Tag: 10th NASS

Controversy over Local Govt’s fiscal autonomy lingers

Aminu Imam
Tinubu, AGF, Governors

…As Tinubu, AGF, Governors clash over implementation The debate over the fiscal autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local governments continues, despite last year’s Supreme Court ruling affirming their independence.  Recent remarks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a New Year homage by State governors and Vice-President Kashim Shettima have fueled the controversy, raising questions about the autonomy’s implementation. Recall that President Tinubu, while emphasising grassroots development, has reiterated that there was no disagreement with the State governors over autonomy. However, he urged them to ensure local governments fulfill their mandate, calling…

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NASS settles for joint probe of economic sabotage in petroleum sector

Aminu Imam
NASS for joint probe

Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed that investigation of alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum sector by Ad – hoc committees separately set up by both the 10th Senate and the House of Representatives in July, will now be jointly handled by both chambers. Senator Bamidele, who doubles as the Chairman of the investigative Adhoc committee, stated this in an issued press statement personally signed by him on Monday. He says: ‘As we return fully to the parliamentary sessions on Tuesday this week, the National Assembly will without ambiguity,…

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“N29m monthly too small for senators; Governors earn N700m” – Senator Abbo

Aminu Imam
Senator Abbo on NASS

Former Senator for Adamawa-North, Ishaku Elisha Abbo, has disclosed that he earned N14.4 million every month while in the Upper Chamber but stated that senators now earn N29 million monthly. This sum, he said, included a salary of N1 million plus allowances. Abbo, who spoke during an interview on a television programme yesterday, however said N29 million was meagre considering the responsibilities shouldered by senators, arguing that governors earn between N700 million and N1 billion monthly. Abbo insisted that while many Nigerians considered the senators’ monthly take-home princely, “N29 million…

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“Nigerian PhD holders’ll need 85yrs of savings to afford lawmakers’ SUVs” – Peter Obi

Aminu Imam
Obi on SUVs

Labour Party (LP)’s presidential candidate in the last general election, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the exorbitant cost of governance in Nigeria. Obi, in a series of X’s post on Friday, who said the reckless spending in the government is responsible decline in the standards of our university education, highlighted that an average PhD holder would have to save for years to afford the N160 million SUVs driven by lawmakers. He lamented that while a Grade-2 lecturer might earn just N150,000 per month, an average lawmaker takes home…

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“I thought I would be handed ?300m once I resumed at National Assembly” – Lawmaker, Adefiranye

Aminu Imam
Lawmaker

A lawmaker representing Oke-Igbo/Ile-Oluji/Odigbo Federal Constituency of Ondo state in the House of Representatives, Festus Adefiranye has said that he did not receive the ?300 million he was expecting when he resumed at the lower chamber. The lawmaker lamented that the housing allowance he received for four years could not cover his one-year rent in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT). Adefiranye, stated this in a published interview, explained that his earlier impression was that after resuming in the National Assembly, one would receive ?300 million. However, he stated that the…

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10th NASS: Yari, 23 other senators yet to sponsor Bill in one year

Aminu Imam
10th NASS2

Almost one year after they were inaugurated, no fewer than 24 of the 109 senators drawn from all parts of the country are yet to sponsor any bill in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. However, each of the other 85 senators has at least one bill to his or her name. The 10th Senate, which was inaugurated on June 13, 2023, will be one year on Thursday. A review of the activities of the 109 senators with regard to sponsoring of bills shows that 279 Bills were sponsored…

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“Investigate secret subsidy payment” – Atiku urges NASS

Aminu Imam
Atiku NASS

Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the National Assembly to investigate the alleged secret petrol subsidy payment. In an issued statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, yesterday, Atiku urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to demonstrate bravery in taking ownership of its policies and their consequences by being accountable to Nigerians. Recall that on Wednesday, Atiku challenged Tinubu’s administration to cease what he alleges is misleading the public about its stance on petrol subsidy. He stated that despite Tinubu’s public statements regarding petrol subsidy removal, the administration has been covertly…

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NASS disowns ‘Bill seeking Nigeria’s return to regional government’

Aminu Imam
10th NASS on restructuring

…Says “It’s not with us yet” The 10th National Assembly has dissociated itself from a purported draft Bill seeking to return Nigeria to a regional system of government. Nigeria practised the regional system of government after it gained independence in 1960. In 1979, after military rule, Nigeria adopted the presidential system of government and has maintained it to date. Recall that on Friday, the National Assembly distanced itself from the Bill after a document titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with…

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Conflicting statements emerge from Tinubu’s media aides on his first anniversary today

Aminu Imam
IMG 20240528 WA0057

Conflicting statements from President Tinubu’s media aides on his first anniversary scheduled for today, Wednesday. Early yesterday, Magaji Tambuwal, Clerk of the National Assembly, had said Tinubu would today, Wednesday deliver an address on the “state of the nation” at the joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives. Tambuwal said the President will also inaugurate the National Assembly library. Hours later however, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, corroborated Tambuwal’s statement, noting that Tinubu’s address at the parliament is part of the…

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NASS grants full autonomy to 774 LGA’s

Aminu Imam
NASS on LGAs

…Awaits States Assemblies The 10th National Assembly (NASS) has granted full financial and administrative autonomy to all the 774 local council authorities across Nigeria by amending section 124 of the nation’s Constitution. The section provides a consequential provision for the making of the local councils, a full third-tier of Government without undue interference from the State governments. The amendment was one of the 22 others approved by the House of Representatives last week, and now ratified by the Senate. Both chambers had, through a conference committee, harmonised versions of the…

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