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A fresh showdown is imminent in the House of Representatives as over 150 aggrieved first-time members are up in arms against the House leadership over alleged marginalisation and exclusion from legislative business. Already, the embittered federal lawmakers have formed a pressure group, codenamed “Novelty Group,” as a veritable platform for realising their mission and vision. The group’s inaugural meeting, initially scheduled for Abuja yesterday evening, was abruptly cancelled following the death of a House member, Hon Olaide Adewale Akinremi. Until his passage, Hon Akinremi represented Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State on the platform of the governing All Progressives…

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU WELCOMES SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT AFFIRMING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS President Bola Tinubu welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirming the spirit, intent, and purpose of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the statutory rights of local governments. The President states that a fundamental challenge to the nation's advancement over the years has been ineffective local government administration, as governance at the critical cellular level of socio-political configuration is nearly absent. The President emphasizes that the onus is now on local council leaders to ensure that the broad…

The lawmaker representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Ibe Okwara Osonwa says Governor Alex Otti has taken the development of nano and micro entrepreneurs in the state to a higher level. The lawmaker in a chat with journalists in Abuja, while reacting to the official launch of the Abia State Cooperative Support Scheme, and disbursement of credit facilities to 10,000 nano and micro businesses drawn from the 184 wards in Abia state commended Governor Alex Otti for his efforts towards creating a better future for all Abians. He noted that the Abia State Cooperative Support Scheme…

A bill to alter the 1999 Constitution as amended to create Aba State in the South-East passed through first reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill is sponsored by Hon. Hon. Ginger Onwusibe of Isialangwa North/Isialangwa South Federal Constituency and three other lawmakers from Abia state. They include Hon. Munachim Alozie (Osisioma/Ugwunagbo/Obingwa Federal Constituency) Hon. Chris Nkwonta (Ukwa East/ Ukwa West Federal Constituency) and Hon. Ifeanyi Ikwechegh, representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency. The proposed Aba State will have 9 local government areas. The local government to be affected are Aba North, Aba South, Isiala Ngwa North,…

A Northern Nigerian sociopolitical group under the auspices of Arewa Next Generation Leaders has slammed the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, describing them as rubber stamp, ineffective and too slow. The group said it is a sign of failure for the National Assembly not to have checkmated the executive to implement the capital components of the 2024 budget. The group in statement by Mallam Nasiru Muh’d on Thursday in Kaduna, said it was a total shame and total embarrassment for the country to be operating three different budgets in 2024, without implementing the capital components of the 2024 budget.…

The Supreme Court has delivered judgment in the suit instituted by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors of the federation on local government autonomy. In the suit, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), sought full autonomy and direct fund allocation to the 774 local governments in the country. He asked the apex court to invoke sections 1, 4, 5, 7 and 14 of the constitution to declare that the governors and state houses of assembly are under obligation to ensure democratically elected systems at the third tier. In its lead judgement…

The lawmaker representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa, has urged investors to take advantage of the conducive environment in the Federal Constituency, and Abia State at large to invest in areas of their choice. According to the lawmaker, investors and potential investors can invest in the opportunities that abound in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency of Abia State. The lawmaker, who made the call when he visited the Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ambassador Mohsen Antit, at the Tunisian Embassy on Wednesday in Abuja. He described Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency as an investment destination with several…

The Petroleum Retail Owners Association of Nigeria (PROAN) said true open market price for petroleum is between N1500- N1950, but Nigerians will not be able to afford it. The President of the association, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry disclosed this in an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday. Gillis-Harry warned against pegging Nigeria’s petroleum prices to the international market, stating, “If you land your product (fuel) within the range of N1500-N1950, obviously Nigerians can’t afford to buy that. So there’s no need to even try.” He pointed out that the average global price of a litre of fuel is about a dollar…

A drug baron on the wanted list of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency identified as Joachin Mbonu, has been arrested. Mbonu was arrested by operatives of the NDLEA in his village mansion in Imo state on July 5. A statement on Tuesday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Mbonu was arrested along with his associate. He stated that Mbonu belongs to a drug cartel behind the production of methamphetamine. Babafemi said, “ A major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘mkpuru mmiri’ has been taken down by operatives of the…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has ordered the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company to refund money to over-billed 1,011,402 customers in the Southeastern Nigeria within the period of January to September, 2023 through overestimation. At the billing cycle for energy consumed in February 2024, NERC said EEDC shall credit the accounts for all customers that were over-billed between January to September 2023 based on the Commission’s assessment as contained in Schedule 1. The Nigerian electricity regulator also lamented that the persistent non-compliance with the order on capping of estimated bills by the EEDC for the period January-September 2023 had led…