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Akpabio Insists on Approving Purchase of New Aircraft for Tinubu, Says No Blackmail Will Stop Decision
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said that no amount of blackmail from fifth columnists will stop the red chamber from carrying out its lawful responsibilities to Nigerians and President Bola Tinubu, including getting the president new aircraft.
Akpabio stated this on Thursday at an emergency plenary session while reacting to comments by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who drew the attention of his colleagues to media reports on the plan to buy a brand new executive jet for Tinubu and the vice president, Kashim Shettima.
Akpabio explained that he was not in the country when the news about him broke, and vowed to approve a new airplane for Tinubu, notwithstanding the current hunger in the land.
The senate president stated, “I was in Zanzibar attending to inter parliamentary union meetings when that information went out that the senate president said he would approve a brand new plane for the president, irrespective of whether they are suffering or no suffering.
“There was never a time such a statement came from me because I’ve never had any correspondence to approve a plan or not approve a plan and I did not want to answer.
“But they went to generate it and then they went around as if I was saying that I did not care about the Nigerian people. I did not do this.
“We care about the president. We care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people. We will approve things that would improve the living standard of the people.
“At the same time, we will also take cognizance of the duties of Mr. President. If his vehicle is bad, we will repair the vehicle. If his plane is bad, we will approve money for the repair of the plane. So, that is not an issue. There is nothing before us.
“The purveyors of the story know very well that maybe there is problem with the presidential fleet and that they will go to the parliament.
“So they are now trying to do anticipated blackmail to tell us if they bring it, we will not look into it. I think that we should ignore them because of what we are doing here.
“I bring the president’s correspondences to us this morning. There was nothing touching on plane or no plane, but I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the Vice President of Malawi as a result of defective plane. You also hear news such as the death of the President of Iran as a result of defective aircraft. In fact, this time it was helicopter and all that.
“We shouldn’t ever dream and allow such to be our portion. It wouldn’t be. The senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country, irrespective of anticipated blackmail.
“They know very well that something like that might come in future. And if it’s a necessity, the senate will be treat it, but there is nothing like that before us now.”
Senate, House Extend Implementation of 2023 Budget
The upper and lower chambers, yesterday, extended the implementation of the capital component of the 2023 budget until December 31.
The senate also extended the implementation of the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget until December.
Akpabio announced the extension of the appropriation bills during the emergency plenary after it was read for the first, second and third times and supported by a majority of the senators.
The appropriation bills were separately considered at the senate committee on supply.
The House of Representatives also considered and passed bills seeking to extend the implementation of the 2023 Appropriation Act and the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Act till December 2024. This was sequel to the passage into law of the 2023 Appropriation Act Amendment Bill 2024 and the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Act Amendment Bill 2024 by the House.
The executive arm of government presented the two bills via a letter transmitted from Tinubu, which was read on the floor of the House by Speaker, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.
The bills were titled the 2023 Appropriation Amendment Bill, 2024, and the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Amendment Bill, 2024.
That would be the second time that the lawmakers will be extending implementation of the 2023 budget and its components since beginning of Tinubu’s administration.
In March, the upper chamber extended implementation of the capital component of the 2023 budget and implementation of the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget until June.
With the development, the 2023 budget will be implemented for two years, despite the existence of the 2024 budget.
It also means that the federal government was currently implementing two budgets, 2023 and 2024 Appropriation Acts.
ThisDay
A former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has rejected Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s call for opposition leaders to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai, who recently joined the SDP after dumping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), appealed to opposition leaders in an interview with the BBC Hausa.
Although he did not mention Lamido’s name, the former Governor of Kaduna State invited key opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola, to join the SDP.
Responding to El-Rufai’s call in a separate BBC Hausa interview on Sunday, Lamido described the former governor’s invitation as an insult, saying the PDP laid the foundation for El-Rufai’s political career.
“The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai. You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP,” Lamido said.
He added: “He once said that there are no adults in Nigeria in politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.”
Lamido also questioned El-Rufai’s motive for dumping the APC for the SDP and his leadership style.
“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole,” the PDP chieftain said.
Restating his loyalty to the PDP, Lamido said the opposition party has not done anything to warrant his defection.
“If I was going to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed,” he said.
Lamido also enjoined El-Rufai to put patriotism first instead of showing anger towards others.
He said: “What should be done is to put patriotism first, instead of showing anger towards someone.”
“The PDP has been working to rebuild its strength after losing the 2015 presidential election,” he concluded.
The youth chapter of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.
According to the youths, it is embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Wike, during a media chat on Thursday, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.
Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.
The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
When one grinds, he is practically working or studying very hard, often in a repetitive way for a better future outcome. It can also be the act of hustling or striving for success, according to internet overview. This principle explains the phrase, ‘rise and grind’, which encourages individuals to wake up and work hard to achieve goals.
Having said that, please permit me to be a bit personal about my next exposition. It’s for an instructive reason.
As a Christian, and practicing catholic, I’m trained on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. In one of the mysteries – Sorrowful mysteries, we have five other mysteries namely: The Agony in the garden, scourging at the pillar, crowning with thorns, carrying of the cross and death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
One may be wondering what the symbolic and relative nature of the above mysteries are. Well, the answer is quite clear; the mysteries of the sorrow mysteries symbolize the difficult terrain Jesus Christ must go through for the salvation of mankind. As a Christian, each time I meditate on the sad experience of Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind, it makes me rethink about life, especially whenever I am tempted to sin against God.
As human beings, we also experience the same trajectory in our effort to succeed, and this entails the act of ‘grinding’. Life never promises to be easy, and it will never be easy. As a matter of fact, the higher one goes, the tougher the hurdle.
It is an undisputable fact that nothing good comes easy. Whether you have an interest in running a business, raising a decent family, earning a degree, or improving on your personal development, one must grind, and this entails exploring all legitimate means. Sometimes, life does not give you what you want, but it will surely give you what you deserve.
So, when you grind, and life doesn’t give you what you desire, don’t give up, continue to grind. The mistake most people make is giving up quite early when the odds seem to be against you. Sometimes, when you don’t get what you want, there might be several reasons. It might be a case of one not being prepared or competent for such a position. It can also be a case where the universe has something different for you which one might not see in the immediate sense.
Again, when one doesn’t get what they desire, it is not because they don’t have the capacity, or competency, it might be a case of the timing not being right. On a personal note, I have applied for job opportunities and was rejected; I have tried to meet with resourceful people, but access was denied; I have written hundreds of articles, but only a few went viral. The stories are many, but one thing is certain; I learnt a lot from those experiences.
In your grinding, you might think nobody is watching or noticing your efforts, trust me, your efforts and work are seen. In due time, the work will be rewarded. I can testify to this statement because over time, I have been in the wilderness tilling the ground to make an impact. I am surprised to get award nominations in addition to being an award recipient on several occasions.
In some other cases, I get recommendations on the streets from people who see my work. One of the major challenges may be having the right person to spot your work. One may be wondering how it works. Let’s take the case of a man, who is trying to woo a lady. The lady in question knows what she wants in a man or the qualities and values. So, when you approach a lady, and she says no, what a rational mind will do is to explore other options that appear to be beneficial to both parties, and who knows in the long run, she might give consent.
Grinding can mean a thousand and one things depending on which aisle one is resting on. According to a notable ghost writer, Dr. Yomi Garnett, “The best pictures of you are yet to be taken. The best stories about you are yet to be told. The best of your years still lies ahead. So, affirm to yourself today: The good days are here, but the best is yet to come.”
So, while waiting for the best pictures, stories, and years ahead, continue to put in the work of learning, exploring opportunities, having faith in the creator and universe, and continue to grind. By so doing, the right opportunities will be attracted to you when the timing and the universe feel it’s for you.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design Your and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
