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Electoral Act: Kalu Hails Buhari Over Assent To Bill
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law on Friday.
Kalu in a statement signed by his media office on Friday, applauded President Buhari for his patriotism and commitment to the advancement of the nation’s democracy.
According to Kalu, President Buhari has proven to Nigerians that he is a committed democrat and a reliable leader with the much-sorted Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and now the Electoral Act Amendment Bill signed into laws.
He congratulated the president while appreciating his patriotism and visionary leadership style of always projecting maturity and wisdom on national discourse, and providing a rallying point for the future of the country.
These laws, he said, would definitely put the country on the right footing for economic and political development.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has proven to Nigerians that he is a committed leader whose love for the nation’s democratic development and advancement is never in doubt,” the statement said.
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the conditional cash transfer programme of the Federal Government.
Honourable Abass Adigun who moved the motion reminded the House that in order to ensure effective and efficient delivery of the programme in August 2024, nominees for the programme were informed that they will be paid the sum of N50,000 each for three months.
However, some nominees received payment months after information was completed and submitted to the portal, while other nominees have not, and the National Cash Transfer Office has not responded to the payment of other nominees to date.
President Bola Tinubu suspended the scheme – initiated by his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari and administered by the National Social Investment Programme – in January owing to alleged corruption in programme.
But in February, the Federal Government said it was restarting the scheme and is targeting an extra 12 million households that could qualify for these direct payments.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Sirajo Jaja, the Accountant General of Bauchi State for alleged N70 billion fraud.
He was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 alongside Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, an unlicensed bureau de change (BDC) operator and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator.
They were arrested in connection with investigations of money laundering, diversion of public funds and missapropriation to the tune of N70 billion.
The Commission is investigating the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, regarding the matter.
The EFCC said investigations showed that cash withdrawal of N59billion had been made through various bank accounts opened and operated by the Accountant General on behalf of the state government.
The money was allegedly moved to Abubakar and Sambo, who in turn made cash payments to party agents and associates of the governor.
The BDC operator, Abubakar, earlier jumped bail and has now been rearrested.
Some constituents in Kogi central have reportedly initiated a recall process against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing the senatorial district in the national assembly.
Several videos posted on social media on Wednesday show the constituents lining up to sign their signatures as part of the process.
A source in Kogi, who would not want to be named in the media, confirmed to TheCable that the recall process is ongoing.
The source added that the constituents mobilised heavily to recall the female lawmaker.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her.
She was suspended from the senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following her seating arrangement altercation with Akpabio.
The process of recalling a senator is outlined in section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The process involves the electorate in the senator’s constituency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and a referendum.
The recall process is expected to take two days across all polling units in the five LGAs of the Kogi central senatorial district.
During the exercise, constituents will be required to sign a petition to the INEC, calling for the senator’s recall.
The INEC, upon receipt of the petition, will thereafter verify the signatures of each constituent to determine whether they are truly registered voters in the senatorial district or not before proceeding with the exercise.