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The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, the Vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila attended Jumat prayer together on Friday.
Sharing photos on his Facebook page, the Speaker said:
Jumat prayers at Dantata Mosque, Abuja with APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice-Presidential Candidate, Sen. Kashim Shettima and other worshippers.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday joined the growing call for the review of the country’s revenue sharing formula.
The country’s revenue sharing formula was last reviewed during the ex-military President, Ibrahim Babangida’s administration in 1992.
Gbajabiamila, who made the call when the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Engr. Elias Mbam, led the agency’s management on a courtesy visit to the leadership of the House in Abuja, said the current realities make the review of the revenue allocation imperative.
He said “In the attempt to review the revenue allocation in the country, which was last done almost 30 years ago, the commission should ensure that all stakeholders were carried along and that all necessary things are done so that the final report could not be faulted.
“I’m glad you’re here. Your commission is one of the unsung heroes. You are of the 14 institutions established by the constitution, while all others were established by other laws.
It’s almost 30 years that the last review was done. It’s such a long time. The current formula is outdated because a lot has changed from 1992 to date.
“I charge you to do your review, not based on any sentiment. You should consult widely so that your report won’t be faulted. I’m glad you said you are conducting public hearings. It’s good to do that, to seek people’s opinions.
“You should work based on the principles of justice, equity, and fairness. Nigeria is a peculiar country, hence the need to do a thorough and diligent review.”
In his address, Mbam said the RMAFC’s team visit to the House was to seek the support, advice, and guidance of the lawmakers on the planned review of revenue allocation in the country.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday slammed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, for comparing the group to terror organizations.
The group described the speaker as a clueless politician who is always willing to sacrifice anything for position.
Gbajabiamila had a few weeks ago compared IPOB and Yoruba Nation agitators to Boko Haram terrorists.
He said the secessionist groups are not completely different from Boko Haram on ideology.
However, the speaker’s media aide, Lanre Lasisi, in a statement issued a few days later denied that his principal compared IPOB and the Yoruba Nation group with terrorists.
But in a statement signed by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB said the speaker’s statement was stupidity and idiocy taken too far.
The statement read: “The attention of the global movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been drawn to the fallacious and careless statement by the clueless politician of our time, Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“He displayed ignorance and servitude by comparing non-violent IPOB movement with the murderous Boko Haram terrorists, Fulani bandits, and the killer herdsmen wreaking havoc across Nigeria.
“We know he made such reckless and irresponsible remark in his quest to impress his political slave masters to retain his position. But it was stupidity and idiocy taken too far. Alhaji Gbajabiamila should not forget that his Yoruba kinsmen are also agitating for freedom today because of the evil agenda of his Fulani slave masters.
“He should not forget that they will surely come for him after using him to castigate and destroy his Southern brethren. What stupid blindness all in the name of political correctness.
“The recent statement from Gbajabiamila shows his ignorance about IPOB and he doesn’t understand that IPOB is present in almost all the countries of the world. Do terrorists openly parade themselves as IPOB does or do they hide their faces?
“We are however not surprised at such position by a man who shamelessly converted from Christianity to Islam because of political position. When they dangled the House of Representatives speakership for him, he quickly renounced his faith and like the dog he is, he fell on his fours to lick the vomit from his Fulani handlers. This is the man who wants to educate us on who terrorists are.
“He should be ashamed of himself. He is after his stomach and ready to sacrifice anything for his political position. A man who betrayed his faith and religion because of politics can never be trusted for anything. Even Satan cannot so cheaply renounce his faith!
“Gbajabiamila and his crew of Fulani terrorists cannot change our strategy nor deter us from achieving Biafra freedom from Nigeria. Gbajabiamila or whatever you call yourself stay away from IPOB or sorry will definitely be your new name. Every fool will wake up and mouth the hallowed name of IPOB to raise their dimming political profile.
The Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Saturday revalidated his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.
Gbajabiamila, who undertook the exercise at his Surulere Constituency in Lagos, urged Nigerians to take advantage of the exercise to join the party.
According to him, APC is the only party committed to the delivery of democratic dividends to the citizens.
The speaker also implored the existing members of the party to participate and take advantage of the exercise to bring more people into the party.
He said: “I want to urge Nigerians to use the opportunity of the registration/re-validation exercise to join the party; APC is the number one party, APC is the party of progressives.
“I also urge all our party members to participate in the exercise to update their membership and take ownership of the party.
“You need to take ownership of the party, and until you have registered or have been revalidated, you are obviously not yet an authentic member of the APC.
“It was when members updated their membership of the party that they could make complaints and contribute their quotas to the progress of the party.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, said on Tuesday that the green chamber will undertake a total overhaul of aviation laws, to make the sector more profitable and effective.
The speaker said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the regulatory body: Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), are far from meeting up with the international best practices hence the need to amend and bring them in conformity with the international best standards.
The Speaker made his remarks at a public hearing on six key aviation bills, as the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC demanded to be included on boards of the six aviation agencies, and kicked against interim boards, proposed in the bills.
The bills under review by the House, are a) A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Establishment Etc.) Act, 2003 and to enact the Nigerian Meteorological Agency Act to Provide for the Regulation of Meteorology and Related Matters (HB.464)
“a bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Act, CAP. N96 LFN, 2010 and to enact the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Bill to Provide for its Organisation, Control and Operation and for Related Matters (HB.463), a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Act, CAP N90 LFN, 2010 and to enact the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Act for the purposes of Providing Effective Air Navigation Services in Nigeria, Ensuring Safety and Regularity of Air Navigation Services and for Related Matters (HB.462), a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 and to enact the Civil Aviation Act, for the Regulation of Civil Aviation in Nigeria and for Related Matters (HB.460), A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau for the Regulation, Prevention and Providing Effective Administration for Safety Investigation in Nigeria and for Related Matters (HB.465), A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Act, CAP F5, LFN, 2010 and to enact the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Act to Provide for the Effective Management of Airports in Nigeria and Related Matters (HB.461)”.
According to him, “it is imperative to note that the development of our aviation industry is an added advantage to the growth of our economy. It is in this vein that the House of Representatives will continue to support the total rehabilitation and upgrading of our airports and allied services.
“The consideration of these Bills during this Public Hearing is a testament to our commitment to give new life to the aviation sector and make our airports to be a better non-oil revenue-generating sector as is witnessed in other advanced economies”.
Chairman of the Committee on Aviation, Rep. Nnolim Nnaji, in his opening remarks, said the Committee will do its best to accommodate all views from all sectors and expedite the review of the laws.
The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, in his remarks at the public hearing, recalled that the “The journey to the proposal for amendments of the laws establishing agencies under the Nigeria civil Aviation commenced as a result of funding in the International Civil Aviation /ICAO) universal Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) in the year 2006 as well as finding in the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category [Certification Audit in the year 2010 that the establishment Acts of some of the aviation services providers contain regulatory powers”.
He explained that “Whereas the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should be the only and autonomous regulator of the Civil Aviation in Nigeria. Thus, Nigeria was requested and agreed to take corrective action to address the audit findings.
“Consequently, a committee involving the relevant stakeholders was constituted by me to review the establishment Acts of the six Aviation Agencies, not only to close the audit findings by removing regulatory powers from service provider agencies but also to bring the respective Acts up to date with development in International Civil Aviation, separate powers among the agencies, facilitate the upgrade of NCAT to Degree awarding institution, give NIMET the Leverage to commercialize some of its products, remove impediments Into smooth running of the functions of all the agencies and ensure seamless coexistence between the agencies, encourage the agencies to initiate avenue of generating revenue, etc”.
According to him, “After series of meetings and deliberations by the Committee the six (6) draft Bills were produced. The draft Bills were then cleared by the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal Executive Council before their Transmission to the National Assembly by Mr. President.
” We have earlier on appeared before the appropriate committee of this Honourable after the transmission of this Bill by His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the National Assembly and submitted a written report detailing the reasons behind this request for the repeal and reenactment of these Acts.
” The time table of the Committee sitting today indicated that we are starting with Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET) and the College of Aviation Technology Zaria (NCAT). Let me use this occasion to briefly state the history of the emergence of these two agencies”.
On the NIMET Bill, he said “In the course of carrying out the statutory functions of the agency, it was observed that there is need to reposition NIMET for the effective performance of its duties. There is a need to enact an Act that will unequivocally give the Agency the sole authority to regulate, license, approve and authorize the standard of Meteorological activities and operation in Nigeria”.
For the NCAT, the Minister told the Committee, that the wish of the executive, is to “empower NCAT to be able to award diploma, Degree and other relevant aviation courses and training as it is done in other jurisdiction”.
The president of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, however, called on the House Committee to expunge Section 29 of the Civil Aviation Act, because according to him, “airline business, cannot be described by any stretch of thought, as essential service”.
According to him, “Nigeria’s Labour laws have already defined what essential services means and has invested the powers to regulate industrial issues including essential services, on the Minister of Labour and employment. It would be nebulous, double jeopardy, counterproductive and a matter of conflict of interest to make a list of essential services under the Civil Aviation Act and to assign the powers of interpreting and assigning essential services to the Minister of Aviation”.
The NLC also demanded the inclusion of Labour unions on “six Aviation Agencies”.
He said this is “In furtherance of the need to protect, promote and defend the interest of Nigerian workers in this very important sector and to minimize occasions for industrial conflicts”.
He also kicked against “the provision for interim boards in the bills of the aviation agencies, is anathema to the public good”, adding that “A situation that allows the minister of aviation (with the ministry’s permanent secretary and the head of each agency) to directly superintendent over the agencies, as Board Chairman, even for an interim period, completely defeats accountability and the doctrine of the delegation of powers”.
The president made this known in a letter on Tuesday sent to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and read on the floor of the house
From the breakdown, Ondo State, where the governorship election will hold next week, is to receive N7 billion.
The Senate had last year approved N10 billion to Kogi State, three days to its governorship election.
The approval was criticised by opposition lawmakers who asked that the approval be delayed untill after the election.
They were, however, outvoted by majority senators.
