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Former Principal Secretary to the Delta State Government, Dr Hilary Obioma Ibegbulem, has paid glowing tribute to former governor of Delta State and All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate for Delta North, Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, describing him as an exceptional leader, statesman and patriot.

In a birthday felicitation message to Okowa, Ibegbulem said the former governor’s public life had been defined by selfless service, purposeful leadership and unwavering commitment to the progress of Delta State and Nigeria.

The message, was one of the standout tributes to Okowa, who remains a dominant figure in Delta politics and the APC’s standard-bearer for Delta North ahead of 2027.

Ibegbulem, a long-standing political associate of the former governor, traced Okowa’s political and public service journey from his early days as Secretary to the Ika Local Government Council to his emergence as pioneer Chairman of Ika North-East Local Government Council.

He said those early responsibilities laid a strong foundation for what later became Okowa’s well-known grassroots political structure and administrative reach across Delta State.

According to him, Okowa’s subsequent appointments as Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Commissioner for Water Resources Development, and Commissioner for Health further demonstrated his administrative capacity and commitment to improving the lives of the people.

Ibegbulem also celebrated Okowa’s service as Secretary to the Delta State Government, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and later as two-term Governor of Delta State, saying his record reflected consistency, sacrifice and vision.

“Your remarkable journey in public service is a testament to dedication, integrity and excellence,” Ibegbulem said.

He stressed that from “every early service as Secretary to the defunct Ika Local Government Council” to Okowa’s service as governor, the former governor had continued to inspire confidence among supporters, admirers and the younger generation of leaders.

Ibegbulem said that as the APC Delta North senatorial candidate, Okowa had continued to exemplify courageous leadership, humility and commitment to the ideals of progressive governance.

He prayed for renewed strength, divine protection and greater wisdom for the former governor, expressing confidence that his future endeavours would bring further accomplishments and service to Delta State and Nigeria.

“May this new chapter of your life usher in greater accomplishments, enduring fulfilment and resounding victories in all your future endeavours,” he said.

He concluded by congratulating Okowa on what he described as a special milestone, praying that God would continue to preserve and elevate him as a fountain of hope, leadership and service to the nation.

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Remodeled Abuja City Gate To Be Commissioned Tomorrow, Thursday, July 9

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By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Wednesday blocked an attempt by opposition lawmakers to introduce a fresh prayer seeking to summon President Bola Tinubu before the House over delays in releasing funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the implementation of the 2025 budget.

The move came during debate on a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Rep. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh on the “Urgent need to address the poor funding of appropriated budgets and delayed releases to MDAs as revealed during the 2026 budget defence sessions.”

Although Ikwechegh had submitted a motion containing five prayers to the Speaker in line with the House Standing Orders, he introduced an additional prayer while presenting it on the floor, calling for President Tinubu to be invited to explain why appropriated funds had not been released for budget implementation.

The unexpected addition immediately drew objections, as Rep. Yusuf Gagdi moved to amend the proposal, arguing that rather than inviting the President, the House should summon the government officials directly responsible for managing the country’s finances.

His intervention was met with loud protests from some opposition lawmakers, prompting Speaker Abbas to intervene.

The Speaker ruled that the request to invite the President can not be entertained because it was never part of the motion formally submitted to the Chair.

Rebuking Ikwechegh, Abbas said:
“Hon. Mascot, you gave me a copy of your motion and what is contained on prayer five is that an ad hoc committee should be constituted to interact with the relevant agencies. So, it is wrong for you to attempt to bring in what is not contained here.

“Honourable colleagues, what Hon. Mascot read was a complete deviation from the motion he presented to me. Hon. Mascot, kindly bring out the motion you read out and let us see where the prayer to invite the president was included.”

The Speaker warned lawmakers against attempting to introduce new prayers after a motion had already been submitted for consideration.

“You cannot ambush the House. Bringing in extraneous materials into a duly submitted motion is not allowed. Hon. Mascot, honour begets honour and we should not be mischievous about what we do here,” Abbas cautioned.

Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu also cited the House Standing Orders, reminding members that lawmakers can not disregard the very rules they enacted.

He urged members to conduct themselves in a manner befitting legislators, stressing that adherence to parliamentary procedure was essential to preserving the integrity of the House.

Following the rulings, Speaker Abbas put the motion to a voice vote, and it was adopted without the controversial prayer seeking the President’s appearance.

Earlier, while moving the motion, Ikwechegh argued that the slow release of appropriated funds had severely undermined implementation of the national budget.

He said: “House notes that Sections 80 and 81 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) vest the power of appropriation in the National Assembly, and that the credibility of the budget rests not on the size of the figures appropriated but on the fidelity and timeliness with which appropriated funds are released, cash-backed and utilised by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs);

“Also notes that during the 2026 budget defence sessions, Honourable Ministers and heads of MDAs disclosed deeply troubling levels of funding of the 2025 budget, including sectors that recorded zero capital releases for the entire fiscal year and others that received only token fractions of their appropriated capital votes;

“Aware that these disclosures are consistent with the repeated protests staged in 2025 and early 2026 by indigenous contractors at the Federal Ministry of Finance and the gates of the National Assembly, on one occasion disrupting plenary sittings, over unpaid certificates for completed and verified projects, with many contractors unable to service bank loans obtained to execute government projects.

“Also aware that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at the Federal Executive Council meeting of 10 December 2025, expressed grave displeasure at the backlog, directed the immediate settlement of verified contractor liabilities of about One Point Five Trillion Naira, and constituted an inter-ministerial committee to harmonise records and deliver a lasting funding solution, declaring the readiness of government to borrow, if necessary, to settle verified obligations.

“Further aware that in furtherance of that directive, the National Assembly approved borrowing in excess of One Trillion Naira specifically to finance the settlement of outstanding obligations on completed and verified capital projects, in addition to dedicated provisions in the 2026 Appropriation Act for contractor liabilities, while the Honourable Ministers of Finance have announced the clearance of substantial sums, announcements which contractors dispute as partial.

“Concerned that notwithstanding the clear directive of Mr President, the legislative approvals and the ministerial assurances, releases to MDAs remain slow and uneven, stalling critical projects, escalating contract costs, exposing contractors to insolvency and rising non-performing loans, and eroding public trust in the budget.

“Disturbed by recent newspaper reportage of a Federal Treasury Circular dated 29 June 2026, issued by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, halting payments for Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects unless a Certificate of Verification and Compliance is first obtained from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, a directive which, however well intentioned, introduces yet another layer of bureaucratic clearance at the very moment Mr President has demanded speed, and risks turning back the hands of the clock by subjecting duly appropriated, procured and executed projects to further delay.”

He urged the House to adopt a series of resolutions, saying:
“Accordingly resolves to: Commend Mr President for his directive on the immediate settlement of verified contractor liabilities, and urge its full, faithful and speedy implementation by all fiscal authorities;

“Urge the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria to prioritise the timely release and cash backing of appropriated funds, publish a clear schedule of releases for the 2026 fiscal year, and conclude the verification and settlement of all outstanding contractor liabilities within a defined and publicly communicated timeframe;

“Call on the fiscal authorities to apply the proceeds of the borrowing in excess of One Trillion Naira approved by the National Assembly strictly and expeditiously to the settlement of outstanding capital project obligations, and to render an account of such application to the National Assembly;

“Further urge the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to urgently review the Federal Treasury Circular of 29 June 2026 and harmonise it with the directive of Mr President, by prescribing strict and short timelines for the issuance of the Certificate of Verification and Compliance, so that an accountability measure is not converted into an instrument of further delay, and invite the Accountant General of the Federation and the Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs to brief the relevant Committees on the circular;

“Constitute an Ad Hoc Committee to interface with the relevant fiscal authorities on the state of releases, the settlement of contractor liabilities and the utilisation of approved borrowings, and report back to the House within four (4) weeks for further legislative action, comprising the Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, as Chairman, and the following as Members: the Chief Whip of the House; the Minority Whip; the Chairman, Committee on Finance; the Chairman, Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management; the Chairman, Committee on Budget and National Planning; the Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts; the Chairman, Committee on Constituency Projects; and any other Member as may be approved by the Rt. Hon. Speaker.”