A former Kaduna lawmaker, Sen. Shehu Sani, has said he lost his senate re-election bid in 2019 because he opposed the former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s move to obtain a 340 million dollars foreign loan.

Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Eighth Senate, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

“I was insistent on speaking truth to power, and that was why I lost my re-election bid in 2019. Former Gov. Narsir El-Rufai was going for a 350 million dollar loan and we said ‘No’.

“”Some of us told him that such a venture would impact negatively on our people, but he went ahead and did that, while he perceived us as his political enemies.

“”This political battle with El-Rufai affected several other politicians, resulting in our leaving the party en masse.

“My own very case was that I stood up to the governor and I paid the price by losing my seat,” he said.

The popular pro-democracy activist, however, said that today, he had been vindicated.

“At that time, the governor was opposed to me; the state assembly members were opposed to me and many political figures there were opposed to me.

“Today, I am vindicated because even the governor of the state today has made it public how the finances and the economy of the state have been strangulated by that loan.

“Many projects were littered, uncompleted and abandoned all over the state. Kaduna today has become the second highest indebted state in the country.

“So I am vindicated, even though I lost my seat,” he said.

Sani said he was satisfied with the role he played on the controversial loan at that time.

“I’m satisfied that, at least, when I die, nobody will look to my grave and say this is the person who signed an approval for the loan that we are going to pay in 100 years.

“The vindication is more important to me than my return to the National Assembly,’’ he said.

The former lawmaker attributed the failure of most members of the national assembly to return to their refusal to be loyal to their governors.

This, he said, often resulted in high turn-out of lawmakers in each election year.

Sani, however, said that the high number of new lawmakers in national and state houses of assembly at every election year was not the best for Nigeria’s democracy.

He said that in the developed world, such as India and the United States, some lawmakers would be in the legislature for 30, 40 and 50 years.

“But in Nigeria, if you are a senator and you are fond of standing up every time to speak truth to the power, you will hardly come back to that national assembly.

“If what you are doing or saying is particularly contrary to the interests of the governor of your state, you will not come back to the national assembly,’’ he said.

The former senator also said that irrespective of a lawmaker’s qualifications, he could only emerge as senate president or speaker of the house if he happened to be the favourite of the executive.

“It’s only during Buhari’s time that a mistake was made in 2015 which made Buhari lose the election at the national assembly.

“Then his adversary Sen. Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara took over and you could see what happened for four years.

“ So, if you are elected as a governor of a state, your life is dependent on the state assembly and you cannot allow your enemy to take over.

“So, you will bring someone whose first qualification is not that he speaks good English, second qualification is not that he is competent, third qualification is not that he is good looking and fourth qualification is not that he knows how to make laws.

“The first qualification of a person who is going to be a speaker is that he is 100 per cent loyal to the governor or the president,’’ Sani said.(NAN)

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, has invited the Martin Amaewhule-led house of assembly members to a meeting.

The meeting is scheduled to hold at the Governor’s Office in the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday.

This was announced in a letter dated March 7 and obtained by Elanza news on Sunday.

The letter was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo

“I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5th March, 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court judgement, and has therefore directed me to invite you and your colleagues – the Honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting,” the letter partly read.

According to the SSG, the planned meeting between the governor and the lawmakers would centre on provision of a befitting place for assembly sittings, payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members.

According to the SSG, the planned meeting between the governor and the lawmakers would centre on provision of a befitting place for assembly sittings, payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members.

Others include the presentation of budget and sundry matters as well as other matters aimed at charting a new way forward for the oil-rich state.

“Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt Hon Speaker, and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to a meeting with the Governor as follows:

“Monday, March 10, 2025. Time: 10am, Venue: Office of the Governor, Government House, Port Harcourt.

“Many thanks Sir as we look forward to your kind attendance with a view to charting the way forward in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”

More to follow..

The Peoples Democratic Party has again postponed its National Executive Committee meeting, rescheduling it for May 15, 2025.

In a statement obtained by ELANZANEWS Online on Sunday, the PDP’s National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, said the meeting, originally slated for March 13, was delayed due to pending zonal, state, local government, and ward congresses, as well as the need for further consultations.

This marks the fifth time the PDP has rescheduled its 99th NEC meeting, further deepening internal divisions within the party.

The crisis within the PDP has intensified since Umar Damagum assumed office as acting National Chairman following the court’s removal of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, with growing calls for his resignation.

During the 98th NEC meeting on April 18, 2024, party leaders failed to resolve several critical issues. As a result, the crisis has deepened, affecting state and zonal chapters and causing significant divisions within the National Working Committee.

The 98th NEC meeting had initially set August 15 for the 99th NEC meeting to address unresolved matters. However, the meeting was first postponed to October 24, 2024, then rescheduled for November 28, 2024, before being indefinitely delayed.

In response, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, directed the NWC in December 2024 to ensure the NEC meeting was held by February 2025 at the latest.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, raised concerns that continued delays were eroding the trust and confidence of PDP members.

To ensure the meeting was held promptly, the PDP Governors’ Forum, during their meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on January 31, proposed March 13 for the NEC meeting.

However, in a new development, the party leadership announced that after consulting with all party organs, the 99th NEC meeting has, for the fifth time, been postponed to May 15.

The statement read, “Distinguished members of the National Executive Committee may recall that after due deliberation by party leaders, stakeholders, and relevant organs of the party, the NEC meeting was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2025.

“However, following emerging issues, including the need to conclude our pending zonal, state, local government, and ward congresses, as well as to allow for further consultations to ensure the smooth conduct of the meeting — especially concerning other proposed activities of our party — the NWC, after due consultation with leaders, stakeholders, and relevant organs of the party, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, and the PDP National Assembly Caucus, hereby notifies distinguished NEC members that the 99th NEC meeting, earlier scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2025, has been unavoidably shifted to Thursday, May 15, 2025.

“All NEC members should please note the change of date and be guided accordingly.

“The NWC sincerely regrets any inconvenience this change of date may cause distinguished NEC members,” the statement said.