Just in: Reps confirm Oluyede Chief of Army Staff

Published

38 minutes ago

November 28, 2024

The House of Representatives on Thursday has confirmed Lit-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede as the substantive Chief of Army Staff.

This followed his screening on Wednesday by the Joint Committees on Defence and Army.

The committee Chairman, Babajimi Benson submitted the report during plenary and urged the House to confirm Oluyede; a prayer granted at the session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.

Details later…

Reps Resolve To Continue Consultation on Tax Reform Bills

Published

1 minute ago

November 28, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has resolved to continue its consultation on the Tax Reform Bills presented to the parliament by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This was the resolution reached after a closed door meeting which lasted for over two hours of on Thursday during plenary time.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that President Tinubu had presented four tax bills to the National Assembly which are being considered by the House, but the northern leaders as well as governors of the 36 states have asked the President to withdraw the bills to allow for more consultations.

But the Presidency has insisted that the bills be allowed to go through the usual legislative process, emphasizing that any suggestion or opposition to any of the bills can be done during publis hearing.

But at Plenary on Thursday, November 28, 2024, the House went into an executive session which lasted for over two hours to discuss the issues surrounding the tax reform bills.

Despondent the issue of the tax bills was not listed for discussion in the order paper, it was gathered that some members had insisted that the issue be discussed by the lawmakers.

After the over two hours closed door meeting, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu who presided over plenary said the decision at the meeting was to allow room for further consultations on the bills.

He said “what we did was to continue our consultation which we promise the House on the tax bills and the agreement at that session was to continue that conversation. This consultation is going to continue from now till Tuesday when we will hold a special session when we will invite these resource persons to be here in the House to engage us.

“Thereafter, we decide which way to go. This is to make sure that it is well documented that we did our consultation in the form of an executive session and we are continuing that consultation till next week Tuesday.”

News

Just in: Former Liberian warlord Prince Johnson dies at 72

Published

42 minutes ago

November 28, 2024

Naijablitznews

Ex- Liberian warlord Prince Johnson, a key player in the 1989-2003 back-to-back civil wars, died Thursday aged 72, officials from his party and the Senate revealed.

Johnson, who was seen sipping beer in a video as fighters loyal to him tortured then-president Samuel Doe to death in 1990, was an influential senator.

Senator Johnson was the longest-serving senator,” said Siaffa Jallah, deputy director of press at the Senate.

“Yes, we lost him this morning. He passed away at Hope for Women (health centre)”, Wilfred Bangura, a senior official in Prince Johnson’s Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction party, told AFP.

The death of Doe was an early bloody episode that would plunge Liberia into two civil wars which killed some 250,000 people and ravaged the economy.

Prince Johnson, who hailed from the northern region of Nimba, later became a preacher in an evangelical church where he enjoyed wide popularity.

He was also a leading opponent of the creation of a tribunal that would try civil war-related crimes.

News

HoR Confirms Lt General Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff

Published

45 minutes ago

November 28, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request for the confirmation of the appointment of Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff.

Lt. Gen. Oluyede was appointed acting Chief of Army Staff due to the ilness and subsequent death of Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja in November 2024.

The letter from President Tinubu was read during plenary on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 by Speaker Abba Tajudeen after which an adhoc committee headed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) was constituted on Wednesday for the screening of Oluyede

The leter read:, “In accordance with the provisions of Section 218, Subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, and Section 18, Subsection 1 of the Armed Forces Act, I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Lieutenant General Oluyede as the Chief of Army Staff of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Lieutenant General Oluyede has been serving diligently in an active capacity since his appointment. He has displayed exceptional leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the security and continued stability of our nation and the progress of our Armed Forces.

“His qualifications, experience, and contributions to the Nigerian Army and the nation at large make him well suited for this important role.

“While I am confident that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously, please accept, Distinguished Senate President and Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Naijablitznews.com recalled that Oluyede was screened by the adhoc committee on Wednesday afternoon and the report of the screening submitted to the House for consideration on Thursday at plenary.

Presenting the report for consider, Rep. Benson stated that Lt. Gen. Oluyede has the quality to lead the Nigerian Army.

He said: “On the 26th November, 2024, the Parliament n graciously appointed us to screen the acting Chief of Army Staff. We did that yesterday, we reviewed his CV, we questioned himmon various issues which included inter agency synergy, civilian military relationship.

“Our observation is that Gen Oluyede is fit and proper and gave a very good account of himself. In conclusion, we request that the House do approve his appointment as the substantive Chief of Army Staff”

The committee’s new commendation stated, “the adhoc committee carefully and thoroughly engaged with the nominee for the position of Chief of Army Staff and was satisfied with his academic and professional qualifications, exposure, conduct, character, experience and general performance.

“The ad hoc committee also oberseved that he displayed wide knowledge of tactics and military operations as exhibited during his acting capacity. Consequently, the ad hoc committee do hereby recommend that Lt. Gen. Oluyede be confirmed as the Chief of Army Staff of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, having successfully undergone the screeninh process of the committee”.

The House unanimously adopted the recommendation when put to a voice vote by Speaker Abba.