These are the stories you should be monitoring today:
The Kaduna chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the lifting of the suspension of the Senator representing Kaduna Central District in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, by the National Working Committee of the party.
In a statement signed by its Acting Publicity Secretary, Salisu Wusono, on Sunday, the party insisted that Senator Sani’s indefinite suspension from the Kaduna chapter was done in line with its constitution, explaining that since 2015, Sani had engaged in hostility to the APC, joined the gang-up against the party in the Senate and made utterances in which he ridiculed President Muhammadu Buhari and the party at the national level.
The party further maintained that the Constitution of the APC does not bestow any powers on the national headquarters to quash the decisions of the Ward, Local Government and State Executive of the party.
The Senator representing Kogi West District, Dino Melaye, has taken a swipe at the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, over his claims that the seat of the Senate president belongs to the ruling party.
Melaye who was briefing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, expressed disappointment in Oshiomhole and condemned him for referring to the seat of the Senate President as a ‘crown’ that belongs to the APC.
The lawmaker accused Oshiomhole of exhibiting what he called “brain arthritis” and intellectual stagnancy for not taking time to look at the Constitution and the extant laws of the country to know that crowns are worn in the kingdoms, villages and communities; rather than in the National Assembly.
“I cannot understand why the national chairman of a party will not know that the seat of the Senate president is of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and has no party affiliation. Then, he appropriated the seat to APC, forgetting that even those who elected the Senate President were from the PDP,” he said.
The Presidency on Sunday appealed to the National Assembly (NASS) to reconvene as urgent matters pending before it may affect the running of Nigeria and matters affecting Nigerians.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang made the appeal at a news conference in Lagos, noting that although the Senate had lined up those matters before the adjournment, there was need for them to resume because of the urgency required for the approval.
“We are appealing to Senate leadership and all caucuses of the National Assembly to see this as a clarion call for the good of the nation,” he added.
Lagos State Government, has commenced the expansion of the 1000-capacity ABAT Truck Terminal in Orile-Iganmu, aimed at taking containerised trucks off the roads, to decongest the gridlock around the Apapa axis.
Governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode revealed this on Sunday during a tour of ongoing projects in the state, also noted that the government would utilise a land in Ijanikin that can take at least 5,000 trucks, both of which is expected to make the call-up system can work efficiently.
The governor promised that the terminals would be ready within six to eight weeks.
Nine Youth corps members on Saturday drowned in River Mayo Selbe in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba during a picnic party that involved 22 members of the service corps.
Public Relations Officer of the Taraba Police Command, ASP David Misal, who confirmed the incident on Sunday said the youth corps members were swimming in the river when the volume of water increased and carried the victims away but only 13 were rescued by the villagers.
The NYSC state Coordinator, Mrs Florence Yaakugh, also confirmed the incident, adding that seven bodies have been recovered while the search for the other two bodies was still ongoing by the locals in collaboration with security agencies and the NYSC.
And stories from around the world:
Saudi Arabia said Monday it was expelling the Canadian ambassador and had recalled its envoy while freezing all new trade, in protest at Ottawa’s vigorous calls for the release of jailed activists. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump has admitted his son met a Russian lawyer in June 2016 “to get information on an opponent”, but argues it was legal. (BBC)
North Korean state media called on Monday for the United States to drop sanctions, saying Pyongyang had demonstrated good faith by ending its nuclear weapons testing and handing over the remains of U.S. troops killed in the Korean War. (Reuters)
Opposition candidate Soumaila Cisse is mounting a legal challenge in Mali’s constitutional court alleging “ballot box-stuffing” after he came in a distant second to incumbent President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in the first round of the country’s presidential election. (Aljazeera)
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.
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