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US House gets new Speaker, Kevin McCarthy after 15 rounds of voting

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Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the speaker of the US house of representatives.

McCarthy was finally elected early Saturday morning after 15 rounds of voting following days of horsetrading among his Republican members in the house.

He won with a razor-thin margin of 216 votes against Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic house leader, who secured 212 votes.

McCarthy secured the gavel only after giving in to the demands of far-right legislators.

BACKGROUND

McCarthy’s speakership bid was blocked by a rebellious group of far-right lawmakers from his party who refused to back him.

In November, the Republicans took control of the US house of representatives by a slender margin of 222 to 212 in the 435-seat chamber — but the Democrats won the senate.

McCarthy had failed to secure the speakership after three rounds on Tuesday. After another eight rounds of contested stalemate on Wednesday and Thursday, McCarthy’s followership wore thin as the contest was prolonged.

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He received 201 votes in Thursday’s first two rounds of voting, but they dropped to 200 in subsequent votes.

Interestingly, Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican and one of McCarthy’s detractors, had voted for former President Donald Trump to be the speaker in one round of voting on Thursday.

US law does not require the speaker to be a member of the House.

However, the Democrats have consistently voted in unison for Hakeem Jeffries, the party leader in the house.

Jeffries is the first black person ever to lead a party in US Congress.

The voting was then adjourned for a 12th round on Friday.

The impasse is the longest since 1859 when the US house of representatives failed to pick a speaker after 44 ballots.

During the 14th round of voting on Friday night, Gaetz withheld his vote, sparking a confrontation with Mike Rogers, his fellow Republican.

To secure the seat of the speaker, McCarthy offered a number of concessions to the far-right lawmakers, including offering them a seat on the rules committee, which sets the terms for debate on legislation in the chamber.

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McCarthy also consented to lower the bar for calling a vote on speaker impeachment — that only one lawmaker can raise the motion to remove the speaker.

The concession also includes spending cuts on McCarthy’s leadership.

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Good Morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: Military commander killed in ambush by bandits in Katsina

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1. Military commander of an army camp located at Sabon Garin Dan’Ali, in Danmusa local government area of Katsina state has been killed in an ambush. Sources said the incident happened Thursday evening and the corpse of the deceased, a major in the army, was deposited at a hospital in Katsina.

 

2. Movement would be restricted for the duration of today’s local government election in Oyo State, the State Government announced on Friday evening. The restriction will help officials of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, to conduct the poll without hindrance.

 

3. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, were among the dignitaries who attended the wedding fatiha of the children of emirs of Kano and Bichi, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero, on Saturday.

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4. President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND. This is contained in a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, on Friday.

 

5. Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, on Friday, urged his predecessors including Chief Samuel Ortom, to refrain from interfering in his administration, warning that he would not allow anyone to destabilise his government. Alia while briefing journalists on his return from the USA, Friday morning, said the past governors have had their own term.

 

6. The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, led government in Kano State is behind the various protests against him in Abuja. Ganduje in a statement by his aide, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, alleged that the Kano government had been hiring protesters from the streets, mostly Kwankwasiyya members, some of whom are from the North Central geo-political zone to demand his resignation.

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7. The American International School of Abuja has paid $760,910.84 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from the $845,852 school fees allegedly deposited by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello in respect of five of his children in the school.

 

8. Bandits have attacked the palace of the Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Bello Muhammad Bunu, killing three people and abducting some residents of the town. The bandits, who stormed the town around 10pm on Wednesday, according to locals, also attacked the residence of the former Military Administrator of Nasarawa State, Colonel Bala Muhammad Mande (rtd).

 

9. The Nigeria Correctional Service has stepped up efforts to track down and recapture escaped inmates of the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, Niger State. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Thursday, said the government would relocate a lot of correctional centres to create better infrastructure and security.

 

10. Men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, assigned to tackle currency mutilation, dollarisation of the economy, and forex malpractice, have arrested 34 suspected currency speculators accused of foreign exchange fraud. This was made known in a statement shared on the commission’s website on Friday.

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UPDATED: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

 

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

 

Ngelale said Tinubu believes that Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience to ensure that no Nigerian student suffers a paucity of funds in the quest for tertiary education.

 

On April 3, Tinubu signed the student loans amendment bill into law to provide Nigerians with quality and accessible education.

 

The law will allow Nigerian students in tertiary institutions to access low-interest loans for tuition and other academic needs.

 

Subsequently, the president appointed Akintunde Sawyerr as the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of the fund.

 

Tinubu also appointed Frederick Oluwafemi Akinfala as the executive director of finance and administration, while Mustapha Iyal will serve as the executive director of operations of NELFUND.

READ  US, Nigeria sign $2.1bn development assistance agreement

 

 

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JUST IN: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

 

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

More to follow…

 

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