Senate President, Niger Gov absent as Senatorselect get certificates of return, Reps for today

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has presented certificates of return to most of the Senators -elect who were declared winners in the February 25 National Assembly election.

Few of the Senators-elect were however not available yesterday to collect their certificates of returns at the International collation centre of the International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the ceremony.

About 97 Senators-elect have so far emerged from the election of Saturday, February 25.

Prominent among those not available yesterday to collect their certificates of returns were the Governor of Niger State Governor, Mr Sanni Bello, elected to represent Niger North Senatorial district and Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North District).

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has however advised those not available yesterday at the national collation centre, Abuja, to come to its headquarters in Maitama,

Abuja, to collect their certificates of returns.

Elections in eleven Senatorial districts, spread across the country, are either yet to be held, postponed or cancelled.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, it will be recalled, had earlier said that supplementary election would be held in the remaining Eleven Senatorial Districts where elections did not hold or was cancelled.

The ceremony (presentation of certificate of returns to Senators-elect) witnessed a large crowd and heavy security presence yesterday.

In an interview, the new Senator-elect for the Federal Capital Territory, Mrs Ireti Kingibe promised to focus attention on issues of women and youth development.

Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, Ekiti Central Senatorial District (APC), assured that the 10th Senators of the National Assembly would work together in the overriding interest of Nigeria not for party or individual interests.

Bamidele, a reelected Senator, said the representation of different political parties in the national assembly would make the incoming senate more dynamic, stressing that such would be of great benefits to Nigeria and its democracy.

According to him, One of the ways a parliament can be dynamic is for us to have robust representation by various political parties.

“We have always said Nigeria is not a one party state, we are a multiparty democracy. And this is going to be reflected in the 10th Assembly.

“We are going to the Senate where at least four political parties are represented the APC, the PDP and the Labour Party and the SDP

“Part of the advantages of this, for me, is that it will make it possible for all of us to reason together and to work together across board.

“One thing I know is that regardless of which political party brought you into parliament, once you are there, you are there as elected representative of the people in Parliament and all of us must work together”, he said.

Hon Sunday Karimi (APC Senator-elect, Kogi West) stated that the expectations of the people on the 10th Senate are high, promising that senators-elect, including him would not disappoint Nigeria.

Karimi, a former member of the House of Representatives, promised to work for the development of Kogi West, Kogi State and Nigeria in general especially in the areas of infrastructural development and development of the people.

Chief Ned Munir Nwoko (PDP), Delta North Senatorial District, said his focused would be improving the wellbeing of Nigerians, reduction in cost of borrowing by 50 per cent and how to address insecurity. His words, “The cost of borrowing is too much, we need to bring it down by two per cent. Bank cannot be charging arbitrarily.

“We must focus on insecurity. We must dialogue with agitators any where they are, from north to the east and to the south”, he stressed.

Nwoko a lawyer and former member of the House of Representatives, pledged to serve the people of Delta and the Nigeria at large to the best of his ability.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives’ memberselect will be presented with their own certificates of returns today at the same venue.

Benue Gov. signs law domesticating new retirement age for staff of tertiary Institutions

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State government has domesticated a law extending the retirement age of some section of civil servants in the State.

The category of civil servants are administrative and non administrative staff of state owned tertiary institutions including College of Educations

Katsina-Ala and Oju as well as Ugbokolo Polytechnic in Okpokwu local government area.

While signing the bill to extend the retirement age from 60 to 65 years into law on Tuesday at Government House Makurdi, Governor Samuel Ortom boasted that his administration has signed the highest number of laws over 55 more than any government in the State. He added that all the laws were for the best interest of the people, maintaining that for the new law, his governmemt is replicating what is done at the Federal level.

“With this new law, except one is stricken with illness, it is expected that as you age, you get better in experience”, Ortom said.

In another vein, the Benue State has directed the lifting of ban on motorcycles in the Sankera axis consisting of Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum local government areas of the State.

A statent signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom Nathaniel Ikyur said the lifting of the ban takes immediate effect.