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PDP suffers setback as Akpabio names Chairmen for Special Committees

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2023

Godswill Akpabio, Senate President

…Only 3 PDP Senators Make List Of 24 Senators

The major opposition political party, PDP in the 10th Senate has suffered a major setback as the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio named Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Special Committees.

Akpabio yesterday named twenty-four Senators as members of the Selection Committee, Special Committees and one Standing Committee, with three coming from the PDP.

Of the three that are of the PDP, it is compulsory for them to be members of the Special Committee because two are principal officers who must be members of the Selection Committee.

In line with the Standing Orders 2022 as Amended that Special Committees must be announced within the first fourteen legislative days, following the first sitting of the Senate, the President of the Senate on Tuesday named members into the Selection Committee which has him as the Chairman with the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau as the Vice chairman and other principal officers of both the majority and Minority as members.

Other members of the Selection Committee are Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, the Senate Majority leader; Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno, the Senate Chief Whip:; Senator Dave Umahi, APC, Ebonyi South, the Deputy Leader and Senator Lola Ashiru, APC, Kwara South, the Deputy Whip.

Other members are Senator Simon Davou Mwadkwon, PDP, Plateau North, the Senate -Minority Leader; Senator Darlington Nwokocha, LP, Abia Central, the Minority Whip; Senator Oyewumi Kamorudeen Olarere, PDP Osun West, the Deputy Minority Leader and Senator Rufai Hanga, NNPP, Kano Central, the Deputy Minority Whip.

The Senate President named Senator Titus Zam, APC, Benue North West as the Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business with the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidelem APC, Ekiti Central as vice chairman, while Senator Sunday Karimi, APC, Kogi West was appointed Chairman, Committee on Senate Services with Senator Williams Jonahm APC, Cross River Central as vice Chairman.

Others are Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions with Senator Okechukwu Ezea, LP, Enugu East as chairman and Khalid Mustapha, PDP, Kaduna North as vice chairman.

Also named was Senator Ahmed Wadada, SDP, Nasarawa West as Chairman of, Senate Committee on Public Accounts and Senator Onyeka Peter Nwebonyi, as Vice-chairman.

Committee on National Security and Intelligence has Senator Shehu Umar, APC, Bauchi South as chairman with Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, APC, Cross River South as Vice-chairman.

In addition, the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance has Senator Garba Musa Maidoki, PDP, Kebbi South as chairman and Senator Ede Dafinone, APC, Delta Central as Vice-chairman.

The Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, has Senator Adaramodu Adeyemi Raphael, APC, Ekiti South as Chairman and Senator Salisu Shuaibu Afolabi, APC, Ogun Central as Vice Chairman.

Akpabio added that in accordance with Senate Standing Orders 95(b) as amended, under sundry matters and in anticipation of the possibility of receiving the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, the Selection Committee has also resolved to set up a committee.

With the sharing of positions from the opposition political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has two, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP and Labour Party, LP with one each, leaving out the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, the Social Democratic Party, SDP and the Young Progressives Party, YPP.

With the inauguration of the 10th Senate, the ruling APC has 59 Senators; the PDP has 36 Senators; the Labour Party, LP has 8 Senators; the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP has 2 Senators; the Social Democratic Party, SDP has 2 Senators while the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the Young Progressives Party, YPP with one Senator each. With the composition, the six opposition political parties have altogether 50 Senators as against APC’s 59.

The President of the Senate thereafter named Senator Olamilekan Adeola, APC, Ogun West as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South as Vice Chairman.

Meanwhile, Akpabio has asked his colleagues to pick forms and indicate their specialisation, areas of interest and Committees that they would wish to serve.
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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

19 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.