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We’ll never cover up Corruption- Saraki

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Senate-President-Bukola-Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki says the present senate under his leadership will never cover corruption except if the information didn’t come to them. Saraki said this while speaking with a team of editors of the London based “The Economist” newspaper at the weekend.

“Under my watch, the Senate will never cover corruption except if the information didn’t come to us”, he said.

According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa, Saraki said the Senate is ever ready to partner with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the success of the anti-corruption war. The Senate, he said had already demonstrated such commitment through its interventions on many alleged corrupt transactions such as its swift investigation and adoption of a report on the management of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) that saved the nation about N7billion and the exposure of the inconsistencies in the 2016 budget.
The step, he said was a departure from the past where such reports were either watered-down or not presented for debate and adoption. He cited the report he presented to the last Senate on the over N1trillion fuel subsidy scam that never saw the light of the day.
In furtherance to the commitment, the Senate President said Nigerians would in the next few weeks be availed with the details of the National Assembly budget which will be a departure from the tradition of having one line item budget.
“For the first time we promised Nigerians to give out our budget breakdown. The committee will make its report available by next week. We are resolved to break the tradition of one line item,” he said.
Saraki said though party differences exist between the senators, citing example of the leadership tussle, he, however said, national interest and the desire of each senator to fulfil the promises made to Nigerians have become the guiding principle of the senate in their team work.
On the economy, he said the Senate has embarked on series of legislative interventions to create conducive environment for the private sector, as he said, “it is only when the private sector thrives that the issue of unemployment will be addressed and the nation’s GDP will increase.”
“Few days ago, we received a report on the laws that need to be amended in order of priority importance to ease doing business and overall private sector participation in the stimulation of Nigeria’s economy. We will soon commence the implementation of the recommendations in the report in addition to pushing for the amendment of the Procurement Act to stimulate and protect our local industries,” he assured.
He blamed lack of firmness and consistency in policy implementation by the past administrations as the main obstacle for the growth of the private sector.
“If people have confidence that these policies have come to stay, nothing will stop them from coming to invest in the country,” he stressed.
He allayed the fears that the low prices of oil will have negative impact on the implementation of the 2016 budget, saying that, “what we need to do is to block leakages and show more transparency.”
“If we can block leakages, stop the wastages and institute a culture of transparency in governance, the revenue in-flow will not be substantially affected. Without these, even if oil is sold at more than a $100 per barrel, we will continue to witness a decline in revenue in-flow as we witnessed in the past,” Saraki said.

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“Political Hushpuppi” Ugochinyere is one of PDP’s aberrations, he is only cashing out – Wike’s Aide

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Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described House of Representatives member from Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, as a “political hushpuppi” who was produced by part of the aberrations in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that must be made to stop.

Olayinka, who told Ugochinyere to “stop going about masturbating about anything Wike,” admonished him to face the reason for which he was elected into the House of Representatives so that his constituents will stop seeing him as a failure and consistently passing votes of no confidence against him.

While featuring on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday, Ugochinyere, had said that the FCT Minister and other G5 Governors like Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) were determined to destroy the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, Olayinka said; “This is one of the things you get when people who joined the PDP today are awarded the ticket of the party tomorrow morning. If not for the aberration in the PDP that produced a character like Ugochinyere, someone who only joined the party in 2022 won’t be the one to lecture us about who is loyal to the party and who’s not.

“If PDP had functioned properly, would a ‘political hushpuppi’ like Ugochinyere have gotten the party’s ticket while still in another party? Even till today, as a PDP Rep member, Ugochinyere is still holding on to his Action Peoples Party (APP), using it to cash-out in Rivers State.

“Therefore, we on this side are not bothered because we understand why Ugochinyere must now mount the podium and accuse Wike of playing childish and kindergarten politics. He must satisfy those feeding him from the resources of Rivers State.”

While mocking Ugochinyere for always having an organization to speak for to carry out his political hustle, Olayinka said; “In saner climes, such character would have been arrested, tried and jailed for impersonation.

“When he got to the House of Representatives and there was no title under which his political hushpuppism would continue, he awarded to himself a non-existing title of ‘Spokesperson of Opposition Lawmakers Coalition in the 10th National Assembly,’ claiming to have been so appointed by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

“But the questions are, is CUPP a political party with members in the House of Representatives? Where and when was CUPP registered? Apart from the positions of Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip, is there anything like spokesperson of opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly?

“Being a political hustler that he has always been, Ugochinyere, knew that he will be contravening the rules of the National Assembly by allocating to himself, a non-existing position, but he just must have a title to keep his hustle going, and indeed, it has been booming.

“Impersonating as spokesperson of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives, Ugochinyere has been cashing out in Rivers State in particular. If he is not using his former party, APP, to cash-out, he will be using his amorphous opposition lawmakers to chop from inside the Rivers.”

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‘‘Not an inch of our land will be ceded to Lagos, Ondo” – Gov Abiodun

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Ogun Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has assured the people of Waterside Local Government that his administration would not cede any part of the state to other states in the country.

Governor Abiodun gave the assurance at a meeting with representatives of the local government, made up of traditional rulers, technocrats, and prominent government functionaries, at Government House, Abeokuta.

The former Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Segun Awonusi, said the governor has taken note of reported incursions into parts of the state from neighbouring states and has taken steps to address the issue.

Prof. Awonusi said: “We have come here to discuss the affairs of the local government with the governor. We appreciate him for what he has done so far, and we urge him to do more.

“Because of reports of incursions from Lagos and Ondo states on Ode-Omi and Makun to seize parts of our land, the governor has promised that he will ensure that not an inch of Ogun State is lost to any other state.

“He has also promised to provide adequate security so that our people can live in peace.”

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Governor Alia and the 19 States’ Suit Against EFCC, ICPC and NFIU

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Two days ago, Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, suspended the State Attorney General, Barr. Fidelis Mynin.

His Offense? The Attorney General joined the suit challenging the legality of EFCC, ICPC and NFIU without INFORMING the governor.

Benue State joined the suit on October 8, 2024, with 14 other States. This was widely reported in the media.

On October 22, the matter came up again at the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, October 23, Benue State Governor suspended the Attorney General of the State, claiming that he was not aware of the State joining the suit.

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