Reps Inaugurate Seven-Member Committee on Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The House of Reps has set up a seven-member Conference Committee on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

Rep Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Reps announced this during the plenary on Tuesday, September 28, in Abuja.

He said that the conference Committee would work with that of the Senate on the electoral Act to achieve concurrence.

The members are; Akeem Adeyemi as the Chairman, James Faleke, Chris Azubogu, Abdullahi Kalambaine, Blessing Onuh, Aisha Dukku and Unyime Idem.

Meanwhile, Rep. Godday Odagboyi, who was elected on the platform of Labour Party from Benue has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the House.

Reading the letter of his defection, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives said that Odagboyi’s defection was due to a crisis in the party.

He then went ahead to appreciate the Minister of Special Duty, Mr George Akume, the former Governor of Benue State and the Acting National Chairman of the APC, Mai Mala Buni.

Gbajabiamila however called on the minority leader, Rep Ndudi Elumelu if he had any objection to his defection; but Elumelu refused to object.

Meanwhile, BudgIT, on Tuesday, September 28, in Abuja urged states in the country; to strengthen areas of revenue generation and also collaborate on exploiting their economic potentials.

Mr Gabriel Okeowo, Chief Executive Officer, BudgIT, gave the advice at the presentation of the organization’s 2021 report on “State of States”.

He said the states should diversify their economies; by promoting agriculture, tourism, as well as solid minerals.

Okeowo further recommended that states should focus more on capital; rather than recurrent expenditure.

“We advise states to build structures that will outlive whatever current government each state has.

“Beyond internally generated revenue that is mostly driven by taxes; we want to see states go into production and avenues that create jobs for people.

“When we have jobs for people GDP is increased and it is easy for livelihood and tax consumption to also increase; we can have more revenue and fiscal conditions from there,” he said.