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For one full legislative calendar, Oshiomole, Lawan promoted no bill in Senate-Report

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Despite being vocal on the floor of the Senate, former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Adams Oshiomhole is yet to sponsor a bill. Along with his colleagues, the former Edo State governor was sworn in in the red chamber of the National Assembly on 13 June 2023. He is a first timer in the Senate.

Fourteen other Senators are in the same league with the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, who represents Edo North district. They include immediate past Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, the longest serving member of the National Assembly. Representing Yobe North, Lawan was first elected into the House of Representatives at the onset of the Fourth Republic in 1999 by Bade/Jakusko Federal Constituency.

He was a member of the now defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and served two terms. In 2007, he was elected Senator on the platform of the same political party. With the ANPP and other political parties merging to form APC ahead of the 2015 elections, Lawan was elected on the ticket of the then new party in 2015.

According to a recently released data analysis, produced by foremost independent parliamentary monitoring organisation, OrderPaper, former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari (APC Zamfara West); and his counterpart in Plateau State, Senator Simon Bako Lalong (APC Plateau South) are also in the infamous list. Both are first term Senators.

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In June 2023, Yari contested and lost the Senate Presidency despite being a first-timer in the red chamber. Lalong, who was initially appointed Minister of Labour and Employment in August 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, won his Senate seat through the legal process last November.

Other senators who are yet to sponsor a bill are: Amos Yohanna, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Adamawa North; Victor Umeh of the Labour Party (LP), representing Anambra Central; Samaila Kaila (PDP Bauchi North); Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi Central); Ani Okorie (APC Ebonyi South); Neda Imasuen (LP Edo South); and Kelvin Chizoba (LP Enugu East); Muntari Dandutse (APC Katsina South); Jiya Ndalikali (APC Niger South); Onyesoh Allwell (PDP Rivers East); and Hannah Manu (PDP Taraba Central).

For the House of Representatives, 80 of the 360 members do not have any bill to their names. On the contrary, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State) has sponsored the highest number of bills (85). He is trailed by Hon. Saidu Abdullahi (APC Bida/Gbako/Katcha, Niger State) with 26 bills, and Hon. Waive Francis (PDP Ughelli North/Ughelli South, Delta State) with 24 bills.

Top performers in the Senate include Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC Borno North) with 23 bills; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (APC Kano North) 22 biils; Senator Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central) 17 bills; former Ogun State Governor, Senator Gbenga Daniel (APC Ogun East) with 13 bills; and Asuquo Ekpeyong (APC Cross River South) also with 13 bills.

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In the House of Representatives, which has 16 female members, seven of them initiated bills in their first year in office. Hon. Miriam Onuoha (APC Isiala Mbano/Okigwe/Onuimo, Imo State) topped the list by sponsoring 23 bills.

Others are: Deputy Chief Whip; Hon. Adewunmi Onanuga (APC, Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North, Ogun) with six bills; Hon. Kalifat Ogbara (APC, Kosofe, Lagos), five bills; Hon. (Prof.) Lilian Obiageli Orogbu (LP, Awka North/Awka South, Anambra State), two bills (both second reading); Hon. Amadi Blessing Chigeru (PDP Port Harcourt II, Rivers) two bills; Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (APC Oluyole), one bill; and Hon. Boma Goodhead (PDP Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru, Rivers), also one bill.

The Senate has only four female members in its 109-seat chamber. And all of them have bills in their names, led by Senator Ipalibo Banigo Harry (PDP Rivers West) who has sponsored 11 bills. Senator Idiat Adebule (APC Lagos West) has four bills, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP Kogi Central) has two bills, while Senator Ireti Kinbigbe (LP FCT) has sponsored one bill.

Top 10 young members of the House of Representatives who sponsored bills within the period include Hon. Manu Soro (PDP Darazo/Ganjuwa, Bauchi State) with 23 bills, Oluseun Whingan (APC Badagry, Lagos State) with 19 bills, Muktar Shagaya (APC Ilorin West/Asa, Kwara State), and Uchenna Okonkwo (LP Idemili North/IIdemili South, Anambra State).

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Other areas covered by the report include bills by Senate and House of Representatives’ Presiding/Principal Officers, Climate Change/Ecology bills in both chambers, Gender/Social Inclusion bills in the two chambers, and Anti-Corruption bills in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

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PHOTO: Courtesy visit to Priesthood Orphanage by Just Friends Club of Nigeria Founder

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Dr. (Mrs) Blessing Echenwo, left, founder of Priesthood Orphanage, Karamajiji, Abuja and Mrs. Maria Cardillo, a member of Just Friends Club of Nigeria, during the visit of the club to the orphanage in Abuja…recently

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Just in: NYSC Releases Batch ‘C’ Corps Members Call Up Letters

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The National Youth Service Corps has announced the release of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Stream I call-up letters for prospective corps members.

The corps made the announcement in a series of post on its official X (former Twitter) handle on Monday.

It said orientation camp for the stream is expected to start on November 27, 2024 and closes on December 17, 2024.

According to the post, “some prospective corp members posted to Lagos will have orientation in Ogun and Osun.

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“While some of those posted to Zamfara will have in Kebbi and Sokoto etc”

The corps, however, advised prospective corps members to print and sign an addendum, which will be submitted during registration at the orientation camp.

Tips to guide Deployed Prospective Corps Members

Do not travel to the Orientation Camps at night. Break your journey when necessary.
Report on your scheduled reporting date.
Apply for spelling error and name rearrangement on your dashboard.
After documentation in the Camp, you cannot change your Date of Birth, Date of Graduation, Course of Study and Passport Photograph.
Do not report to the Camp if there is any discrepancies in your course of study or with the Date of Graduation on your Statement of Result and your Call-up Letter. Contact your Institution to sort it out.
ATTENTION TO ALL 2024 BATCH ”C” STREAM I MARRIED FEMALE PROSPECTIVE CORPS MEMBERS

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All married female Prospective Corps members (PCMs) who are deployed to States where their husbands are not domiciled should report to the nearest NYSC Orientation Camp for their State of Deployment to be changed.

They are to report during the period of Registration at the Orientation Camps with the copies of their marital and other relevant documents as evidence. Once the change is made it will reflect on theirM dashboard for reprinting.

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Oba of Benin to withdraw suit as Okpebholo restores rights

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The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and the Benin Traditional Council may withdraw the suits they filed against the state government as Governor Monday Okpebholo, on Sunday, restored the full statutory rights of the Oba and reversed the policies of the previous administration that impacted the Benin Traditional Council.

A statement on Sunday by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said the governor abolished the new traditional councils in Edo South created by the immediate-past governor, Godwin Obaseki.

Okpebholo also backed the Federal Government’s recognition of the Oba’s palace as the custodian of repatriated Benin artefacts looted during the 1897 British colonial expedition.

Providing an insight into the governor’s gesture, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Samson Osagie, said it signaled the resolution of the crisis between the Oba of Benin and the Edo State government leading to lawsuits duringt the Obaseki’s administration.

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Osagies said, “The cases in court are cases which the Oba of Benin himself and the Benin Traditional Council instituted against the state government, and they are all civil matters. And you know that in civil suit or in any suit, parties are encouraged to settle amicably.

“So, if the parties are already settling and one side is already meeting the condition of settlement, the next step you are going to hear is that the party who went to court, which is the Oba of Benin, and the Benin Traditional Council, will instruct their counsel to withdraw the cases from court and that will be the end of the matter.

“The two parties are now settling for harmony and peace to reign, so the government is doing its own side of it.

“This statement is a prelude to discontinuing all legal proceedings with respect to the twin issues of the concession of the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre by government to the Benin Traditional Council for 30 years and the creation of additional councils.”

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The statement by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary outlined the administration’s commitment to restoring the dignity and authority of the Benin monarch.

“This administration also hereby abolishes the new traditional councils in Edo South, created by the last administration,” the statement noted.

Additionally, Governor Okpebhol revoked the decision of the Obaseki’s administration to convert the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre into a motor park.

The government announced plans to restore the cultural centre to its original purpose.

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“This administration is restoring the Oba Akenzua Centre to a suitable condition for its original purpose,” the statement added.

The governor also reinstated the financial entitlements of the Benin Traditional Council, ordering that the status quo before the creation of the abolished councils be maintained.

According to the statement, Okpebholo affirmed support for the Federal Government’s official gazette, which recognizes the Oba of Benin as the rightful owner and custodian of the repatriated Benin artefacts.

He also distanced his administration from the Museum of West Africa Art, instead backing the Benin Royal Museum project to house the artefacts.

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“The Federal Government has also issued a gazette for the recognition of ownership and custody of the repatriated Benin artefacts to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II,” the statement explained. “Governor Okpebholo respects the rights and privileges of the traditional ruler of Benin kingdom… and pledges the support of his administration to ensure the monarch plays his role as the custodian of the rich cultural heritage of the Benin people.”

Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s respect for traditional institutions and vowed to avoid interference in the internal affairs of the Benin Traditional Council. “The Oba of Benin, as the father of all Benin people, is the sole custodian of the customs and traditions of the Benin people, and my administration respects customs and traditions in the land,” he stated, emphasising the government’s efforts to uphold the cultural and historical integrity of the Benin Kingdom.

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