News
Rep Hart Stages a walk out to protest over fresh members discrimination during HoR plenary
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A member of the House of Representatives, representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Cyril Hart, during Tuesday’s plenary, staged a walk-out after accusing the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, of discriminating against new members during parliamentary debates.
Hart, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, raised this allegation a few minutes after the lawmaker representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency, Borno State, moved a motion condemning the recent suicide bombings which claimed lives in the North-Eastern State.
The motion had drawn comments from many lawmakers, including the Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Idris Wase; the Chairman, Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson and a host of others who were recognised to speak by Kalu who presided over the plenary in the absence of the Speaker, Mr Tajudeen Abbas.
But most of the lawmakers recognised by Kalu to contribute to the motion were ranking members of the legislative chamber.
After the debate, but before Kalu put the motion to a vote, Hart raised a point of order.
He said, “You do not give preference to first-timers. You don’t.
“Virtually all those who spoke are ranking members. This is what you always do. You need to allow first-timers to make their contributions.”
Hart’s statement drew applause from his colleagues, commending him for his intervention.
Kalu in his swift response said, “There is no discrimination in the parliament. I was also a first-timer at a time.”
The deputy speaker added that lawmakers are often recognised to speak based on their sitting arrangement, stressing that they may be overlooked if someone is not in the designated row.
It was at this point that Hart walked out in protest from the chamber, complaining as he left.
News
Reps Quiz Federal Polytechnics Damaturu, Mubi, Monguno Over Infractions
By Gloria Ikibah
News
Obasanjo narrates how he escaped becoming drug addict
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he almost became a drug addict.
He spoke in Abeokuta over the weekend at the second edition of ‘Fly Above The High’ anti-drug campaign conference organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network.
Obasanjo stated that smoking during his youthful age led to chronic coughing and almost became an addiction.
The former President, while lamenting the increase in drug abuse among Nigerians and other West Africans, urged Nigerian students and young people to refrain from abusing psychoactive drugs, saying that they ruin life rather than enhance it.
“If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out.
“There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction.
“We found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa,” Obasanjo said.
He cautioned against stigmatization and urged individuals who are already addicted to psychoactive drugs to get help.
News
We saved $20bn after Petrol Subsidy Removal and FX Rate Reforms, Says Finance Minister
Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from petrol subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.
Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.
“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on PMS; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.
“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”
-
News23 hours ago
Simon Ekpa: FG’s attempt to extradite self acclimated freedom fighter may hit brickwall
-
Politics22 hours ago
Hardship: PDP Governors seek review of governance policies
-
Politics23 hours ago
INEC Announces Date To Resume Nationwide Voter Registration
-
Metro22 hours ago
Nigerian Woman Arrested, Detained In Libyan Capital With 2Kg Of Cocaine
-
Foreign23 hours ago
Trump picks Scott Bessent, the ‘investor favorite,’ for Treasury secretary
-
News23 hours ago
Retired 85-year-old Col bags P.hd
-
News23 hours ago
Minimum wage: Yobe Gov approves N70k for workers
-
Foreign22 hours ago
Winter storm kills one, disrupts travel across Ireland, France, UK