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President Tinubu Flags Off New National Anthem ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’, as NASS Celebrate 25 Years Of Uninterrupted Democracy

Published

4 months ago

May 29, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…say 2024 appropriation bill to be submitted early

By Gloria Ikibah

President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the New National anthem “Nigeria We Hail Thee” in Wednesday morning.

The President who was at the Joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday, also flagged off the new anthem as it was official sung for the first time after the New National Anthem Bill was signed into law by President Tinubu on Wednesday morning.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that last week the Senate and House of Representatives passed the bill to revert to the old national anthem during plenary.

President Tinubu in his address congratulated Nigeria for 25 years of unbroken democracy and urged the lawmakers to work together to build Nigeria not only for us but for generations yet unborn.

“Out of respect I come to say thank you very much for building up to this stage. Building the institution, building the country, you are the first and foremost leaders that will speak for our people and you have been in the forefront of this struggle.

“This institution, the hallowed chambers represent our consciousness for freedom and sense of belonging.

“You rang out the latest national anthem ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’. Since this our democracy representing all charaand how we have lived together to be brothers and sisters.

“Without this House probably I may not have found the path to the presidency.

“Continue to collaborate, work together, build our country, we have no other choice, it is our nation. No other institution or personality, we have to do it ourselves.

“We must build this nation so that the future of our children and grandchildren will be sure of prosperity”, PresidentTinubu said.

He also assured that he will bring the year 2024 appropriation bill to the National Assembly in a few month time.

Naijablitznews.com reports that the joint session was in commemoration of 25 year of uninterupted democratic and legislative practice in Nigeria.

Earlier, according to the tradition of the House, Leader of the House, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, moved a motion for the admittance into the chamber non members of the House of Representatives and this motion was seconded by the House Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda.

“That the House, pursuant to Order Six, Rule 4(1)(i),(ii), (iii), (iv), (viii) and (ix) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, do admit into the Chamber, the President, Commander–In–Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Vice President, Former Head of States, the President of the Senate, Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Former Senate President, Former Senators, Former Speaker, Former Members, Former Clerks to the National Assembly, Ministers, other Management Staff of the National Assembly, Government Officials and other Dignitaries to commemorates 25 years of Unbroken Democracy/Legislature”, the House Leader said.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas were also ushered in. After which Senator he called the session to order and announced that the new national anthem ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ shall be sung upon the arrival of the president.

He also announced that the new national anthem has been duly accented to by the President and signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The President of the Senate commended President Tinubu for the decision to revert to the old national anthem “Nigeria We Hail Thee”.

He said: “It is important I explain the importance of this visit. That this is what we call in Nollywood ‘waka pass.’ You intend to celebrate democracy day which is June 12. But out of your respect for the National Assembly, you said you must pass through the National Assembly on your first anniversary in office.

“Of all the significant things you have done, I think one of the most important is to take us back to our genealogy. The genealogy of our birth. That though we may belong to different tribes, though we have different tongues, in brotherhood we must stand. Henceforth, we may not refer to ourselves as colleagues, we will refer to ourselves as brothers.

“Whether in the field of battle, in politics, we must hail Nigeria. The best place to start this revolution is the National Assembly where we have the elected representatives of the people”.

The Speaker of the House had explained that the President will be present only to flagoff the new national anthem and afterwards proceeds to attend other functions.

In his remarks he thanked the president for the partnership that existed with the national assembly.

“A big thank you to our dear leaders who has been very supportive of the national assembly over the last one year. A true democrat who has seen it all, a former Governor, Former Senators, a leader of the party and now the president.

“I want you to know your Excellency that we in the National Assembly are very very happy with your report card, with your performance so far.

“The national assembly is very thankful for your partnership that existed within the last one year. It has been a partnership that has been mutually beneficial to all of us.

“It is a win-win and that is how democracy is supposed to be played”, Speaker Abbas stated.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that both chambers of the national assembly on Thursday May 23nd , 2024, passed a bill to revert to the old national anthem ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ and discard the present one, ‘Arise O’ Compatriots.

Sponsored by the House Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere and Senate Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele respectively, the bill speedily passed through second reading, considered and approved at the Committee of the Whole and passed for third reading at plenary

The legislation is titled, “Bill For An Act to Provide for the National Anthem of Nigeria, and for Matters Related Thereto.”

It stipulated that on the date of commencement of the Bill, the national anthem of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which is prescribed in the Schedule to the proposed legislation.

According to the bill, the national anthem of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shal be a national symbol and sign of authority, and all persons, individuals or corporate entities, shall respect the national anthem and preserve the dignity of the national anthem.

The proposed legislation provided that the national anthem shall be performed and sung on occasions such as: opening and closing ceremonies of Federal Executive Council, and State Executives Council meetings, opening and closing of sittings of Legislative Houses in Nigeria and Constitutional oath-swearing ceremonies.

Others are: “Major celebrations, major award ceremonies, major commemorative ceremonies, national memorial ceremonies and the like, which are organised by MDAs, major diplomatic activities, major sporting events, other occasions as may from time to time, be determined by the minister responsible for education with the consent of the President.”

It stated that the performance and singing of the national anthem shall follow the lyrics prescribed by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The new law prescribed that when the national anthem is performed and sung “-(a) those present shall stand and deport respectfully, and (b) at flag-raising ceremonies, those present shall face the flag, and uniformed military personnel, Police and other Security personnel are to give a hand salute, and other persons are to look on in respect.

News

Ecoparl: Speaker Ibrahima Reaffirms Parliament’s Dedication to Regional Unity

Published

4 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Rt. Honourable Memounatou Ibrahima, restated that the parliament remains committed to ensuring the unity and integration of the people within the subregion.

According to Speaker Ibrahima, the Parliament will continue to use parliamentary diplomacy to engage countries that are considering leaving the bloc due to political challenges, such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, as a result of military coups they experienced.

The Speaker stated this when she led a delegation of the ECOWAS Parliament on a working visit to the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday in Abuja.

She highlighted that while countries may break formal cooperation, the people of the region remain interconnected, adding that the Parliament, as representatives of these people, will work to maintain the unity.

Ibrahima expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Senate for supporting ECOWAS by providing necessary facilities for their plenary sessions, even as she discussed the socio-political challenges facing the region, as well as how parliamentarians can contribute more to address these issues.

She said: “We strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, because we know that the countries might break cooperation but we cannot separate the population. The population always live together and we as representatives of the people, we are doing our best so that this living together will continue to be reality and even made better.

“We came to thank him for all the facilities that the senate has been providing to the ECOWAS Parliament to facilitate the holding of our sessions here in Abuja. We also discussed on the socio-political situation in the community. We also discussed on the ways parliamentarians can make more contributions on the various issues and the challenges that we are experiencing in ECOWAS”.

The President of the Senate,

Senator Akpabio, who was represented by his Deputy, Senator Barau Jubril, commended Ibrahima’s leadership and her efforts in using parliamentary diplomacy to foster cooperation within ECOWAS, especially in light of the challenges posed by countries considering an exit from the bloc.

He noted that since Speaker Meimounatou assumed office, she has deployed enormous parliamentary diplomacy to bear not only on the level of cooperation with institutions in the region but also on those that have expressed the wish to quit the regional block.

Naijablitznews.com reports that Senator Jubril is the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.

He said: “Since she was elected the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, she has been up and doing in terms of giving leadership to the parliament. It is in that regard that she is here trying to chart a better course for the parliament to make sure that she brings parliamentary diplomacy to bear in terms of our cooperation not only with those who are within the community as we speak but also even those who are attempting to leave the community.

“It is in that respect that she is here, and what she is doing is commendable. She has come to strengthen her idea and initiative of making the parliament stronger and more effective”.

News

Air Force Begins Moving Electoral Materials For Edo Guber Election

Published

6 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has began airlifting the sensitive election materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Benin, Edo State, ahead of the upcoming governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.

This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali.

The operation is part of the NAF’s efforts to ensure the timely and secure delivery of materials necessary for a smooth electoral process.

This development reinforces the collaboration between NAF and INEC to facilitate logistics and ensure a peaceful election in Edo State.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, had previously reiterated NAF’s commitment to providing airlift support for the swift movement of electoral materials during a meeting with INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

This airlift operation is a crucial aspect of NAF’s constitutional responsibility to provide Military Aid to Civil Authority, underscoring the force’s dedication to supporting democratic processes in Nigeria. With the election just days away, the NAF’s timely intervention will help ensure the successful conduct of the governorship elections in Edo State.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had earlier accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hunt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters in the state and force them into hiding ahead of September 21 governorship election.

Obaseki, who made the allegation when a delegation led by the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, met with him to get the governor and his party to sign peace accord, said that the IGP had made nonsense of his (Obaseki’s) role as the chief security officer of the state.

The governor had said that the police chief obtained a warrant to arrest 60 members and supporters of PDP in Edo and that the IGP sent an armed “gang” of policemen who invaded the state, attacked PDP members, shot at a local government chairman and arrested 10 persons who are currently being detained in Abuja without charges.

Asked by the former head of state if his party would sign the peace accord, Obaseki said, “The person who is supposed to enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.

“We are now in a situation where from the Inspector General’s office, there are armed gang policemen who came into Edo State, invaded, arrested and took away PDP members.

News

“Dancing gives me abundant joy and peace of mind”-Gov Adeleke

Published

6 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has given reasons why he loves dancing.

The ‘Dancing Governor’, as he is fondly called, revealed this on Wednesday while responding to a tweet on X.

An X user, @Iwogoke, while praising the governor, stated that Adeleke has been busy fulfilling his electoral promises to the people of Osun State, while his political opponents believe he is only good at dancing.

Iwogoke tweeted, “I’m not flattering you, Your Excellency, your opponents think you can only dance but while they are busy shouting and calling you ‘Dancing Governor’, you are busy fulfilling your electoral promises to the people.”

Responding to the tweet via his verified X account, Adeleke explained that he loves dancing because it brings him joy.

Speaking further on his love for dancing, Adeleke highlighted that while dancing brings him immense happiness, his greater fulfilment comes from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Osun.

Outlining his administration’s efforts to enhance the state’s infrastructure, he noted that primary health centre rehabilitation is underway in at least 200 out of the 332 wards across Osun State, adding that road construction projects are also progressing in every local government area.

He wrote, “Dancing gives me joy, but delivering on my electoral promises and providing the dividends of democracy to the good people of Osun gives me even greater joy. Rehabilitation of primary health centers is ongoing in at least 200 out of 332 wards, and road construction is progressing in every Local Government!”