A'Ibom Assembly Speaker Congratulates Paramount Ruler on Coronation

The speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, has congratulated edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon, on his grand coronation as the Paramount Ruler of Uyo Local Government Area.

A goodwill message signed by the Speaker and made available to journalists by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mr. Darlington Udobong, said “News of your grand coronation as Paramount Ruler of Uyo Local Government Area reached me with great joy. I sincerely express my deepest felicitations to you and the entire people of Uyo Local Government Area.”

“Indeed, your coronation by the Uyo Traditional Rulers Council is the handiwork of God. As I felicitate with you and the people of Uyo on this epoch-making occasion, I affirm my solidarity and best wishes to you as you assume the revered office of Paramount Ruler of Uyo formally,” the Speaker said.

He further prayed for the grace of the Almighty God to rest abundantly upon Edidem Okon and make easy the enormous responsibilities before him as a royal father.

VANDREZZER To Donnate 500 Jerseys To Fans In Ikot Ekpene on Sunday

The first 500 Vandrezzer FC supporters to attend Sunday's Nigeria National League fixture against Bayelsa United at Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium will receive free replica jerseys.

According to the club's media  director, George Essien, the shirts can be collected from Vandrezzer FC staff at the stadium's entry point from 1pm on matchday.

Coming off the back of a narrow loss at J. Atete FC, Rafael Everton and his side will be looking to claim all three points against the Yenegoa side.

The game, which is scheduled to kick off at 4pm, will mark their first-ever home game in league football.

The Lions of Naija were originally due to play their first home game of the season on NNL opening matchday, against Jossy United, but the fixture had to be postponed indefinitely following the Owerri club's failure to complete their registration with the league body.

Following the postponement, Vandrezzer FC were not in action on opening day, but Bayelsa United travelled to Ogbomoso, where they were beaten 3-1 by Crown FC.

Dipreye Teibowei's side, however, defeated Bendel Insurance 1-0 at home on matchday 2 -- and go into the match in the Raffia City in second place.

Why Sowore Was Rearested By DSS Today

Fayemi Falana, counsel to Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow Movement, has disclosed why his client was re-arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS.

Falana revealed that the DSS said they were inviting Sowore and his co-accused, Olawale Bakare for questioning at their office on fresh charges.

He, however, stated that the secret police was yet to disclose what the charges are.

The Senior lawyer made the disclosure to Channels Television while condemning DSS’ invasion of an Abuja courtroom, where they chased away lawyers before re-arresting Sowore.

According to Falana: “The atmosphere was very rowdy, but I insisted that the arrest could not be carried out within the precinct of the court. He was going to be arrested outside the premises but there was a crowd that resisted the arrest, but I appealed to everybody and asked Sowore to jump into my car and so we drove to the office of the SSS because they said he will just answer a few questions, but now he is being detained.

“We are going to take steps under the law by asking for his release again since they are claiming this is a fresh arrest.

“Nobody has disclosed yet what his charges are; he couldn’t have committed any other offence because he has been detained for the past four months unless the SSS wants to tell the whole world that he committed this fresh offence while in their custody"

"He was going to be arrested outside the premises but there was a crowd that resisted the arrest, but I appealed to everybody and asked Sowore to jump into my car and so we drove to the office of the SSS"

THIS IS FROM FALANA HIS LAWYER, AFFIRMING THAT THE CROWD OUTSIDE RESISTED HIS ARREST.

AKHA 7TH ASSEMBLY SET PRECEDENCE, PASSES 2020 BUDGET A MONTH EARLIER

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, has passed the 2020 Appropriation Bill into law.

Recall that Governor Udom Emmanuel, on October 8, 2019, proposed a total budget outlay of N597.800 billion for the 2020 financial year before the 7th Assembly, which was referred to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative actions.

Presenting the Committee's report at Plenary on Thursday, the Chairman, Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh, urged the House to pass a total revised 2020 budget outlay of N597.735 billion, made up of N111.250 billion for Recurrent Expenditure, N369.577 billion for Capital Expenditure and N116. 934 billion for Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges.

The House, after dissolving into the Committee of Supply, considered the Recommendations of the Appropriations Committee and subsequently passed a total revised 2020 budget outlay of N597.735 billion into law and said it will take effect from 1st January, 2020.

In his remarks, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, said the passage of the budget a month before the next financial year will enable the Governor to continue with his industrialisation plan and also consolidate on his past achievements.

He assured that the 7th Assembly will continually build a robust and impactful relationship with other arms of government to foster development and growth in the state.

The Speaker said with the passage of the Appropriation Bill, the House has practically given consent and expression to the executive arm, to go ahead with the implementation of the 2020 budgetary estimates and provisions.

He thanked the Chairman and Members of the Appropriations Committee for working assiduously to ensure that the 2020 budgetary estimates got into the front burner of scrutiny of all House committees necessitating its early passage.

The House has adjourned its plenary to Tuesday, December 10, 2020.

National Assembly Grants Full Autonomy Local Government In Nigeria, INEC conduct Elections

National Assembly has

granted full financial and administrative autonomy to all the 774 local council authorities across Nigeria by amending section 124 of the nation’s constitution.

The section provides a consequential provision for the making of the local councils, a full third tier government without undue interference from the state governments.

The ammendment was one of the 22 others approved by the House of Representatives last week and ratified by the Senate on Tuesday.

Both chambers had through a conference committee harmonised versions of the ammendments into the constitution carried out by each of them last month.

By the development, the National Assembly had ratified all the 23 clauses and sections that had been ammended by both chambers.

The newly ammended document which would be sent to States Houses of Assembly, for approval, also approved the creation of the Office of Auditor General of the Local Government as well as the State Local Government Service Commission.

The section equally deleted the State
Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) from the constitution thereby vesting the powers to conduct council elections on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It however, retained the immunity clause in the constitution for the President and Governors by adopting the Senate version of the ammendments on the issue and rejected the House of Representatives version which removed the immunity clause.

The National Assembly also made provisions for Independent Candidacy in future elections in Nigeria by ammending sections 65 and 106 of the 1999 constitution...

AKHA Swears In APC Legislator Today

The Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, has sworn-in Hon. Effiong Johnson, as Member representing Mbo State Constituency in the 7th Assembly.

Effiong was sworn-in, following oaths of Office and Allegiance administered by the Speaker, at exactly 12:35pm immediately after the commencement of plenary.

The Lawmaker who contested election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was recently declared winner of the 2019 House of Assembly Elections in Mbo, by a Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State.

The Court nullified the election of the former Mbo Lawmaker, Hon. Okon Frank of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was until his sack from the House, the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum.

In his remarks, Speaker Aniekan Bassey, said Hon. Effiong Bassey had furnished the House with relevant documents and a certified true copy of his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the House would always obey the Rule of Law which according to him, is the hall mark of democracy.

While congratulating the new lawmaker, the Speaker urged other members of the House to give Hon. Effiong the necessary support to enable him succeed in his new assignment.

Better Days For Uruan People As AKHA Speaker Host Stakeholders

The Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, on Monday, played host to stakeholders from Uruan Local Government Area under the aegis of Uruan Elders' Forum.

Speaking during the courtesy visit in his office, the Speaker said his tenure as Head of the Legislature will foster peace and unity in Uruan Local Government Area and Akwa Ibom State.

While thanking the Elders for their support since his emergence as Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey hinted that he will host a Town Hall Meeting before the year runs out and revealed that the event is aimed at identifying problems faced by his constituents. A

Speaker Bassey said he remains committed to ensuring peace and unity among his constituents, and appealed for cooperation from the stakeholders to enable him succeed in his assignment.

"I am so humbled and elated today. Let me specifically thank you for this visit. I have heard all you have said, there is nothing I need now than good advice and with good advice, we will move Uruan and Akwa Ibom State forward. I believe that God has set me aside to promote peace, justice and unity in Uruan and Akwa Ibom State", he said.

He said the 7th Assembly, aside from making people-oriented laws, is committed to developing rural communities across the state. 

"As lawmakers, we have agreed to return to our various communities to know what issues our people are facing, so we can address them.
Personally, I will have a Town Hall meeting, where we will meet with the four zones in Uruan. There is peace in the 7th Assembly and the people are happy", he stressed.

"God knows why he kept me. I keep on saying that I wasn't better than those who sought for the same office, but your prayers saw me through. Since I assumed office as the Speaker, I have had great support.

Earlier, the Political Leader of Uruan LGA and Uyo Senatorial District, Obong Peter Atakpo, lauded members of the 7th Assembly for choosing their son as Speaker and expressed hope that Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey will attract development to the area, using his good office.

"Mr Speaker, today, Uruan has occupied the number three position in the state and we thank God. We elected you to come to the House of Assembly, we didn't know you would become a Speaker. We thank your colleagues, the House Members for the trust they have in you, that you will be able to lead the 7th Assembly", he noted.

On his part, a former lawmaker from the area, Rt. Hon. Usenobong Akpabio, thanked God for the emergence of Rt. Hon. Bassey as Speaker of the State Assembly and urged the number three citizen to see his new office as a unifying factor in Uruan LGA.

Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Roads and other Infrastructure Maintenance Agency, Prince Godwin Ntukude, urged the Speaker to carry the four zones of Uruan along in the scheme of things and  also ensure wide consultations in his decision making process.

"Mr Speaker, with you on the saddle, we trust that the results will be positive. We've heard that you're doing well. We have seen the structural reforms at the Assembly Complex. We urge you to carry the entire four arms of Uruan together. Please, suppress any atom of dichotomy. Please, consult widely in your decision making. Let us be united, because that's how we can succeed," he added.

Also, Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Mr Okon Okon, commended the Speaker for hitting the ground running on assumption of office.

"We have heard a lot of good news coming from the House of Assembly. We have heard how you have started very well and how you have cleaned up the Assembly Complex, physically and as Uruan people, we are very happy. Together, we will support the Speaker to succeed," he said.

Other speakers, including the
Political Leader of Central Uruan, Engr. James Effiong, Political Leader of Northern Uruan, Engr. Offiong Akpabio, State Woman Leader of PDP, Mrs Meme Akpabio, among others, all congratulated the Speaker on his new office and prayed for his success.