News
Violence in US Capitol, pro-Trump protesters disrupt Electoral College vote
- Democrats win runoff, set to control Senate
Supporters of President Donald Trump seeking to overturn his 2020 presidential poll loss stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday and attacked police.
They disrupted electoral vote as members of Congress who had convened to certify the vote were forced to leave the building.
The proceedings had barely begun when the protesters breached security perimeters at the Capitol, putting the building on lockdown.
Lawmakers inside the House chamber were told to wear gas masks and lay on the floor as Capitol police released tear gas, then evacuated from the building.
US Rep, Haley Stevens, D-Bloomfield Township, told MLive that she felt safe inside her office shortly before 2pm. But less than an hour later, protesters breached the Capitol building and sparred with police.
Michigan lawmakers provided live updates through social media as the situation escalated.
Several Michigan House Democrats were evacuated from the Cannon office building, including the US Rep, Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township.
“Chamber security and Capitol Police have their guns drawn as protesters bang on the front door of the chamber,” said Rep Dan Kildee, D-Flint, in a tweet. “This is not a protest. This is an attack on America.”
President-elect Joe Biden stepped out in to condemn the violent protests.
“President Trump, step up,” Biden said, urging him to stop what he called an insurrection.
Trump later called on the protesters to go home in peace as they had registered their feelings.
Levin also described it as “an assault on democracy itself” in a Facebook video but added Congress would not be stopped from certifying the vote of electors.
“My understanding is that the Capitol Police had to use tear gas to try and clear Statuary Hall,; they had to evacuate the floor of the House of Representatives,” Levin said. “It’s a disaster for our democracy, what is going on now, but we’re not going to let them succeed.”
According to pool reports, Vice President Mike Pence was removed from the Senate chamber, where he had been presiding over the certification.
Rep Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, said he was “horrified and shell-shocked by the violence of rioters” in a tweet.
Reps. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, and Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, denounced violent protests and attacks on police in separate statements on Twitter. Both had planned to vote in support of objecting electoral votes in some states.
Hours before the vote, Michigan’s Democratic representatives in Congress warned that Republicans ready to challenge electoral votes in several swing states could cause lasting damage to American democracy.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, said political division was the single biggest threat to national security, outweighing any threat from a foreign nation.
“The prospect of Americans not believing in democracy is extremely dangerous,” Slotkin said.”We are a diverse complicated country and if we don’t all believe in this system, and we start separating ourselves from it, you can see how it becomes chaotic.”
Meanwhile, Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won the Georgia Senate runoff, US networks projected Wednesday, guaranteeing their party control of the body.
Ossoff defeated incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue with a nearly 25,000-vote margin, or 0.56 per cent, with 98 per cent of the expected vote counted, NBC and ABC projected.
His win, after fellow Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Kelly Loeffler in a parallel runoff election Tuesday, gave both parties 50 seats in the Senate.
With the chamber evenly split, Democratic Vice-president elect Kamala Harris will play the role of the tie-breaker, giving Democrats control of the Senate as well as the House of Representatives.
News
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
Late COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
The late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, was on Friday laid to rest in Abuja, amid tears and tributes.
President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the late Chief of Army Staff.
The burial took place at the National Cemetery in Abuja to end two days of funeral rites that began in Lagos earlier in the week.
His body was lowered into the grave at exactly 4:41pm after the ceremony that lasted over two hours.
Lagbaja’s casket, draped in Nigeria’s green and white colours, arrived at the cemetery around 3pm in a white funeral wagon after a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
Dignitaries were led to the event by President Bola Tinubu. Others are Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and other top government officials and military brass.
President Tinubu announced the conferment of the CFR on the late COAS during the interment at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
The President extolled the virtues of the late warrior, especially his contributions to national security.
According to him, the appointment of Lagbaja as the COAS was one of his finest made so far.
“As an eternal symbol of our appreciation, I have granted the late Chief of Army Staff, the posthumous national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic of the Niger (CFR),” Tinubu declared.
He thereafter invited the wife of the late COAS, Mariya, to collect the award on behalf of the Lagbaja family amid applause from the congregation.
News
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
Supreme Court dismisses 16 govs suit challenging EFCC legality
The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and two others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for determination in the suit against the plaintiffs.
The court held that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative competence.
It faulted the claim by the plaintiffs that the EFCC Act, being a product of the United Nations convention on corruption, ought to be ratified by majority of the state houses of assembly.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Abba-Aji ruled that “the EFCC Act, which was not established from a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly.”
News
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary FCDA Hadi Ahmad suspended indefinitely
Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
His suspicion was on the order of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday evening.
No reason was given for the suspension.
Ahmad was directed to hand over to the Director, Engineering Services in the FCDA.
The statement read: “The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely.
“According to a statement on Thursday, by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, the suspension of Engr Hadi Ahmad is with immediate effect.
“The suspended Executive Secretary has consequently been directed to hand over to the Director of Engineering Services, Engr in the FCDA.”
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