Abia APC tackles Senator Abaribe over anti-Buhari comment

The Abia State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has demanded an unreserved apology from Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South in the Senate over what they called his derogatory comment against President Muhammadu Buhari on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

Senator Abaribe, in his contribution to a debate at the plenary on Thursday described President Muhammadu Buhari, as “incompetent” leader who had nothing to offer Nigeria and need to either resign or be impeached.

The publicity secretary of Abia APC, Comrade Benedict Godson, in a statement on Saturday, described Senator Abaribe as a “drowning man” who has obviously lost idea on how to make positive impact on the lives of his constituents. The statement reads:

Senator Enyi Abaribe has also lost focus and the reason for being a senator. We are totally unhappy with him because his comment was a pointer that he has no respect for the office and person of the president. This is politics taken too far and we, the Abia state chapter of APC would not accept that.

“We demand that his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), should call him to order or possibly punish him for such a comment against a President that enjoys the goodwill and support of Nigerians, home and abroad. “We suggest that the leadership of the Senate should also activate their rule book and visit him with sanctions to serve as lesson to others who might attempt to abuse their privileges as senators.

“Abaribe’s duties as a senator is to contribute to the making of laws that would strengthen our institutions and herald better living conditions for the people and not to make derogatory statements against a duly elected President of Nigeria. “Let’s just remind him that his days are numbered in the red chamber, because, we have embarked on grassroot campaign to convince electorates to look the way of APC in the 2019 elections so that people like Senator Abaribe don’t get the opportunity to occupy a seat in the hallow chamber.”

Source: Daily Post

Nigerian Army Bars Officers From Attending Church Services Outside Barracks

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has barred officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army from attending church services outside the barracks. The COAS also warned personnel who he said were ‘sympathetic’ to political, religious and ethnic groups to voluntarily retire from service or have themselves to blame. 

Gen. Buratai gave the warning at the opening of the chief of army staff first quarter conference holding in Abuja. He said henceforth no personnel was permitted to attend church services outside the barracks especially when the Army has made provisions for the spiritual needs of its personnel. The Nigeria Army recognises the Roman Catholic Church, Protestant (Anglican), and Mosques, all of which have heir prayer houses in all its barracks, formations and units across the country. The Army chief also warned that for exceptional cases of wedding and any other form of worships which must be granted by him, anyone who disobeys the new order would be severely dealt with.

The Army chief said, “All are reminded on the ban on any form of worship outside the barracks except those permitted by me for wedding and other social functions. “Therefore officers and soldiers must restrict themselves from any act of political, religious, or ethnic patronisation as these would attract severe consequences. The fate of the 38, officers who were retired is still fresh in our memories,” he said. 

It was gathered that the warning might not be unconnected to the 2019 general elections where many religious leaders have been preaching to their flocks on the need to get registered in the ongoing voters registration exercise and other matters concerning the security of Christians in the country. With the new directive, personnel who worship outside the three major recognised worship centers in the military would now have to adjust as there are no provisions for Pentecostal, white garment or other churches in not just the Nigerian Army but the entire Nigerian armed forces.

Source: 247ureports

House Leader Introduces Bill To Stop Use Of 'Estimated Billing' By Electricity Distribution Coys

A bill to criminalize the use of ‘estimated billing’ in the calculation of electricity consumed and to be paid for by consumers by Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies has passed first reading in the House of Representatives. 

The bill which was sponsored by the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, contains sections criminalizing the arbitrary estimation of energy consumed by consumers who have not been supplied pre-paid meters by the electricity distribution companies. In a press statement, Gbajabiamila’s media aide,  Olanrewaju Smart,  quoted the lawmaker as saying the bill was necessitated by complaints from constituents across the country who felt regulations by the executive had failed to arrest the highhandedness of electricity distribution companies.

 Furthermore, Gbajabiamila, who represents Surulere I. Federal Constituency, said the legislation would resolve the unfavorable technical manipulation of the reading pattern of existing pre-paid meters, which have led to incommensurate calculation of purchased electricity credit. The bill recommends six months imprisonment for any official of an electricity distribution company found guilty of illegally disconnecting a customer or failing to provide a pre-paid meter for a client after 30 days of application. Gbajabiamila guaranteed that the legislators would push the bill until it is signed into law.

Source: Sahara Reporters