Least Northcentral can accept from APC is Deputy Senate President - Sani Musa

By Musa Baba Adamu

One of the key contenders for the office of Senate President, Sani Musa, has said the least the North Central zone of the country will accept from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is Deputy Senate President, even as he warned that membership of the party is voluntary while principles are involuntary.

Sani said this during a meeting with the national chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu, where he expressed shock that despite the altruistic decision of North Central caucus of the party to allow a southern Christian emerge as Senate President in view of the secularity of Nigeria, APC still did not consider North Central worthy for any position in the 10th National Assembly.

He said “When I made my

APC lifts suspension of Gemade, Shija, five others for more consultation

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

All Progressives Congress

(APC) has denied the alleged suspension of Senator Barnabas Gemade, Professor Terhemba Shija, and five others by the Benue State Executive Committee of our Party.

A statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, said “The Party has directed that the said suspension and all related actions in the matter be, and are hereby, set aside pending further review and decision of the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on the matter.

“Therefore, Senator Gemade, Professor Shija, and five others that are affected by the said suspension are, and remain, bonafide members of the Benue State Chapter of our Party.” declaration, I said, looking at the secularity of this country and looking at the permutations when we took the risk of same faith ticket and we were successful. There are certain times we should not push our luck. I said, we have competent distinguished Senators-elect from anywhere. That is, because we have a Muslim President elect. We have a Muslim Vice President elect and we thought that at least the third person should be a Christian.

“As leader of the North Central, we had a caucus meeting before the decision was taken and after it was taken. The caucus agreed that I should make my declaration known to Nigerians. We looked at the secularity of the country and our caucus now said we should go for the Deputy Senate President. Your formula was a blow to us and we felt are we really part of this country? Because when you are even talking about the North, we have always been at the receiving end.”

The Niger East Senator, who lamented that his zone have been marginalised, said things must be changed for peace to reign in the party.

“Whenever we see anything that is not right, it is only fair if we are good followers to bring it to the table and when they said the national chairman is inviting us for this, I agreed. I am standing here in my own corner as a distinguished senator, who is also aspiring and also, I am here to speak in respect of my distinguished colleagues, Senators-elect from the north central geopolitical zone of this country.

“We have been saying that the status quo cannot continue but if we do not allow internal democracy to prosper, how do we expect to change things? We are the ones talking about certain principles we want to see, but we are not acting it. This issue can be corrected.

“I am very sure you will go back and take a look especially when we are talking about internal democracy because even the issue of the National Assembly is an issue of internal democracy.

“Our geographical settings have become like institutions. You cannot give positions to individuals.

“I would have expected my brothers from the Northwest to stand against this template and say let us toe the line we have been towing since 1999. This injustice needs to be corrected. We have 5 of six Govs. 11 of 19 senators. We will However make sure that no party takes our chance inside that chamber. It is going to be an APC affair.

“I have seen a situation where one zone has the Secretary to the government of the Federation, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Staff to the President, the President of the Senate and the roof didn’t come down, but the little we (North Central) have, Deputy Senate President, is taken away.

“We will abide by the party, but the party has to put in mind that this is a voluntary thing. Membership of a party is voluntary but my principles and our principles are not voluntary. It is what we are built of and we can stand by that.

“This injustice, we need to correct it. We have six geopolitical zones. The President is from Southwest, we have a Vice President for Northeast. We have the office of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. It is only fair to throw this out to the other four geopolitical zones”, according to Sani Musa.

Peace Corp Bill: Senate says Dickson Akoh initiated passed version

By Musa Baba Adamu

Senate yesterday clarified that the National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh owns the version of the Bills passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly and transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent last month.

This is according to Sen Ali Ndume, who sponsored the Bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps, which was considered, harmonised and adopted by the two chambers of the National Assembly.

He further clarified that any other group or individual laying claim to and parading him or herself as Nigerian Peace Corps Commandant was illegal.

The clarification by the Senate became imperative following claims by one Mustapha that he was the owner of the Bill.

Ndume said “The attention of the leadership of the Senate and indeed the National Assembly has been drawn to different groups laying claims to the Bill for ran Act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps which was harmonized and adopted by the two Chambers of the National Assembly.

“The Bill as passed by the two

Chambers of the National Assembly is solely sponsored by the current Peace Corps of Nigeria under the headship of Prof. Dickson Akoh as the National Commandant.

“Since the Bill was transmitted to Mr President for his assent by the Clerk of the National Assembly on the 12th April, 2023, the Senate has been inundated with several entreaties as to the status of the Bill, especially the Organization that is sought to give statutory backing after Mr President’s assent to the Bill.

“To put the records straight, Part VIII of the Bill titled “Dissolution of the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria and Savings” explicitly provides that at the commencement of the Act that the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria will be dissolved and transmute to the Nigerian Peace Corps. The import of this therefore is that the Bill only sought to give statutory backing to the existing Peace Corps of Nigeria under the leadership of Prof. Dickson Akoh.

“Also, on the issue of the nomenclature of the headship of the proposed Nigerian Peace Corps, the title is National Commandant as contained in Part III, Section 11(1) of the Bill as passed and not Commandant General as widely been speculated.

“However, the Bill made adequate provision in Section 38 (8) was made to accommodate individuals, groups, associations or bodies that have shown or demonstrated interest to be absorbed as members of the Corps shall be absorbed subject to the mandatory basic training and orientation programme of the Corps as prescribed on the commencement of this Act.

“It is important to say that effect cannot be given to this Bill until same is assented into Law by Mr President. Therefore, any group laying claim and parading itself as Nigerian Peace Corps for now is illegal.”

From Abubakar Yunusa

Abuja

The naira depreciated against the dollar on Wednesday, exchanging for N463.02 at the investors’ and exporters’ window.

The rate represents a decrease of 0.17 per cent when compared to the N462.25 it exchanged to the dollar on Tuesday.

The open indicative rate closed at N463 to the dollar on Wednesday.

A spot exchange rate of N467 was used for trading within the day before it settled at N463.02.

Spot exchange rate is determined instantly.

The naira sold for as low as N460 to the dollar within the day’s trading.

A total turnover of US$ 178.68 million was traded at the official Investors’ and Exporters’ window.

From Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has ordered airline operators and aircraft owners to relocate their aircraft from the General Aviation Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, to another airports.

FAAN, in a circular dated May

8, and issued on Tuesday, stated that the May 29 presidential inauguration is a high security event, and that safety and security must be enhanced.

The circular with reference number reads: FAAN/ABJ/NAIA / RGM/NC/AM/1000/VOl-1 signed by the Regional General Manager (North Central) and NAIA Airport Manager, Kabir Mohammed, reads:

“This is to inform you of a need to temporarily relocate your aircraft to alternate airports due to upcoming Presidential inauguration slated for May 29th 2023.

“The Presidential inauguration is a high security event, and in order to ensure the safety and security of parties involved, it has become necessary to temporarily relocate all aircraft parked at the

GAT to alternate airports.