the training of security personnel in intelligence gathering to tackle the menace.

He recalled that the trade relations between Nigeria and India dated back to the 18th century, adding that the existing relations between both countries should be sustained by leaders of both countries for socio- economic development.

According to him, the Indian Government has recently commenced work on two state of the art hospitals in Nigeria to assist victims of terror, noting that work was at an advanced stage on the construction of the health facility.

He also assured the Speaker that his visit would help to strengthen existing diplomatic relations between both countries

Receiving the envoy, the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara appealed to the India government to support Nigeria‘s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Dogara said relations between the two countries dated back to pre-independence Nigeria, stressing that Nigeria and India had been bidding for a permanent seat on the UN security council which has five members.

N/Assembly Crisis: The distortion of APC’s “change” philosophy

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

Believe it or not, a typical Nigerian politician is a desperado. That’s precisely what those jostling for positions within the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly -Senate and House of Representatives-have shown. But where does that take Nigeria to? Read to know how some elected representatives have smeared the change philosophy of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Call them schemers, you won’t be making a mistake. Call them avaricious politicians, you will be accentuating what is obvious. By their behaviours, they have shown they are no less a bunch of desperadoes, pretenders and terrible power mongers who would prefer to pull down the roof until their selfish interests are accommodated.

They have shown that an insignificant number of 360 or 409 can hold over 170 million people to ransom. They have shown that it was not all about governance but politics. They have shown that the animalistic behaviour is still in them.

By their unyielding actions, they have distorted the meaning of the word “change”. May be, they still need some tutorial on change. Somebody still needs to remind them that change isn’t about displacing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP or getting victory but about managing it, about accepting the unusualness for greater good. That is change.

But this is what many of the federal assembly men and women especially from the stable of the All Progressives Congress, APC do not know and so, have decided to keep the country immobile in the last one month. How can anyone admit that all is with Nigeria when the lawmakers elected to enact laws for the country have brazenly engaged themselves in unending fireworks, throwing tantrums over positions within the leadership of the assembly?

What sort of benefit is accrued to the offices that the two factions in the House of Representatives wouldn’t bulge for peace sake? In case, you don’t know, the crisis rocking the House is not over yet. Your Honourables, yes, your Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Speaker, Yakubu Dogara’s camps of supporters are still fighting dirty over who gets the four principal officers positions in the Green Chamber. The Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip. The camps have defied every entreaty by the Aminu Tambuwal mediatory committee to shift grounds.

New caveat 

At first, Gbajabiamila’s camp insisted that the four positions must be theirs, citing Party supremacy. Amid pressure, Dogara’s camp eventually shifted grounds and relinquished the House Majority Leader’s position among others but with a caveat that it must not be occupied by someone from South west or north east.

Their reason according to their spokesman, Rep. Abdulmumuni Jibril is that Dogara has taken the slot of the North east while his deputy, Rep. Yusuf Lasun has also filled South West Slot. They advocated for federal character which would allow other geopolitical zones to benefit so as to establish a sense of belonging.

Read their position as espoused in a communique through “The House Consolidation Group”

“The attention of   the House Consolidation Group has been drawn to a statement issued on behalf of some members of the APC that lost the recent election for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the   House of Representatives.

The Group wishes to make the following clarifications: 

*That in the election of the House principal officers, every geopolitical zone of Nigeria deserves to be represented and it is embarrassing for some Members of the House to dismiss the issue of equitable representation as “hogwash”.  *The argument that the the South East Zone produced only two “new” members, who do not have cognate legislative experience and therefore not entitled to be represented in the principal officers cadre of the House is most inaccurate and unfortunate.

In the first place, any person acquainted with the Rules and practice of the House knows that a new member is regarded as having “cognate legislative experience” immediately he is sworn in as a Member as it is only new members- elect that are affected by the Rule. Secondly, established precedents in the Senate and House   of Representatives show consistent respect for zonal representation in the election of principal officers, even when there are only a few from a zone.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari

It is as a result of this , that the 7th Senate, elected Senator Ayoola Hosea Agboola, Deputy Chief Whip , even though he was the only Member from his party from the South West. 

Furthermore, in the 7th House of Representatives, Hon Mulikat Akande, was made House Leader even though she was one of only five members from her party from her   Zone.

Even only recently, in the 8th Senate, Senator Francis Alimikhena, from the South South has been made Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, a principal officer , even though he is a “new” member and the only member of APC from the South South.  *In any case, apart from the South East being denied a principal officer position, the so called Party position completely shut out the North Central Zone with 33 APC Members.

This so called Party position, if allowed to stand ,   would result in the South West producing the Deputy Speaker and Leader of the House and North East would produce Speaker and Chief Whip of the House. This is most unfair and inequitable. In fact , there is no evidence that any of the Organs of the Party, APC, such as the National Working Committee, the National Caucus or National Executive Committee, approved such an unjust outcome. We insist that this is   not even the Party position.

*For the avoidance of doubt, we need to correct the erroneous assertion that there was a resolution at the recent NEC meeting of APC on Party supremacy that recognized any one as House Leader or any other principal officer of the House.. The matter was not an item on the Agenda of the APC NEC meeting and no such resolution or decision was taken.” But the advocacy was repudiated by Gbajabiamila’s camp. Read their position submitted through APC Loyalist group

“We the 174 APC Loyalists group of the House are aware that there was a private discussion between Gov. Aminu Tambuwal and President Muhammadu Buhari  on Tuesday evening  at the State House . Also aware that Gov. Tambuwal briefed the press that there would be a meeting between him and Speaker   Dogara’s group same day.

“To the best of our knowledge, no counter-offer has been made to the APC Loyalists group after her first meeting with Tambuwal peace committee wherein the APC Loyalists clearly stated that in line with party supremacy resolution reached at last APC NEC meeting, the position of the party on Femi Gbajabiamila as the House Leader is non negotiable.

“We understand that the Dogara group is now playing the zoning card after same group had hitherto before the speakership election of June 9th, 2015 rejected the zoning formula of the party prior to the mock election. Interestingly the six geopolitical zones in the country are not recognised by the constitution. But if they wish to play the zoning card then the Senate and House cannot be headed by the North.”

Where does this leave Nigeria and the people? Of what impact would the discrepancies make on the common man on the street? When will this brouhaha end? Following the unending fireworks, Saturday Vanguard sought the views of some Nigerians on the matter and a possible way out of it. Hear what they have to say.

President Buhari should step in  – Dr. Chekwas Okorie, National Chairman, United Progressives Party, UPP    

“The leadership crisis in the National Assembly is unfortunate and could have been avoided. It appears that the only uniting factor that brought the three or more Political Parties that pulled together to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) was the singular desire or ambition to grab power at the centre and edge out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that had been in power for upward of 16 years.

The fact that the Parties in APC are strange bird fellows and lack ideological affinity is what is playing out at the National Assembly, and if not handled with care, may spill over to the larger society and dot every inch of the way of the APC in any government they control from the Presidency down to the Local Governments. This scary scenario portends danger to our nascent democracy and is likely to generate wide-spread confusion and acrimony within the rank and file of the ruling APC and by extension the Nigerian people.

“It is a common saying that when two elephants fight the grass suffers. The tragedy of the unprecedented situation is that the elephants that are fighting all belong to the All Progressives Congress while the more intact and cohesive PDP are lurking in the wings waiting to strike at the APC where it will hurt it most at an opportuned moment.

I have had cause recently to advise the leadership of the APC to accept the outcome of the high-wired politics that played out in the National Assembly which resulted in the emergence of the principal officers of the Assembly who are not the preferred principal officers of the All Progressives Congress. The fact that all the key officers except the Deputy Senate President are bonifide members of APC should be consoling to the Party.

The leadership of the APC does not need to be reminded that the Party’s control of the National Assembly is marginal. It does not enjoy the overwhelming majority that the PDP had when it was in power. Common wisdom therefore suggests that APC does not in this circumstance have the luxury of flexing muscles or being inflexible in the situation it finds itself in the National Assembly.

“Resolving the National Assembly crisis in favour of the democratic exercise of the Senators and members of the House of Representatives across Party lines will be in the best interest of the APC. I had expected APC leadership to refer to the matter as a family affair as the PDP would do in such circumstance and return to the drawing board to take stock and face the onerous challenge of cooperating and collaborating with President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver his campaign promises based on the Party’s Change Agenda.

Anything short of this will distract the President and project APC as an accident that happened on Nigerian people. As a Leader of a friendly opposition party, the UPP, this is not what I will wish for the APC which hapless and long-suffering Nigerian people are looking up to for rescue. “There is always a day of reckoning for Party members who lack the discipline, commitment and loyalty to the Political Party on whose platform they won elections.

In less than 4 years from now every politician seeking an elective office will have recourse to his Political Party for nomination or re-nomination. The critical factors of loyalty, commitment, discipline and contributions to Party growth and development are considered during screening exercises before an aspirant for political office is cleared to contest election on the platform of his political Party.

“I wish to seize this opportunity to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint as a matter of urgency a former Senator with the requisite experience and character disposition as Presidential Liaison Officer to the National Assembly. I dare say that such appointment is actually long overdue. 

The significant role such a Liaison Officer will play now and in the future in establishing a friendly link between the Presidency and National Assembly especially at times like this cannot be over emphasized.

Dogara and Gbajabiamila

“I will further advise President Muhammadu Buhari to endeavour to give his government a shape and face in addition to his own as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces before proceeding to Washington to honour the invitation of the American President, Barak Obama.

Many informed Nigerians were elated that President Muhammadu Buhari was invited to the recently concluded G7 Summit in Germany shortly after being sworn-in to office.

That was a mark of respect and acceptance of his Presidency by the Super Power nations. It is a thing of joy that soon after the G7 Summit, the American President extended invitation to our dear President which definitely will be of immense benefit to the country. It is also a mark of respect and high regard for the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.

I fear that the highly vibrant, independent and sometimes aggressive American media may confront him with questions on why he has been unable to form his government when there are no visible constraints restraining him from doing so. Such confrontation might constitute a deficit to such an important international outing. This advice is given in absolute good fate and for the best interest of our country’s image with no ulterior motive whatsoever.”

Crisis unnecessary, diversionary and scandalous, Barrister Osa Director, Publisher, Nigerian Lawyers Journals  “Certainly the crisis in NASS is totally unnecessary, diversionary and scandalous. Especially when you consider the circumstances that heralded this administration into office. The economy is in decline. There is infrastructural deficit, insecurity and youth unemployment ravaging the soul of the country and all you can get for now is in-fighting in NASS. Such situation is lamentable, insensitive and opportunistic.

“However I am consoled by the fact that Nigerians are speaking their minds against such political banalities and inanity. The common Nigerian is the worse for it. But I am very sure President Buhari and APC will rise to the challenge being appreciative of the sentiments that brought them to office.

Party’s directive must be respected by Speaker Dogara—Hon. Shuibu Phillips, Member, House of Representatives from Edo State. 

“As members of party supremacy group  in the House of Reps,  we are not unmindful of  our  primary reason for being elected which is to drive the  change  agenda    of the APC. This  is the reason why Nigerians elected us. The task of making laws to support the government of President  Mohammadu  Buhari  must not be compromised on  the  alter  of supremacy battle as to who lead the house or not.

We are in a hurry to deliver on the change manifesto of the APC. However, we were presented to the Nigerian people for election by a political party in line with the provisions of the 1999 constitution. Therefore, the party is supreme and its wishes must be carried out by its members.

“Concerning the current leadership  impase  in the House of Reps, there are three issues raised in the recent position of the Hon.  Dogara  Group. The issues are zoning and the need to exclude South West and North West from the Majority Leadership of the House of Reps.

“We are of the firm  believe  that you cannot approbate and reprobate. The  Dogara group canvassed against zoning in the election of the Speaker and Dep. Speaker, they have however now turned round to demand for zoning in appointing the Majority leader and other position. If you must come to equality, you must come with clean hands.

“If we must revert to zoning to determine the majority leader and other position, we may also need to revisit the need for either the Speaker of the Senate President to resign since both positions should not come from the North in line with Federal Character. However, as members of party supremacy group of the APC caucus in the House of Reps.

we believe that Nigeria has moved beyond  the sentiment of zoning. We therefore would abide with the party directive to accept the Speakership of Hon.  Dogara. The  Dogara  group should also reciprocate this peace move by accepting the list compiled by the party in line with the wish of the majority of APC members in the House of Reps.

“They have also canvassed that the position of majority leader should be filled through an election. We agreed to this only to the extent that APC members of House of Representatives alone would be allowed to vote in the said election  to be supervised by the party.

“We stand firmly with the party and will defend its position on the leadership of the House of Reps with  all the  legitimate instrument at our disposal.   For there to be peace and tranquility in the House of Reps, there must be justice. For there to be justice, the party position endorsed and supported by APC caucus members must be implemented by the leadership of Hon.  Dogara.

“We cannot continue to shift the goal post. Zoning today no zoning tomorrow, we must show in words and  indeed   that  we are  Honourable  Members. Mr. Speaker should respect his party and do its will by implementing the list contained in the letter written to him by the National Party Chairman of the APC.

“Precedents were set in the 7th  Assembly when Hon.  Tambuwa  was elected and PDP majority member preferred Hon.  Muriano    but  inline  with the party directive and for peace to rain, Hon.  Mulikat  Akande  was accepted as the majority leader.   Also, in the 7th  Assembly, one zone, North West in particular had more than one position among the principal officers. We should not deviate from this parliamentary tradition. For peace to reign and for the leadership of the National Assembly to play the expected role of making laws that would bring about change in Nigeria, we are left with no option but to toe the party’s position.”

Buhari will not intervene, will respect the principle of separation of powers—Presidency 

Those who had thought that President Mohammadu Buhari would wade into the matter had been disappointed. The president on his own would have loved to but he is obviously restrained by constitution of the land which emphasizes the concept of Separation of Powers.

Speaking exclusively with Vanguard, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said president Buhari would not do more than following an established process, discarding calls for assertiveness of the president. “How do you become assertive when there is separation of powers? There is separation of powers between the Executive and the Legislature.

The Legislature is an entity on its own. The Executive does not superintend over the legislature.  So, you can’t be assertive over a place you do not supervise. So, I think to ask the president to be assertive over the legislature is to ask him to be a despot. It is to ask him to become a dictator and this president will not do that.

“Don’t forget that yes he is the president of the country and he emerged on the platform of the APC, so it is in that spirit that he attended the NEC meeting last Friday at the party secretariat. He also said that when they called the BoT meeting, he will attend. But he cannot go and lord anything over them. He cannot.

“He also emerged on the platform of that party. The party is bigger than everyone. That’s what is meant by party supremacy. So, party supremacy does not even allow him to lord it over anybody. He can only be part of a process to sort out whatever logjam, whatever impasse they have.

“How can it further escalate than what we have now? Can it further escalate than what we have now? I don’t see that. The president is involved already because he has been meeting with various interest groups but he will not do beyond that. He is not going to ram anything into anybody’s throat because that will not be consistent with democratic ethos. He wouldn’t do that.”

Last line 

From every indication, Nigerians are not happy with the turn of events in the House of Representatives. To the ordinary Nigerian, the mad crave for position is annoying and it is also inconsequential who occupies it. What he or she cares about is a healthy economy and secure environment to live in. The lawmakers can fight for all they want but let it not affect the polity. But can this be possible? Both Dogara and Gbajabiamila’s groups need to think again.