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Tag: SENATE PRESIDENT

  • Abba Moro Emerges Senate Minority Leader

    Former Minister of Interior and Senator, Abba Moro, has been named as the new Senate Minority Leader.

    The four-time senator was announced as leader by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary session.

    The decision to appoint Moro, a four-time Senator, as the Senate Minority Leader was reached after consensus among lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

    Their agreement was rooted in the principle of fairness and equity, leading to the zoning of the position to the North-Central region.

    Hailing from Benue State in the North Central zone, Moro’s emergence represents a strategic move by the PDP to uphold regional balance and inclusivity within the Senate leadership.

  • Akpabio Breaks 59-Year-Old Jinx, Secures IPU Executive Committee Slot

    Akpabio Breaks 59-Year-Old Jinx, Secures IPU Executive Committee Slot

    Nigeria’s Senate President, Sen. Godswill Obot Akpiabio has been elected into the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

    Mr Anietie Ekong, his Special Assistant on Media and Communication said this in a statement in Abuja.

    Ekong said that Akpabio was elected by delegates across the world to emerge as an executive committee member of the global parliamentary union for a three-year mandate.

    Anietie said Akpabio, who led Nigeria’s delegation to the 147th Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly in Luanda, Angola, broke a 59-year-old jinx, with his election into the executive committee of the global parliamentary body.

    He said the last time a Nigerian was elected into the executive committee of the parliamentary union was in 1964.

    “Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU is the global organization of national parliaments founded in 1889, and dedicated to promoting peace through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue.

    “It has grown over its 135 years into a truly global organization with 179 country members out of 193 countries in the world.

    “The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.

    “The 147th IPU Assembly was held in Luanda, Angola, from 21st to 27th October 2023 and hosted by the National Assembly of Angola,” he said.

    Anietie said the union in the week-long assembly deliberated on important issues affecting nations across the world and considered actions to strengthen trust between people and governance structures.

    He said the deliberations were designed to make public institutions more effective, accountable and representative to better equip parliaments to address multiple geo-political, economic and environmental crises facing the world.

  • Supreme Court Victory: Senate President Congratulates Tinubu

    Supreme Court Victory: Senate President Congratulates Tinubu

    President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the reaffirmation of his victory by the Supreme Court describing the decision as reflective of the will of the people.

    Akpabio in a congratulatory message to Tinubu by Eseme Eyiboh, his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, said the decision of the apex court was a welcome relief.

    He said the victory finally unfastens the last bolts to the path for social-political engineering that President Tinubu promised the nation.

    “Mr President, I am personally elated that the jurists of the Supreme Court saw through the arguments and even without much technicalities easily confirmed your victory in the poll.

    “There is no doubt that victory came at a cost, but Mr President, that makes it even sweeter.

    “I know you have in your years of public service yielded your personal and other comforts for the collective good and what it cost to confirm the victory in the courts should be seen with a similar vista,” he said.

    Akpabio also urged the president not to relent in being a father figure to his former rivals, saying that it is superfluous to remind the president of his well-known big heart.

    He also called on the major rivals of the president to sheath their swords of political combat and join hands with his administration in the collective goal of making the nation great again.

    “The elections have been announced by the electoral authorities and confirmed by the courts, and I call on all former political rivals of the president to show good faith by joining hands with the Bola Tinubu’s administration in its ongoing efforts to take the nation to a higher level,” he said.

    He said that the National Assembly would continue to support the Tinubu Administration by leveraging its legislative tentacles to raise the level of governance to a higher pedestal.

  • Tribunal ruling, a clear verdict on integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process- Akpabio

    Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has said that the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) delivered a clear verdict which resounds the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

    Akpabio, in a statement on Thursday lauded the court judgment which affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2023 presidential election.

    He said the verdict is an affirmation of the popular mandate by Nigerians for Tinubu and Shettima at the February 25 presidential election.

    Akpabio congratulated Tinubu and Shettima on the resounding affirmation of their mandate.

    Akpabio said that the five-member panel painstakingly evaluated all the issues raised by the petitioners and and gave a clear ruling.

    He said it was clear for dispassionate observers that despite the challenges, Nigeria’s electoral process was making a steady progress and deserves the appreciation and support of all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria.

    Akpabio urged Nigerians to continue to support Tinubu’s government in its drive to deliver the renewed hope agenda of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “I also congratulate our great party, the All-Progressives Congress (APC), on its vindication by this well-thought-out landmark judgement.

    “This judgment has expressly affirmed the popular mandate of the Nigerian people for our party the APC and its Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates, freely given at the February 2023 polls.

    “As the court has painstakingly addressed all the issues raised by the petitioners, I urge all concerned to accept the judgment and join hands with the Tinubu government in its bold efforts to secure the wellbeing of our people,” Akpabio said.

  • Akpabio announces Bamidele Senate Leader, Ndume Chief Whip, others

    Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) as the Senate Majority leader and former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) as the Senate Chief Whip.

    Reading the letter from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Akpabio also announced Senator Dave Umahi, APC, Ebonyi South as the Deputy Leader and Senator Lola Ashiru, APC, Kwara South as the Deputy Whip.

    Akpabio who entered the hallowed Chamber at 11:18am, immediately prayed at 11:20am and asked Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, APC, Abia North to move for the adoption of Votes and Proceedings of 14th June and seconded by Senator Ezenwa, Imo East.

    Recall that the four candidates nominated by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for Senate and House of Representatives leadership won their elections in June.

    The four anointed candidates are Senate President Akpabio; Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas; and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.

    While Barau and Kalu emerged unopposed, Akpabio prevailed after a tough battle and Abass recorded a landslide victory over his two opponents.

    In the Senate where all the 109 senators took part, Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State and one-time Senate Minority leader, polled 63 votes to defeat former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari (APC, Zamfara West) who polled 46 votes.

    In the House of Representatives, it was smooth sailing for Abass as 353 of the 359 lawmakers inaugurated gave him their votes. His challengers, Idris Wase and Aminu Jaji polled three votes each.