News
10th N’Assembly: How Tinubu’s anointed candidates floored APC rebels
All the candidates, who received the backing of President Bola Tinubu and the APC, defeated aspirants, who contested the positions contrary to the zoning arrangement of the party.
Senator Godswill Akpabio emerged as the President of the Senate, while Senator Jibrin Barau won the position of the Deputy President of the upper legislative chambers. At the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas won the election for the position of Speaker, while Benjamin Kalu emerged as the Deputy Speaker.
The ruling party zoned the Senate presidency to the South-South and endorsed Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) for the position, while the deputy Senate presidency was zoned to the North-West. Barau,from Kano State, was tipped for the position.
The positions of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were zoned to the North-West and South-East respectively, while Abbas (from Kano State) and Kalu (from Abia State) were endorsed for the seats.
The APC senators, who were mindful of the 2015 experience, when Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, shunned the party’s zoning arrangement to emerge as the Senate president and the Speaker respectively, started arriving at the National Assembly as early as 7 am.
At the Senate, the voting process started at 8 am with the nomination of candidates for the position of Senate president.
Akpabio was nominated by Senator Ali Mohammed Ndume ( APC Borno South), after the call for nomination was made by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Tambawal.
His nomination was seconded by Senator Solomon Adeola ( APC Ogun West ).
Drama, however, ensued when the clerk asked if there was any other nomination, and Senator Elisha Abbo (APC Adamawa North) signified his readiness to nominate another candidate.
But as Abbo attempted to nominate Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Senator Mohammed Mongono (APC Borno North), kicked against it by describing Yari as a non-ranking Senator.
Mongono in kicking against Yari’s nomination by Abbo, said it contravened Order 3 of the Senate Standing Rules. His position was however rejected by senators who were in support of Yari, with shouts of “no!, no! “
But the Clerk of the National Assembly overruled Mongono by declaring that nomination of Yari was in order.
After the voting, which was done through a secret ballot, Akpabio scored 63 votes to defeat Yari, who got 46 votes.
The former Zamfara State governor embraced the new Senate president and congratulated him.
Immediately after the result was declared, the clerk called for nominations for the position of Deputy President of the Senate,
Senator David Umahi (APC Ebonyi South) nominated Barau while Saliu Mustapha (APC Kwara Central) seconded. Barau was returned unopposed.
Akpabio, in his inaugural speech, extended his hand of fellowship to all Senators of the 10th Senate, irrespective of political party membership, saying, “Having won elections and inaugurated, we should see ourselves as Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not that of political parties”.
He described the 10th Senate as an uncommon one that would collaborate with the executive arm of government in the area of improved revenue generation for the country.
He said, “I assure you that I am mindful of the enormous responsibilities that this position calls for. You will have my cooperation in all matters and our joint efforts will be one of teamwork. I extend my sincere hands of fellowship to all of us, including those who, at a time, may have had different opinions regarding the leadership of the Senate.”
In his reaction, the Deputy Director-General of Yari’s team, Senator Abdul Ningi, said the election was free and fair.
He said, “The election was free and fair without much-anticipated drama. That is what makes the institution of the Senate different. The animosity, the fear of what happened in the last two days completely vanished. You go into the hall and you see how people are embracing themselves and that is parliament and that is democracy.”
This followed the election in the Senate which saw Akpabio beat a former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, by 63 votes to 46.
At the House of Representatives, Abbas, who was the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress, polled 353 votes, beating his rival and former Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase and Aminu Jaji.
Abbas emerges Speaker
In the House of Representatives, Abbas secured his victory on Tuesday, riding on the votes of opposition members whose numbers were more than the ruling party in the chamber.
The outgoing Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, and Sani Jaji, who contested against Abbas, garnered three votes each, all from the APC members.
An analysis of the votes secured by Abbas and his two opponents showed that all the members of the seven opposition parties that form the minority caucus in the 10th House voted for the APC-endorsed candidate.
The seven minority parties are the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Social Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, and the Youth Progressive Party.
The PDP has 117 members; LP, 35; NNPP, 19; APGA, five; SDP, two; ADC, two; and the YPP, one, totalling 181 opposition members. Those in the APC are 178.
There are 360 seats in the House, with 359 members voting in the election for the speaker, and Abbas securing 353 of the votes.
The vacant seat was to be occupied by a PDP member-elect, Ismaila Maihanci, who died on April 22, 2023, about two months after winning the election for the seat of Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency in Taraba State at the House, and less than two months to the inauguration of the 10th Assembly.
The outgoing Majority Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa (APC/Kano), nominated Abbas for Speaker, while Nnolim Nnaji (PDP/Enugu) seconded the motion.
Tijjani Ismail nominated the outgoing Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, for the Speaker, a nomination that was seconded by Abdulmumin Mohammed from Nasarawa State.
Another member of the House, Sani Jaji, was nominated by Muhammad Ibrahim. It was seconded by Yusuf Doro.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, who supervised the election and swearing-in ceremony, read out sections of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (as amended) stating that members would openly declare the candidates they would vote for.
Abbas emerged the winner of the poll and was declared the winner by the Clerk as the duly elected Speaker of the 10th House.
Abbas candidate garnered 353 votes out of the available 359 votes to defeat Wase and Jaji, who scored three votes each.
The Director-General of Jaji’s Campaign, Olaide Akinremi, a former aspirant of the position of Speaker from Oyo State, voted for Abbas. He declined to speak when approached by our correspondent after the election.
Similarly, apart from Jaji and Wase who contested, all other members of the G-7, a group of aspirants for the position of Speaker, aggrieved with the adoption of Abbas by the APC, voted for the party’s candidate.
They include the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Aliyu Betara; the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi; the Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli; Chinedu Ogah and Miriam Onuoha.
In his inaugural speech, Abbas described his emergence as Speaker as a “momentous victory for the 10th House of Representatives.”
While thanking all those who believed in his candidacy, the lawmaker said he was “indeed humbled and honoured to be elected as your Speaker, as the Speaker of the Nigerian people.”
The Speaker especially thanked Tinubu and the APC “for finding me competent to be nominated to serve in this position for the Nigerian people,” while extending the greeting to “every other person who has directly or indirectly contributed to this journey.”
LP, NNPP worried
Speaking on the elections at the National Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party, through its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba pleaded for time to put together a formal statement, saying,”We are aware of the election and the outcome. We will react appropriately when we are ready.”
On its part, the Labour Party expressed disappointment with the Presidency and the ruling party for getting a majority of Senators and House of Representatives members to do their bidding.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiorah Ifoh said, “The conventional thing to do is to allow members of both chambers to elect their leaders but this was not what Nigerians witnessed on Tuesday.
“The APC and Presidency did everything possible to have their way and they succeeded. Nigerians should not expect this Assembly to champion any form of legislative independence because the Senate President and the Speaker of the House were the picks of the Presidency.’’
The Spokesman for the New Nigeria Peoples Party in the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Ladipo Johnson told one of our correspondents that the leadership of the 10th National Assembly was the creation of the ruling party and the Presidency.
“Nigerians should not expect much in terms of disagreement between the executive and the judiciary. This should be worrisome considering that a healthy disagreement is necessary between the two arms of government in a constitutional democracy.’’
Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Rufus Aiyenigba, attributed the victory of Akpabio and Abbas to what he called their extensive and intensive consultations across the different party platforms that produced lawmakers in the federal parliament. (PUNCH)
Armed men have reportedly abducted a Catholic seminarian, Mr. Kelvin Ochai, after invading the residence of a Catholic bishop in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday, July 29, when the gunmen stormed the Bishop’s residence located in the Asa III area of Otukpo, sparking concern within the Catholic community.
The incident was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Rev. Fr. Joseph Aboyi Itodo.
According to the statement, the kidnappers made away with the seminarian, Mr. Kelvin Ochai, while details surrounding the attack and the circumstances of his abduction remain unclear.
The Diocese disclosed that the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called on members of the Church and the general public to pray for the seminarian’s safe return.
Describing the abduction as a painful development, the bishop appealed to all Christ’s faithful in the Diocese of Otukpo, as well as people of goodwill, to unite in prayer for the victim and others being held captive across the country.
“The Bishop, who is deeply saddened by this unfortunate development, calls on all Christ’s Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and all people of goodwill to earnestly pray for the seminarian’s quick and safe release,” the statement read.
The Diocese further entrusted the abducted seminarian and all other kidnapping victims in Nigeria to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“We commit our brother and all those in the kidnappers’ den throughout the country to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release from the hands of their abductors,” the statement added.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not released an official statement on the attack, and it remains unclear whether contact has been established with the kidnappers or if any arrests have been made.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of Benue State and the increasing number of attacks targeting religious institutions and clerics, prompting renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect lives and property.
A huge crowd of migrants poured into the Spanish territory of Ceuta overnight, after breaching the country’s border with Morocco.
At least 41 died in the process.
The Associated Press reported that the Ceuta government put the number of immigrants who have entered the city from Morocco in the past 24 hours at 60,000.
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain located on the northern coast of Africa. It shares its only land border with Morocco and, together with Melilla, another Spanish city, forms the European Union’s only land border with Africa.
This incident occurred a day after Ceuta’s government said between 1,500 and 2,000 people entered in the last 10 days.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has described the incident as an attack on Spain’s “territorial integrity” while vowing to ensure the safety of Ceuta residents.
In a post on X, he said, “What has happened is an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity and deserves our most resounding and energetic condemnation.”
He stated that his government was intensifying the presence of the “Security Forces and Corps in the city,” and that it would expedite the “repatriation files of the migrants who arrived irregularly.”
“We will deploy a physical containment barrier in the sea to facilitate repatriation at the border, in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling,” he said.
Authorities disclosed on Friday that some of the migrants died in the stampede while trying to breach the frontier, crossing the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach.
Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, told the Associated Press that some of the 18 who died also drowned.
Spanish broadcaster RTVE shared images of burned cars on the Moroccan side of the border after reported clashes.
NBC also reported that video footage that surfaced showed several Moroccans walking around the breakwaters onto local roads. Most of them appeared to be young men, but the crowd also included families with women and small children.
The deadly attempt to enter Ceuta is the latest in a series of dangerous crossings into Europe that have been recorded.
Ceuta authorities described the situation as a “serious humanitarian crisis”.
The mass migration also caused the regional president, Jesus Vivas, to declare an “absolute humanitarian and social emergency” on Thursday and call on Madrid to send troops to reassert control of the border.
However, Spain’s Interior Ministry rejected calls to declare a national emergency, stating that such a measure does not apply to migration crises, but it promised additional resources.
Meanwhile, the mass arrival by sea and land is threatening to trigger a political crisis for Pedro Sánchez, a left-wing, pro-immigration leader.
European leaders have called for Spain’s temporary suspension from the bloc’s Schengen free-travel zone because of fears of a fresh migration crisis, leading to a diplomatic row between Rome and Madrid.
France said it was increasing checks on its border with Spain.
The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, threatened to demand Spain’s suspension from the 29-member Schengen zone, which stretches from Portugal to Poland.
Ms Meloni warned of a threat to European security.
“The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal migration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders,” she said.
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Oyetoro, has been killed by unknown persons in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
Oyetoro, who was born in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State and hailed from Ayetoro in Ijumu Local Government Area, was, until his death, serving at St. Paul’s Parish, Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA.
According to available information, the priest was reportedly attacked with a machete, and his body was later found by the roadside in Ajaokuta.
Confirming the incident on Friday, the Kogi State Police Command said the killing occurred on July 29, 2026.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Oyiza Afusat, said, “The incident is confirmed. On 29th July 2026, at about 9:30 a.m., the police received information that the lifeless body of an unidentified male was found by the roadside along Church Road, Ajaokuta.
“Operatives promptly mobilised to the scene, where it was observed that the deceased had sustained severe machete cuts to the head. The body was evacuated to the ASCL Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor, and was thereafter deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
“The deceased was later identified as Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi of St. Paul Parish, Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA, Kogi State.
“The case is currently under investigation, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible. Upon the conclusion of preliminary investigation, the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation.
“We will provide further updates as the investigation progresses.”
The killing has thrown the Catholic community and many residents of Kogi State into mourning.
Kogi governor orders probe
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation into the killing of Rev. Fr Samuel Opeyemi, a Catholic priest of St Paul Parish, Ayetoro Gbede, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
Rev. Fr Opeyemi was reportedly hacked to death by yet-to-be-identified attackers, who later abandoned his body by the roadside in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of the state.
The directive was announced in a statement issued on Friday by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who described the killing as a heinous and unacceptable act.
According to the statement, the governor has instructed all security agencies to leave no stone unturned in identifying those behind the murder.
“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed all security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, identify everyone connected with the crime and ensure they face the full weight of the law,” the statement said.
The state government expressed deep sadness over the death of the priest and extended its condolences to the Catholic Church, the diocese, the family of the deceased and the Christian community.
The government assured residents that those responsible would not escape justice.
“The murder of Rev. Fr Samuel Opeyemi is a painful tragedy that has saddened the Government and the people of Kogi State. We condemn this barbaric act in the strongest possible terms and assure the Church and the family of the deceased that the perpetrators will not escape justice,” the statement added.
The government also called on security agencies to carry out a professional and comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and prosecute everyone involved.
It expressed confidence in the ability of security operatives to uncover those behind the crime.
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